In a luxurious hotel room with an impeccable view lay a handsome man, sprawled on the huge bed.
His hand stretched out while his face stared up at the roof with a conflicted expression.
Who was that handsome man, you ask?
Who else but me.
A few hours had passed since my conversation with Seraphina.
I got my wounds treated by a healer, then went straight to the hotel.
I’d spent all this time lying on my bed, thinking about one person for hours.
I wasn’t dense or delusional—I knew exactly why she was on my mind.
But it was completely out of character for me.
I wasn’t the type to get attached easily.
Sure, I favored her in the game—but that didn’t mean I liked the real Seraphina.
And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about the woman who’d just beaten me to a pulp.
It didn’t make sense—really, it didn’t.
But since when have human emotions ever made sense?
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath, annoyed at how easily that warm feeling crept in.
I genuinely felt like some lovesick character in a teenage girl drama.
“Tsk, can Mina hurry up and get here?” I really didn’t want to think about Seraphina.
My head was a mess—torn between whether I liked this feeling or hated it.
The best option was just to forget.
But I couldn’t.
I kept hoping Mina would burst through the door like she always did, but today she was taking her sweet time.
Or maybe it was just because I told her to come at 8 p.m.
I sighed.
“Let me just call her.” I unlocked my phone and checked my call history.
Mina was at the top, but I’d saved her as “bitchslave.” Honestly, it made me realise how unhinged the old Asmari was.
I dialed her number, and the ringing echoed through the hotel room.
I crossed my arms and tapped my foot, waiting for Mina to finally pick up.
Eventually, she did.
“Hello.” Mina’s voice came out of the phone speaker.
“Tsk, how long are you planning to take?” I grumbled.
“I’ve been waiting in my hotel room forever,” I complained, not caring how entitled I sounded.
“How long?
You’re the one who told me to come to your hotel room at 8 p.m.
sharp—or have you already gone senile, you dumb fuck?”
“You’re the dumb fuck.
You have five minutes to get up to my room, or I’m deducting your pay.”
“YOU DON’T EVEN PAY—” I hung up before she could finish.
I turned to the window, taking in the dazzling city and the setting sun.
Skyscrapers everywhere, billboards and traffic—it reminded me of New York from Earth.
My hotel room towered above every other skyscraper.
There was a pool outside that I never used, and five rooms I had to myself.
That’s what you get from the most luxurious hotel in the world.
My mom made sure I got the best room possible.
I was sure there were other important characters staying in this hotel right now—including the main character, Kevin of the Lightheart family.
And just like the Dragaoth, they were an Eight-Star family.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Kevin had the room next to mine—maybe even that whore Morena.
Tsk.
Thinking of her soured my mood.
There was also a floor above me reserved for the imperial family.
My mom even tried to get me that room—going so far as to threaten the hotel owners—but unfortunately, both the Crown Prince and Princess were here, so she couldn’t.
I chuckled to myself, thinking about the mother who would do anything for me.
The old Asmari took his mom for granted.
But with Luke’s memories, and having barely had a family before, I couldn’t help but feel a warm, grateful affection inside me.
I stared out the window as the burning yellow sun dropped toward the horizon.
Any second now, I expected commotion.
The key card slid into the door.
But Mina, being Mina, wasn’t about to open it like a normal person.
Thud.
The door slammed against the wall.
Somehow, Mina’s kick didn’t send it flying—I guess the engineers anticipated Awakened guests and reinforced everything.
Mina stepped in, arms crossed and eyes narrowed, like the very existence of the world annoyed her.
“Close the door.” Mina clicked her tongue, then cocked her foot back and side-kicked the door shut.
“Wow,” I said with mock exaggeration.
“I wonder who taught you noble etiquette—I think they deserve a raise.” Mina scoffed.
“You’re talking about noble etiquette?
Didn’t you assault a princess on camera?” she spat.
My left eye twitched.
“Tsk, did you have to bring that up?” I muttered.
“I was framed.” Mina snorted, but this time she sounded genuinely amused.
“Is that the excuse you’re going with?
Tell that to the thousands of videos circulating across the whole internet.” I clenched my jaw in frustration.
I hated that she was right; there was so much evidence against me, arguing was pointless.
So I did what I do best when I’m losing an argument.
“Fuck you, Mina.
Disgusting demi-human scum—go piss on a sidewalk.” I snapped.
“No, fuck you, Asmari.
Go assault another princess—maybe one of the imperial ones this time.” I gasped in mock outrage.
“Excuse you, I am actually a feminist—I would never.” Mina’s face went deadpan.
“You’re joking, right?”
I clicked my tongue and pointed at a couch.
“Sit.” Mina didn’t argue for once; she made her way to the sofa while I sat on my bed.
“Do you have it?” I immediately asked.
“Mhm, they’re in my room.” I nodded.
“Good, now what did you find?” Mina didn’t answer my question, instead asking me a question of her own.
“First, tell me why you made me buy that disguise mask and use it to scout the church.” I inhaled deeply before exhaling in defeat.
Guess there is no hiding it.
For twenty minutes straight, I explained my plan.
I told her how I needed to sneak into the church vault, how there was an orb there that could purify your bloodline, and it was the only way to grow strong quickly.
I left out the real reason why I knew about the orb, telling her it appeared in a dream.
I also told her about the Star Dust Group, sharing all the important details except the Emperor’s involvement.
Uncharacteristically, Mina stayed quiet for the whole explanation.
When I finished, Mina’s face didn’t flinch; I don’t think she blinked once during the whole explanation.
My gaze lingered on her expectantly, wondering what she’d say.
But the reaction I waited for never came.
Mina looked unfazed, like she’d been turned to stone, her emerald green eyes fixed on me.
I began to grow impatient, my foot tapping on the floor as my brows knitted together.
“Hello?
You alive?” I waved at her, trying to get a reaction, but she sat as still as a statue.
I clicked my tongue and stood up, and just as I took my first step, Mina lunged at me.
My eyes shot open, but I had no time to react to Mina’s movement.
She grabbed my collar and pushed me against the bed, making me let out an involuntary gasp.
“What are you doing?” I asked in bewilderment.
Mina was seated on my abdomen, her hands around my collar, holding me close to her face, her eyes open with both anger and disbelief.
“What am I doing?
What am I doing?!” You fucking moron, what the fuck are you doing?!” Mina shouted, spit flying into my face as she yelled.
I genuinely thought the room below us could hear her.
“You’re planning to rob the fucking Lumina Church, and you dare to ask what I’m doing?” She held my collar tighter as she started shaking my body back and forth, her breath growing heavy.
“Can you let go?
You’re spitting on my face.” I said, annoyance threatening to surface.
My hand shot up, grasping at hers as she yanked my hair.
“Hey, stop—”
“Don’t stop me, Asmari.
I need to see if there’s a brain in there,” she said, shaking both my body and my hair at the same time.
She didn’t stop until a whole minute had passed, her assault met with my protests.
She finally got off me, still furious but with a hint of contempt on her face.
I grumbled, running my hands through my hair to restore its usual style, though it still looked rough.
“Tsk, you ruined my hair.
“And you ruined my week; guess we’re even.”
“Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”
“Am I overreacting?!” The contempt on her face vanished.
“You’re planning to rob the biggest church in the world—why?
Because of a fucking dream, Asmari?
A DREAM!” She spat those last words at me, teeth clenched, practically growling.
“Can you stop screaming?” I said, rubbing my ear and wiping the spit off my face before continuing.
“A cat is supposed to meow, not bark like a dog.” Mina’s ear twitched, but before she could shoot back a snarky remark, I continued.
“You’re going to follow me to the pits of hell if I say so, so stop complaining.” She bit her lip hard; she was bleeding.
“Fuck you, Asmari.
You’re going to get us killed.” I shrugged.
“That’s the life we live—if we die, we die.
There’s no point fighting it.” When she realized there was no talking me out of it, she looked defeated.
“I swear, if we make it back to Dragaoth City, I’m telling Aunt Amara,” she muttered.
An amused smile crept onto my lips.
“Oh?
You’d rather have my tyrant sister as your master?”
“Yes, I would rather ha—” Mina suddenly went quiet.
She processed what she was about to say, then shook her head.
“Never mind.”
I held back a chuckle and walked to the desk in the corner.
I took out something and handed it to Mina.
“What’s this?” she asked while looking at the papers I had given her.
“It’s stacks of paper.” Her lips twitched as she gripped the papers tighter.
“I can see that, thank you.
I’m asking what the purpose is?”
“It’s for your role.
You’re going to distract the priest while I get into the vault.” Mina frowned, not looking convinced.
“So you want me to memorise all of this just to hold a conversation with him?”
“Bingo,” I said.
Mina barely glanced at the papers before her eyes shot up, lips parting in shock—but she was too stunned to speak.
“Yes, it’s true—and don’t ask, I’m not telling you how I know.” Mina’s shock didn’t fade; if anything, it only grew, an incredulous scoff escaping her.
“You know we’re dead if there is nothing here you haven’t written down, right?”
“Don’t worry, as long as you follow the script, we’ll be fine.” At least, I hoped so—not that I’d ever admit it out loud.
After Mina read the papers, she remembered everything thanks to her Aspect.
I made sure to ask her about the scouting, and she told me what she saw; it was nothing big or unexpected.
I thought back to my plan, trying to poke holes in it to find anything wrong, but it was almost flawless.
It all depended on Mina and how well she could play her role.
When she finished, Mina left the room.
I lay on my bed, my mind filled with nothing but tomorrow’s mission.
Tomorrow, I’d take on the most dangerous mission of my life.
I could die—but if I survived, I’d have completely derailed the plot of the story.
Everything came down to one day.
Tomorrow.
A/N
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