Morning sunlight poured through the tall windows of Prince Kyle's residence.
Golden light spread across the polished wooden floors and soft carpets, slowly warming the quiet rooms of the prince's wing. Outside, the palace gardens were alive with birdsong and the gentle sound of flowing fountains.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Kyle woke up without a headache.
He stretched lazily across the large bed, staring up at the silk canopy above him.
"…Right."
He was still here.
Not his apartment.
Not Earth.
The Levicious Empire.
Kyle sighed softly and rubbed his eyes.
Yesterday was exhausting.
Transmigration.
Meeting the emperor.
Buying and freeing Joshua.
Facing Luis Stark's suspicious eyes.
"Man… what a day."
He sat up and ran a hand through his silver-gray hair.
But strangely…
He didn't feel scared anymore.
If anything, he felt a strange excitement growing inside him.
I survived the first day.
And if he survived the first day…
Then he could survive the second.
Kyle climbed out of bed and walked toward the window.
The view was incredible.
The palace gardens stretched wide below him, filled with blooming flowers and winding stone paths. Beyond the walls, the capital city of the Levicious Empire spread out like a living tapestry of rooftops and towers.
Kyle leaned against the window frame.
"So this is my kingdom, huh…"
Technically, it wasn't.
At least not yet.
The crown prince Edward would inherit the throne.
Unless something changes.
Kyle quickly shook his head.
"Let's not think about that yet."
He had far more immediate problems.
For example…
Surviving palace politics.
A knock sounded on the door.
"Your Highness?"
Kyle recognized Clara's voice.
"Come in."
The door opened and Clara stepped inside with Livia behind her.
Both maids bowed politely.
"Good morning, Your Highness."
Kyle smiled slightly.
"Morning."
Clara placed a tray on the nearby table.
"We prepared breakfast."
The smell of fresh bread and tea filled the room.
Kyle's stomach growled.
"Perfect timing."
Livia hesitated slightly before speaking.
"Your Highness… the omega guest has already awakened."
Kyle blinked.
"Joshua?"
"Yes."
"He's up already?"
Clara nodded.
"He woke before sunrise."
Kyle frowned slightly.
That didn't surprise him.
Joshua had lived as a slave for years.
His body was probably used to waking early.
"Where is he?"
"In the courtyard."
Kyle grabbed a piece of bread and took a bite.
"In the courtyard doing what?"
Clara hesitated.
"…Cleaning."
Kyle nearly choked.
"Cleaning?!"
Clara looked confused.
"He insisted."
Kyle groaned.
"I knew this would happen."
He quickly swallowed the bread and stood up.
"Show me."
---
The inner courtyard of Kyle's residence was quiet and peaceful.
A small garden filled the center of the space, with stone paths winding between blooming flowers. A fountain trickled softly in the middle.
And near the fountain—
Joshua was kneeling on the ground.
He held a cloth in his hand, carefully scrubbing the stone floor.
Kyle stopped in the doorway.
"…Seriously?"
Joshua looked up immediately.
His violet eyes widened when he saw Kyle.
"Your Highness!"
He quickly stood up and bowed.
Kyle walked into the courtyard.
"Why are you cleaning the floor?"
Joshua looked confused.
"…Because it is dirty."
Kyle rubbed his temples.
"That's not your job."
Joshua blinked.
"But I live here now."
"Yes."
"So I should contribute."
Kyle stared at him.
Joshua stared back.
Neither spoke for several seconds.
Luis Stark's voice suddenly appeared from behind them.
"He is correct."
Kyle turned around.
Luis stood near the entrance of the courtyard, arms crossed.
His armor reflected the morning sunlight.
Kyle sighed.
"You too?"
Luis walked closer.
"In most noble households, servants perform duties in exchange for shelter."
Joshua nodded quickly.
"Yes."
Kyle pointed at him.
"He's not a servant."
Joshua froze.
Luis raised an eyebrow.
Kyle continued.
"He works for me."
Luis's expression remained calm.
"That is essentially the same thing."
Kyle shook his head stubbornly.
"No."
Joshua looked back and forth between them nervously.
Kyle sighed again.
"Look…"
He pointed at Joshua.
"You're not here to scrub floors."
Joshua lowered his gaze slightly.
"…Then what should I do?"
Kyle thought for a moment.
Then he remembered something from yesterday's conversation.
"You said you know medicine."
Joshua nodded.
"A little."
"And herbs."
"Yes."
Kyle smiled.
"Good."
Joshua looked curious.
"Why?"
Kyle turned toward the garden.
"Because I have an idea."
Luis watched him carefully.
"That expression is dangerous."
Kyle ignored him.
Joshua stepped closer.
"What kind of idea?"
Kyle pointed toward the plants in the courtyard.
"What if we grow herbs here?"
Joshua blinked.
"…Herbs?"
Kyle nodded enthusiastically.
"Medicinal herbs."
Luis frowned slightly.
"For what purpose?"
Kyle leaned casually against the fountain.
"For the knights."
Luis's eyes narrowed slightly.
"The knights?"
Kyle nodded.
"Your knights get injured all the time, right?"
Luis didn't deny it.
"Of course."
Kyle pointed at Joshua again.
"He knows medicine."
Joshua looked surprised.
Kyle continued.
"And herbs."
Luis slowly understood where this was going.
"You want him to grow medicine for the knights."
Kyle snapped his fingers.
"Exactly."
Joshua stared at him.
"You trust my knowledge… that much?"
Kyle shrugged.
"Why not?"
Joshua's chest tightened slightly.
Trust.
Such a simple word.
But no one had ever given it to him so easily.
Luis looked thoughtful.
"That idea is… practical."
Kyle grinned.
"See?"
Joshua slowly nodded.
"I can try."
Kyle clapped his hands once.
"Perfect."
But before the conversation could continue—
A palace servant rushed into the courtyard.
"Your Highness!"
Kyle turned.
"Yes?"
The servant bowed quickly.
"A letter has arrived."
Kyle blinked.
"A letter?"
"Yes."
The servant handed him a sealed envelope.
Kyle examined it carefully.
The seal was elegant.
Purple wax.
Stamped with a silver emblem.
Luis leaned closer.
His eyes widened slightly.
"That seal…"
Kyle looked at him.
"What?"
Luis spoke slowly.
"It belongs to the Lumina Church."
Kyle's heart skipped a beat.
Lumina Church.
The most powerful religious organization in the empire.
And its leader…
The Pope.
Tony Carter.
Kyle's mind raced.
Wait.
In the novel, Tony Carter didn't contact Prince Kyle until much later.
Why now?
Kyle carefully broke the seal and opened the letter.
His eyes scanned the elegant handwriting.
Then—
He froze.
Luis noticed immediately.
"What does it say?"
Kyle slowly lowered the letter.
His expression was somewhere between shock and disbelief.
"…The Pope wants to meet me."
Joshua's eyes widened.
"The Pope?!"
Luis's expression turned serious.
"The leader of the Lumina Church rarely summons members of the royal family."
Kyle stared at the letter again.
What the hell…
The message was short.
But very clear.
"His Holiness Pope Tony Carter invites Prince Kyle Gray to the Lumina Cathedral tomorrow afternoon."
Kyle looked at the sky.
Then back at the letter.
"…Did I accidentally start the main story already?"
Luis frowned.
"I do not understand."
Kyle forced a smile.
"Nothing."
But inside—
Kyle's thoughts were racing.
Because in the novel…
Tony Carter was one of the most dangerous characters in the entire empire.
And now—
The Pope was calling him personally.
Kyle folded the letter slowly.
"Well."
He looked at Luis and Joshua.
"Tomorrow is going to be interesting."
And somewhere in the heart of the capital—
Inside the towering Lumina Cathedral—
A beautiful man with silver-blond hair slowly closed a book.
His pale blue eyes lifted toward the stained-glass window above him.
Sunlight painted colors across his face.
Tony Carter smiled faintly.
"Prince Kyle Gray…"
His voice was soft.
But filled with curiosity.
"You are not the same soul I once saw."
And tomorrow—
He would confirm it.