The side-Character's Gambit
Rias wakes up in pain—only to realize he is no longer in his own world. He has transmigrated into The Ascension of the Third Born, the very novel he once wrote. Worse, he is not the hero, the villain, or even a rival worthy of attention. He is Rias von Leonhart: the duke’s illegitimate son, a fragile noble with low mana, no talent, and a fate so insignificant that his death barely earned a paragraph in the original story.
Surrounded by prodigies within the fearsome Leonhart family, Rias is the weakest piece on the board. His siblings are monsters of sword and magic, his father is a legendary duke, and noble society has already decided his worth—or lack of it. In a world where strength defines survival, Rias possesses none of it.
Except knowledge.
He knows the future. He knows the wars, the betrayals, and the rise of the empire’s third prince—the true protagonist whose ascent will crush countless lives along the way. Rias also knows one crucial truth: chasing power head-on will only get him erased by the story itself.
So he chooses a different path.
Abandoning reckless ambition, Rias resolves to survive through foresight, restraint, and positioning. He will become useful without becoming threatening, present without standing in the spotlight. As the academy draws near and the plot begins to move, Rias must navigate deadly politics, monstrous talents, and a narrative that was never meant to spare him.
This is not the tale of a chosen hero.
It is the story of a forgotten side-character who knows the script—and intends to outlive it.
So tell me—
Are you ready to step into the abyss with the weakest piece on the board?
•Yep, there will be harem vibes in the story—but in the end, only one girl actually ends up with the male lead. So if you’re curious about who wins his heart, you’ll have to stick around and read all the way to the last Chapter.
