The deep, robotic voice rang inside Razeal's head uninvited and annoyingly smug. He rolled his eyes, lips twitching into a bitter half-smile.
"When did it become four Duke families, you idiot?" he muttered under his breath. "It's only counted as three. And I don't even have beef with the Faereliths, as far as I remember."
[The whole world hates you anyway,] the system responded without hesitation. [Even if you don't stand on their bad side, they'll get there eventually. That is your fate.]
Razeal didn't bother replying back. It was useless anyways. The voice in his head had been with him for six years now relentless, cynical, and always right. Arguing with it only made his mood worse, and today was already heavy enough.
Six years. That was when it started. He had awakened his system at the age of ten a moment that should have changed everything for the better.
But let's rewind.
This wasn't just any world. It was a novel.
Literally. A fictional realm he had once read about in his past life. The title?
The Chosen One.
A heroic tale filled with brave warriors, ancient magic, sacred bloodlines, and of course the shining protagonist destined to save the world.
And just his luck?
He wasn't that guy.
Yeah. Razeal had been reborn as a villain. The final boss.
The ultimate threat who dies to fuel the hero's last evolution.
Not just any villain, either. One with a noble background, grand titles, and of course a legacy soaked in power.
And let's face it: heroes could be orphans.
But villains?
They always came from somewhere grand.
His full name had once been Razeal Virelan, second son of Duke Virelan, heir to the Mindveil legacy. A boy born with the promise of illusion and sword a blend few could ever hope to match.
But that name had been taken from him.
Stripped, Punished and ultimately Exiled.
He was cast out at eleven, expelled from his home like a stain too shameful to scrub clean. His own mother had stood there as the gates shut behind him, not a flicker of guilt in her eyes.
He had once tried to remember everything that happened in between.. every wrong turn, every naïve belief. But over time, those memories dulled. Not because they stopped hurting, but because they stopped mattering.
There was no point holding on to memories that held no meaning anymore.
[Host.]
"I know," Razeal sighed, noticing a subtle movement in the corner of his vision. A knight had just stepped toward him barely a shift in stance, but enough for someone like him to notice.
I wish you weren't useless, system, he complained internally. You're nothing like the systems from the novels I read. All you've given me are disadvantages. And yet you still act like I should live up to your expectations and rules.
It was all because of the system.
If not for it, would he have been forced to stay hidden for the past five years? Always running. Always one step from death. All that pain. All that suffering…
Then he paused, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
Am I complaining too much these days?
Maybe it was because he hadn't spoken to another human in five years. Talking to himself had become a habit one he never intended to form.
The system fell silent.
And now, he supposed, he had no choice.
He would have to reveal himself.
Maybe he wouldn't be attacked immediately but then again, when had things ever gone that smoothly for him? Still, he had come here because he was confident that nothing truly irreversible would happen within these grounds.
And more importantly… He didn't want to stay hidden anymore.
For many reasons.
Some of which he couldn't even articulate.
Who knew? Maybe someone here could read minds.
Besides, it wasn't like he wasn't going to do this eventually. He had plans to participate in threads he had to reenter.
"I'll trust you one last time, system," he said quietly. "If you fail me this time, you'll be my enemy too. It'd be better if you didn't lie to me."
With a cold expression, he raised his hands and pulled back the robe covering his head. Dark royal purple hair spilled freely into the air, his sharp features fully revealed for all to see.
[Thanks,] the system replied softly.
For no reason at all, Razeal ignored it completely.
At the same moment, the knight who had been watching him froze, eyes narrowing.
That hair color…
A Virelan?
Direct bloodline of that?
The knight analyzed everything in an instant. Royal purple undeniable proof. And the faint purple birthmark at the back of his neck…
There were only two direct heirs.
And this one wasn't a girl.
Then… is he that exiled son of Duke Virelan? He's alive?
The realization struck him within seconds. After all, a knight of his rank wouldn't miss something like this.
Still… it's not my place.
Even so, instinct compelled him to act. A subtle shift of his gaze sent a silent signal to another guard stationed nearby.
Remain vigilant.
All of it unfolded in less than ten seconds.
Razeal didn't spare the knight even a glance. His gaze remained fixed.. unblinking on the empty space before him, as if expecting something inevitable.
One… two… five… seven… nine…
Grandmaster at minimum, he thought so counting at the same time. No doubt.
A sudden breeze brushed through his hair a sensation he hadn't felt in what seemed like an eternity.
Then, without warning, a golden beam of light shot forth from one of the viewing chambers high above. It cut through the air like a divine arrow.
A figure clad in gleaming golden knight armor launched forward with blinding speed. The knight's sword, radiating unimaginable power, arced straight toward Razeal's neck.
"For your blasphemy and vile acts," the knight declared, voice booming, "face your judgment."
But Razeal didn't move. A small smile curved his lips.. One he had begun forming long before this moment.
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