Lilith was about to retire for the evening when she sensed it—an unnatural shift in the air.
It wasn't like the usual, predictable beats of the world around her. This was different. Foreign.
She turned her head slightly, catching Void's reflection in the polished marble walls. He had stopped walking. Completely.
That alone was unusual.
Void was rarely fazed by anything. Even when dealing with the absurdity of this world's clichés, he had a perpetual air of detached irritation, as if everything around him was beneath his notice.
But now? His entire body had gone unnaturally still. His posture was loose, but too controlled. His head tilted just slightly, his sharp eyes locked on a distant corridor as if he had already figured out exactly what was coming.
Lilith narrowed her eyes. "What—"
And then the castle walls exploded.
Not from a tremor. Not from magic. It was like reality itself had been torn open. A sharp, unnatural rift cut through the space just ahead, warping the air with jagged streaks of gold and crimson.
And from the swirling distortion, a figure stepped through.
He was nothing like anyone in this world.
Lilith had no idea who this man was.
Which meant one thing—he wasn't from her novel.
The air behind him shimmered unnaturally, gold and crimson streaks twisting in jagged patterns like the world itself had been torn apart. He stepped forward with deliberate ease, his white hair catching the flickering light. His red eyes glowed faintly under the dim torches, a stark contrast to his dark coat lined with silver.
He didn't belong here. That much was obvious.
Then he smiled.
A slow, knowing curve of the lips.
"Kael."
Lilith barely had time to process that name before she noticed something far more concerning.
Void—who treated this world with nothing but mild irritation—was completely still.
Not in shock. Not in fear.
But like a hunter assessing another predator.
Lilith frowned and whispered to him "Void, who is this?"
The man's red eyes flicked toward her, scanning her like she was background noise. "Ah. So this is where you've been hiding."
Void exhaled slowly. "Reinhardt."
The name sent a cold chill through Lilith's spine. Not because she knew it—but because of how Void had said it. Like an unavoidable storm had just arrived.
Reinhardt's smirk widened. "So you do remember me. For a moment, I thought you'd gone soft." His gaze drifted lazily around the corridor. "Didn't think I'd find you playing knight in some noble's castle. This isn't quite your usual battlefield, Kael."
She looked at Void. "Well?"
Void sighed. "He's… from my story."
Lilith blinked. So he's from his story huh.
A rival, then. Maybe the final boss of his novel? Either way, that explained why Void was actually taking him seriously.
Reinhardt chuckled, shaking his head. "It took me far too long to find you, you know. I was starting to think you'd actually died. You escaped last time, I shall take your life once more."
Void's expression didn't change. "Not yet."
Reinhardt stepped forward, the temperature in the room seeming to shift around him. "Then you owe me a duel."
Void raised an unimpressed brow. "You tracked me down across dimensions just for a fight?"
Reinhardt smiled, sharp as a blade. "You ran before we finished our last one."
Lilith's stomach dropped.
"H-hey you can't just start a fight in this palace!"
Before she could even think to back away, Reinhardt was right in front of her. His proximity was suffocating, and his red eyes bored into hers with an unsettling intensity, their faces inches apart.
"And who is this woman, Kael?" he asked, his voice laced with cruel amusement. His breath was warm against her skin, and the weight of his gaze made her want to step back, but she stayed rooted to the spot, her mind reeling.
Void's calm demeanor shattered the moment Reinhardt invaded Lilith's space. His eyes, usually so controlled, flickered with something darker, more volatile. The air around him seemed to charge with energy, like a storm on the verge of breaking. He clenched his fists, jaw tightening.
"Get away from her," Void growled, his voice low and full of restrained anger. He took a single step forward, his presence radiating a sudden, suffocating pressure.
Reinhardt's smirk didn't falter. "She's quite the woman, Kael. I'm surprised she's interested in you, of all people."
That was the last straw. Void's hand shot out, lightning fast, and he shoved Reinhardt away with a burst of raw energy. Reinhardt stumbled back, but his feet never left the ground as he righted himself. Void's eyes glowed with an eerie, unnatural blue, his whole body practically humming with power.
Before Lilith could react, the world around them shuddered. The walls of the palace blurred, bending and twisting, the air around them warping. Void's grip tightened as the space between them distorted, tearing apart like reality itself was being shredded. In the blink of an eye, everything in the palace vanished—the royal halls and the vast windows with views of the kingdom were gone.
Lilith gasped, feeling the sudden weightlessness as she found herself standing in the midst of an endless, barren wasteland. The sky above them churned with thick, roiling clouds, dark with stormy energy. The very ground beneath their feet cracked, sending jagged lines of light streaking through the soil.
Reinhardt's laugh echoed through the empty space, dark and predatory. "So, we're doing this here, then? Fine with me."
Void's eyes never left Reinhardt. He wasn't going to let this man near Lilith again. His hands clenched at his sides, the blue flames swirling in his palms like a deadly vortex. He had no time to think about where they were—no time for questions. Reinhardt wanted a fight, and Void was more than ready to deliver.
"Come then," Void said, his voice cold as ice. "But don't think you'll win so easily this time."
Reinhardt smirked, stepping into a stance, his aura shifting with an almost predatory grace. "We'll see about that, Kael."
Void's heart hammered in his chest. He didn't know how to control his powers here—not like he could in his own world. He didn't even know how to use the techniques he'd written Kael with in his story. But he knew one thing: dodging would be his best bet. Reinhardt was fast, but Void had been trained for situations like this, because he wrote this character himself. If he could avoid Reinhardt's attacks, maybe—just maybe—he could land one of his own.
Reinhardt's body blurred, and in a flash, he lunged forward, his fist crackling with red energy. Void instinctively dodged, rolling to the side, feeling the shockwave of Reinhardt's punch rip through the air beside him. The ground beneath where he'd been standing shattered, sending shards of rock scattering in every direction.
Void's heart raced, but his body moved on instinct. Reinhardt's speed was impressive, but it wasn't anything Void couldn't handle.
Void's mind flashed with the moves he'd written for Kael—dashes, slashes, counterattacks—but none of it came naturally. He needed to adapt, to feel his way through this fight. For now, he focused on avoiding Reinhardt's crushing blows while trying to find an opening.
Reinhardt was relentless, his movements fluid and predatory, constantly pressing forward. Void knew what was coming before it even happened—he'd written this exact sequence of attacks into his story. Reinhardt would use a heavy strike to try and corner him, then a quick flurry to follow up.
Void didn't need to think about it; he just dodged, weaving out of the way, his body flowing with the rhythm of the battle. Reinhardt's fist crashed into the ground, leaving a crater, but Void was already gone, rolling to the side and springing back to his feet.
"Not fast enough," Reinhardt taunted, his voice filled with satisfaction. He wasn't even breaking a sweat, though his eyes burned with excitement. "I'll give you one thing, Kael, you're quick. But how long can you keep this up?"
Void's eyes flickered as he spotted an opening. Reinhardt's foot slammed into the ground, sending a shockwave toward him, but Void was already in motion, charging forward, his hand trailing a streak of blue flame.
He launched himself at Reinhardt, throwing a clumsy strike, but it was enough to make Reinhardt evade just slightly. The air crackled as Void's fist brushed against Reinhardt's coat, leaving a small scorch mark.
Reinhardt's grin widened. "So you can hit. But you'll need more than that to take me down."
Void didn't answer, his focus narrowing. Reinhardt was a beast. Every time Void thought he might land a decisive blow, Reinhardt dodged, retaliating with strikes that cracked the air itself. Void couldn't keep this up for long—he needed to figure out how to use Kael's moves more effectively. If he could just focus…
But Reinhardt didn't give him a chance. With a roar, Reinhardt summoned a whirlwind of flame that enveloped the air, a massive burst of energy aimed directly at Void.
Void's instincts kicked in as he leapt backward, just narrowly avoiding the blast. His heart pounded in his chest, and his eyes locked onto Reinhardt.
"I'm not done yet," Void said, his voice colder than ice. "And you will regret pushing me this far."
The world around them cracked, the storm swirling above them in response to their clashing power.
As Reinhardt and Void clashed in a brutal, power-packed exchange, Lilith stood frozen in the middle of the chaotic battle, watching with wide eyes as the two men fought like creatures born from the very essence of destruction. The air crackled with power, and the ground shook beneath her feet, sending cracks splintering through the barren wasteland.
Void dodged and countered with lightning speed, his movements fluid despite the unfamiliarity of his own abilities. Reinhardt was no slouch either, his attacks leaving trails of destructive force in their wake. Sparks flew as their powers collided, creating bursts of flame and arcane energy that lit up the entire desolate space.
Lilith couldn't help herself. She blinked, mouth slightly open, her eyes darting between the two fighters. The sheer spectacle of it was… a lot. She was used to drama, yes, but this was on a whole other level. It was as though she had stepped into the climax of some epic action anime, only it was happening right in front of her.
She sighed dramatically, unable to tear her eyes away. "I really wasn't expecting this kind of show today."
The two men's movements were so fast that Lilith was almost dizzy trying to keep up. She couldn't even tell if she should be worried or impressed. Probably both, but that didn't stop her from staring in entertainment.
Then, out of nowhere, a strange light flickered in the air before her.
[HP: Void - 85% | Reinhardt - 95%]
Lilith blinked, her eyes narrowing as a box containing their health appeared in the air between them, hovering like a floating video game interface. The numbers slowly ticked down as the battle continued, and Lilith couldn't help but smirk at the absurdity of it. There it is, the generic interface menu panel again. Seeing those two going all out was like she was watching the final boss fight in a power fantasy RPG—only the "final boss" was someone Void had written himself.
Her gaze shifted to the two combatants. Void had already taken a hit or two. That was a surprise. Reinhardt, on the other hand, was barely scratched. She let out a small chuckle, almost impressed by the way the two of them were throwing around ridiculous amounts of power.
"Do they always get stats like this in battles?" Lilith mused aloud, stepping to the side as a wave of energy from the fight passed over her, causing her hair to flutter in the wind.
She grinned mischievously, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder… Do they have popcorn in this world? Or maybe… snacks? I'm pretty sure that would make this much more enjoyable."
She looked around, contemplating the barren wasteland for a moment. The chaos unfolding before her seemed to have completely captivated her attention, so much so that she didn't even care about the fact that the world itself seemed to be falling apart with every punch exchanged.
Another box popped up in front of her, showing Void's HP decreasing just a tiny bit more as Reinhardt landed a solid blow. Lilith's eyes sparkled with amusement, and she let out a dramatic sigh, clearly entertained.
"Well, at least they're making it interesting," she quipped, raising a brow as she watched the HP numbers go down. "I'm honestly wondering if I should be concerned about the fact that they're literally trying to kill each other… or if I should just let them finish it out. Maybe they'll both knock each other out and I'll get some quiet time."
Lilith glanced at the sky for a moment, then turned back to the fight, her lips curling into a sly grin.
"Well, I'm not one to miss out on a good show… If they keep going at this pace, they might as well make it a tournament," she muttered to herself, already thinking of how she could turn this into a grand spectacle.
Reinhardt's HP finally dropped slightly more, and Lilith's eyes glittered with glee as she watched, completely unfazed by the devastation surrounding her.
"Maybe I should start a betting pool," she mused. "Who'll win this fight? Kael, my brooding knight who's playing a game he doesn't understand, or the white haired pretty boy who's probably either the rival or the final boss? What was his name again? Erm…Rein-something."
She paused, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Nah. Let's just enjoy the show."
The battle raged on between Void and Reinhardt, the sounds of clashing swords and crackling energy filling the air. Void was playing it carefully, dodging Reinhardt's attacks, waiting for an opening. He wasn't trying to win just yet. After all, he didn't exactly want to be caught up in a battle with some random guy from his past life, especially when he wasn't sure if this was even real or just another shifted dimension.
But then Reinhardt made a mistake. He left himself open for just a fraction of a second, and Void seized it.
Void's sword struck with brutal force, sending Reinhardt stumbling back, a sharp, agonized breath escaping his lips. The blow cut deep, and Reinhardt's HP dropped rapidly, but instead of collapsing, Reinhardt gritted his teeth, a cold fury burning in his red eyes.
"Not bad."
Reinhardt staggered, blood dripping from the fresh wound across his chest. His breathing was labored, his HP bar dipping dangerously low—but his smirk never faded. If anything, the sharp glint in his eyes only grew more vicious.
Void tightened his grip on his sword, wary. Something was wrong. He had written Reinhardt to never go down so easily. His rival was like an animal that became more dangerous the closer it got to defeat. And right now, Reinhardt was on the verge—but not of losing.
Void realized it a second too late.
With inhuman speed, Reinhardt didn't retreat—he lunged. But not at Void.
Void's stomach twisted as his rival shot past him, bypassing his defenses completely. The moment stretched painfully slow in his mind as Reinhardt's hand clamped around Lilith's wrist, yanking her toward him with a brutal force that sent her stumbling against his chest.
"What the—?!" Lilith barely had time to react before a cold blade pressed against her throat.
Void's heart stopped.
Reinhardt's arm locked around Lilith's waist, holding her in place, his bloodied grin sharp with triumph. "And just like that, I win."
Lilith stiffened in his grasp, her eyes narrowing. "Excuse me?"
Void took a step forward, his entire body tensed like a coiled spring. "Let. Her. Go." His voice was dangerously low, every word carrying an unspoken threat.
Reinhardt laughed. "Oh, Kael, come on now. You should've seen this coming." His grip on Lilith tightened as he leaned down slightly, his voice dropping to a taunting whisper. "Or did you forget? I always take advantage of a weakness."
Void clenched his jaw. Of course. Reinhardt didn't fight fair. He never had. He was ruthless, calculated, and—above all else—unpredictable.
But Void had written him. Void should've seen this coming.
Lilith scowled, clearly unimpressed despite the literal hostage situation. "Great. I get kidnapped five minutes into a fight I wasn't even part of." She sighed. "Is this, like, a rite of passage for female protagonists or something? Do I get demoted into the damsel in distress role?!"
Reinhardt's smirk didn't waver as he addressed Void again. "Now, here's how this is going to go. You're going to put down that sword, and I might consider letting her go in one piece." His red eyes gleamed with amusement. "Or… you can keep fighting me, and I'll have no choice but to see how much pain she can endure before she breaks."
Void's fingers twitched around his hilt. Every instinct screamed at him to strike—to do something—but his mind raced with calculations. He could not afford to make a reckless move. One wrong step, and Reinhardt could—
Lilith suddenly stomped on Reinhardt's foot.
Hard.
The sheer audacity of the action left him frozen for a second.
"…Ow," Reinhardt muttered, more annoyed than actually hurt.
Lilith craned her head to glare at him. "Yeah, yeah, you're some big bad villain. We get it. But, listen, if you're going to hold me hostage, can you at least pretend to have some class? Maybe offer me a drink first? Or, I don't know, not bleed all over me?"
Void almost snorted. Almost.
Reinhardt, however, was clearly not as amused. His grip on her tightened. "Oh, I like you," he murmured. "Too bad you picked the wrong side."
Void exhaled slowly, his grip steadying on his weapon. He couldn't act recklessly. Reinhardt thought he had control of the situation. Good. Let him believe that.
But Void was done playing by his rules.
"…You know what, Reinhardt?" Void finally spoke, his voice eerily calm. "You made a mistake."
Reinhardt raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what's that?"
Void's eyes locked onto Lilith's.
She understood immediately.
Lilith grinned.
Reinhardt barely had time to process the shift before Void moved.
Void kept his stance steady, gripping his sword tightly, his mind racing for a way to counter Reinhardt. But before he could act—
Lilith made a face at him.
Not just any face.
She raised her eyebrows, puffed out her cheeks, and gave him an exaggerated, overly dramatic wink.
Void stared at her.
What. The. Hell.
Was she… having a stroke?
Then, a slow, unsettling grin spread across her lips.
Void felt a chill run down his spine.
Something was about to happen. And he had absolutely no clue what.
Still, he had written Reinhardt. He knew that Reinhardt took advantage of emotions—if Void made it look like he was losing, Reinhardt would get cocky. And if Lilith was up to something, he might as well play along.
So Void exhaled sharply, loosening his stance. "Alright, Reinhardt. You win," he said, voice cold, his sword lowering just slightly. "Just let her go."
Reinhardt chuckled, tightening his grip on Lilith's wrist. "Oh? And here I thought you still had some fight left." His knife pressed closer to her throat. "But if surrender is all you have left, maybe I'll be merciful."
Lilith let out a dramatic sigh. "Wow, this is sooooo terrifying," she drawled. "Truly, I am shaking in my boots."
Reinhardt's smirk widened. "You should be."
Lilith snorted. "Yeah? You should be, too."
And then—
The entire battlefield went dark.
Void's eyes widened as a suffocating black mist erupted from Lilith's shadow. It slithered across the ground like living smoke, spreading out in tendrils, consuming the light around them.
"What the—?!" Void barely had time to react before the temperature plummeted. The air grew thick, oppressive, the shadows twisting unnaturally.
Reinhardt froze.
His grip loosened.
Lilith smirked.
Then—she was gone.
No, not gone. She had melted into the darkness.
Before Reinhardt could process it, her voice came from behind him.
"Hey, pretty boy. Dodge."
Reinhardt whirled around, eyes wide.
Lilith's silhouette emerged from the darkness like a wraith, her violet eyes glowing brighter than ever. A wicked grin stretched across her lips as she drove her knee straight into his ribs.
CRACK.
Reinhardt coughed, staggering back. His HP bar plummeted.
Void blinked.
Lilith just appeared out of nowhere. Like a horror movie monster.
"What the hell was that?!" Void hissed, taking a cautious step back.
Lilith grinned at him. "Oh, just a little something called winning."
Void stared. What kind of generic villain power-up was this?!
Reinhardt groaned, shaking off the hit. His red eyes burned with fury as he wiped the blood from his mouth.
Lilith cracked her knuckles, stepping forward. "Whew. That felt good. You know, I was really hoping my first fight in this world would be a little more theatrical."
Void's eye twitched. "Since WHEN could you do that?"
Lilith gave him a deadpan look. "Since always?"
Void clenched his jaw. He hated this. He hated not knowing what kind of powers she had. He hated that Reinhardt was still standing.
He especially hated that Lilith looked like she was having the time of her life.
"Hey, broody protagonist," she called over her shoulder. "Your turn."
Void exhaled sharply. "Fine."
"You two seem like you're having fun- but this ends NOW!"
Reinhardt growled, energy crackling around him. The ground shook as his power surged.
Void gripped his sword tighter.
Lilith cracked her neck. "Oh yeah. He's pissed."
Reinhardt's glare burned like embers, his breath ragged but steady.
Then—he moved.
Faster than a lightning strike.
The ground split apart as he lunged, his fist wreathed in crimson energy, aiming straight for Void's ribs.
Void barely had time to register the attack before—
BAM!
Void dodged— but not completely. The shockwave alone sent him skidding backward, boots carving trenches into the ground.
"Okay—" Void muttered, shaking off the impact. "That actually hurt."
Reinhardt was already on him again. His next blow came even faster, a downward slash of energy that could've split a mountain in half.
Void rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding being turned into decorative floor paint.
Lilith, meanwhile, stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching like this was the most interesting thing she'd seen all day.
"Oh yeah," she mused, tilting her head. "He's totally pissed."
Void shot her a glare between dodges. "Maybe help?!"
Lilith gasped dramatically. "Oh, but you two are having so much fun!"
"DO I LOOK LIKE I'M HAVING FUN?!"
Reinhardt roared, slamming his fist into the ground.
A wave of red-hot energy erupted, tearing through the battlefield. Void barely managed to leap away before the force blasted apart the ground where he'd been standing.
Lilith whistled. "Damn. That's some main villain energy right there…but wait is he the main villain or the rival? Eh, I'll just ask later I guess."
Void gritted his teeth. She was enjoying this.
Reinhardt charged again, the sheer force of his speed kicking up a cyclone of dust.
Void tightened his grip on his sword. This was bad.
Reinhardt was at his most dangerous when he had nothing to lose.
This wasn't working. He was barely keeping up, dodging on instinct while Reinhardt kept pressing forward, his attacks only growing stronger.
Reinhardt wasn't slowing down.
I wrote this guy to be relentless. He doesn't stop until his opponent is dead.
Void cursed under his breath, shifting his stance. If Reinhardt wanted an ending—he'd give him one.
Then he'd end this.
Reinhardt dashed forward, a crimson afterimage trailing behind him.
Void met him head-on.
Their weapons clashed in a deafening explosion, shockwaves ripping through the air. Sparks flew, lighting up the battlefield as steel screamed against steel.
Reinhardt's smirk widened. "That's more like it!"
Void pushed harder, forcing him back.
Then—he saw the opening.
Reinhardt's guard was just a little off. He'd overextended his last strike.
Void didn't hesitate.
He moved.
A burst of energy surged through his body as he twisted around Reinhardt's defense, bringing his sword down in a brutal arc.
Reinhardt's eyes widened.
The hit connected.
A clean, vicious slash—
—straight through Reinhardt's chest.
For a moment, time stood still.
Reinhardt stumbled back, his coat torn, his breath coming in sharp gasps. Blood dripped to the ground.
Void raised his sword again—ready to finish it.
But then—
"Ahem."
Lilith.
Void barely had time to register it before dark energy surged through the air.
Reinhardt's body jerked. His red eyes flickered as shadows curled around him, slithering up his body like living chains.
He swayed on his feet. His fingers twitched.
And then—
His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed.
The battlefield went silent.
Void blinked.
Lilith smiled, lowering her outstretched hand, her fingers still crackling with dark energy.
"...Did you just—?"
"Yep."
"...You could've done that at any time?!"
Lilith grinned. "Obviously."
Void stared at her. His eye twitched.
Lilith shrugged. "Listen. I wanted to see the fight play out in the palace first. But the moment you tried to straight-up murder the guy, I figured—okay, maybe it's time to step in."
Void looked down at Reinhardt's unconscious form.
He dragged a hand down his face. "Unbelievable."
Lilith, however, crouched next to Reinhardt, inspecting him like a particularly interesting stray cat.
She hummed. "You know… he's actually kinda pretty when he's not trying to kill us."
Void pinched the bridge of his nose. "Lilith."
She tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Yeah," she mused, "I think we should keep him."
Void slowly turned his head to stare at her. "Excuse me?"
Lilith beamed. "Come on, mister self insert. It'd be a waste if someone this dramatic wasn't on our side."
Void looked at Reinhardt, half-dead on the ground.
Then back at Lilith, who looked way too entertained by this.
She grinned wider.
"I can fix him."
Void groaned. "We are NOT adopting the homicidal rival—"
But Lilith was already dragging Reinhardt's unconscious body away.
Void exhaled sharply, sheathing his sword.
Void stared at Lilith, who was now cheerfully dragging an unconscious Reinhardt across the battlefield like he was a particularly large piece of luggage.
"…You're serious about this?"
Lilith didn't even look at him. "Completely."
Void ran a hand through his hair. "You do realize he was literally trying to kill us?"
Lilith waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, but he didn't."
"He would've if I hadn't almost killed him."
Lilith beamed. "Exactly! That's character development."
Void rubbed his temples. "That's not—Lilith, we don't need a homicidal maniac tagging along with us!"
She snapped her fingers. Reinhardt's body suddenly floated off the ground, encased in dark energy.
Void stepped back. "…What the hell was that?"
Lilith tapped her chin. "Hmm. You know, I haven't really tested how much weight I can lift with this yet."
Void pointed at Reinhardt. "And you're using him as an experiment?!"
She ignored him, adjusting her stance as shadowy tendrils wrapped around Reinhardt like a cocoon.
"…Lilith."
She hummed.
Void narrowed his eyes. "Wait. Hold on. If you could do all of this—" He gestured wildly at the floating Reinhardt. "—why didn't you do it earlier?"
Lilith smirked. "For entertainment."
Void's eye twitched. "I knew it."
Lilith turned, raising a hand.
A dark portal flickered into existence behind her.
Void froze.
Lilith grabbed Reinhardt by his floating cocoon and waltzed straight through it.
Void's brain finally caught up.
"LILITH—"
The portal dragged him in before he could finish.
—
A second later, they were back in the palace.
Void stumbled forward, his entire body jolting as the familiar walls of the throne room came into view.
He whirled around, mouth open in shock.
"You—you just—" He pointed at the still-flickering dark energy around them. "You teleported us?!"
Lilith brushed off her sleeves. "Yep."
Void's mind reeled.
His mouth opened.
Then closed.
Then opened again.
"…Wait."
Lilith tilted her head.
Void narrowed his eyes, his voice dangerously calm.
"You're the reason we got teleported outside the palace in the first place."
Lilith grinned.
Void stared.
"You—" He let out a sharp breath, pressing a hand to his forehead. "I thought Reinhardt teleported us away with some kind of crazy power move!"
Lilith chuckled. "Nope! That was all me."
Void gaped at her. "I almost died—"
Lilith shrugged. "You didn't, though."
Void threw his hands in the air. "I—WHAT—"
Lilith turned to Reinhardt's unconscious body. "Anyway! Where should we put him? I think he'd look great chained up in the dungeon."
Void pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're actually insane."
Lilith smiled. "Aw, you're just mad because I'm efficient."
Void sighed, dragging a hand down his face.
"You call me overpowered when you literally wrote a Mary Sue."
Lilith shrugged at his remark as she walked away.
He had a terrible feeling about this.
-
Lilith dusted off her dress, ignoring the bloodstains splattered across it. Next to her, Void stood bruised and scowling, looking like he'd just survived a battlefield. Meanwhile, Reinhardt lay unconscious on the ground, his coat burned and torn from their fight.
The palace guards, who had not witnessed any of this, approached cautiously, taking in the absolute disaster before them.
"…My Lady?" One of them finally spoke, his voice uncertain. "Why are you—uh—covered in blood?"
Another guard narrowed his eyes at Void. "Who was responsible for harming the lady? Was it him?!"
Void let out a long, exhausted sigh.
Lilith, without hesitation, pointed at Reinhardt. "Him."
The guards blinked. They looked down at Reinhardt, then back at Void, who very much looked like the one who got his ass kicked.
"…You mean the unconscious man on the ground?" one of them asked, clearly struggling to process this.
Lilith nodded solemnly. "Yes."
"…The one who is not moving?"
"Yes."
The guards exchanged looks. They were clearly skeptical but also not paid enough to question a noblewoman covered in blood.
Void pinched the bridge of his nose. "Lady Seraphina, please don't—"
Lilith ignored him and placed a delicate hand over her chest. "This vile man attacked me out of nowhere," she declared dramatically. "I fought bravely, of course—"
Void squinted at her.
"—but Kael is the one who defeated him."
Void froze.
"…Wait, what?"
Lilith clasped her hands together, turning to the guards with a somber, proud expression. "Yes, my dear knight Kael risked his life to protect me. A true hero."
Void stared at her, mouth slightly open.
One of the guards hesitated. "And… how exactly did he end up unconscious?"
Lilith did not miss a beat. "Because Kael defeated him."
Void continued staring. Are we just—
The guards still looked skeptical. "My Lady, this man is dressed like a noble… Do you have proof he committed a crime?"
Lilith narrowed her eyes. A slow, chilling smirk curled on her lips as the air around her shifted dangerously.
"Are you questioning me?"
The guards immediately stiffened.
A deep, regal atmosphere ettled over the area, and suddenly, the temperature felt five degrees colder. Lilith's golden eyes gleamed sharply, her expression unreadable.
The guards gulped.
Void felt a chill run down his spine.
"…Of course not, Lady Seraphina!" one of them blurted out immediately.
"We shall take him to the dungeons at once!!" another guard added, already moving to haul Reinhardt's unconscious body away.
Lilith smiled sweetly, her eerie aura vanishing as if it had never been there.
"Good. Thank you, gentlemen."
Void watched in stunned silence as the guards rushed to secure Reinhardt like a dangerous criminal.
"…You just bullshitted all of that," he muttered.
Lilith beamed. "I improvised."
Void rubbed his temples.
"…I did defeat him, though," he mumbled under his breath, still processing the fact that Lilith somehow turned that whole disaster into his personal victory.
INT. ROYAL DUNGEONS – LATER THAT NIGHT
The stone steps creaked beneath their feet as Lilith and Void descended into the shadowy underbelly of the castle. A pair of nervous guards led the way with lanterns, casting flickering golden light across damp stone walls and rusted iron bars.
"…Still can't believe that worked," Void muttered, trailing a step behind Lilith. "You literally just lied to a bunch of armed guards and they thanked you."
"They didn't thank me, they obeyed me," Lilith corrected, flicking her hair back. "There's a difference. I'm royalty, remember?"
They entered a hallway of individual cells—most of them empty. Cold. Quiet. Unsettlingly clean.
Then—
Clink.
The faint jingle of metal chains.
Void's eyes flicked to the last cell on the right. His breath caught.
There, half-shrouded in shadow, a slender figure sat on the floor, her arms chained above her head. Long silver hair spilled across her shoulders, dirty and tangled. Pale green eyes blinked dully in the darkness, and pointed ears peeked out beneath the mess.
An elf.
Lilith stopped walking. "Oh."
Void's mouth opened. "No way…"
Lilith turned to him, eyes wide with sudden realization. "Wait a second. I know who this is."
Void looked startled. "You do?"
Lilith pointed at the girl dramatically. "She's the tragic elven princess from your novel, right? The one locked away and experimented on by evil nobles before the male lead finds her and adds her to his harem!"
Void blinked. "I mean—technically? Yes? But she was supposed to appear way later—after the siege arc—but how do you know so much about the story I'm writing?!"
"Damn did you forget? You sent it to me weeks ago as a draft. I just skimmed through it though. Well, surprise," Lilith said cheerfully, clapping her hands. "Plot's moving faster than expected."
"Did I? I guess I did. Well I do remember reading yours too…"
Their conversation was interrupted when the elf girl weakly raised her head at the noise. Her lips barely moved. "Are… are you here to kill me too…?"
Void stepped closer, his heart thudding. "…Aeloria?"
She flinched at the name.
Lilith's eyes sparkled with excitement. "So it is her! She's your tragic backstory elf girl!"
"She's not my—!" Void stopped himself, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ugh, never mind."
He stepped forward. "We're not here to hurt you. I promise."
The guards exchanged confused looks.
Lilith crossed her arms and announced, "We're taking her with us."
One guard stammered, "But—Lady Seraphina, she's a high-level prisoner—!"
Lilith's voice dropped cold again. "Did I ask?"
The air went cold. Again.
"…Right away, Lady Seraphina!"
As the guards scrambled to unlock the chains, Void knelt beside Aeloria. Her eyes—bright and wild and strangely ancient—met his. And in that moment, something shifted.
"…You're not from here," she whispered.
Void froze. "What?"
She gave him a faint, knowing smile. "You feel… wrong. Like me."
Lilith, observing the two of them, raised an eyebrow.
"Well, that's ominous."
Lilith leaned in, hands on her hips, and grinned. "So. Mysterious elf girl recognizes you instantly and says you 'feel wrong like her.' That's not suspicious at all."
Void stiffened. "Shut up."
"Oh no, I love this," she said, positively glowing with mischief now. "It's giving 'destined soulmates from beyond the stars' energy."
"I said shut up," Void hissed, casting a glance at the guards—who were carefully pretending not to listen while nervously unlocking Aeloria's shackles.
Aeloria slumped forward into Void's arms the moment the chains came off. He barely caught her.
Lilith gasped with mock drama. "Oh wow, she collapsed into your embrace! This really is your harem route, isn't it?"
Void's face went red. "It's not a harem!"
Lilith tilted her head innocently. "Uh-huh. So far we've got a chained-up elf girl who only trusts you. Typical isekai character. Want me to go find a beast girl next?"
"Please don't," Void groaned.
Aeloria's voice, still faint, interrupted. "…You're… Kael?"
Void froze.
"Technically, yes," Lilith answered instead, kneeling beside them. "And I'm Seraphina. You'll love me later, probably. Or hate me. Depends on the arc."
Aeloria blinked slowly. "Kael… I saw you in a dream. You burned the world and saved it."
Void visibly paled. "Okay, no. Nope. Not doing this prophecy nonsense right now."
Lilith leaned closer. "She saw you do what now?"
"I don't know!" Void sputtered. "I've never written a dream prophecy about Kael burning the world—what the hell is she talking about?!"
Aeloria passed out mid-sentence, leaning fully into him.
Void just sat there, holding her awkwardly, eyes wide with panic.
Lilith clapped a hand on his shoulder like a proud older sister. "Well, congratulations. You're now the brooding chosen one with a half-dead elf girl in your arms. Next stop: tragic betrayal and some emotional sword fighting in the rain."
Void stared at her. "…I hate it here."
Lilith gave him a bright, completely insincere smile. "Too bad. We're also in your story now. Our stories are merging and honestly now that I think about it, this would sell really well as a novel huh. Anyway, when's the kiss scene?"
Void shifted uncomfortably, adjusting his grip as Aeloria's unconscious form leaned heavier against his chest. "Look, I don't see her that way, alright?"
Lilith raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So what way do you see her?"
He glanced down at the silver-haired elf girl, her wrists raw from the chains. His voice dropped, quieter. "I wrote her. I made her suffer. Built her entire backstory from scratch, every horrible thing that's ever happened to her. You think I can just—what, date that?"
Lilith blinked.
Void didn't meet her eyes. "They're not characters to me. Not like that. I made them. They feel more like… like my kids."
That made her pause.
Void sighed and ran a hand through his bangs. "It's messed up. I know. But every time I look at her, I just keep remembering the draft where she died and I rewrote it twenty times trying to make it worse. And now she's real. She's real and she recognizes me, and she shouldn't. None of this should be happening."
For a moment, the dungeon felt painfully still.
Lilith's teasing expression faded.
"…Okay," she said after a beat, softer now. "I'll stop making fun of it."
Void glanced at her in surprise.
She shrugged. "I didn't think about it that way. But… yeah. That's kind of horrible, isn't it? Watching something you made come to life and look at you like you're supposed to save them when you're the reason they're broken."
Void let out a shaky breath. "Yeah."
Lilith stood up and dusted off her skirt. "Still, we can't just leave her here. You broke her. Now fix her."
Void looked down at Aeloria again, a strange guilt twisting in his chest. "…Yeah."
He nodded.
"I will."
Lilith straightened her posture, flipping an invisible switch back into Seraphina Mode—all poise and subtle danger. Her golden eyes narrowed, and her voice rang sharp and commanding through the chamber.
"You there," she called to the nearest guard who hadn't yet fled the tension-filled air. He flinched and snapped to attention. "Prepare a private guest chamber. Immediately."
The guard blinked. "F-For… the prisoner?"
Lilith gave him a smile so cold it could chill wine. "For the survivor of a gross injustice. She is now under my protection."
Void raised an eyebrow but said nothing, still holding the unconscious elf like an awkward, guilty statue.
"Make sure the room has food, a proper bath, and a bed with actual sheets," Lilith continued, already marching toward the exit like she owned the place. "And put her in the eastern wing. Near mine. I want to keep an eye on her."
The guard hesitated. "Lady Seraphina, if your father—"
Lilith's smile vanished. "Should he question my actions, remind him that I prevented a scandal by silencing Reinhardt's crimes. I've done him a favor."
The guard gulped. "Understood, my Lady."
She waved her hand dismissively. "Good. Send for a healer as well. Quietly. I don't want rumors."
Void stared as she swept past, her presence consuming the hallway.
"…You're terrifying," he muttered, adjusting his grip on Aeloria as he followed.
Lilith didn't look back. "Thank you."
"She should be scared waking up in a noble's mansion. You know that, right?"
"I do. That's why she'll wake up in her own room. Fed, clean, and warm. Let her draw her own conclusions."
Void was silent for a moment. "…You're good at this."
Lilith glanced at him sideways, the ghost of a smile on her lips. "I know."
-
Lilith sighed as she flopped onto her bed, the adrenaline of the day finally starting to wear off. "Well, that was a wild day," she muttered to herself, staring at the ceiling. "At least I got to see some action... and now I have a pretty story to tell."
Void sat on the couch near the bed, his eyes slowly closing from exhaustion. He didn't even bother to reply anymore.
She stretched out lazily, tossing her arm over her eyes. "Good night, Void... or should I say, Mister Kael, my brooding knight?" She laughed softly to herself.
"Whatever. Just go to sleep."
"Don't have too many dreams about our resident pretty boy coming back for revenge."
"Yeah, yeah. Good night to you too."
"You're not going to your room?"
"...too sleepy….to think…"
Void passed out on the couch as she chuckled to herself. Before she knew it, Lilith drifted to sleep too. The faint hum of the world around her faded.
Lilith groggily rubbed her eyes as she slowly sat up in bed, the soft morning light streaming through her curtains. She blinked a few times, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. For a moment, everything was just... fuzzy.
She groaned, running a hand through her hair, and looked around her room. It looked completely normal—except for the absolute mess. Her bed was a tangled mess of blankets, the floor was littered with discarded clothes, and a pile of sketchbooks and papers were scattered across her desk. It was as if she'd thrown everything aside in a rush. She stared at the mess in confusion, she was pretty sure she just cleaned her room before the awarding ceremony..
She looked around and realized it was... just another morning.
Had it all been a dream? That crazy fight with Reinhardt, the whole bizarre world she had been sucked into? Her brief stint as a villainess, with Void by her side, fighting off some impossibly strong antagonist—was it all just some wild product of her imagination? Or was it from the drinks?
She exhaled sharply, laughing softly at herself. "What a ridiculous dream," she muttered, shaking her head. She rubbed her eyes again, everything from that dream felt too grounded in reality to be a dream. Yet it couldn't have been real. Could it?
Her gaze landed on the desk across from her, where the notebook she'd been scribbling in was open. She froze, heart skipping a beat. Her gaze landed on the desk across from her, where the notebook she'd been scribbling in was open. She froze, heart skipping a beat. Her notebook was open.
And then she noticed it. The handwriting on the page wasn't hers. It was elegant, flowing, and precise—classy, in a way that made Lilith's own scrawl feel childish in comparison. The words seemed to carry a certain coldness, a distant grace that wasn't hers.
Who are you, Lily Hayes?
Why am I in your body?
Lilith's breath caught in her throat. The handwriting was unmistakable. This was Seraphina's writing. She was sure of it. She could almost hear her voice in the back of her mind, mocking her, amused, and detached all at once.
For a moment, she just stared at the lines, her heart pounding in her chest. The weight of it all hit her like a freight train. This was real. This wasn't a dream, not even close. She was awake, sitting in her own room, but Seraphina had been in her body. Had been living her life.
Lilith took a step back, trying to wrap her mind around it. Everything that happened in that bizarre world, the fighting, the weird interactions—was it all real? Was she still somehow tied to that world, or was this just some strange fragment of it that was stuck in her mind?
But no... it didn't make sense. How could Seraphina have left these notes, in her handwriting, in her own room?
Lilith's gaze drifted around the messy room—the cluttered chaos of her space, the scattered clothes, the half-drawn sketches. It all looked so normal, yet not normal. Like a dissonant reminder that something wasn't right. She looked back down at the notebook, the elegant, almost pristine script glaring at her from the pages. This wasn't just a dream. Something had definitely happened. Something she couldn't make sense of.
Her fingers brushed gently over the pages, the ink smooth beneath her touch as she traced the words. A chill crept up her spine, the weight of unease sinking in. For the first time, it hit her—whatever was happening, whatever forces were at play, they were far bigger than her.
Her mind raced, thoughts tumbling over each other as she stared at the elegant script. The question loomed, too heavy to ignore, echoing in her mind like a soft but persistent whisper.
Instead of some isekai nonsense… could it be that they switched bodies?