The courtyard buzzed with noise.
Knights stood in lines. Servants whispered behind pillars. Everyone stared at the newcomer in shining silver armor.
The hero.
I watched from the balcony above with Aria beside me.
He looked exactly like I remembered from the book — short brown hair, bright eyes, the kind of face that made people trust him instantly. The kind of face that made me sick.
"That's him?" Aria asked quietly.
"Yeah," I said. "Elias Runeheart. The Chosen of Light."
She gave me a look. "He doesn't look dangerous."
"He's not yet," I said. "But give him a few months. He'll burn down half the kingdom chasing 'justice.'"
We stayed hidden as the king's messenger greeted him. Apparently, Elias was sent by the temple to "assist" the royal family. I knew what that really meant. In the story, this was the start of Kael's downfall.
"He shouldn't be here yet," I muttered. "The system said fate is speeding up."
"Maybe the other player did this," Aria said.
"Maybe," I whispered. "Or maybe the story's trying to correct itself."
Down below, Elias turned his head slightly, like he felt someone watching. For a second, our eyes almost met. I almost jumped for a sec.
I pulled back from the railing.
"He can sense magic," Aria whispered.
"Yeah," I said, exhaling. "And mine's cursed. If he figures out what I am, it's over."
She frowned. "So what now?"
I looked out at the crowd again, forcing my thoughts to steady. "We stay quiet. Watch him. Learn how much he knows."
Aria nodded, but she looked uneasy. "And if he finds out who you are?"
"Then," I said slowly, "we rewrite that part of the story too."
The system blinked faintly in front of me.
[New Objective: Observe the Hero — Progress 0%.]
[Hint: Fate will test your disguise.]
I sighed. "Great. A test."
Aria leaned closer. "Then we better prepare. Because if he's here early, the rest of the story will move faster too."
I stared down at Elias one more time.
He was smiling and shaking hands like a hero from every story I'd ever loved.
But I wasn't a reader anymore.
I was the villain standing behind the page.
And this time… the hero wouldn't get the same ending.
⚜️ End of Chapter 7