Episode 2. A Terrible, Terrible Day
At the sound of the lycan wolves’ howls, every hair on my body stood on end, and all the strength drained from my limbs.
I knew, with absolute certainty, that I was going to die.
Tears welled up, and when I tilted my head back, I saw the purple sky, soaked in sunset.
“Wow… what a horrible, never-ending day.”
Just a few hours ago, I’d been working a part-time job at the ticket booth for the overseas rock band Death Purple’s concert in Korea.
It was a sweet gig — 15,000 won an hour, and all I had to do was hand out tickets people had pre-booked. Easy money.
…Or so I thought.
One hour before the show, the concert was suddenly canceled — and everything went to chaos.
Thousands of fans rushed to the booth demanding refunds. One furious man started waving a long umbrella right in my face.
“So what the hell is wrong with our Maggie that you’re canceling the concert?!”
“Sir, I understand this was sudden. It must’ve been disappointing after waiting so long. Let me help you with the refund process right awa—”
“Refund? I’m asking why our Maggie’s sick!”
“Sir, please calm dow—”
Instead of calming down, the man swung the umbrella even harder. It hit me squarely, and I fell to the marble floor with a bang!
As my head cracked against the ground, time seemed to slow down.
“If I have to be taken to the hospital… how am I gonna pay the bills?”
Even while bleeding, all I could worry about was money. It was so pathetic I couldn’t even cry.
But I didn’t have to worry for long — because the next thing I knew, I was perfectly fine, lying in the middle of some forest.
I didn’t even have time to wonder how I got there. The moment I came to my senses, black, monster-like wolves were charging at me.
“You couldn’t fight them before, Yeon-su. What makes you think you can now?”
I instantly regretted provoking those lycan wolves without a plan.
“No — if I hadn’t stepped in, those little kids would’ve been attacked instead.”
I wiped the tears off my furred face with a paw and focused on the front.
But the lycan wolves didn’t rush in. They just prowled around me, licking their lips.
“Great, they’re enjoying the fear now?”
Three in front. Three behind.
No way out.
My heart pounded like crazy. I pressed a trembling paw against my chest, feeling only soft, fuzzy fur.
“Beep-beep! (What’s there even to eat? It’s all fur!)”
Grrr… grrrr…!
Then came a deep, bone-chilling growl from behind.
Every muscle in my body froze.
The wolves lowered themselves and parted to the side, clearing a path.
A much bigger lycan wolf — easily twice their size — stepped into the circle.
Even just by the way it walked, I could tell: this one was the leader.
Drip— drip—
Thick saliva fell from its jaws onto the thorny vines below.
The rest of the wolves licked their lips, waiting for their leader to take the first bite.
“So… he eats first, and then they take what’s left. Wonderful.”
I wanted to face death bravely, but nope. Not happening.
“This is seriously too much.”
What did I ever do to deserve getting ripped apart by monsters?
I’d lived a decent life — working hard, never hurting anyone.
“Beep, beep. (This is so unfair.)”
I didn’t deserve hell. I’d worked nonstop, helped people weaker than me, and still ended up like this?
“Beep, beep-beep? (Shouldn’t I get a reward or something instead of being monster food?)”
As the leader wolf flexed its bulky shoulders and stepped closer, I muttered weakly:
“If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have taken that stupid job for 15,000 won an hour.”
“Wouldn’t have saved money so desperately.”
“Wouldn’t have kept my mouth shut and endured everything.”
“If I’d known…”
Then, right as the wolf’s jaws opened wide — a white light burst out from my front paw and sank into the ground.
“Beep? (Huh?)”
Instantly, the thorny vines beneath us shot upward, forming a wall between me and the leader wolf.
The alpha hesitated — and at that moment, the vines spread wildly, wrapping around all the wolves in sight.
In the blink of an eye, the monsters were completely bound, unable to move.
I stared blankly, speechless.
“[S-S-Sacred Beast!]”
A familiar voice came from above. I looked up — and there was that round, white bird trembling on a branch.
“[You’ve finally appeared, oh Sacred Beast!]”
It fluttered down, landed on the vines, and bowed to me.
“[Forgive me for not recognizing your greatness earlier, my lord!]”
Its little black eyes sparkled with admiration.
“Beep? Beep-beep. (Sacred what now? You were calling me a crazy marten like five minutes ago.)”
“[Such blasphemy! I should sand this insolent beak on that rock right now!]”
Watching it smack its own beak with its wing, my tension finally eased. I slumped to the ground.
“I really thought I was gonna die…”
From where I sat, I could see the wolves wrapped tight in vines — like thorny cocoons.
“Beep-beep? (So… why did the vines attack them? Are they like… carnivorous plants or something?)”
“[Of course not! You have awakened, oh Sacred Beast!]”
“Beep-beep? (Sacred beast? What even is that?)”
The bird hopped close, eyes shining.
“[A Sacred Beast is a holy creature that protects a land or a noble house with divine power — just like the light that came from your paw!]”
Oh right, that weird light earlier…
“[If I had to guess, your power must be controlling plants!]”
Huh. Not bad for a reincarnation perk.
“[It’s been 500 years since a Sacred Beast last appeared in the Devon family. The whole Empire will be in an uproar soon!]”
Wait, what? Devon?
“Beep-beep? (Hold on. Did you just say Devon?)”
“[Yes — the Dukedom of Devon, rulers of the northern territory.]”
“Beep?! (No way! Not that Devon — as in Kassirian Devon!?)”
“[Indeed! How wise of you, my lord, to already know the duke’s name!]”
“Beep! (Nooo!)”
I jumped up, horrified.
“This is insane! This is the world of The Knight of the Red Sword!”
It all made sense now — the Sacred Beast, the northern lands, the wolves.
It was that dark fantasy novel I’d read back in elementary school — the one with the worst ending ever.
Why? Because halfway through, the author suddenly replaced the main character.
It was supposed to be about Kassirian Devon, the tragic northern duke who overcame his past to become Emperor — but in the end, some random illegitimate prince took over.
And to make things worse, Kassirian turned into the final villain, slaughtering nobles and turning innocent villagers into undead.
But the worst part was—
“The villagers became undead because of me — the Sacred Beast!”
In the story, the nobles killed the northern Sacred Beast by cutting off its head, and Kassirian, furious, led an army of zombies and undead villagers to destroy the Empire.
“Beep. (Nope. I quit. I’m not being a Sacred Beast.)”
“[Pardon?]”
Ignoring the stunned bird, I looked around. Behind the vine cocoon, I spotted a big rock.
“Beep. (I’m going back.)”
If I got here by cracking my head on marble, maybe cracking it on a rock would send me home.
Yup. Let’s try that.
Without hesitation, I charged forward and smacked my head on the rock.
“[Oh heavens! My lord, are you insane?!]”
A high-pitched ringing filled my ears. The world spun.
“Beep… beep-beep… (I… need to… go… back…)”
Before I could finish the sentence, my vision went dark again.
