IPVDRF 02

Chapter 02

My jaw dropped.

The world outside the large window looked exactly like the aftermath of an apocalypse.

Everything as far as the eye could see was stained black. On the burned hills, the remains of collapsed houses were visible.

They were so destroyed and charred now that it was impossible to recognize their shapes, but if anyone had been in such a place…

“No, no. That can’t be.”

I shook my head and stepped back.

Unbelievably, this wasn’t just a world on the brink of ruin—it was a world that had already ended.

How was I supposed to survive in a place like this? It didn’t feel real at all.

“Help me!”

If the outside looked like that, there was no way the inside would be intact. I fumbled with the doorknob in a panic.

Fortunately, the door wasn’t locked. I threw it open and dashed outside, shielding my head with both hands just in case the ceiling collapsed.

“…?”

But something felt off again. The disaster outside seemed almost like a lie, because the hallway I was standing in was perfectly peaceful.

The plush carpet, the high ceiling, and even the staircase straight ahead were all intact.

Other than the suspicious lack of any sounds, it was a beautiful, magnificent mansion straight out of a romance fantasy novel.

“This shouldn’t be possible in reality…”

I needed to meet someone—anyone—right now. What I needed most at the moment was to figure out the situation.

“Hello? Is anyone there?!”

I shouted as I hurried down the stairs. But no answer came from anywhere.

I was on the verge of tears. I eventually reached the massive arched front door but didn’t dare step outside.

Logically, it was better to stay here and figure out what to do next than to venture out.

“What am I supposed to do all alone in a place like this…”

I slumped in front of the door.

Just moments ago, I had been happily thinking I had finally entered a romance fantasy world.

It seemed best to go back upstairs and check the diary. After all, it was the only information I had.

As I turned my heavy shoulders, there was a sudden…

Bang! Bang!

Someone pounded violently on the front door.

“W-who’s there?”

I scrambled to my feet.

Maybe it was someone who had gone outside and returned alive.

I had feared I would never meet anyone again.

At least some luck, I thought, as I moved faster in my impatience.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“W-wait! I’ll open it!”

I wiped my damp eyes with the back of my hand and grabbed the doorknob. Immediately, someone in black clothes collapsed into my arms.

“Ah!”

They were heavy. And this firm feeling… no matter how I looked at it, it wasn’t a woman.

“Hey! Are you okay? Get a grip on yourself!”

The weight made it hard to hold them up. I struggled to push the unknown person away while asking.

But no answer came.

At that moment, hot air blew through the gap of the open door.

I instinctively lifted my head, and what I saw outside was even more severe than the view from the window.

“It’s ruined.”

The acrid smell of smoke and the intense heat made my eyes sting. I sighed, feeling the ground beneath me, and quietly closed the door.

I saw nothing. Nothing had happened to me.

“…Ugh.”

I stood frozen at the front door, replaying the scene I had just witnessed, when I heard the groans of someone dying below.

I gently lowered my gaze and looked at the man in black.

I also noticed something spreading slowly from his side—bright red, like paint.

“Ah, no… that’s… blood?”

I wished I could just faint. The smell of blood hit me, and my head felt dizzy.

“Um… are you okay?”

The pajama dress I was wearing was stained red from catching him as he collapsed.

I wiped the blood from my hands onto my dress, then crouched down and poked the large man who looked like a corpse.

“H-hey! You’re not dead, right?”

“Ugh…”

Why were his shoulders so broad? And why did his groans feel so desperate?

I examined him carefully and gently grabbed his hair to turn his head.

“…My goodness.”

I froze completely, just like when I had first checked outside.

How could someone be this handsome?

His face was pale as snow. His eyebrows curved upward, black and thick, and his nose was high and elegant.

His lips were full and red as if he were wearing lipstick, and a beauty mark by his mouth added to his charm.

This was serious. Handsome, yes—but dangerously so.

“Hey, open your eyes!”

I was curious about his identity. No way someone this striking had been working as a servant in this house.

But he was clearly not in a state to answer my questions.

“Not responding… I guess I have to keep him here for now.”

There was no choice. Letting someone this handsome die would be a national (?) loss.

I turned him over as best I could. When I saw my hands covered in blood, I quickly swallowed.

He looked serious. What should I do?

“Hey, where are you hurt? If you don’t tell me, I’ll check myself.”

I examined him. Black hair, black suit. His entire body clad in black, like a crow.

Because of that, it was impossible to tell where he was injured.

Should I take off his shirt…?

Swallowing hard and hesitating, I noticed the fabric near his left shoulder had been torn.

I quickly unbuttoned the shirt and exposed his shoulder.

“Wow, this is bad.”

There was a hole about the size of a coin in his shoulder. That must be where all the blood was coming from.

It looked like he had been pierced by something. Just seeing it made me wince.

If I left it, his life would be in danger. But the problem was, I didn’t even know if there was anything to treat him with in this mansion.

I hadn’t even explored the mansion yet.

Where should I start looking? I wondered.

Suddenly, the man, who I thought had lost consciousness, grabbed my collar.

“…Help… me.”

Then he whispered softly in my ear.

Heat rushed to my face instantly. Without thinking, I instinctively nodded.

Of course, no one could refuse a request in such a low, pleasant voice.

“Ah, okay. But… what should I call you?”

“…”

No answer. This time, he seemed genuinely unconscious. The hand that had held my collar went limp.

I dusted off my clothes and stood up. No matter what happened to the world, I had to save this man first.

I grabbed his arm and dragged him near the stairs.

Why were his arms so thick and strong?

I wanted to lay him on the bed, but he was tall and heavy, making it impossible to carry him upstairs.

“Try to bear with the cold floor.”

I said this and went upstairs alone, grabbing a blanket and the diary before returning.

I tried to remain calm, but my mind kept repeating: “What should I do next? What’s going to happen to me?”

It was good that I had rescued him, but as a civilian, I had no experience treating someone with a life-threatening injury like this.

“Please, please… this diary better have something about what to do.”

I placed the blanket by his head and opened the diary.

What had felt like a cursed item just moments ago had now become my most essential tool.

I flipped through the pages, searching for words related to injuries or treatment.

Then one passage caught my eye.

To you, who must live in this place in my stead, I will provide basic information about this world.

The country I lived in is called “Cocoa,” the only empire on the continent.

And the name of the person who rules the empire on behalf of the emperor, who lost consciousness long ago, is…

“Louis de Cocoa? Crown Prince of Cocoa?”

I threw the diary down in shock.

The memory of my awkward teenage years came rushing back—nights spent writing and giggling over this story.

Cocoa, warm and sweet, perfect for winter—was the crown prince’s name?

This was the male protagonist from the story I had carelessly scribbled back in my senior year of high school…