As I processed the whirlwind of events, the conclusion became clear: I had somehow slipped into the novel I'd read the previous night. Strangely, my destination led me to the very man who would end my life. Amidst this surreal chaos, memories of Loki inundated me, both a source of pain and unexpected assistance. Certain details from these memories hadn't made their way into the novel, like Loki's initial dream of becoming Prince Alex's assistant since they'd first crossed paths. Annoyingly, he had relentlessly pursued this dream, only to be met with a sudden shift in Prince Alex's behavior.
My confrontation with Prince Alex was intriguingly mismatched. As I stood before him, I introduced myself as Loki Rhious, his new personal assistant. A smile broke across my face, but Prince Alex's response was merely an assessing glance followed by a curt acknowledgment. "Okay... I'll call when I need you," he declared, a statement that held both a promise and an uncertainty.
Days passed without a call from Prince Alex, which I secretly deemed a blessing. The tyrant's avoidance granted me respite, but the real issue was my scheduled meetings with the King every five days. Thus far, I had no substantial information to offer, and the pressure weighed heavily on me. Inwardly cursing the prince for his lack of communication, I debated whether I should confront him, but I realized it could lead to my downfall.
"I'll die in five years," I muttered in frustration, my thoughts consumed by this looming predicament. Shifting my focus to the more immediate concern of the King's impending meeting, I grappled with the gravity of the situation. I contemplated ways to avoid my potential demise at the hands of the prince while simultaneously appeasing the King's inquiries. The complexity of my predicament weighed on me as I wished for a way out.
In the midst of my contemplations, the sound of Prince Alex's voice broke through the haze. "Loki... Loki..." The urgency in his tone spurred me into action. Running through the hallways, I responded with haste, recognizing that I was indeed Loki.
Arriving at Prince Alex's office, I was met with his reproach. "Are you deaf...?" His words hit me, punctuating the silence that had filled the gap between us. I smiled, feigning innocence, and replied, "Sir, I thought you didn't need me." An internal dialogue played out as I muttered, "Well, I don't need to know you either." I faced the reality that Prince Alex hadn't called for the past three days, a fact I couldn't ignore.
Observing his raised eyebrow and the stack of papers in his hand, I couldn't help but remark, "You never called for the last 3 days." My sarcasm hung in the air, unnoticed. He handed me the pile of papers, his instructions terse. "You need to finish this in one day, and report to me this coming Friday." With those words, he left the office, leaving me to face the daunting task before me.
As I stared at the papers, a sense of futility settled in. "How can I finish this in one day?" I questioned aloud, realizing that this man was intentionally pushing my limits. Thoughts of Loki's initial struggles in the novel mirrored my own plight. An odd envy for the world of fiction washed over me as I muttered, "I can't believe that I envy novels' lives."
With renewed determination, I decided to confront the challenge head-on. "Forget everything, I have some tasks to do," I declared, diving into the sea of work before me. Both the perplexing world of the novel and the unyielding demands of reality merged, urging me forward.