I'm sorry if the translation isn't perfect. This novel is originally in Arabic, and I'm using a translator. If there are any mistakes, I hope you can overlook them!
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A man of average height, his black hair falling over his weary black eyes, anxiously checked his classic wristwatch. He muttered under his breath, annoyed, "I'm late for the lecture… damn it!"
Moving quickly through the corridor, he noticed the elevator doors about to close. Without hesitation, he shouted, "Wait!"
At the last moment, the doors reopened, allowing him to step inside. He sighed in relief, thinking, My day would have been even worse if the elevator had closed on me.
Swiftly, he pressed the button for the fourth floor before checking his watch again. Half an hour late… a new record.
His thoughts were interrupted by a young man standing beside him.
"Oh! Professor Mallory!"
Mallory lifted his head, looking at the young man. He didn't recognize him, so he responded with a polite smile, "Sorry, do I know you?"
The young man beamed with enthusiasm, raising his hand in greeting. "I attended one of your lectures last year. You were absolutely amazing! My name is Johann."
Mallory gave a reserved nod, returning the greeting. "Nice to meet you, Johann."
Johann, as if he had found a golden opportunity, launched into an excited conversation. "Honestly, I hate physics, but your lecture on relativity was the first time I actually understood something in this complicated field!"
What a headache… Mallory thought silently, forcing a smile. "Haha, thank you, student Johann."
But Johann didn't stop there. Instead, he grew even more excited. "Do you remember your lecture on quantum mechanics? Someone recorded it while you were explaining, and the video spread across the entire university! You've become really famous—we even started calling you the modern Einstein!"
What does that title have to do with me? Are these people idiots? Mallory tried not to show his irritation, managing only a strained smile.
Finally, the elevator arrived at the fourth floor. As the doors opened, Mallory couldn't hide his relief.
Johann stepped out with a hint of disappointment. "I wanted to talk to you more, Professor Mallory!"
Man, just go already… Mallory thought, feeling internally at peace as he replied, "We'll talk more next time."
As the elevator doors closed, a faint smile appeared on his face. I hope I never see him again.
Just then, his phone vibrated with a notification.
He pulled it out to see a message: [Your comment on The Hero's Struggle has been replied to by the author.]
Mallory's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't expected the author—who was notorious for never responding to comments—to reply to him out of nowhere.
Curiosity surged within him, but he restrained himself and quickly put his phone away as he arrived at the lecture hall.
Mallory pushed open the massive iron doors, stepping into the lecture hall filled with around a hundred students. Anyone would feel overwhelmed by such a large audience, but Mallory was already used to it.
The students were chatting among themselves, but they quickly fell silent when he began writing on the board.
Title of the lecture: "Hidden Dimensions."
Mallory started explaining, though his mind was elsewhere, still thinking about the author's reply.
Finally, he let out a relieved sigh as he concluded the lecture and answered the students' questions. One by one, they left the hall until the once-crowded room was empty—except for Mallory, still seated at his desk.
Taking out his phone, he opened the website and checked the author's message.
@Mallory: The ending was weird. I mean, killing everyone? Isn't that a bit harsh? I thought that if the villain, Mallory, had survived, the ending might have changed… He was such a mysterious character. I thought he would have a strong impact on the story. I didn't expect him to die at his father's hands so quickly!
A reply appeared beneath his comment.
@gon144: Dude, just admit you pitied the villain because he has the same name as you. (눈‸눈)
Mallory frowned at that response but ignored it as he spotted the author's reply.
@Author: You're sharp. The villain, Mallory, holds a secret. Maybe you'll be the one to discover it.
Mallory's expression darkened. Discover his secret? Is this author an idiot? I got excited for nothing.
Sighing, he put his phone away, packed up his things, and placed his bag on the desk.
For a moment, he surrendered to an old habit, glancing out the massive window that overlooked the city skyline.
The sky was pitch black, polluted by the overwhelming city lights that masked the stars he once loved. Only a faint crescent moon remained, glowing weakly among scattered clouds that drifted like ghosts in an endless abyss.
He sighed quietly, contemplating the scene.
If only all these lights were turned off… then maybe the sky could finally breathe.
As if some unseen force had answered his wish, the lights in the entire lecture hall suddenly went out.
Mallory frowned in confusion, but his eyes widened when he realized that the blackout wasn't limited to the hall. The entire city had been swallowed by darkness.
He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "What is this? The fastest wish fulfillment in my life?"
But reality wasn't that simple.
The darkness was so absolute that Mallory could barely see his own hands. He reached for his bag but quickly realized he needed a light source.
As he groped blindly for his belongings, a strange glow flickered behind him.
Slowly, he turned around.
A radiant white light had appeared from nowhere. It wasn't a normal light—it pulsed, as if alive, as if it had a will of its own.
A faint voice echoed in his mind, but he couldn't focus. Everything around him was eerily still. It was as if the world had completely stopped.
He stood frozen, unable to move, captivated by the surreal sight.
The heat from the light grew stronger, flooding his body like an electric current.
Before he could even process what was happening, the light expanded, engulfing his entire vision.
In that instant, everything disappeared.
The sound of the world.
His sense of self.
Even his thoughts.
A brief tremor ran through his body before his consciousness faded completely.
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the bright light streaming through a nearby window.
A ceiling decorated with intricate carvings and engravings—patterns so elaborate they seemed to tell a story.
In the center, a massive chandelier made of crystal sparkled like a frozen constellation.
Mallory tried to sit up, only to freeze in shock when he saw his hands.
Pale, slender fingers with delicate joints and faint blue veins running underneath his translucent skin.
"What the hell…?"
He knew his hands. They weren't this pale. His skin had always been warm-toned, not this ghostly white.
His eyes darted around, taking in his surroundings.
A bedroom larger than his entire apartment.
Classic, ornate walls. Furniture carved with intricate details. A massive bed, draped with luxurious velvet cushions, almost the size of his entire living room.
Everything about this place screamed wealth.
"Where… am I?"
Swallowing hard, he turned toward the enormous mirror across the room. Crawling toward it, he pushed himself up from the bed—only to collapse onto the floor.
"Argh! Damn it!"
Pain shot through his right leg, but he ignored it, struggling to get up again—only to fall once more.
"What the hell is happening?!"
Before he could gather his thoughts, the door burst open, and a female voice shrieked,
"T-The prince has awakened!"
Prince?
Who?
Me?
Malory let out a sarcastic laugh before turning to the maid beside him.
"Is this some kind of prank?… A hidden camera?"
The maid struggled to pronounce the unfamiliar word. "Kira…ma? What is that?"
Before Malory could react, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. The door was pushed open with force, the loud noise irritating him as he looked around in confusion.
The people who entered seemed to know him well… yet they were strangers. Their clothes were odd—heavy fabrics with multiple layers and intricate details, resembling garments from the medieval era.
There were about four of them. From their attire, Malory deduced that the woman in the voluminous gown with wide sleeves was wealthy—perhaps the owner of this grand mansion. Beside her stood a young man in an embroidered jacket adorned with gemstones—her husband, perhaps?
Their expressions were filled with concern. The wealthy woman covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes glistening as she spoke anxiously.
"M-Malory… My God, you've woken up!"
Malory remained silent, still struggling to process the situation. This felt like a dream… but how could a dream be this vivid? Impossible.
The young nobleman stepped forward hesitantly, reaching out to help him. "B-Brother, are you alright—"
Malory smacked the young man's hand away, the sound echoing through the now silent room.
"Don't touch me."
Where am I?… The last thing I remember, I was in the lecture hall. Then… what happened?
How did I get here?
I saw a bright light, and then I woke up in this strange place… with this unfamiliar body?
The noblewoman swallowed nervously before speaking in a gentle voice, trying to reassure Malory, whose eyes were filled with fear and confusion.
"Malory, Alfred won't touch you, but please, you need to sit back on the bed so the Saint can examine you."
Malory ignored her words and instead asked a single question—one that plunged the room into silence.
"Who are you?"
"…."
"W-We?…" Alfred stuttered in shock. The man standing behind the noblewoman quickly took control of the situation, stepping toward Malory with a calm demeanor.
"Your Highness, if you could sit back on the bed, I will examine you. After that, I'll explain everything you need to know."
Your Highness?
Who… am I?
Malory didn't know what to do. His injured right foot, the unfamiliar people, his strange new appearance, the odd room—everything pointed to one terrifying conclusion.
Was I kidnapped by wealthy people for some kind of experiment?!
Swallowing hard, Malory couldn't suppress the tremor in his voice.
"W-What country am I in?"
The Saint furrowed his brows. "C-Country? What is that, Your Highness?"
"Country, kingdom, empire—damn it, where am I?!" Malory's voice rose in panic.
The Saint quickly answered, "You are in the Zalarion Empire."
Zalarion…? That name sounds familiar…
Malory continued his questioning, while Alfred and the noblewoman remained silent, watching him with worried expressions.
"Who am I?"
The room fell into a tense silence before the Saint finally spoke.
"You are Prince Malory Selius, the second prince of the empire."
Malory Selius?! Isn't that the villain from the novel Struggle of the Hero?!
He had been described as a man with jet-black hair and ominous red eyes… and a mysterious illness that affected his right leg.
No, no, no, no… This is impossible!
This can't be real!
This can't be happening!
"Ah… no, no… I-I'm not him!" Malory cried out in terror.
He tried to stand but collapsed onto his knees. He frantically crawled backward, distancing himself from the strangers watching him with sorrowful expressions. Covering his ears, he squeezed his eyes shut, whispering to himself in desperation.
"Wake up, wake up… Malory, this is just a dream! It has to be!"
"Damn it," the Saint muttered under his breath as he observed the prince, who now looked like a madman—curled up on himself, muttering incoherently in fear.
Alfred turned to the Saint, his voice laced with frustration.
"What's happening?! Why is my brother acting like this?!"
"It seems he has lost his memory… I'll have to put him to sleep. He's in no state to talk right now."
Alfred nodded in understanding as the Saint raised his hand, summoning a transparent white bubble while whispering softly.
"
Malory's whispers gradually faded, his eyes fluttering shut as his body went limp. A few tears still clung to his lashes.
Alfred turned to his mother, who stood motionless, trembling with an expression he had never seen before—pure fear.
He gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Mother, are you alright?"
Her eyes quivered with anxiety as she stared at Malory's unconscious form. She couldn't bring herself to answer.
Alfred rubbed her back soothingly. "Don't worry, Mother… Malory will be fine. This is only temporary."
Then, he turned to the maid standing behind them.
"Bring a chair for my mother."
The maid bowed respectfully. "As you wish, Your Highness."
In a single moment, Malory had become utterly alone in this world.
A world he did not belong to.
As if his soul had crossed into another existence… through time and space…
Now, he lived in a void where he had no past, no hope—only silence.
A silence that filled his heart.