Chapter 5: The Awakening Within

Evening time…

Evan had brought food from outside.

Erica sat beside him while eating.

But suddenly she asked softly, “But… how will we earn money now? If we live like normal people…”

Evan casually replied while eating,

“Don’t worry. I already kept my old credit card with me.”

Erica stared at him and smiled.

“So you’re handsome and smart too?”

Evan smirked a little.

“Yeah… whatever I am… I’m yours.”

Erica laughed and pushed his shoulder lightly.

“Shut up. Don’t tease me.”

But somewhere outside…

Someone was watching them.

Days passed…

One evening, their house was suddenly attacked.

A group of men in black clothes broke inside, destroying everything.

When Evan returned home, he saw chaos everywhere.

And Erica… was being held by her hair by one of them.

Evan rushed in immediately, attacking them, but suddenly one of them used some strange power and threw Evan across the room like he was weightless.

Evan hit the ground hard.

Erica quickly broke free and ran to him.

“Evan!”

She tried to lift him, but the moment she touched him…

Blood came out of her mouth.

A drop fell on Evan’s hand.

And everything changed.

Evan froze.

His mind went blank.

Something deep inside him cracked open… like a sealed memory had been forced awake.

Darkness covered his vision.

He couldn’t see properly anymore.

The attackers grabbed him while he was dazed.

He tried to stand, but fell again, blood dripping from his head.

And then…

His mind started showing visions.

Things he had never seen before… but somehow felt familiar.

In his vision…

A strange being stood there… half human, half beast.

His face looked terrifying—a mixture of wolf and man.

He was the King of a kingdom “Eldravyn”, a place completely separate from the human world. A hidden land where no one could enter… and no one could leave unless the King allowed it.

This kingdom was unusual. People here were hybrids—half animal, half human. That was the reason it was isolated from the rest of the world long ago.

The King was kind at heart… but his appearance was frightening.

However, even in this kingdom, there were enemies who wanted the throne.

Among them was his own younger brother, who had desired the crown for a very long time.

The King suffered from a mysterious disease that had twisted his face into something monstrous.

Ancient books of the kingdom said that such a disease appears only once in thousands of years.

And there was only one cure…

The King must marry a human girl who has a butterfly-shaped birthmark on her neck.

The King, whose name was King Kaelthar Draven, had been searching for that girl outside the kingdom for years.

One day, while he was outside again with his trusted companion Darius Vale, they entered a forest.

There they saw a princess collecting flowers.

The trusted man suddenly noticed something.

“Your Majesty… look at her neck.”

“Doesn’t that mark look like the one described in the royal book?”

The King slowly approached her.

Just as the princess turned around…

Darius quickly used a small sleeping dart and she fell unconscious.

Her guards immediately started searching everywhere, shouting her name, but the King’s men quickly hid her and escaped through a hidden portal.

When the princess opened her eyes, she was inside the King’s palace.

She sat up in panic.

“Where am I?! What is this place?!”

A maid entered the room. She looked gentle and kind.

Her name was Elina Rosewood.

“My lady… His Majesty brought you here.”

The princess frowned.

“Who is His Majesty? And where am I?!”

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