(Narrator’s POV)

  Ah, today is a fateful day. Yes, the day when the final battle of the war begins. A day of destiny... drama… and maybe even a few wardrobe malfunctions.

  Now, you may be wondering: Which war is this? Why is it important? Who am I, and why is my voice so deep and rich?

  Or maybe you're wondering: Why did I decide to read this chapter and skip thirty others?

  Fair. I'm breaking the fourth wall here—which, technically, violates my narrator contract—but hey, you're already here. Let’s do a recap.

  The exact date is Irrelevant, but the weather is crucial.

  It’s a beautiful, sunny day in the kingdom of Belguria, and its weary troops are ready to finish what they started five years ago: reunite their fractured homeland, once shaped like a perfect sphere. Yes, you heard that right—a perfect ball. Until the barbarians came and, well... did something unforgivable.

  But that's lore for another time.

  Right now, all eyes are on the stage, where Duke Richard Licker—yes, that Richard Licker—and the radiant Princess Bridget stand before the army. Whispers say that, after today’s glorious victory, they’ll return to the castle to expose the traitorous princes and claim the throne.

  Sounds like a happy ending, right? Sadly, this chapter isn’t about them.

  "Knights of Belguria!" Duke Licker begins his speech with full dramatic flair. “Your duty ends today! Victory is at hand, and once the battle is won, the Princess and I shall reveal the treachery of her brothers.”

  Cue synchronized cheering.

  The Duke is every inch the royal icon: navy-blue everything—cloak, boots, pants, eyes—gold trim, and not a speck of dirt. No one’s even seen his arms outside that cloak. Some say they don’t exist. Others say they're just too glorious to be shown.

  Beside him, Princess Bridget glows in white, with red hair, emerald eyes, and lips like rubies. They are, frankly, the perfect couple.

  “I would like to wish us all a beautiful victory,” she says, with poise and elegance. The crowd melts.

  But alas, dear reader, we must turn our attention elsewhere...

  Instead, we’re focusing on someone far more "important"—Duke Dallas Sexton.

  Now, Dallas is the second son of the Sexton family, an heir because his brother tragically died. Everyone expected him to stay in the background, live out his days as a random duke. But instead, he became… well, this.

  You see, at first glance, you might think Dallas is just a drunken bard—and you’d be right, but there’s more to the story than that.

  Imagine this: a man wearing a white shirt, untucked and a little too open at the collar. His pants are brown, but they sag because he forgot to wear a belt. He’s constantly adjusting them, giving everyone a glimpse of the chaos below. His golden hair—more yellow than anything else—lazily frames his face, which looks like someone who forgot to sleep for days.

  But alas, he’s no ordinary bard. He’s the second advisor to Princess Bridget. That means he holds some mildly important position, though he does his best to undermine any seriousness with his behavior.

  Dallas stumbles onto the stage as the Duke begins his speech. The troops watch in silent disbelief. The man looks like he’s fresh from a tavern brawl. He’s barely standing, much less ready for battle.

  "Oh, for goodness' sake, Sir Dallas," says his long-suffering advisor, Thomas Tank. “You’re about to drop your pants again, aren’t you?” Thomas pushes him away from the podium and fumbles through his bag to find a belt—because that’s what his life has come down to.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Dallas squints at him. “Oh, come on. I don’t look that bad,” he protests, taking another swig from a hidden jug of brew.

  "Jeez, Dallas, you’re a Duke, not a peasant. Come on, just relax in your tent, and stop embarrassing everyone."

  But Dallas ignores him, stumbles forward a bit more, and waves casually at the horses nearby. “Ladies, care not to leave me alone?”

  The mares, wisely, wander off.

  Now, while Dallas is busy becoming the spectacle, let me tell you a little more about him.

  Dallas, or rather, Duke Dallas Sexton, is infamous for his reckless antics. He takes off his shirt at parties. He forgets about his pants at feasts. He flirts with anyone who moves—especially the princess, though she tends to fluster and lose composure every time he does. This, of course, causes many diplomatic issues, all of which end with Duke Richard Licker stepping in to clean up the mess.

  Why is this important? Because of the war? The one we’re supposed to be focusing on? It’s lasted five years because of Dallas. Yes, five whole years. The princess couldn’t stop blushing every time he made a scene, so Duke Licker had to go out and deal with the actual battle plans.

  So, yeah. Dallas Sexton. That’s our main lead.

  Meanwhile, the battle rages on.

  Duke Richard Licker, the military genius, is cutting through enemies with precision, his sword wide and deadly. Princess Bridget, ever the secret warrior, is picking off soldiers with her bow. One unlucky soldier gets an arrow straight to the head, and the battlefield becomes a chaotic blend of steel and blood.

  The troops are making progress, and the commander seems ready to fall, but there’s one issue—Dallas.

  At the edge of the field, where most of the action is not happening, Dallas is still standing near the cannons, holding another jug of brew. His pants continue to sag, but the real issue is—he’s standing too close to a cannon.

  Thomas Tank sees the problem immediately. “Oh no, Dallas, don’t—"

  But it’s too late. The rope is already pulled, and the cannon is fired.

  Boom! The ground shakes.

  A cannonball, meant for the enemy, flies off-course and crashes into the mountain. Rocks begin to fall, and an enormous landslide starts barreling toward the battlefield.

  “Protect the Princess!” Duke Richard shouts, rallying his men. The soldiers scramble, but it’s too late. The debris is coming in fast.

  Meanwhile, Dallas stands there, still sipping his drink, utterly unaware of the destruction he’s caused. “Ah, horses… why does nobody want to hang out with me?” he slurs to a nearby mare, who wisely trots away.

  The chaos is immediate.

  Soldiers rush back toward camp, trying to outrun the landslide. The princess is shouting orders, but the debris is overwhelming.

  In the midst of this, the group finally sees what’s caused the calamity. Dallas Sexton, drunk off his mind, is standing beside the cannon. His obliviousness is now on full display.

  “Sexton, what did you do?!?” Princess Bridget screams at him, but he just hiccups and falls into the dirt.

  "Dallas!" Thomas scolds, looking at the disaster. "This is beyond ridiculous."

  As the group turns to leave, hoping to escape the avalanche of debris, another chunk of the mountain falls, creating a massive landslide that consumes everything in its path. The princess and her group can only run for their lives, but it’s too late.

  And then, the inevitable happens.

  The landslide crashes into the hero’s camp, burying the soldiers and everyone else underneath it, including our dear heroes.

  Is this the end for Duke Richard Licker? Princess Bridget? Dallas Sexton?

  — Reality —

  Back in an office building, a group of men sits around a table. They're discussing an investment in a new YA book series. Specifically, one that sounds remarkably similar to the story you've just read.

  Luke, the sharpest (and most sarcastic) of the group, glances at the draft on the screen and says, “Well, I’m not writing any changes anymore. Third draft’s done, folks. But hey, Mark, someone’s getting feisty, huh?”

  Mark, sitting across from him, rolls his eyes. “Stop asking stupid questions, Luke. Everyone knows what we’re thinking about this draft.”

  The discussion veers off into awkward tangents about someone napping at the table, a rare coin collection, and prank ideas that may have involved shooting at a bunch of kids on Halloween.

  The conversation seems all over the place, but suddenly, Austin—one of the group—wakes up, confused and not in a good state. He looks around, frowning.

  “Where… where am I?” he asks, rubbing his head.

  “Austin?” Luke smirks, “Are you trying to prank us now?”

  “No,” Austin replies. “I was on the battlefield just a moment ago... wasn’t I?”

  And that's when they realize it: Austin—Dallas Sexton, to be specific—is no longer in the same world.

  — Narrator’s POV —

  What no one knew at that moment, in the office, is that Austin’s sudden amnesia wasn’t the result of a hangover—it was the start of something bigger.

  You see, Dallas Sexton isn’t just drunk and confused. He’s been reincarnated into this world—Boston, Massachusetts. Along with Princess Bridget and Duke Richard Licker.

  Oh yes, this story? It’s not a story anymore.

  And as for me, the narrator, well... let’s just say my new assignment as world protector? It's to fix the mess I created.

  “Great,” I mutter.

  And that’s where we leave our heroes... and Dallas. Until next time