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The genre was often abbreviated and referred to as RF1. It was among one of the many web novel genres such as fantasy and martial arts. If someone were to ask what the difference was between the two genres, there wasn’t much, other than the fact that romance was attached in front of one and the target audience for it was women.
Generally, the “fantasy” genre had male protagonists because their readers were mostly males. This way, they could easily immerse themselves with the main character. Similarly with “romance fantasy,” the protagonists were females. Simply put, if the main character was a female, it’s a RF; if the main character was a male, it’s a typical fantasy.
Naturally, with “romance” attached to its name, it could only be a true romance fantasy when the “romance” element was included. The main character in the fantasy story excelled in everything and created a harem. If the gender was reversed, then it wouldn’t be incorrect to say that the story became a romance fantasy. Therefore, some novels wrote female protagonists based upon these “fantasy” stories.
That was the reason why I, a fantasy genre enthusiast, read those romance fantasy stories.
“I wouldn’t have if I had known this would happen though.”
What were the clichés in novels nowadays?
Regression, possession, and reincarnation, otherwise known as RPR2.
Regression was when the protagonist would regress back in time to climb up the ranks to become the strongest. Or they would regress after experiencing an utter failure in order to succeed the next time around. Possession was when a reader of a book or a player of a game would enter and possess a character of the work. Finally, reincarnation was when a person got hit by a truck, dying in one’s real world, and then being reborn into a new one.
I have now been subjected to that cliché.
Any reader would have thought it at least once.
“I want to go inside a novel and become the main character.”
I definitely have before. Obviously, I only dreamed about it, I never strongly wished for it to happen. Unfortunately, the author deity must have thought that the impossible dream I had back then had been a lifelong wish. Or perhaps they had been drawing lots and I happened to be the one on that ticket. Otherwise, how could they suddenly transport a person to this world without any notice?
To be honest, even though I’ve read a lot of these stories, when it turned into a reality and I was one saying, “I opened my eyes and I’m in another world?” It’s embarrassing for me, the said individual. It’s also confusing because I couldn’t tell whether this was a dream or not.
It has been 5 years since I possessed this body so I’m already used to it, but in the beginning I couldn’t believe it. As soon as I woke up, I pinched my cheeks.
After enduring years of child abuse under the guise of training from my father, the pain, the vividness of the world I felt with my five senses, all these things told me that this was not a dream, but a reality.
Should I have realized it a tad earlier?
Well anyway, ever since I became aware of this fact, I have been living my life earnestly. I learned my family’s swordsmanship and obediently followed the education my family set out for me. Not only was I polite to the higher-ups in my household, I was also courteous to those who were lower in status than me.
Truthfully speaking, for an ordinary citizen like me who had lived in a caste-less system in 21st century South Korea, I had quite the difficult time.
I wonder who said humans were adaptive creatures? Because sure enough, albeit the awkwardness, I was able to adjust after a few years.
“Young master, you seem to be very nervous. This will only be a simple meeting to get you two acquainted. I don’t think you need to be so tense.”
“Even if it’s for formality, this is my fiance, Ken. She’s different from Sarah and Chloe who I see every day.”
The old butler standing next to me grinned and said, “That’s true,” before gently pressing my knee, which was bouncing at an alarming speed like a jackhammer used in construction sites.
It was obvious what Ken was thinking on the inside. Clearly, he saw me as a vigorous teenage brat who couldn’t control his heart from racing at the thought of meeting his fiancĂ©. Much more so, when the said woman was the eldest daughter of House Edelweiss, the one rumored to be a beauty.
However, he was off the mark. The main reason I was shaking right now was not from the sheer excitement of meeting a pretty fiancé, but from primal fear.
I heard the rumors about her so many times.
The white lily of the Edelweiss Household. Her beauty, exalted by the emperor himself. The delicate flower blooming on the steep cliff top, and the heap of compliments praising her appearance, there were no rumors that indicated I should be afraid of her. People commended not only her beauty, but also her flower-like personality so there wasn’t an issue with her personality either. I can guarantee that.
She was perfect and faultless. However, there was only one reason why I was afraid of her. This was the world from, “The Princess is Loved”, and she was the protagonist.
***
Although I’m still me, I’m possessing this body. Damian Kraus was not the main character in the novel. It would be more accurate to say that he’s a third-rate villain at most.
His family was among one of the three great households in the empire and he was Count Kraus’ heir. Furthermore, he was engaged to Elena Edelweiss, who was renowned to be the most beautiful in the empire.
Looking at his specs, his solid background and his gorgeous fiancĂ©, he really seemed like the main character of a fantasy story. Despite not being the world’s genius, he was born with martial prowess impressive enough to be called one thus there was no one he needed to be jealous of.
But as to be expected, his personality ruined it all.
As soon as he was born, he, who had everything – family, talent, and a gorgeous fiancĂ© – was abysmally arrogant, egoistical, and self-centered. He was a literal scoundrel.
Had Damian been the male lead in the RF, all of his shortcomings would have transformed into virtues by the hands of the heroine. Sadly, Damian was the first male candidate and the trigger to create an opportunity for the heroine to stand up on her own, not relying on the strength of her family. Nothing more, nothing less.
Since I was fully aware of that fact, I was cautious again and again.
If the original Damian’s rudeness was the problem, then all I had to do was act rude. The engagement with the heroine was merely a verbal promise between the family’s elders, meaning it was relatively easy to call off as it did not have any legal effect.
Unlike some simpletons in novels, I had no intention of becoming the main character.
In the future, whether it be the one worthy to be called the very first imperial swordmaster, or the one in charge of the Twilight Tower harnessing the power of the world, or even the Crown Prince of the Empire, I would get embroiled in a bloody battle with these strong individuals just by being by her side.
I was a villain who would leave at the beginning of the novel. I’d quickly be kicked off the stage like the original Damian without doing a single thing. It wasn’t even a fight in the first place when the chance of victory was zero. I’m also in the body of a third-rate villain, so I knew my place well.
Taking my position into consideration, my small dream is to live a normal life. It’s absurd to get close to the heroine when I’m a supporting character, an engaged villain who would take his leave early on. It’s obvious that I would get caught up in all kinds of trouble, and such a life was completely opposite from my dream life.
Therefore, it’ll be fine as long as I don’t go up on the stage from the very start. Then, I won’t have to die or get caught up in any incidents.
In order to not get entangled in her story, I must break off this engagement.
Translator’s Note
Teaser of one of our upcoming projects. It’s a Fluff wholesome novel with its fair share of heartwarming comedy. It has received good reviews. Mass release will happen at a later date, for now I hope the readers enjoy these 3 chapters.
Footnotes:
1
로판 / Ropan: In Korean, Romance Fantasy shortened sounds like Ropan. In English, it has been abbreviated to “RF.”
2
회ëč™í™˜ / RPR: In Korean, it’s the three words regression, possession, reincarnation abbreviated.