"His Highness … are you Linpu Kotaro?" Seiji inquired.
"That's not it. But His Highness said that it's highly likely that you'll mention this name, "the brown-haired guard responded. "His Highness instructed us to welcome you into the palace as soon as we see you. Please follow us."
Seiji looked directly at the guard.
"I'd like to ask for your name and that of the person next to you."
"Eh? Why? "
"Because I feel like we've met somewhere before."
The brown-haired guard had a confused expression as he exchanged glances with the other guard.
"We don't remember meeting you before, sir. You must have mistaken us for someone else."
"Do you really not remember me at all?" Seiji asked.
"No … please don't mind us. His Highness is still waiting for you. Please follow us into the palace."
"What if we refuse to go in?"
"Why would you refuse? Didn't you come here to see His Highness? "The guard frowned.
"Indeed, we'd like to meet His Highness, but we don't want to enter the palace without a good reason." Seiji replied. "That's why I apologize. Please report to His Highness that we'd like to meet him outside the palace. We hope that he'll agree."
"This … how rude!" The brown-haired guard had an expression of anger. The other guard also had an expression of displeasure.
The atmosphere became tense.
However, the guards only glared at Seiji and the others for a while before turning around and leaving. They didn't take any further action.
After the guards left, Seiji, Matsutani, and the others discussed this situation.
Matsutani was absolutely certain that he hadn't mistaken these two guards for someone else. These two guards looked exactly the same as the two attendants he'd seen at the award ceremony.
In that case, either Linpu had created characters that looked exactly the same as the attendants. Or, these two guards were real people, but had forgotten about reality and were under Linpu's control.
Seiji felt that it was the latter. Everyone else felt the same way.
Perhaps everyone at the award ceremony was here as well, and they were all in the same state.
If Seiji fought against them, he would have to hold back. He wouldn't want to kill the real person.
And the most important question was, what was Linpu Kotaro's current state? Was that Prince Royal Highness him?
Filled with confusion, everyone waited patiently.
After a while, some people came out of the palace and walked over.
This time, Matsutani wasn't the only one. Seiji, Nomura, and the others all recognized these people as well.
Editor Yoshizawa! Head Editor Hattori! The male and female hosts …
They were all dressed in luxurious clothes and looked like nobles.
The most eye-catching one was a golden-haired youth walking in the middle.
He was dressed in the most luxurious golden-red clothing, with a dark red cloak draped over his shoulders. At his waist was a long sword with a white scabbard and a silver hilt. He was very handsome, and his azure eyes were sharp and full of spirit.
This is … His Royal Highness?
Seiji and the others watched as the princely blonde curly-haired boy, Head Editor Hattori, and the others approached them.
"I am Adnan Andorsi Arlolles, the first prince of the Roth Kingdom." The blonde curly-haired boy faced the crowd and said, "According to your knowledge, he is the main character of Linpu Kotaro's work, 'The Undying Avenger'."
Seiji and the others were rendered speechless.
"For the record, I'm not a fictional character from a novel. I'm a human from another world to you," Adnan told them seriously.
"I don't know why I came to this illusory place. At first, I thought that this was a dream, but I later discovered that this place was real …
"At any rate, your goal should be to leave this illusory place and return to your own world, right?"
"… Yes," Seiji admitted.
"What I want is the same as all of you. I want to return to my own world." Adnan looked directly at Seiji. "For this, I need your help."
"What kind of help?"
"Soon, this illusory place will begin to collapse. At that time, I'll need to focus my mind on returning to my own world. I'll need all of you to protect me during this process."
"Please explain in more detail." Seiji felt that there was a lot of information in Adnan's words.
"It's difficult to explain in detail, because I'm not too sure myself …" The blonde curly-haired prince paused for a moment. "Roughly speaking, this illusory place was created by Linpu Kotaro, who I'm currently residing in. He's the foundation of everything. However, he's unable to withstand all of this and is unable to maintain a stable order.
You should have met with skeletons and other undead. Those monsters are the result of this illusory place losing its order. They're products of Chaos. Right now, if it isn't for me maintaining order here, this place would be filled with those creatures of Chaos.
"After a while, Linpu Kotaro will reach his limit and be unable to withstand it any longer. This illusory place will begin to collapse as a result. At that time, I'll be able to return to my own world. However, a large number of Chaos monsters will also appear. I need all of you to protect me until I leave. "
Everyone exchanged awkward glances upon hearing this.
"If we do as you say, we'll all be in danger, right?" Seiji furrowed his eyebrows slightly.
"Yes. However, I helped all of you protect these people. You should repay this favor. "Adnan indicated to Editor Yoshizawa and the others by his side.
Seiji looked towards Saki, only to see that she had a blank expression in her eyes as she silently stood there.
"What's going on with them?"
"When I found them, they were in such a state," Adnan explained. "Unless I give them new identities, they won't be able to move. They're just like puppets. If it weren't for me, they would have been devoured by Chaos long ago. "
"Can you prove that you're telling the truth?"
"I can immediately stop maintaining order here. Soon, a large number of undead will appear. In fact, even these people will become undead. Do you want to see that happen?"
Everyone fell silent for a moment.
"I apologize. I shouldn't have said something that sounded like I was threatening you. However, I don't have much time left. I'm unable to explain everything to you in detail …" Adnan sighed. "I just want to return to my own world … I still have things to do there."
"Revenge … is that it?"
"Yes. That's the only reason for my existence. Your world's Linpu Kotaro saw my experiences and wrote them into a novel. He even won a Gold Award … I'm furious about this. "The blonde curly-haired prince had a deep expression in his eyes.
"But, I also know that he didn't do it on purpose. It was a mystical power from your world, or perhaps a supreme god, that played a terrible prank on me.
After all of you return, tell Linpu Kotaro to stop writing about my experiences into a novel! My life isn't something that he can use to amuse his readers!! "
All the light novel authors present felt that Adnan's angry words were rather piercing to their ears.
"You're currently residing in his body … can't you directly tell him about it?"
"I already did. However, I don't know if he'll be able to remember it in his current state."
"… Alright." Seiji nodded. "I'll tell him about it after we return to the real world."
"You believe me now?" Adnan looked directly at Seiji.
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