“Sis, carry me!”
“Me too.”
Erina and Ibailla clung to Hainha. The first was beaming, while the second wore a faint smile.
Both seemed to really like their older sister.
Last time, they hid behind me and showed only curiosity. It seemed they figured out I wasn’t a bad person after having a little fun.
I smiled contentedly and turned my gaze away from them. Then I looked at Quick Eagle sitting across the table.
“Thanks, friend.”
Quick Eagle was enjoying a salad that Seo-yoon had prepared for me, chomping away like it was the best thing ever.
“Please eat slowly.”
Honestly, I wanted him to speed it up, but I said that for decorum’s sake. Manners had become a part of my mindset that I couldn’t easily shake off.
“Don’t I get anything?”
As I was watching Quick Eagle’s meal, Liam grumbled from beside me. I raised my fist with a smile.
And Liam promptly shut up and sipped water.
It was about time he did that. Sipping my warm green tea, I felt satisfied.
As I did, I closely observed the egg placed in the center of the table.
A pure white, round egg—no features whatsoever, yet somehow it irked me.
‘…Could it be a fertilized egg?’
Thinking it couldn’t be, I touched the egg and spread my sacred power over it. Fortunately, I detected no life force. It was indeed an unfertilized egg.
“Friend, is it fascinating?”
At that moment, Quick Eagle finished his meal and grinned. He set down his fork, wiped his mouth, and opened up again.
“Why don’t you cook that? It should taste good.”
“…Understood.”
It was unfertilized, but it still felt a bit off. After all, it wasn’t just any eagle’s egg; it was a royal eagle’s egg.
Nonetheless, I didn’t show my dislike. I jabbed my elbow into Liam’s side to shut him up because he was being rude.
“Ugh….”
While Liam whined, I turned to Quick Eagle.
“So, what did you want to discuss with us?”
“It might not be much for you, friend, but it’s a serious issue for me,” Quick Eagle began lightly, squinting a little.
“Before that, can I take a moment to talk about the world I came from? It’ll make it easier to understand.”
“Feel free.”
I answered without hesitation.
I had been curious about what other returnees’ lives were like.
As I waited patiently, Quick Eagle slowly began to speak.
“The world I was possessed in was an adaptation of some popular fantasy novel into a drama.”
“A drama, you say?”
“Yes. Do you happen to know ‘Dread Dragon’?”
“Well….”
My memories from twenty years ago were hazy, so it was hard to recall.
Moreover, with the merging of the original Clitia Eluke’s personality and memories, everything before my possession now felt like a distant past.
“I have almost buried those old memories. Was it a famous work or something?”
“It wasn’t super famous, but it had its fair share of popularity since it got adapted into a drama.”
According to Quick Eagle, ‘Dread Dragon’ had a strong fanbase.
With its mysterious settings and vast world-building, and the protagonist’s friendships and loves. After hearing the detailed explanation, something started to click in my mind.
“Did I stop reading it after only the first volume?”
I remembered being overwhelmed by the multitude of characters and giving up midway. It simply didn’t suit my taste.
Yet, it was a beloved work among its fans, including Quick Eagle.
So when the drama adaptation was announced, everyone was over the moon. But all the joy ended right there.
“When the drama aired, everyone was in shock. The quality was dire.”
“What could’ve possibly caused that?”
Through Quick Eagle’s subsequent explanations, I began to understand why fans were horrified.
The drama adaptation of ‘Dread Dragon’ was a sight to behold… and not a good one. What was particularly lacking was respect for the original work.
The protagonist turned into a dimwit, absurd philosophies were spouted, unnecessary supporting characters were deleted, and original characters were overly glorified. It was to the level where one could say it was intentionally insulting.
“General Chris was a villain but a complex character who sometimes helped. They turned that magnificent supporting role into a disposable, no-name villain! He even died screaming in a pathetic manner!”
As Quick Eagle spoke, anger rose in his voice, causing his feathers to bristle.
Should I be calming him down? That thought crossed my mind before he naturally managed to cool off and continued.
“At that moment, I left an angry comment on the production team’s social media. And then… I came to in this body.”
While I nodded along, my phone suddenly vibrated with Hainha’s message.
[Hainha: Classic possession pattern. Most possessed people go through such processes.]
I thought it was merely bad luck, but it turned out that trashing the creators was a common condition for possession.
I had just been enjoying the game until I got possessed, but it seemed others had a different experience.
Eventually, Quick Eagle glanced at the egg he had produced with a wry smile.
“Living in that twisted drama world slowly altered my ideology. Isn’t that how possession usually goes?”
“How did it change?”
“My perspective became completely PC. The drama version made every little detail PC.”
“……”
Here we go again.
Seo-yoon told me not to bother finding out what it meant, but now I was starting to get curious.
I planned to ask when Quick Eagle swiftly moved the conversation along.
“In any case, I struggled hard in that distorted drama world and finally managed to reach an ending similar to the original. It took roughly ten years.”
“So you got stronger in the process.”
“Exactly. I trained hard to fix everything I didn’t like, and I became the strongest.”
I was beginning to catch on to what he wanted to say.
“Is that why you feel a gap in power after meeting us?”
“Exactly!”
Quick Eagle clapped in agreement with my response.
“I’ve met several returnees, but none were as strong as you two. Especially Liam, you’re on a whole other level.”
“Of course.”
Liam, who had been yawning and zoning out, suddenly chimed in.
“No matter who you bring, I’ll win every time. I’m confident I won’t lose even if they gang up on me.”
How childish. By just listening, you’d think he was an elementary school kid. Maybe that was why he got along so well with the girls.
“I like that confidence.”
Although to me, it seemed juvenile, it appeared quite cool in Quick Eagle’s eyes. It was proof that they were on a similar wavelength.
‘They’re indeed cut from the same cloth.’
Despite having known each other for barely any time, I already figured out what kind of person this young black man was.
Quick Eagle was fundamentally a strong individual with a childlike disposition. Thankfully, he was more socially aware than Liam, but their essences were the same.
“Liam, could you help me out? Train me so I can become a stronger hero.”
Normally, Liam would have scoffed at such a request. But this time, he would likely accept. Their feelings were aligned.
“I wouldn’t mind helping you out.”
“Liam…!”
The two similar souls were getting all sentimental and bonding over the moment.
I had lost interest long ago and slyly sneaked a look at my smartphone. Moments later, a message came in.
[Hainha: Things seem to be going well. Getting close to Quick Eagle will be quite helpful in the future.]
Checking the message, I glanced up at Hainha, who was playing with the girls in the living room.
Our eyes met, and Hainha gave me a thumbs up. It was the most intense expression of emotion I had seen from her thus far.
‘Is it really that significant?’
It seemed like Quick Eagle was more of a big deal than I had initially thought. I felt the need to do a little search.
In such circumstances, there was no better resource than the Green Wiki.
“Liam! Do you think you know what I’m lacking?”
“Well? You only find out by fighting.”
I let Liam’s banter wash over me as I typed “Quick Eagle” into the Green Wiki. Naturally, a document existed.
But the scroll was pretty long. Checking the table of contents, I noted there was no section for “Incidents/Accidents.” That was a primary indicator he wasn’t a bad person.
I quickly skimmed the document and came to a conclusion.
‘He could be helpful, I guess?’
Although he seemed untrustworthy, Quick Eagle was, per Seo-yoon’s words, relatively famous.
Among American returnees, he ranked in the top ten for recognition. He consistently engaged in charitable works post-return. Unlike Liam, he maintained a modest demeanor. In many ways, he was an exemplary returnee.
He also had a number of victories over returnees who became criminals. He wasn’t just playing hero; he was a genuine hero.
“……”
While I continued to scan the Green Wiki document, I suddenly spoke up.
“Mr. Quick Eagle.”
At my call, Quick Eagle, who had been chitchatting with Liam, turned to me. For some reason, his aging face felt oddly adorable.
“Pink friend, what’s up?”
“I’ll help you train with Liam, but I’d like you to grant me a favor.”
“A favor? Of course!”
I liked his hearty nature. I smiled broadly and leaned forward slightly.
“It’s nothing serious. Just a simple conversation would be great.”
A truly simple and straightforward request.
*
During a slow lunchtime, Seo-yoon stared blankly at her smartphone.
“I want to quit my job already.”
Fatigue, drowsiness, and the desire for rest—she was caught in a trifecta of hardship. Work had been a daily struggle lately.
In truth, her heart had left the company a long time ago. Yet, she remained steadfastly going to work since handovers needed to be completed.
After persevering, the finish line was finally in sight. She was about to quit.
Actually, even after quitting, she knew she wouldn’t rest easy. But still, the wait was worth it. It was a dream that every employee harbored.
With a secret smile, Seo-yoon kept scrolling through her phone.
Suddenly, a buzz made her jump. Checking, she saw it was an alert that Tribe’s broadcast was live.
The streamer was “The Pope.”
“Why are they starting so early?”
Carelessly checking the broadcast title, Seo-yoon narrowed her eyes.
[Discussion with American Returnee Quick Eagle! Demon King VS Evil Dragon, who is stronger?]
“……”
After hesitating for a moment, Seo-yoon quickly took out her Bluetooth earbuds.
‘How can I possibly resist that?’
There was no way she could pass on that intriguing title.
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