Daydreamers

Ethan's head throbbed violently as he opened his eyes, his vision hazy and unfocused. A dull ringing filled his ears, drowning out his thoughts.

"What’s happening…?" he thought, his mind sluggish, struggling to catch up with reality. One moment, he was asleep—or at least, he thought he was—and the next, searing pain forced him awake.

His vision swam, shapes blurring together in a disorienting mess. But then, muffled noises filtered through the haze—frantic, panicked sounds. Someone was trying to scream, their voice smothered, choked by something.

A cold shiver ran down his spine.

As his sight gradually sharpened, Ethan's breath hitched.

He was on all fours, looming over someone. A girl.

Her body twisted and writhed beneath him, ropes biting into her wrists and ankles. Her mouth was gagged, muffling her cries. Her wide brown eyes, brimming with fear and fury, glared up at him.

Ethan's body locked in place, his blood running cold.

"What the…?" His mind reeled, thoughts slamming into each other in chaotic disarray. "What kind of bizarre dream is this?"

Panic clawed at his chest. His breath came in ragged, uneven gasps as he scrambled backward, only to realize his limbs felt sluggish, uncooperative, like they didn’t belong to him.

"Is this… is this some kind of twisted fantasy I never knew I had?" A sickening thought slithered through his mind, making his stomach churn.

The girl's frantic squirming slowed for a moment, her gaze flickering with confusion as she took in his expression—his trembling hands, his wide, horrified eyes. But the fear returned just as quickly. She struggled harder, her body arching, her muffled screams rising in pitch.

Ethan wanted to speak, to say something, anything, but before he could force out a word, a glowing blue window materialized before his eyes.

His breath caught.

A translucent, hovering screen?

"What…?"

Lines of glowing text scrolled across its surface.


---

[System Activated…]
[Host Confirmed.]
[Simulating Previous Data…]


Ethan awakens in a mysterious world, shackled by a curse that clouds his judgment and drives him toward choices he never wished to make. Burdened by guilt and responsibility, he must navigate the fallout of his actions while unraveling the truth behind the curse—and his place in this enigmatic new reality.

Blessed to be the Villain

After finishing their meal, Ethan and Arthur rested beneath the large tree, enjoying the shade as a soft breeze rustled the leaves above them. The rhythmic chirping of distant birds added to the tranquility, making it all too easy to relax.

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed in Ethan's mind.

{Host, aren't you forgetting something?}

Ethan blinked, his tired mind struggling to recall. "What?" he muttered internally.

"Oh… right." Ethan almost smacked himself on the forehead. How could he forget something so important? He glanced at Arthur, who seemed completely at ease, his arms crossed behind his head, eyes closed, breathing slow and even. Clearing his throat, Ethan spoke.

Arthur, without opening his eyes, responded lazily, "What is it?"

Ethan hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Shouldn't there be monsters around these woods? I mean, the guards thought we were here to subjugate them."

Back to the city