"And so, the villain was slain, and everyone lived happily ever after."
The End
***
I slumped back in my wheeled chair, eyes fixed on the glowing screen in the middle of the room.
The smile that had crept onto my face the moment I lifted my hands off the keyboard refused to fade.
"I'm really happy."
The reason for that happiness was simple: I'd finally finished the web novel I'd spent years writing.
A thousand chapters of drama and action—where the four heroes fought desperately against the ultimate evil.
Klo Yuthnir.
I personally despised that little bastard. The way he flaunted his power, the way he tormented innocent people who'd done him no harm.
Every line I wrote about that villain, I cursed him—yet I was also disgusted by how easily I could think up his cruelty.
My eyes shifted again, landing on that familiar, unmoving number.
"Two views, as always. I honestly don't know what kept those two reading to the end... but I'm grateful."
I exhaled deeply, staring again at that pitiful number.
Despite the lack of readers over the past four years, I kept writing.
Was it determination? Passion for my craft?
No... I doubt it.
More like... a stubborn hobby.
"Kya—!"
A sharp pain shot through my head like lightning. Now, of all times?
Just great.
I rolled my chair back, putting distance between me and my laptop on the desk—
only to hear the ping of a new message.
With a sigh heavy enough to crush me, I leaned forward to check my inbox—empty for almost a year.
Amid the blank white interface, a single message sat at the top, marked with a red "NEW" tag.
There it was. But… what a weird title.
"Congratulations."
I frowned. Why would someone name an email that? Maybe it was a contract offer for a webtoon adaptation.
I moved the cursor toward it. The moment I clicked, the content unfolded.
"Congratulations. You have been selected as one of the first to experience the experimental system in a fantasy world."
???
I stared at it blankly.
One word summed up my reaction:
"Ridiculous."
I shut my laptop and walked toward the door to turn off the lights. It was late anyway.
Midnight fatigue would wreck me tomorrow—classes were waiting.
Damn it.
I dragged myself to bed, ignoring that bizarre message.
I threw myself onto the mattress, ready to be greeted by the peaceful dreams I'd earned today.
Because today—was the first time in years I'd felt this happy.
As I lay there, my eyelids slowly sank, pulling my consciousness with them.
When awareness finally slipped away—my eyes suddenly opened again.
But this time, I was fully awake.
The moment I did, I found myself surrounded by four towering walls.
Not the cracked, dingy walls of my old room—these were lavish, regal, as if the fantasies I wrote had materialized around me.
I sat on a golden throne in the center of a grand hall gleaming with light.
Golden pillars, silk curtains, and a red carpet stretching from beneath my feet to an ornate gate.
I couldn't help but smile warmly.
I must be dreaming.
What a generous reward for finishing my story.
If only this dream were real... I'd be the happiest man alive.
As I admired the scenery, I noticed a beautiful girl approaching from the corner of my eye.
Silver hair, eyes sparkling like stardust, wearing an elegant black-and-white maid outfit.
A small headpiece covered her hair, and a ribbon tied neatly beneath her neck.
She was... stunning. If only she were my wife in real life.
Before I could drown any deeper in my delusion, her emotionless face broke the silence.
"My lord, are you well? You seem... unusually happy."
Her soft tone made me wonder if she was even speaking to me.
I looked around the vast hall—no one else was there.
And there's no way anyone would ever call me "my lord."
I pointed at myself.
"You mean... me?"
She tilted her head slightly, as if questioning my intelligence.
"Of course, my lord. Who else would I be addressing?"
Amazing. A castle, a title, and a beautiful maid.
What a dream.
I rose from the throne, deciding to explore the castle before the dream ended and reality dragged me back.
No way I'd waste such a chance staring at shiny furniture.
The life of the rich must hold more than glittering walls, right?
The maid bowed respectfully—to her "lord," who was in truth a failed writer.
As I walked down the red carpet, guards opened the gates and bowed as I passed.
"Hehe..." I chuckled softly, passing by lines of servants and soldiers lowering their heads.
After some time, I'd explored nearly the entire castle—libraries, banquet halls, servants' quarters, kitchens, noble chambers.
To finish the dream off, I decided to take a stroll in the garden.
For someone who hadn't touched grass since his teenage years, it was a luxury.
But the moment I stepped through the gate separating the castle from the garden—
an unease crept into me.
The sky was crimson red, clouds heavy and black, pressed together in sorrow.
The grass and flowers were... distorted, unnatural, with grotesque curves and drained colors.
When I stepped on the soil, it made a sound like wet fabric tearing under fingers.
The dream was turning into a nightmare fast.
I wandered for a bit, then approached a strange patch of flowers to end my stroll.
I plucked one—but the flower's shape was triangular and red.
Slowly, it crumbled to ash in my hand.
I swallowed hard, a bead of sweat sliding down my chest.
As I stared at the wilted patch, a voice suddenly broke the silence—
"Greetings, my lord."
I turned.
A man stood there in tin armor, an emblem of a blue eagle on his chest.
A servant?
"Hello... are you one of the servants?"
"Servant? Heh... you could say that."
He stepped toward me slowly, each pace deliberate. I instinctively stepped back.
"I see... you're one of those kinds." I said with a nervous chuckle, retreating further.
With every step he took, his blond hair swayed unnaturally in the breeze.
I stumbled over a rock hidden in the grass. As I fell, I caught sight of dried blood beneath his armor.
My eyes widened. His, in turn, filled with hatred—cold, murderous.
He looked at me as if I were a worthless insect.
He drew his sword and leaned close, whispering near my ear in a voice calm but icy.
"I serve the kingdom... not filth like you, Klo."
I froze.
Klo...?
Klo Yuthnir.
The villain of my novel.
No mistake. That's his name.
As I tried to process that thought, I forgot about the madman trying to kill me—
and by the time I realized it, the blade had already pierced my chest.
I stood frozen as warm blood spilled from my mouth, staining the sword he then pulled free.
The man—Crain—turned his back to me and walked away. One of the four heroes summoned by the kingdom from another world.
And that maid, with silver hair and blue eyes—
she was Klo's sworn servant.
And I...
Damn it.
Is this where the dream ends? A dead end.
Darkness swallowed me again, pulling me toward consciousness.
I opened my eyes, drenched in sweat, trembling uncontrollably.
I didn't understand what was happening—or why my body shook for no reason.
But something deep in my memory screamed... as if I'd forgotten something crucial.
What was it...?
All I remembered was falling asleep and dreaming—of that world.
Wait... hadn't this happened before?
Am I... hallucinating?
"My lord, is something wrong?"
A girl with silver hair and blue eyes stood before me in a maid's outfit.
But... this scene—
I'd seen it before.
[System Update: Version 1.0 successfully installed.]
A mechanical voice echoed in my mind.
A translucent window appeared in front of me—like something straight out of a video game—displaying system data.
Before I could react, another window popped up, overlapping it.
[Personal Information]
Name: Klo Yuthnir
Age: 17
Race: Human
Rank: F
Level: 1
EXP: 0/10
Klo...?
That's the villain from my novel...
Wait a second—
Did I... transmigrate into his body?
And everything that happened earlier... was real?
Fragments of memory surged back as I clenched my hair, trying not to break down.
Everything made sense now.
I'd been reborn as him—
And I'd already died once.
That maid... was Lynette.
And the last thing waiting for me—
was the inevitable death that ends his story.