It's Rowan.
I drove the car towards the crowd and honked at them. The crowd dispersed quickly and started whispering at me. My action startled my sister. I rolled down my car window and said to Rowan, "Get inside."
Rowan looked at me suspiciously. He thought for a few seconds. He was new to this world and had no one to trust. He came towards the car and looked confused. He asked me, "Hey, how do I open this metal box?"
My sister began to laugh, and I covered her mouth. I carefully said, "Do you see that handle?" I pointed towards the back door handle.
"Yes," Rowan replied enthusiastically. "Good. Now just pull that."
Rowan followed my instructions, and he managed to open the door. He became very excited. "Wow. It is like a door."
He got into the car with the tiny girl.
As Rowan settled into the car, my sister couldn't contain her curiosity. "So tell me about your first time getting into a car—a new guy in fancy clothes."
I gripped the steering wheel harder and angrily said, "Anna!"
Anna gave a mischievous look and said, "Geez. Sorry, I couldn't contain my curiosity."
Rowan sensed an incoming argument and chimed in, "Don't fight yet. Anna, right? So you call this metal box a car?"
Anna suddenly found profound encouragement and gave the smug look, "Yes, this is a car." She spoke as if she had invented the car. I rolled my eyes.
She continued, "Anyways, my name is Anna Miller, and this is my brother Magnus Miller."
By hearing the name 'Magnus', both Rowan and the tiny girl looked shocked. He whispered, "Magnus!?"
Rowan looked serious and asked, "By any chance, do you know anyone named Magnus Thaddeus?" His voice was etched with concern.
I quickly said, "No. We don't know anyone with that name." My sister, dubious of the situation around us, said, "Huh. But Magnus, you reincarnated as Magnus Thaddeus before, right?"
I stopped the car by the lake and looked at Anna furiously. "Anna!" She looked back at me with the same look. "Why are you angry with me!?"
Amidst the confusion, the tiny girl looked at me curiously and innocently said, "Dad?"
"DAD!!"
I gazed at her, and it struck me. I accidentally muttered, "Lumina?"
Rowan grabbed my shoulder from behind and said, "Magnus!?"
Everyone's eyes were on me, and in a hurry, I shouted, "STOP LOOKING AT ME!" I ran out of the car and went towards the lakeside. My worst fear was coming true. I thought about the timeline of my life until now.
It all started when I tried to kill myself and got reincarnated as a character in my sister's favorite novel, 'My New Life'. There were so many kind people around me. The Duke and Duchess took care of me like their own son.
I was determined to save them, like in any reincarnation novel. When I reincarnated, my life as Magnus Miller started to disappear, and I forgot the most important people in my life. Just as my life progressed, I made new friends: Alina, Rowan, Zander, Prince Charming, and Seraphina. I never got to say goodbye to these people.
I hate myself. I deceived the people around me as Magnus Thaddeus. I wonder what their reaction will be when they find out that I am not a person they know. I gripped my head and shouted across the lake. My emotions were taking control of me.
Rowan put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Magnus? Don't worry, I am here for you."
I turned around and looked at Rowan helplessly. I grabbed his outer garment; my hands were shivering. I stammered, "Rowan, but I betrayed you." Rowan embraced me and smiled. "The only Magnus I know is you. It was you who lifted me up when I was at my lowest."
His words, a beacon of unwavering trust, cut through the self-reproach that had consumed me. The sincerity in his eyes and the genuine warmth in his voice offered a lifeline, a reminder that even in the face of my own perceived betrayal, some saw beyond the facade.
I managed to speak, my voice wavering with sincerity and gratitude. "Rowan, I don't know how to face everyone. The truth might change everything."
Rowan stepped back, holding my shoulders at arm's length. "Magnus, the truth is a powerful thing, but so is redemption. If you're willing to make amends and fight for what's right, I believe people will understand. You're not alone in this."
I laughed a bit and said, "Thanks, Rowan. It means a lot to me."
We stared into the rippling, dark blue water; it gave us a soothing feeling. The tiny girl with black hair came next to me. I bent down to her level and asked, "Are you my pet dragon, Lumina?" I patted her head as she nodded. I couldn't believe she had turned into a human. I embraced her.
Her eyes were sparkling with a mixture of childlike wonder and ancient wisdom. I patted her head gently, savoring the surreal moment of bonding with a magical companion.
Rowan, observing the scene, couldn't help but smile. "She missed you so much."
I carried Lumina like a baby and asked Rowan, "Anyways, can we talk to Alina and all through Lumina?"
Rowan looked at me seriously and said, "No. The connection got cut off when we fell into the abyss."
"Oh."
Before I could contemplate further, my sister approached us, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. "Magnus, are you okay?"
I nodded, trying to convey reassurance. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just processing a lot of things. This is Lumina, by the way."
Anna's eyes widened with surprise as she looked at the magical being in my arms. "Lumina? The dragon? She turned into a human."
"Yes"
She continued as she looked at Rowan, "Are you Rowan Wilson, the second male lead from the novel 'My New Life'?"
Rowan looked confused and stammered, "I guess? What's a second male lead?"
Anna became overly excited and said, "No way! Magnus, you made friends with Rowan, the tragic second male lead!? This is amazing! Rowan, will you marry me?" She pulled out a rose from an empty space.
Rowan blinked in bewilderment. "Wait, what? Marry you?"
Anna nodded enthusiastically. "Of course! In all the novels I've read, the second male lead always has a tragic love story. I can be your happy ending!"
Rowan exchanged a perplexed glance with me, clearly unsure how to respond. I couldn't hold back my laughter, realizing the humorous situation unfolding. "Anna, I think Rowan is still trying to figure out this second male lead' thing. Let's save the wedding plans for later."
Anna pouted playfully, "Fine, but I'm holding you to it, Rowan."
Rowan, still bewildered, asked, "Wait, what is happening?"
As the sun was setting, I told him about how his world was like the novel my sister read. He listened to it carefully.
Anna chimed in, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Rowan, you're part of one of the most famous novels! Think of it like being a hero in one of the novels I've read."
Rowan scratched his head, still grappling with the surreal revelation. "So, I'm not just a regular guy?"
Anna happily shouted, "Yes!" I interrupted them and signaled for them to get into the car.
As we all piled into the car, Rowan still seemed a bit dazed by the revelation of his novel existence. Anna, on the other hand, was bursting with enthusiasm, sharing her favorite scenes from 'My New Life' and bombarding Rowan with questions about his character.
Rowan was signaling to me, "Help me!?" I signaled back with a mischievous smirk, "Nope."
That being said, we headed to a quiet dress shop to buy clothes for Rowan and Lumina.
While we were enjoying our lives in the car somewhere far away, two celestial beings were talking with each other. It was Seraphiel and his junior angel.
His junior angel, sensing the weight of the situation, cautiously asked, "Seraphiel, may I ask why you decided to entrust such a monumental destiny to Magnus and his companions?"
Seraphiel's eyes held profound wisdom as he responded, "Magnus, in his mortal life, faced struggles that echoed across realms. Yet his heart carried a unique resilience and a willingness to confront the unknown."
He continued, "The disruption caused by Nyx and Regulus shook the very foundation of the astral realms. The Eldorian Shards hold not just power but also the essence of balance. Magnus, unknowingly, became a pivotal figure in the cosmic world, and his companions, each with their own destinies, are integral to restoring harmony."
His junior angel interrupted, "That's not what I am asking. You are evil, Master. You were the one who forcefully reincarnated him into the Eldoria empire, which was the magic world. And when you saw him going in a different direction, you forcefully dragged him back to his real body."
He continued, "Master, you are forcefully putting a destiny on them."
Seraphiel laughed gracefully and evilly, "Oh Elyon, you are still young and naive. Some things are meant to happen."