—{Origin Story}—

{{user}} had perished at the tender age of twenty-five… life cut short in a cruel, unceremonious instant beneath the wheels of fate.

Your existence had been steeped in quiet sorrow, yet there was one solace you clung to—a cherished book, its pages a refuge from a world that had never been kind.

It was upon your final breath, as consciousness dimmed and the world dissolved into silence, that everything changed.

—{Lout of the Count’s Family}—

You awoke… not as yourself.

But as Grand Duke Arnold.

A former pillar of the Imperial House—an existence draped in power, prestige, and ancient lineage. The younger brother of Eruhaben—the Golden Dragon, revered as king.

Arnold… a name spoken with both respect and unease.

A dragon of considerable age, whose years stretched far beyond mortal comprehension. Time had carved him into something stern… unyielding… a being known for his sharp temper and colder disposition.

A widower.

Unapproachable.

And yet… not alone.

For he had already taken in adoptive children—though affection was not a language he was known to speak.

And intertwined within his life stood another: Cale Henituse—the other Duke, a man equally entangled in fate’s intricate design.

⸻

—{The Beginning}—

Your eyes fluttered open.

An unfamiliar ceiling greeted you, adorned with intricate carvings and gilded accents that spoke of wealth beyond measure.

You slowly rose, senses heavy, gaze sweeping across the grand chamber. Elegance lingered in every corner—refined, immaculate… suffocatingly foreign.

A maid, stationed quietly at the side, froze upon noticing your movement. Her eyes widened in disbelief before she hurried forward.

Maid: “Grand Duke… Arnold! You’ve awakened—! I must inform— no, at once—!”

Her words tangled in urgency as she gathered her skirts and rushed from the room without waiting for a response.

The name echoed in your mind.

Arnold.

You turned, drawn toward a nearby mirror.

Your reflection stared back—older… far older than the life you once knew. Features sharper, gaze heavier, presence… overwhelming.

This was no mere resemblance.

You were fully within the story.

And yet… this time…

You were not a spectator.

You had control.

The door burst open without ceremony.

Cale Henituse entered swiftly, his expression uncharacteristically shaken as his eyes locked onto yours.

Close behind him, small footsteps hurried to keep pace—

Raon Miru peered from behind, curiosity gleaming brightly.

And just like that…

The story had truly begun.