Light slipped through the door again, striking my eyes like a reminder that a new day had begun. In the future era I came from, I never bothered keeping track of dates—yet here, in this unfamiliar world, I felt like a wanderer lost in the very flow of time.

I opened the door, inhaled deeply, and stretched until my bones cracked in pleasant release. Stepping down the threshold, I crouched, picked up a twig, and began sketching my makeshift "survival plan" onto the ground. Each straight line marked a goal—martial training, tracking the full moon, finding a job.

"What are you doing?"

The voice came from behind so suddenly that I jerked in surprise.

I shot upright, shielding the ground with my body while wiping the markings away with my foot.

"Calculating how many days you've been eating on my dime," I said, lifting my chin in false arrogance.

"Hah? Stingy."
Contempt was written plain on Hắc's face.

I ignored his attitude and seized the chance to ask,
"How do you know when the full moon is coming?"

"It passed a few days ago," Hắc replied.

"How do you tell?"

"By looking at the sun and moon, obviously. On the tenth day, there's no moon at all—count five more sunrises after that and you'll hit the full moon."

So simple it startled me. Overjoyed, I raised my hands and formed a heart toward him.

"You're amazing! I'll treat you to a feast."

With that, I turned on my heel and waved as if a grown man was leaving a child behind. Strangely enough, I felt no guilt for abandoning him there.

The morning market bustled with activity—buyers and sellers shouting, bargaining, laughing. Across centuries, some scenes truly never change. And a "feast" needed wine. I bought snacks one by one, a little of each, everything priced in scraps of silver. Thinking about the ten taels of gold I once had, I couldn't help sighing... apparently being a kept man wasn't such a bad deal after all.

"Hey, stop."

A tall guard blocked my path. "Did you see a boy wearing a qilin-patterned tunic run past?"

I knew exactly who he meant. But until I squeezed some information out of that kid, I wasn't about to hand him over.

"Huh? Didn't see anyone. If I do, I'll let you know."

"Alright."

He walked away—so easily I nearly burst out laughing.

...

"You took your time," Hắc grumbled when I returned.

"Tada~ look! Good food and fine wine!"

I held up the plate like it was a trophy.

"I got stopped by your guards, you know. Why didn't you go home?"

I asked only to start a conversation; I knew he wouldn't answer honestly.

"Because I want to stir up some trouble—enough that people stop nominating me as the next heir."

Oh... so someone actually doesn't want to be king. I eyed him—his face calm, without a hint of deceit. Better change the topic; in this era, knowing too much was a faster path to death than ignorance.

"Do you have any jobs? Recommend one. I'll starve without money."

Hắc paused, as if weighing something. Two minutes passed before he dropped a line so casually it hit my ears like a hammer:

"Become my royal consort."

I spit out all the food in my mouth.

Two men entering the palace together... was this kid trying to turn us into a public joke? Was life in this era not difficult enough already?

"You're insane! Two men living together in the palace—people will curse us to death!"

I protested immediately.

Hắc laughed—not an ordinary laugh, but something bordering on unhinged.

"Even better. The louder they curse, the quicker I'll be removed from the line of succession."

"You..."
I didn't even finish speaking before his small hand cupped my face, mischief and hunger gleaming in his eyes.

"With a face like yours, I fear the effect will be... the opposite."

Only then did I realize—this house didn't even have a mirror. Perhaps the owner of this body hated seeing his own reflection. And here I was, struck with a new reality: being admired by the opposite sex was one thing; being admired by a minor... was far worse.

"What's in it for me?" I asked bluntly.

"A life of comfort. No worrying about money."
Hắc extended his hand as though offering a serious contract.

"Deal."

I placed my hand on his, hiding none of my ambition.

After all, he was just a kid—I could manipulate him long enough to survive in this world...
at least until I found a way home.