DISCLAIMER: The author's imagination and passion are the only sources of inspiration for this novel, which is a work of dedication. Parallels between these pages and the past or present may be apparent to some readers, but they are completely coincidental. You are free to interpret this art anyway you see fit, and it is meant for your enjoyment.
Samantha felt that the silence that ensued after the Editor's defeat was excessively silent. She had at last created a life that seemed to be her own as Reinn Hylde. The "Lines of Code" that had previously guided her every step had faded into the Hylde Manor's stones, losing their golden radiance and becoming a thing of the past. Her days were spent supervising the conversion of her estate into a haven for people the old script had forgotten, the sun rose without wavering, and the birds sang in a consistent key.
As she sat in the solar, amethyst and gold patterns appeared on her ledgers as dawn light filtered through stained glass. Her brother Eyldion, who had developed from a protective side-character into a perceptive administrator, was discussing the benefits of importing northern silk next to her.
"The harvest is stable, Sister," Eyldion said in a firm voice. "But if we wish to fund the new Academy wing, we need a trade partner that doesn't rely on the Emperor's favor. We need something... modern."
Reinn chided, "Careful what you wish for, Eyldion," but she felt a tiny twinge of longing for the world she had left behind. "Modernity comes with its own set of headaches."
The room started to hum before she could finish her sentence. It wasn't the suffocating, weighty vibration that came with the Editor's entrance. It sounded like an overhead power line—a clear, high-frequency buzz.
A fracture appeared in the solar's center. In actuality, it was a flawless, vertical slice of pure white light with a subtle ozone and expensive perfume scent rather than a jagged tear. A man who appeared to have been painstakingly chosen by a group of stylists emerged. He was dressed in a three-piece Italian wool suit made of charcoal that fit him perfectly. His eyes were sharp and calculating, and he looked around the room with the practiced indifference of a predator in a boardroom. His hair was a black, controlled wave.
"The architecture is inefficient, and the lighting is atrocious," Ji-Hoon remarked in a strong, silky baritone in fluent Korean. A surprised Eyldion was directly in front of him when he grabbed a thin, leather-bound tablet from the air and placed it on the desk. "But the Lead Female... she's exactly as the metadata described."
"Who are you?" Reinn said, assuming the Samantha Lim persona, straightening her back and adopting the businesslike demeanor she had in Seoul.
He said, "Kang Ji-Hoon," and pushed a business card across the table. Silver foil was used to emboss it. "I am here because your 'Nexus' is currently an unmonetized asset. You are living in a drafty castle with two men who have no retirement plans and a high probability of dying in a duel. I am here to offer you a hostile takeover of your heart."
The solar's thick oak doors opened before Reinn could reply. Aware of the odd vibe, Giywon and Dyierrean rushed in. Giywon's regal aura flared as his hand rested on the hilt of his golden sword. "Reinn! Get away from that... that peacock!"
At his side, Dyierrean was a shadow, his violet eyes narrowed into deadly slits. The air surrounding him became chilly without his words, the hallmark of a guy who dealt in death rather than deals. Ji-Hoon remained unwavering. He just took a laser measuring device out of his pocket and aimed it toward the ceiling. Giywon's chest danced with a little red dot.
Giywon growled, ready to strike, "Is that a weapon?"
"It's a Leica Disto," Ji-Hoon said in a bored tone. "I'm measuring the square footage. This room is a waste of space. Samantha, listen to me. This 'Prince' offers you a crown that weighs five pounds and a life of political assassinations. I offer you a pre-nuptial agreement that guarantees you three penthouses and a world where the Wi-Fi is 6G."
Eyldion murmured to Reinn, "He's trying to buy the Manor," as he glanced at the tablet that now showed a 3D model of the Hylde Manor converted into an opulent resort. "Sister, he wants to put a 'Infinity Pool' where the training grounds are."
"An infinity... what?" Dyierrean snarled as he moved in Ji-Hoon's direction. "I am a Duke of the North. I do not know what a 'resort' is, but I know how to remove an intruder's tongue."
At last, Ji-Hoon adjusted his cufflinks and turned to face Dyierrean. "Tactical aggression. 2/10 for originality. You're the 'Brooding Bodyguard' archetype. High maintenance, low ROI. Samantha deserves stability, not a man who sleeps with a dagger under his pillow."
As night fell, the mood in the manor changed from humorous to deeply tense. Refusing to go, Ji-Hoon had called forth a "smart-tent" from his dimension, a white silk and carbon fiber construction that now sat in the center of the ballroom, humming with its own climate control.
Reinn ended up on the balcony, where the refreshing night air was a pleasant diversion from the mayhem. Before she saw Giywon and Dyierrean, she sensed their presence. They came to her as men who had been affected by the sight of her "home" world, not as envious men.
Giywon questioned, "He reminds you of what you lost, doesn't he?" His golden hair gleamed in the moonlight as he stood to her right. "He offers a world where you are safe. Where you don't have to be a 'ruler' just to survive."
To her left, Dyierrean stood as a silent, reassuring presence. "I cannot give you a penthouse, Reinn. I only know that when the world was erasing you, my heart was the only thing that kept the ink from drying. If you choose the light he offers... I will understand."
Reinn extended her arm and grasped both of their hands. She sensed Dyierrean's steady pulse and Giywon's warmth. "Ji-Hoon offers security," she murmured. "But security is just a cage with softer bars. You two gave me a soul. You are the home I built. I didn't fight an Editor just to settle for a 'safe' life. I fought for a life that was mine."
A loud electronic sound from the ballroom below cut short the intimate moment. It wasn't Ji-Hoon's tablet, though. It sounded like a system override.
Abruptly, a recognizable person with a leather jacket and a lollipop emerged from behind a set of armor. At the conclusion of Season 2, Leo—the "Fixer"—was the one who surprised them. His hair was considerably more disheveled than usual, and he appeared worn out.
Leo said, "Sorry to break up the 'threes-company' moment," as he looked around the balcony. "But we've got a massive breach in the genre-wall. That CEO downstairs? He's just the first one. When you shattered the Silver Key, you didn't just stop the Editor—you turned this manor into a Multiverse Hub."
Leo approached Reinn with a stern expression on his face. "The 'Ex-Boyfriend' back in your world isn't coming for you anymore, Sam. He's selling the rights to your story to the highest bidder in other dimensions. You're not a person to them; you're the 'Ultimate Prize' in a crossover event. This CEO is here to buy the property, but the next guy? He's coming to claim the Warrior Queen."
Reinn was flanked by Giywon and Dyierrean. Giywon declared, "Let them come," as his golden aura burst forth.
Leo said, "Wait," raising a hand. "It's not that simple. If you fight them with swords, you'll just trigger a 'War Genre' and destroy the empire. To keep this world safe, you have to win by the rules of the visitors. And right now? You're in a Romance Competition."
With a tiny, sly smile on his lips, Leo turned to face Reinn. "Better get ready, Sam. You've got a Prince, a Duke, and a CEO competing for a wedding date. And according to my sensors... a Pirate King just docked at the harbor."
Leaning against the stone railing, Reinn gazed out over her realm. "Leo, tell me you're joking."
"Welcome to Season 3," Leo said with a wink. "It's going to be a blockbuster."