Lee Shaun always said things without thinking. That was exactly why the universe decided to teach him a lesson. Or reward him.

Nobody knew. Not even Shaun.

"Okay, okay, okay! Last song before I end the live!"

"I got to feed my hamster and my tortoise or else it would be killing me in my beauty sleep." Shaun grinned at the camera, wiping sweat from his forehead. His TikTok live was currently flooded with comments moving faster than a bullet train.

LEE SHAUN. The 28-year-old choreographer was famous among idol groups. Some knew him as the strict dance teacher who could make trainees cry during practice. Others knew him as the energetic Zumba instructor who somehow convinced middle-aged mothers and random children to dance to K-pop songs every weekend. Most people simply knew him as:

Lee Shaun. Half Korean. Half Filipino. One hundred percent chaotic.

-"Oppa sing ballad!🥺"

-"Shaun-hyung please sing sad song!🙏🏻"

-"Teacher Shaun voice reveal!👀🥵"

-"PLEASE SING HEARTBREAK SONG😭🙏🏻"

The comments pilling nonstop.

Shaun dramatically sighed. "Y'all only remember me when you want free concerts."

The comments exploded with laughing emojis. After some playful complaints, Shaun finally grabbed a microphone.The room slowly became quiet.Then, he began singing.

A heartbreaking song. A tragic song. A song about losing someone you could never save.

And surprisingly...His voice was beautiful.

Not idol-level beautiful.

Not a professional-singer beautiful.

But emotional. Raw.

The kind that made people stop scrolling.

Thousands of viewers listened.

Then a comment appeared. It caught Shaun's attention.

-"This song reminds me of that novel where Duke Azriel dies...🫠🥲"

Shaun blinked. Another comment appeared.

-"OMG YES. Same vibes🥹"

-"Poor Azriel deserved better😤"

-"Still crying over his death."

-"Worst ending ever."

'Duke Azriel...'

The moment Shaun read the name— His soul left his body.

"DON'T REMIND ME."

The comments exploded again.

-"HAHAHAHA"

-"HE KNOWS THE NOVEL"

-"TEACHER READS NOVELS??"

Shaun immediately sat upright. "No."

He pointed aggressively at the screen.

"No."

"That novel?"

"That stupid novel?"

"The one where the villain died?"

The viewers instantly knew what was happening. Shaun was about to start yapping.

Again.

"Listen." Shaun stood up. "Listen to me carefully."

"Duke Azriel was the BEST character in the entire story."

"He's smart."

"He's handsome."

"Powerful."

"Rich."

"Dramatic."

"He carried that entire novel on his back."

Shaun continues his ranting and yapping.

Comments section flooded:

-"Facts."

-"Real."

-"You're so right."

-"Continue."

Shaun became even more passionate. "And what did the author do?"

The comments already knew. Thousands of viewers spammed laughing emojis.

BAM!

Shaun slapped the table dramatically. "THEY KILLED HIM."

"FOR WHAT?"

"CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?"

"FOR WHO?"

"THE MALE LEADS?"

"THAT BLAND POTATO?"

The comment section became complete chaos.

Someone typed:

-"But the ending was beautiful."

Shaun looked offended.

"Beautiful?"

"BEAUTIFUL?"

"MY FAVORITE CHARACTER DIED!"

Another viewer wrote:

-"If you were in the novel, what would you do?"

Shaun snorted. "If I was inside that story?"

He cracked his fingers.

"Oh, trust me. I'd save Azriel myself. I don't care."

"He ain't dying on my watch." Shaun said confidently.

The comments encouraged him.

-"How?"

-"Tell us."

-"Fix the story?"

Shaun immediately launched into a twenty-minute rant.

"I would stop every stupid misunderstanding. I would expose the fake saintess. I would slap the emperor. I would beat up the corrupt nobles. I would become Azriel's best friend...Maybe even marry him."

The comments screamed.

-"HAHAHAHA"

-"HE SAID MARRY"

-"CLIP THIS!"

Shaun ignored them. "The point is..."

He crossed his arms.

"I'd make sure Duke Azriel survives."

"He deserves happiness."

"He deserves a vacation."

"He deserves therapy."

"He deserves ten dogs."

"He deserves a happy ending."

The viewers laughed.

Someone wrote:

-"Manifesting this happens."

Shaun laughed too.

"Yeah right. As if the universe would throw me into a novel."

Or so he thought.

_______________________________________

The universe heard that. And took it personally. The next morning, Shaun woke up. He feels different. Really different.

"...", Something felt wrong. Very wrong.The bed felt softer. The air smelled different.There was no air conditioner noise. No phone notifications spamming him. No alarm disturbing his eardrums. No traffic. No city sounds. Nothing.

Shaun slowly opened his eyes. A giant crystal chandelier hung above him.

Since fucking when my bedroom got this expensive bling bling bling lamp?

"...", Shaun stared.

"..." Then, he stared harder.

"Why is my ceiling rich?", he muttered underneath his breath.

He immediately sat up. Silk blankets. Golden decorations. Massive room. Luxurious furniture. A fireplace. An antique mirror.

A giant window overlooking an enormous estate. His brain stopped functioning.

"..."

He blinked once.

"..."

He blinked twice.

"..."

After a few moments later,

"OH MY GOD."

He jumped out of bed. In full panicking mode.

"OH MY GOD."

"OH MY GOD."

"I GOT KIDNAPPED."

He ran around the room. Checking the closets. Checking doors. Checking windows.

Checking under the bed. Because logic had already abandoned him right now.

"WHO KIDNAPS PEOPLE INTO A PALACE?"

"AM I IN NORTH KOREA?"

Then he froze. A mirror stood before him.

Slowly...Very slowly...He looked up. And saw a face.

Silky black hair.

Purple eyes.

Pale skin.

Sharp features.

Beautiful enough to make an entire fandom cry.

Shaun stared. The reflection stared back. His legs nearly gave up.

"No."

"No."

"No."

"No."

"NO!"

He grabbed the mirror. "DON'T DO THIS TO ME."

The reflection remained. Shaun recognized that face immediately. After all, he spent months screaming about him online. The most beloved villain. The most tragic character. The man who died protecting people who never appreciated him. The man Shaun swore to save. The villain himself.

Duke Azriel Valenhart.

Shaun's favorite character. And now—His body.

Silence filled the room. For ten seconds.

Twenty.

Thirty.

Then—

A horrifying realization struck him. The novel timeline. The plot. The future.The ending. The death scene. The execution order. The betrayal. The war. Everything.

How Azriel dies.

Azriel dies horribly.

Azriel dies in front of everyone.

Azriel dies alone.

Worse, Azriel only 19 when's he died. He's just a kid.

Shaun grabbed his head. "OH HELL NO."

He immediately pointed at the ceiling.

"UNIVERSE!"

"I TAKE IT BACK!"

"I WAS JOKING!"

No response.

Suddenly, a knock sounded.

"Young Master?"

A servant's voice came from outside.

Shaun froze. His eyes widened. His memories clicked together. All of those people who are responsible for Azriel's tragic ending. And according to the timeline...This scene should happen two years before Azriel's death.

Meaning—He still had time.

Not much.

But enough.

Slowly...

A dangerous grin appeared on Shaun's face. The same grin he used before creating impossible dance routines. The same grin that terrified idol trainees.

"Oh." He rolled up his sleeves. "Oh, we're changing the script."

If the universe wanted him inside the novel...Fine.

He would stay. But one thing was certain. Duke Azriel Valenhart was not dying. Not while Lee Shaun was living inside his body. And if anyone tried to kill his favorite villain—

They were about to discover exactly how terrifying an angry Filipino-Korean dance teacher could be.

"I'm having an identity crisis here, don't disturb me." Shaun told the maid to leave him alone for a moment. Inside the bedroom, Shaun still stood there, staring at the reflection inside the mirror. This feels like a dream, almost disbelief. Eternity later, he slumped himself onto the large bed. Azriel's bed.

Shaun grabbed the diary that original Azriel put, hid it under his pillow. The diary that Azriel always writes before he's going to sleep. Writing whatever happens to him, how's he feeling, how broke he was...how lonely he was. After a few pages, Shaun throw that diary away. That's too traumatizing to read.

He then pacing, circling around the room like he's lost his mind.

This version makes Azriel far more tragic because he's not evil for the sake of being evil. He's just a lonely child who became a villain because being hated was better than being ignored.

Shaun remembers everything.

The Novel: "The Stars We Could Never Reach"

In a modern magical fantasy world, name Aethelgard, where magic exists alongside technology, society is divided by power, wealth, and magical bloodlines.

And of course, there's a kingdom hierarchy inside that fantasy world with noble prestige and political weight.

The Sanguis Sanctum. The highest social class in existence. The Sanguis Sanctum are ancient royal bloodlines believed to possess divine, supernatural, or legendary ancestry. Their families have ruled kingdoms, influenced wars, and shaped history for centuries.

Only a handful of families belong to this rank.

Their Status:

•Royal Families

•Sacred Bloodline Holders

•Ancient Nobility

•Above all laws except their own

•Their motto: "Blood is power. Blood is legacy."

Valmont Nero, also known as the Nobles House. The strongest noble families beneath the Sacred Bloodlines. While not royal, the Valmont Nero houses possess immense wealth, military influence, magical power, and political authority. Many kingdoms rise and fall according to their support.

They are wealthy and politically powerful. Some of them are owners of magical industries worth billions.

Others called them untouchable monsters.

Their Status:

•High Nobility

•Dukes, Marquises, Counts

•Powerful Clans and Houses

•Direct vassals to the Sanguis Sanctum

•Their motto: "Honor, Power, Legacy."

The Iron Gospel, also called as "Imperial Hunter Corps". The kingdom's strongest military force. Unlike the nobles, the Iron Gospel earns its status through merit, strength, and achievements. Their duty is to protect humanity and eliminate supernatural threats.

They possess enough authority to investigate even noble houses and royal bloodlines.

Their Status:

•Military Elite

•Hunter Commanders

•Holy Knights

•Inquisitors

•Royal Army

•Their motto: "Faith. Steel. Judgment."

Mage Society also called as "The Arcane Circle". Scholars, magicians, healers, alchemists, and magical researchers.

Most powerful mages dream of serving the Sacred Bloodlines, Noble Houses, or the Iron Gospel.

Their Status:

•Court Mages

•Scholars

•Alchemists

•Healers

•Researchers

•Their motto: "Knowledge shapes destiny."

Commoners called as The Free Folk. Farmers, merchants, artisans, fishermen, teachers, and ordinary citizens. Most never interact directly with the higher ranks.

Lastly...

Astra Academy, the most prestigious magical institution on the continent, a place where nobles, royalty, prodigies, and future leaders gather to master their powers. Getting accepted into Astra Academy is considered one of the greatest honors a young mage can achieve.

Many fail.

Few succeed.

And only the exceptional survive its ruthless competition.

•Their Motto: "Where Future Legends Are Forged."

"I'm so proud of you, Azriel. Getting accepted into Astra Academy! Gosh, you're a genius! I love you!", Shaun hugs Azriel's body. Well technically, he's just hugging himself.

But back to our business! Ahem ahem!

The novel did mention about Azriel's family status. Among those families inside Valmont Nero, one name stood above the rest.

The Valenhart Family.

A family blessed with overwhelming magical abilities and influence. And unfortunately...

The family's greatest embarrassment.

Azriel Valenhart.

In the novel, Azriel was introduced as the typical villain.

The spoiled young master. The academy troublemaker. The rich kid everyone hated. The arrogant noble who believed the world revolved around him.

He picked fights.

Bullied students.

Insulted teachers.

Destroyed school property.

Provoked the male leads.

Harassed the protagonist.

Created scandals every week.

Whenever something happened at the prestigious Astra Academy, everyone immediately assumed:

"Azriel did it."

And most of the time...

They were right.

Readers hated him. At first.

Then, the story slowly revealed the truth.

A truth most characters never learned.

Azriel wasn't born cruel. He wasn't born selfish. He wasn't born evil. He was simply...

Lonely.

When Azriel was five years old, he proudly showed his first magical achievement to his father.

A tiny floating light.

Children from noble families usually awakened magic around seven years old.

But Azriel awakened at five.

A genius.

A prodigy.

A miracle.

The first thing his father said was:

"So what?"

When Azriel was eight years old, he won a national youth magic competition.

His father never attended.

His mother never came.

Luciel and Izekiel. His older brothers received more congratulations for simply existing.

His parent only saw those two brother, but not the younger one.

His parent always prioritize Azriel's brothers first. He just a shadow inside the family.

Sadly, none of Azriel's brothers even care about the youngest Valenhart. They never act like a big brother would, they never even bother to talk with Azriel. Hell, they barely spare any glance towards him.

And when Azriel was ten years old, he accidentally overheard the servants talking behind his back. Including Azriel's personal butler, Felix.

"Young Master Azriel is such a burden."

"The Duke hates him."

"Everyone in this house hates him."

"I wish he wasn't born."

Children are fragile. Especially children who's desperate for love.

At first, Azriel tried harder.

He studied.

Trained.

Won awards.

Earned achievements.

Perfect grades.

Perfect magic control.

Perfect etiquette.

Perfect manners.

Perfect in everything.

Yet nobody looked at him. Nobody ever praised him. Nobody cared.

Then one day.

Azriel made a mistake. A small mistake. A harmless prank.

For the first time in years,

His father looked at him. His mother also look at him.

The attention lasted only seconds. But Azriel remembered it forever.

If being good changed nothing, maybe being bad would.

That was how the villain was born.

Azriel started causing trouble. Skipping classes. Starting arguments. Getting into fights. Destroying expensive property. Insulting people. Acting arrogant. Acting spoiled. Acting cruel.

Acting like the monster everyone already believed him to be.

And it worked.

People finally looked at him. People talked about him. People remembered his name.

Even if they hated him. At least they saw him.

The saddest part?

Azriel genuinely didn't know how friendships worked. Nobody had ever taught him about that--How to get a friend or talk to someone.

Every conversation felt like a battle. Every interaction felt hostile. Every relationship felt temporary.

When someone smiled at him, he assumed they wanted something.

When someone was kind, he thought they were mocking him.

When someone approached him, he immediately attacked first.

Because being rejected after opening your heart hurt far more than being hated from the start.

The academy students saw a villain. The readers eventually saw a neglected child.

Then came the protagonist.

The academy's golden student. The one destined to save everyone. The one surrounded by countless allies and future lovers. The one everyone adored.

Everything Azriel wanted.

Friends.

Family.

Acceptance.

Love.

And because Azriel wanted those things so badly, he became obsessed.

Not with the protagonist.

But with what the protagonist represented.

"Why does everyone love her?"

"Why can't they look at me like that?"

"What am I missing?"

"What's wrong with me?"

The more he chased answers...,

The more isolated he became.

Meanwhile, the readers slowly learned another truth.

Every cruel thing Azriel did was actually a cry for help.

A pathetic.

Desperate.

Painful cry for someone to notice him.

But nobody did. Not his family. Not the academy. Not the protagonist. Not even the male leads.

Until it was too late.

Near the end of the novel, Azriel was framed for a crime he never committed.

The evidence was fabricated.

The witnesses were bribed.

The truth was buried.

And because of his reputation, everyone believed it. Immediately.

Nobody defended him.

Nobody questioned it.

Nobody trusted him.

Because villains lie. Villains manipulate. Villains deserve punishment. Right?

Azriel laughed during the trial.

A broken laugh. A defeated laugh.

Because for the first time in his life, he stopped trying.

His final words in the novel became one of the most famous lines among readers.

"I spent my entire life screaming for someone to look at me."

"And when you finally did..."

"It was only to watch me fall."

Then he died.

Alone.

Abandoned.

Forgotten.

Readers cried.

The comment sections exploded. The fandom mourned him for years. Many believed Azriel was more tragic than the protagonist himself. And among those readers, one person complained louder than everyone else.

A certain dance instructor. A chaotic Filipino-Korean man named Lee Shaun. The same man who repeatedly screamed:

"If I enter this novel, I'm saving Azriel."

The universe heard him. And now Lee Shaun was staring at the mirror in front of him.

Black hair.

Purple eyes.

The face of Azriel Valenhart staring back.

Silence.

Then Shaun slowly covered his face.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"OH NO."

Because after reading the entire novel, Shaun knew something terrifying. Something nobody else knew.

Something that made Azriel's story even sadder.

The real tragedy wasn't that Azriel died.

The real tragedy was that Azriel was actually one of the kindest people in the entire novel.

Yet, nobody ever noticed.

_______________________________________

The moment Lee Shaun remembered that part of the novel, he wanted to throw up.

Not because of the trial.

Not because of the execution.

Not because of Azriel's death.

No.

Because he suddenly remembered what happened one year before all of that.

And somehow, it was even worse.

"Wait."

Shaun froze in front of the mirror. His expression slowly cracked.

"No."

A horrible realization hit him.

"No, no, no, no."

He grabbed both sides of his head. "NOT THAT ARC!"

The "Fallen Noble Arc."

The most hated arc in the entire fandom. The arc that made readers send death threats to fictional characters.

The arc that made thousands of comments cry over Azriel.

The arc Shaun skipped multiple times because it physically hurt him to read.

One year before the trial.

One year before Azriel's death.

One year before everything fell apart.

The Duke of Valenhart publicly disowned his youngest son. Not privately. Not quietly.

Not inside the family mansion.

But, publicly. Nationally.

In front of cameras.

Reporters.

Noble families.

Government officials.

Academy representatives.

Everyone.

The headlines spread throughout the country.

•"VALENHART FAMILY DISOWNS YOUNGEST SON."

•"AZRIEL VALENHART STRIPPED OF NOBLE STATUS."

•"NO MORE VALMONT NERO'S TITLE FOR AZRIEL VALENHART?"

•"FORMER YOUNG MASTER TO REPAY DAMAGES AS COMMON SERVANT."

At the time, readers thought:

"Good."

"Finally."

"That brat deserves it."

"Justice."

Until the story revealed the truth later. The Archduke Valenhart, Azriel's Father never cared about justice. Never cared about responsibility. Never cared about discipline.

He just simply wanted Azriel gone.

The damages Azriel supposedly caused?

Most were exaggerated.

Some weren't even his fault.

Others were incidents that some classmates and the staffs secretly framed him for.

Because of Azriel's reputation was already terrible, so nobody questioned it.

The Archduke Valenhart used those incidents as an excuse. A convenient excuse.

A legal excuse and a socially acceptable excuse. And then...

He took everything from Azriel.

His name.

His inheritance.

His family records.

His noble privileges.

His bank accounts.

His social standing.

His title.

Everything.

Azriel Valenhart ceased to exist.

The boy who spent eighteen years desperately trying to earn his family's attention was thrown away like garbage.

And the punishment?

To repay the academy for damages.

By becoming academy staff.

A servant.

A butler.

A commoner.

The very same students he once studied beside now became his superiors.

The same students who hated him.

The same students he argued with.

The same students he offended.

The same male leads.

The same protagonist.

Now they could order him around.

Legally.

Shaun remembered that arc vividly.

Because every chapter felt like watching someone drown.

At first, Azriel thought it wasn't so bad.

"Maybe Father will forgive me if I work hard."

"Maybe he'll take me back."

"Maybe this is a test."

Readers wanted to hug him, including Lee Shaun.

Because even after everything, Azriel still loved his father. His family.

Still hoped. Still waited. Still believed.

Every month he sent letters home.

No replies.

Every holiday he waited.

Nobody came.

Even his birthday.

Nothing.

Not even a message.

The academy staff hated him too. Because they only knew the spoiled noble version of Azriel Valenhart.

Nobody wanted to work with him.

Nobody wanted to talk to him.

Nobody wanted to eat with him.

Students laughed. Teachers mocked him. Servants whispered behind his back.

And because Azriel had no social skills...

He didn't know how to defend himself. He just knows how to fight. And Azriel no longer thought he was important anymore, so he let everything happen.

The novel described it beautifully.

Painfully.

As a noble, people feared him.

As a commoner, people discovered he was completely defenseless.

Because he wasn't good at insults actually.

Wasn't good at manipulation.

Wasn't good at revenge.

The villain everyone feared was actually terrible at being a villain.

Many students intentionally made messes just so Azriel would clean them.

Some dumped drinks on him. Others hid his supplies.

Some even recorded videos of him working and posted them online. The comments were brutal.

"Look who's cleaning floors now."

"Former Young Master becomes janitor."

"Serves him right."

"Karma."

Shaun remembered reading those chapters at 3 a.m. And wanting to punch every fictional character. Because the worst part wasn't the bullying.

The worst part was Azriel's reaction to it. He never fought back.

Never screamed.

Never complained.

Never reported anyone.

Because deep inside, Azriel genuinely believed he deserved it.

The boy spent his entire life being told he was a problem. Eventually,

He started believing it.

And then came the scene. The scene that broke the fandom where the protagonist accidentally found Azriel asleep inside a storage room.

Not because he was lazy. Because he was homeless.

His family had frozen every account.

Every asset.

Every property connected to him.

Azriel couldn't afford rent. So he secretly slept inside unused academy storage rooms.

Readers discovered he had been surviving on instant noodles for months.

The same boy who once lived in one of the richest households in the country. The same boy everyone called spoiled. The same boy everyone envied.

Was starving. Alone.

And nobody noticed.

Nobody cared.

Because everybody was too busy celebrating his downfall.

Standing in front of the mirror now, Shaun felt genuine anger rising inside him.

"That old bastard."

The Archduke Valenhart.

"That absolute piece of trash."

Shaun remembered every chapter. Every humiliation. Every cruel scene. Every ignored cry for help.

Then he remembered something else.

Something important.

This was before all of it happened.

Before the disownment.

Before the academy servant arc.

Before the homelessness.

Before the trial.

Before the execution.

Azriel was still a noble. Still had status. Still had power. He still had time.

A slow grin spread across Shaun's face. The kind of grin that made idol trainees nervous. Because unlike the original Azriel, Lee Shaun wasn't desperate for his father's love or attention. In fact—

He already hated that old man. And Azriel's family.

"Okay."

He cracked his knuckles.

"Step One. Save my money. Maybe, find a job."

"Step Two. Expose every idiot. Beat the shit out of everyone who's messing with me."

"Step Three. Get my favorite villain a happy ending. Don't give a shit about the protagonist, the male leads and the novel's plot. Just save Azriel."

He paused.

"Step Four."

A dangerous smile appeared.

"Make the Valenhart's Family regret every life decision their ever made."

For the first time since arriving in the novel, Lee Shaun was actually excited.

Because the original story?

He wasn't planning to follow it.

Not even a little.

The first thing Lee Shaun noticed was that the ceiling was wrong. Very wrong. Not because it was ugly.

Actually, it was beautiful.

A luxurious white ceiling decorated with gold carvings and crystal chandeliers. The kind of ceiling rich people in dramas casually lived under. The kind of ceiling Shaun definitely did not own.

Which was concerning.

Because the last thing he remembered was falling asleep in his apartment after complaining about a novel during a TikTok livestream.

A very specific novel.

A very stupid novel.

A very frustrating novel.

One that murdered his favorite character.

Azriel Valenhart. The tragic villain. The poor idiot who spent his entire life desperately seeking affection from people who never loved him. Then died for absolutely no reason.

The character whose death made Shaun rage for three days straight. The character whose ending made him curse the author during a TikTok live. The character he had sworn deserved better.

Shaun had spent nearly five hours complaining about it. The livestream chat had encouraged him. Which made it worse.

"If I was Azriel, I'd survive."

"I'd punch everybody."

"I'd save myself."

"I'd make sure that idiot gets a happy ending."

He remembered saying all of that. Very confidently. Very loudly. And now—

"..." Slowly, Shaun sat up. The room was unfamiliar.

Massive. Luxurious. A king-sized bed. Expensive furniture. Tall windows. Fresh flowers. A private balcony.

Everything screamed money. A ridiculous amount of money.

"What the hell?"

For a brief moment, Shaun wondered if he had been kidnapped. A rich person's kidnapping.

Which somehow felt worse. Then he saw the mirror.

And his soul nearly left his body.

The reflection staring back at him wasn't Lee Shaun.

Silky black hair.

Purple eyes.

Pale skin.

Beautiful face.

A face he knew. A face he had seen countless times while reading the novel. The face he had seen countless times on novel illustrations.

The face of Azriel Valenhart.

"PUTANGINA." His scream echoed through the room.

Shaun grabbed both sides of the mirror. "No."

He stared harder.

"No." He touched his face.

The reflection copied him.

"No."

He pulled his cheeks. The reflection pulled its cheeks.

"NO."

His breathing became uneven. Because Shaun recognized him.

Then, the memories hit. Not his memories, but Azriel's memories. Shaun's favorite character.

Fragments.

Like a truck. Like several trucks. Like an entire highway of trucks.

The plot.

The academy.

The princes.

The protagonist.

The court trial.

The rumours.

The false accusations.

The humiliation.

The execution.

The death.

Most importantly, the Valenhart Family. Azriel's family.

His father.

His mother.

His brothers.

Every miserable memory flooded his mind. Shaun staggered backward. His knees nearly gave out. The Duke Valenhart hated Azriel. His mother always compared him to his brothers.

Luciel and Izekiel ignored him.

The servants feared and avoided him.

Nobody loved him. Nobody cared. Nobody listened.

Years of loneliness.

Years of rejection.

Years of trying desperately to earn affection.

Years of failure.

Years of desperate need for attention.

Years of countless mistakes.

Years of desperate attempts to be noticed.

Years of desperate attempts to be loved.

Shaun pressed both hands over his face. "What the hell..."

His voice cracked. "What kind of life is this?"

Shaun stumbled backward. Because now he understood. Really understood.

Azriel wasn't evil.

He was lonely. Painfully lonely.

And somehow...

That made everything worse.

"God damn it." Shaun buried his face in his hands.

Because he remembered the plot.

Every important event.

Every disaster.

Every humiliation.

Every tragedy.

Including Azriel's death.

His favorite character's death. Shaun's death now.

Shaun suddenly felt sick again.

"No."

He pointed dramatically at nobody.

"No."

"I refuse." Shaun stood up.

"I am not dying!"

He pointed at the ceiling. "Do you hear me?!"

Nobody answered. The universe remained rude.

Then—

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

Three precise knocks.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

"Young Master?"

That voice!

Shaun froze.

The sound echoed through the room. He didn't answer.

Because honestly?

What was he supposed to say?

"Hello?"

"I've been isekai'd?"

Shaun shook his head, even slaps his face.

Knock.

Knock.

Shaun still does nothing. What did you expected him to do right now?!

Finally—

The door slowly opened.

A familiar figure stepped inside.

A handsome man.

Tall.

Black uniform.

Professional.

Perfect posture.

Black hair.

Calm yet emotionless face.

The moment Shaun saw him, he recognized him immediately.

The butler.

Felix...

Felix Velarossa.

Azriel's personal butler.

One of the few recurring characters in the novel.

One of the people who watched Azriel suffer and never stepped forward until it was too late.

Felix bowed politely.

"Good morning, Young Master."

Shaun stared. Felix stared back.

Neither spoke for several seconds. Because Shaun was busy having another existential crisis.

That was Felix. An actual character. A real person. Standing in front of him. Not words on a screen. Not illustrations. Not fiction.

But...Real.

Everything was real.

Felix remained composed.

After a moment of staring contest—Finally, Felix broke the silence.

"As today is a school day, I recommend preparing for departure." His voice was calm.

Shaun blinked. "School...?"

Right. I'm a high school kid now...

Astra Academy. Magic classes. Male leads. Drama. More drama. Even more drama.

'Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. 28 year old but still got school to go.' Shaun cursed.

Felix continued.

"Breakfast will be served shortly. His Grace and the rest of the family are already downstairs."

Shaun instinctively opened his mouth. Ready to nod, ready to agree.Then, he remembered again.

Breakfast. With the Valenharts.

The novel had described those meals many times.

Azriel sitting silently.

His father criticizing him.

His mother sighing.

His brothers acting like he didn't exist.

Every chapter.

Every scene.

Every insult.

Every cruel word.

Every time Azriel desperately tried to fit in. Only to fail.

Breakfast wasn't breakfast. It was emotional warfare.

Every meal became another reminder that he wasn't wanted.

And worse, Azriel pretending it didn't hurt.

Shaun immediately rejected the idea.

Nope. Absolutely not!

His mental health was already hanging by a thread. He wasn't adding family drama before eight in the morning.

"No." Shaun said.

He immediately lost interest. His cortisol levels were already suffering. There was no need to speedrun emotional damage on Day One. He needs peace.

Felix blinked. "Young Master?"

Shaun grabs his school uniform. "You heard me. I'll skip breakfast."

The butler looked surprised. Which is a rare sight.

"Would you prefer eating later?" Felix asked.

"No."

"Then perhaps—"

"I'll just go directly to school." Simple and direct.

Felix frowned, he slightly paused. Because something felt different. Not because of the words. Because of how they were spoken. Normally Azriel would argue. Complain. Demand attention. Or throw a tantrum. Instead—

This version looked exhausted. Not angry. Not spoiled. No attitude, no sarcasms.

Just tired. Very tired. Like someone carrying years of burdens.

Felix nodded, though his eyes lingered. Something was wrong. Very wrong. But he couldn't identify it.

"As you wish." Felix bowed.Then quietly left.

The moment the door closed, Shaun groaned.

"Fantastic."

He buried his face in his hands.

"Absolutely fantastic."

________________________________________

Later that morning, the Valenhart family gathered in the dining hall as usual. As expected. Except—one seat remained empty. Azriel's.

His father glanced at the empty seat. "Where's that useless brat?"

His mother calmly sips her tea. "Probably plotting something again. You know how Azriel is, Honey."

Luciel barely glanced up, not his problem to begin with.

Izekiel raised an eyebrow before continue to eating his breakfast.

A servant bowed. "Young Master Azriel said he will be skipping breakfast today."

Silence.

The family exchanged looks. Because Azriel never missed breakfast. Never. He usually arrived early. Usually he tried speaking to someone. Usually he tried gaining attention. Today—nothing.

Half an hour later, the entire Valenhart household experienced something unprecedented.

Silence.

Because Azriel Valenhart wasn't causing trouble like he always did.

He wasn't demanding attention.

He wasn't picking arguments.

He wasn't provoking anyone.

He simply just walked downstairs. Passed the dining room and ignored everyone. He didn't even greet the family. He's just humming some songs as he skipped happily toward the front entrance.

The Archduke uke and The Duchess stared.

Luciel finally looks up from his coffee.

Izekiel lowered his phone.

Nobody spoke.

Meanwhile Shaun didn't even look at them. Not once. Not a single glance.

To Lee Shaun, they weren't his family. His family existed somewhere else. Back home.

Back in Korea. Back in his real world. Not here. Never here.

Outside the mansion, Shaun walked alone. School bag over one shoulder.

Ignoring everyone.

Ignoring the servants. 

Ignoring the guards.

Ignoring Felix walking several steps behind.

Because he wasn't ready. Not for family. Not for drama. Not for this world.

Then—a fluffy cat appeared. Izekiel's cat. The cat immediately ran toward him.

"Meow"

Shaun's expression softened for the first time all morning.

"Meow!"

A soft meow. Again.

Shaun stopped walking. Immediately. His expression softened.

Another Izekiel's fluffy cats had appeared. One rubbed against his leg. Another meowed. A third jumped onto a nearby chair.

For the first time that morning—Shaun smiled. A genuine smile.

"Good morning, babies."

The cats purred.

Shaun crouched down. Petting them affectionately. Talking to them softly. As if they were the only creatures in the mansion worth acknowledging. A much better conversationalist than most nobles.

Which honestly wasn't far from the truth.

The servants watched.

The family watched, very confused.

Because Azriel had ignored every member of his family. But happily greeted the cats. After a few minutes, Shaun stood up and taking a deep breath.

Because whether he liked it or not—Astra Academy awaited.

The novel awaited.

The plot awaited.

And somewhere in the future—

There's a death ending awaited.

Shaun glanced toward the sky. Then he sighed.

"Well."

A pause.

"If I'm stuck here..."

His eyes hardened slightly. "...then I'm changing the ending."

For himself. For Azriel. And for the lonely boy who only wanted someone to love him.

Shaun adjusted his school bag and headed toward the door. He even told the driver that he was going by himself, he did mentioned that he going to take a taxi or any public magic transportation.

Then, he left.

Without saying goodbye.

Without looking back.

Without acknowledging anyone.

Only Felix noticed the strange sadness hidden behind the young master's eyes.

As the car departed for Astra Academy—

Felix found himself thinking the same thing over and over. Something was wrong. Not dangerous wrong. Not violent wrong. Not rebellious wrong.

Just...Different.

And for the first time in years—Azriel Valenhart looked like someone who had completely given up expecting love from anyone in this house.

TBC....