Episode 1
What does it mean to be a villain? How can we define that word?
When I was a child, I watched a pirate movie. At that age, it was important to clearly tell the difference between good guys and bad guys. So while watching TV, I got confused and asked my mom:
“Mom, who’s the bad guy in this movie?”
“They’re all the same,” she said.
“Really?”
My eyes went wide, and I stared at the screen blankly.
Back then, I believed good and evil had to be clear, so my mom’s answer shocked me. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized she was right. Each person was just chasing their own goals, so they were all kind of the same.
The main character was only called a hero because the story made them the main character and the audience supported them.
That’s when I began thinking of a villain not as a “bad person,” but simply as “someone who opposes the main character.”
That was how I defined a villain. Bang bang bang!
And the villain here is the same.
Raymond Ruslo, the leader of the opposing force against the main character, is the villain in the web novel Taming the Mad Emperor. And he’s my favorite character.
But I’m not the only one who loves Duke Ruslo.
Even though he’s a villain, he’s a very attractive character. He dedicates his whole life to avenging his parents, but he also cares deeply for his people. His hands may be cold, but his heart is warm.
And his appearance? Wow, it was simply perfect.
His black hair looked like a mysterious, dangerous black hole sucking everything in.
His blue eyes were like a whole ocean captured in one gaze—deep and shining.
On top of that, he was 185 cm tall and had broad shoulders like the Pacific Ocean. He looked just like a strong commander standing on a cliff, looking over the battlefield—straight out of a movie scene.
He was just as handsome and charming as the male lead, the Emperor himself.
Duke Ruslo was so popular among readers that he was even featured in illustrations. The views and comments on those chapters exploded, and the author even posted a thank-you message because of the overwhelming support. Duke Ruslo basically carried the whole story.
Because of that, more illustrations were released, and I even decorated my room with them. These days, web novels have short promotional videos called book trailers, and I swear I’ve watched that video over 300 times.
My happy fan life suddenly became reality because of an accident.
While I was heading home in a taxi, an SUV ran a red light and crashed straight into the back of the car. It hit directly, so I probably died instantly.
At the moment the headlights came at me and the car rushed forward, my mind went completely dark—like someone turned off a switch.
And then… I woke up as a character inside the web novel Taming the Mad Emperor.
Huff, huff.
I woke up suddenly, gasping for air. But even with my eyes open, all I could see was darkness.
Something was covering my face.
I tried to lift my hands to remove it, but my wrists were tied. I couldn’t move at all. There was only one explanation for this situation.
Had I been kidnapped?!
I tried to focus and figure things out using my senses. First, I realized I was lying on something soft. When I wiggled my hips, I felt a springy bounce—it must be a bed.
Though my hands were tied, I kept moving like a curled-up shrimp until I managed to sit up. That’s when I noticed two things: the bed was very large, and the blanket was as soft and smooth as silk.
Where am I? Why was I brought here?
My head hurt, and I couldn’t remember anything.
Step, step.
Just then, I heard footsteps approaching from a distance. A door opened, and someone entered the room.
Creak… bang.
The sound wasn’t very loud, but in my situation, it sent chills down my spine.
I knew the person who just entered was my kidnapper. My heart began to pound with fear.
“You’re awake.”
It was a man.
His voice was deep and soft—even pleasant to hear. It wasn’t sharp or threatening. His calm tone somehow made me feel safe.
Thanks to that, I got the courage to try talking to him.
Even though something was covering my face, my mouth was free, so I gave it a try.
“Wh-where am I?”
My voice trembled with fear. But the only response I got was a small chuckle—no real answer.
So he doesn’t want to tell me where I am. Then I had to ask something else.
“Why did you bring me here?”
Only after the second question did the man finally reply.
“You already know the reason.”
No, I really don’t.
But that vague answer didn’t help at all. I was just living a normal life, and suddenly, I was dragged here? How could I possibly know why?
So I had to keep asking.
“What are you going to do to me?”
“Hmm. I’m still thinking about that. But it’s hard to talk like this—should I take that off first?”
He walked over to me quickly.
Wait… what is he going to take off?!
I flinched, but then I just felt something slide off my head.
The darkness suddenly disappeared, and light filled my vision.
What the—?
What I saw next completely stunned me.
It was like being reborn.
Right in front of me was the most handsome face I could ever imagine.
He was somewhere between cute and hot—exactly my type.
Oh. My. God.
I stared, speechless, with my mouth hanging open. I was so shocked, I almost drooled.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
The man looked puzzled.
And that expression? So cute!
This is insane!!
My soul was doing backflips inside me like an excited monkey.
I knew the moment I saw him—this man was my ultimate favorite, the one I missed every night and dreamt about under my blanket!
“Raymond Ruslo.”
I swallowed my drool and whispered his name, blushing all over.
“Yes, that’s right. Aileen Cowett.”
Duke Ruslo said my name as he looked at me.
That’s when reality finally started to hit me again.
For a moment, I had completely forgotten my situation—blinded by my favorite character standing right in front of me.
Aileen Cowett?
I repeated the name in my mind.
Aileen was a minor character in Taming the Mad Emperor. She was the official fiancée of Emperor Kyle Ruslo…
Wait. Did I get reincarnated as her?
Then all of this made sense now.
In the original story, Duke Ruslo kidnapped the Emperor’s fiancée, Aileen Cowett.
According to the novel, the previous Emperor, Kallon Ruslo, was a tyrant. In the name of strengthening the monarchy, he killed all his brothers—including Raymond Ruslo’s father, Lewin Ruslo.
Kyle, the Emperor’s son, was once kind and had a good relationship with Raymond. People had high hopes that he’d bring peace to the empire once he became Emperor. But after his father’s death and his own coronation, he suddenly changed. People even said, “Like father, like son.”
That’s when Raymond decided to rebel and take revenge. Kidnapping the Emperor’s fiancée was part of his plan to damage Kyle’s reputation.
But right now, my heart was pounding for a totally different reason.
Duke Ruslo slowly sat on the edge of the bed. His face was now just a hand’s width away from mine. He gently brushed my cheek with the back of his hand, then lifted my chin.
“What if I stole the noble Lady Cowett’s lips?”
His half-lidded eyes looked at me seductively. Those deep blue eyes were like a tempting sea I wanted to dive into. His red uniform made him even more irresistible.
Oh my god, this is that scene.
This is the exact part in the novel where the Duke tries to seduce Aileen just to mess with the Emperor—but then stops himself.
