Behind the scene

Tucking Kitty into bed, I draped a blanket over her and softly shut the door behind me.

"How's everything?" I inquired, finding Harley's silhouette by the door, a silent sentinel in the dim corridor.

“They are fully aware of your manga and who they are. Yukino and Ember, they teamed up and solved the mystery of the energy emanating from the pages of your manga. It seems that it's not just the original artworks and digital files on your computer that emit that strange energy, it's everywhere the copy is sold and purchased," Harley reported.

“Yukino, one of the Sorcerer Supremes of the hero?”

“Yes, Sissi’s words suggest that there was some level of collaboration with Ember,” Harley affirmed.

This implied Ember was an ally, at least tentatively. I clung to the hope that only a select few from Dragon Island were privy to their true nature - and mine. In stark contrast to my manga, I wielded no power here, save for the knowledge of my own creations. Powerless, I could not protect anyone. If this dire situation escalated further, I feared for the safety of Harley, Kitty, and all those dear to me.

“Nyan, do you remember I once said the Demon Lord's general was also searching for heroes from another world?”

Harley’s tone shifted, a prelude to ominous tidings.

“Even though it's just a theory, I think I might understand the reason behind it now,” she continued.

“We're not the first to know about manga turning into reality, right?” I ventured.

The puzzle pieces - from Harley and Kitty's first arrival to Sissi and Ember's self-awareness - it seemed plausible we were trailing behind an unseen threat that was one step ahead of us. The original plot of Dragon Island never depicted the Demon Lord pursuing otherworldly heroes upon their summoning. Now Just think about it for a second, there was no isekai manga or light novel out there where the villain was that smart. The story would end in volume 1 otherwise. The genre typically ensnared you, the readers, with the fantastical elements of the ‘other world,’ so much so that the protagonist’s original world, the life they led before their extraordinary transition, was often neglected and remained unexplored.

We were suspicious about such a possibility from the beginning, yet in the midst of the bewildering phenomenon of manga characters springing to life, we sidelined what seemed improbable in favor of the immediate challenges. We were deeming all anomalies a nature of the manga's fluctuation storyline. It seemed logical - if one person stumbled upon the truth, others might too. That was an important piece of information we accidentally overlooked.

This oversight cast Ember in a dubious light. Despite her assurances of allegiance, the possibility of her being the said unseen threat loomed large. If Harley could unravel mysteries herself, then Ember, with her strategic acumen, was more than capable of the same. Her admission of having researched this world extensively at the love hotel only served to bolster the theory of her involvement in this grand scheme.

Yet, our suspicions were mired in conflict, for Harley’s telepathy detected no deception in Ember’s words. Sissi, too, remained unaffected by any magical influence. Theoretically, the seals adorning Ember’s wrists should nullify any attempt at mind manipulation, both against the caster and those bound to the spell. Was Ember's truthfulness as genuine as it seemed? The answer remained shrouded in uncertainty, but one thing was certain: high vigilance against Ember's potential machinations remained paramount.

“According to the plan, the portals connecting to other worlds must be shut. No one can get in or out. Do you mind explaining how you came here?" Sissi placed her teacup down with a soft clink, she asked.

Harley had briefed me earlier. Sissi hadn’t arrived alone, she was a part of a reconnaissance group sent here for a safeguard and intelligence gathering mission. After Yukino and other supreme sorcerers deciphered the truth of their existence, my world was deemed the most important, surpassing even Dragon Island - their very homeland. Armed with this bewildering yet crucial information, a covert assembly of elite heroes was formed. Their mission: to protect this realm and uncover the ongoing mysteries. As the term “secret” implied, only a select few knew and carried out this mission. It seemed improbable that great nations of Dragon Island would withhold such a vital discovery from each other. Yet, akin to the complexities of the real world, political conflicts simmered beneath the surface. They might be allies in battle, yet each nation remained guarded, wary of the others, even when facing their greatest threat. After witnessing the bewitched hero duo going on a rampage earlier, I was glad, not every intricate detail of the manga I had crafted spelled disaster. Had the discovery been widespread, things would have been starkly different - and our adversary might have been alerted too.

On the Demon Lord’s side, their knowledge of the situation remained a mystery. Even if Ember, the formidable dark sorceress herself, had gleaned any related intel, we doubted any of us would spill the beans of what we truly knew. It wasn’t solely Ember’s presence the reason for our wariness; rather, it was a universal instinct to guard against even the closest of allies amidst crisis. Even then, I believed our brittle alliance was not founded on trust but necessity, each party having revealed just enough to maintain this precarious union.

As for Ember, she should have stayed in the Dragon Island world, yet she emerged as the sole respondent to Sissi’s call for assistance - Sissi had been ambushed, severing the ties within her own group. This peculiar twist intensified our wariness, casting a shadow of doubt over her timely arrival.

“zzz”

Wait, is she seriously sleeping right now?

Slowly, Ember’s eyes fluttered open.

“Sorry, I just had a nightmare where my life is just a manga.”

Ma’am, It's the truth. It's not a dream.

“To explain, coming here was not my desire,” Ember began.

“So, you’re suggesting it was purely accidental?” Sissi probed.

"Fortress Zotak had fallen, instead of retreating to another place, I appeared here. The abnormal behavior of Harley's communication channel suggests that most, if not all, dimensional portals utilized by each side are somehow redirected here. It’s likely why those two bewitched heroes could track you down.”

The principles of Dragon Island’s magic dictated that dimensional portals functioned akin to most teleportation spells, necessitating prior establishment. To establish a connection, one needed to be at the destination or have someone there set it up. It was much like a wifi network that required a specific frequency - essentially, a password - to link two locations. Breaching a portal’s channel without this ‘password’ was no trifling matter, let alone altering its course. Our adversary’s machinations had suggested a grander scheme, and the veil of secrecy surrounding the awakening of my manga characters might have already been lifted.

“That's a really good theory. But a hypothesis stays a hypothesis. Assuming that the communication channel for those arriving here should have been completely cut off to ensure their safety, it wouldn’t be too challenging for a sorceress of your caliber to trace someone’s whereabouts through their channel, would it?” Sissi’s voice was steady, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of suspicion.

"I see. It seems you have your own convert methods to discern allies from foes. It is no coincidence that this is a secret operation. You heroes are more troublesome than I anticipated. I suppose you believe I’m rationalizing my unexpected presence here.” Ember’s reply was calm, yet a sharp edge underlined her words.

“There's also no proof suggesting what happened at Zotak fortress wasn’t your doing.”

“You really hold me in high regard, Sissi. If you could vanish me with a single blow, surely the other seven friends of yours there would be equally capable," a wry smile touched Ember’s lips.

“And am I to believe that among all who fled and ‘accidentally’ arrived here, as you claim, you are the only one? This is hardly a mere fairy tale.”

“Perhaps our tales are not so different. It’s not easy for us both to be isolated. A sorceress out of her place, and a hero meant to remain unseen. The fall of Fortress Zotak wasn’t due to an external siege, but from a betrayal within. Someone was bewitched and turned against us. It’s curious, then, how a specialized reconnaissance group could be attacked without engaging in battle. I’m sure you heroes are smart enough not to do things impulsively.”

“So, you’re questioning the veracity of my account?"

“You see, I wasn’t simply among those who fled from Fortress Zotak to seek refuge elsewhere. I was the pursuer, chasing the bewitched heroes in their flight. And curiously enough, it appears this world served as their escape route. Such a remarkable turn of events suggests this was no mere retreat, but a premeditated strike by the adversary. Thus, it’s imperative that I must be on high alert with all entities from Dragon Island happening to be in this world.”

“You’re right, it's not by chance that you choose to help someone with the same binding sigil as you if you don’t know whether they're hypnotized or not. However, you wouldn't risk helping if you weren't sure of the situation. How do you explain that?”

"Convenience,” Ember stated plainly, “my aid was simply a means to defeat those two heroes. Clearly, we face not only hypnotized comrades but also traitors in our midst.”

“I see, so you're here to kill me then?” Sissi’s conclusion was swift.

The air grew thick with tension, a silent storm brewing between them. Harley’s grip on my hand tightened, her stillness mirroring the calm before a tempest.

“We shall see how the pieces fall,” Ember mused, her fingers wrapped around a steaming cup of tea. The liquid danced with the light as she took a delicate sip.

“Fair enough. But shouldn't you divulge your secret if you doubt someone?" Sissi replied.

“We've been talking long enough, revealing a fragment will change little. Besides, we both know what happens should one of us make the first move.”

“Unfortunately for you, I share no common with those you chased," Sissi retorted.

“Harley?” Ember turned, her gaze settling on us with an unreadable expression

“She's telling the truth,” Harley affirmed Siss’s integrity, her eyes avoiding Ember.

“Maybe it's not a coincidence that I'm still standing here after all. You seem truly to be from the hero faction.”

Ember’s words carried a subtle undercurrent of her desire to avoid further conflict.

“You seem to ally with us, yet you alone stand where others have turned traitors. What of your companions?” Sissi question lingered in the air, as poignant as the clink of her teacup returning to its saucer

“I’m in the dark as much as you are. It's also too dangerous to contact anyone and reveal our location. Not to mention, you heroes have already disabled my communication spells.”

“Well, we did agree to sever all contact with everyone coming here for safety reasons. It seems we all don't know what to believe anymore." Sissi let out a small sigh.

“All this must be part of the reason why I couldn't contact anyone this morning. I suspected something bad must have happened when our lines of communication abruptly went dark upon our arrival,” Harley contemplated.

“For your team, there was a different reason. Either way, I'm glad that you’re all safe,” Sissi explained, a glimmer of relief in her eyes.

“I see,” Harley acknowledged, her gaze distant yet discerning as she pieced together the puzzle before her.

“Let's agree to disagree and stay alert. In critical times such as these, suspicion amongst ourselves serves no one. I want to make that clear.”

Ember's voice shifted our attention towards her.

“Not to mention, our journey here is a tale in itself, one that our readers may wish to explore in depth. Let’s not cloud their head with too much at once. Otherwise, they may desire a sequel that chronicles our voyage here. That would be too much for you, right Nyan?” She concluded.

Umm…Looks like I'm not the only one capable of breaking the fourth wall here.

However, the whirlwind of events had indeed left my head spinning. I was too naive to make light of this adventure, to paint it as a whimsical and happy journey. The leap from the fantastical of manga characters springing to life to the harrowing brink of my own demise just a moment ago, it was a reminder not to take anything lightly.

“Let’s set aside our personal squabbles. There are matters of greater importance at hand,” Ember’s voice cut through my reverie.

With a flick of her wrist, Ember conjured several blank sheets of paper onto the table. The moment was charged with an unspoken understanding that the next act of our drama would revolve around me. Trapped, with no path of escape, we had already woven a web of contingency plans beforehand. Harley, Kitty, and I had crafted a delicate tapestry of truths and half-truths, a strategy designed to navigate the treacherous waters of trust and deception.

Our plan was simple: we would reveal only what was necessary, tailor our revelations to the audience at hand. It was a dance of shadows and light, where the currency was knowledge, and the stakes were our very lives. In this game, the most effective way to forge alliances was to play our cards close to our chest, especially when the other players were as enigmatic as ourselves.

“Nyan, Dragon Island isn't the only manga that came to life, right?” Ember’s question pierced the veil of uncertainty.

“Are you saying that besides us, there are entities from other manga?” Sissi’s voice, tinged with concern, followed.

“Yukino’s and my investigations suggest as much. If we’ve been drawn here, logic dictates that others have too, especially if their origins or the manga setting are tied to Earth."

The implications were clear, and the weight of Ember’s concern was not lost on us. It was a simple deduction to make - the genre a writer steeped in action and adventure would choose. Such tales would undoubtedly give rise to entities endowed with formidable abilities, each with the potential to tip the scales of power.

“Nyan, there is a story about a certain tribe with godlike power that can blow up an entire planet with one punch, right? Should I be worried?” While Ember and Sissi discussed in the background, Harley gently pulled my sleeve and whispered close to my ear.

“We'll be fine,” I reassured her, my voice a soft murmur blending with the ambient noise, “that's the story I wrote with the setting on another planet similar to Earth. They won't make it here,” I added, leaning in closer, one hand covering my mouth to maintain the secrecy of our conversation.

“Then that’s a relief then. They are the entity I'm most concerned about,” Ember remarked, her face suddenly appearing so close to ours that I couldn’t help but let out a shriek worthy of a horror movie fan at a midnight screening.

For the second time of the day, my fists ignited their burning passion to make their way to Ember’s face. Fortunately, I did not have the strength to do so, figuratively and literally.

“Wait, I'm not misunderstanding that the entity Ember mentioned can't come to this place, right?” Sissi inquired, a crease of confusion forming between her brows.

“That’s correct,” I affirmed with a nod.

“But if the characters of Dragon Island can manifest here, what’s stopping other entities from doing the same? Is there a limit behind this?” Sissi probed further, her curiosity piqued.

“Honestly, I don't know, We’re just hoping that there is at least some logic behind this, like only manga connected to Earth can cross here,” I conjectured, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

“Except the only problem is that the Dragon Island manga has details that Nyan never wrote. The impossible seems possible in this situation,” Ember interjected, leaning in with a conspiratorial gleam in her eye as she stirred the pot in our already simmering predicament.

Oh shi…what she said suddenly made sense to me.

“Nyan, what should we do?” Harley panicked.

“Nyan, you are the mastermind behind it all. There must always be a way to exploit everything. Even how strong the Demon Lord was before, they were far from being invulnerable." Ember calmly spoke.

Her voice was an eureka moment. How could I - the author - forget I was the one who knew the ins and outs of my creations better than anyone. Thank you for reminding me, Ember.

“No, there is no other way,” I answered with the kind of confidence that comes from being the creator of my manga.

Even if the gods had weaknesses, in the face of ultimate power, I doubted anyone could do anything.

“Ah, so that's it. So we're about to get f***.” Ember said.

R16, R16, this is just a happy-go-lucky light novel so please don't use words like that.

Turning to Harley, I saw her tears streaming down like waterfalls. Her voice was a symphony of desperation and adoration as she called out my name. For a fleeting moment, I basked in the glow of my own creation – she was the epitome of ‘too cute’. But this was no time for a writer’s vanity.

As everyone’s attention shifted, Sissi’s face bloomed a shade of red that could rival the setting sun.

"Wh…what? I’m not thinking about getting railed or anything," she stammered out, her denial as flimsy as a house of cards in a storm. "Don't underestimate heroes, no matter what happens, I will always be ready to fight to protect everyone," she continued, her voice firm as she sought to steer the conversation into a new direction.

With a dramatic flourish, she planted her sword into the ground, the blade sinking through the luxurious rug and into the expensive wooden floor.

There went my floor, a victim of heroic enthusiasm. Rest in peace.

"That's right. I too will be ready to face any challenge,” behind us, Kitty declared from seemingly out of nowhere.

I started to believe that this was a horror story with everyone having the ability to teleport.

“Kitty, where did you come from? Shouldn’t you be resting?" I asked, worrying about her injury.

“I'm fine, master,” She beamed.

“Your cat girl comrade has been standing there since you and your sorceress companion went downstairs,” Ember said.

I was left utterly speechless.

“Kitty, we're screwed,” Harley whimpered, clinging to Kitty.

“Yay,” Kitty responded, her :3 expression unchanged.

I couldn’t help but wonder if the peculiarity of their behavior was a product of the conversation’s intensity or if such strangeness was their norm.

“No matter what will come, we must remain vigilant. Even if we can protect ourselves from beings from other manga, none of us know what's lurking out there,” Ember warned.

She’s right. It’s not just the Demon Lord on our heels; there are others, names I dare not even think.

The mood grew tense, not from dread, but from the palpable silence as everyone exchanged glances, each waiting for someone else to speak. The awkwardness was almost tangible.

“So, people in your world actually sit on these?” Ember finally broke the silence, gesturing at the object beneath her.

I really wanted to thank her for speaking up. But for god sake, have you run out of things to ask?

“That is my bookcase,” I replied as I marveled at the bookcase’s resilience, pondering the robust material that prevented its collapse under her weight.

And with that, we lapsed back into a contemplative hush.