A scene was playing out on my computer screen.
I was playing an RPG about a hero who sought to free humanity from the suffering caused by monsters, demons, and even other humans.
I had developed the game myself alongside several members of my team, and it was scheduled for release in a few months. For now, I was testing it to make sure the game would run as smoothly as possible once it was released.
"Why have you become like this, Raul!? Why have you become such a cruel person!?"
A beautiful silver-haired girl was crying. Beside her stood a handsome blond man, his hand ready to draw his sword should the man standing before them attempt to attack.
"Why can't you ever understand, Ariel!? I'm doing all of this for you!" the black-haired man shouted, his body covered in wounds. "Why do you choose him over me!? Brian is nothing but a commoner who has no right to stand beside a Saint like you!"
The man named Raul was one of the antagonists in the game Path of Destiny. He was one of the characters who stood in Brian's way—Brian being the Hero of the game, whose goal was to reach the end of his journey.
Raul possessed an obsessive nature toward Ariel. He failed to realize that the harsh treatment he constantly subjected Ariel to was not love at all, but a twisted form of affection—a desire to possess and control her, to keep her all to himself.
His behavior began after Brian started growing closer to Ariel. Consumed by blind jealousy, Raul frequently interfered with both Ariel and Brian until Ariel eventually began to hate him. This drove Raul even deeper into despair, ultimately leading him to make a contract with a demon so that he could forcibly take Ariel away from Brian.
"Are you an idiot? You treated her so cruelly all this time, and you claim you did it for her sake? Have you lost your mind!?" Brian said, stepping forward to protect Ariel.
"Shut up, commoner! If you hadn't approached Ariel, our relationship would never have ended up like this!" Raul spat, his eyes blazing with hatred as he glared at Brian.
"You're wrong, Raul," Ariel said, shaking her head. "I chose Brian because it was what I wanted. He is far better than someone like you, a man who sold his soul to a demon!"
Hearing those bitter words from the woman he loved, Raul released a thick, pitch-black aura. His heart was consumed by rage and hatred. His body began transforming into a horrifying demonic creature.
"If I cannot have you, Ariel... then no one has the right to have you!" Raul shouted as he shot toward Brian and Ariel.
Brian drew his sword, and his body became enveloped in a brilliant golden aura. Flashes of lightning began crackling around the ground beneath his feet.
"You've fallen this far, Raul," Brian said, his resolve visibly hardening. "I was wrong to ever think that the two of us could become good friends. Now, I'll make sure you can never bother Ariel again!"
The two of them began to clash.
An explosion caused by their battle could be seen clearly from a distance. The sounds of their magical attacks colliding thundered across the battlefield like the roar of lightning during a storm.
Amid their fierce confrontation, only one victor remained standing.
The Hero of humanity—Brian.
He had slain Raul, a nobleman who had fallen from grace after selling his soul to a demon in exchange for power.
The last thing Raul saw before his death was Ariel, the woman he loved more than anything, kissing the Hero, Brian—the man he hated more than anyone else.
After the battle ended, the word **"Victory"** appeared above Brian and Ariel's avatars, signifying that the Player had defeated the third boss in the game I had created.
"Well... I suppose the performance is fine. But why did they make the game's story so cliché?" I complained.
As for the storyline itself, we had hired a famous writer to create it for us. My team and I were only responsible for developing the game. It was a request from the company financing our project. According to them, stories like this were currently popular among teenagers and adults.
Still, creating this game had been my dream ever since I was young. Simply seeing it being played by Players from all over the world was enough to make me grateful, even though I had sacrificed so much to make that dream a reality.
Speaking of sacrifices, I glanced at a photo frame sitting beside my computer.
It was a photograph of a black-haired man standing beside a beautiful woman.
That woman was my former lover—Liana.
*Ding...!*
I heard my doorbell ring. There was a camera installed beside the front door of my house. I activated it and saw a woman whose face was identical to the one in the photograph.
"Hey, I want to pick up the things I left with you a while ago," Liana said through the microphone installed beside the door.
"Alright. Come on in," I replied as I pressed the button to unlock the door.
Liana entered the house. Not long after, I heard footsteps approaching, as though someone was climbing the stairs.
The door to my room opened, and a beautiful woman with long, straight black hair appeared.
"Morning, Evans. Sorry for suddenly showing up like this," Liana said, sounding apologetic. "Do you still have some of my clothes here?"
Her beautiful eyelashes and smooth, snow-white skin were exactly as I remembered them.
Once again, I found myself wondering why I had ever let a woman as incredible as Liana go just to finish a game.
"You can take them from my wardrobe. I already organized everything so you could get them easily," I answered, pointing toward a large wardrobe in the corner of the room.
Liana walked over to it and took out several bags that had been stored inside.
I looked out the window and saw a handsome man leaning against a luxurious car.
He was Liana's fiancé—a heir to one of the largest companies in the country.
"Thank you, Evans. You've been such a great help," Liana said, smiling at me.
"You chose the right man, Liana." I said it in as normal a tone as I could manage.
Hearing my words, Liana let out a sigh, as though she didn't want to discuss the matter.
"He's a good and responsible man," she replied briefly.
Suddenly, Liana's palm touched my cheek.
The familiar scent of the perfume she always wore reached my nose, awakening memories of the moments we had once shared together.
"Evans, I'm leaving..."
I looked into her eyes. They appeared as though they were about to shed tears.
Why was she becoming emotional at a moment like this? Hadn't we already moved past those days?
"Take good care of yourself, okay..."
With those final words, she left my room.
I suppose that was the last time I would ever have the chance to speak with her alone.
Perhaps that had been my final opportunity to confess how I truly felt about her.
Yes...
I still loved her.
I truly did...
If I were given the chance to turn back time, to be with her again and abandon my dream, I would take that opportunity without a second thought.
That was how deep my regret ran—the regret of having wasted the love she had once given me.
I touched my cheek, only then realizing that it had been wet with a tear.
I collapsed onto my bed and tried to rest for a while, hoping to forget everything that had happened today.
I never thought I still hadn't moved on from the shadow of the life we once shared.
Not long afterward, my vision began to blur...
Sleep gradually took control of my consciousness.
Only then did I remember that I had spent twenty hours testing the game, completely forgetting to rest.
I hope you'll be happy with him, Liana...
.
.
.
Ugh...
For some reason, my entire body felt incredibly sore.
Was this because I had been too busy testing my game yesterday?
I slowly opened my eyes.
The sound of a roaring crowd filled my ears.
What was going on...?
"Come on, Lord Raul! Defeat that commoner!"
"Raul! Don't let that lowly human insult the nobility!"
Where am I...?
Why am I in some kind of fighting arena?
Before me, a blond-haired man was walking toward me while holding a wooden sword.
Wasn't he Brian...?
"Is this really the extent of your abilities, Raul? With skills like these, you dare act arrogant and look down on the other students!?" Brian shouted, visibly furious with me. "Pick up your sword! Let's settle this like men!"
Raul...?
What was he talking about?
This scene...
I felt like I had seen it somewhere before...
"..."
This place was the Duel Arena of Grunbelt Academy...
And the event happening right now was...
The first duel between Raul and Brian—the event that marked the beginning event in the game Path of Destiny.