The Book That Wasn’t Written

The child who was destined to become a human puppet knew his fate well, yet looked so lively, as if he had already accepted it without question.

"Have a seat, Rui," Rin said with subtle disdain in her voice, not because she hated him, but because she couldn't understand how someone so young could so calmly accept such a future. She thought to herself that if it were her, she would never accept being turned into a tool. To ease the tension, she asked him about his age, his hobbies, favorite foods, and anything else that might distract his mind.

...

After a short while, Rui looked tired, and it was understandable—he was only around seven years old, his body still fragile, and his mind barely formed. Rin, having already ordered a room to be prepared, told one of the maids to guide him there and help him sleep.

When Rui entered the room, he looked around with wide eyes, seeing a massive wardrobe near the back wall, a tall bookshelf to the left side of the door, and a desk so large it could've been a bed by itself. The actual bed sat elegantly to the left, decorated with expensive materials and detailed embroidery.

To Rui, this was a dream—something he never thought he'd live to see. He came from an orphanage, chosen during a selection for magical output, talent, and obedience. The reason they picked him instead of a noble or a more capable citizen was that no one would question it if he was reshaped into a tool. They could just say, "We gave him a better life."

Rui had the talent, capable of using sealing magic, wind, enhancement, beast, healing, and more. His mana reserves were naturally high, and his flow was cleaner than most adults. His origins were unclear, but his parents were believed to have died during the dimensional cracks—an event that ended around six years ago but lasted almost a decade, swallowing nations and kingdoms whole.

Despite how severe it was, humanity didn't learn from it, and once the monster threat faded, they returned to fighting each other. The war changed tides, becoming a three-sided struggle, where Rin lost everything—her entire family was wiped out.

She was from the Mystoria bloodline, believed to be extinct, and to avoid being targeted, she never used her family name. Only a few knew the truth about her. After being rescued from the frontlines, she became a soldier just to survive, with no glory or pride attached.

...

Rui was soon tucked into bed, and the maid who stayed beside him made sure he was sleeping soundly. Once she was sure, she left the room and went to report to Rin. It was around ten now, but Rin, full of energy from sleeping over sixteen hours the previous night, decided to stay up and read.

Most of the maids had been excused for the night. She preferred that they be well-rested for their duties. The moon was shining in full. It was the day after the full moon.

Rin recalled what happened yesterday. Could the moon have influenced it? The world was full of mysteries. She didn't feel fear—only a strange calm. That alone told her something had changed.

She needed to research three things: the artifact, the being mentioned inside it, and the unknown entity that had pulled her into another reality. But that could wait.

"The mysteries are full of danger; that is the reason they have been kept mystical," she muttered. The danger didn't only affect the one who researched, but everything nearby—humans, plants, and animals alike.

So she decided, at least for now, to stop being a "researcher" and simply be a "spectator."

...

Morning came. Aria walked through the halls quietly and checked if Rin was still asleep. She was, so Aria didn't disturb her. She had already been told to check on Rui and attend to his needs.

Aria wasn't just a maid—she was Rin's personal attendant, her shadow, and sometimes a mother figure. She made her way to Rui's room and knocked gently.

Rui was already awake. He had gotten up two hours earlier but was too nervous to leave the room. Instead, he checked the bookshelf and found only thirteen books. He chose one titled "The Basics of Elements."

Rui could read and write at a basic level, having crammed four years' worth of information in just three months. Though he lacked general knowledge, his magical understanding and etiquette were above average.

The book explained that elemental magic could be learned by anyone, but affinities differed by birth. One-star elemental types included fire, earth, water, wind, and lightning. Two-star magic consisted of dark, light, nature, and shadow. Non-elemental types weren't listed.

He flipped through the section on wind magic—his own affinity. It was nearly seventy pages long. He read 23 pages before hearing footsteps in the hall.

Panicked, he scrambled for a bookmark, found one, and moved quickly toward the desk. It slipped under. He bent to grab it, and just as he came up, the door opened and startled him, causing him to bump his head.

Aria stood at the entrance. Rui avoided her gaze and said softly, "I was just reading. I was going to close it before anyone woke up."

"There's no need to be that nervous," Aria said gently. "You can do as you wish as long as it doesn't cause trouble. You're also free to come downstairs or visit the library."

She smiled. "Lady Rin is still asleep. If you're hungry, head to the dining hall. Breakfast can be made."

Rui nodded. "I would like to eat breakfast," he said quietly.

Aria guided him to the dining hall. He sat near the seat of honor and kept his gaze down. A plate was brought: eggs, potatoes, and vegetables—a balanced meal for a growing child.

He ate silently, careful with his manners. When finished, he didn't move, unsure what to do. Rin appeared shortly after, walking down the stairs. Rui stood quickly, bowed, and greeted her.

Rin sat at the head of the table. Aria and another maid took their places. Her food was served and checked for toxins. She began eating and glanced at Rui.

"There won't be any training or studies this week. I want you to get used to your environment first. Aria and a butler will take you out to buy what you need."

Rui nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Rin sighed. "You don't need to be so formal. I would prefer if you called me 'teacher' or 'master.'"

"Yes, teacher," Rui said softly.

Rin smiled faintly. After finishing her food, she stood and began walking toward the stairs. Then she paused.

"Even though there's no training this week, I want you to read the books in your room. Even if you don't understand them, I'll see what you grasp by the end of the week."

Rui nodded again. His demeanor slowly began to soften.

Rin entered her office and locked the door behind her. She went to maintain the seal on the artifact. Rituals like these needed to be performed away from life—especially when dealing with anything beyond two-star.

The seal she used was effective for zero- and one-star artifacts. But she suspected this one was at least five-star, maybe more. If she studied it inside the manor, a single mistake could cause disaster.

She bent down to reinforce the seal. That's when the voice entered her mind.

She collapsed instantly, screaming in agony, feeling as if her brain were melting.

The voice echoed one sentence again and again, but she couldn't understand it. It was too loud, too overwhelming.

Eventually, one word reached her.

"Don't."

Her scream was loud enough to echo through the entire manor.

Aria rushed to the office with two maids and a butler. Another butler ran to alert the high-grade knights.

Aria tried to open the door. Fear was written on every face. Rui stood frozen. He didn't know what to do.

...

Inside the room, a twisted body lay on the floor. It was beyond recognition.

Aria used magic to break the door. When she entered, she froze. No words escaped her lips.

The body was unrecognizable. Flesh had turned to liquid. Organs were mutated and rearranged. It barely resembled a human. Her brain was seeping out from her eyes, ears and nose. Two eyes lay on the ground, still tethered by nerves to the mangled body.

She dropped to her knees.

"Rin!"

The only proof it was her was the tattered clothes. It was more gruesome than anything Aria had seen, even in war.

The other maids turned away in horror. On the ground lay the book Rin had been reading two days ago. Sealing traces surrounded it.

It was open to a page.

A single sentence was written there:

"THE PUPPETEER HAS DIED BY ITS OWN PUPPET."