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Chapter 2 — I Died and Possessed Someone
It was such an ordinary occurrence that it didn’t even feel new anymore.
I decided to redirect my thoughts toward something positive.
At times like this, instead of this dumpster-fire reality, a fun novel full of dreams and hope was obviously the best choice.
When I got home, I’d bury myself in I Imprinted on the Heart of the Tyrant Emperor, my one and only hobby.
As it happened, today was also the day the final chapter of Tyrant Emperor, the novel I’d been obsessively following every single day for the past two years, would be released.
‘The SSS-ranked Emperor in that novel is so kind to his B-rank Guide, unlike someone…’
I pouted as I silently grumbled about reality.
Then—
‘What?’
A strange sensation suddenly washed over me.
It felt as if my heart were being crushed by a gigantic hand.
And it didn’t seem like I was the only one feeling it.
“AAAAAH! Oppa! Over there—the Gate!”
Kang Ha-eun, who always wore nothing but a sweet, beautiful smile in front of others, screamed with her face twisted in terror.
Even the four arrogant, insufferable S-ranks on our team—people who looked incapable of feeling fear—froze with grim expressions.
Then a shadow slowly spread over us.
“Ah.”
Instinctively, I reached out toward those hateful S-ranks standing in front of me, begging them for salvation.
“Help me…!”
Please. Please save me.
But—
“Ha-eun! Why today, of all days?! Damn it!”
“Miss Ha-eun! It’s okay! Get behind me! I’ll protect you no matter what!”
“Protect Ha-eun first!”
In their eyes, someone like me didn’t even exist.
They completely ignored me.
And then—
Something enormous descended upon us.
‘!’
I thought I heard a deafening crash.
I thought I felt unimaginable pain.
If souls truly existed…
Then I must have been consumed by overwhelming rage at that moment.
This can’t be happening.
I can’t die like this.
Not like this—so unfairly. Without accomplishing anything.
I don’t want to die like this!
At that exact moment—
Ding.
[You have met the participation requirements.]
Even though I couldn’t see anything, I somehow recognized those words.
[Please select the keywords for your soul’s settlement.]
I don’t know! What do you mean by keywords?
I just wanted to see the ending of I Imprinted on the Heart of the Tyrant Emperor!
[Combining the relationship keywords most frequently enjoyed by the soul.
#EnemiesToLovers #Misunderstandings #MutualPining #Salvation #Sacrifice #RegretfulMaleLead #Tyrant]
How embarrassing.
Well… I did enjoy intense stories.
But the selections continued endlessly.
[#TerminalIllness #PossessionIntoANovel #Apocalypse #Guideverse]
What?
Hey, wait a second!
[According to the selected keywords, choosing a character available for possession.]
I had a terrible feeling this was going somewhere very wrong.
I don’t know what this is, but take out Guideverse!
Take out Guideverse, please!
But the system did whatever it wanted.
[Keyword selection complete.
In accordance with the soul’s wish, may you safely reach the end of the world. Thank you.]
What?
Hey, wait!
You can’t just send me off like this!
I reached out.
I couldn’t see anything, but I thought I did.
Grabbing tightly onto something, I opened my eyes.
“Hah.”
The first thing I noticed was the bright light.
Then the sensation of something clenched in my hand.
The very first thing that entered my half-open eyes…
Was a pair of piercing sapphire-blue eyes.
Blue eyes?
Could it be… Choi Jiheon?
‘Yeah. Choi Jiheon! You bastard!’
My teeth ground together.
I didn’t care about anything else.
Today, even if I had to quit my job afterward, I was going to beat the hell out of that S-rank jerk.
How could he abandon and ignore a pitiful A-rank like me?
Because of you!
Because of you—
“Hah. So now you’ve resorted to insulting me in such a primitive manner?”
…Huh?
Something was strange.
My hand, which had been trembling with rage, suddenly froze.
Because the face before me finally came into focus.
…That bastard Choi Jiheon wasn’t this handsome.
“Let go.”
“I’ll say it nicely while I still can.”
His voice was pleasant, too.
Which only made me even more confused.
“Duke.”
“Have you finally lost your mind?”
Didn’t I die?
Or… had I somehow survived?
‘That pain felt real, though.’
And this man…
I’d definitely seen that face somewhere before.
Where had I…
Then it suddenly struck me.
‘Gasp! That face… it’s the cover of Tyrant Emperor?!’
I Imprinted on the Heart of the Tyrant Emperor.
My favorite novel—the one ray of light in my miserable working life.
A bestselling sensation that had remained popular from the very beginning of its serialization until now.
It was the story of an emperor with such a terrible personality that people joked he should make a living off his face alone, who met the heroine destined to be his soulmate and transformed into the most devoted lover imaginable.
But what on earth was happening?
The man standing before me looked exactly like the male lead from the cover of Tyrant Emperor.
The tyrant emperor himself—
Kaisis.
A sharp nose.
Crystal-clear blue eyes that looked like they could only exist in a 2D illustration.
Perfect, doll-like features.
Shimmering silver hair.
It’s exactly the same…
So stunned was I that I didn’t even realize I’d been silently staring at his face for quite some time.
While still grabbing him by the collar.
“What is it?”
“Are you only now amazed by the Emperor’s face?”
“Or are you looking at me with disgust because you think I resemble a monster?”
What nonsense was this masterpiece of a man talking about?
A monster?
“If not…”
I didn’t even have the chance to answer.
Smack!
My hand gripping his collar was violently slapped away.
It stung.
“Remove your hand.”
“How long do you intend to keep grabbing the Emperor by the collar?”
An icy chill brushed across the back of my hand and seeped beneath my skin.
This was real.
‘An Esper.’
As I stared directly into those blue eyes, goosebumps erupted across my body.
It was an Esper’s energy.
An overwhelmingly powerful one.
Far more terrifying and destructive than any Esper I’d ever encountered.
Only then did I realize it.
This wasn’t a dream.
Nor was it some kind of joke.
I had died.
In unbearable terror and agony…
Right in front of the Espers who had abandoned me.
And now…
I had fallen into some unfamiliar place, where another Esper’s brutal aura was crushing me.
Thump.
Thump.
My heart pounded as though it would burst.
‘I’m scared.’
I wanted to run.
I wanted to live.
Whatever this situation was…
I just wanted to escape from this Esper and survive.
Just then—
[Warning!
The character’s identity is becoming unstable!]
Just as I was about to lose my sanity, a crimson window filled my vision.
[Confusion has exceeded the allowable limit.
To safely protect the user’s mind, dialogue and actions appropriate for ‘Duke Hillaria Daen La Ariel’ will now be selected.]
What?
Before I could even react in shock, my body started moving on its own.
“So.”
“You cannot endure even a brief silence.”
“One would be hard-pressed to find even the slightest trace of a ruler’s humility in Your Majesty.”
A clear.
Cold voice.
Filled with unmistakable mockery.
It was my voice.
I could clearly feel my mouth moving…
Yet words I had never imagined saying flowed out effortlessly.
‘What the…?’
The man before me, completely unaware of my inner panic, radiated displeasure.
“So.”
“I wondered whether the Duke had finally gone mad.”
“But this is merely a new method of ridicule.”
The energy spreading from him felt like that of a Water-element Esper.
Yet it was overwhelmingly oppressive.
Wild.
Sharp.
As though he’d never once received proper Guiding.
If we were at the Guide Center, warning alarms would already be blaring in bright red because of how unstable his energy was.
It was so frightening that I felt like crying.
And yet—
This insane body of mine…
“Ha.”
Actually laughed at him.
Inside my own uncontrollable body, I panicked like a cat whose tail had caught fire.
Mom! What’s happening?!
Hey! I didn’t say any of that!
I swear I didn’t!
But the conversation continued without mercy.
“The stench of monster blood and death is overwhelming.”
“Ah.”
“Or perhaps Your Majesty hasn’t gone hunting yet?”
“So the noble Duke finds my presence offensive?”
“What an unfortunate misunderstanding.”
“I merely came to fulfill my duty of seeing off the one entrusted with protecting the Imperial Palace during Your Majesty’s absence.”
“Since your farewell seems complete, I’d appreciate it if you’d remove that unpleasant face of yours.”
“Rather than raising the army’s morale, you’re crushing it beneath your feet.”
“Wouldn’t I only be able to return after Your Majesty departs first?”
“Please set forth.”
“As always, I pray you return after fully indulging in bloodshed and slaughter.”
“…”
“…”
The man fell silent.
As the frigid aura surrounding him exploded outward together with his murderous glare, I noticed everyone standing nearby shuddering.
“Very well.”
Then, after a moment…
The terrifying energy completely disappeared.
‘That’s insane.’
I couldn’t help but stare in genuine disbelief.
He had completely suppressed an aura that had been on the verge of rampaging.
That should have been impossible.
It would be like swallowing an enormous block of ice whole and forcing it into your stomach.
The handsome man before me was clearly no ordinary person.
A complete monster.
You don’t provoke someone like that.
“I’ll be leaving.”
“So get out of my sight, Duke.”
“I wish Your Majesty a safe battle.”
Ignoring my farewell entirely, the man walked down the corridor and disappeared.
The large group that had been watching us—people who had all stood frozen like statues during our confrontation—immediately erupted into cheers and surrounded me.
‘Who are these people now?’
They shouted excitedly.
