The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Hwa-rin. You’re asking me how I feel about you?

To me, this atmosphere, this situation, this line—it’s all too familiar.

“Huh? Yun-ho, how do I think of you? We’re good friends. Close classmates. A funny older brother, haha.”

You work up the courage to ask, and they laugh it off awkwardly. A sour air lingers afterward.

The next day, their responses get slower.

Messages start taking longer.

They start avoiding meetups.

One day you spot them on the street, you lock eyes—and they pretend they didn’t see you and walk away.

Even if you’re dense, by then you know.

“Ah. I got rejected.”

Hwa-rin. You don’t seem to realize what your question really means in this context, but I do.

Maybe in your mind, you just wanted to test my feelings. Maybe you hoped I’d confess first. But let me tell you—

as someone who’s been through this before—

“Hwa-rin. What you just did was a confession.”

It’s like a car revving at the start of a racing game.

The RPM’s maxed out, the timer’s counting down 3... 2... 1... and the only thing it’s waiting on is my signal.

You’ve already made your move. One green light and it launches forward.

Hwa-rin... likes me.

I mean, look. Beneath this sarcasm and survival mode, I am ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ a decent guy.

Once someone sticks around me long enough—like Hwa-rin has—they’ll start noticing my charm.

Knowing how Hwa-rin feels makes my shoulders square a little higher on their own.

Now the question is—how do I answer?

“I think of you as a precious friend.” That would be the worst answer.

That’s the kind of reply that gets you hit with a Poison Pellet right there on the spot.

Even if not, we’d both walk out of this room with grim faces and heavier hearts.

Pfft. What a pair of rookies we are.

A guy who blurts out “Let’s kiss” the moment it feels possible,

and a girl who confesses just to be confessed to in return.

We’re such obvious newbies.

Honestly, saying ‘Let’s kiss’ out of nowhere was the real mistake.

In this world, a kiss between a man and a woman—even if they’re lovers—isn’t something casual.

In modern times, a kiss is just a stage in the dating process.

But here? It carries a much deeper meaning.

For a woman to allow a kiss—it’s practically a declaration.

I accept this man. I see him as a fiancé. That level of weight.

So when I told Hwa-rin “Let’s kiss,” even if she did love me romantically, of course she’d want to hear a confession first.

--------

Before I answer Hwa-rin... there’s something I have to ask myself.

Is Tang Hwa-rin the true heroine?

If she is, what’s the win condition?

Fully curing her?

Reaching her unique story ending?

Or maybe it’s standing beside her at the end of this world, whatever that end may be?

But what if she’s not the true heroine?

If she’s not... then how should I treat her?

Now that I know how she feels—do I just say,

“Sorry. You’re not the true heroine, so let’s be best friends instead. Just friends!”

No way. There’s no way I could do that.

Fate-Reverser and heroine.

This world gave me the role of a Fate-Reverser.

I’ve already met heroines before, and I might meet more.

Some of them might even offer me love beyond what I deserve.

So do I coldly ignore them?

Do I robotically hunt down the true heroine, clear her story, and leave this world?

That’s a joke.

One day, I might see the ending of this world.

I might get a chance to leave it.

But none of that is a reason to ignore the people who need my help.

None of that justifies turning away from someone who loves me.

None of that is reason to turn away from Hwa-rin’s heart.

Now that I know how she feels—

How do I feel about Tang Hwa-rin?

Am I ready to accept her feelings?

--------

“Hwa-rin.”

I called out to her gently, as she sat there with her head bowed, waiting endlessly for my answer.

“...Yes?”

At the sound of her name, her shoulders twitched.

She looked up at me with anxious eyes.

Why was she so afraid?

Her body was more alluring than any beast, but the way she trembled looked more like a drenched puppy—so small and pitiful.

“...I never said it, but these past few days were really hard.”

I sat down right beside her, pressing close, then glanced sideways at her.

“B-because of me?”

Hwa-rin asked nervously.

Why would she think that?

I shook my head firmly.

“Not that. It was hard before I met you.

You... made my life better.”

“Because of me?”

As I spoke with words that seemed to affirm her worth, a bit of color returned to Hwa-rin’s pale, nervous voice.

“Because of you, I became a bookstore manager.

I was able to write.

I became famous.

It’s all thanks to you.

I really, truly can’t express how grateful I am.”

Start with gratitude.

Everything that gave me hope in this world—everything that let me keep walking forward—was thanks to Hwa-rin.

I looked into her eyes and said it with all my sincerity.

“If you’re saying this out of pity or obligation—”

I saw her sharp eyes start to narrow suspiciously, so I quickly shook my head again and cut her off.

“Hwa-rin. I risked my life to save you.”

“So what? You’re going to deflect again—”

I hadn’t even started!

Feeling wrongly accused, I calmly reached out and gently pressed a finger to her soft lips.

“You idiot. You really don’t know?”

I turned my body toward her and faced her head-on.

The distance was close.

Close enough to feel her breath.

If I leaned forward just a little, our lips would touch.

“W-what don’t I know?”

Hwa-rin’s eyes trembled.

Was she afraid of what I might say next?

In that instant, all the memories I’d shared with Hwa-rin flashed through my mind like a panorama.

Is she the true heroine?

No.

Does that even matter?

Did I risk my life for her just because she’s a friend?

Just because there’s a chance she might be a heroine I’ll need to clear?

Did I stake everything on a possibility?

If I answered yes to that, I’d be lying to myself.

If the Fate-Reverser’s sincerity can help a heroine escape her tragic fate, then denying my feelings means denying the very power I was given.

So how do I truly feel about Hwa-rin?

I’ve already said it.

“I came because I want to protect my woman.”

“Your woman? You’re saying you have that kind of relationship with a Poisoned One?”

“What other reason is there for a man to risk his life for a woman?”

I opened my mouth to give Hwa-rin my answer.

“Hwa-rin. When a man is willing to risk everything for a woman... It’s because, in his heart—that woman is already his.”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

********

“You...! Mmph!”

Just as Tang Hwa-rin’s expression turned vulnerable from overwhelming emotion, Kang Yun-ho’s face closed the distance and covered hers.

Though startled by the sudden ambush, Hwa-rin didn’t turn her head away, even as she reflexively tightened her lips.

In an instant, their lips met. And although her lips were so stiff it felt less like a kiss and more like skin brushing skin, it was still enough to make her eyes shoot wide open in shock.

“W-what do you think you’re doing all of a sudden?!”

Hwa-rin leaned her head back in surprise and shot at him.

“Then this time I won’t do it suddenly. Come here.”

With a gentle look, Kang Yun-ho reached out and pulled Hwa-rin toward him.

What the hell. Why are you suddenly acting all mature? Damn it. You confessed. I accepted. Shouldn’t you be acting more touched or something?

Though a little annoyed, Hwa-rin had no intention of rejecting Yun-ho’s touch.

In fact, the first kiss had ended too quickly, and she was left yearning for more.

“Mmph...”

Hwa-rin puckered her lips as much as she could, like a baby bird desperately longing for affection it had never received.

Yun-ho found her unbearably cute and kissed her again—this time with love, with sincerity—quenching her thirst.

As Kang Yun-ho gently rubbed his lips against her tense ones, the stiffness in her mouth naturally relaxed.

For the first time in her life, Tang Hwa-rin felt what it meant to have a man of her own. She’d succeeded. She was happy. She was loved.

While Hwa-rin remained dazed, Yun-ho boldly pressed further.

“W-what are you trying to put in there?!”

Startled by the invading sensation inside her mouth, Hwa-rin jerked her head back again, blushing furiously.

“You didn’t like it?”

“L-let me try it one more time and then I’ll tell you...”

--------

The two didn’t separate until the Pavilion Head eventually came to inform them that too much time had passed.

If he’d arrived just a little later, they might have set up a bridal room right then and there.

“Ahem.”

It was only after the Pavilion Head’s awkward clearing of his throat that their sticky, transparent pink bridge finally pulled apart.

“Hwa-rin.”

Worried that his feelings might not have come across completely, Kang Yun-ho grasped her hand tightly and looked into her eyes.

There wasn’t much time left for them to talk.

“Yun-ho. I’ll definitely come back.”

Tang Hwa-rin nodded while clutching his hand in return.

It was a shame they hadn’t been able to talk more, but that was fine. Something even deeper had been conveyed. She had come to understand his true feelings.

“Yeah. Next time, let’s do this somewhere with no one around to interrupt.”

“Shi—... I mean, okay.”

Is my man completely immune to embarrassment? Why would you say that with the Pavilion Head standing right there?

Hwa-rin instinctively almost cursed, but in truth, she wanted that moment too. With her face glowing red, she nodded.

Kang Yun-ho chuckled at the sight, gave her one last hug, and walked out the door.

As Tang Hwa-rin kept staring toward the spot where her man had disappeared, members of the Tang Clan came in and guided her toward the prepared location.

Would she be able to succeed?

As she walked, Hwa-rin touched her lips, still warm. His presence lingered thick in her mouth.

She wanted to be happy with Yun-ho.

Tang Hwa-rin looked at the Poison Pellet of the Face-Eater Lord resting in the center of the room.

That wasn’t an insurmountable wall. It was just one more step toward getting closer to Yun-ho.

“Begin your preparations.”

Yun-ho. Wait for me.

********

“Are you worried?”

The Pavilion Head asked as he caught me staring out the window, wondering where Hwa-rin had gone.

“Shouldn’t you be going in now?”

“Even if she manages to swallow the Poison Pellet and completely absorb it, it will still take a long time. I just wanted to see your face once before going in.”

“Planning to offer some encouragement?”

One near-death experience and suddenly you’re a changed man? I appreciated the back-to-back kindness, but it still felt kind of awkward.

“...They say do your best and leave the rest to Heaven. You did everything you could, and Hwa-rin and the others will give it their all too. Now all that’s left is to hope Heaven smiles on us.”

The Pavilion Head encouraged me despite the sarcastic note in my voice. I appreciated it, but I wasn’t worried.

“It will smile.”

I spoke with conviction as I turned to him.

“Is that confidence or just hope?”

“Confidence.”

“...Good. I hope you’re right.”

Seeing the certainty in my expression, the Pavilion Head gave a small nod and headed toward where Hwa-rin was.

Yeah.

I’m certain.

Hwa-rin will become a complete Poisoned One.

She’ll return to me fully transformed.

Because—

“Hwa-rin’s skin is flawless now, not a single blemish left.”

My sincerity had gotten through.