* * *
The limbs in my line of sight were far too short.
I sighed at the body that seemed to belong to a child around eleven or maybe thirteen years old.
Jet-black, flowing hair like the night, snow-white skin, eyes as red and bright as embedded stars, and lips as plump and tempting as pomegranate seeds.
A divine beauty that seemed bestowed by the gods themselves.
Even as a young boy, that ethereal beauty could not be hidden.
With absolute certainty, I recognized the stunning protagonist before me as Anakin Descartes, the main bottom of a BL novel.
“Young Master Anakin, you know you’re heading to the Imperial Palace today, right?”
Well, the servant in front of me was kind enough to spell out who I was, so yeah.
“I know. That’s the twelfth time you’ve said it.”
“It’s important, you know. Today’s the first time you’ll meet the Crown Prince.”
The servant brushed my hair carefully, nervously gauging my mood.
I guessed it was because the original Anakin was portrayed as highly sensitive and finicky.
The way he kept checking my reaction felt excessive.
“Why? I’m just one of many nobles.”
“I’d wager, Young Master, that among them all, you’ll stand out the most.”
I could feel the servant—Chel—eyeing me with deep concern.
Well, of course.
The original novel described Anakin as a peerless beauty who could start wars with his looks—someone worthy of being recorded in the annals of history.
That was also the main premise of this story.
You’ve probably figured out the genre by now.
I was reincarnated into the high-angst, high-intensity BL novel “Swamp of Obsession,” where obsessive tops run rampant.
It was a multi-seme, single-uke story—but unfortunately, every single one of the tops was insane.
They were driven by obsession and possessiveness: kidnapping Anakin, locking him up, forcing themselves on him, brainwashing him.
The list goes on.
And on top of that—it’s an Alpha/Omega universe.
Because of the high-depravity setting, everything they did was on the extreme end.
I desperately wanted to escape this place, but even if I tried, I probably wouldn’t be able to get beyond the Descartes estate’s walls.
The only option that came to mind was jumping out of the sun-drenched window over there.
If I jumped, I’d either die or end up half-crippled.
And being half-alive in this world might be even worse.
“It’s just a gathering of nobles your age. Try not to be too cold. It wouldn’t hurt to make some friends.”
“Don’t worry.”
Chel, who had taken care of Anakin since birth, was one of the few who genuinely cared for and cherished him.
But people around Anakin Descartes rarely lived long.
Because the deranged tops who were obsessed with Anakin would kill them off, using jealousy as an excuse.
You could say he was a walking death flag.
By the later chapters, even Anakin went insane—and considering all the torment he endured, it was hard to blame him.
Especially when you saw how the main top, Crown Prince Camille, and the other tops behaved.
They claimed to love him, yet all they did was torment and control. Who wouldn’t go mad?
If it had been me… I wouldn’t have survived with my sanity intact either.
…Except now, it really is me.
Anakin finished preparing for the palace and boarded a luxurious carriage, marked with the Descartes crest, alongside the Countess.
It felt like I was stepping into a doomed plot, and the tension was gnawing at me.
But no matter how prestigious the family, they couldn’t turn down a royal invitation.
I was basically walking into a lion’s den on my own two feet.
Avoiding them altogether was impossible—so I’d have to deal with them head-on.
Most ukes in these stories are kind, just, and intolerant of wrongdoing.
First impressions are crucial.
No matter how pretty you are, if you ruin your image right from the start, people’s perception of you will sour.
I didn’t want to mess with my appearance, so I figured I’d make myself disqualified from “main bottom” status through behavior instead.
“Oh my… Whose child could be so beautiful?”
Anakin first manifested as an Omega at age 14.
Right now, he was 13—so in just a year, his body would undergo its transformation.
Even knowing that, I still couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that a boy could get pregnant.
Anakin lowered his head and stared at his soft, flat belly.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
His mother, Maria, noticed his troubled expression and looked at him with concern.
“I’m fine.”
I smiled naturally, and she smiled back at me with elegance.
“There’s no need to be so nervous. Though His Highness the Crown Prince is hosting, it’s just a social gathering of nobles your age. They’re all just kids like you.”
In the original novel, this event marked the first meeting between Anakin Descartes and the tops.
At the time, their interest in Anakin was purely based on curiosity and attraction to his incomparable beauty.
But the real obsession began once they matured into Alphas and Anakin manifested as an Omega.
The novel detailed every raw, explicit moment of how those innocent relationships devolved into lust and obsession.
It made me wonder: was there even any way to avoid getting entangled with them?
“Oh, by the way—Roman will be accompanying you today.
Though we can’t attend ourselves, we couldn’t possibly send you there alone.”
Roman… she must mean Roman Descartes.
Anakin’s only sibling—and a man who treated his younger brother like a mere tool.
The person who was supposed to be his greatest support had no interest in him whatsoever.
And now, that man was my brother too.
My future looked grim already.
While I dozed off, the carriage arrived at the palace, its magnificence on full display.
Carriages marked with the crests of noble houses lined up, waiting for their turn to enter.
Once inside, I was struck by the grandeur of the palace architecture and its lavish exterior.
The Countess and the other Descartes family members were busy exchanging pleasantries.
I, hands clasped behind my back, casually wandered off toward a quieter part of the garden.
No one seemed to notice I had slipped away.
The elegant fountains, the meticulously manicured gardens—it was all so picturesque, like a scene from a fairy tale.
I was mesmerized, and before I knew it, I had wandered deep into the palace grounds.
It was only when I realized how far I’d strayed that I turned to head back.
Thud.
A dull sound.
“You filthy little worm.”
Behind a flowerbed, a silver-haired boy with chilling violet eyes was stomping on the head of a defenseless child cowering on the ground.
I didn’t need to think hard to figure out what was happening.
I had a gut feeling this was going to be an incredibly annoying situation to get involved in.
Because only one person in the palace had silver hair and royal purple eyes.
Leodore von Kirstan.
Why the hell was the Third Prince of the Empire in such a secluded spot?
I hadn’t expected to meet the second-most-insane top from the story so soon.
Normally, I would’ve walked away without a second thought—but seeing a child getting beaten like that made it impossible to turn a blind eye.
“…Who are you?”
Both the Third Prince and the beaten-up boy looked up at me at the same time.
They stared intently—too intently.
The kind of gaze that made my skin crawl.
Was it because they were seeing the main bottom for the first time?
“……”
While I stood there, speechless, the child beneath Leodore vanished—completely, as if by magic.
…Was it a mistake to watch him?
Somehow, it felt like he had voluntarily ended up alone with the Third Prince, which made him feel awkward.
“I asked who you are.”
Despite the peculiar tone and mischievous look, he didn’t seem particularly hostile.
Running away like this would be a bit much.
Anakin recalled the vow he made before coming to the imperial palace and opened his mouth.
“My name is Anakin Descartes.”
“…Descartes?”
The prince’s expression twisted, as if recalling the family name, and he finally shifted his persistent gaze away.
In that moment, Anakin’s eyes lit up, and in a voice brimming with excitement like a child, he addressed the Third Prince, Leodore.
“You’re the Third Prince, aren’t you? With those beautiful violet eyes and that radiant silver hair… It’s a great honor to meet you!”
Leodore frowned at the sudden flattery.
Anakin forced a smile, gauging his reaction.
“…?”
“I’ve admired you for a long time. I heard you’re brilliant in both martial arts and academics…”
Normally, such familiarity between nobles—especially upon first meeting—would be called out as rude.
And this was royalty.
There’s no way someone like Leodore would let that slide.
Especially considering his infamous temper.
…But what if he suddenly declares it rude and punches me?
Or punishes me?
What should I do then?
Should I just grovel?
As Anakin’s mind filled with worry, Leodore, who had been silently watching, finally spoke.
“Drop the pathetic act. Did you really think that’d work?”
“…”
He saw through it immediately. Wait—how?
Was my acting really that bad?
“Why are you in my area? This is a restricted zone.”
“S-sorry… It’s my first time in the palace, and I got lost.”
Anakin shrank back and bowed his head, prompting Leodore to give him a crooked stare.
* * *
