The Unwanted Visitor

Y/N's eyes fluttered open, her mind immediately registering the disorienting sensation of being somewhere completely unfamiliar. She sat up quickly, pushing her disheveled hair out of her face, and stared around in panic. She was in the middle of a thick, foggy forest, her heart pounding as she tried to process what was happening.

This is not real, she thought, her breath catching in her throat. I must still be asleep, right?

Her hand instinctively reached for her phone in her pocket, but it wasn’t there. She checked her surroundings, her pulse quickening. The only thing she could hear was the distant rustle of the leaves, and the only thing in her vision was the strange, almost medieval world she was surrounded by. The trees towered above her, their twisted limbs forming eerie shapes in the fog.

Okay, no way. This can’t be happening. She rubbed her temples, trying to will her surroundings back into familiarity, but nothing changed. Her mind flashed back to the novel she had been reading, The Dark Crown, her favorite book. She knew the world, the characters, the plot like the back of her hand. But how was she here?

I must’ve fallen asleep while reading, she thought, trying to steady her breathing. I’m still in my room... this is just a dream.

But as she looked around again, her heart skipped a beat. This wasn’t a dream. She could feel the ground beneath her, smell the damp earth, hear the distant voices on the wind.

Then the sound of footsteps reached her ears. Her eyes widened. She wasn’t alone.

Think, Y/N, she urged herself. This is real. You're really here.

Without thinking, she instinctively ducked behind a thick tree trunk and held her breath. The voices grew louder, and soon, a group of soldiers appeared, armed with swords and carrying torches. Their faces were hard, eyes sharp and searching the mist with suspicion.

Stay calm, Y/N told herself. Don’t get caught.

She clutched the tree tighter, her pulse in her throat. Her mind raced with questions. Why am I here? How did I get here? And why do I feel like I’ve stepped right into the world of The Dark Crown?

As the soldiers passed, one of them glanced in her direction. She froze. They were close, but they kept moving. Y/N exhaled slowly, her breath shaky. She needed to get out of there. She couldn’t risk being discovered—especially not in a world where she had no idea how the rules worked.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the soldiers passed, and she dared to peek out. The dark outline of a castle loomed ahead. Her heart sank as she recognized the silhouette of Duke Jimin’s Castle. It was unmistakable. The same castle she had read about countless times in the novel, the same place where Jimin, the dark and tragic Duke, resided.

No, no, no. This can’t be real, she thought, her hands trembling. This is a dream, a nightmare. I must’ve hit my head or something.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized: This is real. I’m inside the world of the book.

She had to think fast. Jimin. The Duke of Valenmoor. The villain. The man whose heart had been broken, whose power had led to betrayal and loss. Y/N knew his story better than her own. The tragedy that followed him. His fall. But none of that mattered now—she was here, and she needed to figure out how to get back.

But then… something else crept into her mind. What if I could change his fate?

The soldiers rounded a corner, forcing Y/N to move quickly again. She couldn’t linger in the forest, not with them so close. She dashed toward the open field leading to the castle, her heart hammering in her chest.

As she neared the castle gates, she was stopped by another group of soldiers who quickly encircled her. One of them, a tall, lean man with sharp features, stepped forward. His eyes scanned her, clearly suspicious.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

Y/N’s mind raced for an explanation. What do I say? I’m from another world? They’ll think I’m crazy.

“I’m lost,” she said, her voice faltering. “I… I don’t know how I got here.”

The soldier eyed her carefully. “Lost? You don’t look like you belong here.”

“I don’t,” she said quickly, realizing that honesty might get her further than any lie. “I don’t know how I got here, but I’m not from your world.”

The soldier’s expression shifted to one of amusement. “You’re a strange one,” he said. “But it doesn’t matter. The Duke will want to speak with you.”

The Duke? Jimin? The thought made her stomach drop.

Before she could protest, the soldiers began guiding her into the castle. She had no choice but to follow them, her heart racing with both fear and curiosity.

The inside of the castle was grand—too grand, almost suffocating in its opulence. Thick tapestries adorned the walls, each depicting a battle or a conquest. The air smelled of incense, a heavy perfume that lingered in the stone corridors. They led her through several hallways before finally arriving at the massive doors of a grand hall.

The doors swung open, revealing the Duke standing in the middle of the room. He was tall, his dark hair falling just above his shoulders. His cloak was black, the fabric flowing with an almost ethereal quality, and his presence alone was enough to make the air feel thicker.

Y/N’s breath caught in her throat. This is him. Jimin.

His gaze was immediately on her, as if he could sense her every thought. There was no warmth in his eyes, only cold calculation.

The soldier who had led her into the castle bowed slightly. “My lord, we found this woman near the border. She claims to be lost.”

Jimin’s eyes narrowed as he looked Y/N over. “Lost?” he repeated, his voice dark and smooth. “You’re in my lands, yet you claim to be lost?”

Y/N’s heart raced. This is it. Don’t mess this up, Y/N. Think.

“I don’t know how I got here,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “But I promise you, I don’t want trouble. I just… I don’t know how to go back.”

Jimin studied her for a moment, his gaze intense. There was something in his eyes, a flicker of interest that Y/N couldn’t quite place. He wasn’t like the cruel, heartless villain the book had painted. There was more to him—something deeper, something she couldn’t fully understand.

“You will stay here,” Jimin said finally, his voice firm. “Until we figure out how you ended up in my kingdom.”

Y/N nodded, grateful for the opportunity to stay out of immediate danger. But there was something else bubbling beneath the surface—a strange sense of curiosity toward Jimin, a feeling she couldn’t quite shake. She didn’t trust him completely, not yet, but something told her that he wasn’t the monster the world thought him to be.

As the soldiers turned to leave, Jimin’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary. There was an unreadable expression on his face.

What is he thinking? Y/N wondered. Does he see me as just another stranger, or is there something else?

Jimin turned away without a word, his cloak sweeping behind him. Y/N couldn’t help but feel the weight of his presence even as he walked away.

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