Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey
Chapter 53: Change

Ten minutes had been passed since the attack.

Lucas already has left the scene. Sia's rank hero is checking the surroundings.

The news of the attack in the Artifact room spread widely in those ten minutes and because of that Emma, Noah and Evelyn are rushed here as soon as possible.

Currently, they are checking the condition of Adrian and Isabella.

"Adrian I know that you are strong but I don't know that you are strong enough to kill Fallen Human," Noah said as he stood beside Adrian locking his right arm around Adrian's neck.

"Yes, I don't know what to say either."

Emma said as there was a shocked expression on her face but there was also worry.

Evelyn stood silent after checking the condition of Adrian and Isabella, she turned her head to the hall like searching for someone.

Seeing her silence Isabella frowns and asks her a question.

"Evelyn are you all right? Are you searching here?" she asked.

hearing Isabella's words she flusters for a second but hides it.

"N-no it's just that where is Lucas?"

Hearing Lucas's name there was a scowl on her face.

"That guy, he is already left."

"I see."

Evelyn said her expression down for a moment.

Adrian who is watching these two talking said something.

"Actually if not for Lucas I don't think I would have been able to win the fight against the fallen human."

That catches everyone's attention.

"How can be?"

"you are joking Adrian right?"

"Lucas?"

Emma, Noah and Isabella bombed him with questions, as they could not believe what they were hearing.

"It's true guys, I don't know what magic or skill he used but because of that, he can blow the arm of a fallen human, In a single attack."

He completed his short speech, and all of them were silent as stone in the middle of the desert.

They don't know what to say hearing Adrian, at first they don't believe it but since Adrian is it must be true.

Everyone did not notice in their shock but Evelyn had a small smile on her face after hearing what Adrian had said.

"Isabella!"

At that moment, a vehement voice rang out from the entrance. Isabella and everyone turned back. There, she saw a middle-aged man looking around the museum with reddened eyes. It was someone she knew.

It was her father, Dareck Evergreen

***

After thinking that far, an unknown feeling of emptiness rose within me. Why was I so relaxed this entire time? Live a comfortable life? No, that was impossible from the start.

Wiring—

At that moment, something strange happens in the cafe where I'm sitting.

The waitress in front of me was giving me a coffee to a customer stopped, not her but everyone else stopped.

It's like time had stopped moving.

"What the fuc-"

I could not even count as strange words appeared in front of me in the air.

My eyes widened as I suddenly got this strange filling in my guts as it kept writing and stopped.

I read the words that were written there.

[Hello Samuel, oh Sorry! you are Lucas now hehe by the way how do you like my gift?]

"So it was you, you bastard what the hell did you do?" I said in anger, my fist clenched and blood starting to pour from it.

[ What do you mean?]

"Don't try to play dumb I know you know what I'm talking about."

[ Oh, you mean about 'fallen human? Yes, I did make him powerful so it can be interesting to watch.]

Fuck, I should have known better that this was his doing.

"Why did you do it" I asked no one but in a few seconds something else writing in the air.

I saw a message.

[There is no semblance of danger for the main character and others. If the story continues this way, the readers would become bored thinking, "The main character will win anyways."]

"... This crazy motherfu..."

No danger? Of course, there was no danger. Readers didn't like extreme danger! This thoughtless amateur...

However, there was another line below.

[ Even if things become a mess, increase the power of antagonists.]

Fuck you, whoever are you just wish I don't catch you.

[And biased you become a hero Lucas! Don't you think that's a nice thing? Now everyone knows you, maybe I should ask for an autograph while I have a chance.]

No, you idiot I don't want to be a hero and I also don't like unnecessary attention.

"Tell me why are keep meddling things up?"

I asked instead hoping to change the subject.

[ Why I did do all of this you ask? Because it's fun to see your expression hahaha]

I know it.

[ well I'm going now, please keep me entertained.]

All of things went back to normal, time started to flow like nothing had happened.

It's like nothing happened here in the first place.

"Fuck"

Finally, I cursed him.

***

[At around 3 P.M. today, an A-rank monster with him group of monsters appeared in Eldoria, in the mainline district leaving 800 wounded and 15 dead.]

A new anchor was reporting on today's incident.

[...According to the investigation, the monster group was led by the [ A+ ] rank monster, 'Ice Lion'. The Association believes that the monster was brought in by a third party, and has set out in a search.]

"...Mmm."

At that moment, Isabella opened her eyes. Dareck immediately shot up and called for a doctor.

"You're awake. How are you feeling?"

"...Fine Dad, I told you there but you don't believe me."

"What fine your ribcage is broken and there is swelling around your neck.

She did not say anything as she kept listening.

"It must be because of black magic, that Basterd must use poison along with black magic."

He said as mana began to gather around his body, his mere mana pressure shook the room.

"Dad!" Isabella shouted as she saw what her father doing.

"Ahh, sorry," he said retiring all of his mana.

A few seconds later a doctor came running in to check her pulse, but Isabella pushed him away with a smile.

"I'm fine, really you can trust me at least Dad ."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"...She seems fine, after taking an [intermediate healing potion] you can go now."

The doctor said to Dareck.

"Yes, sir."

The doctor hurriedly ran out. Looking at the closing door, Isabella spoke briefly.

"...Dad."

"Hm?"

Dareck replied kindly.

"How is sister."

Her low-spirited voice evoked the dark past he wanted to forget. Remembering his eldest daughter always caused a sharp pain in his heart. With a gentle smile, Darck held Isabella's hand.

"...What's wrong?"

"Can I go see her when I'm discharged? I'm on sick leave anyway, right?"

"Of course you can."

Darck agreed easily.

Isabella leaned her head against her father's shoulder and recalled what happened earlier in the day.

"Dad, by the way..."

Isabella's tone was dark. Her voice carried a heavy emotion. Dareck asked worriedly.

"What's up?"

"...No, it's nothing."

Suddenly, she began to loathe someone from the bottom of her heart. But she couldn't tell her father how she felt.

She thought back to when her stomach was boiling from being poisoned by the fallen human magic power. Even while she was writhing in pain, her thoughts returned to her older sister

Four years ago, on the day the sky fell, everyone in the world found out. So she didn't have the time to be sad. After that day, her sister's name was etched deep inside her heart, and he became an untouchable subject to her.

Isabella suppressed the fury rising from her heart and wanted nothing more go to destroy something.

But she held in, she had to first replace the solution to heal her sister.

If what Samuel gave me is right then it could help to heal her but I have to get the other half from him.

She thought the black box she received from Samuel was a healing formula to heal her sister but it's incomplete.

It was her last hope and no matter what she was going to cling to it.

**

Eldoria's sky was dyed in an orange hue. The movement of the sun was no different than usual, but the scene reflected by the setting sun could only be described as a pandemonium.

Pieces of asphalt littered the road, while a child was crying under a telephone pole snapped in half. Ambulances travelled back and forth, carrying wounded people or corpses.

Although the situation had been taken care of by the dispatched Heroes, the aftermath of chaos remained.

"Adrian, and Lucas. We heard the story."

Lillian was waiting at the Portal connecting Eldoria and Acdmy City.

"We will ask for details later, so go back and rest for now."

"Um, Miss Lillian. Isabella is..."

Adrian asked, to which Miss Lillian gave a short reply.

"She's taking a sick leave. She's with her family right now."

"Yes, understood."

Adrian didn't ask any more questions.

"Go back."

One by one, we trudged to the Portal. The odd sensation enveloping my body didn't feel interesting anymore. After a short sigh, I found myself back at Academy City