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Miriam’s words left me speechless, my mind struggling to catch up with the abrupt turn of events.

Kill me? The demand was so out of left field that it took me a moment to process.

My first thought was that she\'d somehow discovered my connection to Arsene, but that didn\'t seem likely.

It wasn\'t Arsene who had trampled over the Gluttony Territory, but Leon and his family.

And it was ludicrous to think that someone capable of perceiving my true nature had mistaken me for Samuel this entire time.

Sure, she might be unhappy about the unexpected visit, but that was hardly a reason to resort to murder.

“You want me dead? What exactly do you mean by that?” I finally asked.

[I, too, am curious. Why must this one be eliminated? I will not heed your words without a proper justification.]

Confused, both I and Samuel demanded an explanation.

Samuel had grown rather fond of me; he wouldn\'t attack without good reason.

“……”

Miriam remained silent for a long moment, lost in thought, before finally speaking.

“…Because you are not a ‘piece’.”

Her answer only deepened the mystery.

*Piece?*

What could she possibly mean?

And why was she so determined to see me dead?

With no answers in sight, I narrowed my eyes, fixing Miriam with an icy glare.

“I’d appreciate a proper explanation. Why, exactly, am I marked for death?”

“……”

Miriam remained tight-lipped, her brow furrowed in contemplation.

Finally, she spoke.

“The world is intricately structured. Whether meticulously planned and assembled by God or not, it\'s held together seamlessly by countless possibilities.”

“……”

Her words felt as substantial as grasping at smoke.

Yet, a spark of understanding ignited within me.

‘…This is about my story.’

‘A world assembled without a plan.’

‘A world seamlessly held together by countless possibilities.’

These were elements outside the scope of what I, the author, had established.

Miriam was talking about the underlying logic, the inherent consistency, that filled the gaps in my flawed world-building.

Even I, the creator, couldn\'t fully grasp how the voids left by discarded plotlines and forgotten characters had been filled.

And yet, the world persisted.

It ‘functioned’.

Its inhabitants might have suffered, but the world itself endured.

‘…Even though I, a human, created it, this world possesses a completeness that rivals divine creation.’

Even so, her explanation remained unsatisfying.

What did the nature of the world\'s existence have to do with my demise?

My questions remained unanswered, so I waited for Miriam to elaborate.

Taking a deep breath, she continued.

“…But you are not a piece. That is the problem. Because you are not part of the original form, there is no way to know how you will affect the world."

Therefore…

“Samuel, kill him.”

[……]

Samuel didn’t answer, his usually simple mind struggling to grasp the situation.

Even I, knowing my true identity as the author, would have been hard-pressed to understand even half of what Miriam was saying.

And then it hit me.

I understood what she was getting at.

It was simple, really, like a child’s puzzle.

A puzzle can only form a complete picture when all the uniquely shaped pieces fit perfectly together.

But what happens when a piece is jammed into a space it doesn’t belong?

Two outcomes are most likely.

Either the piece is forced to fit, becoming warped and broken in the process.

Or, it tears and distorts the surrounding pieces, ruining the integrity of the whole.

‘…So that\'s why she wants me dead…’

It wasn’t difficult to follow her logic.

Judging by her words, Miriam seemed to possess some form of precognitive ability.

But if she hadn’t foreseen my presence here, then her visions didn\'t include me.

Precognition meant seeing a predetermined future.

But I didn’t exist in the future Miriam saw.

Which meant she recognized me as an anomaly, an element that didn’t belong.

However, I had no intention of dying here.

“You seem to be mistaken about something.”

“…And what is that?”

I took a step towards her.

Miriam flinched as if sensing my approach.

I leaned in, letting a hint of killing intent seep into my voice.

“Firstly, you can’t kill me. You’re simply not strong enough.”

“Don’t be so sure. If Samuel and I combine our powers…”

“And where do you think Samuel is residing at this very moment?”

“……!”

Miriam froze, a look of dawning horror on her face.

Samuel was currently embedded in my arm, taking the form of the thorn.

If I chose to rip him out…he would die.

A shiver ran down her spine as the gruesome image likely flashed through her mind.

Seizing the opportunity, I leaned closer and whispered,

“You fear me because I am not a piece? You fear that I will shatter the carefully assembled pieces of this world?”

“…That is correct.”

“There’s no need for fear.”

My voice softened, taking on a soothing tone. Miriam, utterly bewildered, could only stare.

“Because that was always the predetermined future. Why worry about what’s already set in stone?”

“…What are you…”

“As you feared, I will break this world.”

“……”

Miriam fell silent, sensing the unwavering conviction in my voice.

The moment I, a misplaced piece, had entered this world, the original narrative had become impossible.

It was time for me to reshape it, to mold it into the ‘right’ form, according to my design.

That’s why I spoke of breaking this world.

And what was this about the world being in its ‘original form’?

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“…What’s so funny?”

Miriam demanded, her brow furrowed at my sudden outburst.

Wiping a tear from my eye, I managed to choke out,

“The very idea that these uniform pieces, slotted into their predetermined places, could be considered the ‘right’ form…It’s utterly hilarious. Miriam, do you truly believe this world is in its ideal state?”

“……”

Miriam had no answer.

She knew, just as I did, the fate that awaited the Demon Clan.

Only ruin lay ahead.

I had written it myself, after all.

I didn’t know the extent of Miriam’s precognitive abilities, but if she had seen even a glimpse of the future involving the Demon Clan, she knew it ended in destruction.

Her silence spoke volumes.

Even in the future she had witnessed, I hadn’t managed to save them all.

But…

There was one.

One life spared from a predetermined death, all thanks to my presence.

“I’ve already rewritten countless futures to right the wrongs of this twisted world.”

“…I’m aware of that. The fact that that child is still alive, despite his original fate…It’s proof enough.”

Miriam seemed to have realized that I was the reason Samuel was still alive.

[…?]

Samuel, however, seemed lost.

As his opinion held little weight in this particular conversation, I ignored his confusion and addressed Miriam.

“You say I’m not a piece? You’re right. I have no intention of ever becoming one.”

I wouldn’t be just another part of this flawed system, this seemingly perfect world with its unstable foundation.

“Carving pieces, breaking pieces…That’s not my goal. I intend to break the board itself.”

“……!”

The audacity of my words, the sheer arrogance of claiming I would destroy it all, stunned Miriam into silence.

When she finally found her voice, her finger trembled as she pointed at me.

“…Who…Who are you?”

I merely shrugged, offering no explanation.

I was the last descendant of a family branded as traitors by both the Demon and Human Realms.

I might be the ultimate villain, or perhaps just an author kidnapped by his own creation, dragged into a world made of ink and paper.

One thing was certain.

I would change this world.

There was no doubt in my mind.

A familiar smirk played on my lips as I looked at Miriam.

“So, what will it be? Knowing my goal, do you still wish to see me dead?”

“…Perhaps ending you now would be for the best…”

“Oh dear, that wounds me.”

I feigned a sob, though no tears welled in my eyes. Honestly.

Miriam sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“It seems your fate will have to wait. I…need time to think.”

“And just how do you propose to kill me?”

“……”

Miriam’s gaze turned sharp, radiating an intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

I chuckled, my tone light and teasing.

“Just kidding.”

“…Perhaps you should rest and have some food for now.”

With that, Miriam rose to her feet and turned to leave.

[Are you going there?]

Samuel asked.

Miriam didn’t reply, simply offering a curt nod before exiting the room.

I let out a sigh as she left, watching her go.

“Well, that seems to be settled for now.”

[…I still don’t understand a single thing.]

“Not that I’m obligated to explain.”

[I know you, you secretive bastard. You’re hiding something.]

Samuel’s words made me frown. He sounded awfully sure of himself.

“Oh? And how much do you think you know about me?”

[Hmph, that’s my secret.]

“……”

I stared at him, utterly dumbfounded.

Was this pettiness befitting of a Sin Lord?

Since he was clearly in no mood to elaborate, I decided to focus on the meal before me. However…

“What…is this?”

[It’s food, obviously.]

Samuel’s answer came swiftly as I pointed at the unidentifiable soup in my bowl.

But there was no way I could accept that.

‘This’ was not food.

“……”

A murky black broth swam with unidentifiable insects and chunks of what looked suspiciously like snake.

As if sensing my hesitation, Samuel extended a tendril of Gluttony, scooping up a generous portion of the black soup before shoveling it into his…whatever served as his mouth.

*Slurp, slurp.*

I watched in mounting horror as he devoured the soup like a man starved.

‘…Now I understand…’

No wonder Gu Poison was so terrified of him.

*Shudder.*

As if sensing danger, Gu Poison, nestled deep within my clothes, began to thrash wildly.

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