THE FUTURE MONSTER

Krystal’s heartbeat pounded violently against his chest. The only thought running through his mind was to cancel the engagement at any cost. Maybe if one way or the other, he gets to stop this meeting from happening, then maybe, just maybe, he could avoid the tragic end awaiting Caspian Vale.

“Young Master?” the maid called again from outside. “Master Vale is growing impatient.”

“Right… Caspian’s father.” Krystal clenched his fists. It escaped him, the kind of man Casp’s father was. He was the kind who cared more about power and reputation than his own son.

With no other options at hand, he took a deep breath, forcing himself away from the mirror as he headed off toward the door. Several servants immediately lowered their heads the moment the door swung open.

“Y-Young Master.” Their fearful expressions didn’t escape his notice. Caspian truly had a terrible reputation and it clearly showed.

Without words, Krystal quietly followed the maid through the enormous halls of the Vale estate. Every step made his anxiety worse and his mind kept on replaying several scenes from the manhwa.

The one which refused to fade was the scene with Caspian mocking Diago Veydrake while he just watched on silently without doing anything to stop him. And the humiliation, hatred and obsession that followed years later.

“I just need to survive,” Krystal whispered underneath his breath. Soon, the maid stopped before a pair of massive golden doors.

“The Veydrake family is inside.” Krystal’s throat went dry and he swallowed hard. But before he could lose his courage, the doors slowly opened.

The atmosphere inside instantly felt suffocating. Several nobles were already seated around the luxurious hall when he entered. Their voices were low and formal. Krystal immediately recognized the man at the center as Duke Veydrake, the cold-eyed and intimidating one.

But he barely noticed him because someone else had already caught his attention first.

That was him, the tall man in black military uniform beside the duke. His posture straight and emotionless with his dark hair framing his terrifyingly handsome face, while his crimson eyes remained calm.

“Diago Veydrake.” He whispered. “The future monster himself.” Krystal froze.

He was described in the manhwa as someone who commanded fear without a single word but seeing him in person was far worse. The pressure which radiated from the alpha felt overwhelming.

His crimson eyes stared directly at him and his instincts screamed danger. For a brief moment, the entire room fell silent. “So, this is Young Master Caspian.”

Diago’s deep voice echoed calmly through the hall, breaking the silence. Krystal nearly stopped breathing, he clearly remembered the scene perfectly.

This was where Caspian originally insulted Diago’s appearance and called him an “emotionless war dog” in front of everyone but not this time around. The narration must change if he wants to escape alive.

“My apologies for keeping everyone waiting.” He immediately bowed his head. A heavy, yet, shocking silence immediately engulfed the hall. Several nobles looked stunned, even Caspian’s father slightly frowned as well.

Everyone knew he wasn’t the Caspian they knew because that wasn’t how Caspian usually behaved but he ignored their reactions and forced himself to continue.

“It’s an honor to finally meet the Veydrake family.” The silence lingered.

“How interesting.” A voice invaded. Krystal instinctively looked up and found Diago still staring at him. But this time, something felt different in his crimson eyes.

They glistened with pure interest and for the first time since he entered the room, the future monster smiled.