Rain pattered lightly on the pavement as students poured out of the school gates like ants from a disturbed hill. Among the crowd trudged a lone figure—back slightly hunched, hair damp, and a faint shadow of boredom in his eyes. His name was Kazuki Ren, a third-year high school student, known neither for brilliance nor delinquency, but for his remarkably average existence.
"Another day, another math quiz that nearly assassinated me," Kazuki muttered, dragging his feet along the sidewalk, clutching a convenience store melon bread. "At this point, I'd rather be hit by a flying isekai truck and get it over with."
Thunk!
Something smacked the top of his head.
"OW! What the hell—?!" He looked around, rubbing his scalp furiously. On the ground lay a strange, thick CD case. It was pitch black with swirling, faintly glowing gold markings, like veins of magma trapped in obsidian.
There was no title.
"No way… this isn't one of those cursed game setups, right?" Kazuki picked it up and turned it over. Nothing. No label. No brand. No disk info. Just a single engraving on the back:
"For the One Who Seeks Chaos in Order."
"…Well, that's not ominous at all." He looked up. "Did this literally fall from the sky? Is that even legal?!"
His eyes lit up with morbid curiosity. "Okay. It's either a divine gift or a death sentence. Which means I absolutely need to play it."
Grinning like a kid who'd found a secret boss fight in real life, Kazuki sprinted the rest of the way home.
---
He slammed the door behind him, shoes flying off, bag discarded on the floor. "Mom, I'm home! If you hear screaming, it's probably demonic possession. Don't worry about it."
No response. She was working late again.
Perfect.
Kazuki raced to his room, shoved the disk into his old desktop, and leaned back. The screen flickered—black, then a swirling vortex of stars.
Then—text appeared.
> Welcome, Player.
You have been chosen to enter the cycle.
Every 500 years, the Abyssian King and his Abyssian Lords revive. This time, they return stronger, faster, smarter. Empowered by centuries of death and rebirth, they have evolved beyond mortal comprehension.
The world teeters.
Six Human Archduke Houses protect the fractured Empire. The noble Drakari soar over their obsidian peaks. The Meranth watch from beneath the ocean. The Elven Sylvani rule the wildwood sanctuaries. The Celestians soar in light, while the Witches walk veiled among shadow. And far beyond, the awakened Beasts claim dominion of the beast continent.
Heroes are born, chosen, summoned. But even they failed.
The cycle resets.
But this time… someone new shall enter the script.
Kazuki sat forward, eyes wide.
"Okay okay okay—peak fiction intro?! Are you serious?!"
The screen shimmered.
> Character Creation Initiated. Choose your Race:
A long list scrolled down the screen: Human, Drakari, Meranth, Elf, Beastkin, Celestian, Witchblood, Abyssian (Locked).
Kazuki hovered over Human.
"Well, I gotta keep it real. Let's go generic."
> Class Selection:
Hero, Mage, Rogue, Beastmaster… Villain (Class 1-R).
Kazuki blinked.
"Villain? One-star rated? That's so specific it's probably plot-critical. Alright, anime instincts—don't fail me."
He clicked Villain (1-R).
Immediately, a character file opened.
> Character: Heir to the disgraced Archduke household of _____.
> Once noble, now fallen. Their name carries the echo of failure—the only Archduke House never to have produced a Hero.
> Mocked by peers. Outshone by a younger brother. Watched over with quiet pity by a perfect sister. Betrayed by a crumbling legacy.
> In the last cycle, he embraced darkness, sacrificed all kin, and reappeared only at the Demon King's side. His appearance signaled the final failure.
Kazuki stared.
"…Holy crap. He's me. If I had worse luck and more style."
A prompt blinked.
> Would you like to rename your House and customize your character?
"Hell yes."
Kazuki grinned, typing feverishly.
> House Name: Valebrandt
> Character Name: Lucien Caelum Valebrandt
"Let's make him ridiculously handsome. I mean, if I'm getting isekai'd, I want max drip."
He spent an absurd amount of time tuning jawlines, cheekbones, heterochromia levels, and noble arrogance. The final result looked like a tragic prince sculpted by betrayal and dark eyeliner.
The screen moved to the next menu.
> Choose 2 Talents: (All others receive a max of 2 EX-rank talents. You may choose talents Above EX.)
Kazuki's jaw dropped.
"…Wait, I get to break the balance from the start?"
After thirty minutes of hovering, rereading, and agonizing, he selected:
Swordheart Overdrive (Myth) – grants instinctive mastery of all sword styles, evolves under emotional strain
Dread Sovereign's Presence (Myth) – forces fear and awe in any enemy of lower mental rank, may evolve to mind control or dominion
> Confirm?
"Confirm, baby. This villain's gonna be hotter, edgier, and more overpowered than your average protagonist."
The final screen began to load. "Initializing entry…" it said.
Kazuki leaned back, satisfied.
Then—
Blackout.
The lights went out. His monitor shut down. Everything powered off.
"…No. No. NOOOOO—!" He stood up in fury. "I SPENT FORTY MINUTES ON THAT CHEEKBONE ANGLE!!"
He punched the screen.
BZZZZT—CRACK! A jolt of power surged through his fist. His vision blurred. Static danced across his retinas.
He was being pulled—mind and soul—into something vast, ancient, and burning.
> System Detected.
Worldstream Nexus Activating…
Reincarnation Commencing.
Kazuki didn't scream. He just muttered:
"…I better be handsome when I wake up."
__________________________________________
Warm light filtered through the sheer, lace-draped windows of a bedroom so opulent it looked like it had stepped out of a baroque fantasy. Cream-and-gold tapestries lined the tall walls. Paintings of ancient battles and angelic warriors guarded the silence like sentinels. Velvet drapes hung from canopy bedposts, rippling faintly in the breeze from a nearby window.
Kazuki stirred beneath the weight of fine silk sheets, his brows twitching slightly as reality bled into dream.
"…mmmnnn?"
His eyes fluttered open.
"…Huh?"
High above, a crystal chandelier sparkled with refracted daylight. Gilded ceiling roses traced unfamiliar floral patterns overhead.
He slowly pushed himself up on the mountain of pillows and froze.
"…This ain't my room."
He looked to the left: velvet chaise lounge, vase of lilac blossoms, carved mahogany bookshelves lined with hardcovers. To the right: a dressing table of mother-of-pearl and gold inlay, its mirror framed in twisting vines and roses.
He blinked once. Then twice.
"…Okay, okay… Either I've been kidnapped by a very rich antique collector or—"
He threw the covers off and looked at his arms.
"—my body is tiny?!"
Indeed, his limbs were slender and short. His fingers small and pudgy, the kind that hadn't done a day's labor in their life. He scrambled to the edge of the bed and peered at his reflection in a low glass panel set into the bed frame.
"…I'm… a kid."
He squinted at his tiny face.
"…A cute kid?"
He leaned closer. Huge gray eyes with a faint hint of red in the left one. Pale skin. Slightly messy dark hair.
"No. Freaking. Way."
His voice had a youthful, high pitch to it—barely above a whisper. "Okay okay okay… think. Think. Reincarnation rules. If I was isekai'd… then…"
He hesitated.
"System. Open."
A soft chime answered him.
A translucent screen appeared in the air before him—light blue with gold-framed edges, styled like a medieval grimoire's page.
---
[System Interface]
Name: Lucien Caelum Valebrandt
Race: Human
Age: 6
Bloodline: Valebrandt (Archduke Lineage)
Mana Awakening: Not yet awakened (Eligible at 10)
---
[Stats]
Strength: -G
Agility: -G
Endurance: -G
Willpower: -G
Focus: -G
Charisma: -G
Potential: Myth (Swordsmanship Potential Unmeasured)
---
[Talents]
Swordheart Overdrive (Myth)
Dread Sovereign's Presence (Myth)
---
[Skill Ranks]
Swordplay: Myth (Instinct Dormant)
---
Kazuki—no, Lucien—stared at it, slack-jawed.
"…-G everything… But Above EX potential?! And a Myth skill at age six?!?!"
He chuckled to himself, his tiny voice echoing slightly in the grand bedroom.
"…This is busted. I'm busted. This is like getting born as Sephiroth's heir with Kirito's haircut."
He was still admiring his interface when—
Knock knock.
"Young master, are you awake?" a gentle voice called through the double doors.
Lucien froze.
"Uh… Yes?"
"May I enter? The Grand Duke and Archduchess await you for breakfast."
He cleared his throat, trying to sound noble and princely. "Y-Yes. Come in."
The door opened smoothly. In stepped a maid—young, graceful, and pretty in an elegant black-and-white uniform. She had short brown hair curled just below her ears, and kind hazel eyes that curved when she smiled.
But what Kazuki—er, Lucien—immediately noticed… was everything else.
"…Holy maidens," he muttered.
She walked forward and curtsied politely. "Good morning, young master. My name is Marie. I've served the Valebrandt family since before you were born."
"G-Good morning," Lucien stammered.
Her smile deepened as she walked over. "May I help you prepare for breakfast?"
He nodded with a bashful expression. "P-Please do."
Marie was gentle as she guided him to the adjoining washroom. The marble floor was warm beneath his feet. As she filled the bath with warm, scented water, Lucien quietly marveled at the luxury surrounding him.
Is this real? A gold-inlaid comb? Perfumed towels? How rich WAS this family?
Marie returned and helped him undress. Lucien, now fully aware of his young and very non-threatening child form, tried his best to stay composed.
"I'm a prince. I am Lucien Caelum Valebrandt. I do not blush at a maid helping me bathe…" he whispered under his breath.
"Did you say something, young master?"
"N-Nope!"
She giggled and began scrubbing his back with tender care. "You're in a good mood today, young master."
He chuckled nervously. "Just… feelin' healthy."
After a short bath filled with steam and rose-scented soap, Marie helped dry and dress him. He was wrapped in layers of noble children's clothing—high-collared shirts, waistcoat, knee-length trousers, and tiny leather boots polished to a shine.
She tied a dark sapphire ribbon at his collar and smoothed down his hair before leading him to the full-length mirror.
Lucien stared.
"…Okay, I am dangerously adorable."
He looked like a painting. Pale skin like porcelain, one crimson eye, one steel gray, and a proud, slightly aloof expression that didn't match his childish features. Hair like silk, posture like a young prince.
Wait until I grow up. They're not gonna know what hit them.
Marie placed a hand on his shoulder. "Shall we go, young master? The Grand Duke and Archduchess are waiting."
He took one last look at his reflection.
"Yeah. Let's go."
His thoughts, however, were much less composed:
Time to meet the parental bosses. Please let them be cool. Or at least hot. Preferably both.