Chapter 9: Roger met Loki
"Roger?"
He looked around and couldn't see anyone except the trees, bushes, and a weird puddle of water. After a few attempts to activate his power, he realized he couldn't use it. What's more surprising, he still heard someone calling him.
"ROGER?"
Finally, he realized the voice was coming from the puddle of water. It slowly shifted, and something emerged from it. Loki blinked multiple times as he finally recognized who the thing emerging from the puddle of water was. He knew that figure. It was his past self, a person who had the body of Roger.
"What is going..." Roger stopped in the middle of the sentence. "Wait. Are you... Real Loki?"
Loki nodded.
"Neither of us died..." Loki stated. "We swapped bodies..."
"What?!" Roger exclaimed in shock and joy. "So now you live with my parents?"
"Y-yes..." Loki nervously answered. "Yes... I assume the eye of chaos deemed me unfitting host."
"Hey!" Roger exclaimed and held Loki's hands firmly. "That's awesome, dude! How are my parents?!"
"Ya, they ..." Loki muttered. "They said they'll kill me if I don't find a job..."
"HAHA! Sounds like something my dad would say!" Roger chuckled. But the next moment, his face was serious again. "But anyway, you have my memories now, right?"
"Yeah." Loki knew what Roger was about to ask. "You want to ask me how I feel about the betrayal, right?"
"Yes," Roger confirmed.
"I feel regret," Loki admitted. "But I don't blame those girls. Sara must have seen something horrific if she decided to choose this path."
Roger remained silent until he asked, "Are you stupid?"
"What?" Loki stared at Roger blankly. "I am sorry?"
"You... forgive them?" Roger rolled his eyes and sighed. "You were not fit to be a villain."
Loki tilted his head at Roger curiously. "...Huh?"
Roger chuckled, "Us swapping worlds, bodies, and exchanging memories... Is the best thing that happened to you, Loki."
Now it was Loki's turn to roll his eyes.
"I suppose so. This is nice." He stretched lazily. "Your life is very peaceful."
"Hm? It is perfect for a pacifist like you," Roger glanced around him. "While your world, your power is perfect for me."
"What do you mean?" Loki looked at Roger questioningly.
"Think about it," Roger smirked. "You were supposed to be a villain, yet... You were purer than a fucking protagonist. What's up with that?!"
For a second, Loki was utterly shocked and didn't know what to answer. But suddenly, he realized what Roger was talking about, "Are you using my power? Not the eye of chaos... Another one."
"Not yet," Roger answered. To be fair, he would be using it if he knew how to. But for now, all he can do is manipulate the mana. "Tell me, did you know about the powers you had."
"Yes." Loki smiled softly. "But..."
"But what?"
"They come with a price," Loki explained. "We are bound to become monsters when we use it. So please reconsider using it."
"Why should I listen to your advice?" Roger glared at him. "Look where your naive life took you."
"Just think about it," Loki argued. "The morals you ever had, are slowly disappearing. This is what I avoided!"
"You don't know anything!" Roger smiled. "I am being true to myself! To be honest, I hated you."
"Why?"
"When reading the novel, I always compared your actions to what I would do if I were you."
Roger paused as he remembered his past life. "And now, you say that it is actually my powers turning me into a villain. Wrong. I was always a villain, except... I lacked the weapon to help me achieve what I want."
"And my power is your weapon now?" Loki's tone turned cold. "This is what turned my life into a nightmare. Sara foresaw your coming. And it was me who was supposed to pay the price."
"It doesn't matter anymore. You're alive. You will get to enjoy your life on Earth," Roger reassured him. "While I will enjoy my life here."
Loki felt his rage getting hotter by each word. "If only you didn't read that stupid book."
"Oh, come on," Roger waved his hand dismissively. "Don't tell me you care much about that damn world."
Loki clenched his fists. "Of course, I care. My brother..."
"Will by protected by me." Roger finished.
Loki shook his head. "But... your methods!"
"Are none of your concern." Roger scoffed. "All you need to know is that I will protect the people I care about while the rest can go to hell."
"You cannot expect them to accept you. In the novel, Julia loved me," Loki warned him. "But you, on the other hand, are a monster. Do you think she will love a psychopath like you?"
Roger began to think for a moment and replied. "That's true. She loved you for your personality."
"Then you should stay away from her and save her future," Loki advised him.
"Loki, I have one question."
Loki raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead."
"Do you love her?" Roger asked.
Loki paused for a moment before answering. "It's complicated."
"How complicated?" Roger asked, curiosity showing on his face.
Loki closed his eyes, sighing, "I don't love her. But neither do you. She was just your favorite character."
"True!" Roger laughed sarcastically and started to laugh again. "But even if she does not love me... I would never hurt her."
"If you continue walking the path you chose," Loki warned him. "Your presence will be enough to hurt her. Do you think she wants to be a lover of a monster?"
"So, I should hide from her that I am a villain?" Roger grinned. "That is a great idea!"
Loki ignored Roger's sarcasm and continued to glare at him. "I hate you."
"Then wake up," Roger shrugged. "We are here because we are connected and slept simultaneously."
"Last question," Loki stared at Roger. "What are your plans?"
Roger looked at Loki warily but responded. "Isn't it obvious?"
"No. At this point, you seem to act without any reason at all. Like you are being a villain, for the sake of being a villain."
"Well, maybe I wanted to create a utopia," Roger replied calmly. "Maybe I want to create a world under my rule. With no crimes, no wars. Just peace."
"What?" Loki was confused. "That's absurd."
"It would be absurd if I tried to do that as a hero." Roger insisted. "But not absurd, If I achieve that as a villain."
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