Chapter 18: The Hero in My Heart

Hearing Nolan’s words, Scribe Berly frowned.

“Hm… was it a mistake?”

“It’s fine. You said it’s a rare exception, right? How could I just happen to be one?”

“Ah—”

Berly studied Nolan, noting his usual demeanor, then spoke.

“Actually, this simple method isn’t always accurate. About that ‘feeling’—besides the jackal attack, have you had it any other time?”

“Other times… I don’t think so.”

Nolan shook his head.

“Think hard. For example, when you met that girl, Kritiya, the one you saved from a bear’s belly, did you feel anything like it?”

“I don’t get it… what do you mean?”

Nolan looked up, meeting Berly’s serious gaze.

“This morning, Baron Noron’s envoy came—oh, did I not mention that?”

“What happened?”

“About half a month ago, Baron Noron’s daughter went missing,” Berly explained.

“You mean Kritiya… is that baron’s daughter?”

Nolan’s mind was quick, grasping the implication instantly.

I knew it… Nolan thought silently.

She’s younger than me, yet refined, beautiful, and seems to wield some extraordinary power to defeat a pack of jackals—someone like that not being highborn would be surprising.

“Is she hiding here because the baron sent people to take her home?”

Nolan wondered, unconsciously glancing at the haystack behind him.

“Are you listening, Nolan?”

Berly coughed twice.

“Go on—what’s the connection?”

“Hm… how to put it?”

Berly chose his words carefully.

“According to Baron Noron’s people, Miss Alya Noron ran away from home, but I heard some rumors.”

“Rumors?”

“Noron’s envoy told me Miss Alya was involved in some illegal demonic ritual before she left, acting very strangely. If this ‘Kritiya’ you met is really Baron Noron’s Alya, then everything happening in the village might be her doing.”

“But that’s impossible! That night, Kritiya saved me!”

Nolan protested fiercely.

“No, Nolan, think carefully. Let alone an ordinary girl, could even a strong adult kill so many jackals?”

Berly shook his head.

“This explanation makes sense.”

“But… she’s never shown malice toward me or Diya. How can you assume she’s done wrong based on guesses?”

“Demons are skilled at deception, wearing masks to fool humans. Even if she means no harm, the evil force behind her could lead her to darkness,” Berly sighed.

“But facts don’t lie. Since she came to this village, strange things keep happening, and now there’s a death—we should’ve noticed sooner.”

“How can this be…”

Nolan muttered, head down.

Berly patted his shoulder reassuringly.

“I’m telling you this to ease your mind. This isn’t something anyone could predict. Your suspicion should clear soon—by tomorrow at the latest, the Village Chief will let you out. As for demonic possession… that’s not your concern.”

With that, Berly brushed his black clerical robe and left the barn.

“Brother, I brought you food.”

Diya opened her mouth, hesitating, but said nothing, silently bringing in the food basket from the door.

“Diya, I… I’m a bit messed up right now. Don’t mind me,” Nolan said, looking at his sister.

Diya shook her head.

“Brother, I… I’ll use my power to help everyone. You’ve been hurt enough, so, um, focus on healing.”

She stood and quickly left.

***

Hearing the silence outside, I wriggled out of the haystack, feeling straw stuck all over, especially in my long hair.

“Tch, so prickly.”

I combed my hair roughly with my hands and stood, meeting Nolan’s silent gaze.

Ugh… this is trouble.

I recalled the overheard conversation, every word pushing me into a corner.

“So… who are you?”

The boy looked at me with blue eyes like his sister’s.

“Who do you think I am?”

I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.

I could’ve spun some sweet talk to get by, but I hadn’t expected to say something so childish in Kritiya’s voice, like a sulky girl.

“They say you’re Baron Noron’s Miss Alya, bewitched by a demonic ritual…”

Nolan hesitated, then spoke.

“Hm… believe it or not, the name I gave you is true. Not Alya—Kritiya,” I replied casually, thinking of a plan.

“Kritiya, I want to believe you, but they say demons are good at lying.”

That annoyed me.

“Fine, if you think everything I say is a lie, what’s the point of talking? You should’ve exposed me just now, told them I was hiding behind you, and let them catch me!

Got it? That’s what you should’ve done!”

“And you? If you’re some evil being, why didn’t you attack and kill us all just now? Berly and Diya were clueless, and I had my back to you. If you meant harm, none of us would’ve escaped,” Nolan said calmly.

“You—you—”

His comeback left me speechless.

“How can you do that?”

“Do what?”

Nolan looked confused.

“You… you made a huge mistake!”

Under the Seed of the Evil God’s killing urge, I felt my reason slipping.

I stepped forward, grabbing his collar.

“Don’t you get it? You just left your and your family’s lives in someone else’s hands!”

“Yes… but I wanted to hear your side, not just believe what others say,” Nolan said, meeting my gaze up close.

“That’s why it’s wrong!”

I nearly growled.

“You can’t be this weak. You need to be decisive, cold, calculating, always a step ahead, you need to—”

I rummaged through my mind for keywords, traits of web novel protagonists loved by readers over my years of reading.

Then it hit me—why, after losing the jackal-man last night and resisting the painful hunting urge, I came to find Nolan.

I remembered Nolan Cyril, the novel’s protagonist, and his dazzling performances on that grand stage of words.

Facing enemies, overcoming obstacles; unraveling mysteries, avenging kin; protecting the innocent, stopping disasters; earning heroes’ respect, winning beauties’ hearts—though a fictional tale, I couldn’t help but feel thrilled stepping into his shoes.

This guy—he carried my fantasies.

Even when I opened my eyes to hospital walls, I longed for a vibrant life.

“But even if you say that, I don’t think being that person would make me happy.”

A soft whisper broke my thoughts.

Grabbing Nolan’s collar, I snapped back, seeing not the handsome face I’d imagined from my past life but a real, slightly boyish one.

“What am I doing—”

I looked at Nolan silently, realizing how naive it was to seek his help.

He might become a great hero someday, but now he was just a kid, not the invincible protagonist of the novel.

“Forget it… I’m leaving. Do whatever you want.”

I moved my fingers to let go of Nolan, but his expression suddenly tensed.

“What… don’t look at me like that.”

“No, I just got a bad feeling,” Nolan whispered.

A bad feeling?

Caught up in my emotions, I’d ignored my surroundings.

Calming down, I heard the creaking of strained wood above.

Something—on the roof!

I realized too late, trying to push Nolan away, but he moved faster, grabbing me with his good hand and diving forward—

Boom!

The barn roof collapsed, and a foul, bloody stench followed as a monstrous figure crashed where we’d been.

Its blood-red eyes, bared fangs, tumor-like muscles, and gray-yellow mane stood like steel needles.

Over Nolan’s shoulder, I clearly saw the crazed, jackal-like monster.

Its murky eyes held no reason, only tattered cloth scraps marking its former human identity.