It was 8 years ago when Roland gained consciousness. Together with that, he remembered his past life: a heavy gamer died from exhaustion from playing too many games.

  He has now lived his life for 6 years as a son of a pub owner and a stepsister. During that time, while he was helping to manage the pub, he gathered information from adventurers of the world he was living in.

  Ronald laid down all the information he has found so far as usual. He looked at one particular note sticking out bigger than the other notes.

  'Prologue of Autumn Burn series.'

  The world he is living in is massive, a joint work of 5 series from 3 different authors, each with their own protagonists. Autumn Burn is the second series set exactly 14 years ago, coinciding (or not) with the year Roland was born.

  As expected, this little town called Ridina barely existed as the place where the heroine and her party took a side quest. His own name, Roland Kurtz, appeared nowhere. He was born as a literal nobody as a son of a literal nobody as well. He has neither talent nor cheat-like abilities like system window or something like that. The only thing he has is his extensive knowledge of how the game would unfold.

  Not that it really matters because the series has randomized events to keep players' retention to play the game. The only reliable knowledge he can rely on is the main quests and how they unfold.

  "Roland, are you still busy with your arts?"

  A cheerful girl called him with an alluring voice. She would be a diva if she wasn't stuck here helping both of you manage the pub. Her auburn head, different from Roland's jet-black hair, peeked sideways, looking at Roland's arts which have key scenes from the game visualized by him.

  "A little. But Audrey, don't you have better things to do?"

  "Well.. Yes, I have some chores to do, but I would rather watch you paint those; chores can wait."

  The only skill Roland has is painting, and it's not really a real skill either. It's just a natural talent of his to effortlessly draw things straight from his mind and they always look beautiful. The biggest painting, which contains the name of the series, has a heroine overlooking the cliff at a sunset with solemn eyes.

  This Audrey girl, just two years older than him, entered the room with high spirits. Her naturally flowing long hair swayed here and there as she admired the paintings. She looked particularly bland, but you could tell she would look absolutely stunning with the right makeup. Her modest fully clothed countryside outfit didn't help making her look prettier either.

  She rested her head on his shoulder as he was focusing on the paintings.

  "Whoa, quit that. You are too close."

  Roland could smell her faint citrus perfume and shampoo, making his heart skip a little.

  "Ehh, let me cling just this one time. You know you used to cling to me, but you stopped one day."

  "I'm not a kid anymore."

  "You still look cute to me."

  Roland sighed as he let Audrey gleefully hug him from behind, rubbing her right cheek with his left cheek. His mom told him that she is not his real sibling, but as long as he remembers, she is always with him, even though she never called him little brother.

  "You sure we should go to the capital soon?"

  "Yeah. This town isn't safe. Soon a monster attack will come."

  "Just say you want to have a honeymoon with me and mom."

  Audrey grins.

  "What?"

  Amid the close act of the two, they are interrupted by their mom's sudden appearance at the door.

  "Roland, you were right. Monsters have now started attacking!"

  The prologue of Autumn Burn has begun.

  ####

  "Only bring the necessities, okay?"

  Alica, Roland's mom, packed everything to prepare for the journey to the capital.

  Downstairs, the pub was lively with adventurers gathering to defend the monster waves. News had come that monster activities had increased, resulting in more conflict at the town border.

  In the future, this town will be razed to the ground, and it would be too late to escape the town by then.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  "I'm sorry for making you leave the pub, mom."

  "It's okay. It's not like we can't make new memories."

  Alicia smiled even though she is reluctant as well. This pub is full of memories of Roland and Audrey growing up as Alicia raised them.

  "Well, I'm just worried if you stayed, mom. What if the monster attacked the town and they can't defend you?"

  "Oh my, my son has a really cute side!"

  "Mom, stop hugging me!"

  "Let me join too!"

  "No, Audrey, get off!"

  Cough.

  Jake, the guy who will take care of the pub, is interrupting with his cough.

  "Don't worry, your pub will be in good hands. Feel free to come back anytime."

  He gives Alicia a letter.

  "Give it to the branches of Crowgang. They will help you however they can."

  "What's in it?"

  "A letter of protection from your ex-husband. He is one of the members of Crowgang."

  Hearing that, Alicia's face mellowed. Regardless, she accepted it for the sake of the two kids.

  "I swear he never tells me anything.."

  "Wow, so Uncle Kieth is a big shot!"

  Audrey exclaimed. It's news to Roland as well but he doesn't want to probe.

  They ride a horse carriage towards the invisible town border.

  A fight has broken out between city guards and magical beasts. For now, they can manage the monsters, but something is off.

  It's like they became even more violent and desperate than normal.

  It's now quiet. The aftermath of the constant attacks wore the guards down. For now, they are recuperating, hoping no more attacks come in.

  Tough for the trio on the carriage, as soon as they tried to leave the town, a fight had broken again.

  "They are coming!"

  There are few but big ogres, twice as tall as an adult human. It's estimated to be around 40 of them.

  While they tried their best to hold it off, five ogres had broken through the formation towards the trio, so Roland dismounted to protect the carriage.

  "Stay there!"

  Roland is stronger than average men in terms of swordsmanship, but these particular beasts are wearing him down. Other adventurers are occupied, and they can't help Roland even if they wanted to. Roland managed to kill three out of five ogres but he let his guard down and was knocked down as his sword was knocked away.

  "Ugh.."

  The two ogres walked slowly towards Roland. He coughed, having his stomach hit with a wooden club. That alone is not an issue, but since he lost the sword, he won't be able to fight back the ogres.

  Then the unexpected happened.

  "Look at me dumb ogres!"

  There stands Audrey with Roland's sword. It's clear that it's a bit too heavy for her as she never wields a sword in her life. Her hands were shaking from holding it straight.

  "No, Audrey!"

  "Just shut up!"

  The violent ogres started marching towards her, taunted by her scream. One ogre is already tough to deal with for two people, let alone two ogres which needs a full party to beat.

  If there is one thing that Roland never expected, was that she would dash towards the ogres herself.

  "Aaaaaah!"

  Another surprise hit Roland as Audrey swiftly parried the first strike, slashing the first ogre's neck.

  It looks like a dance as she methodically parried and slashed at the same time. The slashes were shallow, but she accurately and repeatedly hit its neck.

  "What the.."

  She swiftly switched to the second ogre as it is attacking, parrying and slashing at the same time. Splatter of blood dyed parts of Audrey as none of them can hit her.

  She took a risk and decapacitated the second ogre. Unfortunately, it made her stance staggered and she had to block the first ogre's monstrous smash with the sword.

  "Ahh.."

  One direct hit to Audrey's sword as she blocked shattered it instantly, but Roland steps in and blocked with his power.

  "Audrey!"

  He painted a shield on air, materializing it out of thin air. It blocked the ogre's hit as he materialized another weapon.

  "Finish it!"

  The iron shield disappeared as Roland painted a sword midair, replaced by the iron sword. He gave it quickly to Audrey.

  "Aah!"

  Audrey didn't let the chance go away as it's being staggered and quickly decapitated it.

  "I-I did it.."

  Strength left her body as her legs gave away. Some blood stained her, but it looks like she somehow didn't sustain any injuries save from her hands hurting from parrying the attacks.

  Roland stood his bruised body to check on Audrey.

  "Are you okay?"

  "Y-yeah, somehow I killed them."

  She sheepishly smiles at Roland as if she had been caught stealing food.

  "I just.. I don't know."

  Roland is in awe at the slightly bloodied Audrey. She looked straight out of painting. Her level of talent, Audrey might become the best swordsman in the series- no, in the world.

  "I'm going to lay down a bit."

  "Wait, Roland!"

  Another town defense has succeeded.

  ###

  The power to materialize things out of thin air really wore Roland down as he collapsed. The panicked Audrey carried him to the town doctor. Fortunately, it's just a mental exhaustion.

  "He will be fine. He did have an amazing power."

  Audrey and Alicia sighed in relief as they observed Roland.

  "We have to go soon. We don't know when the town will be sieged again."

  Alicia assured Audrey as she patted her shoulder. Audrey nodded. The two carried the unconscious Roland to the carriage.

  "You really worked hard, Roland.."

  Audrey kissed Roland on the forehead before taking the reins.

  Soon after, they arrived at the outskirts of the town.

  When Roland woke, he saw Audrey admire the view of the town from the hill they were at with a mellowed expression. But when she heard Roland's steps as he approached her, she smiled again.

  "Audrey, your hands."

  "It's okay, I already bandaged it."

  Just a few moments ago, they both almost died. They sure would be if not for Audrey's hidden talent.

  "You know, I was really afraid that they would kill you, so I jumped out of the carriage without thinking and the rest was my body moving on my own."

  "I see."

  Silence had engulfed both of them once again as they watched the aftermath of the town defense under the sunset. Many lost their lives but most still survived.

  They could have died right here and there.

  "Audrey."

  Roland put both his hands on her shoulders. He has to tell him how he feels.

  "Eh-eh?"

  Audrey is flustered, clearly a bit taken aback by Roland's seriousness.

  "We almost died. And if not for you, we would be ogre's snacks."

  "Yeah."

  Audrey fidgeted her fingers, avoiding eye contact with Roland.

  "That makes me realize that we can't be like this any longer."

  "U-um..

  Roland's face is just a few inches away from each other. They locked eyes and finally Roland says..

  "So, let me train you to become the strongest swordsman in the world!"

  "..Ah, of course. Okay!"

  In a split second, Audrey's face went from previously blushing, to disappointed, to acceptance so fast Roland doesn't notice anything.

  'I'm supposed to be the stupid one here.' Audrey sighed internally. She already knew this would happen, but she had hoped she was wrong.

  She still has a long, long way to go.