About half an hour later, they arrived at the museum. A teacher and a professional guide had taken charge, leading them through the different sections, showing them various artifacts and explaining the history tied to each one.
As the group moved along, Justin and Alia eventually broke away, slipping into a different section of the museum. Watching them from a distance, Daniel turned to his friends and made up an excuse about needing to use the restroom. Without waiting for a reply, he quietly made his way toward the same section Justin and Alia had gone into.
What Daniel didn't notice, however, was that Venessa had followed him. Silently, she kept her distance as she trailed behind him.
In that quiet corner of the museum, Justin and Alia stood beside a glass case housing a historical artifact. Daniel pressed himself against the wall nearby, half-hidden in the shadows, observing them with sharp eyes.
They've already reached the artifact, he thought. The very one that's supposed to be stolen later today.
He scanned the area. Uniformed guards were positioned nearby, alert and attentive. Looks like they've already warned the museum staff, Daniel mused. What happens now? That artifact needs to end up in the wrong hands… it's crucial for the story.
Raising his wrist, Daniel tapped on his smartwatch. A holographic screen flickered to life, displaying the time. Half an hour left, he noted. The attack is supposed to happen in the other section. That's when someone will try to steal this artifact in the chaos.
Just then, Daniel saw Justin say something to Alia before walking away—heading toward the section where the attack was meant to unfold. Alia, on the other hand, stayed put, feigning interest in nearby artifacts, her eyes subtly scanning the area. She didn't leave.
It clicked for Daniel.
Justin is going to stop the attackers... and Alia—Alia is staying back to catch the thieves trying to steal the artifact during the distraction.
His mind raced. They're trying to change the plot. They're protecting something that's meant to fall into the wrong hands. If that happens… the entire story could shift. Everything might change.
Though the plot weighed heavily in the background of his thoughts, Daniel's mind was occupied by something else entirely.
He stood there, eyes fixed on the artifact behind the glass case. What if I use the chaos to my advantage and steal the artifact myself? he wondered. That way, the future trouble it causes could be avoided entirely. Justin might be able to stop the theft today… but he won't always be around. They can't guard this place forever.
A decision began to form in his mind.
A few moments later, he casually walked over to the artifact, pretending to have just stumbled upon it. Spotting Alia nearby, he gave her a surprised look.
"What are you doing here, away from the rest of the class?" he asked, as if the idea had just struck him.
Alia looked equally startled. "I could ask you the same thing," she said, eyes narrowing with suspicion.
Daniel smiled innocently. "I was just trying to escape the boredom of ancient history. You know, bunking."
Alia raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Then why did you even join the study group in the first place?"
Daniel shrugged, unashamed. "For the free tour, obviously. And you? I didn't expect you of all people to bunk a class."
Alia hesitated for a moment, then replied with a rehearsed nonchalance, "I'm not bunking. I'm just doing a little… self-study."
Daniel chuckled, leaning against the nearby pillar with deliberate ease. "Darling Alia," he said smoothly, "you don't need to make excuses with me. I won't tell anyone."
Then, as if bored of the conversation, he turned his gaze back to the artifact.
"In this entire museum," he said casually, "I think this one's the most interesting."
Alia narrowed her eyes, suspicion flickering in her gaze. "What exactly do you find so interesting about it?"
Daniel smiled, as if he'd been waiting for the question.
"The fact that the museum doesn't even know what it really is," he said, gesturing toward the artifact. "And yet, here it is—displayed like a prized possession. Even the information card just says when and where it was found. All they know for sure is that it's old, and the script on it is in some ancient language."
Alia tilted her head. "Do you know what it is?"
Daniel gave a slight shrug, the corner of his lips lifting. "Not exactly. But… I think it might be a love letter."
Alia raised one eyebrow, skepticism giving way to mild amusement. "Are you joking—or are you just trying to flirt with me?"
Daniel paused for a beat, studying her expression. That's odd, he thought. As far as I remember, in the novel, Alia never picked up on flirting. She was pretty oblivious to things like that. But now… she's catching on. Almost instantly.
A subtle chill crept into his thoughts.
Is it possible? Could she be a transmigrator too?
The realization unsettled him—not because he was afraid, but because it meant the rules of this world might be shifting right under his feet.
Daniel stood before a statue—one unlike any other artifact in the museum. It was dressed in real clothing, not carved stone or synthetic replicas. To an ordinary eye, it might've looked like a simple dark outfit displayed behind reinforced glass. But Daniel knew better.
This wasn't just a display—it was high-tier combat equipment. An S-tier suit, capable of drastically enhancing the wearer's physical and magical abilities. The sleek black outfit included a long coat that brushed down to the knees, a matching mask with sharp, shadowed contours, and an aura of silent menace.
It belonged to one of the most mysterious figures in the revolutionary history of this world—a vigilante hero some compared to Robin Hood. A man who stole from the rich and the corrupt, redistributed his loot to the poor, and disappeared into the shadows before anyone could ever catch him.
He was a master of shadow magic. A phantom of justice.
Even in the moment of his death, he had been saving innocent lives from a collapsing building. But the true shock hadn't come from how he died—it came from who he was.
When his mask fell, the crowd gasped. Behind it was the face of a man believed to be one of the most selfish and corrupt elites of his time—a politician notorious for bribery, sycophancy, and serving only the wealthy.
And yet, his death rewrote his legacy.
He became a legend.
The world called him The Legendary Evil Ronin. For some, a hero. For others, a dangerous vigilante. And for many—a symbol. An ideal.
Daniel stared at the suit, thoughts clouding his mind. He lived a double life, Daniel thought. Just like me... or maybe like us. His gaze lingered on the long coat, the black mask. Power. Mystery. Lies. Truth. He could almost hear the weight of the story in the silence of the museum air.
Then, something in the reflection caught his attention.
The polished glass revealed more than just the suit—it showed a faint silhouette behind a nearby wall. A figure tucked in the same shadowed corner Daniel himself had hidden in moments ago.
It was Venessa.
She was watching him. Not the artifact. Not the museum.
Him.
And she hadn't meant to be seen.
Daniel's breath slowed, his pulse sharpened.
So she followed me here too...