POV: MikeAt twenty-one years old, my existence had become the definition of a golden cage. I lived every day within the silent walls of my family's mansion, an otaku not by choice, but by circumstance. My isolation began as a teenager when I was left utterly alone in the world. All I had was my inheritance—a legacy left behind after my parents' private plane spiraled into a mountain. "Engine failure," my relatives had whispered with crocodile tears. But I knew the truth they hid behind those words.For nine long years, my life withered into a hollow routine: wake up, eat, lose myself in the digital worlds of anime and novels, write a new chapter of my own story, and study in solitude until sleep claimed me again. I was a ghost in my own home. My relatives, infuriated by my refusal to become their perfect, puppet-like heir, deemed me a "worthless piece of trash." When I showed no interest in their greedy teachings, they stripped me of ninety percent of my birthright, leaving me a mere

POV: Liam"Your Highness, please, you must get back inside the carriage. A fall at this speed could cause you permanent injury, and we cannot have more blood on our hands today."The voice was thin, reeking of a feigned, oily concern. An old man, his skin as wrinkled as parchment and his back slightly stooped, appeared before me. He looked to be in his nineties, his white hair sparse and his eyes hidden behind half-closed lids. This was Old Zhu.The moment my eyes landed on him, a glacial chill settled in my chest. In the original plot of my novel, Old Zhu was a venomous snake hidden in the grass. He was the architect of Liam's downfall, a man who manipulated the blind prince to consolidate his own clan's power. He was the one who systematically drained the state's treasury, leaving Liam to take the fall as a corrupt, incompetent governor. That reputation was the very reason the public cheered when Liam's head finally hit the block.I felt a surge of pure disdain, but I kept my face a

POV: Liam"You idiots, calm down! Or do you want the entire mansion to find out about your existence before the sun even sets?"My voice, though small and high-pitched, carried a sharp edge that cut through the thick tension in the room. The air, which had been vibrating with the clashing auras of a Warlord and a Demi-Dragon, suddenly grew still."Yes, my Lord," they chimed in unison, their heads bowing so low they nearly touched the floorboards. Even Kurma let out a small, apologetic squeak, his nine tails tucking slightly between his legs.I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. I was a four-year-old child commanding entities that could level this city, and the weight of that responsibility was starting to settle on my shoulders. I looked at Thor and then at Ren, my gaze lingering on each of them to ensure they understood the gravity of my next words."Ren, Thor... listen to me carefully. I will not tolerate any infighting between you. You are my left and right hands

POV: LiamA week had passed since I first stepped into this decaying mansion, and the atmosphere had shifted from stagnant to electric. I spent my days sitting cross-legged on the cold stone floor, lost in a trance of meditation as I awaited the reports from Ren and Thor. Outside my window, the Secluded State was changing, but not in the way the history books would one day record.Old Zhu had become increasingly daring, his greed acting like a terminal disease. Believing my feigned support was absolute, he began to operate as if he were the true sovereign of this land. He had already started moving members of his clan into the city, occupying key positions and siphoning resources to bolster their influence.In the original novel, the 'Old Liam' was a stubborn, reactive child who fought Zhu at every turn. That resistance only made the old fox sharper, more cautious, and more calculated. But by giving him 100% authority, I had essentially handed him a golden noose. He thought he was win