Lucas didn't stop walking until he reached the mansion.
Only then did he slow down.
The towering Carter residence stood before him like a palace. White marble pillars rose toward the sky, and massive glass windows reflected the morning sunlight.
Lucas stared at it.
Even though he had already guessed it from the garden, seeing it up close made everything feel even more unreal.
"…So this is the Carter mansion."
His voice came out quieter than expected.
This place was absurdly luxurious.
Back in his real world, Lucas lived in a small apartment near his university. The entire building could probably fit inside this mansion's living room.
He let out a nervous laugh.
"Well… at least the villain had good taste in houses."
But the humor quickly faded.
Because now that the adrenaline from the garden scene had worn off, a much heavier realization settled into his mind.
He had just bullied the protagonist.
Lucas rubbed his temples.
"Great job," he muttered to himself.
"That's literally the one thing I said I wouldn't do."
Even if it wasn't technically his fault—he had woken up in the middle of the scene—it still meant one thing.
Adrian Carter had already seen him as an enemy.
Lucas pushed open the mansion doors.
The interior was just as extravagant as the outside.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Polished marble floors reflected the sunlight pouring through tall windows. Expensive paintings decorated the walls.
Several servants stood nearby.
The moment they saw Lucas, they bowed slightly.
"Good morning, Young Master."
Lucas paused.
Right.
He was the young master of the Carter family now.
He awkwardly nodded.
"…Morning."
The servants seemed slightly surprised.
In the original story, Lucas Carter rarely acknowledged them.
But none of them dared question the change.
Lucas walked deeper into the mansion.
His brain worked overtime.
Think.
If this was the early part of the story, then Adrian had only recently been adopted by the Carter family.
Which meant several important things.
First…
Adrian didn't have much power yet.
Second…
The villain hadn't done anything truly irreversible.
And third…
Lucas still had time to change the future.
He exhaled slowly.
"Okay," he whispered.
"That's manageable."
All he had to do was avoid provoking Adrian again.
Simple.
Lucas turned a corner and nearly collided with someone.
He stopped abruptly.
Standing a few steps ahead was a middle-aged man in a dark suit.
The man had sharp features and an intimidating presence.
Lucas immediately recognized him.
Even though he had only read about him in the novel.
Victor Carter.
The head of the Carter family.
And Lucas Carter's father.
The man looked at him with a slight frown.
"You're late."
Lucas froze.
Oh.
Right.
The family breakfast.
He remembered this scene from the novel.
Victor Carter believed strongly in discipline and punctuality. Being late for breakfast was considered disrespectful.
In the original story, the villain heir would have argued back.
Lucas had no intention of doing that.
"Sorry," he said quickly.
Victor Carter seemed slightly surprised by the apology.
But he didn't comment.
"Come."
Lucas followed him into the dining hall.
The room was enormous.
A long table stretched across the center, already set with a variety of dishes.
Several people were seated.
Lucas recognized them immediately.
His stepmother.
A few distant relatives.
And—
Lucas's heart skipped.
At the far end of the table sat Adrian Carter.
He had already changed his clothes.
A simple black shirt and dark trousers made him look composed and elegant.
He sat quietly, his posture straight, his expression calm.
But when Lucas entered the room…
Adrian's gaze lifted.
Their eyes met.
Lucas felt a strange chill.
Those dark eyes were sharp.
Observant.
Like they were analyzing everything.
Lucas quickly looked away and took a seat.
The atmosphere at the table felt slightly tense.
Victor Carter sat at the head.
"Let's begin."
Servants started placing dishes in front of everyone.
For a moment, only the quiet clinking of utensils could be heard.
Lucas tried to act normal.
He focused on eating.
But he could still feel Adrian's gaze occasionally drifting toward him.
It made him uncomfortable.
Why is he looking at me?
Did Adrian already suspect something?
Lucas remembered how strangely he had acted in the garden.
The original villain would never have simply walked away.
Maybe Adrian found that suspicious.
Lucas forced himself to stay calm.
Eventually, Victor Carter spoke.
"Adrian."
Adrian looked up.
"Yes, Father."
The title sounded natural on his lips.
Victor nodded slightly.
"I reviewed your academic results."
Lucas almost choked on his drink.
Academic results?
Right.
Adrian was still a university student at this point in the story.
And he was ridiculously talented.
Victor continued.
"Top of your class again."
Adrian remained calm.
"I simply did what was expected."
Lucas stared at his plate.
Of course he did.
The protagonist of the novel was basically perfect.
Smart.
Calm.
Hardworking.
Everything the villain heir wasn't.
Victor Carter seemed pleased.
"You'll begin assisting with the company next month."
Several relatives looked surprised.
But Adrian only nodded.
"Understood."
Lucas felt a strange uneasiness.
He remembered what this meant.
Once Adrian entered the company…
He would slowly start gaining influence.
Building connections.
Strengthening his position.
And eventually—
Taking over everything.
Lucas shook the thought away.
That was the original timeline.
This time things would be different.
He just had to stay out of Adrian's way.
Breakfast ended soon after.
One by one, the family members left the dining room.
Lucas stood up as well.
Just as he turned to leave—
"Lucas."
He froze.
That voice.
Lucas slowly turned around.
Adrian was standing behind him.
The distance between them was only a few steps.
Up close, Adrian looked even more intimidating.
He was slightly taller than Lucas.
His expression was calm.
But his eyes were focused.
Lucas forced a casual tone.
"Yeah?"
Adrian studied him for a moment.
Then he spoke quietly.
"You're acting strange today."
Lucas's heart skipped.
Great.
Exactly what he feared.
But he couldn't panic.
He shrugged.
"What do you mean?"
Adrian tilted his head slightly.
"In the garden."
Lucas felt sweat forming on the back of his neck.
"You stopped."
Lucas forced a laugh.
"…So?"
"In the past," Adrian continued calmly, "you wouldn't."
Lucas didn't know what to say.
Adrian stepped slightly closer.
His voice remained soft.
"But today you walked away."
Their eyes met again.
Lucas felt like Adrian was trying to see through him.
Like he was analyzing every tiny reaction.
The silence stretched.
Finally Lucas sighed.
"Maybe I got bored."
Adrian watched him carefully.
"…Bored?"
"Yeah."
Lucas shrugged again.
"Bullying you isn't that interesting anymore."
The words slipped out casually.
But they were actually the truth.
He had no intention of repeating the villain's mistakes.
Adrian stared at him for a few seconds.
Then something unexpected happened.
He smiled.
It wasn't a big smile.
Just a faint curve of his lips.
But it felt strangely dangerous.
"Is that so?"
Lucas suddenly had a bad feeling.
Adrian turned slightly, preparing to leave.
But before walking away, he said one more thing.
"Then I'm curious."
Lucas frowned.
"About what?"
Adrian glanced back.
His dark eyes held a hint of interest.
"About what you'll do next."
And with that, he walked away.
Leaving Lucas standing alone in the hallway.
Lucas exhaled slowly.
"…That guy is scary."
Because one thing was already clear.
Adrian Carter had noticed the change.
And the protagonist of the novel…
Was now watching him very carefully.