"Has anyone seen Prince Yerel? I miss him so much."
The words tumbled out of Cherionās mouth, or rather, the mouth he was currently occupying, like his brain hit "send" before proofreading. "Is Prince Yerel back yet? Can I go find him? Seriously, itās been a full twenty-four hours since I laid eyes on him. A whole day! How am I supposed to function?"
Okay, wow. That was a lot of Yerel-venting for a sixty-second window. Chill out, kid.
He tried to rub his temples, but his limbs wouldnāt budge. His fingers remained stiffly at his sides, or occasionally fidgeted with the lace at his cuffs. The realization hit him with the weight of a soggy woolen blanket.
Oh, shit. Here we go again.
This wasnāt the cozy, fur-lined reality of the North. Gone was the scent of cedar and the faint, grounding aroma of Zariusās leather gloves. Just a heartbeat ago, heād been running through his checklist. The subjugation was over, a brutal shift at the office, if that office was a frozen cliffside, and heād been properly compensated
A bath so hot it felt like a spiritual exorcism? Check.
A dinner heavy enough to knock out a horse? Check.
The "Executive Treatment" of being carried bridal-style to his room by the Duke himself? A very big, very blush-inducing check.
Heād been lying on his bed, staring at the canopy, genuinely mourning the lack of a smartphone. But the "Passenger Protocol", his very official name for this nonsense, didnāt care about his desperate need to doomscroll.Instead of a screen, he got a front-row seat to the horror show of the original Cherionās existence.
The original Cherionās energy was pure chaos, like a trapped insect repeatedly body-slamming a window and learning absolutely nothing. It was obsessive. It was, frankly, exhausting to inhabit. He was "inside" the memory now, riding the original Cherionās body like a passenger on a runaway train with no brakes and a very loud horn.
Fine
, he grumbled.
Not like the universe would listen, complaining to it felt about as effective as a civilian trying to get the government to care.
Based on the trashy novel heād been sucked into, he didnāt need a map to know where they were going. The destination was always Yerel. It was always the Crown Prince for Cherion. Currently, the original Cherion was doing a frantic lap in front of the royal study, hounding anyone with a pulse.
"Karson, you must tell me. Heās in there, isnāt he? Why wonāt the guards let me pass?"
Ah, Karson. Modern Cherion took a moment to appreciate the view. The Crown Princeās aide was, admittedly, a bit of a snack. Green hair that looked like moss in a sunlit forest and sharp black eyes that seemed to see through every bit of bullshit Cherion threw at him. He looked like the definition of "reliable." In the book, he was the one person, aside from the "Saintly Philia," of course, whom Yerel trusted implicitly.
"Lord Cherion, please. Iām asking you to be patient. For once. Do not cause a scene in front of His Highnessās doors. He is attending to important matters, and he will return once his business is concluded."
The original Cherion crossed his arms, his lip curling in a pout that felt painfully immature to the man watching from behind his eyes. "Itās already noon!"
Modern Cherion winced as Karson let out a long, weary sigh. It was the kind of sigh that suggested he hadnāt slept since the previous century.
I feel you, Kars. Truly. Iād want to throw myself off a balcony too.
They began to walk away, Karson likely trying to lure the "bratty noble" away from the door before Yerel lost his temper. The hallway was way too bright, way too gold-plated. Everything looked expensive, and like it would break if you breathed too hard.
Then, it happened.
Coming down the opposite corridor was Yerel. He wasnāt alone. Walking half a step behind him, draped in an aura of insufferable purity, was Philia.
The original Cherion didnāt hesitate. He practically bolted forward, a happy, desperate little skip in his step. "Your Highness! Youāre finally back!" He reached out, his hands fluttering like moths toward Yerelās sleeve, aiming for a clingy hug.
Yerel moved. It wasnāt even a dramatic dodge, just a smooth sidestep that left Cherion hugging absolutely nothing. The rejection was sharp, but the original Cherion didnāt seem to care. Cherion could feel his own lips lifting into a hopeful, tragic little smile.
Yerel didnāt even look at him. He just hummed a vague acknowledgment, turning his attention to his aide. "Karson. Is my father still in his study?"
"Yes, Your Highness. He expects you."
"Good. I need to speak with him immediately." Yerel moved right past him without slowing, his whole vibe screaming "not worth my time."
It was then that the original Cherion noticed the "plus one." He stiffened, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the soft-featured youth standing by the Prince. "And who... who is this?"
Modern Cherion felt a chill that had nothing to do with the Northern cold. Oh, look. Itās the first meeting. This person was the indirect cause of your head and body eventually parting ways, Cherion.
Philia took a step forward. He didnāt just bow, he performed a graceful, humble tilt of the body that screamed "protagonist in training."
"I am Philia Viremont, my Lord," he said, his voice like honey poured over gravel. "It is a profound honor to finally meet the one His Highness speaks of. I hope we can be... friends."
The original Cherion let out a sharp, derisive "Hmph." He didnāt do "friends." He did "obsessive rivalry." "And what are you doing here with His Highness? This is a restricted area of the palace."
Yerelās voice cut through the air like a blade. "What we do is not your concern, Cherion. Come, Philia. We are late."
The original Cherion made one last, desperate grab for Yerelās hand, his fingers brushing against the fine silk of the Princeās tunic. Yerel stopped, looked down at the hand as if it were a particularly persistent insect, and gently but firmly detached it.
"I have to meet the King," Yerel said, his tone final. He turned and walked away, his cape swirling behind him.
Philia lingered for just a second.
He didnāt follow Yerel immediately. Instead, he turned back toward Cherion. The protagonist of the novel, the hero who was supposed to be the embodiment of kindness, leaned in just a fraction.
"I have a feeling I shall need a lot of help from you from now on, Lord Cherion," Philia whispered.
And then, he smiled.
It wasnāt the protagonistās smile. It wasnāt friendly, or reassuring, or even polite. It just felt wrong in a way he couldnāt quite explain. The corners of his mouth pulled back just a bit too far, and the light in his eyes didnāt match the curve of his lips.
Modern Cherion stiffened.
Yeah, no. That was terrifying. Please tell me you caught that too.
The original Cherion just stood there, frozen, watching Philia trail after the Prince like a very well-trained puppy. That smile, though, lingered in his head like a bad vibe he couldnāt shake.
It was creepy. Way too intentional. And yeah, nothing like the gentle, kind-hearted Philia the books had sold him.
Shit. I got scammed. The book lied about the hero.