The first thing Eli felt after opening his eyes…

…was pain.

His head throbbed like someone had hit him with a chair.

“Ugh…”

He slowly sat up, only to freeze immediately.

Gold curtains.

Massive bedroom.

Silk blankets.

Fancy furniture worth more than his entire apartment back on Earth.

Eli blinked once.

Twice.

“…Why does this look like a rich person dungeon?”

Suddenly—

Memories crashed into his brain.

A fantasy empire.

Royal families.

Magic.

Political betrayal.

And one terrifying man.

Eli’s face turned pale instantly.

“No way.”

He grabbed his head dramatically.

“No no no no—”

He knew this world.

Because yesterday, at 3 AM, he binge-read an entire fantasy BL novel instead of sleeping.

And now?

He had transmigrated into it.

Specifically—

Prince Eli Arden.

The beautiful side character whose main role in the story was:

Looking pretty.

Crying occasionally.

Dying young.

“…This author had personal issues.”

Eli fell backward onto the bed in despair.

In the original novel, Prince Eli got caught in royal conspiracies and died before chapter twenty.

Meanwhile the male lead—

Kael Veridian.

War hero.

Crown prince.

Terrifying villain.

Walking emotional damage.

Readers online loved him because he was:

handsome

powerful

obsessed

emotionally unstable

Eli loved him too.

As a fictional character.

From a SAFE distance.

But now?

That monster existed in real life.

And Eli lived in the same palace.

“…I’m going to die.”

A maid suddenly burst into the room.

“Your Highness!”

Eli nearly rolled off the bed.

“The royal banquet already started! You must hurry!”

“…Banquet?”

The maid looked confused.

“The celebration banquet for Crown Prince Kael’s victory.”

Eli’s soul ascended.

Today.

TODAY was the banquet where the original Eli accidentally offended Kael and started his death route.

“Nope.”

Eli stood up instantly.

“No banquet. I’m sick. Dying. Dead already.”

The maid panicked.

“But Your Highness—!”

Eli grabbed her shoulders dramatically.

“Listen carefully. If anyone asks, tell them I’ve gone missing emotionally.”

—

Ten minutes later…

Eli was secretly escaping through a palace hallway.

“Perfect,” he whispered proudly.

“No banquet. No Kael. No death.”

For once, life was going well.

Then—

CRASH.

Eli slammed directly into someone.

Strong arms grabbed his waist before he hit the floor.

The world tilted.

Gasps erupted around them.

Eli blinked in confusion.

Wait.

Why was everyone suddenly silent?

And why was someone holding him so tightly?

Slowly…

Very slowly…

Eli looked up.

Black military uniform.

Silver decorations.

Cold golden eyes.

Beautiful face.

Terrifying aura.

Eli stopped breathing.

Kael Veridian.

OH NO.

His survival instincts disappeared immediately.

Unfortunately—

because of panic—

Eli slipped again.

And accidentally crashed forward.

Soft warmth brushed against his lips.

Silence.

Complete silence.

Eli’s brain shut down.

Because he had just accidentally kissed the villain prince in front of half the royal palace.

“….”

“….”

“….”

Nobody moved.

A noblewoman fainted somewhere in the background.

Eli slowly pulled back with the expression of someone seeing his ancestors.

I’m dead.

Kael stared at him silently.

Eli wanted to disappear into another dimension.

Maybe if I pass out now, I can avoid consequences.

Kael’s fingers tightened slightly around his waist.

And for one terrifying second…

Eli thought he saw amusement in those cold golden eyes.

Impossible.

This was Kael Veridian.

The man who smiled before executions.

“Y-Your Highness—” Eli started panicking.

Then Kael suddenly leaned closer.

Very close.

Close enough for Eli to feel his breath.

The entire hall gasped again.

Eli internally screamed.

WHY IS HE EVEN HOTTER UP CLOSE?!

For the first time—

Kael’s expression changed.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

Like he heard something strange.

But before Eli could think further—

Kael spoke softly.

“…Interesting.”

Eli: “…”

The nobles: “…”

The servants: “…”

Kael slowly released Eli’s waist.

But his gaze never left him.

And somehow…

That felt worse.

Because in the original novel—

Kael Veridian hated everyone.

So why…

Why was the terrifying villain suddenly looking at Eli like he’d discovered something precious?

Eli did not remember leaving the banquet hall.

Honestly, his soul had probably exited his body after the accidental kiss.

One moment he was standing in front of the most dangerous man in the empire…

And the next—

He was speed-walking through palace corridors like a criminal escaping a murder scene.

“Nope. Nope. Absolutely not.”

His face burned with embarrassment.

“I kissed the male lead.”

Not only that—

He kissed the villain prince.

In public.

In front of nobles.

Servants.

Military officers.

Probably someone’s grandmother too.

Eli covered his face dramatically.

“This is worse than death.”

A servant passing nearby looked deeply concerned.

—

Meanwhile…

Inside the royal banquet hall—

Silence still lingered.

The nobles whispered frantically among themselves.

“Did you see that?!”

“The third prince kissed His Highness!”

“No, His Highness pulled him closer!”

“Wait… did Crown Prince Kael SMILE?”

Everyone immediately denied hearing that last sentence.

Because the idea itself was terrifying.

At the center of the hall, Kael calmly lifted his wine glass.

But his golden eyes remained fixed on the palace entrance Eli had escaped through.

Beside him, his aide Cedric looked horrified.

“…Your Highness.”

Kael took a sip.

“Yes?”

Cedric hesitated carefully.

“You usually kill people who touch you.”

Kael lowered his glass slightly.

The memory replayed in his mind.

Soft lips.

Warm body falling into his arms.

And then—

That strange voice.

WHY IS HE EVEN HOTTER UP CLOSE?!

Kael’s eyes narrowed.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Because Prince Eli’s lips never moved.

Yet Kael heard that sentence clearly.

Cedric looked nervous.

“…Should I arrest the third prince?”

Kael immediately answered.

“No.”

Cedric blinked.

“…No?”

Kael calmly placed his glass down.

“Send him flowers.”

The entire room froze.

Cedric looked moments away from tears.

“…Flowers?”

Kael’s expression remained perfectly calm.

“Yes.”

“…What kind?”

Kael thought for a moment.

“The expensive ones.”

Cedric silently questioned reality.

—

At the same time—

Eli was hiding behind a bookshelf in the royal library.

Because apparently trauma made him dramatic.

“This is bad,” he whispered.

“Really bad.”

In the original novel, Kael hated physical contact.

One duke accidentally grabbed his arm once…

…and disappeared three days later.

Eli grabbed his own shoulders anxiously.

“So why didn’t he kill me?!”

That was the scariest part.

Kael had looked…

Interested.

Which was WORSE.

A soft creaking sound interrupted his thoughts.

Eli froze.

Slowly—

The library doors opened.

Heavy footsteps echoed across the floor.

Eli panicked instantly.

No way.

No way no way no way—

Black boots appeared between the shelves.

Eli almost cried.

Because only one person in this palace dressed like he was attending a funeral and a war simultaneously.

Kael Veridian.

Eli immediately crouched lower behind the bookshelf.

Maybe if I stay still, he won’t notice me.

The footsteps stopped.

Silence.

Then—

“Prince Eli.”

Eli nearly screamed.

Slowly, he peeked around the shelf.

Kael stood there calmly, holding a bouquet of dark blue roses.

…Wait.

Flowers?

Eli’s brain stopped working again.

Kael walked closer.

Eli walked backward.

Kael stepped forward again.

Eli continued retreating nervously until—

THUD.

His back hit the bookshelf.

Trapped.

Wonderful.

Kael stopped directly in front of him.

Too close.

Way too close.

Eli could smell his faint cedar perfume.

Which was honestly unfair.

“How are you feeling?” Kael asked calmly.

Eli stared at him suspiciously.

“…Alive?”

Kael’s lips twitched slightly.

It happened so quickly Eli almost missed it.

OH NO.

THE VILLAIN WAS DEVELOPING EXPRESSIONS.

This was how horror movies started.

Kael lifted the flowers slightly.

“For you.”

Eli looked around carefully.

“…Who?”

“You.”

“…Why?”

Kael’s golden eyes remained fixed on him.

“You kissed me.”

Eli malfunctioned instantly.

“It was an accident!”

Silence.

Then Kael leaned slightly closer.

“So you admit there will be a next time?”

Eli’s face exploded red.

“THAT IS NOT WHAT I SAID!”

For one horrifying moment—

Kael actually looked amused.

Then suddenly—

A sharp female voice interrupted them.

“Your Highness!”

A beautiful noblewoman stormed into the library.

Lady Seraphine.

The woman secretly in love with Kael in the original novel.

She froze after seeing them.

Specifically—

Seeing Kael cornering Eli against a bookshelf while holding flowers.

The atmosphere immediately became dangerous.

Eli internally screamed.

Oh, this looks bad.

Kael’s eyes flickered slightly again.

Like he heard something.

And somehow…

That terrified Eli even more.

Lady Seraphine stared at the scene before her in complete silence.

Kael.

Holding flowers.

Standing dangerously close to Prince Eli.

Inside the library.

Alone.

The entire situation looked incredibly suspicious.

Eli wanted to evaporate.

Immediately.

“Y-You’re misunderstanding!” he blurted out.

Unfortunately—

the moment he panicked, he accidentally stepped sideways…

…and slipped on the edge of his robe.

Again.

“AH—!”

Before Eli could hit the floor, Kael grabbed his waist instantly and pulled him back.

Directly against his chest.

Silence filled the library.

Eli froze.

Lady Seraphine froze.

Even the servants outside looked emotionally exhausted.

Because WHY was the terrifying crown prince catching Prince Eli every five minutes?!

Kael looked down calmly.

“You should walk more carefully.”

Eli’s soul left his body again.

Because this man was way too close.

Warm hand on his waist.

Strong chest.

Golden eyes staring directly at him.

His face is illegal.

Kael’s fingers paused slightly.

Eli noticed immediately.

His eyes widened.

Wait.

WAIT.

Why did Kael keep reacting to his inner thoughts?!

No.

Impossible.

Maybe it was coincidence.

Right?

RIGHT?!

Lady Seraphine suddenly smiled stiffly.

“…Your Highness. I did not realize you were busy.”

Her expression said: I absolutely realized.

Kael didn’t even look at her.

“What do you need?”

Straightforward.

Cold.

Completely different from how he spoke to Eli.

Eli noticed it instantly.

And apparently so did Seraphine.

Her gaze shifted toward Eli sharply.

Jealousy.

Dangerous jealousy.

Eli internally cried.

In the original novel, Seraphine was one of the most influential noblewomen in the empire.

And now she probably wanted him dead.

Wonderful.

“I came to invite Your Highness to tomorrow’s hunting event,” Seraphine said softly.

Finally, Kael released Eli’s waist.

Eli almost collapsed from relief.

But before he could escape—

Kael spoke again.

“Prince Eli will attend with me.”

The room went silent.

Eli blinked rapidly.

“…I will WHAT?”

Kael finally looked at him.

“You’re attending.”

“That sounded less like an invitation and more like kidnapping.”

Kael ignored that completely.

Seraphine’s smile cracked slightly.

“Your Highness,” she said carefully, “the hunting event is traditionally for royal heirs and military nobles.”

Eli immediately nodded.

“Yes! Exactly! Tradition is important!”

Kael calmly responded:

“Then he’ll fit in perfectly.”

Eli stared at him in betrayal.

Sir.

Respectfully.

WHY.

—

One hour later—

Eli was suffering dramatically in his room.

“This is how victims feel before execution.”

He rolled across the bed like a dying seal.

“Hunting event means horses.”

“I don’t know how to ride horses.”

“In novels, people fall off cliffs during hunting events!”

A servant quietly placed tea nearby and left without speaking.

Probably because Eli looked unstable.

Suddenly—

KNOCK KNOCK.

Eli froze.

Slowly, the door opened.

Cedric entered with several servants carrying large boxes.

Eli blinked.

“…What is this?”

Cedric looked emotionally tired.

“His Highness sent gifts.”

“…Plural?”

The servants opened the boxes one by one.

Elegant hunting clothes.

Jewelry.

Expensive boots.

Perfume.

Even desserts.

Eli stared in horror.

“…Did he rob a kingdom?”

Cedric sighed deeply.

“I also wish to understand His Highness’s behavior.”

Eli grabbed Cedric dramatically.

“HELP ME.”

Cedric looked dead inside already.

“I cannot help someone chosen by the devil.”

“THAT’S NOT FUNNY!”

Cedric silently looked unconvinced.

Then one servant carefully stepped forward.

“There is also a personal note from His Highness.”

Eli took it nervously.

The handwriting was elegant and sharp.

“Wear the black one.

You looked good beside me.”

Eli dropped the note instantly.

His ears turned red.

Cedric slowly closed his eyes.

“…I need a new job.”

—

The next morning—

The royal hunting grounds overflowed with nobles and soldiers.

Everyone turned silent the moment Eli arrived.

Because—

Instead of his usual soft royal clothes—

He wore black.

The same color as Kael.

Which made them look disgustingly matching.

The whispers started immediately.

“They look close…”

“Didn’t they kiss yesterday?”

“Wait, are those couple colors?!”

Eli wanted death.

Actual death.

Then—

A black horse suddenly stopped before him.

Kael sat above calmly in dark military clothing.

Looking unfairly handsome again.

Honestly, this man was a public safety issue.

Kael extended his hand toward Eli.

“Come here.”

Eli blinked.

“…Where’s my horse?”

“You’ll ride with me.”

The entire hunting ground exploded into whispers.

Eli nearly fainted.

THIS LOOKS SO ROMANTIC.

Kael went completely still for half a second.

Then slowly—

Very slowly—

A dangerous smile appeared on the villain prince’s face.