NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2
What would happen if I possessed the novel I wrote?
If I were to possess my first work, a parody, I’d prefer being the main character. Even though I would want to poke my eyes out seeing it again due to my cringy middle school phase, I’d still be happy forming a harem among the attractive female characters.
And then there’s the protagonist from the erotic story I wrote during my raging teenage years. No guy would refuse a world where all the beauties are just a phone away.
Fantasy, academy, the modern world, expert genres. I dabbled in a variety of stories. In such novels, it wouldn’t necessarily have to be the main character. After all, no matter when I wrote them, I wrote them with affection. Building up the settings from scratch, I’d scoop up all the hidden pieces I couldn’t express in the stories and enjoy the sweet nectar of life.
If I could just possess one of the novels I wrote, I was sure I could live happily.
That is, if it’s a novel I wrote.
“But why am I an extra in a dating sim?”
It didn’t take long for me to grasp the situation after awakening in this new world. How many reincarnation prologues had I flipped?
After a brief moment of confusion, I caught on immediately.
It was ridiculous to hope that it wouldn’t be the work I sent feedback on yesterday. With Eastern-style clothes and colorful hair, what kind of martial artist has hair like that?
“Kang Yoon-ho, young master, I will guide you to your room in the inn. You look tired, and since there’s not long until you reach Murong Family, please rest well.”
One of the attendants noted my complexion and led me to a room.
“Got it.”
I casually replied, then closed the door and sat down, staring into the mirror.
In the mirror was the face of a man with black hair.
A martial arts dating sim filled with characters flaunting various hair colors. But there wasn’t a single character with black hair among the Central Plains warriors.
Was it a quirk that this was a Korean martial arts dating sim? Black hair symbolized a Joseon person.
So then, what kind of Joseon person was I?
The identity of the person I possessed was the worst kind of character.
Kang Yoon-ho.
Coming from a family of interpreters.
A rich family that had amassed wealth through ginseng smuggling every time they traveled between Joseon and China.
The family’s eldest son was none other than Kang Yoon-ho.
“And soon to be the new bride who gets murdered by the heroine.”
A character crafted to give the heroine Murong Sang-a widow qualities and villain attributes. Plus, I’d lose the entire family fortune. That’s Kang Yoon-ho for you.
How unfortunate is it to possess someone with the same name? Or maybe it happened because there was no name setting, so I ended up with my name.
Anyway, this Kang Yoon-ho was on his way to Murong Family. To marry the villainess widow heroine called Murong Sang-a. Well, she wasn’t a widow yet, so perhaps it’s the genuine widow heroine? I felt “self-proclaimed widow” had a nice ring to it.
“I’m too late to run away.”
If only it were before the engagement had been solidified. Even if it was after the engagement, I could have overturned everything and possibly called off the marriage.
But of all times, I possessed Kang Yoon-ho just as he was heading to marry Murong Family.
Wouldn’t I be the laughing stock of the martial world if the groom fled from his wedding?
In order to prevent that ridicule, Murong Family would form a search party. And with a body that hadn’t practiced martial arts, Kang Yoon-ho wouldn’t be able to escape far and would inevitably be caught.
[It’s so cruel that a man who doesn’t love has to get married, right? So, I’ve prepared evidence that could frame his family for treason ahead of time.]
By that time, Murong Sang-a had already sent evidence related to treason to the Joseon court. Whether it was real or fake, in the sensitive political climate surrounding treason in Joseon, I wouldn’t be able to bypass this situation. Even if I returned to Joseon, I would face execution.
Not only was I late to escape, but I also had little time left to live.
[When I rushed into the bridal chamber and killed him for the throne, I felt so relieved. Plus, as a reward for uncovering the treason, the destroyed man’s fortune went entirely to me, his wife.]
In the story, Murong Sang-a undoubtedly said something like this.
From where I currently stood, it was a three-day journey to Murong Family. Marriage was set to happen three days after arrival.
If I heard of the treason just before spending the first night with Murong Sang-a, I’d have only six days left.
“I need to plan quickly.”
I established my current situation and prioritized my goals.
Situation: If I return home, I’m slated for execution alongside my family. If I stay at Murong Family, I’m marked for murder.
With the wedding date set, if I run away now, I’ll be pursued by Murong Family.
Even if I manage to get married, returning home won’t be an option. How could I come back when I’m suppose to die on my first night with Murong Sang-a?
“Is this a game? Is this the situation!? Aah!”
I screamed in frustration about the dreadful circumstances.
“Young master!! What’s wrong?!”
Hearing my scream, one of the attendants rushed to knock on the door of the next room. Is the soundproofing poor? I’d better be quiet.
“It’s nothing! Oh! Bring me some writing materials.”
“Yes, I’ll get them for you.”
Once the presence at the door disappeared, I resumed my thoughts.
‘Kang Yoon-ho, you idiot.’
As I sifted through the absorbed memories, it turned out Kang Yoon-ho was a typical rich brat. He enjoyed drinking and gambling and treated brothels like his own private room.
What a enviable life.
Some had to pull double shifts without proper rest. Damn.
Maybe due to it being a martial arts dating sim, the girls in Kang Yoon-ho’s memories were all celebrity-level beauties.
Imagine living a life where you have such girls on either side, fondling breasts while food, drinks, and the performers are all at your beck and call.
Of course, no parent would view such a rebellious life fondly.
“Marry the Murong family’s daughter.”
“But Father, I’m only twenty now, how can I get married?”
“Recently, the Jurchen are running rampant. If we marry into the Murong family—the closest martial arts family to Joseon—we’ll gain some sturdy martial guards.”
“But still, I don’t like the women from the Central Plains, they’re too fierce.”
“Do you realize where all the food and drinks you’ve been enjoying have come from?! If you don’t get married, I’ll cut off all support and send you to a temple!!”
“Father!”
And with this flow, he had reluctantly accepted the situation, leading the bratty character to cause a scene when he met Murong Sang-a.
“So you’ve been drinking?”
In the place arranged for their private meeting, Murong Sang-a was delayed chatting with her future father-in-law, and this brat couldn’t hold out and got himself utterly drunk.
“Huh? You aren’t one of the regular courtesans…”
“It seems this isn’t the right time. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Just as Murong Sang-a quickly assessed the situation and turned to leave, the brat opened his mouth.
“Aah. My fiancée. Right, we were supposed to meet today. Come sit and pour me some drinks.”
“……. If you need someone to pour drinks, call a courtesan. Though I may have become your fiancée, I am not a courtesan. Engagement is about binding families and destinies together one…”
“A girl spouting nonsense like a broken string of a kite. Just shut up and pour me some drinks, wench! Do I buy a courtesan or does my family buy you? It amounts to the same! What? Can’t pour? Then prepare to throw a fit in bed.”
Wow. What kind of trash is this? Even looking back at the memories, the bratty character was truly determined to die.
“……. Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that. Well, good bye.”
“Yeah, go on. Next time we meet, I’ll make you cry under my legs.”
Haha.
I admit it.
At this rate, being killed is quite understandable.
I smirked at the ridiculousness of the situation.
If I had heard such words in a first meeting, I would have definitely wanted to kill him.
But the problem is, I’m the one in the brattish disguise who’s supposed to be killed at Murong Family.
“Looks like I need to win over Murong Sang-a.”
At the very least, to avoid dying on our wedding night, I need to mend the relationship with Murong Sang-a.
Though she’s already scheming to wipe out my family and seize our fortune, I still need to restore our relationship to the extent that she wouldn’t kill me.
“And I can’t linger at Murong Family either.”
Naturally, Murong Family is located in China, marking it outside the administrative boundaries of Joseon.
However, even if Murong Sang-a doesn’t go as far as to kill me, I still can’t stay at Murong Family.
I only cleared the princess route and thus only know rough details, but Murong Family gets annihilated in the story. The reason for their annihilation is collaboration with the Demonic Cult.
As the heroine, Murong Sang-a had no charges against her, but she gets written out of the story along with the annihilation news.
If Murong Family is already cooperating with the Demonic Cult, staying there would be a terrible move. It’s best to escape quickly for survival.
With that said, I must establish the following goals.
‘Restore relations with Murong Sang-a to the extent that’s appropriate. Even if I rebuild my relationship with her, I’ll be entangled in treason, so from Murong Family’s perspective, they’ll want to expel me. That’s when I’ll escape to the Central Plains. Live a new life.’
Alright. Perfect.
The key is figuring out how to recover the relationship.
“Young master, I’ve brought your writing materials.”
The door opened, and the attendant presented the supplies.
“Right. Leave.”
“Yes.”
After organizing my thoughts, I began grinding ink to write.
Scritch Scritch
This is surprisingly labor-intensive.
Is there no office supply store from elementary school? Just squirt some ink and start writing. Then, that one kid gets smeared with ink, and they start crying. The guy she liked grabs her by the collar, there’s a fight, and all three end up splashed with ink and their clothes ruined, getting scolded by their mothers.
Ah, nostalgia, nostalgia.
Wait.
Elementary school?
Ah!
I have the perfect method to save my life using my best skill!
I hurriedly began writing on the paper.
“Right. A writer should clean up messes with words.”
Kang Yoon-ho, you brat, I’ll wash you clean!