Chapter 2
The Monster Opens His Eyes
"Your Majesty."
The voice was close.
Too close.
I opened my eyes.
The first thing I felt was weight.
Not the gentle heaviness of sleep or the stiff ache of having sat too long in one position, but something far denser and it was pressing down on my shoulders, my chest, my limbs. I inhaled sharply, the breath coming out deeper than it should have, heavier, as though my lungs themselves had changed.
And that's when the smell hit next.
Smoke. Incense. Iron.
Blood.
My fingers twitched, and I became acutely aware of how wrong my body felt. My arms were heavier, my hands larger, calloused in places that had never known rough work. Something cold hugged my torso, plates overlapping against one another. When I shifted slightly, metal scraped against metal.
Armor.
Panic flared.
This isn't the plane.
I tried to sit up, but the movement came far too easily; smooth, practiced, as though this body had done this motion countless times before. I tried to sit up again and the armor moved with me, like a second skin. It was heavy, yes, but not cumbersome.
I lowered my gaze and then I saw it.
Dark, armored hands rested against the carved arms of a throne-like-chair.
A throne-like-chair .
I looked back to check the chair only to discover that it was indeed a Throne.
A throne.
My heart stuttered violently.
No. No, no, no...
"Your… Your Majesty?"
The voice came again, hesitant this time.
I lifted my head.
And froze.
I wasn't alone.
I wasn't even close to alone.
The hall stretched wide before me, quiet dim, but lit by rows of torches. Stone pillars lined the walls, their surfaces stained with soot and some red substance that look like it wasn't meant to be there. The banners hanging between them were torn, their colors unfamiliar, their sigils slashed through.
Where am I?
This wasn't my world.
But it looked quite familiar like as if I've seen it from somewhere before. I tried racking my brain to know where I have seen this place from before.
I looked back at the people again.
Some people who looks like soldiers stood scattered across the hall, some in unfamiliar armor, some wearing the black and crimson just like the military uniform from the novel I was just reading a while ago.
Yes, the Monster's consort.
That's why it looked familiar, the whole place look just like the design from the manga version of the Monster's consort.
And that's when I started to piece together every single thing
The dried blood,
The broken weapons,
The discarded helms.
I'm pretty sure the bodies had been cleared away, but the aftermath remained etched into the stone floor.
I looked at the people again and they were kneeling before me.
Everyone.
Officials. Commanders. Servants. Soldiers.
Every single one of them had their heads bowed, their postures rigid, as though afraid even breathing too loudly would cost them their lives.
They weren't looking at each other.
They were looking at me.
A cold wave of dread washed through me.
"What…" My voice came out low. Calm. Masculine.
Not mine.
The sound of it sent a sharp jolt through my spine.
I swallowed and looked down at myself again, more carefully this time.
The armor was dark, intricately crafted, etched with patterns I recognized far too well. A dragon coiled across the chest plate ; its eyes inlaid with dull red stones. The cape draped behind me was heavy with rainwater and ash.
This armor.
I'd seen it before.
In panels. In illustrations. In dramatic spreads that made my heart race and my stomach twist all at once.
No.
My pulse thundered in my ears.
"Your Highness ," someone said carefully. "We await your command."
The man who spoke stood a few steps below the throne. He was tall, broad-shouldered, his armor less ornate but no less formidable. His hands hung at his sides, fingers curled just slightly, as though ready to draw his weapon at the smallest thing . His gaze was lowered, respectful but alert.
I know him, he is Emperor Li Shen's commander-in-waiting.
Jin Ao.
I recognized him not from words, but from ink and shading from the manga panels I'd memorized, the sharp lines of his jaw, the scar near his temple, the perpetual tension in his stance.
This isn't real.
It had to be a dream.
I looked left.
I looked right.
Then, slowly, I pointed at myself.
"…Me?"
A murmur rippled through the hall.
The commander stiffened. "Your Majesty?"
The title hit me like a blade.
Your Majesty.
The world tilted.
I rose to my feet.
Gasps followed the movement, subtle but unmistakable. The weight of the armor shifted again, dragging slightly at my shoulders before settling. My balance adjusted automatically, instinctively, as though this body knew exactly how to stand like a ruler.
I didn't.
I took a step forward.
The sound of my boots echoed through the hall, sharp and final.
Another step.
The armor was heavy but manageable. Familiar, even. My muscles responded without hesitation, carrying me forward with a confidence I didn't know I possessed .
"I need…" I stopped myself, jaw tightening. "I need air."
No one questioned me.
No one could if what I suspect is true
They parted instantly, heads bowed lower as I descended the steps and strode past them. I didn't look back. If I did, I was certain I'd collapse under the weight of their gaze.
The corridor beyond the hall stretched out and was dim, lit by lanterns that cast long shadows across stone walls carved with murals of royalty .
My chest felt tight.
I turned sharply into a side passage and stopped short when I saw my reflection.
A mirror stood against the wall; tall, framed in gold darkened by age.
I stared.
Oh
My
God.
The man staring back at me was unmistakable.
Emperor Li Shen.
The tyrant king.
The same sharp eyes I'd seen a hundred times in black-and-white panels. The same cold expression, the same face that artists loved to frame in shadow and flame. Strands of dark hair had slipped loose from their binding, clinging damply to his face. There was blood at his temple though dry now, but still visible.
My breath hitched.
"This is impossible," I whispered.
The mirror did not argue.
Memories rushed in Mine. The girl on the plane. The one who had clutched a book and muttered, If it were me, I'd choose the general.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Think. Think.
Footsteps echoed somewhere behind me.
I straightened instantly.
No one can know.
I turned and walked back toward the throne room, my pace measured, my expression schooled into something cool and unreadable.
I don't know how I got here or if it's was a dream but all I knew is that i needed to act fast.
The moment I reentered, the hall fell silent again.
That was when I saw him.
Kneeling at the foot of the throne steps.
Chains bit into his wrists and ankles, iron links heavy and unforgiving. His armor was cracked and barely holding on and it was smeared with mud and blood, his body bearing the marks of a battle fought to the bitter end.
General Ren Yu.
I knew him because I was a fan .
Not like in reality but through pages and panels, through tragic arcs and stolen glances that never ended well. His face matched the manga perfectly: sharp eyes, proud even in defeat, dark hair falling loose around his shoulders.
This was the scene.
The exact one.
"My lord," Jin Ao said carefully, following my gaze. "What shall be done with the enemy general?"
The words slammed into me.
I remembered.
In the book, Li Shen hadn't hesitated.
Take him to the dungeon. Break him.
And then
Kill the rest.
My hands clenched.
I stepped back.
I should do something to prevent that from happening
"No," I said sharply not realizing I said my thoughts out loud.
The hall stiffened.
I turned away from the throne, my voice colder than I felt. "Take all prisoners of war. Lock them in the dungeon."
Shock rippled through the room.
"All of them," I repeated. "Alive."
Jin Ao hesitated for half a second and then bowed. "As you command."
The chains scraped against stone as Ren Yu was hauled to his feet.
For the briefest moment, I looked over at him.
They met his.
Sharp. Calculating.
Suspicious.
I looked away.
"I am done for the night," I said. "Leave."
They obeyed.
I walked out of the throne room and towards the king chamber, since i know the story far to well I know where the chamber was located. The former king's chambers were grand in a way that made my breath catch. Silk drapes. Lacquered screens. Gold inlay woven into every surface. It was beautiful and wrong.
I was still staring when a sound reached me.
A muffled sob.
I turned.
The bed.
The princess lay bound upon it, wrists tied, a cloth gag pressed between trembling lips. Her eyes were covered, her body rigid with terror.
My chest tightened painfully because I knew that I (the emperor) ordered this .
Maids entered quietly behind me. "Your Majesty, your water is ready."
They moved to help remove my armor.
That was when I saw her properly.
"Leave," I said immediately.
They froze.
"Now."
They fled.
I approached the bed slowly.
Her sobs grew louder.
I sat down then stopped.
My hands.
They were still stained with blood.
I turned away and crossed the room, retrieving the basin of water the maids had left behind. I scrubbed my hands until the water ran pink, until my skin burned.
Only then did I return.
"I'm not going to hurt you," I said softly.
She didn't believe me.
I untied the cloth from her mouth first.
She gasped, breath shuddering. "Please…"
"I know," I said quietly. "I know."
I removed the blindfold next.
Her eyes flew open, wide, wet, filled with fear.
"I'm sorry," I said. The words felt insufficient, broken. "I know apologizing doesn't change anything. I don't even know if I have the right to say it."
I untied her hands.
She scrambled backward, pressing herself against the headboard as if trying to disappear or become one with it if she could, just to get away from me.
"I won't touch you," I said quickly. "I swear."
After a moment, I called softly, "Jin Ao."
The commander appeared instantly.
" Take her and tell the Maids to prepare a room for her and a bath. Make sure she is treated with respect."," I ordered.
He stared at me, stunned.
Then bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."
When they were gone, I removed the armor piece by piece.
The bath washed away the blood.
I lay down afterward, staring at the ceiling.
This is a dream.
I will sleep and wake up in the plane.
I kept repeating this words till I fell asleep.
Morning came.
I opened my eyes to the same room and that's when another stage of panic settle in.
I was still Emperor Li Shen.
I was trapped inside the monster.
CHAPTER THREE :I AM TRAPPED INSIDE THE MONSTER.