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Chapter 1. Hold Me
“Sleep with me.”
The man’s brow twitched at the sultry suggestion.
Who wouldn’t fall for that line in a situation like this?
Rose smirked mischievously. She was fully intent on devouring her favorite character—Arsene de Lafayette. The cozy room flickered with the firelight from the hearth, casting a warm reddish glow over the man’s skin. As his soaked clothes clung tightly to him, he casually peeled off his top. His knight’s sword landed on the floor with a heavy thud.
His broad shoulders and strong frame were like those of a finely bred stallion—firm, powerful, and enticing. The smooth line of his masculine nape, his sculpted chest, and his lean waist were all well-toned and without excess. His tall, muscular build alone raised the temperature in the room. His body wasn’t just seductive—it was downright mesmerizing.
Rose swallowed dryly, and Arsene’s nose crinkled as he noticed.
“…Your Highness should be careful with her words. You’ll be misunderstood.”
“It’s not a misunderstanding.”
His black eyes, deep as the midnight sea, wavered with confusion.
“It’s exactly what you think, Arsene.”
Rose gestured to the soft bed. Following her finger, Arsene turned his head. His face looked dazed, like a boy lost in a dream. Rose rose boldly and sprawled out on the bed with sensual grace. She was clearly set on seducing him. Patting the empty spot beside her, she spoke again, enunciating every word.
“It’s cold, Arsene. Hold me like you did before.”
“……”
Then, she opened her arms invitingly. As the shadow of the man loomed slowly over her, she recalled what had happened not too long ago.
“What… What the hell?!”
A woman shrieked as if she’d just seen a corpse. Her alabaster-white fingers trembled daintily in disbelief.
“A hand… It’s a hand! A living, moving hand!”
She had been reading a book in the car on her way home from work, chatting idly with her chauffeur. But then a dump truck had rammed into the vehicle, and the car plunged straight into the harbor.
That chilling sensation of the cold water devouring her skin, her dark hair floating with the current, the frigid numbness that spread through her limbs, and the hazy loss of consciousness… she remembered it all vividly.
She had, undoubtedly, died.
So why the hell am I still alive?!
She stared at the unfamiliar face in the mirror, brushing aside strands of soft pink hair. The peach-blossom hue was a color that didn’t exist in the real world. Under the glow of a grand chandelier, the carefully arranged strands looked nothing short of regal.
Wow… I’m beautiful.
The admiration slipped from her lips before she realized it. Like Narcissus entranced by his own reflection, she was swept away by her new beauty. At first, she thought it was all a dream—but the vivid sensations made it too real to dismiss as a mere illusion. When she first opened her eyes, she’d been too stunned to think clearly.
She had drowned, yet here she was—alive and moving. And in someone else’s delicate, doll-like body!
Wait a second… This place seems oddly familiar.
Now that she looked around, it resembled the world of the novel she had been reading just before her death. Taking a step closer to the mirror, she examined her own face.
The symbol of fairies—eyes like the sea.
It was the classic description of royal features in the novel The Immortal Emperor.
“No way…”
She gasped as she pieced it together.
Rose de Callon. The foolish youngest princess in the novel.
Oh my god! This body is destined to die. And not just die—be killed by my favorite character!
Before her death, she had been utterly obsessed with the fantasy novel The Immortal Emperor. The reason? One character: Arsene de Lafayette. He was exactly her type.
That face, that body, that personality—he’s everything I want!
His character description was sinfully attractive. A balanced physique, bronzed skin, masculine build, and—of course—the holy grail: black hair and black eyes. On top of that, he was the commander of the imperial knights and a marquis of the mighty Callon Empire. His unwavering loyalty to his liege, paired with his restrained masculinity, made him all the more captivating.
The problem is… he’s the one who kills me!
In the novel, the crown prince and protagonist, Thanasis de Callon, commands Arsene to eliminate the body’s original owner—Princess Rose, the third imperial daughter. And Arsene follows that command without hesitation.
To think that not only had she come back to life in another body, but that it was inside the novel she’d read—and she was set to be killed by her favorite character!
“Haha…”
A deranged laugh slipped from her lips. She felt the maid behind her looking at her strangely. As one maid nervously tried to slip away, she called her over.
“What year is it now?”
“It’s the 676th year of the Imperial Calendar.”
She quickly did the math—it was three years before her death.
Wait, that means Thanasis hasn’t even met Arsene yet!
In the original story, Thanasis only meets Arsene after becoming crown prince. At this point in time, he’s still the second prince.
If I can get to Arsene before Thanasis does… maybe I can win him over!
If she played her cards right, she could gain his favor. She already knew the exact reason Arsene swore loyalty to Thanasis—information she could use to her advantage.
At the very least, I won’t be killed by my favorite character!
There was no way she was going to die again in this new body. Rose leapt to her feet, eyes sparkling with determination.
That’s right! I can’t just sit around waiting to die. I have to make the first move on Arsene!
At this time of day, Arsene was probably in the middle of his training. Rose turned to the maid.
“Where’s the knights’ training ground?”
“Are you going out, Your Highness?”
“Yes. Take me there.”
“But Your Highness only just recovered…”
Rose marched out without hesitation. The maid, confused by the sudden shift in the princess’s demeanor, had no choice but to follow her.
The training grounds smelled of damp earth, livestock, and faint sweat. It must not have been official training hours—the grounds were mostly empty. Still, she recognized the area well enough to navigate without help.
I only read about it in a book, but it feels like I’ve seen it in real life.
The descriptions from the novel unfolded vividly before her.
That’s right, this should be here… and right about now, I should start seeing—
She crossed the field and ventured deeper inside. At this quiet time, he was usually practicing near the stables. Even though he was already a master swordsman and commander of the knights, Arsene still trained diligently every day. The man she loved most in fiction. Her favorite character—was right there, immersed in his training.
Whoosh. Slice. Sharp sounds tore through the air. His dark hair flew as he moved, upper body exposed, radiating allure. Beads of sweat clung to his bronzed skin. Every swing of his sword made his taut muscles ripple like they were begging for attention.
Wow… even the novel couldn’t do him justice.
Seeing the man of her dreams in real life sparked an indescribable thrill. Rose forgot her dignity and stared shamelessly at his powerful back. If she could just touch that firm body once, she’d have no regrets.
At that moment, Arsene turned. Their eyes met, and her breath caught. His gaze was so intense it made her dizzy.
“…Your Highness?”
His voice was deep—almost frighteningly so. Rose quickly regained her composure and smiled.
“Impressive. No wonder you’re the knight commander.”
“What brings you here, Your Highness?”
Arsene wiped sweat from his jaw as he approached. With every step, his masculine build became more apparent.
Oh my god, I hit the jackpot. I’m seeing a perfect V-shaped torso up close!
She couldn’t take her eyes off him, like she was admiring a living sculpture.
“I don’t even know where to look.”
Her words were shameless, her gaze even more so. Her eyes hungrily drank in his exposed skin. A bead of sweat slid down his collarbone and rolled across his chest.
Gulp. The sound of her swallowing echoed in her ears. She dumbly began counting his abdominal muscles. One, two, three… Eight. Eight glorious abs.
Then, Arsene picked up his shirt from the rack. Rose, looking wistful, watched each button close with regret and loitered around the training grounds until he finished dressing. His gaze followed her steadily.
“I thought I’d learn a bit of swordsmanship.”
She offered a vague excuse for her visit. He immediately narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
“You, Your Highness?”
“Yes. Why? Can’t I?”
Learning swordsmanship wasn’t inherently strange—but it was rare for a royal to visit the knights’ training grounds in person, unless they had official business.
“Request lessons from the royal knights.”
His reply was curt. As he sheathed his sword and bowed lightly, he turned to leave. Rose panicked.
Wait, was he always this cold?
Desperate to forge even a small connection, she reached out to grab him—but forgot one key thing. In her previous life, she’d never worn a gown with a long trailing hem before.
Focused only on stopping him, she stepped on her own skirt and tripped. Her shriek made him turn—and then, riiiip! Something tore, and her body tilted.
She braced for the incoming pain and shut her eyes. But nothing happened. After a moment of silence, she opened them.
All she saw was a mound of hard muscle in front of her.
Huh? What is this…?
In her hand was a torn piece of cloth. She quickly realized the reason she hadn’t fallen was because Arsene had caught her. And the muscular hill she was staring at… was his chest!
Gasp! I’m in his arms?!
Rose quickly stepped back.
“Th-thank you. I almost fell.”
Arsene stood frozen, like a statue, still in the pose he’d caught her in. Puzzled, she called out again.
“Arsene?”
And then, she noticed the scrap of fabric in her hand… the stunned look on Arsene’s face… and the completely shredded front of his shirt.
“……”
Flop. The last remaining strip of cloth fluttered away in the breeze like a dying leaf. His now-exposed torso looked even more tragic than before—and it wasn’t her imagination.
Oh no. Did I just strip my favorite character?!
