This Novel is not my Novel

"I didn't recklessly hug Karvaldr or anything. I just opened my arms. Isn't it a bit much for you to block me like this?"

He meant that he had been as considerate toward me as he could in his own way, and it was unfair and upsetting that I didn't recognize it.

It was a reasonable enough claim.

However, even after hearing that, Yor shook her head with an unwavering attitude.

"Nyeounyaang, anyang."

I guessed it probably meant, 'No, it's not too much.'

Putting my own intentions aside for a moment.

Just because Reisir opened his arms with a moved expression, having Karvaldr walk into his embrace would have been a clear case of character collapse.

Reisir must have known it was an impossible scenario.

And yet, his repeated gesture of opening his arms for me to hug him had to be an act meant to tease me.

He must have thought I'd give him an amusing reaction if he kept treating me like a stray cat.

"Don't make me go back on my word."

"Huh? What's that all of a sudden?"

"It means that if you tease me one more time, I'll take back my permission to use your skill."

"I didn't particularly intend to tease you..."

"Really? Not at all?"

"Actually, I think there might have been a little. I'm sorry."

Reisir had lied without batting an eye, only admitting his fault and apologizing after I pressed him again.

His attitude was quite infuriating, but...

It didn't seem right to call him back to this place later and tell him to use the 【Truth-Reading Eye】 on me.

"I shall specially forgive you. Be grateful."

I put on an arrogant expression as I uttered these words.

But Reisir, ignoring my condescending gaze, replied with a beaming smile.

"Thanks!"

That, too, was incredibly annoying.

As if sensing my mood, Reisir's smile faded. With a serious expression, he touched his eyepatch and carefully spoke.

"So, can I take this off now?"

"Nyang, kyaong."

The reason the baby dragon made a sound that vaguely resembled 'Wait' while spreading her fingers wide at that moment was because we had a plan.

Yor taking out the whiteboard and writing the following phrase was also part of it.

「 Me first 」

If Reisir were to see Yor's status window as it was, without any distortion, he would learn from the skill name 【Dragon Fear】 that Yor was a 'dragon.'

And I...

'I'd be able to secure some time to organize my thoughts on what to say about my identity.'

Or I could explain that Yor had been born a dragon not because of the purple Ether passed down through the Austri family, but because she had been born with Sky Blue Ether.

Then I could ask him to put off reading my status window until later.

'I know this isn't a good method. But if Reisir shows a strange reaction after seeing Yor's skill window, I'll have no choice...'

I thought I had hardened my resolve.

But seeing this conflict arise so suddenly, it seemed that wasn't the case.

Was the cause that look Reisir gave me in chapter 243, as if I were a traitor?

"Karvaldr. Yor wants me to look at her status window first. What should I do?"

"Do as Yor says."

"Should I share the contents of Yor's status window with you?"

In response to Reisir's question, I gave a light nod to show my consent.

Reisir then replied, "Got it," and floated past Yor, who was hovering between us, sticking close to me.

I had no idea what he had "gotten."

"Why are you coming so close?"

"I know this is a good location to have a secret conversation, but security isn't perfectly guaranteed, right? We're not the only ones who can enter this Special Character Novel Section... So I thought you'd be more at ease if I read the contents of the status window in a whisper."

Hearing him out, I nodded instinctively.

Even though it had only been the entrance, Lissy did enter the Special Character Novel Section in chapter 6.

It was unlikely anyone else would come here, but it couldn't hurt to prepare for any potential danger.

'Because it's possible the fact that I'm not the real Karvaldr might be revealed right here.'

Having reached this conclusion, I was tucking my side hair behind my ear and tilting my head toward Reisir when Yor thrust the whiteboard and a board marker at him.

"Uh... you mean... I should write on this?"

"Ong."

"Ah... right... If I write it down, no one can eavesdrop..."

"Myanyang."

"Why couldn't I think of something so obvious...?"

The protagonist of someone else's novel took the whiteboard and marker with an awkward expression.

I inwardly admired the baby dragon's genius and wisdom and returned my side hair to its original position, but...

Instead of moving away from Reisir, I stood side by side with him, on his left.

This way, not only could I immediately read what he wrote on the whiteboard, but my figure also wouldn't be reflected in his right eye.

"Okay, I'm taking off the eyepatch now. I definitely warned you, so you can't poke me in the eye just because you're surprised, okay?"

Was it to shake off his embarrassment?

The protagonist of someone else's novel made a light joke as he removed the eyepatch covering his right eye.

The moment his revealed silver eye stared directly at the baby dragon floating before him...

"Uh......?"

Reisir's eyes widened, and I could see his pupils dilate.

It was a look of unmistakable surprise.

'His reaction is too fast...'

He couldn't have opened the skill window yet.

And since his 【Truth-Reading Eye】 had low proficiency, he couldn't have been surprised by Yor's {Absolute Being} inclination.

I had already told him back in chapter 205 that her Ether level was high, so that couldn't be the reason either.

Then, could it be because her mental power and attribute resistance values were too high, even if they weren't as high as her Ether?

If it wasn't even that...

'No way... Did the phrase [You do not have permission to read this.] pop up?'

It seemed it had finally come to that.

Reisir had been able to read the special character novels even after seeing that warning message.

So even if a dangerous-looking red window appeared when he looked at Yor and me, he wouldn't start seeing us as unknown beings and distance himself...

Right?

I thought it would be okay, but...

This was less a conviction than a hope or a wish.

And so, with a dry mouth and a pounding heart, I anxiously waited for Reisir to speak...

"Wait... was 'Yor' a nickname? Her name is showing up as 'Jörmungandr'...?"

The tension instantly vanished.

A sense of futility washed over me as I wondered why I had even felt anxious.

"What's with that dumbfounded reaction? I'm the one who's speechless, you know?"

When I let out an involuntary gasp, Reisir closed his right eye and shot me a sidelong glance with the other, voicing his complaint.

If that had been all, I would have let it slide.

But my baby dragon looked considerably shocked, so I couldn't.

"Yor's true name is indeed 'Jörmungandr.' Everyone was calling her Yor so naturally that I never got around to a formal introduction."

"I get it. Back when Yor had just been born, our relationship wasn't close enough for a formal introduction to your familiar. But you won't let me call you by a nickname, yet you don't mind me calling your familiar by one? That's a little unexpected...?"

"Well... if Yor had disliked being called by a nickname by others, it would have been a different story... I simply left it alone out of respect for Yor's wishes."

Though I spoke calmly as if it were no big deal, inwardly, I was fidgeting as I watched Yor's reaction.

The generous baby dragon glanced at me, then gently patted my shoulder with her tail, conveying her forgiveness.

A tidal wave of emotion washed over me, and I was overcome with the impulse to hug the merciful and lovely baby dragon tightly, but...

Yor shook her head with a look that said now wasn't the time, so I decided to hold back.

'After we finish talking and go back to my room, I'll give her a proper apology and a big hug.'

Just as I was making that vow, Yor tapped the whiteboard with her index finger.

She was probably telling Reisir that if his question about her true name had been resolved, he should hurry up and write down what he had just seen.

Only then did Reisir's hand, holding the marker, begin to move, and he soon wrote the words, '〔Name〕 Jörmungandr.'

Right below that, the stats were listed.

"By the way, do we have to do this verification process here? The red windows from the special character novels around us are filling my vision, and my eyes hurt and I'm getting dizzy... Can't we move to my room?"

Reisir brought this up.

I couldn't see the scene reflected in his eyes, but just hearing his explanation made me think it must be creepy and uncomfortable.

So while I could understand his hardship, accepting his proposal was a separate matter.

I hadn't yet confirmed whether Yor's 【Dragon Fear】 was being displayed properly, without any cognitive distortion.

"My mind could change while we move. If you're okay with that?"

"I'll just finish checking here."

"A wise decision."

"You've read everything written here, right? I'm erasing it and moving on to the next part."

"Go ahead."

Was it because I'd already dropped the hint that there was a skill I hadn't told him about?

Reisir changed his attitude as if he had never complained, wiped the whiteboard clean, and then...

Quickly moved his hand to write down the description of Yor's Ether Attribute Ability.

==========

【Weather Change (氣象 變化)】 - (S)

: A skill that controls atmospheric phenomena.

==========

The content was obvious just from the skill name, so much so that calling it a 'description' felt like a waste.

There wasn't even a mention that it was currently at a stage where it could only create rain clouds.

I knew it was because his proficiency was low, but for a skill named 【Truth-Reading Eye】, I wondered whether this was really acceptable.

'It's incredibly fortunate for me right now, so I don't have any particular complaints.'

Thinking this, I carefully studied Reisir's expression.

At his current level, not only could he not read the 「Attribute」 and 「Inclination」, but even much of the skill description was omitted.

He naturally wouldn't be able to read 【Geological Shift (地殼 變動)】, which was still locked.

So the next thing Reisir would see was Yor's general skill list, which included 【Dragon Fear】.

If he saw that, it would be natural for him to be very surprised, but...

"Haha."

Reisir let out a light laugh.

Just as I was about to ask why he was laughing at such a meaningless reaction, his hand wrote the following.

==========

【Enlargement】 - (D)

: Increases body size.

==========

As you can see in chapter 143, Yor didn't have the 【Enlargement】 skill.

Instead, the 【Miniaturization】 skill existed and was always active. Moreover, its grade was 'S,' not 'D.'

That was how I knew right away that the 【Truth-Reading Eye】, belying its name, was showing distorted information.

'But still, even so...'

Reisir erased what he had just written and seemed to manipulate the window only he could see, then let out a strange sound.

"Keuheup—!"

The phrase he wrote with a trembling hand while gritting his teeth was beyond ridiculous.

==========

【Cat's Mettle】 - (C)

: When the kitty looks at you, you go meow.

==========

It was absurd enough that 【Dragon Fear】 had turned into 【Cat's Mettle】, but the skill description was completely abnormal.

At this rate, I couldn't even question Reisir about why he had laughed.

On the contrary, I was in a position where I should thank him for trying to hold back his laughter.