Fallen Realm Online: Rise of The Fallen Monarch

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Within the washroom.

Currently facing Xylen in the mirror was his avatar — a 6’2" tall man with a lean build, looking so fragile, as though he were a silk pants young master of a wealthy family who only knew how to drink, womanize, and gamble, but had never lifted a finger in his life,

Despite his delicate frame, however, his presence was anything but weak.

His present wide, startled eyes were a pure, deep, and endless black, like twin voids that constantly swallowed all light. They radiated a dark, unsettling aura that seemed capable of unnerving even the bravest souls that dared to look deep into them.

His hair, a striking deep crimson streaked with silver, cascaded past his shoulders, the strands shimmering under the light, moving subtly, almost as if responding to his emotions or some unseen force... as though it were alive.

Although this avatar retained a mostly human shape, as Xylen had desperately hoped for, the traces of his demonic heritage were undeniable.

His skin, smooth and flawless, bore a faint obsidian sheen in certain angles, and he was pale... hauntingly so, resembling a creature that had never known the touch of sunlight nor heat.

His ears were subtly pointed, just enough to hint at something otherworldly, while his fingernails were straight, elongated, and black, resembling polished onyx claws... something Xylen hadn’t had the time to notice since he entered the game.

And finally, his horns...

Two short, curved horns jutted from his head, beautiful and regal, the kind one might expect from a demon prince... or perhaps something even higher.

Yet, what truly set him apart wasn’t just his appearance but the aura that clung to him like a shadow.

It was an oppressive blend of power, darkness, and dominance, suffocating yet magnetic, the kind of presence that demanded attention and crushed any thoughts of defiance anywhere and everywhere.

Upon seeing the image, Xylen stood frozen in place, staring at his own reflection as time seemed to stretch endlessly, his shock overwhelming.

He hadn’t known what to expect, but this... this was far from anything he could have ever imagined.

Without even needing to test it, Xylen was certain that with an appearance like this, blending in anywhere would be impossible.

No matter the race—whether among the humans, even demons, or otherwise- he would always stand out, an existence too perfect, too dangerous, and too foreign to ever truly fit in.

"Arg!" Xylen groaned, rubbing his temples in frustration. "Who the hell did I offend to deserve an appearance like this?"

Helpless, regretful, and pained, Xylen nearly cursed Goddess Lunara for ruining every single one of his wishes for him, but then he froze.

"I... I seemed to have told her to randomly select my appearance," he muttered, the realization hitting him like a brick.

He almost wanted to smack himself in the face right at that moment, feeling like sobbing.

Honestly, he had only made that choice because none of the customization options appealed to him. He simply wanted something understated, something that wouldn’t draw attention, and something that wouldn’t appear too demonic, which he could still use to deceive the other race and make himself appear more like a human.

And technically, Lunara had granted his wish... his avatar looked human enough.

Too human, in fact.

So human that he appeared almost unnaturally perfect, a walking beacon of otherness that screamed "demon" louder than any monstrous demonic form ever could.

Even if the other demons could somewhat conceal their identities with a few simple tweaks, he’d need to wear a cloak that completely shrouded him. Because if the horns didn’t give him away, his hair would.

If not his hair, then his skin.

If not his skin, then his claws.

And if none of those, then his aura would do the job just fine.

"Argh!!" Xylen groaned again, louder this time, gripping his hair as if trying to wring out his frustration.

Just then—

"My lord? Are you alright?"

A sudden concerned voice echoed from outside the washroom, making Xylen jolt back to reality.

He turned and stared at the door, hesitating for a moment before finally sighing internally.

"I’m alright," he responded, and after a brief pause, he heard Lilith’s footsteps recede down the hallway.

Xylen turned back to the mirror, staring at the reflection that would now define his in-game existence.

If he had been the type to crave attention, to bask in the adoration of others, this appearance would’ve been perfect, in fact, way too perfect, something people would have spent millions of dollars to get.

But he wasn’t.

He just wanted to play the game, complete missions, and earn enough money to take care of himself and give Aurelia the life she deserved.

But now...

"No wonder Lilith urged me to cloak myself earlier," he chuckled bitterly, finally realizing what he’d overlooked.

At the time, he had simply thought Lilith was just trying to prevent people from recognizing him, but now he understood the real reason.

Even if no one recognized his identity as the young baron, his appearance and aura alone were enough to give away the fact that he wasn’t an ordinary demon.

Recalling this, Xylen heaved a deep, helpless sigh.

"The only thing I can hope for now is to unlock the Unassigned XP soon and dump everything into Luck and charisma... otherwise, things might get even worse than I expected."

He muttered, and then with a weary sigh, Xylen decided to stop wasting time.

There was nothing he could do now but move forward.

With this realization, he tore his gaze away from the mirror, stripped off his ragged, dirty, and bloodied clothes, and stepped into the bath.

He washed quickly, scrubbing away the blood and dirt clinging to his skin. He didn’t linger, and before long, he was done washing up.

After slipping into a bathrobe, he finally stepped out of the washroom just as Lilith finished changing his bedsheets.

"Here, my lord. Let me dress you," she said excitedly, picking up the neatly folded clothes from the dressing table.

Hearing her, Xylen’s face darkened slightly.

"No, thank you. I can dress myself," he snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument.

’Huh?’

Lilith blinked, momentarily stunned, before eventually, a faint, amused, and mischievous smirk tugged at her lips.

"My lord," she drawled, her voice laced with mischief. "Actually... I’ve been the one bathing and dressing you for the past eighteen years. So, I don’t think hiding anything from me now is necessary, don’t you think?"

Xylen’s mind went blank.

’As expected!’ he cursed internally, feeling the heat rise to his face.

Sure, this was all virtual—Lilith, his body, this entire world... it was just a game. But knowing that a breathtakingly gorgeous NPC such as Lilith had supposedly seen his naked avatar for years, even if it was just backstory, still made him want to find a hole and crawl into it.

"Just leave," he growled. "I’ll call you when I’m done."

Knowing she wouldn’t win this battle, Lilith stuck out her tongue playfully before skipping out of the room, clearly looking proud of herself.

"I’ll go wash myself as well, then," she said, locking the door behind her without waiting for a response.

Xylen scoffed.

’What does it matter if you’ve seen my avatar naked for years?’ he mumbled, gritting his teeth as he hurriedly dressed.

Once done, he sat on the bed, waiting for Lilith to return so they could plan for the battle tomorrow, and after that, he’d log out to check on Aurelia.

He had been hours away from her after all, even though time in the game moved faster than in the real world, with one in-game hour equaling about thirty or so minutes outside.

The moment Xylen thought about Aurelia, his sharp, brooding expression softened.

Then, very slowly, a rare gentleness filled his eyes, a look he never showed anyone else.

For now, he’d endure.

For her.