Heavy curtains obscured the light coming in through the tightly shut window, making the room dim and lifeless; a sense of melancholy would wash over anyone who entered and made it so they would lower any unnecessary sounds to not upset the room's owner.

It was now midday, and while it was lunchtime said owner stood before a large mirror, and the food that had been just delivered lay untouched on the desk. Scattered across the desktop were documents, an open laptop showing the work that hadn't been completed since morning and other reading materials. Callen found the study to be too stuffy, and he needed a change of scenery, so he returned to his room to relax.

Although the room was luxurious and the master bedroom, he didn't appreciate it and only used it for basic needs, such as sleeping and recuperating when his illness flared up. Lately, he had overdone it at work, so he had been here more than anywhere else; it used to be a haven, but now even this room was becoming unbearable.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror and the urge to smash it to pieces rose within, drawing him ever closer to breaking point. The mirror showed a handsome man whose appearance was marred by his illness. A sickly complexion and dark circles under the eyes did nothing to hide how the man felt on the inside: he tried hard to hide it when with company, but it was becoming strenuous day by day.

Seeing this image of himself only reminded him of the past. In the original world, he spent his days at home; his only link to the outside world was through two friends. Seraina and Asher saved him from the constant boredom and it distracted him from the thought that the illness would one day kill him.

That day came when he was eighteen years old, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself in a space so white it was blinding. The whiteness of the place gave no sense of direction and left one stumbling as they tried to get their bearings. There was no one to guide or help the individual make sense of what was happening and where they were—all that Callen could do was wait and see if anyone else appeared.

After what felt like an eternity, a figure appeared and guided him to a place where entities known as systems lived and operated. There, he was told about the realm and his unexpected role within it. The figure explained many things, unravelling the mysteries of this place, and assigned him a personal system—a companion to aid him through various worlds.

His mission was to become a Host, travelling to different fictional worlds to follow their plotlines and ensure each one reached a satisfying conclusion. If he completed all the storylines as intended, he would earn the chance to return to his original world with a new, healthier body.

Fueled by the hope of returning to his original world and seeing Seraina again, he tackled his tasks with determination and speed. But he hadn't anticipated it happening so quickly — upon entering this novel, he was caught off guard by a character who bore such a striking resemblance to her.

At first, he felt a surge of excitement at seeing her, but he reminded himself to keep his distance—he had a job to complete in this world. Besides, there was no way to know if this character merely resembled her or if she truly was Seraina. After all, he had no idea what had happened after his death.

Constant uncertainty plagued the back of his mind. Every gentle smile, word and look sent his way reminded him of Seraina and weakened his resolve. However, the restrictions of the plot stopped him from going out of character, and aside from the usual interactions between them, he couldn't do more than that. He couldn't deny the pull in his heart, the longing to be with her like the old days, but he had a purpose, and going against that was out of the question.

Yet, as the days wore on inside the novel, it was becoming clearer that the Seraina here wasn't just a reflection of the one he knew; the way she spoke, her quirks and the warmth in her eyes, when she looked at him, were achingly familiar. It was as though the universe was dangling the truth in front of him, but he could do nothing about it.

Doubt and hope were fighting a constant battle within him. Does she remember me? What if this is a chance to get to know her again? These constant thoughts bounced around his mind, but seeing how she interacted with him compared to how she was with Asher made him question it all over again. And feelings that he believed to have left behind due to his death came up once again, with rage quickly following behind them.

Was he fated to be overshadowed by that man in every lifetime? Especially when it came to Seraina. No, he wouldn't let that happen again. In this novel world, he was the male lead and Seraina the female lead—this was the perfect opportunity to surpass Asher and win her heart once and for all.