* * *
But rejecting now would undoubtedly lead to this world trying to kill Isaac Liam Drake by any means necessary.
That was the correct scenario, after all.
For now, it would be better to accept and look for an opportunity later.
No matter the genre, being the protagonist meant gaining immense power.
Swallowing hard, Isaac glanced at Luinael and gave the faintest nod.
“…I will obey Your Grace’s command.”
“Isaac…!”
“……!”
Luinael beamed with joy, grabbing Isaac’s hands.
“Thank you for accepting… truly, thank you.”
“No, well—”
“I’ll make sure you’re never uncomfortable.”
“Ha…”
His face! It’s too close!
Isaac screamed internally.
That sparkling silver hair and angelic face were impossible to get used to.
Letting out a sigh, he dropped his gaze to the floor.
[You have entered a new genre.
New Genre: BL
Protagonist Candidate: Isaac
Special Status: Title Revoked]
“…….”
As if he wasn’t already bitter about losing his title, the system had to remind him again.
Isaac pursed his lips in frustration.
[As the “protagonist,” you can directly influence the scenario.
Accumulate BL Points to become the protagonist.
Current BL Points: 0]
“……?”
BL Points?
What the hell are those?
Isaac tilted his head at the unfamiliar term, but his years of fandom experience gave him a pretty good idea.
It probably meant earning points through those kinds of interactions with another man.
And standing right in front of him was the prime candidate for such activities.
“Isaac, are you all right?”
“…….”
Isaac looked up at the man gazing at him with concern.
Truly, this guy’s face alone could outshine most women.
“Maybe… it’s possible?”
Isaac, seriously considering his options, gave a slight nod.
What followed happened in a blur.
The messenger who had delivered the royal decree promptly left, and Isaac climbed into the carriage Luinael had arrived in.
Stripped of his dukedom, Isaac could no longer remain at the ducal estate.
Isaac Liam Spencer—that was the name he’d be using from now on.
Spencer was one of the many names associated with his lineage, belonging to a viscount family with no real land or influence.
In essence, Isaac had been demoted from duke to viscount.
“Well… I guess not being dead is something.”
If things had gone according to the original script, he’d be riding a carriage to the imperial palace right about now.
Instead, the carriage was heading to the Grand Duke’s townhouse.
“Phew…”
Isaac pressed his palm to his forehead.
He’d been so certain he’d see the original ending, but everything had turned upside down.
It felt like he’d been swept away by a storm.
Thankfully, he was alone in the carriage.
Luinael was escorting it on horseback, his silver hair occasionally catching Isaac’s eye through the window.
Each time, the events from earlier replayed in his mind, leaving him breathless.
The thought of facing that face every day was exhausting.
Isaac, now noticeably worn out, raised his hand, and a bright blue status window appeared in the air.
[Name: Isaac Liam Spencer
Level: 73
Age: 27
Affiliation: Beatrix Empire
Rank: Viscount (Demoted)]
The updated information prominently displayed his demotion, once again aggravating him.
Isaac scowled and flicked his finger downward irritably.
Although he could now summon the status window, he was not yet the complete protagonist.
Thus, the information he could access remained limited.
Still, there was one silver lining.
Thanks to being the final boss in the original story, Isaac’s base stats were incredibly high.
Considering the max level in the original was 99, his level was already impressive.
A satisfied smile crept onto his face.
[Special Status: Protagonist Candidate]
“Hmm…”
Come to think of it, becoming the protagonist required BL Points.
Isaac’s expression turned serious as he scrolled further down, revealing a detailed traits window.
[Isaac Liam Spencer (Viscount)
Accumulated BL Points: 0
Match Target: Luinael Vernon Eukrencia (Grand Duke)
Match Probability: High]
“Hmm…”
It wasn’t surprising that the BL points were at zero since nothing had happened yet, but what was this matching about?
Isaac frowned as he noticed Luinael’s name displayed next to his.
So… it seemed that BL points could be earned by forming a relationship with a matching partner.
Since Luinael was soon to be married to him, the high likelihood of their pairing made sense.
Judging by the absence of other names, it seemed Luinael was the only person currently recognized and acknowledged as a match by the system.
Surely, more matches wouldn’t pop up in the future… right?
A sense of foreboding washed over Isaac, and he shuddered.
Clop, clop, clop… clatter.
“…!”
The carriage slowed and came to a halt.
They had already arrived at the townhouse.
When Isaac glimpsed the elegant estate through the window, his eyes widened.
“We’ve arrived.”
“…”
“Isaac?”
As the door opened and Luinael’s face came into view, Isaac froze on instinct.
Seeing him sitting stiffly without a hint of movement, Luinael tilted his head in confusion.
“It’s… nothing,” Isaac replied mechanically, forcing his body to move with an awkward creak.
As he prepared to step out of the carriage, Luinael extended his hand naturally.
“…”
Was he supposed to take that hand to get down?
Isaac stared at Luinael’s pristine, refined palm.
How could a man’s hand look so beautiful?
Though large enough to be unmistakably masculine, the fingers and nails were long and delicate, as if sculpted from jade.
‘He’s not just pretty in the face,’ Isaac thought, but the idea of holding Luinael’s hand made him uneasy.
For a healthy man to take another man’s hand to step down from a carriage—it didn’t seem like a good look.
Isaac decided to ignore Luinael’s hand and get off on his own.
However, as if to block his way, the system window lit up and appeared in front of him.
[Warning!
Failure to follow the scenario may result in penalties.]
“…”
So this “scenario”… it clearly had little to do with the original plot anymore.
It was obvious that the system was referring to the rules of this new genre.
The BL genre, to be precise.
“Sigh…”
Reluctantly, Isaac reached out.
Following the flow of the story, he lightly placed his hand in Luinael’s palm.
“Watch your step,” Luinael said softly.
“Yes…” Isaac replied weakly.
Holding Luinael’s hand tightly, he descended from the carriage.
Surprisingly, the soft-looking hand was rough with calluses.
‘Well, of course,’ Isaac thought.
‘He spent five years on the battlefield in the protagonist’s stead, earning countless accolades. A war hero like him wouldn’t have hands untouched by a sword.’
Feeling the tension rise anew, Isaac stepped down carefully.
“Welcome, Your Grace, and Sir Isaac.”
“…!”
The moment Isaac stepped down, he was met with a crowd so large it nearly blocked the view of the estate’s entrance.
Dressed in matching black uniforms, an overwhelming number of servants and maids bowed deeply to greet them.
The sheer scale of it made Isaac flinch involuntarily.
At that moment, the system window glimmered once more.
[Congratulations!
You’ve earned your first BL points for showing a harmonious relationship with your match in front of a large audience.
Current BL Points: 3
Continue earning points!]
“…”
Come to think of it, he had held Luinael’s hand in front of all those people.
Forcing an awkward smile, Isaac glanced at a middle-aged man bowing politely.
“I am Rupert, the steward in charge of this townhouse.”
“I’m Rupert. A pleasure to meet you, Sir Isaac.”
“Oh… Yes, nice to meet you,” Isaac replied, nodding absentmindedly.
Between checking the system and meeting a new character, his mind was in disarray.
Earning 3 points for holding Luinael’s hand in public—was that a lot or a little?
He had no way of knowing yet.
‘Three points… Does this mean I need 100 to be acknowledged as the protagonist?’
A bad feeling crept over him.
* * *
