000. Prologue
“What’s up. Are you reading web novels again?”
As I read a web novel on my phone, I lifted my head at my colleague’s words.
“What are you reading? ＜Flower of the Empire＞? Isn’t that a romance novel?”
“Yeah.”
I nodded, and my colleague looked at me with curiosity.
“My younger sister used to read that.”
“It’s a famous work.”
That’s right.
＜Flower of the Empire＞ was a well-known piece among readers of romance fantasy web novels.
I was just one of the ordinary readers of this novel.
“Yeah, it seems interesting. Isn’t there also a webtoon?”
“Right.”
“Do you read webtoons too?”
“Of course.”
Let me correct that.
The term “ordinary reader” might not be appropriate.
Among the many readers of ＜Flower of the Empire＞, I was undoubtedly a noticeable figure.
It was inevitable.
“It’s fascinating. I read web novels too, but I stick to fantasy, contemporary, and martial arts genres.”
“Romance novels can be cringeworthy, so it’s not my cup of tea.”
“Well, that could be the case.”
Male readers who read romance fantasy novels were few in number proportionally.
But I wasn’t just a simple reader; I was a fan who engaged in “fandom.”
I drew fan art for ＜Flower of the Empire＞, posted it on fan cafes and social media, and even created merchandise.
Sometimes I sold well-made merchandise.
“Of course, people on SNS or other fans might not know my gender…”
I hadn’t explicitly mentioned it, so my gender might not be known.
But even excluding that, I was quite a noticeable reader.
I was a fan of the villainess ‘Lucia’ among the many characters in ＜Flower of the Empire＞.
Most readers and fans liked the female lead ‘Bella,’ and if not her, they liked the male lead or sub-male lead.
To be the sole fan of the antagonist among those people was quite unusual.
Naturally, I stood out.
People were amazed by my dedicated activities for Lucia.
They wondered how I could like Lucia, who tormented the female lead and interfered with the relationship between the female lead and the male lead.
But from my perspective, I found it difficult to understand fans of the female lead Bella.
Of course, Bella was a typical kind, sweet, and lovely character fitting for a romance novel.
In reality, being by the side of such a person was appropriate.
It would be natural to like such a person.
However, I was someone who didn’t feel much attraction towards typical, kind, righteous characters.
It might sound a bit blunt and extreme, but to me, such characters just felt ordinary.
So, I was on the verge of dropping the novel in the middle…
That’s when I met Lucia.
Lucia was a character with a glamorous and cunning nature, the complete opposite of the female lead Bella.
That’s why she was so captivating to me.
She was the kind of person who would do whatever it takes to achieve her goals.
Lucia accomplished everything she wanted by any means necessary.
[“I told you.”]
I suddenly remembered a scene from the webtoon uploaded last week.
She had a seductive smile on her crimson lips, elegantly walking in high heels.
[“There’s nothing I can’t have.”]
It must have been a scene where she warned Bella.
No matter how hard you try, I will definitely have what I want.
Her attitude seemed so confident and relaxed.
I was so captivated that I forgot to even breathe, just staring blankly and capturing the moment.
Of course, the comments on last week’s episode were filled with curses towards Lucia.
It was only natural.
That scene was a part where Lucia warned Bella that she would snatch the male lead, Owen.
There were countless curses questioning who you thought you were to have Owen….
“Hey, stop staring and let’s move. Don’t you know how strict the professor is about attendance for the next class?”
“I know….”
Lost in thoughts about webtoons, I let out a deep sigh at my colleague’s prompting and put my phone back in my pocket.
I thought about going home and sketching that scene in my style.
***
‘Hmm….’
After finishing all the lectures and returning to the dormitory, I turned on my laptop and pondered.
I sketched while looking at the captured image of Lucia from the webtoon, outlining and shading.
I colored it and added shading, but it felt like something was missing.
‘…Should I draw Owen next to her?’
For me, Lucia was a perfect character.
From the noble and elegant manners, haughty and dignified attitude, to her lofty self-esteem and relaxed demeanor.
She was a flawless character with nothing lacking.
Except for one thing, excluding her position as the villainess.
She was in the position of a villainess tormenting the female lead in the novel and trying to take over the male lead.
Therefore, she ultimately meets her end at the hands of the male lead’s anger.
Everything about Lucia was perfect, but it was hard to understand why she was so infatuated with the male lead.
‘I might receive some criticism, but…’
I didn’t mind getting a few curses from Bella’s fans on social media for not sticking to the original.
Having already intertwined Lucia and Owen in my drawings several times and created merchandise, I was used to a few curses.
Having made up my mind, I drew Owen next to Lucia.
In the original work, it would never be possible, but after completing Owen with a loving gaze at Lucia, I immediately posted the drawing on social media and fan cafes.
‘If Lucia doesn’t want Owen, maybe Lucia doesn’t have to die.’
As I looked again at the drawing I posted on social media, I had such futile thoughts.
The webtoon was currently ongoing, but the web novel had long been completed.
Lucia pushes Bella to the brink of death before meeting her own end at the hands of the male lead.
Technically, she was sentenced to death, but in any case, it was an event brought about by the male lead.
I wished so much for Lucia not to die, but it was in vain.
For a long time, Lucia had desired Owen, and she was willing to do anything for what I desired.
Similarly, the male lead Owen was merciless to anyone who tried to harm his person.
“…Or maybe Owen could start to like Lucia.”
Changing where Owen’s heart was directed was an option.
But this was a much more absurd thought than Lucia giving up on Owen.
The male lead exists to be with the female lead.
Furthermore, Owen deeply disliked Lucia.
Before Bella appeared, it wasn’t to the extent of hatred, but he definitely didn’t like her.
But how could Owen suddenly come to like Lucia overnight?
Unless the person inside changed.
If not, it was an impossible task.
“What am I doing with these thoughts.”
As I pondered unnecessarily, I decided to look at the Lucia drawings I had captured before going to bed.
Examining each one, I flipped through the gallery and soon drifted off to sleep in a daze.
* * *
“…?”
As usual, I was fangirling over Lucia before falling asleep, but for some reason, when I woke up in the morning, I saw a strange ceiling.
Thinking it was my mistake, I sat up and looked around.
Luxurious furniture, bedding, and expensive-looking decorations caught my eye as a very unfamiliar scene unfolded.
My studio apartment couldn’t have changed like this overnight.
Where the heck am I.
In a daze, I got out of bed, but a strange body caught my eye.
“…??”
Well-managed fair skin, sharp abs on the abdomen.
It clearly didn’t look like my body.
My skin wasn’t this fair, and I didn’t have good skin.
It was just average.
In the midst of my confusion, a knock sounded.
“Your Grace, have you risen?”
Your Grace, they say.
From early morning, I couldn’t find the words to respond to the bewildering title I heard, so I remained silent.
Perhaps perceiving my discomfort, a reply came from outside the door.
“Apologies for the early hour, but Lady Edelt has sent an invitation to the Duke.”
Lady Edelt.
That was none other than a term used for Lucia.
Upon hearing her name, I became even more perplexed.
The current space I was in felt strange enough, and being summoned by the Duke was already odd, but mentioning Lucia’s name too?
I simply couldn’t grasp the situation.
The only thing I could think of was the phenomenon of ‘possession’ that occurred in fantasy and romance novels I had seen before.
“Such things were only possible in novels, right?”
While possession novels were widespread, they were purely fictional tales.
What I was experiencing was reality… or was it?
“Is this a dream?”
Muttering to myself, wondering if this could still be a dream, a unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke out.
“What is this?”
It wasn’t my voice.
If anything, it was closer to a prepubescent voice.
It was a voice, yet the low, baritone voice coming from my throat was different.
“…Did I really experience something like possession?”
The voice echoing in my ears felt unfamiliar and awkward.
As I cautiously touched my throat, a more bizarre sensation came over me.
Even the sensations in my body felt entirely unfamiliar and awkward.
It was as if they weren’t my own.
“Ah.”
With a bewildered mind, I turned towards the full-length mirror in the room.
And in the mirror, the reflection of a stranger appeared.
Pale white skin, deep black eyes and hair that seemed to swallow all darkness, crimson lips.
Distinct facial features with a refined stature.
Reaching out towards the mirror’s surface with a feeling of seeing a stranger, the figure in the mirror also reached out towards me.
“….”
Judging by the movements that matched mine, it seemed like I was that figure right now.
But no matter how I looked at it, it wasn’t the familiar me.
However, there was a sense of familiarity somewhere.
Where had I seen this person before?
Deep in thought, a familiar illustration came to mind.
The cover of “Empire’s Flower.”
One of the male characters depicted there.
The male lead, Owen Verdun.
It was unmistakable.
He looked like he had stepped out of the cover.
“….Definitely.”
He was disgustingly handsome.
Lucia would go crazy over him.
With distinct and sharp facial features, a chiseled jawline, high nose bridge.
From the deep black eyes to the jet-black hair with a hint of blue.
He was a human carved like a sculpture.
From Noble mtl dot com
Wait a minute.
A human carved like a sculpture and whatnot.
The fact that this person was reflected in the mirror right now…
“Does this mean I’ve been possessed by this person?”
So, does this mean I’ve entered into “Empire’s Flower”?
Was that why Lucia’s name was mentioned earlier?
Is this some kind of dream-like situation?
No, am I still dreaming?
Lost in disbelief, the bedroom door suddenly swung open.
“Duke, whatever the matter…”
Through the open door, a man dressed formally came into view.
With his heavily formal voice and demeanor, the man appeared to be dressed in a medieval style at first glance.
It seemed like he was trying to prove that this world was not Earth.
“No, not really.”
Judging by his appearance and attitude, it seemed that he was a butler.
The character who had appeared several times in the original work.
Recalling the description from the original, I tried to speak with as natural a voice as possible.
If this was reality, it meant that I had to live here as Owen.
And, the Lucia that man had just mentioned also meant that she existed in this world.
As I reached that thought, I suddenly became curious.
If Lucia had sent an invitation, could I go there and meet her?
“Lady Edelt sent an invitation, didn’t she?”
“Yes. I mentioned that Your Grace would not attend, but… Lady Edelt insisted on you receiving it. Shall I burn it?”
I urgently shook my head at the butler’s question.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll see it for myself.”
I don’t know how it came to this.
Since I’ve entered the novel, shouldn’t I meet my favorite character?
Huh. I myself would become a shut-in.