Lake Fortress’ Chief, Darka.

Darka, once a proud leader, had succumbed to dementia, forgetting not only her role but also the people around her. While age might seem the likely cause, Darka’s condition had a specific trigger.

She had a son named Baskal.

For the northern people, becoming a Northguard was the highest honor, and Baskal was no exception.

Baskal was a skilled Northguard, well-liked and respected. His abilities and character earned him the fervent support of the tribe, making him the clear successor to the role of chief.@@novelbin@@

But misfortune doesn’t need a fox spirit to strike. One day, Baskal went out to hunt monsters as usual and met his untimely end.

He returned colder than the northern winter—lifeless.

The village was plunged into grief at the death of their future leader, friend, and comrade.

The psychological blow of losing her son caused Darka to lose her mind. When she finally awoke, she was the senile elder she is today.

In short, the role I am playing is that of Baskal’s old friend, Karami.

‘Of course, an imaginary friend.’

Impersonating the person himself would have been ideal, but the difficulty of such a performance was too high. Not only was there the issue of appearance, but also intimate details that only Baskal himself could know.

No matter how much I knew as someone who had taken over this body, it was impossible to know everything. Even if Darka was a crucial NPC, memorizing every detail about a non-main character was unfeasible.

On the other hand, playing the role of a long-time friend seemed plausible. Such friends were likely to exist, and memories of them would have some resistance to distortion.

Although our first meeting was a bit rocky, that didn’t matter. Darka’s senility meant any bad feelings had already faded into the distant recesses of her memory.

Smiling warmly, I whispered to Darka as though speaking to the mother of an old friend.

You didn't buy this chapter

Buy Now (3 coupons)