A young man lay upon a lavish bed in an opulent room, seemingly lost in a deep slumber. His surroundings were the epitome of luxury. Suddenly, his fingers twitched, and a strained voice escaped his lips.
"Ahh... my head hurts. Where am I?"
His voice was shaky, laden with confusion. When he caught his reflection in the mirror, a look of pure shock washed over his face.
"Wh-what? Who is this? This isn't me!" he stuttered, fear and bewilderment etched into his features.
The man in the mirror had messy yet elegant blue hair and shimmering crimson eyes. He was strikingly handsome—the kind of person who looked like a character straight out of the novels he used to read.
Tok tok.
A sudden knock at the door startled him.
"Young Master, are you still asleep?" a voice called out from the hallway. When there was no answer, the man asked again, "Young Master Jules?"
The young man thought to himself, Who is Jules?
He stood up and opened the door to find a butler waiting outside. The butler was of average build with slicked-back black hair tied into a ponytail. He wore a monocle over his left eye, and wrinkles lined his forehead, contrasting with his crisp, classical black suit.
The butler handed him a cup of tea. As Jules took the cup, he murmured, "Thanks."
The butler's eyes widened in surprise at the simple gratitude. Seizing the moment, Jules asked, "Who am I?"
The butler, visibly taken aback, replied, "What are you saying, Young Master? Are you feeling alright?"
Jules stared at him blankly, prompting the butler to continue. "Young Master, you are the middle son of the Evasilles family; your name is Jules Evasilles. Your father is the Great Swordmaster Ramon Evasilles, the Grand Duke and current head of the family. He is one of the strongest pillars of the Wion Empire."
As the butler spoke, Jules felt a sense of dread. These names and titles were intimately familiar.
Am I in a dream? He pinched his arm to check. "Ow!" he groaned.
The butler looked concerned. "Is something wrong, Young Master?"
"No," Jules replied quickly. "I was just... wondering how it feels to pinch myself. You may go now. And one more thing—please prepare my bath."
The butler nodded, though he remained puzzled. "As you wish, Young Master."
Once the butler left, Jules spiraled into deep thought. Jules? Evasilles? Wion Empire? Grand Duke? A realization struck him like a physical blow, and he nearly shouted.
"W-what?! These are the characters and settings from the novel I was reading! How is this happening?"
He had been reincarnated into a story. In his previous life, he was an ordinary man named Joon-Wook Choi.
"Why did I have to be reincarnated as the most pathetic character in the book?" he lamented.
Though Jules was the son of a legendary swordmaster, he possessed no talent. Every one of his siblings outshone him, and the Jules of the novel was a "trash" character, despised by everyone despite the prestige of the Evasilles name.
"What do I do now? Did I actually die in my world?" He rubbed his forehead and let out a long, heavy sigh. "Fuu... So I really am inside Mage Chronicles."
He began preparing for his bath. When the butler returned to offer him a bathrobe, he did so with a forced, tight smile. It was clear he took no pleasure in his duties.
Jules was weak, the young man realized, noticing the butler's disdain. I suppose that's why everyone hates him.
"Thanks," Jules said as he took the robe.
Well, perhaps it's better if I'm hated, he thought while soaking in the extravagant, beautiful bath. I can live a peaceful life with no worries. I just need to earn enough money to be independent.
After drying off, he dressed in a stunning classical attire and combed his shimmering blue hair.
"I need to stay away from the main protagonists," he resolved. "I have to avoid the plot at all costs."
Just then, the butler knocked again. "Young Master, it is time for breakfast."
"Alright," Jules replied, standing tall. "I'm coming."