Liam sat at his war table, alone except for a map, a half-empty goblet, and a headache no healing spell could fix.
He had survived a coup attempt, threatened his generals into submission, discovered a memory-bound mirror, and apparently triggered a hidden quest linked to a goddamn false author.
All in one morning.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why do villain castles never come with a user manual?"
[System Online: Basic Functions Unlocked]Status: Host Bound — Demon King ClassTitle: "One Who Should Not Exist"Active Perks:— Narrative Resistance (Minor): Events will slowly drift away from the original plot— Power of the Fallen: Gain strength from breaking story conventions
[System Points: 3]— Suggestion: Invest in survival-based skills or influence traits
New Function Available: "Threadview"
"Threadview?" Liam raised a brow.
[Threadview: Observe the hidden 'threads' of fate connected to people, objects, or events.]
"Useful," Liam muttered. "Creepy, but useful."
He activated it with a thought.
The war table shimmered.
A thousand fine golden lines stretched from it—threads of fate, glowing faintly, leading outward in all directions. Toward cities. Armies. Characters.
He focused on one that pulsed red.
The Hero.
Threadview revealed a fast-moving storm of destiny tied to him—glowing like fire, burning through everything in its path.
But something else caught Liam's eye.
Another thread.
Weaker. Flickering.
But connected to his own name.
He traced it back—
—to the maid.
The one with the stitched mouth and glowing blue tears.
She stood silently outside his chambers, hands folded, face lowered.
"Come in," Liam called.
She obeyed without a word.
He narrowed his eyes. "You're not in the book."
She flinched.
"Name?"
She hesitated, then wrote in the air with a trace of mana:'My name was erased.'
[Threadview Activated: Subject—Unnamed Servant]— Fragmented soul— Memory curse— Bound by forbidden contract— Thread Status: Severed from canon
Liam felt his pulse quicken.
"You're like me," he whispered. "You're not supposed to exist."
She looked up—startled.
And for the first time, Liam saw hope in her stitched eyes.
[New Companion Gained: The Nameless Maid]Traits: UnknownLoyalty: Shifting (Tied to choices and treatment)Bond Level: 1/10
Optional Quest: "Give Her a Name."Reward: ???Penalty: Emotional instability; permanent soul fracture
Liam leaned back in his chair.
"Alright," he said, glancing at the to-do list he was mentally building. "Here's the plan."
He held up three fingers.
"One: Don't die in three chapters."
"Two: Break every prophecy tied to my name."
He looked at the maid.
"And three… I'm rewriting the cast, starting with you."
Meanwhile…
The Hero knelt before a blinding altar of light.A voice spoke from the heavens:
"The Demon King has broken the flow. He is no longer bound by fate. You must act now."
The Hero opened his eyes.
And for the first time… he felt afraid.