My Wish

In front of the apartment door, the handsome man let out a soft sigh.

"Finally home," he muttered, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

The night was growing late, and thanks to overtime, he had arrived much later than usual.

Luckily, he had managed to finish his work early, allowing him to catch the train home. Otherwise, he might have had to spend the night at an internet cafe.

Without wasting any time, he reached into his trousers pocket, pulled out a silver key, and slid it into the keyhole.

*Clack!*

As the sound echoed, he gently turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. His eyes scanned the room, but only darkness greeted him.

"I'm home," he said casually as he stepped inside. "Oh right, I live alone."

He slipped off his shoes, placed them on the shelf, grabbed a pair of slippers from the bottom shelf, and put them on.

Then, he flipped the light switch, revealing a spacious and well-maintained living room.

"Yep! Coming home to a tidy place really is relaxing," he muttered with a small chuckle.

The apartment he lived in was a fairly spacious 1LDK—a layout with a living room at the center, a dining area, a separate kitchen and bathroom, and a bedroom on the right side.

In reality, a 1LDK apartment was more suited for newlyweds. For someone living alone like him, a 1R would suffice.

But he didn't particularly like the 1R style; he found it cramped. Plus, if his parents or friends visited, it would be too uncomfortable in such a small space.

He placed the white plastic bag in his hand on the living room table and was about to head to the bathroom to wash his face when his smartphone notification rang.

"Hmm? Who's texting me this late?" He muttered hesitantly, pulling his smartphone from his pocket.

"Could it be Mr. Nijima?" The thought flashed through his mind, and his face paled slightly.

Nijima was his boss and the main reason he worked overtime every day. To put it simply, Nijima was his worst nightmare.

"I really hope it's not him," he said under his breath, his expression filled with concern as he slowly unlocked his phone.

Once he saw the sender's name, he let out a small sigh. "Fortunately, it's not him, but Mom."

Without hesitation, he opened his "Line" app and read the message from his mother.

Mom: "[My dear Yuuya, how are you? Why haven't you been home since work? I miss you so much, you know?]"

Mom: "[By the way, how's your career going? Everything's going well, right? I hope so.]"

Mom: "[Oh! I almost forgot. Do you have a girlfriend yet? If you do, bring her home and introduce her to us. You're already 25, and it's about time you start thinking about settling down.]"

As Yuuya read the first two messages, his heart warmed, and a soft smile appeared on his lips. However, his smile faded when he reached the third message.

"Settling down? What on earth is Mom thinking?" Yuuya sighed in exasperation, rubbing his temples.

At 25, he felt far too young to start a family.

On top of that, he wasn't financially stable and had doubts about being able to provide for a wife and children in the future.

Living in Japan, especially in Tokyo, was expensive.

With a salary of just ¥450,000, it wasn't nearly enough.

For all these reasons, the idea of settling down was the last thing on his mind.

Shaking his head, Yuuya quickly typed a reply to his mother.

Yuuya: "[Don't worry, Mom. Everything's going well. As for marriage, let's talk about it another time.]"

After pressing "send," he turned off his smartphone and set it on the TV table.

Stretching his stiff body, Yuuya yawned and muttered, "Alright, time for a shower and then bed."

Without hesitation, he walked toward the bathroom next to his bedroom.

…

In the dark bedroom, Yuuya held his smartphone and eagerly read a novel.

However, his excitement slowly faded, replaced by frustration.

"Damn! What is this trash? I thought it was going to be thrilling, but the ending is complete garbage!" he muttered in dissatisfaction.

The novel he was reading was an online story titled "The Monarch Mage's Journey to Conquer the World."

Set in a world of sword and magic, the main character started as an ordinary person with no special identity. Honestly, it was a very cliché premise, but Yuuya loved it.

The character development, plot, and world-building were all fantastic. And of course, the highlight was the many beautiful heroines with unique and distinct personalities.

Unfortunately, the excitement of the story was ruined when the main character never once interacted romantically with any of the heroines, not even once!

It made him wonder if the author was gay or had some serious mental issues.

"Damn! I've been spending over ¥10,000 every month just to unlock chapters, and this is the ending I get? What a waste!" Yuuya grumbled as he stared at the dark ceiling.

He considered leaving a scathing review for the author but quickly decided against it.

Despite the messed-up ending and the eunuch-like main character, Yuuya actually enjoyed the story.

He was also afraid that if he left a bad review, the author might end up committing suicide.

If that happened, wouldn't he be considered a suspect in the murder?

With a long sigh, he set his smartphone on the nightstand and closed his eyes.

But the novel's ending kept haunting him, and he immediately opened his eyes again.

"Speaking of that novel, I can't help but think of one of its most tragic characters," he murmured softly, recalling the character.

The character was Arthur Vanitas, the outcast son of the Duke of Vanitas' family.

Not only was he unloved by his family, but he also suffered the heartbreak of having his engagement broken off by the Third Princess of the Magic Empire of Luminus.

On top of that, he couldn't even perform the most basic magic.

Aside from his handsome and charming appearance, he had no other qualities to speak of.

"To be honest, Arthur Vanitas deserves a chance to shine, with plot armor to back him up. That would have made the story much more interesting," he muttered, feeling some regret.

Sadly, it was impossible. The story had already ended with a disappointing conclusion from the gay author.

"If only I could step into that world and become Arthur Vanitas. I'd change his fate, defeat the useless protagonist, and claim all the heroines for myself."

As the words escaped his lips, his eyes widened. He quickly sat up and grabbed a piece of golden candy from the nightstand.

"The old man said this candy grants any wish, right?" He examined the candy closely.

Then, a small chuckle escaped him as he smiled wryly. "How could something like that actually work?"

Still, he couldn't resist giving it a try.

The stranger and more mysterious something seemed, the stronger the urge to test it—human nature, unchanged for centuries.

Quickly, he unwrapped the golden candy and examined it. To his surprise, it was just an ordinary chocolate candy, nothing remarkable about it.

After confirming the candy was safe, he ate it without hesitation.

He pressed his palms together, like a praying Buddha, closed his eyes, and whispered, "I wish to be reincarnated into the world of 'The Monarch Mage's Journey to Conquer the World' as Arthur Vanitas, with the intention of changing his fate!"

After finishing his wish, he opened his eyes and lay back on the bed.

"If I wake up as Arthur Vanitas, that would be pretty funny," Yuuya mused with a chuckle.

Though he knew it was impossible, a small part of him still held onto hope.

Shaking his head, he succumbed to the growing drowsiness and drifted into a deep sleep.