I won't lie—the fact that they called me lazy was, unfortunately, pretty accurate.

But it wasn't entirely my fault. I tried hard—I really did. Yet my dreams were crushed, all because I'd had asthma as a kid. They didn't even care that I'd put in the work at the gym to prove it was a thing of the past. I even did well on the fitness test, way above the minimum required to get in.

After they turned me down, my motivation just vanished. They kept saying they needed soldiers, yet they threw me aside with some excuse. I was more than qualified—both physically and mentally. Heck, I even taught myself programming, just to prove I could keep up with anything they threw at me.

"What a crappy life," I muttered, slurping down the instant ramen as I scrolled through streaming options, looking for a new series to kill some time.

After finding yet another mediocre series to binge, I suddenly heard my doorbell ring.

At first, I didn't budge, still fixated on the screen. But the ringing didn't stop.

Am I expecting anyone? I wondered. My best friend was off on vacation, my parents lived in another country, and I hadn't ordered anything. My rent was up-to-date, and in the two years I'd been here, my neighbors had never once rung my doorbell.

Should I check?

Curiosity got the better of me, and I pushed myself up, heading out of my room. Walking down the hallway, I realized my place was overdue for a clean-up again. Clothes were scattered all over the floor, a reminder that I'd let things slide.

Finally, I reached the door and leaned in, peeking through the peephole.

On the other side stood a man in typical Amazon delivery attire, holding a small package in one hand. I didn't order anything… I reminded myself, feeling a twinge of unease.

Still, my hand reached for the handle, and I opened the door.

"Yes?" I asked, watching his face relax, almost relieved that I'd finally answered.

He sized me up, then asked, "Are you Theodore Müller?"

I nodded, my mind already starting to drift back to my series. But then, in one swift movement, his hand darted behind his back, grabbing something.

Before I could react, he lunged, pressing something cold and sharp against my throat.

My vision blurred instantly. The world around me started to spin, and I felt my legs buckle beneath me.

Within seconds, everything went dark.

------------------------

I woke up in a way I definitely didn't prefer.

Cold water splashed over my face, shocking me awake.

My eyes shot open, darting around as I tried to sit up—but I couldn't. My body was strapped down, fixed to some kind of bed.

The room was dark, with only faint shadows hinting at plain, worn walls that looked like they hadn't been touched in years. Shit… did I get kidnapped?

Panic washed over me as the memories came rushing back: the delivery man, the sudden attack, the sharp object against my throat. My body tensed as I fully realized what had happened.

Not long after, I heard the creak of a rusty door opening, and a flood of light spilled into the room from outside.

Not long after, I heard the creak of a rusty door opening, and a flood of light spilled into the room from outside.

Two figures stepped inside. One of them reached over and clicked a button on the wall, and the room flickered to life as the lights buzzed on, revealing everything in sharp detail.

Now, I could see the room clearly—and the two people standing before me. One was a man, tall and broad-shouldered, wearing a dark, weathered jacket. The other was a woman, younger, with sharp features and piercing eyes that seemed to study me with unsettling intensity. Both of them looked familiar, but I couldn't place them.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Well, well," the man said, his voice low and amused. "Looks like you're finally awake."

"Do I know you?" I asked, my voice shaky as I tried to avoid their eyes, not wanting to show how nervous I was.

The man smirked and crossed his arms. "Do you know us?" he replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "You may. Not like we can look into your head... right?"

The woman stood silently beside him, her gaze still fixed on me, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"That's enough," the woman chirped in, her voice sharp and impatient. "Just take his damn blood. I don't wanna waste much more time with him. The boss is already angry."

The man didn't argue. He just nodded, a slight smirk still on his face, as if he found the whole situation amusing. It seemed clear to me now—she was the one in charge.

I could feel my heart race as the man approached, his expression colder now. "Don't make this harder than it has to be," he muttered, as if I had any choice in the matter.

"You might even come out alive... maybe," the man added, his voice low and laced with a hint of dark amusement as he grabbed a needle from the table beside him.

My heart skipped a beat. Alive? What the hell were they planning to do with me? I tried to pull against the restraints holding me down, but they were too tight, and the fear of what was about to happen settled heavy in my chest.

The woman watched, her eyes cold, as the man prepared the needle. "Hurry up," she snapped, clearly growing impatient.

I tried to steady my breathing, my mind racing. I had to figure out a way out of this—fast.

Then, without warning, he rammed the needle into my arm. The sharp sting was nothing compared to the feeling that followed—something cold and unnatural flowing into my veins. A wave of dizziness hit me almost instantly.

My vision blurred again, and I fought to stay awake, to fight back. I knew that if I lost consciousness now, I was done for. My heart raced, but the haze that clouded my mind grew thicker, more suffocating.

I tried to focus, but the weight of exhaustion and confusion pulled at me like an anchor. My muscles felt heavy, and no matter how hard I tried to resist, my eyelids grew heavier with each passing second.

I lost.

-----------------

"Young Master, wake up. The Sect Master called for you. He sounded really angry this time."

The voice was soft but urgent, pulling me out of sleep.

I blinked a few times, groggily rolling to the side to get out of bed—

Bam!

I hit the floor with a thud.

"Shit," I muttered, wincing at the sudden jolt. But then, something clicked. I wasn't tied to the bed anymore.

I'm free...

That realization hit me, and my mind immediately shifted into survival mode. I've got to get out of here.

I quickly pushed myself up and looked around, but my plans froze when I saw where I was.

Instead of the rundown, dark room I expected, I found myself in a huge, fancy chamber. The walls were decorated with golden dragons, looking almost too perfect. The bed was massive, easily big enough for ten people. It felt... wrong.

Then, I noticed the woman standing by the door. She was dressed in white robes, looking like something straight out of one of those cultivation manhua. In her hands was a towel, and her face was unreadable.

Young Master?

The words repeated in my mind. I rubbed my forehead, trying to make sense of what was going on. What the hell was happening?

"Young Master? Do you mean me?" I asked her, still trying to process her words.

"Of course, who else, Young Master?" she replied, her voice laced with confusion, as if the answer was obvious.

So she really did mean me. But the question lingered—who is she? I couldn't place her face, and everything about this situation felt… off.

"Can you bring me a mirror, please?" I asked, trying to make sense of the bizarre moment.

"A mirror?" She blinked in surprise, but nodded quickly. "Sure." Without another word, she turned and left, leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts. I had a few moments to think, but the more I tried, the less I understood. What was going on? Where was I? And why was she calling me "Young Master"?

The woman returned quickly, this time holding a mirror in her hand.

She walked toward me, her steps deliberate, and handed it over. I took it without thinking, my mind still racing with confusion.

As I gazed into the mirror, I was shocked once again.

That isn't me! I thought, my heart skipping a beat. The face staring back at me was unfamiliar—sharp features, a pointy nose, a strong jawline, and eyebrows that arched like swords. His eyes were an intense, mesmerizing blue. My own reflection was a stranger, someone I didn't recognize.

I reached up instinctively, running a hand through my short black hair, which, to my surprise, matched my memory. But everything else—the face, the eyes, the features—felt completely foreign.

"Are you alright, Young Master?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. "Did you hit your head? Was the fight with that stingy Lin Feng too much for you?"

Her words struck me like a jolt of electricity, but they only left me more confused. Fight? Lin Feng?

I blinked, trying to make sense of what she was saying.

She sighed, shaking her head. "I told you, you shouldn't have fought that guy alone. You know how dangerous he can be."

Her words felt like fragments of a life I didn't recognize, pieces of a puzzle that didn't fit. Was I really someone who would face off with a person named Lin Feng? 

Let's just play dumb, I decided.

"Who even are you?" I asked her, my voice steady but filled with confusion. "And... who am I?"

She blinked at me, clearly taken aback. "What do you mean?" Her eyes widened as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're the Young Master of the Rainbow Sect, and I'm your maid. You really hit your head, didn't you?"

Her response only deepened my confusion. Rainbow Sect? Young Master? Maid? These words meant nothing to me.

I couldn't remember any of it.

But there was one thing I was sure of. I was in someone else's body.