I'm possessing the Second Male Lead of a Romance Novel

As they made their way back to Aedric's chambers, Elias couldn't shake the memory of Sir Franklin's glare. He knew the tutor would be waiting for him, ready to assign blame for the prince's tantrum. And then there was Lady Selene—what must she think of him now?

Elias sighed. It seemed no matter what he did, someone was always upset with him. This wasn't the life he'd signed up for when he'd woken up in this world, but it was the one he had to navigate. 

For now, all he could do was survive the chaos of the palace and hope he could keep the peace between the two main leads—no matter how impossible that task seemed.

______

Elias's days were beginning to blur together.

 Every morning, he woke up before the sun, rushed to prepare Prince Aedric's day, and spent the rest of it running back and forth between calming the prince's temper and fulfilling the countless demands of the nobles who had caught wind of his new position. 

The title of "Prince Aedric's personal attendant" came with its own notoriety, and the nobles took full advantage of it.

One morning, as Elias hastily prepared the prince's favorite tea while also keeping an eye on a stack of unopened letters from nobles vying for the prince's attention, the system chimed in with its usual unhelpful reminder:

"Host, you are zoning out. Please focus on your tasks."

Elias blinked and snapped out of his daze, realizing he had almost over-poured the tea. "I know I'm supposed to be working," he hissed under his breath. "Do you think I'm slacking off on purpose?"

The system remained silent, as it always did when confronted with sarcasm. Elias sighed and placed the teacup on a tray, his legs feeling like they might buckle under him as he carried it toward Prince Aedric's study. 

He didn't even have the energy to glare at the nobles loitering in the halls, each of them ready to pounce with more demands.

Later that day, Head Maid Sasha cornered him in the kitchens. Her sharp eyes scanned him critically, noting the faint tremble in his hands and the dark circles under his eyes.

"You're slacking," she said bluntly, placing a stack of folded linens into his arms. "I've noticed you've been distracted lately."

Elias gawked at her. "Slacking? I've been running around all day!"

"Excuses," she replied curtly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You're here to work, not to complain. If you can't handle it, I'll find someone who can."

Before Elias could protest, she shoved a list of additional tasks into his hands. "Make yourself useful, and don't let the prince notice your incompetence."

Elias swallowed the lump of frustration in his throat. He knew better than to argue with Sasha—she was practically untouchable in the palace hierarchy. Still, as he shuffled off to his next task, the weight of exhaustion settled heavier on his shoulders.

Prince Aedric was the only one who seemed to notice. During a rare moment of calm, the young prince stared at Elias with a thoughtful frown. "You're really slow today, Elias," he said, lounging on his oversized chair. "What's wrong with you?"

Elias hesitated, unsure of how to respond. "I'm fine, Your Highness," he said, bowing slightly. "Just a bit tired, that's all."

Aedric crossed his arms, his expression one of exaggerated annoyance. "If you're tired, then I'll give you a day off. See? I can be generous."

Elias blinked, startled by the prince's sudden offer. He knew Aedric well enough to understand that this was the prince's way of showing off—proving he could be kind and benevolent when he wanted to. But Elias also knew what a "day off" would really mean. Left alone, he'd become a convenient target for Sasha's never-ending list of menial tasks or worse, the whims of the other palace staff who saw him as little more than a tool.

"Thank you, Your Highness," Elias said carefully, choosing his words with precision. "But I think it's better if I stay by your side. Who else would make sure everything runs smoothly?"

Aedric tilted his head, his lips curling into a smug smile. "You're right. No one else is as good as you."

Relieved that his excuse had worked, Elias bowed again. "I'll continue to serve you, Your Highness."

The system chimed in as Elias left the study.

"Host, you should have accepted the day off. You require rest to maintain efficiency."

Elias scowled, muttering under his breath, "If I rested, I'd be even more overworked tomorrow."

"Host, neglecting your health will lead to diminishing returns."

"Tell that to Sasha," Elias grumbled, his eyes scanning the next item on his endless list of duties.

As the day wore on, Elias realized how much his life had spiraled into a never-ending cycle of tasks. Whether it was appeasing the childish whims of the prince, dodging the manipulations of the nobles, or bearing the brunt of Sasha's disdain, there was never a moment to breathe. 

Yet, despite it all, he found himself strangely resigned. After all, this was the life he'd been thrown into. He didn't have the luxury of changing it—at least, not yet.

______

Elias lay on his small, uncomfortable cot, shivering under a threadbare blanket. His fever raged on, and every breath felt heavy, as though he were dragging the weight of the entire palace on his chest. 

Sweat slicked his forehead, but his body still trembled with chills. He had tried to get up earlier in the day to tend to his duties, but his legs had given out beneath him, forcing him back to bed.

Through the haze of his fever, he vaguely registered the sound of hurried footsteps approaching his room. The door creaked open, and an excited, high-pitched voice cut through the muffled fog in his ears.

"Elias!" Prince Aedric's voice was unmistakable, his tone hovering between worry and frustration. "Why aren't you getting up? You're supposed to be working!"

Elias tried to open his eyes, but his vision swam, and his body refused to cooperate. He managed a faint groan, which only seemed to irritate the prince further.

"You can't ignore me!" Aedric stomped his foot, the sharp sound ringing through the small servant's quarters. "You're my attendant! You're not allowed to get sick!"

A softer voice interrupted Aedric's rant. "Your Highness, he doesn't look well," Lady Selene said, her tone calm but slightly concerned. "He can't even sit up. Maybe you should call someone to help him."

Prince Aedric huffed, crossing his arms. "I already said we should call a temple healer! But they keep telling me it's 'not appropriate.' What's that even supposed to mean?"

The conversation buzzed around Elias, but he could barely follow it. His fever-addled mind clung to one word: "appropriate." What did they mean it wasn't appropriate? Wasn't he just another servant? Why would it be an issue for a healer to look after him?

A muffled voice responded to the prince. It sounded like one of the senior attendants. "Your Highness, Elias is... well, his status is a bit... complicated. The temple priests only tend to those of noble or high-standing lineage. For a servant like him, the best we can do is summon a doctor."

"Complicated?" Aedric snapped, his voice rising in pitch. "He's my attendant, and I said he needs a healer! Who cares about his status?"

Elias's heart pounded weakly in his chest. Complicated? His status? What were they talking about? He had thought he was just another lowly servant, someone who'd been thrown into this strange world to serve the whims of a spoiled prince. But from the way they spoke, there was clearly more to his story—something even Aedric didn't know.

Before Aedric could escalate the situation further, the sound of heavy boots echoed through the corridor. A wave of silence fell over the room, broken only by the slow, deliberate creak of the door opening wider. Even through his fever, Elias recognized the commanding presence of the emperor.

"What is all this noise?" Emperor Alaric's deep voice reverberated through the small quarters. "Why are the servant's quarters in such disarray?"

"Father!" Aedric's tone shifted immediately, a mix of indignation and desperation. "Elias's sick, and they won't let him see a healer because of some stupid rule about his 'status'!"

The emperor's sharp gaze swept over the room, landing briefly on Elias's trembling form before turning back to the prince. "The rules are in place for a reason, Aedric. The temple's resources cannot be squandered on every servant who falls ill."

"But he's not just any servant!" Aedric protested, stamping his foot again. "He's my attendant! He's the only one who does what I say without being annoying!"

The emperor sighed, his expression unreadable. He glanced at the attendants and maids gathered near the door, then back to the prince. "We will call for a doctor. That is all I can allow."

"But—" Aedric began, but a single look from his father silenced him.

Elias, who had been straining to stay conscious, felt his grip on reality slipping. The last thing he saw was Aedric's frustrated expression, and the last thing he heard was the emperor's steady voice.

"Make sure he survives. His role in this palace is not as simple as it seems."

And then everything went dark.

___

Special update because of Christmas. It likely will not happen again. I will also reupload on 1st because of WSA.