Chapter 4:A Bald Bride Proposal

Damn it.

I muttered a curse within, while the resounding toll of the bell thundered in my ears—unyielding, undeniable.

I didn’t need to see what was happening to understand. Once again, everything had been stripped away from me—stolen by my so-called “original character.”

‘Is it because autumn has come? The night feels a little too cold.’

I lifted my hands, rubbing my arms.

A sharp breeze had slithered across my bare skin. Oh, and of course—I didn’t mean I was literally naked.

Fantasy World is a game rated for all ages.

In Fantasy World, there is never a situation where a character’s bare body is exposed. Even if the character wears nothing, they are automatically equipped with a plain white short-sleeved shirt and matching shorts—basic starter gear.

Exactly as I was now.

‘Right… we mustn’t defy the censors.’

Naturally, in this realm where the Imperial family and nobles reign supreme, such attire might be deemed scandalous for revealing too much skin, and I could very well be scolded for it. Yet in truth, everything that ought to be concealed was, indeed, concealed.

That was no problem at all. The real problem was…

“…What in the hell is this.”

Howard finally spoke after a heavy silence. His gaze was not fixed on my clothes, which had suddenly grown indecent, but a little higher—fixed squarely upon the crown of my head.

Upon the smooth scalp, devoid of a single strand of hair.

“I never thought it would go this far.”

Howard muttered, bewildered.

He was so stunned that the vigilance he had displayed only moments ago vanished entirely, as though he had forgotten that he had been chasing a heresy suspect all the way here.

With clear reluctance, he slid his sword back into its scabbard, then parted his lips to ask:

“…Are you all right?”

It seemed he understood what I had meant by “troublesome.” So I answered in a low voice:

“The cold air… it pierces my head now.”

Howard’s expression shifted as though he could not find the right words.

As for me, I was accustomed to this daily humiliation and felt nothing. But clearly, that was not the case for others.

Hadn’t I said it before? Both sides would suffer inconvenience.

‘In any case… not even in the game did I ever see Howard Chileston wear this expression. Should I take this as an honor?’

I stroked my polished scalp with my hand, only to stop, lest his expression grow stranger still.

Midnight had long since passed. Perhaps it was finally time to tell him my secret, as he desired.

I had intended to do so once we reached an inn regardless. Better that than be accused of heresy.

‘Should I begin by telling him I am a transmigrant? Or should I first confess that I am… a substitute character?’

“Substitute character?”

The words slipped out under my breath without realizing, yet Howard’s ears caught them instantly, and his response came just as swiftly.

“You know… of the origin of this world?”

His eyes sharpened like arrows, and the atmosphere around us changed.

It was the aura released by Howard Chileston. A golden radiance flowed around him.

I had never witnessed it in reality, but I knew at once: it was the Sacred Power wielded by Templar Knights.

‘No comparison to the one I saw in the game.’

An oppressive weight crushed me beneath its force.

It would have been easier had he simply drawn his sword again, as before. Now I understood why heretics could only speak the truth in his presence.

And yet…

‘I cannot stay silent.’

I fought to remain steady, forcing my lips to part.

“Yes. I know. I know this world is under the influence of Fantasy World. I also know you are but the Captain of a squad, an NPC. Ah, and I know you can wield the System. As you saw earlier… I too can use it.”

“Who told you that?”

“No one. I saw it myself.”

I drew a quiet breath, then continued.

“I was once a player of Fantasy World. Ten years ago, I awoke to find myself inside this body—my character’s body. Simply put… you could call it a form of ‘possession.’”

“Possession?”

Howard’s brows furrowed, clearly unprepared for that word.

“And how do you intend to prove this?”

“Would it suffice if I told you that the sudden surge in marriage proposals sent to House Chileston in recent years was caused by a Valentine’s Day event in Fantasy World titled ‘In the Dream, With You’?”

“……”

“Oh, and I can even explain what that event was. True, Fantasy World isn’t a dating sim, but some players wanted to pursue romance with prominent characters—like the esteemed Captain. So, the developers hosted a special Valentine’s event allowing players to deepen their affections with the character of their choice—”

“Enough.”

Howard cut me off with a low sigh, as though the subject itself was vexing.

Clearly, this line of conversation was uncomfortable for him. Understandably so—rejecting wave upon wave of marriage proposals would give anyone a pounding headache.

He pressed a hand to his temple as he spoke again.

“Very well. I accept that you are possessing the character. But how do you use the System? Are you perhaps one of the hidden characters?”

“No. I am but an ordinary human who happened to possess this body.”

“An ordinary human… using the System? That is absurd…”

“It is not impossible. Strange, perhaps—but not impossible. Who decreed that only main characters could wield the System?”

When I placed special emphasis on the word “only,” Howard flinched slightly.

Truth be told, I was bluffing. But somehow, my words struck the mark. The suffocating aura he exuded began to ebb.

I seized the chance to press my advantage.

“It has been long since Fantasy World was created, has it not? It is only natural that anomalies such as myself might emerge. In fact, when you think about it, isn’t it far stranger that I—a soul from another world—possess this body… than that I can access the System?”

Howard gave a small nod after a pause. And with that motion, the golden light around him vanished completely.

‘Perfect. First trial, cleared.’

I exhaled in relief, brushing my arms lightly. With the tension gone, the cold I had momentarily forgotten returned.

Howard let out a quiet “ah,” then shed the cloak draped over his knightly garb, placing it gently upon my shoulders. He even tore a strip from its hem to cover my bare feet.

As expected of the most beloved NPC in the entire game.

I pretended not to notice the flicker of hesitation in his eyes as they lingered on my bald head before setting the cloak on me.

“To be frank… it is difficult to accept all that you’ve said. Especially the notion of a player possessing a character’s body in this world… such a thing had never crossed my mind.”

“I understand. It is only natural to feel that way.”

“Hah… Very well. Let us set that aside for the moment. I have another question. Why did you deviate from your designated path?”

Howard straightened his posture, his eyes unwavering.

A question like that? Fine. Since I had begun my tale, I might as well continue.

“You heard me say I am a substitute character, so perhaps you’ve pieced it together. This body is not my original character, but rather a secondary one. Due to the parameters I set while playing, everything I possess is stolen at midnight—transferred to the original character.”

“Even… your hair?”

“Yes. Hence… my baldness.”

“……”

Howard bit down on his lip, as though torn between laughter and despair.

Go on, laugh. Overthinking it will only make matters worse.

I sighed, then laid out my current situation in full.

I explained that my memories prior to possession were hazy, and thus I did not know who my original character truly was. The only piece of information I had obtained through the System was that the original resided in Ovolin.

Ah, save for one detail—that I was “Nox.”

I had revealed my substitute identity to make sense of my plight, but there was no need to expose every vulnerability I held.

Truthfully, it unsettled me even that I had confessed as much to Anna.

“In any case, I was simply trying to find an inn before midnight struck. At first, I thought to seek one in Ovolin. But after what happened, that was impossible. And now, my bag containing all my coin has vanished. So… everything is over.”

I had lost all that I owned.

How was I to survive now? Where would I sleep tonight?

I sighed heavily, but Howard, astonished, asked:

“What do you mean, vanished? The bag is right here.”

“Yes, I mean the bag was… Wait. What?”

At last, my gaze fell to Howard’s feet. And there it was—my bag, unmistakably mine.

“What is happening…?”

Midnight had passed. Yet my belongings had not disappeared.

I had tried every method before—entrusting them to others, burying them in the ground—nothing had ever worked. Not once.

But now… why?

I racked my brain until the answer became clear.

The difference this time… was this man. Howard Chileston.

‘Could it be… because he knows something of the game?’

I couldn’t say precisely what mechanism had caused this anomaly, but that hardly mattered. The result was plain: as long as Howard remained by my side, I would no longer lose my belongings to that damned original.

…Excellent. I would forgive every torment I had suffered until now.

Now that I had found the one I truly needed, there was no reason for hesitation.

That I had suddenly become a heretic in so absurd a manner, that the man before me was a Templar Captain tasked with capturing heretics—all of that was erased from my mind.

‘In any case, there is no way he could know I am Nox… right?’

With but a single year left to me, I saw nothing else before me.

Leaving Howard still looking somewhat bewildered, I glanced around hurriedly.

Nearby, flowers bloomed in vibrant clusters. I knew not their name, but that hardly mattered.

I tore a few up by the roots and thrust them into Howard’s hands, startling him.

“Sir Captain, will you marry me?”

Please… accept my proposal. I will make you happy.

* * * *

My thoughts on the chapter:

This chapter was nothing short of magnificent—its blend of high fantasy gravitas with sharp humor struck like a duel between fate and absurdity. The pacing is flawless, the dialogue charged with both tension and levity, and the character dynamics are dazzling. I laughed, I gasped, I admired. Truly, a chapter that balances the sublime with the ridiculous in perfect measure.