The main protagonist of Masquerade of Dreams: Shattered—or MoDS for short—was supposed to be breathtaking. The game itself described her as:
"A beauty unrivaled, whose light will guide even the darkest hearts."
It sounded poetic but when I actually played the game, I couldn't help noticing something off. Sure, she was pretty, but then Xaessiarerich Vecria Argemenes walked onto the screen and the players changed their opinions. The villainess was immensely beautiful. The fandom used to go feral over it.
"Why does the heroine look… average?"
"Why does the villainess look like she walked out of a luxury perfume ad?"
Forums were chaos. Some accused the developers of purposely toning down the heroine's design to make the villainess's customizable avatars pop more. Others said they had a bias for villainesses. Rina—my best friend and the biggest MoDS addict alive—used to laugh at those threads until she cried.
And now, I lived in the same mansion as that woman.
The Argemenes Estate was an architectural ego trip. Golden railings, floors polished so well I could see my reflection in them, chandeliers big enough to double as small suns as every corridor screamed money. If there was ever a family that wanted the gods to notice their wealth, it was this one.
As I walked downstairs, the maids and butlers froze the moment they saw me. Then, as if choreographed, they all bowed deeply.
That's when I caught the tremor in their hands.
Phasnovterich Vecria Argemenes wasn't just rich. He was infamous spoiled prodigy with more pride than sense. He's the kind of man who believed the world existed to orbit around his sister. The fandom used to joke he had a "Sister Complex." Not the creepy kind, thankfully, but definitely the "I'll burn empires for her" kind.
When I first played MoDS, I couldn't stand him. He only appeared halfway through the University Arc Act IV: The High Priestess Selection, swaggering in like the second coming of arrogance. He was brash, cocky and insufferable. He fought with everyone and respected no one except Xaessiarerich. He was the rival one loved to hate until he wasn't. Because then, the heroine entered the picture.
They clashed constantly. Every class, every spar, every test, they pushed each other to the brink. Their rivalry was magnetic. The fandom shipped them instantly. "Enemies to lovers!" became a rallying cry.
People begged the developers to make him a romance route. There were even petitions but then he died right when he became the most beloved side character in the game.
It took ten whole minutes just to reach the dining hall because apparently, this mansion came with a built-in map. When I finally pushed open the double doors, the sight nearly made me laugh. In front of me was a table so long it could host a peace summit. I sat down. I was the only person in a hall meant for a hundred, and gestured to a maid.
"Where's my sister?"
"She has already departed, my Lord," she said, bowing so low I thought she would fold in half.
Of course she had. Xaessiarerich was punctual to the point of obsession. She is the kind of woman who woke up before the sun because the sun had work to do. I sighed and leaned back. Then something weird happened.
I picked up the cutlery and knew exactly what to do.
My hands moved effortlessly. I performed the proper knife angle, correct fork for the correct dish, and even sipping soup like I had trained for royal banquets. Back home, I was a "plastic fork and instant ramen" guy. But here? It was like this body remembered everything. Weirdly, I didn't hate it, especially not when the food was that good. Forget saving the world. I could just live here and eat forever. If this was what being a "spoiled noble" felt like, maybe Phasnovterich wasn't all bad.
°°°°°°
After breakfast, I wandered until I stumbled upon something impossible.
The Fast Travel Room.
In the game, it was just a menu mechanic, involving a teleportation shortcut between major locations. But here, it was real. The white walls gleamed white and circular like a cyberpunk construct. In the center was a hologram meant to type coordinates. I stepped closer, awe giving way to disbelief. Of course the Argemenes mansion had one. Only powerful Houses and rich bloodlines were allowed to own Fast Travel Rooms.
The pedestal flickered and my system interface appeared.
[Congratulations! You've unlocked a Fast Travel Room.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Gaining a Travel Room.]
[Reward: +20 Pearlesia.]
Pearlesia is the currency of everything.
Weapons, banners, characters, you name it. People sold their souls for it. They are used in gacha banners. I couldn't help grinning.
"Now we're talking."
The hologram rearranged itself into a new prompt:
[Where would you like to go?]
"Reversa University."
The pedestal's light flared, swallowing me whole.
°°°°°
When the glow faded, I found myself standing in another chamber. Dozens of students appeared around me in flashes of light, stepping off identical platforms. Some gasped in awe. Others moved like they'd done this before. A few clutched their bags, their eyes wide with anxiety.
And that's when it hit me. I wasn't alone.
Every face could belong to an Outer. Some were background NPCs sure, but others might be like me. Real people like me were trapped, playing their roles to survive. And in a place like this, Outers came in all types. If I wanted to live, I had to be convincing. I had to be Phasnovterich Vecria Argemenes because if anyone realized I didn't belong in this skin, I'd be dead the moment the University Arc ended.
The orientation hall was colossal, buzzing with chatter. Students filled every row but the moment I entered, conversations dipped. Eyes followed me. Whispers rose.
"That's him…"
"Phasnovterich Vecria Argemenes…"
"They say he's one of the top ten most handsome men in the world…"
"He looks even better in person…"
Wait, what? I was popular?
In the game, he didn't even appear until Act IV. This was still early story content. Something was off but I forced a smirk, because Phasnovterich would never look confused. I strode to the front row and sat down. That's when I froze.
Sitting beside me was the heroine.
She turned her head, her lips curving in a soft, knowing smile.
"Oh? It's a pleasure to meet you."
What the—