The golden hues of the setting sun bathed the sky as a boy stood on a bridge, gazing at the horizon. His eyes were empty, lost in thought.

"I'm a joke," he muttered softly, his voice filled with self-loathing.

Without hesitation, he leaped from the bridge, plunging into the cold embrace of the river below. As he sank deeper into the water, the boy felt a strange calm wash over him, as though his regrets, his pain, and his burdens were all drowning with him.

*This is the end,* he thought. *I'm going to die, and with me, all my regrets will die too.*

He closed his eyes, surrendering to the deep, dark waters. But then, just as the void began to claim him, he heard a voice—a distant, frantic voice.

"Prince Suki! Prince Suki!"

His eyes fluttered open. In the blurred haze of the water, he saw her—a girl with striking pink hair and glowing red eyes, wearing a maid's uniform. He recognized her instantly. She swam swiftly towards him, grabbing him by the arms and pulling him up towards the surface. The next thing he knew, he was lying on the riverbank, coughing and gasping for air.

"Prince Suki, are you alright?" the maid asked, her voice trembling with concern.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. He was no longer on the bridge but by a river, surrounded by a dense forest. Confusion clouded his mind. He groaned as he pushed himself up, bringing his hands to his head, but then froze in shock. His hands—they were small.

*What… what is happening?* he thought, bewildered.

"Prince Suki!" the maid called again, but he ignored her, walking unsteadily towards the water. The maid, unsure of what to do, reached out but stopped at his command.

"Don't come near me."

She stood frozen in place. He knelt by the river and stared at his reflection in the water. His heart raced. The boy staring back at him had red hair and dark, purple eyes. He looked no older than a child.

"No way… this is a game!"

Sudden realization hit him like a storm.

*Words are Silent.* He knew this world. It was a game from his previous life—a brutally difficult one. In the game, a demon king would rise, wreaking havoc across the world, and the protagonist would be the one to stop him. Suki had spent countless hours playing, struggling, and eventually completing the game.

But now, as he looked at his reflection, the truth settled in. He wasn't just in the game; he *was* the game.

*I've reincarnated as Prince Suki Alfo Vai, the prince of Khandbari… But out of all the characters, why him?*

Suki clenched his fists. He knew this character well. In the game, Prince Suki would ally with the demons, only to meet his tragic end at the hands of the protagonist midway through the story. Suki was nothing more than a villain—greedy, selfish, and destined to die.

"Why is this happening to me?" he groaned, frustration and fear coursing through him.

"Prince Suki…?" The maid's voice trembled as she knelt before him. "Please forgive me! I'll do anything—just don't sentence me to death."

Her voice shook with terror. Suki blinked, realizing how terrified she was, how everyone around them was frightened. His gaze wandered to the others nearby, all wearing expressions of fear and anxiety.

*Of course,* he thought bitterly. *Prince Suki is a monster—he's notorious for punishing and killing his servants on a whim. No wonder they're scared.*

Suki collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed. The maid rushed to his side.

"Prince! Are you alright?"

He looked at her—this maid with pink hair and red eyes. The memories of the game flooded back. *Yuki…* Her name was Yuki. He remembered now. In the game, Prince Suki had killed her family. It was her betrayal that led the protagonist to defeat him.

In a daze, he wrapped his arms around Yuki, pulling her into a weak embrace.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible, before losing consciousness.

Yuki was left stunned. The cruel prince had apologized? Confusion flickered in her eyes, but she shook it off and called for help. A cart was brought, and she carefully laid him inside, watching as he slept.

As the cart rolled away, Suki's mind drifted in the darkness of unconsciousness.

*Maybe this time… I can change my fate. Maybe this time, I can live happily…*

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Chapter End