ICETKM 02

Chapter 2 . I Died and Then Possessed Someone

It was such an everyday occurrence that it didn’t even feel new.

I decided to shift my perspective and think positively.

In times like this, nothing beats a fun novel full of dreams and hope, rather than a grim, gutter-like reality.

Once I got home, I was going to binge-read I Imprinted the Heart of the Tyrant Emperor, my one and only hobby.

Today, of all days, happened to be the release date of the final chapter of Tyrant Emperor, which I’d been obsessed with for the past two years, reading every daily update without fail.

‘In the novel, that SSS-grade emperor is so sweet to his B-grade guide, you know?’

I was pouting and grumbling to myself about reality when it happened.

‘Huh?’

Suddenly, a strange sensation came over me.

It felt like my heart was being crushed in the grip of a giant hand.

And I wasn’t the only one who felt it.

“Kyaaaa! Oppa! Look! The gate!”

Kang Haeun, who always smiled kindly and sweetly in front of others, suddenly screamed with her face twisted in fear.

Even the four arrogant, insufferable S-rankers on the team—who looked like they’d never known fear before—had their expressions harden.

Then a looming shadow began to slowly cover the area in front of us.

‘Ah.’

Without thinking, I reached out my hand to the S-rankers who were like mortal enemies to me, pleading for help.

“Please, save me!”

Please. Please, just save me.

But—

“Haeun! Why today, of all days, damn it!”

“Haeun! Are you okay? Hide behind me! I’ll protect you no matter what.”

“Protect Haeun first!”

They didn’t even spare me a glance.

They completely ignored me.

And then—something enormous came crashing down.

‘!’

Boom. I think I heard a heavy thud. I think I felt unbearable pain.

If souls existed, mine must’ve been burning with rage in that moment.

This can’t be. I can’t die like this. Not so unfairly, without even doing anything. I don’t want to die in vain!

And then, it happened.

Ding!

[You have met the participation requirements.]

Even though I couldn’t see anything, that sentence registered clearly.

[Please choose a keyword to anchor your soul.]

What? Keyword? What are you talking about?

I just wanted to see the end of I Imprinted the Heart of the Tyrant Emperor, that’s all!

**[Combining the soul’s most frequently read keywords:]

#EnemiesToLovers #Misunderstanding #TragicEfforts #Salvation #Sacrifice #RegretfulMaleLead #Tyrant]**

Ugh, how embarrassing. I really did love the spicy stuff, huh.

But it didn’t end there.

[#TerminalIllness #TransmigrationIntoABook #Apocalypse #Guideverse]

What? Wait, hold on.

[Selecting a suitable character for possession based on keyword classification.]

I had a strong feeling that this was going in a very bad direction.

Whatever it was, remove “Guideverse,” please, I beg you—take it out!

But the system ignored me completely.

[Keyword selection complete. We wish you success in achieving the end of the world, as per your soul’s desire. Thank you.]

What? Wait, you can’t just send me off like this!

I reached out.

I couldn’t see anything, but I was definitely reaching for something.

And as I grabbed onto whatever it was—

I opened my eyes.

Gasp.

The first thing I noticed was the bright light.

And the sensation that I was holding something in my hand.

When I opened my eyes slightly, the first thing I saw were icy blue eyes.

Blue eyes? No way—Choi Jiheon?

‘Yeah, Choi Jiheon! That bastard!’

I ground my teeth.

I didn’t care about anything else—today, I was prepared to quit just to punch that S-rank bastard in the face.

How could he abandon and ignore a poor A-rank like me? You bastard! Because of you—because of you…?

“Hah. Have you really sunk to this kind of primal insult now?”

Huh? That’s weird.

The hand I was shaking in anger suddenly stopped.

And in that moment, the man’s face came into clear focus.

…Choi Jiheon wasn’t this good-looking, was he?

“Let go. While I’m still asking nicely.”

His voice was nice, too. That made it all the more confusing.

“Duke, have you finally lost your mind?”

Wait—didn’t I die? Or… maybe I didn’t?

‘But that pain felt real…’

And this man.

I’ve seen that face somewhere before.

Where have I seen that face—

Then, suddenly, it hit me.

Gasp! That face… it’s the one on the Tyrant Emperor cover!

* * *

I Imprinted the Heart of the Tyrant Emperor.

My favorite novel that shone a ray of light on my shitty work life—and a hugely popular bestseller from its first chapter.

The story was about a tyrant emperor, infamous for his terrible personality, who meets his destined female lead and transforms into a hopeless romantic.

But what the hell was this?

The man in front of me looked exactly like the male lead on the cover of Tyrant Emperor.

The tyrant emperor—Kaisis himself.

‘That sharp nose, those impossibly clear blue eyes, the doll-like features, the shimmering silver hair. Exactly the same!’

I was so stunned that I just stood there, staring at his face in silence.

Still grabbing him by the collar.

“What, are you amazed by the emperor’s face all of a sudden? Or are you disgusted, thinking I look like a monster?”

What nonsense was this sculpted statue spewing? Monster?

“If not—”

I didn’t even get a chance to respond.

Smack! My hand was slapped away from his collar. It stung.

“Back off. How long do you plan to keep grabbing the emperor’s collar?”

The cold chill that brushed against my hand crept into my skin.

This was real.

An Esper.

Staring directly into those blue eyes, a vivid shiver ran down my spine.

That was an Esper’s aura.

A powerful one—far more terrifying and destructive than any I’d encountered before.

Only then did I realize this was real. Not a dream. Not a joke.

I had died. I was killed in terror, abandoned by the Espers I had begged for help.

And now—here I was in some unfamiliar place, face to face with an Esper’s violent energy pressing down on me.

Thump. Thump.

My heart pounded like it was about to burst.

‘I’m scared.’

I wanted to run. I wanted to live. Whatever this situation was, I wanted to get away from this Esper and survive.

And then—

**[Warning!

Character identity is destabilizing!]**

Just as I was about to lose it, a bright red message filled my vision.

[Confusion has exceeded critical level. For user’s mental safety, dialogue and behavior aligned with ‘Hilaria Daen La Ariel, Duchess’ will now be automatically selected.]

What?

Before I could even panic properly, my body began to move on its own.

“Can’t even handle a moment of silence? You truly lack the humility of a ruler, Your Majesty.”

A clear, cold voice.

Laced with sharp mockery.

And it came from me.

My mouth had definitely moved, but the words were something I’d never even imagined saying.

‘What the hell?’

The man, unaware of my inner panic, gave off an intensely displeased aura.

“So the Duchess really has gone mad. Or is this just another new method of mockery?”

From the aura radiating off him, I guessed he had water-based Esper abilities.

But that power was still frighteningly strong. Wild and unrefined.

Like someone who’d never received proper guiding before.

If we were at the Guide Center, alarms would be blaring nonstop at that level of instability. It was terrifying—I felt like crying.

And then, unbelievably—

Pfft.

My cursed body even laughed mockingly at him.

I, trapped inside this uncontrollable body, felt like a cat with its tail on fire.

Oh my god! What the hell is going on?! Look, hey! I didn’t say that! I swear!

But the conversation didn’t stop.

“The stench of monster blood and death is overwhelming. Ah, you haven’t gone hunting yet?”

“So I’ve offended the refined Duchess with my vulgar scent, is that it?”

Every single word exchanged was so sharp, I could hardly breathe.

“Oh, don’t be so petty. I merely came to see you off, as is my duty while you are away from the palace.”

“Well, your send-off is done now. You can remove your wretched face—it’s lowering morale, not boosting it.”

“Surely the mighty emperor should be the one to move first. I can’t turn back until you set off. I wish you a pleasant trip—may you enjoy all the bloodshed and carnage you desire.”

“……”

The man fell silent.

With a deadly glare and a wave of icy energy, even the people standing nearby visibly shivered.

“…Fine.”

Then suddenly, the violent energy receded.

‘Holy crap.’

Watching it happen, I was genuinely stunned.

To rein in such a monstrous aura so completely—it was absurd.

It must have felt like swallowing a block of ice whole, straight into the stomach.

This handsome man was not just a tough guy—he was something else entirely.

A beast. A dangerous one. Definitely not someone you want to mess with.

“I’m leaving. So disappear, Duchess.”