"M-Master, I'll explain everything…"
"Why should I listen to you, when I'm already certain of your betrayal?"
His icy blue eyes burned like a sunset before a storm. The dagger pressed to my throat, cold, just like his tone.
Here it is, the beginning. The great and terrible Lucien Aurelius Noctifer. Duke, killer, antagonist, the god of my fangirl soul. And, judging by the looks of things… my executioner.
Where's my system? Where are the choice options? Why do I have a knife to my throat and not a tutorial screen?!
"Hahaha! Yes, I totally agree with you!" I laughed, on the edge of hysteria. "But still… just listen?"
"Duke, you have an appointment with the Emperor," someone's voice interrupted. Calm. Cold. The assistant. The white-haired psycho… I mean, Lucien's companion.
Lucien slowly lowered the dagger, but not because he believed me. It was because I wasn't worth his time yet.
"Enough of this game."
Think, Flora, think! He's going to leave, and you'll be dead in the next scene.
Shit.
"I KNOW THE PLOT! More specifically… THE FUTURE!"
He stopped. Half a step.
Slowly, he turned around. Smiled.
That smile. The deadly, charming, hellish smile.
"First time I've seen someone beg for mercy claiming to know the future," he said, mockingly. "It's... amusing. Of course, nonsense."
But he was still staring.
He hadn't left.
And that was already a victory.
"Listen! I know you're going to kill the Emperor! But that's a bad idea!"
"The whole world will turn against you. The entire world."
"…"
"Believe me, maybe not today, but in two years, you'll die. At the hands of the Holy Knight. I know. I read—"
Oops. Not that.
"I… I saw it."
He stopped.
This time, for real.
He turned slowly, and something flickered in his eyes.
Something… dangerous.
"Hah… Looks like you've gathered some excellent information to sell me out," he said, voice calm as a drawn bowstring.
"Take her. To the dungeon."
"No! Wait! It's… it's the truth!"
No-no-no, not the basement! That's where his torture room is!
With the stairs!
But the guards were already moving toward me.
Damn it.
I remember too much to die right now.