EP 2 - The Name of the Fugitive

As I stepped out of the corridor of the White Palace, the air changed. Instead of the cold scent of stone, the mingled aroma of an ancient incense burner and damp wind filled my lungs. The internal passage of the Central Palace was an area where only nobles and knights could pass, but at this moment, I belonged to neither. “Stop!” Ernst Valentine’s voice echoed from behind. Following it were the sounds of clashing armor and hurried footsteps. They were right on my tail. Under normal circumstances, I should have been surrounded at this point. The moment I left the corridor, all routes would have been blocked, and I would have been captured or fallen in a fight with no options left. That was the script. But this time was different. I knew in advance. At the end of this passage, beneath the decorations on the left wall, there was a very old secret passage. When did I know about this? I was certain, but my memory was hazy. It felt as if I had seen this information somewhere else, not in this world. As I placed my hand on the wall, a slight vibration passed through it. The magical pattern responded with a low sound. “Kyle Lorenz!” Ernst’s shout grew closer. I didn’t hesitate. I pushed the decoration aside, and the wall opened more easily than I expected. Like darkness opening its mouth, the passage swallowed me. With the sound of the door closing, the noise from outside was cut off. For a moment, there was complete silence. I took a breath and walked through the darkness. The passage was narrow enough for only one person to pass, and the floor was covered in dust, as if it had not been used for a long time. Why did no one ever question the existence of a place like this? That question was soon overshadowed by another thought. This world makes me the villain. If so, perhaps even this escape route was ultimately a device to make the ‘protagonist shine brighter.’ At the end of the passage, I saw a faint light. I slowed my steps. Outside was the outer garden of the Central Palace. It was a time when few people passed by. The guards' line of sight was also limited. In the script, I would definitely be discovered here. But this time, there was still no one around. I climbed over the wall. As I landed, a shock hit my knees, but I bit down to suppress any sound. “Ha…” I exhaled softly and surveyed my surroundings. The capital of the Arken Empire, on the outskirts of the imperial city. Now I was no longer the villain of the Central Palace, but a fugitive. As I realized this fact, a strange feeling washed over me. Before fear, what came first was a sense of liberation. Yes. So this is how it could be. A life that always walked toward predetermined defeat. Just the fact that I had stepped off that track made the world look different. But the joy didn’t last long. I sensed an unfamiliar presence behind me. I immediately turned my body. “Faster than I expected.” A low, calm voice. There stood a man in a black cloak, neither a knight nor a noble. He was not affiliated with the imperial family. At least, he was not a character that appeared in the script I knew. “Who are you?” The man chuckled lightly at my question. “No one calls me that, but if I had to say…” His gaze swept over me. “I handle those who have strayed from the script.” In that instant, a chill ran down my spine. The word “handle” sounded too natural. “Your recent choice,” he said. “It left quite a significant error in the overall story.” Error. That word felt uncharacteristic of the people in this world. “Kyle Lorenz.” The man called my name. “You are now the most dangerous being in this world.” I clenched my teeth. “Neither the protagonist nor the villain.” The man nodded. “Correct. A fugitive.” He took a step closer. “And we don’t just let fugitives go.” I clenched my hands. Running away doesn’t mean it’s over. In this world, there are those who wish to uphold the script. And I had become their target.