Lucian stood near the corpse of a young child, trying his best to keep calm while his mind raced with possibilities.
He needed a flawless plan—one mistake could mean another death. But just as he began forming one, something shifted.
Wait... no... that window—
He looked up, eyes widening.
The upper window of the fortress creaked open, and out stepped Cedric Elowen, calm as ever, his smug grin like a knife dragging across Lucian's nerves.
"What the hell!?" Lucian muttered under his breath as he instinctively stepped back. He's not supposed to be here yet. Did I do something wrong? Did I trigger it too early? Dammit!
"CEDRIC!"
Guinevere's voice rang out. She marched forward, pushing past Lucian, her fists clenched tightly by her side.
"What are you doing here?! Why are you showing your disgusting face again? Didn't you get enough after everything you did to me?!"
Cedric leaned against the frame of the window. "Oh, little sister, I was wondering when you'd yell. You always did have a shrill little voice."
"You're a monster!" she shouted. "You tortured me, you humiliated me, and now you think you can just show up here like nothing happened?!"
Lucian reached for her shoulder gently, whispering, "Guinevere, stay close. Something's not right…"
Because as soon as her screams faded into the tense silence, the huge metal gates of the fortress groaned and began to open.
No. No, no, this isn't supposed to happen yet... What did I change? Was it me inspecting too many bodies? Was it when I asked the guards too much? Or was it her yelling?
He took a step back as a thunderous roll of hooves echoed from within the wall.
A royal caravan emerged—dark wood, polished silver, and banners marked with the sigil of a white rose bathed in moonlight.
Surrounding the grand carriage were dozens of knights clad in deep navy and gold.
Then the air changed.
Guinevere gasped sharply beside him, her eyes going wide as the royal seal came into full view.
"No... no way…" she whispered, before raising her voice in disbelief. "That's the crest of the Ebonrose royal family! That's... that's King Alaric Pendrake!!"
Lucian's eyes snapped to her, then to the caravan, and then back to Cedric.
What the hell is going on...? Why would the King of Ebonrose come here, to the Eldorian border? And why now, when Cedric's making a public appearance?
The caravan rolled to a halt, and slowly, the door opened. Out stepped a man with a tall frame, graying black hair, and a sharp gaze that felt like it could cut stone.
He wore regal robes embroidered with silver and deep blue threads, and his presence alone silenced even the wind.
"It's really him," Guinevere murmured. "I saw him once when I was younger, during a banquet with Father… but why would he come all the way to this border...?"
Lucian's thoughts swirled with uncertainty.
This must be connected. Cedric showing himself, the King suddenly appearing, and me—stuck in a death loop with a quest to enter Ebonrose without trouble.
King Alaric stepped forward with a measured pace, his hands clasped behind his back.
Cedric bowed with exaggerated respect, his smile still present. "Your Majesty, welcome. I prepared the path as requested."
Lucian's jaw clenched. So they're working together? Or is Cedric just pretending? Or worse… is the King in on all of this?
He subtly turned toward Guinevere. "Get ready to run if this goes south."
Her eyes met his, wide with fear but filled with trust.
Lucian looked back at the king, his hands tightening at his sides.
All three of them knelt on the cold dirt. The king looked down at them with calm eyes, his voice soft but firm.
"Oh, I'm saving you from this hell," King Alaric said. "This place… it's no life for anyone, especially a princess like you."
Lucian swallowed hard and glanced at Cedric, who stood nearby with that same cruel smirk, as if he found this all amusing. Cedric's eyes glittered, and he said nothing, but his smile said enough.
Guinevere's voice trembled, "You… you're helping us? But why? What's the truth?"
The king nodded slowly, "You've suffered much, and I intend to put an end to that. You'll be safe with me, and your torment will stop."
Lucian tried to believe him, but a deep voice inside warned him not to trust this easily.
Before he could say anything more, a sharp darkness swallowed everything.
They felt themselves falling, the world spinning and twisting, and then…
Silence.
---
When Lucian opened his eyes, cold and harsh light flickered above him.
He was lying on a hard stone floor, naked and trembling.
Guinevere was there too, shivering beside him, and Airi was crouched nearby.
They were inside a small, dark cell.
And then Lucian noticed—there were rats. Mice, really. They scurried and nibbled at their skin and clothes, biting them bit by bit.
Pain and fear rose quickly, but no one could escape.
Lucian slammed his fists on the cold iron bars again and again, "Why!? Why is this happening!? Why are we trapped here!?"
"Lucian, please… calm down," Guinevere cried, her voice shaking as tears streamed down her face. "We have to think… please don't lose yourself like this."
But Lucian didn't listen. His anger boiled over, and every hit on the bars was harder than the last. "I can't… I won't stay here! This isn't justice! This isn't right!"
Airi was quiet, watching him, scared but helpless.
He kept banging until his hands bled, until the pain was nothing anymore, but the bars didn't break. Nothing changed.
The cold stone floor was unforgiving, and the darkness suffocated him.
Then, just like that, everything went black.
[Death Detected. Death Count: 5]
[Restarting Loop…]
Lucian gasped for air, coming back to the same cold cell.
The rats were there again, gnawing and crawling.
His eyes locked on Guinevere, who was curled up in a corner.
She looked up just as a rat bit into her arm, her scream breaking his heart. Her body twitched, and the wounds worsened every second. The smell of blood filled the air.
Lucian's chest tightened. He knew what was coming next.
He watched helplessly as the rats swarmed her, biting, clawing. Her screams turned to faint whimpers, then silence.
The cruelty was endless. Every death was worse than the last. Sometimes her eyes would roll back, sometimes her body would be torn apart slowly. There was no mercy.
"AHHHHH!" Lucian screamed, his voice raw and wild. "I'll kill all of you! I swear I will! I'll make you pay for this!"
But no one answered. Only the sound of scurrying feet and his own ragged breathing filled the cell.
He wanted to run, to fight, to break everything, but the cold bars kept him locked.
Frustration and helplessness twisted inside him like a poison.
He grabbed the bars and slammed his head against them until the pain blurred his vision.
"I'm done… I'm done!" he shouted, tears mixing with sweat.
Without thinking, he raised his hands and crushed his own throat, choking himself until darkness took him again.
[Death Detected. Death Count: 20]
[Restarting Loop…]
Again, he woke up in the same cell, naked, tired, and broken. The rats were there, waiting. Guinevere was weak, scared, but still alive for now.
The loop was endless, the deaths brutal, and the pain fresh every time.
Lucian knew this was hell.
He knew the only way was to keep trying, to break the cycle, but every failure burned into his mind.
"I won't let this happen anymore… I can't…" he whispered, his voice cracked.
Guinevere's sobs echoed around him, "Lucian… please don't give up…"
But the hopelessness was heavy, and the cycle of death kept spinning like a cruel game.
He clenched his fists again, biting back the pain and fear.
"I'll find a way… I'll protect you… no matter what…"
But deep inside, his heart shattered every time the rats came.
Every time he died.
Every time Guinevere screamed.
Lucian lay on the cold, wet floor, his body trembling. His eyes stared at the dark ceiling. He didn't move. He didn't cry out anymore.
His lips were dry, and his face was pale. He had reached his limit.
There was no escape.
He turned his head slightly and saw Guinevere beside him, her body broken, her flesh almost gone, but somehow… she was still breathing.
She was holding on, for him. Her fingers twitched, and she crawled, inch by inch, until her hand touched his.
Her voice was soft, cracked. "Lucian…"
He blinked, and tears began to fall. He couldn't stop them. His lips trembled as he whispered, "I'm sorry, Guinevere… I'm sorry I couldn't protect you… I tried… I really did…"
His voice broke. "All I ever did was die… over and over again… but none of it mattered… nothing I did changed anything…"
Guinevere's body collapsed next to his, and somehow, even in her last moments, she smiled.
"It's okay…" she said. "I feel warm…"
She closed her eyes, her breath faded. Then she was gone.
Lucian's heart shattered. His chest felt like it was crushed under a mountain. He reached for her, but it was too late.
"No… no…" he whispered, and his voice cracked again. "Please… please don't leave me…"
He curled up beside her and laid his head on her thigh, still crying. Her body was cold now, but he didn't care. He just wanted to be near her.
"I'm sorry…" he said again.
Then, Airi stepped closer. She was inside the cell too, and for the first time, her voice was full of emotion.
"Master… what should we do?" she asked.
Lucian stared at nothing. His eyes were hollow. "Let's give up."
"Master…"
"Airi… choke me."
She blinked, and her eyes began to fill with tears. "But… but why…?"
"Do it."
She hesitated. Her hands shook. Her face twisted in pain.
"Please…" Lucian whispered. "End it…"
Airi stepped closer, and she slowly wrapped her hands around his neck. Her grip was weak at first, but Lucian nodded at her.
"Do it…"
Her fingers tightened, and her tears fell like rain. "I'm sorry, Master… I'm sorry…"
He gave her a small smile. "Don't be… you're learning to feel… that's all I ever wanted for you…"
Airi cried louder as she squeezed harder. Lucian didn't fight back. He just closed his eyes.
His body went limp.
[Death Detected. Death Count: 21]
[Quest Failed]
[You Will Be Transmigrated To Another Body]
---
Wait… what?
Lucian opened his eyes again, but this time, it was not the cell. It was a white, endless realm.
It stretched in every direction. It was peaceful, silent, but empty. He was standing now, wearing white, his body clean and untouched.
In front of him was a throne. On it sat a figure cloaked in shadows, glowing faintly in silver and black.
The being spoke with a calm voice that echoed in every corner of the realm.
"So… you've reached the end."
Lucian blinked. "What… is this?"
The figure stood up and looked at him. "You've used all twenty lives. Your quest failed, and now, you will not return to that body."
Lucian clenched his fists. "Who are you?"
The figure smiled, or at least… Lucian felt like it did.
"I am the God of Death," the being said. "I'm the one who gave you that system. I'm the one who threw you into that world. And now, it's time we talk."
Lucian's body froze. His heart pounded.
"You…" he whispered. "You did this…?"
The God of Death sat back down. "Yes. And there's a reason. But first… let me show you what comes next."