Chapter 3- First Misfortune

Inside the darkness enveloping Aven's mind, which appeared like a cold and empty void that seemed to swallow even his thoughts, his mind spun with confusion—a haze of disorientation tightening its grip.

Gradually, sensations seeped into his consciousness: a faint pressure on his chest against something warm and soft, like the comforting embrace of a blanket on a winter morning, but breathing and sweaty.

A rhythmic movement stirred the murky depths of his awareness, akin to the gentle sway of branches in a breeze—a soothing experience indeed.

Amidst the fading haze of consciousness, he became aware of a soft yet insistent pressure enveloping his private part.

It was a delicate touch, appearing to wrap around his shaft with a pressure coming from all directions simultaneously—tight and inviting, urging involuntary movements of his lower body—back and forth.

At times, a sensation of being drawn in prompted him to arch his back in attempts to withdraw, only to encounter a resistant tightness that encouraged him to press forward and penetrate the hurdle—a rhythmic, involuntary dance that pulsed through him, each stroke sending electrifying feeling.

Though his mind seemed hazy, the subtle, tight pressure exerted on his shaft from something warm, soft, and wet was slowly bringing his senses back to consciousness, though not enough to awaken him fully.

"Ahh… Uhm…"

Finally, lost in that sensation, his ears seemed to catch a soft, soothing, melodious rhythmic voice—something familiar yet instinctively causing his body to respond even more, hoping to hear the voice more clearly.

"Haaaah….aaaaah~! AHhn~!"

A subtle increase in sound, as if working as a stimulus, sent a jolt through his already hazy mind, prompting him to retaliate with even more force as he felt the resistant tightening on his lower body with increased pace—everything was happening while he seemed to be in the least control.

Squelch Squelch

"..NNH~! AHNG~! HNGGGH~!"

'?!'

Suddenly, that cry tore through the thick veil of sleep, wrenching Avendial's eyes open. His breath came in ragged gasps, mingling with the dimly lit room's pungent aroma—a mix of sweat and lingering passion.

"Haah...Haah.." His widened blue pupils reflected a beautiful face with amethyst eyes framed by tousled purple hair, sprawled across the rumpled white bedsheets.

"...R-Rivia?" Despite his lower body twitching involuntarily, he ignored it and focused on the familiar figure lying beneath him. Her flushed face met his gaze, and they shared a moment of realization—she slightly bewildered, he perplexed.

{A/n: Rivia's illustration in Comment}

They were entangled in a thin, silky white bedsheet, barely covering their bare bodies, the fabric serving more as a reminder of their intimacy than modesty.

His own breath was erratic, contrasting sharply with her controlled composure. The air around them seemed charged with unspoken words and the aftermath of physical exertion.

"Damn it!" In a fleeting moment of clarity, Avendial realized the gravity of the situation.

Instead of succumbing to impulse, he pushed his body away with desperate urgency, his legs betraying him as he stumbled towards the edge of the bed.

In that moment of fall, his eyes captured the sight of the room he was in—a grand chamber adorned with towering columns intricately carved with floral patterns, their marble surfaces polished to a gleaming shine.

Interior of deep crimson and gold draped the walls, catching the flickering light of brass candelabras that hung from the vaulted ceiling.

A large fireplace dominated one side, still burning to provide warmth in this cold weather.

The air was heavy with the scent of sandalwood and beeswax, but a slightly pungent smell also filled the entire room.

These details served as a reminder to Avendial that he was currently inside one of the rooms in the main palace of the Arniphiam Empire.

"...Young Master!" Upon seeing the man fall, the woman, despite still feeling pain in her pelvic area, reacted instantly, her body blurring and hurling towards him.

SWISH

thud

"....T-thank you, Rivia," Avendial's eyes met the woman who had arrived beside him even before his fall, catching his body. Both of them were naked, the moonlight highlighting her milky white skin, revealing a stoic expression on her face.

Even after the intense moment, she remained composed, apart from the blush near her ears and face—something expected from one of the few sword masters in this Empire.

Aven, supporting himself, grasped her hand to remove it, noticing the firm, calloused palm that spoke of her rigorous sword training.

"Welcome, Master, but..." Rivia nodded slightly, hesitating to ask why he had stopped, sensing it might cross a line as she observed the nail marks across his shoulders and back, she pursed her lips.

'....I need to hurry' Avendial, seeing the woman still alive before him, deduced he had indeed returned to the past. However, the timing made him realize he didn't have much time before the first misfortune of his life plunges him into further darkness.

"Rivia, get dressed now. This is a trap," Avendial, knowing her ability to decipher everything from his words, sprang into action, moving towards the bed to retrieve her clothes.

However, he found them shredded, prompting him to grit his teeth in anger and vow to kill the person who drugged him with an aphrodisiac.

His legs felt weak, but the will and memories of the future drove him on. He threw a white shirt towards her and ordered, "Wear this now."

While looking for something to wear himself, he noticed red blood stains on the white bedsheet from her deflowering, further enraging him as he clenched his pants beside it.

"Young Master, please don't overexert yourself," she suggested, seeing him barely able to control himself. Prompting her to hold his arm, he struggled to put on his pants due to affected by the strong aphrodisiac and his boiling anger.

"We need to leave this place, Rivia," he said urgently, turning towards her. He noticed she wore the same thin white shirt with open buttons, revealing teeth marks, hickeys on her breasts and neck, and swollen areas around her nipples, which made him realize how much humiliation and suffering she must have endured because of him.

"I understand," Rivia nodded, discreetly scanning the room. Hearing his words, she narrowed her gaze, recognizing the urgency and potential disaster if they were caught like this.

"Did you find something?" Avendial finally managed to put on his pants and glanced at her, aware of her searching for anything that could cause him future problems.

"Master, it seems there are several cameras in this room." As she placed her palm on the wall, her senses reached out with her Synergy flowing through whole room while detecting connections leading to several image recording devices.

"So they have a backup plan too," Avendial remarked, glancing at Rivia in the thin white shirt that revealed her features. Averting his gaze, he looked into a large mirror, seeing his own reflection—silver hair fluttering, blue eyes, and marks of nails and kisses across his body which appeared unremarkable, neither muscular nor fatty.

Reflecting on the day's events, he remembered how someone had orchestrated a setup to push him towards destruction, ultimately leading to Rivia's death in a dirty game played against him, just as he was about to be betrothed to the princess of this Empire.

Turning his attention to the bed, where a sheathed sword—a black and purple katana blade belonging to Rivia's—lay. Memories of his previous life surged as he approached it—the same blade he had used until the end. Gripping the blade and throwing it towards Rivia, he firmly commanded, "Destroy this entire room, Rivia."

"I understand," the woman nodded as she caught the sword. She unsheathed a black blade, its purple hilt firmly in her grip. Approaching Avendial, she positioned herself with her back towards him to shield him from the backlash of her Synergy.

WHOOSH

In an instant, her entire body was shrouded in a deep energy that flowed through her and into the sword, causing its blade to glimmer.

She slowly placed the glowing blade inside the scabbard, the glimmer gradually fading as it slid inside.

Swish

Then, in one swift motion, she drew the blade again, forming an elegant arc in the room before sheathing it once more.

SLICE

A simple sound reverberated through the room before everything returned to normal.

"Let's leave, Master," Rivia said, turning towards Avendial, whose narrowed gaze was fixed on the door. This caused Rivia to also notice the sound of footsteps approaching from the hallway.

tap tap

The footsteps grew louder and more distinct, turning into a rapid clatter as several individuals ran towards the room.

Within moments, the entire hallway was filled with the sound of their approach before the door burst open.

Boom!

"You are declared guilty of treason, Marquess Croceas!" a bulky man wearing a set of armor and holding a sword shrouded in a white translucent aura declared as he entered the room with a swift kick, breaking the door open.

His speed was so great that he moved faster than the door's fall.

'?!'

'No, it's impossible,' the man instantly broke into a sweat the moment his eyes saw the door he had kicked. Before it fell to the floor, it had turned into dust—most specifically, finely cut dust at the atomic level.

Not only the door, but the entire room was reduced to flying dust, stirred by the air currents created by his speed.

Clank

His trembling hands let the sword fall to the floor as he realized the punishment he would face for failing this mission.

Seeing how finely cut everything was and noticing no one present, his voice shook as he remembered the individual with the prowess to cut at the atomic level, "D-Dominic Rivia Aurelia."

"Where are they?" an old man in a butler's attire asked as he stepped forward, observing that the only thing left in the room were the white walls, with even the burning fire having been sliced into pieces until it extinguished.

"S-sorry, Sebas, th-this..." The man in front stammered, his horrified eyes turning towards the old man.

Schlkt!

"Kughh?!" The man's eyes widened as a sharp pain surged through his chest. His trembling hands lifted to grasp at the arm piercing through his chest, shattering his armor.

Holding the arm, the man's trembling head lifted to meet the cold gaze of the old man. Moonlight cast a shadow on his face as the butler's claws clenched firmly inside his body. In a firm tone, the butler declared, "For lying about the future husband of Princess Katheria Arniphiam, you are executed."

Thud

The moment the butler withdrew his arm, the man's body collapsed to the floor. His cold eyes then turned toward the soldiers accompanying him, declaring once again,"You all should redeem for your commander."

"Aghhh!"

"S-sir Butler—Ugh?!"

"Kugh!"

"Pl-lease, I have children to fee—"

Several cries echoed in the room, which was soon bathed in blood.

The butler stood alone near the door, surrounded by the bodies of the fallen soldiers. Clad in a pristine butler uniform, his white beard and mustache were immaculate, with not a single bloodstain on him except for his sharp, clawed hand, which he quickly cleaned with a cloth.

His eyes turned toward the open window, now devoid of doors since they had turned to dust. A cold glint passed through his eyes as he prepared to leave the room before adjusting his tie. His chilling words resonated in the silence, "It seems Master will have to use some other methods to get rid of you, Sir Avendial."