Chapter 24

Even after returning to the village, Do-Jin didn’t get a moment’s rest. He had to let the villagers know it was safe, pull Sophie and her family out of that cramped hole, and then help tend to the injured alongside the others.

It wasn’t until noon, with the sun blazing overhead, that Do-Jin finally plopped himself down on the ground. Finding a decent spot, he sat and took in the sight of Gulak Village. Come to think of it, this was the first time he’d seen the place in broad daylight.

To be honest, it wasn’t much to look at. Doors, roofs, and anything else flammable had already been torn off. The ants had trashed whatever was left during their rampage, leaving not a single building intact. It was a miracle no one had died, but there wasn’t much joy in the air either. After all, who the hell looked at the ruins of their home and thought, “Well, at least we didn’t die in the bombing!”

Still, something was nagging at Do-Jin.

Why hasn’t the quest cleared yet? Did I miss something? Is there another condition I don’t know about?

“Mage brother.”

Lost in thought, Do-Jin was startled by a familiar voice. It was Sophie. With her lips pouting and her eyes drooping like a puppy in the rain, she looked utterly dejected. Seeing her like that, Do-Jin ruffled her hair. This girl who was smaller than others her age gave a faint smile at his touch.

“How’s your mom and dad?”

“They’re helping the other injured people.”

Given how wrecked the village was, it wasn’t surprising they weren’t in the best spirits.

Wish I had some candy or something

, he thought while glancing over his inventory.

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Do-Jin couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret looking at the only two consumables in his inventory: dry jerky and mana cigarettes. While debating whether he should at least offer the first, Sophie plopped down next to him with a thud.

“Do-Jin.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to know my real name?”

That threw him off. What does she mean by her real name?

“My real name,” she repeated, nodding earnestly.

“You’ve got a different name?”

Another nod, and then Sophie began to explain. “My mom and dad told me I was really sick when I was little. They said that, to stop the Reaper from taking me, they had to call me by a different name.”

Her face was set with a quiet determination, like someone about to make a life-changing choice. Maybe it seemed irrational to others, but for those who believed, it mattered deeply. It was like pork—harmless and even appealing to most, but for some, it might as well be a one-way ticket to hell.

So, Do-Jin spoke carefully, “You don’t have to tell me if it’s making you this anxious. No need to force yourself.”

“No, I want to tell you,” she insisted, locking eyes with him with a small smile.

“You sure about this?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

Taking a deep breath, she reintroduced herself. “My real name... It’s Diana.”

Her voice was barely a whisper, as if she was sharing a secret with the world. The moment the name reached Do-Jin’s ears, his expression froze.

Diana...?

He had heard that name before, several times in his past life, in fact. This person had black hair as dark as night, ash-gray eyes filled with nothing but empty hatred, and torn lips stretched into a cruel grin. There was also a thick, jagged scar running horizontally across her pale throat.

That woman was none other than the Sword Demon, a mercenary who would do anything for money. Diana was an assassin who killed nobles, a terrorist hell-bent on overthrowing nations, and someone who had become humanity’s sworn enemy. Even though those events took place far in the future, Do-Jin couldn’t ignore the uncanny weight of this revelation.

At first, he thought it could be a coincidence, a common name and nothing more. But that hope crumbled the moment he remembered Sophie, clutching a dull, short knife with trembling hands, standing over the corpse of a Gulak Ant she’d slain.

There’s no way someone with talent like that is just a random kid. And to share the same name, too? No, it has to be her.

Reluctantly, Do-Jin had to accept that the girl in front of him and the Sword Demon of the future were one and the same. With that realization came clarity. The true purpose of this quest wasn’t just to save her from immediate danger. It was to save her from herself, to prevent her from descending into the misery and darkness that would turn her into the Sword Demon.

The moment Do-Jin pieced it all together, the notification popped up in his Status Window.

[Quest Complete!]

[You have acquired 10,000 Gold.]

[Your level has increased.]

[You have saved the child of untapped potential from her destined misfortune.]

[You have formed a bond with “The Girl Marked by Fate’s Blade,” Diana.]

[Due to this bond, Diana’s Affection has increased to 70.]

The Fate Tier quest was complete, and the rewards were well worth the effort. The massive influx of experience points was staggering. After slaughtering Gulak Ants all night, he’d been stuck at Level 36, but in the blink of an eye, he shot up to Level 40. Normally, it would’ve taken over ten days of grueling effort, even with the Gulak Ants. Do-Jin had pulled it off in a single night.

Then, there was the gold. Whenever he had cleared a hidden dungeon, he’d earned about 2,000 Gold, a fortune in its own right. But now? The quest had just handed him a jaw-dropping 10,000 Gold. And as if that wasn’t enough, he’d formed a connection with a named NPC important enough to be tied to a Fate Tier quest.

Do-Jin knew better than anyone that relationships and bonds with NPCs like this were the real jackpot in this world. These tangled webs of connections always came back around, opening doors to massive quests later on.

[You have twisted the threads of fate.]

[You have partially fulfilled the requirements for the great achievement: The One Who Twists Fate.]

[As a partial reward, you have earned 1 Random Trait Selection Point.]

A random trait?

Do-Jin thought, barely managing to suppress a grin.

Just like that, the quest had thrown in yet another reward for immediate growth. Now he understood why people called Fate Tier quests a lottery ticket. However, he couldn’t let himself laugh, not with Diana sitting in front of him with her face so deadly serious.

Do-Jin stared at the words “Random Trait Selection Point” for a few seconds longer before forcing himself to look away.

Not now. Let’s save it for later.

As much as he wanted to spin the wheel and see what he’d pull, he knew better. Traits could be received anytime, but managing relationships required the right timing. With that in mind, Do-Jin reached out and gently ruffled the hair of the girl who looked far too serious for her age.

“Diana.”

The name rolled off his tongue, feeling both familiar and foreign at once. It was strange. In his past life, the only time he’d said that name had been through gritted teeth, soaked in pain and hatred. And back then, Diana had struck him down without a second thought.

Recalling those memories, Do-Jin gave a bitter smile and asked her, “They said they hid your real name so the Reaper wouldn’t take you. Doesn’t that scare you?”

Although the small girl firmly shook her head, her eyes betrayed the fear she couldn’t hide. To chase that fear away, Do-Jin reached into his inventory and pulled out a necklace he’d picked up on his way back after leaving those scheming bastards to the ants. It was one of the items the Gulak Ants had dropped, a shimmering blue gem that pulsed faintly with mana.

“In exchange for telling me your real name, I’ll give you this talisman. If you wear it, even if the Reaper knows your true name, they won’t be able to take you.”

Diana’s eyes grew wide as saucers as she stared at the glowing blue gem. The way the mana refracted light, casting vibrant patterns, made it look even more precious.

“Really...? You’re really giving me this? It looks super expensive...” Her voice wavered, the kind of insecurity born from a life of poverty.

Do-Jin smiled warmly. “It’s fine. You’ve already given me way more than this.”

“Huh?”

Her big round eyes darted around in confusion, but soon enough, her gaze settled back on the gem. Turning the blue jewel over and over in her small hands, Diana’s face lit up with a radiant smile.

“I’ll never lose this! I promise!” she declared, clutching the necklace tightly.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Do-Jin reached into his inventory and pulled out a dagger, handing it over. Though technically a dagger, it was long enough to feel like a short sword in Diana’s small hands, making this a pretty intimidating gift for a fifteen-year-old girl.

Was it the events from earlier that awakened something in her? The moment she sees the blade, her whole demeanor changes,

Do-Jin quietly observed.

As if proving the old saying about fate being written in steel, Diana’s eyes briefly flashed with a fierce, sharp aura the moment she gripped the weapon.

“Huh...?”

Her usual demeanor returned as quickly as it had vanished, leaving her staring at her hands in confusion, as if she was unsure of what she’d just done. When Do-Jin called her name, she flinched and looked up a beat late.

“Huh? Y-yeah?”

“That big ant you killed earlier... that was all you, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. I was just trying to protect Mom and Dad. But I don’t really remember how I did it...” Diana trailed off with her brows furrowed, before looking up at Do-Jin with an earnest question. “Do you think... I could get strong like you?”

“Of course. You could get even stronger than me,” Do-Jin said without hesitation. He wasn’t just being nice, either. In another life, she’d already proven him right by kicking his ass.

“You’re lying... I’m stupid. I can’t read or do math. Mom said only geniuses can be mages.”

Diana’s world was small, shaped entirely by the limits of her own experience. In her eyes, the strongest person alive was the big brother standing right in front of her. And if the strongest person was a mage, then obviously, strength could only come from magic.

“Then don’t be a mage. Be a swordsman instead.” Do-Jin offered her a new path, a guaranteed one, a winning lottery ticket just waiting to be cashed.

“A... swordsman?”

“Diana, you’re a natural with a blade. You’re a genius. The fact that you took down a Gulak Ant without any proper training? That’s all the proof anyone needs.”

Her simple, childlike logic latched onto his words instantly. The strongest person she knew was telling her this was the truth. If he said so, then it had to be true. Her wide, innocent eyes sparkled with a mix of disbelief and newfound hope, her trust in Do-Jin adding fuel to her imagination.

“Did I really... do something that amazing?”

“You sure did.”

“If I practice really hard... can I get as strong as you?”

When Do-Jin nodded again, she gripped the dagger tightly, determination flaring in her eyes. Do-Jin watched her for a moment before asking a question that had popped into his head.

“Diana, why do you want to get stronger?”

She hesitated, clutching the dagger as if searching for the right words, before finally meeting his gaze. “When I came out of the burrow, I was so scared. Even though we’d survived, I couldn’t stop shaking. I was terrified someone from the village might’ve died. I never want to feel that way again.”

You’re a good kid, huh?

“You’re kind,” Do-Jin said, the words slipping out before he could help it.

The girl who would one day become the Sword Demon had only wanted to protect those she loved. And the girl standing in front of him now, smiling so brightly, overlapped painfully with the woman who had met her end with such empty eyes.

It was a strange feeling, seeing someone’s fate shift in real time.