Ch.2: The truth about the world

I gaped at the screen, my average face looked stupider and unappealing that if the tablet could speak, I would have earned quite an insult. On the other hand, the screen blinked in grey and black, like static, before it finally showed a focused image. 

The image moved; the camera tilted and shook for a while like there was some streamer adjusting the focus before it gradually steadied. 

I scrunched my face as I narrowed my eyes to see better, pondering what the tablet was trying to show. If it was a Zoom conference, then is there a possibility that the weird guy was sent by the curator to check on my progress?

Without notice? And to scare me? That's low. I knew that old hag wasn't easy. I gulped in nervousness. I haven't finished one! What the hell am I going to do?

The screen showed a room. 

At the center was a long wooden desk and a chair behind occupied by a person. He seemed like a boss trying to record a virtual speech to all his employees, but the only problem was, that 'he' didn't look like a person at all. 

In that dimly lit room, the curtains behind the creature fluttered, giving light to the background yet hiding the appearance of it from the shadow. 

My eyes widened in surprise as I saw what was behind the man. It was a mere silhouette, but it was a pair of large wings! Some feathers flew as the wind blew, and the only thing I could perceive in the man's facade was a pair of glowing golden eyes, staring back at me with ferocity, like the eyes of a lion eyeing its prey.

I had goosebumps. I don't remember the curator possessing wings and expensive eyes. Suddenly, I had an unexplainable urge to kneel in my spot, like I was being pushed down from my shoulders, but my stubborn knees fought the intimidating look of the unknown creature.

I groaned. I thought my knees could last, but as soon as the thundering voice of the unrecognized being roared from the screen, my limbs gave out and I tumbled on the floor. It felt like something was weighing me down, and I couldn't fight it anymore.

"IS HE THE BEST YOU CAN CHOOSE?!"

I flinched at the terrifying voice, though my eyes were locked on the screen even when I was already slumped on the floor. As if the tablet felt the strain on my neck from looking upward, it knelt and leveled the screen to me.

Now I look like a damsel in distress while the monitor is the knight ready to sweep me out of my feet. 

"HE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A HERO AT ALL!" 

Hero? What the f*ck is he talking about?

The creature behind the desk shouted once again. His face hidden from the dark was fuming as the wind within the room became violent.

Another voice which sounded like it came from the depths of the ocean answered back in a laid-back manner. 

"We're not looking for a Mr. Universe candidate here. Can a handsome face save the world anyway? Your prejudice towards ugly people is too much, Caelum."

A different voice that sounded low and baritone like it could shake the earth followed, "We didn't choose him. It was the Creator who did so. Whatever his reasons were, we had no idea."

The two voices weren't in the picture, so I couldn't see who they were. But at least, I'm now aware of the name of the creature behind the desk. Caelum, I'll remember you. You'd better possess a face comparable to a god or else I'd spit on your face if you're even uglier than me!

At first, I thought it was an angel, but does an angel really exist in the world? If so, then where are they when my mother kept praying for a super handsome son so she could have me enter the show business and earn a jackpot?! I could have been acting instead of painting nudes!

I frowned after realizing that the three voices were actually dissing my face. I bared my worn-out fangs and glared at the three unknown men. How dare they ridicule my adorable face my mother still tried to audition for a comedy child star?

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? IF YOU HAVE NOTHING GOOD TO SAY, GET LOST IN MY STUDIO!" I roared, my saliva splashing on the screen.

"Look! Maybe that's one reason why he was chosen! He showed no fear in the face of the gods!" The cheery comment came from the second voice.

Gods? I furrowed my brows, "Who are you, people—

"We're not," the third voice – the baritone one, answered.

The sound of footsteps was heard on the screen, and an approaching shadow was shown. The shadow stood at the side of the desk, and continued, "We're not 'people'. We are the guardians of your world. We're having this meeting to brief you on your responsibilities and answer your questions. The creature you see in your front was sent by us."

The hell they're talking about? I don't have time for games.

"Guardians? Oh, please, if you guys are playing then play by yourselves! Don't include me! Take back your monitor!"

"The world you live in will be in danger soon. And you were chosen to save the world! If you don't—

"WHO WILL BELIEVE NONSENSE LIKE THAT?! DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A FOOL?!"

The second voice replied, "Yes."

The tip of my eyebrow twitched. How dare they?

I opened my mouth to yell again, but my voice was caught in my throat when the screen shined brighter after the sound of a single 'click'. I finally saw the appearance of the man sitting behind the desk and the one standing beside it! 

And holy molly, they're not human!

I seethed in anger. How dare they insult my appearance when they all look like a zoo escapee trying to blend into human society?!

The one sitting has a long beak and feathery face, sharp golden eyes hiding behind a pair of rimless glasses. It was a white bird wearing a suit and acting like a boss! While the one standing has a tall stature and large physique, a horn on top of my nose, and droopy grey eyes, its skin looks tanned and sturdy. I don't even know what kind of animal that is. There's only one thing I could notice, they're wearing clothes! 

At last, the second voice made its way onto the screen. 

From my own words – a very revolting creature with sharp and pointed tentacles moved to the other side of the desk, it had three red eyes on the face, protruding large fangs in the mouth, and a nose like V*ldemort, webbed ears, and two long antennae in each of its temple! Its body was smaller than the two, and it was wearing a very revealing dress.

I wanted to grab holy water and rub it on my eyes. It looks like something that will haunt me in my dreams! 

"Now that you can see us better, do you still think we're talking nonsense?" The creature in a dress spoke lightly, its voice was cool and crisp. "Hm? What is that disgust I saw in your eyes?"

I shook my head relentlessly when I saw the latter's long tongue slither when it spoke the last sentence. I melted like ice put under the sun surrounded by three cavemen amazed by it.

The creature in a dress chortled, and its sound almost made me pee in fear. It's creepy. It'll hunt me in my dreams, for sure. I don't think I'll be able to walk in the hallways now without imagining that creepy sound tailing me.

Luckily, the one wearing a vest interrupted the latter and continued explaining. I almost exclaimed 'Thanks!' after stopping the creepy giggle of the tentacled creature.

"Listen, the world will meet its end if you don't cooperate with us. Many unknown and dangerous creatures will invade your world, and you, Atlas, possess the power to save it."

"W-Why me?"

"We do not know. The Creator pointed you to us, and our duty was to help you achieve your ending. You are the new hero of the story, whether what kind of ending you want to achieve, we will guide you."

I was confused. Hero of the story?

"What do you mean 'new hero of the story'? And when the tablet said 'the main protagonist of the novel Savior of the World', what did it mean?"

The bird boss answered, his beak opened, "The world you're living in is inside that novel. You are just a mere extra character. But the original protagonist died, and the story can't take place without the leading character, which is why the Creator chose a replacement. And that is you."

"If the story won't continue, then your world will stop existing, the time will stop and all of you will be deleted. A book that can't be serialized had no right to exist. But a book who had reached its ending won't vanish, it will remain somewhere in the library and it will exist as long as there's a reader – which means, your world will continue its time, just like before how it began."

Being the hero isn't my forte. I preferred the villain more, "What if I refuse to accept? Besides, how can the main lead die when he's the main lead?! What kind of author will kill his own protagonist?!"

"You don't know, but there are plenty of books out there where the author killed the main lead multiple times. But that's not the point."

"We are the guardians that make sure that every book will have its chance to be serialized and published. In other words, we help every budding world and its inhabitants to continue living by making sure that the story is progressing."

"You have no choice but to proceed and accept your role unless you want your world to be shredded," the bird boss made his final comment.

The idea that this world was just a book hasn't sunk in on me yet. Now, they expect me to save it? I'm not a hero. I'd never been. I'm the kind of guy who always put himself first and didn't care about anyone. 

Don't ask me to save the world. At least don't ask someone who once condemned everything in this world.