Side Story Chapter 1: The Original World (1)

 

The world is created in many ways.  

 

Sometimes through deliberate design, sometimes through chance and circumstance.  

 

The “Creator” was a god who stole the stories of others.  

 

Unlike other gods who shaped their worlds with care and cultivated life, the Creator chose to weave worlds from the tales they stole.  

 

“Why do you steal mere human stories to create worlds?”  

 

One day, another god asked the Creator this question, baffled by the practice of using finite human tales to craft enduring worlds.  

 

“Because human stories are fascinating.”

 

The Creator’s answer was simple: because they were interesting, because they were entertaining.  

 

Eternal beings often succumbed to boredom, each finding their own ways to stave it off. Some nurtured their worlds and creatures with care, while others immersed themselves among mortals for amusement.  

 

But the Creator reveled in a different kind of diversion: inflicting trials and tribulations upon humans to watch their reactions unfold.  

 

And when the Creator brought humans from their original worlds into the ones they crafted, it was for the same reason—to amuse themselves.  

 

The stories they stole were full of passionate reactions, so much so that the Creator handpicked individuals deeply immersed in those tales.  

 

The result was always the same: chaos, drama, and a world forever altered by the humans now inhabiting it.

 

The two souls clashed in pursuit of their own goals, and the Creator faithfully observed, savoring every moment of the story.  

 

The new narrative was thrilling and captivating.  

 

But as it neared its conclusion, the Creator felt an unexpected tinge of regret.  

 

After going through the trouble of bringing two humans into one world, one decided to leave. The Creator had merged two souls into one body, only for the remaining human to fuse those two into a single being.  

 

The Creator had expected selfish humans to destroy each other in a desperate struggle for survival and desire. Yet the ending turned out far milder than anticipated.  

 

Still, it had served as a brief reprieve from the monotony of existence, so the Creator decided to show some mercy.  

 

The humans who sought a way back were guided to the knowledge they needed. Ancient records led them to the path home, and their souls returned to their original worlds.  

 

Now bored again, the Creator pondered what new source of amusement could be found.  

 

‘Since they returned to their world… perhaps I should take a look at their stories over there.’  

 

* * *

 

Bella—or rather, Lee Minji—opened her eyes, realizing the piercing glow of magic had disappeared.  

 

Her blurry vision focused on a stark white ceiling.  

 

She had no idea where she was, so she immediately sat up.  

 

The first thing she noticed was the bed and blanket surrounding her.  

 

Though unfamiliar in appearance, the setting was unmistakable.  

 

The hospital’s name was printed clearly on the linens.  

 

‘A hospital,’ she thought, taking in her surroundings before checking her body.  

 

Everything seemed intact.  

 

Her condition was nearly identical to how she had been before being possessed, save for having lost some weight.  

 

It seemed that while her soul had been absent, her body had been in an unconscious state.  

 

Minji assessed her situation and stood up.  

 

As expected, no one had come to visit.  

 

The private room was vast but devoid of any personal touches, leaving it cold and empty. Still, Minji was used to this kind of solitude.  

 

Her parents believed that financial support fulfilled all parental duties, while her siblings would have been happier to see her dead or ill.  

 

In a wealthy but loveless conglomerate family, such things were hardly unusual.  

 

“Hello.”  

 

The voice came out of nowhere, startling her.  

 

Spinning toward the source, she saw a figure she had never seen before.  

 

It was a half-transparent, floating entity, as if made of clouds, hovering in midair.  

 

“I didn’t expect you to choose to return.”  

 

“…Who are you?”  

 

The voice was tinged with regret, and Minji instinctively stepped back.  

 

She briefly wondered if this was a dream, but the reality of her past experiences made her consider the possibility it was real.  

 

“Me? I’m the Creator.”  

 

“The Creator…?”  

 

“Hmm, would it help if I explained it in human terms?”  

 

The being tilted its head, as if pondering.  

 

“A god. Humans often refer to me and others like me as gods.”  

 

Minji was momentarily speechless.  

 

A god?  

 

Having grown up in an irreligious family, she had no particular belief in gods.  

 

And yet, here stood one before her, a being unlike any depiction she had ever seen in various mythologies or religions.  

 

“I know what you’re thinking. There are countless gods—probably over ten thousand. I’ve never bothered to count, and new ones keep appearing. So don’t give me that skeptical look. It’s very human of you, though,” the being said with an amused tone.  

 

“…So you’re saying you’re one of those gods?”  

 

“Exactly.”  

 

“And why… did you appear before me?”  

 

Accepting the being’s claim, Minji straightened her posture and asked directly.  

 

If a god had chosen to appear, it must be for a reason. Gods didn’t just manifest before humans without cause.  

 

“Because I was bored.”  

 

“…Excuse me?”  

 

“I brought you and him into my thirteenth world for my entertainment.”  

 

The explanation was so absurd it left Minji dumbfounded.  

 

A god appeared out of boredom? And for the sake of “entertainment,” they had dragged “you” and “him” into…  

 

Wait. “You” and “him”? Could the Creator be referring to the other soul, the one possessing Owen?  

 

And by “thirteenth world,” did they mean the story world Minji had thought was fictional?  

 

As the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place, Minji felt a wave of clarity.  

 

“Yes, you’re right,” the Creator confirmed, as if reading her thoughts.  

 

“It was fun, thanks to you. Though I didn’t expect you to give up and leave so soon.”  

 

“That’s because…”  

 

Minji trailed off, feeling a pang of guilt.  

 

It wasn’t as though she had left willingly or without regret.  

 

In the end, Owen’s words had persuaded her: ‘This world holds no meaning for me. I’ve found someone who understands me, and that’s you. We’re the same now.’ 

 

With that realization, she had chosen to return.  

 

“I wanted Owen. And everyone else had a different opinion,” she said quietly.  

 

“That’s true,” the Creator replied, neither denying nor reproaching her decision.  

 

“Don’t you want to know?”  

 

Minji blinked. “Know what?”  

 

“Who he originally was.”  

 

The Creator’s voice was laced with intrigue, as if deliberately trying to pique her curiosity.  

 

Minji was tempted to scoff. She knew humanity well—people were inherently curious, always eager to uncover mysteries.  

 

“I’m not curious,” she lied, turning her head defiantly.  

 

Still, a part of her wondered.  

 

The other soul had been a reader of ‘The Flower of the Empire,’ someone who had actively created fan works for it.  

 

Who had they been in their original life, this person who had possessed someone as remarkable as Owen?  

 

“…Will you tell me?”  

 

“Of course. If you’re curious.”  

 

“I’m not that curious… but I’ll listen if you want to tell me,” Minji relented, her tone betraying her interest.  

 

The Creator smirked knowingly.  

 

It stung her pride, but she accepted it. After all, this was a god—such things were bound to happen.  

 

A sudden thought crossed her mind.  

 

“But wait. If their soul isn’t here, does that mean they’re alive?”  

 

“You were gone and still alive, weren’t you?”  

 

“Oh…”  

 

“Besides, they chose not to return. I found another soul for their body.”  

 

The Creator said this nonchalantly, as if swapping souls was as trivial as replacing a pair of shoes.  

 

“…Is that even okay?” Minji asked, her voice tinged with unease.  

 

“Even if I put a new soul into a body with one already inside, what’s so wrong about putting one into an empty body?”  

 

“Well… I suppose that makes sense…”  

 

“It’s a wandering soul; it’s fine.”  

 

Lee Minji was still unsettled but eventually accepted it.  

 

After all, she had experienced something similar herself. She wasn’t in a position to judge, especially given how she had tried to overpower Bella’s soul and take full control.  

 

“Great! Then I’ll arrange for you two to meet soon. See you later.”  

 

The Creator, cheerful as always, bid her farewell, clearly pleased with itself.  

 

Though Minji couldn’t fully grasp the god’s enthusiasm, she nodded in agreement.  

 

* * *

 

Minji focused on recovery and reintegration into her life.  

 

Her body, aside from some muscle loss, was in relatively good shape and recovered quickly. However, returning to work and re-establishing her routine took more effort.  

 

As a second-generation chaebol and the CEO of one of her family’s subsidiaries, she needed time to catch up on the company’s affairs and regain her footing.  

 

One afternoon, during this transitional period, the Creator reappeared.  

 

It casually informed her that it would summon “him” to a nearby café for a meeting.  

 

Recalling how she had managed to carve out time for fandom activities in her otherwise busy schedule, Minji decided to do the same now. She rearranged her plans and headed to the café.  

 

There, she encountered someone completely unexpected.  

 

“…This is him?”  

 

“That’s right, it’s him,” the Creator replied, floating lazily in midair.  

 

From the lack of reaction from the other patrons, it seemed only Minji and the man in front of her could see it.  

 

“Go on, introduce yourselves—former possessor and current possessor.”  

 

“Hah…” Minji let out a breath of disbelief.  

 

“…I’m Jung Woo-hyun,” the man introduced himself awkwardly.  

 

Despite stumbling over his words, his voice was deep and pleasant. Clearly, he had a naturally good tone.  

 

But it wasn’t just his voice.  

 

His features were strikingly defined—symmetrical face, sharp jawline, high nose bridge, and soft yet piercing eyes.  

 

‘…He’s handsome,’ Minji thought, almost begrudgingly.