“Y-Your Grace…”

“…….”

“Your Grace, does it hurt?”

What is this? This voice is so cute I want to bite it.

Someone gently touched my finger. Soon, I felt a faint breeze on my hand.

“Hoo, hoo, Your Grace, don’t be hurt anymore.”

The voice, which had felt distant like a dream, suddenly became clear.

At the same time, my body, which had felt as if it weren’t mine, became refreshingly clear.

I snapped my eyes open.

“…Gasp!”

An unfamiliar ceiling, an unfamiliar bed.

Where am I?

“Oh? Y-Your Grace! Y-you’re awake?”

I turned my head and stared blankly at the child.

‘A talking doll…’

Blue eyes and pink hair. How can someone be this pretty?

The way she struggled to climb up, with only her arms and face barely hanging onto the bed, was absurdly adorable.

“Y-Your Gra—Your Grace! Sh-should I, I-I c-c-call the Butler?”

‘Wait? She’s not a doll?’

“You…”

You’re really beautiful. What’s your name?

Before I could even ask, letters appeared in the air.

[Level 3: (Coldly shaking off the child’s hand) Who told you to enter my bedroom?]

A command? Why am I seeing that? Above all…

‘Are you crazy? How can you say that to a child!’

When I kept my mouth shut, the command appeared again.

[Level 3: (Coldly shaking off the child’s hand) Who told you to enter my bedroom?]

‘Dammit…’

I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again, gently grabbing the child’s hand and moving it away. I couldn’t bring myself to shake her off.

“…!”

Just doing that caused a pain in my chest.

Holding my breath, I barely managed to put on a cold expression.

“Who allowed you to enter my bedroom?”

“I-I was just worried… I-I’m sorry. I-I was w-w-wrong.”

The child bowed her head with a look of great disappointment.

[Level 3: (As if annoyed) Get out.]

“G-get out.”

“…Yes.”

The child trudged out of the room.

Seeing her small back and slumped shoulders made my heart ache even more.

I wanted to run over and hug her right this instant.

Click.

The child struggled to open the heavy door and left.

I waited until I could no longer hear her footsteps before springing up from the bed.

“What on earth is going on!!”

I flung open the terrace doors and rushed outside.

A vast, antique mansion. The Imperial Palace visible in the distance. It was all familiar.

“I didn’t return to my original world…”

I had clearly saved my comrades and sacrificed my own life.

Exactly like the original ending.

If that were true, then I should be seeing polluted air full of fine dust and rows of crowded buildings… so why was it still like this?

‘Don’t tell me the novel didn’t end…’

Shiver.

Wow, I got goosebumps just thinking about it. That cursed ruinous author’s work didn’t end.

That can’t be it. As I fell into the darkness along with the Demon King, I saw those words clearly:

-The End-

Then what was that Level 3 command from before?

“…….”

I felt an ominous energy gathering from somewhere.

I shook my head vigorously to shake off the unlucky thoughts.

‘No! I must have seen things in my sleep. Y-yes, that’s it!’

The fantasy novel titled < I’ve Ended Up As The World-Saving Hero >, which had a childish title to boot, had reached a perfect ending.

This wasn’t just my delusion; it was a fact.

“Then what the hell happened?”

It was while I was ruffling my hair in frustration-

“Huh?”

‘Platinum blonde? My hair was a common dark brown…’

W-wait a minute, doesn’t this feel like a situation I’ve experienced before?

Waking up in an unfamiliar place -> a completely different body -> a panicked me.

‘Crazy! It’s exactly like that!’

The current situation was identical to when I first transmigrated into the damn novel.

“N-no way… did I transmigrate into someone else?”

My mind became a mess.

It’s not some kind of habitual transmigrator. Does it make sense to transmigrate into the same novel twice?

Moreover…

“The original work ended, but I possessed someone again? Is this even possible?”

I tossed my thin, curly hair, like silk threads, and spread my hand wide.

“Undine.”

Water droplets began to bubble up from my palm.

‘Fortunately, spirit arts still work.’

Soon, a tiny head popped up on my palm, as if a ghost were passing through a wall.

• • Yawn— Adel, why are you waking me up already. I barely slept… barely slept… ba…

Undine, who had been complaining about sleep while yawning loudly, suddenly widened her eyes.

Her already large eyes grew so big they took up half her face.

• • Y-you’re not Adel! No, this magic power is definitely Adel’s? Suspicious human! Reveal your identity!

“I am Adel. I think I’ve possessed someone.”

• • Possession? You mean the forbidden Soul Transfer Art? Do you think I’d believe that? You mean human! What did you do with our Adel! Give us our Adel!

“Didn’t you say you could recognize me even if I swapped bodies with a magic beast? Undine, I’m hurt.”

Undine, who had been flying around huffing and puffing, stopped dead in mid-air. Tears quickly filled her large eyes.

• • I-it is Adel! Adel! You were alive! You were alive! Waaaaah! I’m sorry! I won’t bother you ever again! Please don’t die againnnn! Huaaaaang!

Undine grabbed my hair and shed tears like a fountain.

“If you’re done crying, explain. Tell me what happened.”

Undine tilted her head and rubbed her eyes clean.

• • Huh? Explain what? Do you not remember?

“No, I remember. I died with the Demon King.”

• • And then?

“I don’t know what happened next. Because I was dead.”

Undine’s eyes wavered.

However, she managed to hold back her tears and continued.

• • You were sucked into the ground along with the Demon King. We thought you would naturally get out… but no matter how long we waited, you didn’t. Then, the magic power coming from you suddenly cut off.

“And?”

• • We believed you were alive. Because the spirit contract was still maintained. So we were waiting for you… but the King said. That you were already dead.

“Ah…”

• • The reason the contract is maintained is because only the soul is alive… but he said this was a special case. Unlike spirits, humans are as good as dead if they have no physical body.

Undine burst into tears again.

• • Do you know how we felt? Do you know how we felt watching you choose death with the Demon King! Why on earth did you do that? Why did you die!

Because that was the original ending of the novel.

I had no choice but to act according to the novel. That was the only way I could return to my original world.

Or rather, that’s what I thought.

• • Adel, did you really hate us and find us so annoying that you’d rather die? No, right? That’s not it, right? We must have heard wrong, right?

It seemed Undine had been dwelling on my final words: ‘It was filthy being with you, let’s never meet again.’

“Don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t talking to you guys.”

• • Then? Who were you talking to? The Demon King?

No, to that damn bastard of an author.

The bastard who dragged me, who was living perfectly fine, into a trashy novel.

The son of a bitch who caused me pain if I didn’t follow his instructions.

IT wouldn’t be enough if I poured out every curse word I knew.

“There’s just some crazy guy… but is that all you have to tell me?”

• • Tell you what?

“By any chance, did anything else happen? Like a huge anomaly, or a massive incident… anyway, something that felt like the world was ending.”

• • Huh? What do you mean? Why would the world end?

‘Because this is inside a novel and the original work ended!’

I suppressed the words rising to my throat and gave a smile. At that, Undine’s face turned reddish.

• • But… Adel. I think it would be a good idea to look in the mirror.

“Why.”

• • J-just…

Steam began to rise from the top of Undine’s head. Like water boiling vigorously.

It was the water spirit’s unique expression of being smitten.

Only then did I get a strange feeling.

Because Undine had never shown such a side to me, except when I was defeating magic beasts.

“Undine, find a mirror.”

• • Okay! Over there!

The person reflected in the mirror was truly too different from the me when I was the protagonist.

A small face, white skin, and a sharp nose.

The lips were also smooth and plump, drawing the eye.

Above all, the voluminous, long platinum blonde hair and dark blue eyes made her look like a porcelain doll crafted with a master’s devotion.

The build was slender and fragile, with a waist that could be held in one hand. It was completely different from the muscular body and height that approached 178cm.

‘How can a person look like this? There isn’t a single flaw.’

The nails are pretty too. Though they’re a bit long.

It was while I was admiring my hands.

The damn phenomenon I thought I’d never see again appeared before my eyes.

[Ding!]

[Even if Part 1 ends, the story continues! And so begins Part 2! Welcome to < I’ve Ended Up As The World-Saving Saint >!

You are the supporting character, Adrianne Ivrante.

The basic rules are the same as Part 1, but a few items have been added. Detailed information will be provided later.

Now, you who have perfectly completed Part 1, < I’ve  Ended Up As The World-Saving Hero > , Shall we run hard until the day Part 2, < I’ve Ended Up As The World-Saving Saint >, is completed?]

My hunch was correct. < I’ve Ended Up As The World-Saving Hero > had indeed ended.

But the problem was…

‘He wrote a Part 2 for this cursed novel?’

I fell to my knees.

“I’ve been had.”

To think a trashy novel would have a Part 2.

“Wow… the author’s mental fortitude is insane.”

Then does that mean I have to stay here until Part 2 ends? Who knows when that’ll be? What if Part 3 starts after Part 2 ends? Then what do I do?

If the author were in front of me, I’d strangle them.

‘Why won’t you let me go? Why!’

Fury surged wildly. Undine, who reacted sensitively to the contractor’s emotional changes, clung to me.

• • A-Adel? Do you feel bad? Why are you suddenly angry? Did I do something wrong?

“No, it’s not that…”

In my state of near-madness, I couldn’t even speak properly. I squeezed my eyes shut.

Then, as if someone were typing into my blackened vision, letters appeared one by one.

[Chapter 1: Three Men, One Woman, Different Dreams.]

[Level 3: Having finished her grooming perfectly as usual, Adrianne went down to the dining room for breakfast.]

A Level 3 command. One that must be followed.

I twisted my lips.

‘I’m not playing puppet anymore. Just kill me instead.’

“Keuk!”

As soon as I rejected the instruction, blood surged from within. Undine clung to my shoulder and screamed.

• • Kyaaa! Adel! There’s blood coming out of your mouth!

“Heu, ke-ke-kek—”

I laughed, my teeth stained red with blood.

Seeing me, Undine backed away with a horrified face. I probably looked like a demon.

• • A-Adel… why, why are you laughing? It’s s-scary.

[Level 3: Having finished her grooming perfectly as usual, Adrianne went down to the dining room for breakfast.]

The Level 3 command flashed again.

I glared and spoke as if grinding my teeth.

“I said… I won’t do it!”

• • Who on earth are you talking to! Stop it! I’m too scared…

Undine’s crying grew faint. Once again, gush! Pain surged over me.

“Do you think… you can make me s-submit… with this kind of pain? Hah, hah, don’t make me l-laugh… this isn’t nearly e-enough—”

Huh?

Regardless of my will, my body tilted backward.

Thump!

• • Kyaaaaak! Adel!!

With Undine’s scream as the last thing I heard, my consciousness faded away.

***

A familiar ceiling, a familiar bed.

“Where have I seen this… Gasp!”

I sprang up as soon as I opened my eyes.

“Augh!”

My chest hurt with a dull ache. The after effects of the penalty still remained.

“It hurts…”

I rubbed my chest and slowly got up.

When I was the protagonist, I could handle two or three penalties a day without any issues.

Even if I vomited a bowl of blood and felt like my heart was being torn apart, I’d be fine soon if I endured it with grit.

But to faint from a single penalty…

‘This body is ridiculously weak?’

I feel like I sense pain more intensely than I did when I was the protagonist. If I try to endure by gritting my teeth like in Part 1, I might die of shock.

But who am I? Wasn’t I a grit-filled tenacious person who survived for four whole years in the Architecture Department, famous for its heavy workload?

My tenacity is stronger than anyone’s. Since it’s come to this, I’ll endure out of sheer spite.

[Ding—]

[< I’ve Ended Up As The World-Saving Saint > Serialization Event!

Tremendous benefits are given to you, who suffered in Part 1!

First, you have become the greatest beauty in the world!

Second, you can use the spirit arts, the ability of the Part 1 protagonist, as they were!

Third, a hidden ability has been added to you!]

“Cut it out! I told you several times I don’t need any of this! All I want is to go back to normal! Please just let me go, I’ll beg you on my hands and knees!”

A small studio apartment, a desk full of architectural models, quiet music, a single bed, a table with glue dropped here and there, and a half-empty beer can and potato chips on top of it…

And my parents who run an orchard in the countryside.

My mom and dad, who packed fruit until their fingerprints wore off to raise a daughter born in their old age.

I just want to return to my normal life; is that so difficult?

“Did you think I’d keep moving according to your will? At least make a promise. Promise clearly that you’ll send me back when Part 2 ends!”

[Level 3: Having finished her grooming perfectly as usual, Adrianne went down to the dining room for breakfast.]

So this is basically telling me to shut up and follow the instructions? Fine, let’s see who wins.

“Fuck off.”

Throb!

The pain that had barely subsided started again. I opened my trembling lips and forced a smile.

“Don’t be… clingy to someone who said no… and get lost.”

My consciousness faded quickly. My body was exceeding its limit.

At that moment, the letters that had remained motionless as if confronting me slid away, and a new sentence appeared.

[Complete Part 2!

Whatever you want, your dream★ will surely come true!

※Caution: Void the moment your identity is discovered. However, non-human entities are excluded.]

So, if I complete Part 2 while hiding the fact that I am Adel from everyone except non-human entities, they’ll send me back?

“How can I trust that?”

[< I’ve Ended Up As the World-Saving Saint - Subtitle: The Ultimate, Ultimate Finale (No Part 3, ever) > Now, ready to kick things into high gear? Let’s go!]

It even added a subtitle saying it’s the final, huh?

“Fine… then I’ll be fooled just one more time.”

It’s settled. I won’t be tricked like last time.

I closed my eyes with satisfaction…

…and fainted for the second time.