Occult Awakening: From Commoner to Archmage - Chapter 32: A Rock and a Hard Place

“I shouldn't have used illegal downloads in the first place.”

Ian woke up in the middle of a strange swamp as his own terrible character.

In a dark era on the verge of destruction, the hopeless character struggles to safely return to reality.

I had thought that my life couldn’t get worse when I walked in on my fiancé cheating on me with my best friend. But after a series of unfortunate events, I opened my eyes in a world that I had only read about in a webnovel, the Erudian Empire, ruled under the domineering, bloody reign of Emperor Helio.

The worst part?

I’m not even the main character! Reborn as Winter Royberg de la Erudian, I am the pitiful side character who is discovered to be a royal bastard princess due to a certain physical trait only the imperial bloodline possesses. But I know the end of Winter’s story and the unwanted royal punching bag is framed as a witch and killed at age 16 on the guillotine due to the scheming of the cruel empress.

An aloof, murder happy father? Check.

Psycho half-sister? Check.

Meddlesome author who wants me to follow the script? Double check!

I don’t want to die an early death again, so I’m determined not to ever be discovered as a royal again. But before I know it, I’m trapped in a palace of blood and opulence playing tricky games of power, games I have no clue how to win. How will I survive to adulthood in the imperial palace and get my happily ever after? And am I really the only person who fell into this world?

Ben, a postgraduate chemistry student, envisions a future where science unlocks the secrets of the universe. But fate has other plans. In a sudden twist, Ben dies and awakens in a strange new world, reborn as a five-year-old boy named Damian Sunblade.Damian's joy at being part of a noble family is short-lived. His family, valuing gold over blood, sells him off to another noble house to be groomed as a homemaker husband, a mere pawn in their political games. Struggling with his new reality and the remnants of his past life’s knowledge, Damian refuses to succumb to his fate.In his new household, Damian discovers that this world is governed by magic circles, Runic symbols wielding immense power. Driven by his scientific curiosity, Damian begins to experiment. Applying the laws of physics to the Rune symbols, he deciphers their secrets and invents his own unique form of magic.However, The family that bought him has their own plans for him, seeing Damian as a valuable tool to enhance their power. But Damian, ever the independent spirit, has dreams beyond servitude. He longs for freedom, a place to call his own—a life where he can use his talents without restraint.And so Damian devises a daring plan to escape. His journey is fraught with danger and intrigue, as he navigates a world filled with mystical creatures, powerful adversaries, and ancient secrets. Along the way, he forges alliances and battles enemies, all while refining his magical and scientific skills.In “The Runic Alchemist,” follow Damian Sunblade’s epic quest for independence and self-discovery. Witness his transformation from a forsaken child to a formidable Alchemist, determined to carve out an extraordinary future for himself in a world teeming with infinite possibilities.

(MATURE CONTENT)Threesome arc? - Right hereA weak, adorable, and low self-esteemed MC with an awful past, a trauma breaking him down every second and controling his life, just before he meets his 'suns', and later gains confidence and starts loving himself again arc? - Right here. Yeah, you read that right.Twin brothers who radiate like the sun and are very possessive of the MC, putting his happiness above everything arc? Gosh, look no further, you're in the right place.This story is just for you, so open it and read to your heart's content.******SynopsisI was just a no-name photographer who was trying hard to make a living, but then I got tangled with 'them'.My life, as it was, had always been nothing but a nightmare, living a cursed life that wasn't fit to be called a life.I had no chances with love, connections, or anything. Nothing! And after drawing my last straw, trying to make a final effort that would maybe lead me somewhere other than dirt, I met them again.They - the twins - were my childhood friends whose lives I had ruined with my presence, and I was scared to ruin it a second time, so I tried to stay away from them but... They had other plans.'When angels dream.'That was what I called the picture. The beautiful portrait was filled with serenity as that blond Italian man gazed into the distance and was showered with the soft petals of cherry blossom.The beautiful picture I had 'stolen'. Yeah, that's the word. I stole it because I didn't ask for permission first.But this is how it unfolded.At first, I took the picture without asking because I was so mesmerized by the scenery, and completely breathtaking, but then I got caught but it wasn't by the same man.They looked alike and wore the same clothes but I could tell right away that he wasn't him.Nevertheless, I apologized.“I'm deeply sorry.” I said but then, the man whom I had stolen a picture from walked up behind me and said,“To think such a day would come.” I turned around and blinked, looking at the man in front of me and then at the one behind me.They were identical twins. And not only that ... My heart shook... They looked like the twins I had known back then.“What's the matter?” The one in front asked with a bright smile that I was so compelled to take a picture of him and I did.He blinked at my confused expression and then burst out laughing.A sweet and cheerful laugh that made me blush. he looked really handsome. They both did, with their blonde hair which shone like gold with the suns radiation and a charming smile.I found my heart racing at the mere sight of that smile and almost forgot the situation I was in.“I see you haven't changed at all.” He suddenly said, swiped my hair back and added, softly, “Hyung.”My eyes widened. These two... It couldn't be... They weren't the twins, right? The twins that I knew. They... How did this happen? I just wanted a picture, that's all.