Kaelon Blackthorn's (POV)
The heavy wooden door of my villa creaked as I pushed it open. I stepped inside, feeling the familiar warmth of the grand interior wrap around me like a blanket.
The exhaustion from the party weighed down on me like a stone, and all I wanted was to collapse into my bed.
My limbs ached, my mind felt foggy, and my thoughts were scattered. I could barely noticed as my surroundings began to shift.
The soft, glowing lanterns lining the hall seemed to dim, and the polished marble floors under my feet lost their shine.
My footsteps echoed strangely, the sound bouncing off walls that felt closer than they should be.
But I was too tired to care. My body was screaming for rest, and my bed was the only thing I could think about.
I didn't even bother to question the odd feeling creeping through the air.
All that mattered was sleep.
I reached my room, kicked off my shoes, and collapsed onto the bed without even pulling the covers over me.
The world around me faded as my eyes shut, and before I knew it, I was out like a light.
———
The next morning, a yawn escaped my lips as I slowly opened my eyes, blinking away the remnants of sleep. I stretched out my arms and legs, my muscles still sore from the night before.
The ceiling above me came into focus, but something wasn't right.
I stared blankly at it, realizing it seemed…closer than usual. My heart skipped a beat as I quickly sat up, looking around.
The spacious, luxurious room that I had fallen asleep in was gone. Instead, I found myself in a small, cramped space that I recognized all too well.
(Wait... what is this?)
I rubbed my eyes, hoping I was still dreaming, but nothing changed. The expensive furniture, the silk sheets, the grand chandelier—all of it was gone.
Instead, I was surrounded by old, worn-out furniture, the same ones from my crumbling apartment.
I stumbled out of bed, my heart racing. This couldn't be real, could it? I looked down at myself, half expecting to see a different reflection in the mirror across the room.
But there I was, just as I had always been. Nothing had changed.
(It's like... I never left.)
I walked over to the mirror, staring at my own reflection. The suit I had worn to Count Francus' party flashed in my mind, but that too felt distant, like a dream.
A cruel, twisted dream that had ended the moment I woke up.
Was it really all just a dream? Had I imagined the whole thing—Thalindor, being a Duke, the magic, everything?
I sighed, feeling a weight settle on my shoulders. "I should have known better."
I turned toward my small closet, opening the door feeling like I have been defeated. I was prepared to see my usual threadbare clothes hanging there.
But instead, my eyes widened in shock.
There, hanging neatly inside, was the suit I had worn to the party at Count Francus' villa—the very one I thought had been part of my dream.
"What the...? " I muttered under my breath.
Before I could process what was happening, the door to my room swung open with a sharp creak. I turned, startled, and standing in the doorway was none other than Edric—my butler from Thalindor.
Except now, he was wearing an apron, gloves, and a mask covering his nose and mouth.
"Good morning, Master Kaelon," he said, his voice muffled slightly by the mask. He glanced around the room with a critical eye. "This… house is truly small."
I blinked at him, completely thrown off by the sight. Edric didn't seem the least bit surprised to find himself here, in my tiny apartment, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Before I could say anything, he continued, his gaze sweeping across the room with a look of distaste. "I must say, Master, the state of this place is very poor. The floors are filthy, there are dishes piled up in the sink, and don't even get me started on the clothes scattered everywhere."
I couldn't help but sigh. It wasn't like I could argue with him—he was right. My apartment was a mess. But hearing him complain about it made me feel oddly relieved.
(So, it wasn't a dream. Thalindor… Edric… everything is real.)
"I thought it was all just a dream," I said aloud, glancing over at Edric.
He shook his head, adjusting the mask on his face. "I assure you, Master Kaelon, it is very much real. And now that I'm here, I'll make sure things are in order. In the meantime, I've prepared a meal for you. I used what little food you had left in your refrigerator."
I chuckled softly, shaking my head.
———
After a quick shower, I found myself sitting at the small table in my apartment, with Edric seated across from me.
He was eating with perfect manners, handling the silverware with grace as if he were still in a grand dining hall.
His eyes darted down to the cutlery in his hand, and he frowned. "These utensils are terribly small. And the plates… plastic? Master Kaelon, surely, as a Duke, you should be eating with proper gold utensils."
I laughed, setting down my own fork. "In this world, I'm not a Duke. I'm just someone trying to make ends meet. I don't even have a full-time job, Edric. I just do part-time work wherever I can find it."
Edric's brows furrowed as he set his glass down, his eyes narrowing in on me as if he could see straight into my soul. The intensity of his gaze made me shift uncomfortably.
"Why are you staring at me like that? " I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Edric leaned forward slightly. "You think too little of yourself, Master Kaelon. In your mind, you are still a lowly man scraping by, but you are far more than that. You are Duke Kaelon Blackthorn. You have power, and the potential. You must prove to your old self—and to anyone who has doubted you—that you are capable of so much more."
His words struck me, and for a moment, I was speechless. It wasn't just about the title of Duke, or the magic, or the responsibilities that came with it.
It was about the fact that I had been given a chance to change, to become someone new.
I smiled, nodding in agreement. Edric wasn't just my butler anymore—he was my friend, someone who believed in me when I struggled to believe in myself.
Suddenly, the sound of my phone ringing broke the silence. I looked at the screen, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw the caller ID.
It was my parents.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I should answer, but Edric gave me a gentle nudge. "You should take it, Master Kaelon."
With a deep breath, I picked up the phone. "Hey, Mom."
"Kaelon! It's good to hear your voice. We haven't heard from you in three days. You usually update us every day. Is everything okay? "
I smiled at the concern in her voice. "Yeah, Mom, everything's fine. I've just been…busy. But I'm doing well."
After a few more minutes of small talk, I hung up the phone, feeling a strange mix of emotions.
I loved my parents, but talking to them only reminded me of the life I used to have—the life I wasn't sure I wanted to return to.
I glanced over at Edric, who was standing by the fridge. He turned around, pointing inside the empty fridge with a disapproving frown.
"Well, Master Kaelon, it seems your first mission as a Duke in this world is to go grocery shopping. We can't have an empty fridge."
I laughed, shaking my head. "There's just one problem with that, Edric. I don't have much money."
Edric's lips curled into a mischievous smile. Without a word, he opened his palm, and with a faint sound—like the soft chime of a bell—a glittering piece of jewelry appeared in his hand.
The light from the window caught the gem, making it sparkle.
My eyes widened in surprise. "What…where did you get that?"
"This," Edric said with a grin, "should fetch quite the price. We'll exchange it for enough money to stock your fridge and perhaps a little more."
I stared at the piece of jewelry, still shocked by its sudden appearance. Then, I smiled, nodding in agreement. "Well, I guess we're going grocery shopping after all."
With that, I tucked the key hanging on my chain necklace under my shirt and stood up, ready to leave.
It was time to face this world—both the old one and the new—with a fresh perspective, and of course, with Edric by my side.