Warmth.
That was the first thing Nox felt when he regained consciousness.
Something soft… something warm… something breathing against his chest.
"…Huh?"
His eyes opened slowly—only to freeze completely.
Celstia was lying on top of him.
Not in her maid uniform.
But in a thin nightgown.
"…Wh–WHY!?"
His eyes dropped for a split second—then shot away instantly, face exploding crimson.
"W–why is she here like this!? And why is she wearing that!?"
He swallowed hard.
Celstia clung to him tightly, legs tangled with his, arms wrapped around his torso like he was her entire world.
Then the memories hit him.
Norax Duskgale's memories.
Not for romance.
Not for anything physical.
After seeing his brutal childhood memories—
<…Norax, you crazy bastard… you never told me this part when I wrote you. There are so many new things now… and it's reality now.>
Nox sighed internally.
The pain of the slums.
Starvation.
The beatings.
The betrayal.
The years of blood and training.
Those memories weren't his, but they felt real—too real.
He sighed again.
"Changing the fate of the world wasn't my business…" he murmured softly,
"but I don't want to die either. And it's way too late to go home."
Celstia shifted against him.
Her pink eyes were half-open in a sleepy daze.
"Master… are you awake…?"
Her sleepy voice was too adorable.
And that thin gown was absolutely dangerous.
Nox panicked and gently patted her head.
"S–Sorry… I made you worry and wake up."
She rubbed her cheek against his palm and let out a tiny, soft moan.
"Mmm… I'm fine as long as you're here… Master…"
Then she bit her lip shyly.
"Um… sorry to ask this, but… can I… take…?"
Nox flinched.
He nodded quickly.
"Y-Yeah. Go ahead. My… hand should be fine."
He offered his wrist—
—but Celstia ignored it completely.
She straddled him, leaning forward until their faces were inches apart.
"Eh—wait—Celstia!?"
Her hands slid to his waist.
Her lips brushed his skin—
Then her fangs pierced his neck.
"H–Hh…!"
A shiver ran through him.
His hands landed on her waist involuntarily—heat rushing through him from the closeness, from the sensation, from her breath against his skin.
Celstia drank quietly, her eyelashes trembling.
After a moment she pulled back, licking the last drop from her lips.
Her pink eyes glowed faintly—dangerously, beautifully.
She pushed him gently into the bed, her hair falling around them like a curtain.
The sight—
—was terrifying and stunning at the same time.
Celstia leaned down and whispered in a sweet, addictive voice:
"Good night… Master, I was sleepy."
Then she snuggled against his chest again and promptly fell asleep.
"…W–Wait. She's STILL sleeping with me!?"
Nox stared at the ceiling, completely defeated.
"I'm not going to survive this world at this rate…"
Two days passed.
Nox could finally walk without collapsing.
The bandages were gone, the pain had eased, and Celstia's obsessive care had kept him alive… maybe a bit too alive.
Now that his body worked again, he had no more excuses.
He needed to face reality.
Two tasks from @Applepie:
1. Deal with the person sending assassins.
2. Take control of the underworld within six months.
Six months.
"…Six months? Seriously, what kind of insane challenge is this? Even in the real novel, that's not the right pace."
"But now?"
<@Applepie is basically telling him: Do it faster or die.>
Nox sat in the office chair, staring at piles of documents.
Celestia quietly placed a cup of coffee beside him.
"Master… please don't push yourself too hard. Your body is still recovering. And the wound wasn't deep, but it could still reopen."
"I'll be fine. I… have a lot of work to do, so I don't die."
His blunt tone made Celestia pout slightly, but she stepped aside politely.
He glanced around the mansion.
The halls bustled with servants.
Guards in blue uniforms patrolled outside—elite members of Blue Crescent, the underworld organization Norax built in three years.
Blue Crescent.
Their motto:
> Crime and Punishment.
They punished criminals to control crime.
They used orphans and desperate souls to build a kingdom in the slums.
Half righteous, half evil.
A blade in the night.
And Nox was their leader now.
Whether he liked it or not.
He sighed and sifted through the files.
He paused for a moment.
Now that he thought about it—
Norax Duskgale was basically built from his own personality as an author.
Stoic.
Sarcastic.
Cunning.
A soft spot hidden under a cold exterior.
He winced.
"…Readers said making him a villain was a bad idea. I should've listened."
He flipped to another set of documents.
The current structure of Blue Crescent:
1 Leader: Norax Duskgale
8 Commanders total in the novel (but only three were currently active)
Multiple units including assassins, magic units, scouts, merchants, enforcers, and other talented people
One of the active commanders stood nearby—Celestia.
She was wearing her maid uniform again, quietly sorting files.
But her presence was unmistakable.
But in the future, she would become:
> "Elemental Vampire Queen Celestia."
Right now, she was still early in her growth.
Still half-vampire enough to bleed.
Still small enough to be hurt.
And still glaring at him with worried eyes.
Nox raised a brow.
"…Why are you staring at me like that?"
Celestia blinked, then smiled softly.
"Just making sure you don't collapse again, Master."
"…I won't collapse. I'm fine now."
"You said that last time and fainted… also nosebleed."
He coughed.
"…Never mind that. Focus on the work, Mrs. Head Maid."
Celestia tilted her head cutely but didn't ask further.
Nox watched her for a moment.
She's strong. Loyal. Dangerous. And she's my commander…
He shivered slightly.
The future was terrifying.
But he had no choice but to move forward.
He straightened, expression turning sharp.
"…First task: deal with the assassins."
He placed the papers down and stood up.
Celestia noticed immediately.
"Master, where are you going? Should I accompany you?"
Nox smirked faintly.
"Yeah. It's time to start cleaning up the underworld."
Her eyes gleamed with excitement and devotion.
"Yes, Master."
The moment Norax Duskgale stepped into the communication office, Celestia silently placed a sound-blocking spell around the entire room.
The blue mana veil shimmered for a second before vanishing.
Both of them sat down.
"…Master, I'll contact the Crescent Shade Unit leader now."
Celestia pressed her palm against the crystal sphere. Magical circuits lit up as the device activated, showing ripples of light.
Norax crossed his arms and waited.
A few seconds later—
VWOOM—
The screen flickered, and the image of a tanned dark elf with silver-grey hair appeared.
"Ma—MASTER!! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! I HEARD YOU WERE ATTACKED—!!!"
"AH—!! My ears—!!"
"VELYRA! LOWER YOUR VOICE!" Celestia shouted, rubbing her ears.
"What?! I AM SPEAKING NORMALLY—"
"You're shouting!"
"I am not shouting!"
And just like that, Celestia and the elf immediately got into an argument.
Norax stared at the crystal screen, expression blank.
The dark elf Velyra Nightcrescent was older than both of them.
Even with her stern aura, her beauty was striking—silver-grey hair, dark skin, sharp eyes—an intimidating but reliable commander.
Norax finally raised his hand.
"Both of you. Stop."
The two women froze instantly.
Velyra straightened like a soldier caught misbehaving.
Norax continued, voice calm.
"Velyra… I'm fine. And I assume, without my order, you investigated the assassin?"
Velyra immediately bowed on screen.
"My deepest apologies, Master! I acted out of concern. Please punish—"
"I'm not angry." Norax sighed. "You did the right thing."
Velyra blinked, startled. Then her expression bloomed into pure joy, like a dog finally praised by its owner.
"Thank you, Master!"
Celestia puffed her cheeks at Velyra's reaction but said nothing.
Norax leaned forward.
"So? What did you find out?"
Velyra's expression hardened.
"The assassin was mid-rank at best. They weren't professionals like us."
Velyra continued,
"I interrogated them. They claimed a cloaked man paid them. And since everyone in the underworld knows you were attending the new shop's opening ceremony… they probably tried to take advantage of the timing."
Norax tapped his fingers on the table.
Celestia spoke next.
"If they're only mid-rank, that means someone inside ordered them, or a noble is involved."
Norax nodded slightly.
The room grew tense.
Celestia clenched her fist.
"Master, they attacked you once. They can do it again. We cannot let them go."
Velyra slammed her fist on her chest.
"Crescent Shade Unit is ready to retaliate at your order, Master!"
Norax exhaled slowly.
"Both of you… calm down."
The two women froze again.
He continued, tone steady.
"I know. But without solid proof, we can't accuse nobles nor start a war with another powerhouse. We need patience."
Celestia bit her lip but nodded.
Velyra lowered her head, visibly frustrated.
Norax turned toward the dark elf.
"Velyra. Continue investigating. Focus on the second powerhouse. My gut says they're connected."
"Yes, Master. I will find whoever dared to touch you."
Norax leaned back, hiding his sigh.
He remembered clearly—
He also remembered the ending—
Protagonist intervenes.
Blue Crescent collapses.
All eight commanders die one by one.
Norax Duskgale dies with them.
After his death, a special episode showed his innocence and hidden good intentions—but that was never revealed in the novel.
Norax closed his eyes for a moment.
"I really created one hell of an anti-hero villain…"
He opened them again, sharper than before.