The golden chandelier above the banquet hall shimmered like a sun locked in eternal dusk. Laughter echoed through the velvet-lined corridors, and the scent of honey-glazed venison filled the air. Silk gowns rustled with every step and noble children glided across polished marble floors, sipping wine they were far too young to understand.
Caelum Valen sat alone at a small corner table, his goblet untouched. His heart pounded erratically in his chest, and cold sweat traced down the back of his neck. Something was wrong. Horribly, inexplicably wrong.
He remembered this place.
He remembered this scene.
A vision had shattered his sleep just an hour ago. A torrent of memories that weren't his had surged into his mind like a flood bursting through a dam. Memories of flickering computer screens, reading web novels late into the night, of dying on a rainy road in a different world entirely.
And now?
He was Caelum Valen. A minor noble. A forgettable villain. And according to his newly recovered memories, he would be publicly slapped, humiliated, and executed within the next three months.
Caelum's gaze swept across the ballroom. He spotted the familiar players one by one, just as the story dictated.
There she was.
Aria D'Laurent. The story's heroine.
A vision of light, dressed in white silk, her golden hair braided with star-petal flowers. Pure, kind, and justice-obsessed to a fault. The girl every hero would fall for.
And beside her stood Riven Ashbourne. The protagonist.
The golden boy. A commoner-born genius with a mysterious artifact, hidden bloodline, and limitless potential. He stood tall, laughing with nobles far above his rank. The world's plot twisted around him like a protective shield.
Caelum's throat went dry.
In the original novel, this scene ended with his death flag.
It started with a petty insult. Caelum, spoiled and arrogant, mocked Aria for associating with commoners. Riven defended her honor. A duel followed. Caelum cheated. He was caught. And from that moment on, his downfall was irreversible. His family disowned him. His reputation crumbled. He tried to kill Riven in desperation. And finally, he was executed publicly for treason.
That entire arc happened in the first twenty chapters. Twenty.
But now Caelum wasn't just Caelum.
He had his past life's knowledge. He remembered the whole book. Every arc, every twist, every death.
And if he played it wrong, none of it would matter.
A sudden flicker appeared in the corner of his vision. A faint, bluish box hovered in the air like a ghostly screen, semi-transparent and filled with glowing text.
> [Survival Guide Activated]
> Status: Target identified – "Caelum Valen, Fodder Villain #3"
> Danger Level: Terminal. Death Flag Detected.
>
> Recommended Action: DO. NOT. ENGAGE. THE. HEROINE.
> Suggested behavior: Silence. Submission. Smile awkwardly if approached. Feign illness if necessary.
Caelum's lips parted slightly.
What the hell?
Another line of text materialized.
> Bonus Tip: You are not important enough to be missed. Staying invisible is your best chance of survival.
The screen blinked and vanished.
He stared down at his shaking hands. This was insane. A system? A guide? Was this part of the world's magic? A leftover relic? Or something the novel's reality had given him, some desperate mercy for the soul now possessing Caelum's body?
He didn't know.
But he wasn't going to question it now.
Applause erupted across the hall as Aria entered the center of the room, her hand delicately resting on Riven's arm. As scripted, nobles turned to admire the radiant pair. The plot was beginning.
And Caelum knew what came next.
The noble daughter of House Yurell, his so-called fiancée, would drag him forward to "greet" Aria. He would smirk, make a nasty comment about "common blood," and from there, all hell would break loose.
Not today.
Caelum stood abruptly, knocking his chair over.
Several heads turned. Murmurs spread.
"Lord Caelum?" a voice called. It was Lady Yurell, eyes narrowed in confusion as she approached.
Caelum clutched his stomach and groaned.
"Excuse me. Something I ate... the lobster... gods above..."
Without another word, he staggered out of the ballroom, hunched over in a perfect mimicry of noble food poisoning.
He ignored the stares. The whispers. He nearly tripped over a butler carrying a tray of lemon cakes.
The moment he reached the empty corridor outside, he leaned against a marble column and exhaled.
He was alive.
He'd just avoided his first death flag.
It felt anticlimactic. But exhilarating.
A soft chime rang in the air. The glowing screen returned.
[Flag Deflected: Public Confrontation with Heroine – Averted]
> +1 Survival Point
>Current Survival Chance: 4%
Only 4%.
His knees buckled slightly.
That was the cost of being a side character destined to die. His entire existence had less than a five percent chance of survival.
But now?
It was rising.
And he would make damn sure it kept rising.
Caelum straightened his jacket, adjusted his cufflinks, and wiped the sweat from his brow.
Let the plot begin. Let heroes rise and demons awaken. Let kingdoms fall and destinies clash.
He had no intention of dying in someone else's story.
This was his novel now.