"Oi, Leon! Get those stools set up fast. People will be flooding in here for the competition!" A rough voice boomed across the empty tavern.
"Yes sir!" A black-haired boy called back. He moved quickly between the wooden stools, arranging them in neat rows. Leon looked young, maybe sixteen, with sharp features that would have been handsome if not for the worry lines creasing his forehead.
"I have to find a way out today. If I don't, I'm dead," Leon whispered to himself. His hands shook slightly as he placed each stool, then grabbed a damp cloth to wipe down the surfaces. The wood felt rough under his fingers, and the smell of old ale hung heavy in the air.
This boy, Leon Greaves, had lived a very different life just days ago. He used to be a man in his late twenties, working long hours at a document editing company back on Earth. Too many sleepless nights had finally caught up with him. One moment he was slumped over his desk, the next he woke up in this strange world.
But not just any world. He was now inside a novel he had once read, living as a minor character who was supposed to die today. The villain in the story would enter the competition and kill him during the fight. It was written in stone.
Leon had thought about quitting the competition and running away. But the tavern owner had other plans. The man had already paid the entry fee and expected Leon to fight, win or lose.
"Um, Mr. Michael?" Leon approached the middle-aged man behind the counter. Michael had thinning hair and always kept a toothpick between his teeth. When he looked up, his eyes were cold.
"What now?" Michael asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance.
Leon's throat felt dry. "About this competition... I don't think I can win. I don't have any special skills or magic. Maybe I shouldn't—"
"Oh, Leon." Michael's voice suddenly turned gentle, almost fatherly. "You don't need to worry about winning. I just want you to try your best and stay safe out there."
For a moment, Leon felt a spark of hope. Maybe the old man had a heart after all. Maybe he could talk his way out of this death sentence.
"So does that mean I can—" Leon started to ask.
"Just kidding!" Michael's face twisted into a cruel smile. "You better win down there, or I'll kill you myself. Don't forget, boy, you're just a commoner. Nobody would care if you disappeared."
Leon felt his stomach drop. The hope that had flickered in his chest died instantly.
"And don't even think about running away," Michael continued, leaning forward. "I have people watching everywhere. Plus, there's your little sister to think about. She lives under my roof, remember? If you try to leave without her, I'll sell her to the slave traders. Or maybe I'll let some crazy mage buy her body parts. Your choice."
A chill ran down Leon's spine. His sister was only twelve years old. The thought of anything happening to her made his hands clench into fists.
"Do you hear me, Leon?" Michael's voice was sharp now.
"Yes sir," Leon replied through gritted teeth. He turned back to cleaning the tables, scrubbing harder than necessary.
'There has to be another way,' Leon thought desperately. He tried to remember everything from the novel. There was supposed to be a magical item two towns away, hidden deep in a monster-filled forest. But getting there would take days of travel, fighting experience, and money he didn't have.
He had none of those things. All he could do was hope for a miracle.
Hours passed quickly. Soon, the tavern filled with excited people, all eager to watch the competition on the magical viewing device mounted on the wall. The screen flickered to life, showing the grand arena where the fights would take place.
"Welcome, everyone, to the day you've all been waiting for!" The announcer's voice boomed through the magical speakers. "Today, commoners have a chance to prove their worth and earn free entry into Glory Academy. What most nobles take for granted, you can win with your own strength!"
The crowd in the tavern cheered. Leon felt sick.
"Now, let's welcome Will Reiner for the opening speech!" The announcer stepped aside for a man who radiated power and authority.
Leon's eyes darted around the room, looking for any possible escape route. His time was running out. In just a few hours, he would have to enter that arena and face his death.
That's when he saw him.
A young man with silver-white hair walked through the tavern door. He was handsome in an almost unnatural way, with pale skin and a strange smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Leon's heart nearly stopped.
'That's Erin,' Leon realized. 'The main villain from the novel.'
Erin moved through the crowd like he owned the place. People stepped aside without even realizing why. He sat down at the bar, directly in front of where Leon was working.
"Give me a shot of rum," Erin ordered. His voice was smooth, almost musical.
Leon's mind raced. According to the novel, Erin was the one who would kill him in the arena. But what if Leon could change that? What if he could solve his problem before the fight even began?
'This might be my only chance,' Leon thought as he turned toward the bottles behind the bar.
He reached for the rum, but his hand also found something else. A small plastic bottle that the original Leon had kept in his pocket. Leon had found it on his first day in this world and never knew what it was for. Now, looking at the clear liquid inside, he had a terrible suspicion.
'Poison,' he realized. 'The original Leon must have been planning to use this on someone.'
Leon's hands trembled as he poured the rum into a glass. This was his chance. If Erin died here, quietly and without anyone knowing, then Leon wouldn't have to face him in the arena. He could lose to some other opponent and maybe survive.
'Please just work,' Leon prayed silently as he emptied the entire bottle of poison into the rum. The liquid mixed perfectly, showing no trace of what he had done.
He set the glass down in front of Erin, trying to keep his expression neutral. "Here you go, sir."
Erin picked up the glass and examined it for a moment. His pale eyes seemed to study the liquid, and for a terrifying second, Leon thought he had been discovered.
But then Erin smiled that strange smile again and lifted the glass to his lips. Leon watched, his heart pounding so hard he was sure everyone could hear it.
'Please just die quietly,' Leon begged silently as Erin drank the entire glass in one smooth gulp.