Young Master's PoV: Woke Up As A Villain In A Game One Day

Lily woke up in a daze.

One of her eyes refused to open fully, and the skin around it felt tight and swollen.

An agonizing groan slipped her lips.

Her body felt crushed, like she was buried under several stacks of weighted blankets and couldn't breathe properly.

A stabbing ache throbbed at the back of her head, as if her skull was being split open by a thousand puncturing needles.

She tried to sit up — then immediately winced.

Her jaw felt heavy.

So heavy that it might as well have been replaced with gravel.

Her ribs protested every breath.

Part of her tongue was numb, though she couldn't tell if it was from swelling or biting down too hard.

It was all… very painful.

But pain meant she was alive.

And Lily would gladly take being alive and battered over dead and at peace.

After a few seconds, she tried again.

This time, she braced herself — pressing one trembling hand into the ground and using the other to clutch her side, as if holding herself together might keep the pain from spreading.

With a sharp grunt through gritted teeth, Lily pushed herself into a half-sitting position.

The world tilted.

Her vision swam out of focus like she was underwater, and her stomach rolled.

She closed her eyes, breathing shallowly through her nose until the nausea passed.

Then, slowly, she opened them again — or rather, it.

Her left eye still wouldn't open fully.

Everything on that side was a blur of red and darkness.

Blinking against the haze, she took in her surroundings.

She appeared to be leaning against the wall of a hollow chamber.

The surface behind her was cool and uneven — packed dirt veined with roots, some of them twitching slightly… as if the earth itself was alive.

From the dampness in the air and the rich scent of soil, she figured she was underground.

Then she spotted someone else.

Sitting across from her… was a boy.

He looked no older than seventeen.

His hair was the color of spun gold — not just blonde, but radiant, as if each strand had been dipped in sunlight.

His eyes were the same hue — so clear and bright that they almost seemed to be glowing in the dark.

He wore black trousers, ragged and dust-covered.

A loose gray robe was draped haphazardly over his shoulders.

Beneath it, his chest was tightly wrapped in bandages.

Above him floated a golden Card.

It hovered silently in the air, slowly spinning in place.

Its surface shimmered with runes that cast a warm light over the chamber.

That light made everything else look dull.

Lily stared at it.

Then back at the boy.

He was using his Origin Card like… a lantern?

She wanted to comment, but wisely chose not to.

Instead, she muttered, "So you saved me?

I knew you would.

Well… honestly, it was a bit of a gamble.

I also thought you'd leave me there.

"He didn't reply.

He wasn't even looking at her.

His eyes were closed and legs crossed like he was deep in meditation.

Him.

Meditating.

Lily wanted to comment on that, too.

But didn't.

Because she valued her life… and wasn't in the mood for another beatdown.

"Come on, Sam," she croaked, shifting against the cold earth.

"Are you still not satisfied?

Even after punching my face into modern art?

""Don't call me that," he said at last, voice dry, eyes still closed.

"And maybe you shouldn't have egged me on like a damn moron while we were surrounded by unknown threats.

Do you know how stupid that was?

All your injuries are your own fault.

""Right," Lily smiled bitterly.

"They do say fight fire with fire.

So I guess I fought stupidity with stupidity.

"Samael opened his eyes.

Then narrowed them, venom creeping into his tone.

"Are you… calling me stupid?

""No," Lily replied quickly.

"But definitely unreasonable.

"That did it.

He was on his feet in an instance.

"Unreasonable!?

You dare talk to me about reason!?

You, of all people?

You have the audacity—""I've said sorry, Sam!

" Lily snapped.

"I've apologized over and over!

I know I messed up, okay?

I know!

But I can't take it back.

I wish I could, but I can't!

So what do you want me to do?

What could I possibly do to make up for what I did?

"He didn't answer.

"I mean it," she pressed on, quieter now.

"Just say the word, Sam.

Whatever show of apology you want — I'll do it.

"He waited for a beat, then pointed at her, as if issuing a final warning.

"Do not call me that.

"Lily paused, then looked down at her hand with a small, defeated smile.

"…Right.

I keep forgetting my sacred nickname privileges are revoked.

My mistake.

""Don't pretend this is some petty argument over names, Lily," he growled.

She stood.

Wobbled.

But didn't sit back down.

"Then what is it?!

" she demanded.

"You want me to beg more?

Crawl?

Cry for forgiveness?

Because I remember doing all of that already!

""You think this is about punishment?

" he scoffed, stepping closer.

"You think I want to hate you?!

""No, you need to," she shot back.

"Because it's easier than admitting I'm not the only one at fault here!

"He looked away, waving a hand dismissively like he was done with her nonsense.

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about.

""I know exactly what I'm talking about!

" Her voice rose.

"You didn't even love me, Sam!

" she shouted, fists clenched, shoulders trembling.

"You flirted with every pretty girl who batted an eye, never made time, didn't even call me on my birthday!

"He answered with nothing.

But above them, his Origin Card glowed brighter.

"You didn't care about anything I ever said.

You talked down to me like you were always doing me a favor.

You made me feel like I was just… convenient.

Disposable," she hissed.

Samael rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I wasn't the best boyfriend.

You think I don't know that?

""Then why?!

" she snarled.

"Why are you acting like I'm the only one who messed up?

Like I broke something sacred between us—?!

""Because you broke my trust!

" He exclaimed.

His voice, suddenly so loud, echoed like thunder through the hollow chamber.

And his words landed like a blade.

Lily parted her lips, stunned– like she hadn't expected an actual answer.

In the stillness that followed…Samael spoke again, softer and measured.

"You… You were my first friend, Lily.

Not a court alliance.

Not some… political pawn for my family.

You.

You were the first person I chose to trust.

The first person I ever opened up to.

"Yes, it was true that Samael never really loved Lily.

Not the way poets wrote about love.

Not the way songs were sung.

Not the way Michael probably loved her in the game.

With him, it wasn't some fairytale devotion or soul-bound longing.

There was no symphony in his chest when she smiled.

No grand epiphany when she touched his hand.

No.

What he felt for Lily was something far simpler—And infinitely more dangerous.

He just… trusted her.

And that was the real problem.

He let his guard down.

Just a little.

Just enough.

He told her things he'd never told anyone — things he never planned to tell anyone.

Like how much he hated his father but still wanted his acknowledgement.

How he blamed himself for his mother's death, and how happy their family would've been if not for him.

How sometimes, he felt like a monster pretending to be a person.

How every time someone got too close, a voice in his head whispered: 'They'll leave.

They always do.

'Because how could someone love him when there was nothing to love about him?

And Lily had listened.

She'd looked at him — really looked.

Not at the power his name held.

Not at his birth title.

Not at the sarcasm and bravado he wore like armor to keep people away.

But at the real him, beneath all the mess and violence.

And for a moment, he thought she saw something worth keeping.

He thought she was someone for whom he could try to be better.

Because he didn't want to let that one person down who believed he wasn't a total disgrace.

And he tried.

He tried so much to be a better person.

Maybe his efforts were too little and too late.

But he did make them.

So when she kissed Michael… when she chose Michael…It wasn't a betrayal of love.

It was a betrayal of that trust.

It was her showing him that the moment he let someone get close enough to see who he really was…They'd pick someone else.

Someone easier.

Someone good.

It was the universe holding up a mirror and whispering: 'Your father was right.

You are an undeserving, unworthy, unlovable disgrace.

'…Yeah, it doesn't make sense.

But feelings rarely do.

Samael knew exactly how unfair it was to hold Lily's disloyalty over her when he himself had never been all that faithful to begin with.

In fact, he had no doubt that if this story was told from someone else's point of view… he'd be the bad guy here.

He knew this because when he played the game as Michael in his past life, he had seen Samael Kaizer Theosbane as nothing but a shallow third-rate villain character.

A cliché case of an arrogant young master from an elite noble family hoarding a jade beauty he didn't deserve.

So when the protagonist came to rescue that jade beauty from the young master's grasp, he cheered.

He cheered when Samael got what he deserved.

But that was the game.

This was reality.

And in reality… no one is the bad guy in their own story, right?

Samael laughed scornfully under his breath.

"I told you things I never admitted out loud.

Do you know what it feels like to tell someone your deepest insecurities — then watch them turn around and validate every one of them?

It feels like a punch to the gut, Lily.

"Lily looked like she couldn't breathe.

She flinched like he'd struck her.

"Sam—""No," he interrupted firmly.

"Don't.

Just… don't.

"His tone wasn't loud.

But it stopped her cold.

Her lips trembled.

Tears welled up and then spilled over without resistance.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Her voice shook.

"I didn't mean to— You know I didn't mean—""Stop.

"She kept crying.

Shoulders trembling.

Breaths breaking apart.

But he kept speaking, each word scraping its way out of him.

"I know our relationship was never real.

It was political.

It was forced.

I understood that.

"His fists tightened, nails digging into palms.

And for a second, he looked like he was trying to hold something together — something that had already come undone.

A lump formed in his throat as he continued.

"I knew how much pressure you were under.

Your father was chasing the Golden Duke's approval.

He used you like a bargaining chip.

I knew what it would've cost you to walk away.

But… couldn't you have shown me even a fraction of the trust I gave you?

"He didn't look at her.

But his voice kept coming — heavier now.

"If you liked someone else… couldn't you have just told me?

Did you really think I was so small, so spiteful, that I wouldn't have helped you?

That I wouldn't have found some way to make it easier?

"He grimaced.

"I would've done something, Lily.

Anything.

"She took steps toward him — then collapsed in on herself.

Sobbing openly now.

Curled up before him.

"You were my first friend," he said, voice breaking as he swallowed.

"And sure, I didn't love you.

Not romantically.

That's true.

But I did like you.

And you broke my heart.

"Lily cried harder.

Her face buried in her hands.

She didn't try to explain.

There was nothing much left to say.

Samael said nothing more either.

His throat ached.

His fists hurt.

But he just stood there, silent and unmoving — as if staying still long enough might help him deal with the feelings he had just poured out.

When the hush finally broke, it wasn't clean.

It cracked and splintered with every shaky breath she took.

Then, slowly, she pushed herself upright.

Her face was red and tear-streaked.

Her breath came in short bursts.

Her eyes were swollen — more than they already were before.

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, voice raspy from crying.

"I'm sorry, Sam.

I-I didn't know.

I didn't even realize it meant so much to you—""I can't forgive you," he said, cutting her short.

Because that was true.

He couldn't.

He couldn't pretend things were normal.

Couldn't pretend she hadn't stomped on his vulnerability.

Lily froze.

Her mouth opened.

Then closed.

Then opened again — but no words spilled out.

She looked at him.

Then away.

And then… weakly nodded.

"Okay.

I understand," she said softly, took a trembling breath, followed by a long pause — before looking up again.

"But… can I offer a deal?

"He turned, just enough to see her from the corner of his eye.

"If you can just try, Sam — just try to forgive me," she proposed, "then I promise I'll spend as long as it takes to earn it.

And if you ever trust me again… I swear on the heavens above, I'll never betray it.

"The silence that came after wasn't heavy.

Wasn't sharp.

Wasn't empty either.

It was just… long.

Samael didn't answer right away.

He was still deciding whether she meant it… or whether he wanted to believe she did.

But in the end, it didn't matter.

He had already made up his mind — he wasn't going to trust her again.

Or anyone, for that matter.

…Still, sooner or later, he was going to have to deal with Lily.

It was inevitable.

She was the main heroine, after all.

Whether he liked it or not, her powers would be crucial in dismantling the Syndicate.

And even after that, during the Total War.

Hell, he could even use her to stop the assassination on the royal twins.

She was far too valuable an asset to throw away just because of his feelings.

So he kept staring at the wall.

Not looking at her.

Not really looking at anything.

Finally, after a while, he gave a single shrug.

"Whatever.

"Lily let out a breath — long, trembling, almost another sob — and slid down to sit against the wall beside him.

She wiped her face with her sleeve.

And for a very long time, neither of them said another word.