Chapter 5: The Villain Appears

Just when Adrian thought his biggest problem was deciding what to do about Leon, Rowan, and Cassian...

The villain appeared.

It happened during the Imperial Spring Festival.

The palace gardens were filled with nobles, music, and laughter.

For once, Adrian was actually enjoying himself.

Leon was arguing with Rowan over who got to escort him.

Cassian was making sarcastic comments from the sidelines.

Everything felt normal.

Then Adrian saw him.

A young man standing alone near a fountain.

Black hair.

Crimson eyes.

A calm smile.

Adrian nearly dropped his drink.

"Lucien."

The name escaped before he could stop it.

The young man looked up.

His crimson eyes widened slightly.

"Oh?"

He smiled.

"You know my name?"

Adrian's blood ran cold.

Because this was the final villain of the novel.

The man destined to plunge the Empire into chaos.

The man who would eventually defeat armies, destroy kingdoms, and become one of the most feared figures on the continent.

And right now...

He looked strangely pleased to see Adrian.

Before Adrian could react, Leon stepped between them.

"Who are you?"

Lucien's smile remained.

"Lucien Ashcroft."

Rowan frowned.

Cassian narrowed his eyes.

For some reason, all three immediately disliked him.

Adrian knew exactly why.

Their instincts were screaming that something was wrong.

Unfortunately, Lucien seemed completely unbothered.

His gaze remained fixed on Adrian.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Your Highness."

Finally?

Adrian froze.

"What do you mean?"

Lucien tilted his head.

"I've wanted to meet you for a very long time."

The answer only raised more questions.

That evening, Adrian couldn't stop thinking about him.

In the original story, Lucien shouldn't have appeared for another three years.

So why was he here now?

And why did it seem like he already knew Adrian?

The answers arrived sooner than expected.

Three nights later, Adrian woke to find someone sitting on the edge of his bed.

He almost screamed.

"Lucien?!"

The villain smiled.

"Good evening."

"How did you get in here?!"

"That isn't the important question."

"It is very much the important question!"

Lucien laughed.

A genuine laugh.

Not the sinister one Adrian remembered from the novel.

Then the villain said something that made Adrian's heart stop.

"You aren't the real Adrian."

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Adrian felt every drop of blood drain from his face.

Lucien's crimson eyes watched him carefully.

"I wondered when you would figure it out."

"Figure what out?"

Lucien leaned forward.

"That you're not the only person who remembers the original story."

Adrian froze.

No way.

No.

Absolutely no way.

"You..."

Lucien smiled.

"I was reincarnated too."

The room suddenly felt much smaller.

The villain stood and walked toward the window.

Moonlight illuminated his face.

"In my previous life, I read the same novel you did."

Adrian stared.

"You're kidding."

"I'm not."

Lucien looked back at him.

"And unlike you, I was reincarnated as the villain."

A bitter smile appeared on his face.

"Imagine waking up and discovering you're destined to become the monster everyone hates."

For the first time, Adrian saw something unexpected in the villain's eyes.

Fear.

Loneliness.

The same emotions Adrian had felt when he first arrived in this world.

Lucien sighed.

"I tried to avoid my fate."

His gaze lowered.

"But every choice I made only pushed me closer to becoming the villain."

Adrian's expression softened.

Because for the first time, he understood.

Lucien wasn't evil.

Not yet.

He was just another person trapped inside a story.

Unfortunately...

At that exact moment, the bedroom door burst open.

Leon entered first.

Rowan was right behind him.

Cassian appeared through a magic portal.

All three immediately saw Lucien standing beside Adrian's bed.

The room became deadly silent.

Lucien looked at them.

They looked at Lucien.

Then at Adrian.

Then back at Lucien.

Cassian smiled.

The smile was terrifying.

"Adrian."

"Yes?"

"Why is the future villain in your bedroom?"

Adrian closed his eyes.

Because somehow...

His life had just become even more complicated.

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