[Crimson Tears] was a variable that should not have appeared on this stage yet.
In Revan's memory, it was more than just a rare item; it was a catalyst for catastrophe. Its form resembled a thick, crimson liquid crystal that pulsed slowly—like a heart freshly ripped from a chest. Beautiful, yet lethal.
In the future Revan knew, [Crimson Tears] was the "product" of forbidden alchemy. Its function was singular: Forced Evolution.
It made no distinction between the path of magic and the path of the warrior.
Whether for a Mage seeking an abyss of mana, or a Warrior forging a body of steel, this crystal was the ultimate shortcut.
For those with extraordinary fortitude, it was an impossible shortcut—capable of catapulting a person into the 'Master Rank' instantly.
But for those with wavering souls, it would incinerate their sanity, warping their existence into 'The Corrupted'—mindless monsters driven by an insatiable hunger for Mana.
Swallowing this crystal was a lethal gamble: become a ruler, or end as a feral shell.
'How... how is this thing even here?' he muttered, utterly stunned.
He shifted his gaze toward Sylvia in disbelief.
'Why does the Vespera family possess something like this?'
Even with their immense power in both the upper and lower worlds, obtaining [Crimson Tears] should have been impossible.
This item was supposed to be created much later by the Alchemist Professor at the Academy—someone corrupted by demons—when the game entered Arc 4.
'Is the game deviating from its original path? Is it because of me?'
He quickly dismissed the thought.
Impossible. Since he was a child, Revan had been meticulously careful not to derail the plot.
Even when he "borrowed" certain artifacts ahead of time, he only took external items that wouldn't change a character's destiny.
Take [Shadow Storage], for instance—a spatial artifact fused with his body that allowed him to store all his necessities within an empty void.
Then there was the [Elixir of Vitality], and the alchemy recipes he used to cure his mana blockage and strengthen his physique. These were merely personal tools—things that allowed the current Revan to match the speed of a 'Master' despite his limitations. These were safe variables.
'Besides... the first Arc hasn't even started yet, has it?'
Instantly, a splitting headache struck Revan.
Although his body had been throbbing with pain from the start, this was different—it felt like a lightning bolt exploding inside his skull. A wave of nausea surged up his throat.
The fact that [Crimson Tears] was sitting in his palm changed everything. It was absolute proof that the storyline was no longer following its destined path. The future script he had relied on had completely collapsed.
The realization hit him like a physical blow: There is no more time to relax.
All this time, Revan had looked down on this world's scenario.
He had dismissed every threat as a mere passing breeze, arrogant in the belief that his intellect and 'future knowledge' were absolute.
He had convinced himself that dodging conflicts and preserving the plot would be child's play.
He thought he was playing a game on easy mode, but the board had been flipped without him noticing.
In his hubris, he had deluded himself. He had truly thought that saving this world would be easy.
In the span of a single day, Revan's mind had been forced to digest an overwhelming amount of information. His emotions were being toyed with, churned into a chaotic, swirling mess.
'What kind of trashy plot twist is this?' he cursed inwardly.
'Am I stuck in some garbage third-rate novel now? Is the author some kind of twisted sadist who gets off on torturing the main character?'
Suddenly, a cold shudder ran through Revan's entire body—not from the night wind, but from a fear taking root in his very marrow.
His mind was so cluttered with panic that he completely failed to notice the reality outside his head. He hadn't realized that Sylvia had been calling his name. Repeatedly.
And for someone like Sylvia Von Vespera, being ignored was an unforgivable sin.
Revan only snapped back to reality when the air pressure around him grew crushing.
A dark, suffocating aura began to radiate from his master, coiling around her figure.
in her delicate palm, a vortex of magic swirled ominously, slowly taking the shape of a blooming Black Rose ready to detonate.
Meanwhile, her silver cross earrings swayed with the rising tension, letting out a soft, chilling chime—a sound that rang in Revan's ears like a death knell.
'Fuck me.'
Without wasting a single second, his body moved with lightning speed.
Realizing his life was hanging by a thread, Revan's survival instincts instantly took over.
He executed a flawless "Prostration of Apology" with such fluidity, as if his bones were made of rubber. In reality, his body was still battered. Every inch of his muscles screamed in protest, and his unhealed wounds sent sharp signals of agony straight to his brain.
Yet, Revan swallowed all that pain in a single gulp.
He dropped to his knees, hitting the ground without hesitation, and bowed his head in a display of total submission.
"Please forgive this lowly servant's insolence, My Lady!" he exclaimed, his voice dripping with practiced sincerity.
"It seems I was lost... utterly mesmerized by the beauty of the mana radiating from that catalyst."
"Hooo... interesting. So you know something about this object?"
The mana cloaking Sylvia's body intensified.
'Dammit!' 'I forgot!'
Amidst his panic and scrambled thoughts, Revan realized he had overlooked one critical detail.
In the original storyline, [Crimson Tears] was never a common commodity, not even within the depths of the black market.
It was an 'Exclusive' item. It wasn't displayed on illegal shelves; instead, it was traded directly and strictly behind closed doors—reserved only for high-ranking nobles or influential figures of the underworld.
And that was his fatal blind spot.
Even though Revan held the prestigious title of Sylvia's "Right-Hand Man," at the end of the day, he was merely a servant.
He had no authority, no access, and absolutely no say in the internal business of the Vespera Family. He stood beside Sylvia's throne, yet he remained an outsider to their empire.
It made sense that he knew nothing. Information of this caliber would never reach the ears of a mere butler.
'Nah, I'm cooked...' he muttered in total resignation.
'My fate is truly being tossed around like a die in a gambler's cup. I die so easily, only to come back to life... trapped in this endless, vicious cycle.'
His short-circuited thoughts spiraled wildly, breaking the fourth wall of his reality.
'Oh God... No, oh Author... No, wait—Oh, dear Readers!'
'If I really am trapped inside a novel, then at least... you, the ones reading this right now... I beg of you, end my suffering! Please, never read this novel again! Drop it immediately! Do it so that damn Author loses the motivation to write another word!'
A soft sigh drifted down from above.
Slowly, the heavy pressure in the air began to thin. The dark aura coiling around Sylvia receded, and the swirling magic rose in her hand unraveled, turning back into particles of light that vanished into the night.
Sylvia looked down at her prostrating servant with a flat gaze, as if her anger just moments ago had been nothing but an illusion.
"Whatever," she said in a nonchalant tone, instantly returning to her usual icy demeanor.
"Excuse me... My Lady?"
Still in his prostrating position, Revan jerked his head up in sheer confusion.
She ignored his dumbfounded reaction. She turned her face away, no longer interested in making a fuss over Revan's delayed response.
"Well... I knew someone like you would be able to recognize what it is," she added casually.
'Yeah, I'm convinced she's turned into a tsundere,' Revan muttered internally.
She then brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, causing her earrings to chime softly.
"All the cargo in the carriage is secure. The transfer has already been taken over by the Vespera transport team."
"The total value of the assets inside is at least 100,000 gold coins."
Revan's eyes widened for a fraction of a second. His brain quickly converted the sum to his old world's currency. That's roughly 1 Billion Yen...
"And as for that warrior's companion... the old wizard," Sylvia continued while glancing toward the dark forest.
"It seems he fled, leaving his friend to die alone along with all this loot."
Another sigh escaped her pale pink lips.
"I don't know what they were planning."
"Well... at least that's fortunate. It would have been quite troublesome for me to fight an Archmage seriously tonight."
Revan's body froze instantly.
Archmage?
'Hah? You bitch... did you just say Archmage?'
'So you knew? You knew it all along?'
It would be a blatant lie to say Revan didn't have the urge to punch her face in or strangle his master right this very second.
His composure cracked. Revan could no longer hide the veins popping out on his forehead, twitching with suppressed rage. His emotions boiled over.
'So she realized from the very beginning that he was an Archmage?!'
Before he could voice any of his frustration, Sylvia spoke quickly in a bored tone.
"I might go look for something else after this."
"You... return to the Academy. Stay put in your dorm and do not show your face or do anything without my direct order. Understood?"
Revan swallowed his anger deep down, terrified that if he remained silent again, it would ruin his master's mood.
"Your wish is my command, My Lady," he replied, still bowing on the ground.
After the conversation ended, despite his battered body screaming in pain, Revan performed his role as a diligent subordinate before returning to the Academy. He helped haul and secure the remaining stolen cargo, ensuring the treasure worth billions was safe before they finally parted ways.