Episode2

Cassian remained on the cold marble floor long after the servant's voice faded into silence.

His crimson eyes stared blankly at the polished surface beneath him while his racing heartbeat echoed loudly in his ears.

"This can't be real..."

Only a few moments ago, he had been Arihan Lee—a completely ordinary college student who spent his nights reading fantasy novels to escape reality.

Now...

He had become the very villain whose death had left him furious enough to complain in the comments section.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips.

"What kind of ridiculous joke is this?"

He pressed a trembling hand against his forehead.

The memories flooding into his mind were becoming clearer with every passing second.

Cassian Evernight.

The eldest son of the prestigious Evernight Ducal House.

Gifted.

Elegant.

Feared.

Admired.

Yet beneath the flawless appearance hid a lonely man who had spent his entire life chasing something he could never have.

The affection of the Vampire King.

Arihan clenched his fists.

"No..."

"It wasn't affection."

"It was obsession."

He remembered every chapter.

Cassian slowly isolated himself from everyone around him. Every decision he made revolved around Lucien Valerius. His admiration eventually turned into jealousy, then possessiveness, and finally betrayal.

And that betrayal...

Cost him his life.

Arihan shut his eyes tightly.

"I refuse."

His voice was quiet but determined.

"I am not dying because of a plot someone else wrote."

The original Cassian might have accepted that fate.

But Arihan never would.

A knock echoed through the room.

"Young Master?"

The servant's respectful voice came from outside the door.

"May we enter?"

Cassian quickly took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He couldn't panic.

Not now.

If this truly was the beginning of the novel, then every expression, every word, and every action could change his future.

"...Come in."

The doors opened quietly.

Three servants entered together, each dressed in elegant black uniforms embroidered with silver thread.

They bowed in perfect unison.

"Good morning, Young Master."

Cassian instinctively nodded, though inwardly he was screaming.

One servant carefully approached with a tray.

"Your attire has been prepared for today's audience with His Majesty."

Another servant pulled open an enormous wardrobe.

Cassian's eyes widened.

Rows upon rows of luxurious clothing filled the room.

Black coats embroidered with silver vines.

Deep crimson capes lined with soft fur.

Elegant gloves.

Leather boots polished until they reflected the light.

Every outfit looked like something only royalty could wear.

"So this is how rich the Evernight family is..."

He couldn't help muttering under his breath.

One servant blinked in confusion.

"Young Master?"

Cassian immediately coughed.

"...Nothing."

"I was just thinking."

The servants exchanged curious glances.

Their young master seemed...

Different.

Normally, Cassian would have already chosen his clothing without hesitation.

Today, however, he simply stood there, staring at the wardrobe as if seeing it for the first time.

Finally, an older servant stepped forward.

"My Lord, His Majesty favors formal attire during royal audiences."

Cassian almost laughed.

"So even his clothes are chosen according to the king's preferences..."

How hopelessly devoted had the original Cassian been?

He sighed softly.

"Very well."

The servants carefully dressed him.

A crisp white shirt.

A fitted black coat decorated with intricate silver embroidery.

Dark trousers.

Tall leather boots.

Finally, one servant gently fastened a crimson brooch shaped like a bat onto his collar.

When they stepped aside, another servant wheeled over a full-length mirror.

Cassian slowly raised his head.

For a long moment...

He simply stared.

The reflection before him was breathtaking.

Long silver hair framed a pale, handsome face.

Sharp crimson eyes held an elegance that almost seemed unreal.

Every movement carried the grace of a noble born into power.

"So..."

"This is Cassian Evernight."

He lifted a hand, watching the reflection mimic every motion.

It still felt strange.

He wasn't looking at himself.

He was looking at someone else's life.

Someone else's destiny.

The older servant smiled faintly.

"You look magnificent, Young Master."

Cassian forced a polite smile.

"Thank you."

His words came out naturally.

Almost too naturally.

It seemed the body's instincts still remained.

Another servant stepped forward carrying a beautifully crafted sword.

"My Lord."

"Your weapon."

Cassian accepted it carefully.

The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, unfamiliar memories flashed through his mind.

Countless hours of sword practice.

Battles.

Duels.

Victories.

His body remembered everything.

He slowly drew the blade.

The silver steel shimmered beautifully beneath the chandelier.

Without thinking, he gave it a gentle swing.

The movement was flawless.

Effortless.

His own eyes widened.

"I've... never held a sword before."

Yet his body moved like a master.

The servants watched proudly.

"As expected of Young Master."

Cassian awkwardly slid the sword back into its sheath.

"I'll pretend I meant to do that..."

The servants looked puzzled once again.

He mentally slapped himself.

"Stop talking to yourself!"

A few minutes later, another knock sounded.

"The royal carriage has arrived."

The atmosphere instantly became heavy.

Cassian's smile disappeared.

His heartbeat quickened once more.

This was it.

The moment the novel truly began.

He inhaled slowly before walking toward the enormous doors.

As they opened, a long corridor stretched before him, lined with portraits of the Evernight family.

Every ancestor wore the same proud expression.

Power.

Honor.

Authority.

It was a family that valued perfection above everything else.

Cassian walked silently through the corridor while dozens of servants lowered their heads respectfully as he passed.

"Good morning, Young Master."

Their voices echoed one after another.

He nodded politely each time, still struggling to believe that all of this was now his reality.

Outside the mansion, the sight before him stole his breath.

An enormous black carriage waited at the entrance.

Its wheels were trimmed with silver.

The Evernight crest was engraved proudly upon its doors.

Four magnificent black horses stood perfectly still, their crimson eyes glowing faintly beneath the cloudy crimson sky.

The cool breeze carried the scent of roses and ancient forests.

Everything looked exactly as it had been described in the novel...

Only now...

It wasn't ink on a page.

It was real.

One servant opened the carriage door and bowed deeply.

"Young Master."

Cassian looked toward the distant horizon.

Somewhere beyond those towering walls stood the royal palace.

And inside that palace...

Waited the man who unknowingly controlled the fate of everyone in this world.

Lucien Valerius.

The Vampire King.

Cassian slowly tightened his grip on the carriage door.

A mixture of fear, curiosity, and determination swirled inside his chest.

"If I want to survive..."

"I have to change everything."

With one final deep breath...

He stepped into the carriage.

The door closed behind him with a heavy thud.

As the carriage began moving toward the royal palace, Cassian couldn't shake the feeling that every turn of its wheels was carrying him closer to a destiny he refused to accept.

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