Nagato Touya had lived a life full of failure, betrayal, and regrets. Once feared as a villain, his path had led only to ruin. But fate, or perhaps cruelty, granted him another chance.
When his eyes fluttered open, he found himself not in the ashes of his downfall, but in a lavish chamber adorned with velvet curtains and marble pillars. The ceiling glowed faintly with enchanted crystals, casting soft light over the room. He sat up slowly, noticing the weight of a body that wasn't his own.
A nearby mirror revealed a stranger: silver hair that shimmered like moonlight, eyes of cold sapphire, and features too refined to belong to a commoner. This wasn't Nagato Touya—at least, not the man he remembered.
The door creaked open.
"Brother, you're awake," came a calm voice. A boy stood there, tall for his age, with the kind of confidence that came from power etched into his blood. His uniform bore the crest of a soaring phoenix wrapped in chains.
Nagato blinked. The memories of this body flooded him suddenly—this was the heir of the House Ardyn, one of the strongest noble families in the empire. Known for their mastery of both sword and magic, the Ardyn name commanded respect in every hall and fear on every battlefield.
The boy in the doorway—his younger brother—regarded him with a mixture of pride and expectation. "Father said the awakening ceremony affected you. You mustn't show weakness. The world is watching."
So this is my life now… Touya thought, hiding the storm behind a calm expression.
The Ardyn family was whispered of as untouchable, their lineage soaked in victory and power. Even their rivals grudgingly admitted their dominance. To be born into them was to be a lion among wolves.
And now, he was one of them.
For the first time in his cursed existence, Nagato Touya felt something dangerous stir in his chest—hope.
This second life, this noble name, would not end in ruin. Not again.