"Dammit!" (And feel free to insert whatever additional profanity you like here—it would be more than appropriate). The Kingdom of Etelas, the Duke of Morin... As soon as those words were uttered, I realized where I had heard the name Alex Redhard before. To say I was in shock would be the understatement of the century.
Of course I knew that name. It belonged to a second-rate villain in a web novel titled The Hero Chosen by the Sword. It was your typical cliché story about a guy rising from the bottom, crushing enemies along the way, and gaining influence and everything else that usually happens in those tales. What annoyed me most, however, was that I was supposed to be nothing more than a stepping stone for his rise to glory.
While I had fully supported his journey when I was just a reader, now that my own life was on the line, I realized I wasn't that big a fan of the protagonist anymore.
Unless this was some simulation run by a mad scientist playing a sick joke on me, I had no intention of becoming a springboard for a hero's success. So, to all those characters in other novels who desperately try to stick to the original plot: they can suck it. I've already lived my life and was supposed to have died in my previous world. If this was reality, I wasn't going to sit back and watch the plot dictate my end. I was already living on borrowed time. The only things I missed were my parents; I hoped they were okay and weren't grieving too hard. But what could I do? I could only live on and remember them. I promised myself I would never forget.
With those thoughts of family and my place in this new world, I drifted into a deep sleep—the kind of sleep I hadn't had in a very long time.
The next morning arrived as if nothing had happened, like any other ordinary day. But for me, everything was different. The same room, the same bed, and the same hearth crackling away, chasing off the chill and providing much-needed warmth.
I stretched out on the bed, accepting my new reality. I was no longer who I used to be. Now, I was Alex Redhard, the third son of a Duke. And from what I recalled of the book, he wasn't exactly a likable guy. Then again, is a villain ever truly "pleasant"? Ha! Tell me a joke like that and I'll laugh right along with you.
Waking up and watching the sunlight filter through the polished glass of my window, I began to strategize. The first thing that came to mind was to write down everything I could remember about the novel.
"Uh... is someone there?" I called out, remembering what the healer had said yesterday.
A moment later, the door creaked open, and a girl around 18 to 20 years old walked in.
"Young Master, did you call?" she asked, her voice trembling.
I gave her a small smile, not bothering to explain my change in demeanor—there was no point yet.
"Tell me, can you bring me some paper and writing supplies?" I asked, hoping such things existed here. "Yes, Young Master. Please wait a few moments."
A few minutes later, the maid returned with a stack of papers and a strange, sharpened bone that looked like a pencil, handing them over with shaking hands.
"Uh, thanks." I took the paper and the bone tool, examining them.
The maid stood there, staring at me in sheer disbelief. "Is something wrong?" I asked, snapping her out of her daze.
"No! No, Young Master. Do you need anything else?" Her voice was visibly quivering.
"No, you can go. I'll call if I need anything."
"Very well, Young Master. I will go prepare your breakfast."
She left so quickly she practically bolted, clearly not wanting to stay in the room a second longer than necessary.
"Right. Now, what do I actually know about this novel?" Alex muttered to no one in particular.
You know what irritates me the most? In those stories where the protagonist remembers the plot, they act like they have a saved file they can read on the fly. I realized that aside from the general direction of the story and a few scattered details, I couldn't remember anything specific. I'd even forgotten the names of many characters.
From what I could recall, this kingdom was one of several human nations on the continent. And I specify human because other races existed here too. The most well-known non-humans were the beastmen and the dwarves. But the most interesting was the Elven Realm. They were a hidden nation, tucked away behind a mountain range to the west and concealed by magic.
Yes, magic exists here. Humans only discovered it about 200 years before the main plot began and haven't yet learned to use it like the Elves, who, thanks to their long lifespans, had advanced magic to an incredible level. By the end of the novel, the Elven Princess could summon a fireball kilometers wide, taking the "art of the explosion" to its absolute peak.
Humans wouldn't stay amateurs for long, though. Everything would change after the first so-called "Wave of Black Death"—mysterious black portals from which monsters emerged. At first, there was panic because these monsters used magic humans had never seen. But gradually, society adapted, mimicking what they saw. After discovering the Elven Realm and uniting against the common enemy, human mages became common.
Based on my reflection, I looked to be about 16 (they call years "cycles" here, but days are still days). If my guess was right, I had about a year before the main plot started, and about 15 years until the first Wave. Why was I so sure? Because the author was lazy and made almost all the main characters the same age. So, I could say with 100% certainty that I was the same age as the hero (physically, at least).
Alex tried his best to recall the plot, but instead of clear facts, he only got random flashes of memory. "To hell with it!" he hissed, his voice sounding different for the first time. If I have to live in the body of Alex Redhard, so be it. But I won't be a puppet for the hero. I won't follow the script. I'll live the way my heart tells me.
As for what made this Alex different from the previous one, it was the knowledge that everyone in this world had a magical affinity. But since magic was in its infancy—like science during the age of alchemy—people used it crudely. The hero was strong because he was guided by a sword. But what if I figured out the principles myself? With my limited but unique knowledge of this world, the challenge didn't seem impossible.
The hero might have multiple affinities and the "chosen" potential of that sword, but I had the knowledge of two worlds. I liked my odds. And no, I didn't plan on becoming the hero's enemy on purpose, but being prepared for anything is only logical, isn't it?
I had two years before the likely encounter with the hero. In the novel, Alex met him while serving as a Baron. Having my own land where I could train and implement my ideas sounded like a decent prospect.
Alex stopped trying to remember names. They didn't matter. He was building a plan. In two years, he wouldn't be the same pathetic Baron from the book. He would be someone playing by a different set of rules.
"First, I need to figure out how I become a Baron and deal with my affinity... Barony, huh?" Alex murmured.
An image of a stern man in black flashed in his mind—a face with a gaze so sharp it could pierce the soul. Most likely, it was this father figure who would send Alex away to a barony. As soon as the image of "Edward" as his father took hold, Alex's head began to throb. Images started racing through his mind like a frantic slideshow.
The buzzing in his head intensified, and the images began to move. Sound followed. If Alex could have thought clearly, he would have realized these were the memories of the body's previous owner. But he couldn't. The pain was unbearable; his mind couldn't process the flood of information.
It was impossible to tell how long it lasted—five seconds or five minutes. To Alex, it felt like an eternity. Eventually, his body gave out, and he lost consciousness.
In a place where up and down had no meaning, where time stood still and space was warped, a solitary figure stood amidst the chaos. The figure seemed to drift, yet remained anchored, radiating an aura of unfathomable power.
Suddenly, the figure froze, its gaze fixed on a distant point.
"So, it finally worked..." a mysterious voice echoed.
"It took a massive amount of time, but it actually worked." Relief colored the voice now, mixed with a hint of anticipation.
"Oh? Well, that's unexpected... Hm. This is certainly going to be interesting. Ha... ha-ha-ha!"
The laughter cut off abruptly as the figure's eyes locked onto a spot where ripples were beginning to spread through the fabric of space.
"Well then, back to work!"
And the figure moved toward the anomaly.