I stare at my reflection in the mirror, unable to tear my gaze away from this face that isn't mine. June Van Naver. A name I invented, a character I created to be despised. And now, I am him.
The first rays of sunlight filter through the silk curtains of this luxurious room. A room larger than my entire former apartment. I rise, still dizzy from this absurd reality, and approach the window. The view before me takes my breath away.
The Celestial Academy. My academy. The one I imagined down to the smallest detail during my sleepless nights. An immense campus with imposing Gothic buildings, surrounded by perfectly manicured gardens and mysterious forests. In the distance, the misty mountains where I had placed the Lord of Isolation's lair.
"Young Master June, your uniform is ready."
I startle. A servant stands at the door, his face impassive. I didn't hear him enter. In my story, I had mentioned that the Naver family's servants were trained to move silently, like shadows. Another of my inventions made reality.
"Thank you," I reply awkwardly, unaccustomed to being served.
The servant bows and exits without a word. On the bed now lies a black uniform with golden trim. The Celestial Academy uniform, reserved for final-year students. I approach it with fascination mixed with apprehension.
As I put it on, I can't help but think of the irony of the situation. Me, Kim Cheol, the obese bullied kid from Glory High School, now wearing the elite uniform I created to symbolize power and privilege. A uniform that, in my story, was supposed to be stained with blood before the semester's end—June Van Naver's blood.
I look at myself one last time in the mirror. Tall, slender, aristocratic features, perfectly styled blonde hair. A fairy-tale prince's physique. And yet, in the blue eyes that stare back at me, I still see Kim Cheol's haunted gaze.
"You're late for breakfast, sir," announces a dry voice from the hallway.
I turn to see a middle-aged woman in a strict suit, looking at me with disapproval. I recognize her immediately: Mrs. Kang, the Naver family's head housekeeper. A secondary character I had barely sketched in my narrative.
"Your father has already left, but your mother is waiting for you. Don't keep her waiting any longer."
She turns on her heels without waiting for my response. I follow her, trying to remember everything I had written about June's family. His father, Hyun Naver, a ruthless and distant business magnate. His mother, Eun-ji Naver, a cold and calculating woman, obsessed with appearances. And June, their only son, the family's disappointment.
The dining room is immense, with a table that could seat twenty people. At the end, alone, an elegant woman delicately sips her tea. She doesn't look up when I enter.
"You're late," she says simply.
"I'm sorry, Mother," I respond automatically, surprised by how easily this foreign word leaves my mouth.
"Sit down. You have ten minutes before the car leaves for the academy."
I comply, taking a seat at the other end of the table. A servant appears immediately to serve me an elaborate breakfast. I eat in silence, observing this woman I created. She's exactly as I had imagined her: beautiful, cold, perfect.
"I received a call from Director Shin last night," she says suddenly, setting down her cup. "It seems your results from last semester were... disappointing."
I swallow with difficulty. In my story, June was a mediocre student, more interested in bullying others than in his studies.
"This semester will be different," I reply, surprised by my own confidence.
She raises a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Really? And what makes you say that?"
"I've... become aware of certain things."
A dry laugh escapes her. "Spare me your empty promises, June. Your father and I have already decided. If you don't rank among the top ten in your class this semester, you'll be disinherited and sent to the army."
My heart clenches. I had never written this part. In my story, June was simply an arrogant noble destined to fail. I had never explored the family pressures weighing on him.
"I understand," I murmur.
"Good. Now go. Your car is waiting."
I rise, bow slightly, and leave the room. In the entrance hall, a uniformed chauffeur awaits me. He opens the door of a gleaming black limousine.
During the ride to the academy, I try to organize my thoughts. I know the general plot of my webnovel, the major events, the main characters. But I now realize how many details I had left in the shadows. Details that are now my reality.
The Celestial Academy stands before me, majestic and intimidating. Its Gothic towers seem to touch the sky, its ancient stone walls breathe power and history. In my narrative, this was where the kingdom's elite were trained, where nobles and prodigies learned to master magic and martial arts to fight the demonic forces threatening the world.
The car stops in front of the great gate. I get out, legs trembling. Around me, students in uniforms similar to mine head toward the entrance. Some cast disdainful glances at me, others ignore me completely. I recognize a few faces I had vaguely described in my story.
"Well, well. Look who's here."
I freeze. That voice. I know it. I turn slowly to face a young man with black hair and piercing eyes. Min-ho Park. The protagonist of my webnovel. The hero destined to save the world—and to kill June Van Naver.
"Park," I murmur, unable to hide my surprise.
"Surprised to see me, Naver?" He approaches, a dangerous smile on his lips. "Did you perhaps think I wouldn't come back after what you did?"
I take a step back. In my story, June had humiliated Min-ho during their first year at the academy, calling him a "peasant" and a "worthless scholarship student." A rivalry that was meant to culminate with June's death.
"I... I don't know what you're talking about," I stammer, buying time.
Min-ho bursts into joyless laughter. "Still as cowardly as ever. But things have changed, Naver. I'm no longer the kid you could intimidate."
He's right. In my narrative, Min-ho returned to the academy after a year's absence, transformed by secret training with an ancient master. Stronger, more confident. The beginning of the hero's ascension.
"I have no intention of causing you trouble," I say sincerely.
He looks at me with surprise, then suspicion. "What are you plotting, Naver?"
"Nothing. I... I've changed."
"People like you don't change."
The academy bell rings, momentarily saving me from this confrontation. Min-ho gives me one last dark look before heading toward the main building. I follow at a distance, aware of the gazes weighing on me.
The academy's interior is as impressive as I had imagined. Vaulted ceilings, colorful stained glass windows, marble corridors. I head toward the classroom indicated on the schedule I found in my bag.
Class S. The elite class. Reserved for the most promising students—or the richest. In my story, this was where the main intrigues, rivalries, and alliances unfolded.
I enter the room and all eyes turn to me. I recognize every face. Every character I created. Seo-yeon Kim, the cold heiress with exceptional magical talent. Jin-woo Choi, the martial arts genius with an explosive temperament. And of course, Min-ho Park, already seated at the back of the class.
I advance toward the only free desk, conscious of the oppressive silence. In my story, June always sat in the front row, using his status to intimidate the teachers. But I'm not June. Not really.
I settle at the desk, clumsily taking out my things. Next to me, a young girl with long black hair looks at me with curiosity. Ah-ra Song. In my narrative, she was destined to become one of June's victims, then to be saved by Min-ho, triggering their love story.
"You're strange today, Naver," she murmurs.
I look at her, surprised that she's speaking to me. "How so?"
"Usually, you ignore me. Or you make inappropriate remarks."
I feel heat rising to my cheeks. "I... I won't do that anymore."
She narrows her eyes, suspicious. "What's wrong with you? Are you sick?"
Before I can answer, the door opens again. The teacher enters. My heart stops. It's him. The Master of Arcanes. In my story, he was secretly the Lord of Despair in disguise, infiltrated into the academy to corrupt the students.
He looks directly at me, an enigmatic smile on his lips. "Welcome to this new year at the Celestial Academy. I sense that this semester will be... particularly interesting."
His gaze lingers on me, and I'm certain he knows. That he knows who I really am. That he knows I know his true identity.
The Master of Arcanes begins his lesson, his melodious voice immediately captivating everyone's attention. Everyone except me. I can't help but scrutinize his face, searching for the subtle signs of his true demonic nature that I had so meticulously described in my webnovel.
"This year," he announces, "we will explore the darkest aspects of magic. Not to practice them, of course, but to learn to recognize them and protect ourselves from them."
A shiver runs down my spine. This is exactly as I had written it. The beginning of corruption, the first step toward the abyss.
The game has just begun, and I'm the only one who knows the rules. At least, I hope so.