The white land spread before him—vast, empty, and cold.
Callian exhaled, watching his breath fog in the freezing air.
He had walked for hours. Maybe longer. He wasn't sure.
But now—finally—he was here.
The Valley of the Frozen Sea.
It was silent. No wind, no distant howls, no shifting snow. Just—stillness.
And then—
A presence.
A heavy, overwhelming force that pressed down on the world itself.
Callian stilled.
Then—a voice.
"You have arrived, Akashic Contractor."
His muscles locked.
His fingers curled around his sword, his breath coming sharper now.
Akashic Contractor.
That title—he hadn't heard it since—
Before he could react, the ice shifted.
Something vast and enormous moved within the valley, coiling around itself, lifting its head.
A dragon.
A colossal being of dark purple scales, its eyes glowing with an ancient, knowing light.
Callian didn't move.
Then, before his very eyes, the beast began to change.
Scales melted away, wings folded, a human shape taking form where once stood a creature of legend.
Now, before him, stood a woman.
She was strikingly beautiful, with long, dark violet hair that shimmered in the cold light, her piercing violet eyes holding the same ageless wisdom as before.
She watched him. Unmoving. Unblinking.
Callian's grip on his sword tightened.
"…What is this?" he finally asked, voice low.
The woman smiled.
"Your trial."
And then—
Everything changed.
The frozen valley was gone.
Instead—
He was back.
Back inside the ruins of a broken gate.
Back in the nightmare he could never escape.
A Gate Break.
Bodies. Blood. Screams.
The scent of iron, thick and suffocating, filled his lungs.
Callian's breath came shallow, his heart pounding.
He knew this place.
He knew what came next.
And then—he heard them.
"Hyun! We need backup—now!"
Callian's head snapped to the side.
And his chest—seized.
They were here.
His team.
Alive. Breathing. Fighting.
Just like before.
"Hyun! Cover the left flank!"
For a second—just a split second—his body moved on instinct.
Because this was real.
It had to be.
Didn't it?
The Battle That Was Never Won
The monsters came.
Towering creatures—blackened flesh, gnashing teeth, the same ones that had killed them all before.
But this time—
This time, they fought back.
Just like they always had.
Jisoo moved first, her daggers flashing through the air.
Donghyun covered the rear, setting up barriers.
Minseok called out orders, his sword carving through the horde.
And Callian—
No.
Hyun.
He moved.
His blade cut through flesh like fire through paper, his mind falling into the rhythm of battle, into the flow of their movements, into the trust, the teamwork, the bond that had once been everything.
And for the first time in what felt like an eternity—
He thought—
Maybe this time—
They could win.
And then—
They did.
The last monster fell.
Blood splattered across the ruins, the eerie silence settling in after the chaos.
And then—
Laughter.
A breathless, relieved, genuine laugh.
Hyun—Callian—turned to his team.
And they were smiling.
Jisoo punched his arm. "Damn, Hyun, you really haven't slowed down, huh?"
Minseok huffed, shaking his head. "I can't believe we actually did it."
Donghyun—always the quietest—just sighed. "Let's not jinx it."
It felt real.
Too real.
They moved to set up camp, just like they always did.
They ate together, talked, teased each other like nothing had ever gone wrong.
Like this was normal.
Like this was before.
Like this was not an illusion.
And for a while—
For a while, Callian let himself believe it.
Because he had never been able to save them before.
But now—
Now, he had.
Time blurred.
Maybe it had been days.
Maybe more.
Callian couldn't tell anymore.
All he knew was that he was happy.
For the first time in years—he was truly, genuinely happy.
And then—
Something finally clicked.
A whisper in the back of his mind.
A voice he had ignored for too long.
A small, fragile thought that shattered everything.
"Papa..."
Callian froze.
A sharp breath escaped him, his mind suddenly crashing back into focus.
His hands clenched. His chest tightened.
Violet.
His daughter.
She was still waiting for him.
And suddenly—
Everything around him felt wrong.
The warmth of the fire, the sound of his friends laughing, the way the world felt too perfect.
He exhaled.
Then—
He drew his sword.
And without hesitation—
He turned it against them.
Breaking the Illusion
Silence.
His team stared at him, confused.
"Hyun?" Minseok frowned. "What's wrong?"
Callian closed his eyes for a second.
Then he exhaled.
"I'm sorry."
And then—
He swung.
The blade cut through the illusion like a knife through water.
The moment it connected—the world shattered.
Like glass, breaking into a million tiny pieces.
And then—
He was back.
Back in the Valley of the Frozen Sea.
Back in reality.
His breath came sharp, his body drenched in sweat despite the cold.
The dragon—no, the woman—stood before him again.
Watching.
Waiting.
And then, softly, she spoke.
"You passed."
Callian exhaled heavily.
Then—slowly—he sheathed his sword.
He glanced at the woman—then bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you."
She tilted her head. "For what?"
Callian's lips pressed together.
Then—quietly—he said:
"For letting me say goodbye."
*****
The warmth of the tea seeped into Callian's fingers as he cradled the porcelain cup, its floral aroma curling into the cold air.
Across from him, Estira sat in her human form, her long violet hair cascading over her shoulder as she sipped her own tea with an air of timeless elegance.
The ice around them shimmered in the soft glow of the lanterns she had conjured, casting a surreal beauty over the frozen landscape.
Callian watched her quietly. A dragon—no, a guardian—sitting before him, offering him tea as if they were two ordinary people.
If someone had told him back in his past life that he would one day sit across from an ancient being in a hidden valley discussing the fate of the world, he might have laughed.
Or maybe he wouldn't have.
Maybe he had always known he was meant for something beyond a normal life.
Estira exhaled, setting her teacup down with a quiet clink. "You must have many questions," she said, her voice carrying the weight of centuries. "You are free to ask."
Callian took a sip of his tea, letting the warmth settle before speaking. "You're a guardian. What exactly does that mean?"
Estira tilted her head slightly, as if considering how best to explain. "I am one of the last remaining guardians of this world. The dragons were once the keepers of law and order, ensuring balance between realms. We oversaw the flow of mana, the rise and fall of civilizations, and ensured that no one force upset the harmony of existence. But time... time has eroded our strength. Humanity has expanded beyond what we could control, and now, we are but remnants of an age long past."
Her violet eyes darkened slightly as she gazed beyond him, as if seeing something he could not. "There was a time when we ruled alongside the celestial beings, guiding mortals with wisdom. But then... humanity changed. You became stronger, more ambitious, more unpredictable. And we—" she gave a small, almost bitter smile, "—we became legends. My duty as a guardian has shifted from ruling to simply watching."
Callian leaned back slightly, fingers tapping against the handle of his cup. "And yet, you still remain."
Estira met his gaze. "Because the world still needs guardians. Even if humanity does not realize it."
There was something almost sad in her voice. Callian considered her words, then asked, "You mentioned a secret continent. What did you mean by that?"
Estira smiled slightly. "There are lands beyond what you know. The world is vast, and not all creatures choose to live alongside humanity. There is a continent where mythical beings—dragons, fae, celestials—have taken refuge, hiding from the greed and destruction of men. It is a land untouched by war, sealed away from the mortal world."
Callian frowned. "Sealed away? By who?"
Estira hesitated. Then, quietly, she answered, "The Absolute Beings."
A strange chill ran down Callian's spine.
"You're talking about gods," he said flatly.
Estira nodded. "Yes. The celestials, the divine rulers, the ones who exist beyond mortal comprehension. They created this world, shaped its laws, and now… they interfere as they please. One in particular has taken great interest in your realm."
Callian's fingers tightened around his cup. "Who?"
Estira's gaze sharpened. "Isolde. The Goddess of Wisdom."
The name rang in his ears like an ominous bell.
"She is not like other gods," Estira continued. "She does not simply observe. She… manipulates. Alters fate. She sees the world as a stage, and the people within it as pieces of a grand design. There is no free will under her gaze—only a carefully crafted path."
Callian's chest tightened.
Fate.
Violet's fate.
His daughter, meant to suffer, to fall, to become the villainess of this world.
He swallowed hard. "Then… if she is so powerful, why haven't the dragons done anything?"
For the first time, Estira looked away.
Her voice was quiet when she spoke. "Because against an Absolute Being, we are powerless."
The words struck Callian like a physical blow.
Powerless.
Even dragons—beings of near-limitless mana, creatures of wisdom and strength—were powerless against her.
A deep, simmering frustration rose in his chest. "So you're telling me that everything—everything—is already decided? That no matter what I do, what choices I make, my daughter is still doomed to follow the path written for her?"
Estira's lips parted slightly, as if surprised by the intensity of his words.
Then—
Bip. Bip. Error.
Callian blinked.
Something… was wrong.
He tried to speak again. "Violet—her fate—"
Bip. Bip. Error.
The words refused to form.
He stiffened. What?
He tried again. "The story, this world—"
Bip. Bip. Error.
It was like an invisible force was censoring him, blocking him from saying the truth.
Estira frowned. "Callian? What are you trying to say?"
He exhaled sharply. So this is the limit.
He couldn't say it.
He couldn't tell her that this was a novel.
He couldn't tell her that his daughter was meant to be a villainess.
Something—someone—had placed a restriction on him.
Callian ran a hand down his face, taking a deep breath. "Nothing," he muttered. "Forget it."
Estira studied him, but did not press further.
Instead, she shifted the topic. "There may be a way to fight against fate," she said. "A way to resist the gods' interference."
Callian glanced at her. "How?"
"A contract," Estira said simply. "A bond between a guardian and a contractor. It would grant you access to my power, and in turn, solidify our connection beyond divine."
He didn't know what she meant by that.
But if this was a way to protect Violet—
Then he would take it.
He extended his hand.
"Fine," he said. "Let's make a contract."
Days later, Callian stood atop Estira's dragon form, the icy wind rushing past him as they soared through the sky. The valley was behind them, the first checkpoint of the battlefield ahead.
She landed a fair distance away, shifting back into her human form beside him.
Callian exhaled, adjusting the strap of his sword as he walked toward the checkpoint.
And then—
A small blur came racing toward him.
"Papa!"
Callian barely had time to brace himself before Violet threw herself into his arms, clutching him tightly.
His chest tightened as he caught her, lifting her slightly off the ground.
"You're back," she mumbled against his shoulder. "You were gone for so long..."
He smiled faintly, brushing a hand through her silver hair. "It was only five days."
Violet pulled back slightly, puffing her cheeks in frustration. "Five days is forever!"
Callian chuckled, tapping her nose. "Then I'll make it up to you."
Violet huffed, but her small hands clung to his coat, refusing to let go.
Callian held her close.
No matter what fate had planned—
He would never let her go.