Edge woke up again to find himself inside a jail or what even looked like a jail. The whiff of death permeated his nostrils making him gag as he dragged himself up to a sitting position. His legs were chained to a rock and he winced as his right eye throbbed with pain.
'What is going on?' That question rang in his forehead a lot of times without stopping. He had found himself in such a tragic predicament and never in his wildest dreams had he suspected something like this would happen to him. The dizziness in the subway to lying down on his step-sister's shoulder, the chain had brought him to this... world and he didn't know how to get back. Was he....stuck here?
Another question that had popped into his head was how he would recognise the people in the room, the girl that he had supposedly almost assaulted. How? He had known their names, their position, how was that possible?
"Maria." He muttered.
Then he remembered abruptly.
In the bus, he was reading a webnovel, the same novel he was using to past time after his breakup. He could vividly remember the title. It was [The Revenge Of A Disgraced Noble.]
In a scene in the novel, the main character was drugged by his fiancée and was drugged with an aphrodisiac to assault the fiancées younger sister until they arrived. He had read that chapter so many times.
"It happened to me," Edge muttered in horror and realization. "I....I'm inside the novel."
He looked down at his body and then he noticed another key difference. The main character was white from the description that was written, he, on the other hand was his colour back in the other world. He was black. No wonder why the nobles were calling him an animal. They were racist and he was in deep trouble. Blacks existed in this world and he had realized the sickening truth. He could be the only black guy in this world.
How?
Back in the room, he had heard nobles discussing how he should have died like the rest. That 'rext' struck differently now. Did the Black people get exterminated?
Fear began to sink into him. He was scared out of his mind. What was going to happen to him? Didn't they know he was framed? Surely they won't kill him. He was a noble too. He couldn't die again in this world. He wanted to live, to survive. Was he here because of how rude and inconsiderate he was in the subway? Because if that was it, then he would gladly beg for forgiveness.
Suddenly, his heart leaped into his throat as he heard the jangling of keys and then the unlocking of a gate. He watched as a tall man with a small scar below his left eye walked in, his face etched in disgust as he gazed at Edge.
With a click of his tongue, he spat into Edge's face. "Disgusting animal! Your kind makes me sick! But don't worry, the punishment you'll have today will show why your kind are meant to be slaves, nothing more."
The man bent down swiftly, unlocking the chain on his leg, and then without warning, slapped him hard across the cheek. He then gripped Edge's hair and pulled him up roughly.
"What are you...." Edge was about to retort and insult like he had done before, as he had done in the other world, where he had used his foul mouth to be victorious. Yet, here he was going to find out the sickening truth. He was now in his world.
As he was about to talk, he was met with a gut punch so hard he felt his organs were going to explode, and blood gushed out of his mouth as he keeled over onto the bare floor, groaning and trying to catch air into his lungs.
The guard kicked him with a boot. "You were going to open that filthy mouth of yours! Who gave you the right? You're just a fucking pig!"
"Bernard!" An angry voice called out from outside! "Control yourself, you bastard! He's a noble!"
"You mean a bastard noble!" Bernad fired back.
"It doesn't matter! He's going to be punished according to the law. But if he dies before then, the Duke and that bastard's father will have your head and ruin your family!"
Bernard's breath hitched, realising that was true and that he had gone too far. "You're right, sir."
"Good lad! Don't worry we'll have front row seats to the spectacle. Bring the animal out."
Bernard grabbed the weak Edge by the hair and dragged him out, Edge had no choice but to follow them, his heart in turmoil over what punishment he was going to be given. He was dragged along the hallway, until he was directed in front of a door where a stage was mounted, the harsh sunlight making him wince. His heart sank as he saw a lot of onlookers staring at him, hatred and disgust written all over their faces.
There were loud hurls of insults as Edge stood, nausea rising up again in the pit of his stomach as he stared at the angry citizens. It wasn't difficult to figure out that they were disgusted by seeing someone like him.
Edge gritted his teeth, slowly turning his head to witness Cedric, Isabella, and Maria sitting in chairs placed for them, staring at him. Cedric was gazing at him with hatred while Isabella was consoling Maria. At that moment, Edge marvelled at their acting, at their cruelty, how they could frame someone and get away with it.
Suddenly, the formidable Duke arrived, looking imposing and majestic as he walked up to the front of the stage. He surveyed the crowd before he opened his mouth.
"Citizens of Rutenaria!" He began. "I give my sincerest apologies to you all drawn from your homes this fine afternoon but today you have been called to witness the punishment of the disgrace from Evercrest."
The citizens cheered and roared in delight as the Duke continued. "This animal that stands before you was meant to wed to my eldest daughter as an allegiance between Evercrest and Rutenaria, but his filthy nature and uncontrollable lust drove him to nearly assault my younger daughter. A monitoring gem in the room recorded the whole incident."
The people gasped at the crime, some hurling insults at Edge who had his face down both in embarrassment, frustration, and anger. i
"As per the law of the Baranium Empire," the Duke continued. "Darren Evercrest will be sentenced to be stripped and whipped in front of the people seventeen times, then he will walk naked held by a chain to the land of Evercrest. That is the law!"
Edge's head snapped up so fast it made him dizzy as he stared at the Duke in horror.
"No way." He whispered in fear and shock.