CHAPTER 74: MEETING THE ORIGINAL PROTAGONIST [II]

Lucius stared at the boy on the other side of the window.

Crimson hair, thin body, trembling arms clutching at his ragged shirt.

His face was pale, almost ghostly, but the crimson in his eyes shone with something else, a massive amount of desperation.

This young man was Raven.

The original protagonist.

Lucius’s mind instantly flipped through what he remembered of the old plot.

Raven, the street orphan.

Raven, who would be taken by Rihanna in a month.

A woman who was supposed to buy him as a sex slave.

Ridiculous.

But somehow it worked out for him in the story — Raven’s oversized dick apparently made her fall in love.

Fucking absurd.

Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose.

’Fucking plot but hey, at least the orphaned guy got off the streets.’

The boy outside coughed lightly and spoke up, his voice thin and trembling.

"Could you please spare me fifty Royals for lunch?"

Lucius looked him over.

Thin frame, dirty clothes, shaking hands.

The crimson hair that should’ve made him stand out just made his misery look sharper.

’He’s handsome but a beggar,’ Lucius thought. ’Sympathetic, though. Still doesn’t make sense how he’s on the streets at this point. Honestly, it’s a plot hole. But who cares?’

He rolled down the window with a casual press of his finger.

"Get in the back seat," Lucius said, tone leaving no room for argument.

Luna blinked, her eyes widening in shock.

"What?" she hissed.

Lucius smiled faintly.

"I’ll get you a job."

Raven froze.

For a moment, disbelief flashed in his crimson eyes.

Then he nodded furiously, crimson hair bouncing with each movement.

He was trembling, but this time not from hunger.

From hope.

Luna reached forward and grabbed Lucius’s wrist.

"Lucius, what are you doing?" she whispered urgently.

Lucius smirked, keeping his voice low.

"Well, we have a new character for the stream," he muttered.

His eyes gleamed. ’The plot’s already fucked up, so why not assist it in getting even more fucked up?’

Luna opened her mouth, then shut it again.

She nodded quickly.

Raven stumbled into the car, his thin body nearly collapsing against the front seat as he bowed his head too hard.

"I thank you for the opportunity, Mister..." he trailed off, realizing he didn’t know Lucius’s name.

Lucius leaned back with a lazy smile.

"Lucius von Hohenberg. Feel free to call me Master."

Raven’s eyes widened.

His breath caught.

Of course he knew the name.

Everyone did.

Lucius von Hohenberg was the strongest Awakener right now. Someone he idolized being like.

He slammed his forehead against the seat again, bowing so hard Lucius thought he might knock himself out.

"I thank you for such an opportunity, Mister Lucius or M-Master!" Raven nearly shouted. "I’ll do my best! I’ll carry it out with all my strength!"

Lucius’s lips curled slightly.

"Of course you will," he said smoothly. "You’re the protagonist."

Then, without pause, Lucius shifted gears and the car rolled forward again.

"I just hope you won’t mind living in your very own place."

Raven froze.

His head jerked up, crimson eyes wide.

"My own... place?" he whispered.

His voice cracked.

He clasped his hands together as if he’d just witnessed a miracle. ’Is he... my guardian angel?’

He closed his eyes and began to mutter prayers under his breath, lips trembling with every word.

Lucius looked at him with a blank face but his thoughts were sharp.

’Like hell I’ll let you next to my women. Stay in your own building.’

He remembered how the plot was supposed to go.

After Rihanna he would get the heroines as well, that was the original plot before Cayden reincarnated.

After he did, he would be the one that would suddenly get the protagonists and although most reasons were less than reasonable, it was still an enjoyable slice of life and he treated his girls good.

Well it would have been better if he didn’t get Lily but who could blame him?

Even he had no idea how much of a whore the original Lily was, and with what the "Saintess" was doing behind the scenes, Lucius really had to question if the author was mentally stable.

’Well, fuck it,’ Lucius thought. ’The original protagonist is always better than the Extra in the end.’

He only needed to go after the very rich girls that were relevant to the plot, nothing less.

The car rolled smoothly into the city.

Lucius steered them not toward home, but toward an agency.

He didn’t bother explaining — Luna seemed to already know where this was going.

Raven just sat quietly, still in disbelief, occasionally sneaking glances at Lucius as though staring at a holy figure.

At the agency, Lucius barely spent time.

A few words, some paperwork, and a discreet use of his name opened all doors.

Raven stood frozen, mouth hanging open as Lucius arranged him a small one room apartment.

"You can go shopping for yourself," Lucius said flatly when they finished and handed him a small card, it was to one of the minor accounts he had opened for moments like this. "Furniture, food, whatever. I’ll cover it."

Raven’s knees almost buckled. "Th-thank you, Master!"

Lucius clapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"Good. Now don’t die."

And that was that.

...

Later that evening, Lucius finally drove into the garage of Vanessa’s mansion.

The sky had long since darkened, city lights gleaming in streaks of gold and blue.

Luna leaned against the seat beside him, head tilting slightly.

She looked woozy, her eyelids heavy.

Lucius smirked. He couldn’t blame her.

The drive had been long, and boredom was a silent killer.

The car parked with a quiet hum.

Lucius stepped out, Luna following, still rubbing her eyes.

Together they walked up to the front door.

Lucius rang the bell.

The door flew open almost instantly.

And before he could react, a body crashed into his chest.

Arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

Soft warmth pressed against him.

A sweet, familiar scent filled his nose.

"I missed you, darling," a voice whispered into the crook of his neck.

Elara.

Lucius blinked, frozen for a moment.

’Well... that’s new,’ he thought dryly.

He barely saw her these days..