Urano lay on the grass, exhausted and panting, feeling like he could collapse at any moment.

"We can't stop training, at least not today," he said between ragged breaths.

"Come on! Is that all the world's most handsome writer can do?" Evelin teased, smirking as he tried to continue the exercises.

"Are you seriously never going to let me forget that?" Urano replied.

Since they had returned, their relationship had become more relaxed, closer, like good friends. At first, they could barely be called acquaintances, but over time, they had grown used to each other. They still didn't talk about personal lives or deep topics, but Urano was fine with that. There were many things he didn't feel ready to discuss. Most of their conversations were casual, full of teasing and small talk.

Sometimes Evelin would tease him with an old magazine she'd found who-knows-where. In 2022, when his career was at its peak, Urano had done a photo shoot and an interview to promote a new book. To his dismay, the publication had labeled him "the most handsome writer." He deeply regretted it.

Urano clicked his tongue in annoyance but didn't have the strength to complain while lying on the ground.

"Don't worry. One day you'll also appear in a magazine—if you can even reach my level," he said with a half-smile.

"Uh-huh, keep dreaming. I'm going for a run. After that, we'll go inside and finish prepping for the next story," she said, turning away, clearly irritated.

Urano slowly sat up, chuckling to himself as he watched her jog away. Then he walked to the house and sat on the living room sofa. He looked around at what Evelin had done with the space: two small plants, some anime figures, a Disney Cruella mug, and what looked like a frog-shaped key holder. Everything was Evelin's. In just a week, she had made the place her own. In contrast, Urano only had three things: his computer, a yellow notebook where he jotted down his thoughts, and a refillable fountain pen. That was his life now.

Upon returning, he understood why the synchronization with the prince had been so strong. Both carried heavy emotions, worn down and disappointed by their past lives. Now, with part of the prince's memories fused into his own, moving forward felt different—familiar. Like it was part of him.

He walked to the bathroom and stared at his reflection in the mirror.

"Still looks like me," he muttered with a touch of disappointment.

He opened a small yellow bottle and took a pill. Since leaving the last story, he'd reduced his intake, but something inside still pushed him to grip a sword every morning. It made him feel sharper, more alive. He glanced at the bracelet with a small cross on his wrist.

"Maybe this isn't so bad," he whispered.

He heard Evelin enter the house, her steps approaching the bathroom. He quickly hid the pills among the cleaning supplies, thinking he'd retrieve them later, and stepped out.

"Already showered?" Evelin asked with a teasing smile.

"Not yet. First, I'm making breakfast."

He went to the kitchen and prepared a sandwich for himself and another for Evelin. The sound of the knife cutting rapidly, the sizzle of eggs and nopales in the pan, and the scent of fresh bread filled the space. Without noticing, Urano began to smile.

Evelin, now dressed and drying her fiery red hair, approached the kitchen.

"Smells amazing. I didn't know you could cook," she said, surprised.

During the week, she had handled the meals to help Urano keep up with his book deadlines.

"Back when I lived alone, I cooked every day. I couldn't afford takeout," he explained, still moving the pan.

"I thought you had a personal chef," she joked.

"Ha! That shows you're still a kid. I started from the bottom too, missy."

"You're only two years older than me! I'm 25, not a kid."

"Haha. Kid."

Their morning went on harmoniously, full of playful banter, until it was time to discuss how to survive the next story. They sat together and pulled out what looked like a tablet, showing photos of them and various stats.

📋 Character Sheets

Evelin
Age: 25
Occupation: Mangaka
Skills: Basic military knowledge, general survival, drawing, story writing, basic self-defense and firearms.
Narrative Ability:

Dark Charm: Capable of influencing others' decisions. The smarter or more skeptical the target, the higher the chance of failure. Failing causes natural distrust or resentment.

Basic Investigation (CR): Slightly enhances environmental awareness and analytical thinking.
Modifiers:
Strength (x) · Speed (x) · Intelligence (2) · Charm (2) · Wisdom (x) · Constitution (x)

Urano
Age: 27
Occupation: Writer and Director
Skills: Negotiation, advanced writing, relationship management, intermediate musical talent, intermediate business knowledge.
Narrative Ability:

Basic Fencing (CR): Knows the fencing principles of the Ashur continent. Slight boost to reflexes and precision in combat.
Modifiers:
Strength (1) · Speed (1) · Intelligence (x) · Charm (x) · Wisdom (x) · Constitution (1)

In this inter-story space, they could see their stats as if they were tabletop characters. Some abilities were personal, others granted by the system. They could use points to boost base stats. Today, they were making their final checks: a new story was about to begin, based on a script Urano had co-written with an old friend.

Urano had worked on film scripts, and this story in particular had been co-written years ago with an old partner he'd since lost contact with. He remembered the plot broadly, and after watching the final movie version, he had done a basic analysis. Still, many of the smaller details were hazy. The script was inspired by those early 2000s horror films where a killer doll would slaughter an entire family.

The concept was simple: a toy gifted to a child for protection eventually turned evil. It served as a social critique—suggesting that with enough neglect and abuse, even a guardian could become a vengeful monster. A curse disguised as a blessing: the doll killed with terrifying ease.

The problem? Urano and Evelin were entering the story just before the first murder, and there was no hope of appeasing the doll's rage. The system had cast Urano as Marco, Mitch's older brother, and Evelin as Linda, the sheriff's deputy.