Stepping forward, I faced the mirror, and my breath caught in my throat.

  The reflection staring back at me wasn’t mine.

  Golden hair, sharp aristocratic features, piercing eyes that smoldered like embers—this was Riser Phenex. The realization crashed down on me like a tidal wave, my pulse hammering in my ears.

  Slowly, almost hesitantly, I raised a trembling hand to my face. My fingers traced over the smooth skin, the sharp jawline, the unfamiliar angles of a face I had only ever seen on a screen. The sensation was real—too real. Warmth radiated beneath my fingertips, the subtle shift of muscles as I moved, the way my breath fogged the gss.

  This wasn’t a dream.

  A sharp, searing pain suddenly stabbed through my skull. I gasped, staggering back as an unbearable pressure cmped onto my mind. It was like someone was carving memories into my very soul. I barely had time to process it before the flood came—Riser’s childhood, his family, the weight of his nobility, the pride, the arrogance, the expectations. Every thought, every experience, every emotion crashed into me all at once, suffocating and relentless.

  I clutched my head, nails digging into my scalp as I colpsed to my knees. My vision blurred, the room spinning in a swirl of red and gold. The pain was too much, too overwhelming.

  And then—darkness.

  **

  A gentle yet urgent shaking pulled me from the depths of unconsciousness.

  “Nii-sama… Nii-sama!”

  The voice was soft, ced with worry, its tone carrying a familiar warmth. Slowly, awareness crept back into me. My body felt heavy, my mind sluggish, like I had been drowning in a dream and only now surfaced for air.

  I forced my eyes open, but the sudden brightness stabbed into them like needles. Hissing, I squeezed them shut again, my senses still struggling to catch up. Blinking slowly, I let my vision adjust before finally focusing on the figure before me.

  Ravel Phenex.

  She knelt close, her delicate hands still gripping my shoulders. Her golden curls framed her face, and those crimson eyes—so much more vivid in reality than any anime could capture—glistened with unshed tears.

  She looked… worried.

  The sight of it sent a strange pang through my chest. In the show, she had been adorable, sure, but here, standing in front of me, trembling with concern, she was real. And for the first time since waking up in this world, it truly sank in.

  I wasn’t just watching anymore. I was here.

  “I’m fine,” I said, my voice coming out steadier than I expected.

  Ravel froze. Her grip on my shoulders loosened, and her eyes widened ever so slightly, as if I had just said something unthinkable.

  I frowned. “What? Why the sudden silence?”

  She took a slow, deep breath, as if choosing her words carefully. “Nii-sama… you didn’t refer to yourself in the third person.”

  Her words hit me like a sp.

  Shit.

  Riser always spoke in third person—his obnoxious, arrogant way of reinforcing his superiority. But I had slipped up, answering naturally without mimicking his speech pattern. It was such a small detail, but in a world where I was supposed to be Riser Phenex, small details could get me killed.

  Panic coiled in my gut, but I forced my face to remain neutral. I couldn’t let this spiral.

  Ravel’s worried eyes searched mine. “Are you really okay?”

  Her voice was softer now, less questioning, more concerned.