Rin was never really a social person, unlike his friend Lucas, who—despite his obsession with novels and games—was one of the most popular students at school. He had a natural talent for winning people over and knew exactly how to choose his words. Rin, on the other hand… was not like that.
Moreover, his appearance didn't help. It was difficult to approach someone with burn scars and disfigurement on their face.
But things were different now. With the memories he had gained from this new body, he was able to fake emotions and behavior when necessary. His understanding of relationships and reading people had also improved. All of this was thanks to the original owner of this body, who had been naturally manipulative.
With these acquired abilities and his prior knowledge of the characters—whether from the novel or from Lucas's chatter—it was easy for him to determine the approach he would take to achieve the required points to activate his time-manipulation ability upon exile.
His plan was to focus on building emotional connections with the characters who were difficult to approach, taking advantage of his knowledge of their pasts and what moved them emotionally. As for those who were easy to befriend, there was no need to complicate things with them, like Leo.
Even though this method and manipulative way of thinking left a bitter taste in his mouth, his options were limited—and his life depended on it.
❖
"How are you now? Do you feel any better?"
"Mmm… yeah, much better now."
"That's good," the red-haired girl replied, stepping closer before extending her hand. "Come on, get up."
Rin looked at her hand for a moment, then took it and pulled himself up, leaning on her slightly.
Even in this simple moment, he could feel her strength. Her grip was firm, steady—just as expected from the warrior who would later be known as the last one standing till the very end.
She smiled slightly before speaking gently, "We can't stay strangers, right? I'm Helena. What about you?"
Rin almost instinctively mentioned his real name but stopped himself at the last second.
Helena, known as "the strongest human" in the novel, was a powerful and talented character. And to Rin, who had read the novel, she was one of his favorite characters, second only to Rosalia. Not just because of her strength, but because—despite growing up in an environment showered with praise and admiration—she never became arrogant or conceited. She was mature beyond her years, yet she suffered from loneliness, always placed on a pedestal of perfection by others.
The only thing that added color to her world was her older brother, the only person who didn't see her as just a "flawless icon," but as an ordinary girl. With him, she didn't have to be the best all the time, and that was enough for her… until she was forced to come here in his place, after the "Sword of the Sun" chose her over him. His health had deteriorated due to illness, forcing her to leave him behind, unable to share in the few years he had left.
"Lucas."
He said it without thinking.
No immediate reaction came from her.
Then… for a very brief moment, he saw a flicker of surprise cross Helena's eyes.
"..."
"Hmm? Is something wrong?"
"No… it's nothing," she answered quickly, but it took her an extra second before she averted her gaze.
That hesitation, that slight distraction… was a clear sign that the name had affected her.
❖
Rin followed the red-haired girl to the now-awake group, where a blond young man waved at him cheerfully.
"How are you feeling now?"
Rin returned the greeting with equal enthusiasm before saying, "Much better. And thanks for helping earlier."
Leo shrugged with a light smile. "No problem."
"Lucas Nolan."
"Leo Astrea."
The two young men shook hands. Then Rin shifted his gaze to the white-haired girl who was watching him.
"Selena Forrest."
Then, tilting her head slightly, she added, "I hope you didn't take what I said earlier personally."
Rin rolled his eyes lightly and waved his hand dismissively. "I'm not that petty."
That wasn't true. In reality, Rin was incredibly petty—and he was fully aware of this part of himself. Sometimes, he held grudges over the smallest things. And this very pettiness was what initially caught Lucas's attention before they later became close friends.
"Ethan Zane."
After Rin's eyes met the young man leaning against the wall, that was all he said.
Of course, that wasn't surprising to Rin. Ethan's character was the classic "mysterious and cool guy." Few words, calm expressions, attractive looks—everything about him screamed, "I'm cold and untouchable!"
Naturally, Rin didn't like this type of character. Or perhaps his feelings toward them were mixed and confusing. For a disfigured teenager like him, reading about characters like these in novels gave him a sense of indirect satisfaction—the kind of satisfaction his life lacked, whether in terms of appearance, confidence, or the ability to be indifferent to others' opinions.
However, Rin didn't allow these "mundane" emotions to affect him. He knew his frustration stemmed from the ugliness of his personality and soul, and with that awareness, dealing with this type of character became easier—whether when reading about them or when interacting with one in real life… like Lucas, who had become his closest friend.
But in the end, humans are inherently emotional beings, and these feelings still surfaced within him briefly before fading. And honestly, given the situation he was in now, having such thoughts was ridiculous.
He cast a glance at the blonde girl—his favorite character in the novel—who was lying next to a young man dressed in aristocratic clothing, his hair a deep shade of violet.
"Ugh…"
With a light groan, the blonde girl moved for the first time, squeezing her eyes shut as if trying to fight off a headache. Then she slowly sat up, pressing a hand to her forehead.
The muscles in her arms were slightly tense, the faint lines of her abdominal muscles becoming visible as she took a deep breath.
She finally opened her eyes, revealing their warm honey-gold color.
"Shit, this is the most painful thing I've ever felt… How long was I unconscious?"
She ran a hand through her long golden hair. Then she looked down at her gloved hands, clenching them together.
"I'm fine. It's nothing," she muttered as she stood up, ignoring the eyes that had started watching her.