Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Someone knocked at the door. Two short taps, a pause, then another two—repeated again and again, almost like a rhythm.

The man closed the book he was reading and turned his gaze toward the door.

“You can come in. No need to knock twice.”

The knocking stopped. A moment later, the door burst open.

Standing there was a girl in a luxurious dress of light pink silk, the fabric shimmering as if spun from cherry blossoms. Her bright pink hair matched it almost perfectly. Beside her stood a woman in a neat maid’s uniform.

“Mr. Tenma, Lady—”

The maid’s words were cut short as the girl dashed forward and threw herself into his arms.

“AHAHA, TSUKASA-KUN! I HAVE SOOO MUCH TO TELL YOU!”

The boy chuckled softly, gesturing to the armchair across from him.

“Be my guest. Also...”

He paused deliberately, waiting for her to introduce herself. A little theory of his needed confirmation.

“Oh, come on, Tsukasa! Don’t be silly.”

The girl laughed, taking the seat as though it were all a joke.

“Haha, yeah, but seriously... you’re—?”

Her expression shifted. An eyebrow lifted, worry flickering in her eyes.

“Tsukasa, are you feeling alright? Did you hit your head? IT’S ME, EMU! YOUR BEST FRIEND OF ALL TIME!”

The boy tilted his head, smiling gently.

“Aha, yes... I remember now.”

Her concern only deepened at his words. Then, a hand rested lightly on her shoulder.

“Lady Emu, the young master suffers from amnesia due to the incident. But—but he will regain his memories shortly. I promise."

Emu let out a long sigh. The sorrow in her eyes spoke louder than words.

“I know... I just hoped he would remember me. We’ve always been best friends.”

She got up slowly, brushing invisible dust from her gown.

“Well... it was nice meeting you again, Tsukasa-kun.”

Tears glimmered in her eyes as she turned and left the room.

The moment the door shut, he stood and let out a breath. His theory was correct. Somehow, he had transmigrated into the best-selling novel The Lotus Lady.

Best-selling... though hardly well-written. A sloppy piece of work, yet somehow adored by the masses.

The story began with Rui Kamishiro, a prodigy with limitless potential—or rather, had potential, until tragedy struck. His home and city were reduced to ash. From that day on, Rui honed both his magic and his swordsmanship, swearing vengeance against those who had taken everything.

But the true heroine was the girl who had just left—Emu Otori. A girl of boundless sunshine, whose heart, for some reason, fell for that tyrant.

The novel ended in despair. Rui, once noble, descended into tyranny, slaughtering every household that had wronged him in the past—or simply stood in his way. Among the destroyed were Emu’s family... and, of course, the Tenma household.

What a cruel irony. He shared a name with that wretched character. And to make matters worse, the resemblance was uncanny: blonde hair with peach-tinted ends, golden eyes, and a penchant for wearing blue.

It almost felt personal. As if the author had written the villain specifically to mock him. Tsukasa Tenma—the stupidest villain in history.

Rui had even offered mercy: surrender peacefully, and no one would be harmed. But Tsukasa had mocked him, provoked him, and been killed for it.

And now he had to live as that Tsukasa—the one fated to die in a matter of months.

“Why was I reborn here of all places...?”

That night, Tsukasa made his decision. He would not die again. This life was his now, and he would live it on his terms.

The first step was simple: change the ending. Make them love him, not hate him.

In the original, Tsukasa was despised by nearly everyone. He was the cause of wars between houses, the face of a city steeped in classism, the reason so many starved while he feasted at gilded banquets.

That would change.

Even if Rui still came to kill him... at the very least, Tsukasa would have allies who would fight for him.

Chapter Text

Everything the old Tsukasa had owned was stitched from the kind of fabrics that made people stare. He had to admit it — before transmigrating he’d come from a comfortably wealthy family, but this was on another level.

While he stood in front of the wardrobe wondering what to wear, a voice came from behind the door.

“Young master, the Duke and Duchess sent word — your breakfast is ready.”

He turned, forcing a smile, and froze for a moment. He hadn’t expected to run into the antagonist’s parents so soon. He hadn’t even learned how the real Tsukasa Tenma behaved. In the story the so-called scum only played two big roles: first, he proved to the protagonist that when given the choice between life and power people will always pick power; second — and more important — he was the reason Emu and Rui locked eyes and started their whole… thing. That was it.

From what the new Tsukasa could piece together, the original had been unbearable to everyone outside the house. Inside, who knew? Maybe he’d been a sweetheart to his family. Maybe a complete idiot.

He opened the door with too-wide a grin and faced the butler waiting there. “Good morning! I’m ready to see my parents, if you don’t mind.”

The butler raised an eyebrow and gave him a puzzled look.

“Young master, did you wish to take breakfast with your family today?”

Tsukasa’s smile wobbled into something awkward.

“Isn’t that what I… expected?”

The butler looked more confused than ever. “Young master, the last time you ate breakfast with your family was two years ago. You asked to be served alone because you found them… bothersome.

Tsukasa’s face went cold. He hadn’t seen that coming. He stood silent for a few seconds, then let out a nervous laugh.

“Haha — right. I suppose you’ve heard I have amnesia. Remembering things might be a bit difficult for me right now.”

The man bowed immediately.

“Of course, young master. My mistake. I will be accountable.”

Tsukasa forced another awkward smile and motioned for the butler to lead the way.

The house was enormous. He hadn’t even glanced at half of it and was already taken aback by the sheer spectacle of wealth. No wonder Rui was drawn here — the family was among the richest in the kingdom, and its resources exceeded anything Tsukasa had imagined. Truly impressive.

When he reached the dining room, a spread appeared that seemed made for a prince: dishes prepared specially for him, now prepared for the new Tsukasa. He tasted the smashed potatoes with truffles and felt his eyes widen. The food was exquisite — crafted by the best cooks in the realm. He sampled everything in small bites so he wouldn’t fill up too fast.

Fullness settled in, and with it the weight of what came next. Two months left. Well — one and change, if he was honest. Two, if he rounded up. After that, the story’s ending would catch up with him. He could abort the plan and live as the narcissist Tsukasa had, or he could try to rewrite the details of this life. The first option was easier; the second promised only a fifty-fifty chance. Nothing was guaranteed — least of all his survival.

He sighed, rose from the chair, and hurried out of the dining hall. If he was going to try this reckless plan, there was no time to waste.

He would make allies. He would flatter Rui when he arrived so he wouldn’t be killed. He would somehow survive, even if it cost him every last coin of the family fortune.

He would make sure this was the last time he died.

Chapter Text

Tsukasa raised his hand slowly, hesitantly.

“Um… may I have another cup of tea, please?”

The maid froze mid-step, eyes widening as if she’d just witnessed a miracle.

“I mean—! Just… bring me a cup of tea already.”

That seemed to wake her. She bowed frantically before rushing away, leaving the room heavy with silence.

Tsukasa exhaled. Alone, at last.

Ever since he had “inherited” the body of Tenma Tsukasa, his life had been one long headache. He’d expected people to glare at him, whisper behind his back, maybe even throw rotten fruit at him. Instead?

They worshiped him.

Apparently, the original Tsukasa was a horrible human being—but a generous one. He treated people like garbage, then compensated by throwing money at them. Literally. He used gold coins like apology confetti.

“What kind of idiot does that?”

Tsukasa muttered.

“No wonder everyone adores him. They’re all just waiting for their next paycheck.”

Tsukasa rubbed his forehead. Even villains should have some logic… this man was just an idiot with money.

If fate had allowed it, he would have gladly given the original a punch for every cruel thing he’d done.

Just then, the maid returned, holding a tray.

“Here you go, Mister Tenma. The tea you ordered.”

He froze for half a second before giving a small nod.

“Okay.”

Short. Safe. Neutral.

If he acted too nice, people would think something was wrong. If he acted like the old Tsukasa, someone would stab him in his sleep.

So, neutrality it was.

The maid lingered, smiling brightly. Tsukasa hesitated, then retrieved a gold coin from his pocket and offered it to her.

“Here. Take it.”

Her eyes gleamed with delight. “Ah! Little Master, you’re too kind! Thank you! You’re the most generous—”

“You can go now.”

She bowed so fast her hair spun and practically sprinted away.

Tsukasa’s shoulders slumped.

“Why must I pay people for basic kindness? I already bought the tea…"

His eyes landed on the calendar across the room.

One month and twenty-four days left.

“Yeah… I’m screwed.”

He tapped his fingers against the table, thinking. Then—like divine revelation—it came to him.

"If I can’t change this role’s destiny… I’ll just exchange it with another one!"

And he already had the perfect candidate.

Lady Mizuki Akiyama.

She was a bit of a comic relief character, sure—but beloved by everyone. She had her own struggles, but her kindness and ideals made her one of the most adored figures in the entire franchise.

And the best part? She was Rui’s best friend.
Tsukasa grinned.

"I can totally pull that off. I was one of the best actors in my past life, after all."

Then, his grin faltered.

There was one little… problem.

Mizuki had a secret lover. A woman.
That was the reason she grew close to Rui in the first place—she dreamed of creating a world where even noblewomen could love freely, without being forced to continue their bloodlines.

Tsukasa rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“...That’s settled. I’ll take on the role of Mizuki Akiyama,” he whispered to himself.

“It’ll be easy! I can handle everything. Tsukasa doesn’t have a good relationship with his parents, but neither do Mizuki! If his relationship with his sister is bad , I can just buy her tons of gifts and it would be alright! People already don’t like me—they only like my money—so when Rui shows up, I can just say that they're acting this way because I'm-”

He froze mid-sentence as realization hit him.

"Shit..."

So if he wanted to take her role, he’d have to find a male lover in less than two months.

Because to pull this off… he’d have to pretend to be gay.

He stared blankly at the wall for a solid ten seconds.

He scoffed, then chuckled under his breath.

“It’s fine. Everything will work out perfectly.”

His grin turned determined.

“I, Tsukasa Tenma, will become Rui’s future best friend!”

And somewhere in the back of his mind, a small, reasonable voice whispered:

You’re so dead.

Chapter Text

The top priority on Tsukasa’s list had changed at the last second.

Forget winning people over. That could wait.
His new mission?

Find a boyfriend.

Not because he actually wanted one, of course, but because he needed to convince the protagonists that he truly wanted to “change the world” and all that heroic nonsense.

The perfect cover.

That would also allow him to take on the role of Mizuki — Rui’s best friend in the original light novel. Simple as that!

And the cherry on top? He’d already thought of a few candidates. One, in particular, stood out as absolutely perfect.

Touya Aoyagi.

A nobleman from one of the wealthiest families in the kingdom, Touya was handsome, talented, and charming. The ideal catch — at least on paper.

Tsukasa’s grin widened just thinking about it.

Not only did Touya sound like the perfect person, he even happened to be gay! He was the second confirmed gay character in the novel — and one of the main leads. Well, sort of.

Even though he only ever exchanged two words with Rui, he was the one working behind the scenes — protecting Rui from the shadows, having his guards eliminate enemies in secret.

Of course, in the end, Rui repaid all that kindness by killing him.

Just because he thought Touya had evil intentions.

What a pity.

The man practically came prepackaged for manipulation.

In this world, Touya wouldn’t die. Not if Tsukasa had anything to say about it. Sure, he’d still suffer a little heartbreak —
Tsukasa planned to toy with his feelings, after all — but at least he’d live.

According to the invitation Tsukasa had sent two weeks ago, Touya was supposed to arrive later that day. He’d already received a reply confirming the visit.

Not much time to prepare, but it would have to do. After all, only a month and a few days remained before everything fell apart.

Everything was aligning perfectly.
His plan was simple: cling to Touya until he fell head over heels in love.

While Tsukasa debated what to wear, a servant suddenly burst into the room without knocking, panting heavily.

“L-Little Master! The—the—!”

Tsukasa waved her off, pulling out an elegant outfit in cool tones — something appropriate for meeting a man from the snowy Aoyagi territory.

“Tell him to wait another five minutes. I’m almost ready.”

The maid’s eyes widened, her hands trembling.

“But the Pr—!”

Tsukasa frowned, forcing an annoyed look.

“I told you to leave. Can’t you hear?”

The maid bowed deeply, apologizing before quickly retreating.

A pang of guilt hit him for snapping, but he pushed it aside. There were more important things to focus on.

Still, why had she been panicking like that?

Surely Touya wouldn’t mind waiting a few minutes. The man had waited months for Rui, who never even looked his way. What were a few minutes compared to that?

Satisfied with his outfit, Tsukasa made his way toward the waiting room where his “special guest” was waiting.

He slammed the doors open with dramatic flair—
—and froze.

An irritated man with fiery orange hair sat on an armchair, a guard standing beside him. The moment he saw Tsukasa, the man slammed his fist against the coffee table and stood up.

“Who do you think you are, making me wait?”

Tsukasa’s confident smile faltered.

This was… wrong.

The Touya Aoyagi from the novel was calm, rational, and friendly — a gentleman through and through.

But this man? Rude, impatient, and insufferable.

Had something changed in the story already?
The orange-haired stranger snapped him back to reality.

“So? Why did you make me come here on such short notice, leave all my duties behind, and make me wait? You said it was important!”

Tsukasa swallowed down a dozen insults and forced a charming smile.

“Well, you see… I was hoping we could talk one on one~”

He nearly cringed at his own fake tone. The man’s disgusted expression didn’t help.

“Ugh, fine! Leave us,” the stranger ordered, waving off the guard.

Tsukasa forced an even wider smile. So the old Tsukasa wasn’t the only asshole in this story. Great. To be honest he was an angel compared with this man.

Once the door closed, he gestured toward the chair across from him.

“Ah, Aoyagi-kun — or should I just call you Touya, since I'm one year older than you?”

“Cut the crap,” the man snapped. “And stop calling me that!”

Tsukasa’s smile twitched. If he didn’t need this man for his plan, he’d already have punched him into the next kingdom.

“Fine then, Touya. Let’s get straight to business! I want to make a deal that benefits us both.”

The man’s scowl deepened.

“Just spit it out already! And I told you to stop calling me that! Do I look like I came here for jokes?”

Tsukasa could feel a vein pulsing in his forehead. Still, he kept his grin — sharp and dangerous.

“Alright, alright. I’ll be blunt.” He leaned forward. “Touya, I’m attracted to man. And judging by the looks of you, so are you. So let’s just… date. That’s all.”

Silence.

Then the man stood up abruptly, eyes wide with fury.

“…Say that again.”

Tsukasa froze. Up close, he realized the man was slightly taller — and definitely more muscular.

“W-Wait, let’s calm down, Touya—”

He was yanked forward by the collar of his velvet shirt, face-to-face with the raging man.

“First of all, it’s Your Grace, you piece of shit!” the man barked. “And second— I don't like man!”

Tsukasa’s face went pale.

No… no way.

Orange hair. Sharp glare. The way he demanded to be called Your Grace.

It couldn’t be.

“Y-Y-Your Grace?! Why are you here?!”

The man — no, the prince — rolled his eyes.

“Touya couldn’t make it, so he asked me to come instead. If I’d known this was what you wanted, I’d have stayed home.”

Tsukasa stared blankly, his mind spinning.

He’d just tried to confess to Akito Shinonome or better known as the Crown Prince.

Perfect.

He looked at his reflection in the nearby mirror — the painted smile, the confident posture, the lifeless eyes.

He was going to die long before the month was up.

Oh, how wonderful.

Chapter Text

Only a few days remained before Rui Kamishiro’s arrival — before the story Tsukasa thought he knew would unfold. Yet already, the Tenma household was unraveling

Before Akito could strike Tsukasa to bring him back to his senses, the guard returned to the room, and at that same moment, Tsukasa was unceremoniously dropped to the floor.

After that arrogant prince had departed, Tsukasa believed that peace would return — that life would fall back into its predictable rhythm. Perhaps it was fate’s way of reminding him that destiny could not be altered.

He was wrong.

He could not change his role, but he could twist the narrative.
Apparently, when the “prince” got back to the capital, he told everyone that Tsukasa Tenma — the next heir to the Tenma family — was attracted to men.
And as if that wasn’t enough, he announced that Tsukasa had fallen madly in love with him!

Everything was even more ruined than before.

Because of that stupid rumor, Tsukasa had to meet the old Tsukasas parents — who, unsurprisingly, weren’t thrilled to hear their beloved son was supposedly gay.
During that meeting, he also met the younger sister — who, unlike her brother, was actually a sweetheart. She swore that if Tsukasa ever had a lover, or even thought about having one, he should tell her immediately, and she’d help him however she could.

Now Tsukasa was lying on his bed, frowning at the disaster he’d created.

If only he’d stopped when that dumb idea first came to mind… if only he’d just lived the lazy, comfortable life of the original Tsukasa Tenma.

He sighed, frowned again, and finally got up.
He’d been lying around all day anyway.

He picked the most modest outfit he could find and threw on a hooded cape to hide himself.

He hadn’t expected the rumors to spread so far — but wherever he turned, people were whispering. Whether he looked right or left, he was met with gossip. It was all his fault. If only he’d kept his mouth shut, none of this would’ve happened.

Lost in thought, he suddenly felt someone slam into him at full speed, pushing him slightly off balance.

Startled, Tsukasa grabbed the person’s arm and yanked them to a stop.

The man turned around immediately, his expression dark and irritated.

Tsukasa froze. If he dropped his act, he’d be done for. So instead, he tightened his grip, trying to look intimidating.

The man scoffed, raising an eyebrow. He wore a hooded cape like Tsukasa’s, but his face was visible — sharp features, cold yellow eyes that gleamed like a cat’s.

“...What?” he said, his voice deep and a little cracked.

Tsukasa tried to sound confident, but his voice came out trembling.

“I-I-I… YOU PUSHED ME!”

He quickly released the man’s arm and hid his face in his hands, mortified.

He couldn’t believe it. The man looked like a wanted criminal, and he’d just yelled at him!

Not to mention — the guy was much taller than him. Sure, he didn’t look particularly strong, but the height difference alone was intimidating.

The man stared at him, unmoving. His eyes were unreadable.

“...Oh. Sorry,” he said flatly.

Tsukasa peeked out from his hands, meeting that icy gaze. Was he actually sorry? Or was he just mocking him? He couldn’t tell.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Tsukasa slowly backed away and hurried off.

After that awkward encounter, he ran all the way home, red-faced with embarrassment.
Once back inside, he hung up his cape and collapsed into an armchair, reflecting on his poor life choices.

But before he could fully process the situation, a loud thud echoed from downstairs.

Tsukasa shot to his feet and rushed down the stairs — only to find every guard and maid lying unconscious on the floor.

And standing in front of the main entrance was the same strange man from earlier.

Tsukasa’s eyes widened, his body trembling. His voice came out in a whisper.

“Who… are you?"

The man lifted his head slightly, as if he’d heard the words perfectly, and pulled down his hood — revealing his face.

It was none other than Kamishiro Rui — the protagonist. The man who was supposed to take his head.

Before Tsukasa could react, Rui was suddenly in front of him, a blade made of mana hovering dangerously close to his neck.

“I’m Rui Kamishiro,” he said coldly. “And you must be Tsukasa Tenma. I came here to make a deal.”

Every instinct in Tsukasa screamed that something was wrong.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.

Rui was supposed to arrive in a few days, disguised as one of the servants. He should’ve locked Tsukasa in a room, introduced himself, and asked for his support.

Giving supplies and a few guards to a person meant nothing to Tsukasa — but in the original story, he refused and humiliated Rui, forcing him to resort to threats of life and death.

But this? None of this was in the script.
And just when Tsukasa thought things couldn’t get worse — here he was.