Arc 1: Magic Academy [1.2]

"Hmmm...this is me? I look kinda cute." Ruan Siyao said as he looked at his 12-year-old self and then swiped right to look at his 18-year-old self.

[Yes, it is. Currently, you are 12 years old. You will attend Scarlett Academy in a week for 6 years. After you graduate at 18, there will be a graduation ball. There, the original was injured at the ball trying to defeat the demons.]

[Two weeks later, the Saintess and your younger half-brother James will head out to the war front. After 8 months, they finally win the war. Then after 1 month, they get married, and then you are killed on the same day along with your mother, the Empress.]

"...Damn, on the same day? No mercy huh?" Ruan Siyao said as he continued to look through the character images and stopped at the heroine's picture.

"Whoa, I don't know why but the heroine just looks like an evil two-faced bitch no offense. There is just something off with her expression that makes me feel uneasy." Ruan Siyao stated as he swiped to the next picture.

'So that's the second prince huh. I wonder why the Saintess chose to marry him? Why didn't she choose the current Crown Prince, Kairos?' Ruan Siyao wondered as he swiped to the last picture.

"Duke Leo Reyne...Who is he?" Ruan Siyao asked.

[He is the second male lead in the novel. He is two years older than you. After the death of his father when he was only 10 years old, he became the youngest to ever inherit the title of Duke. He left his estate in the hands of his trusted butler and head off to war at the young age of 10.]

[He spent most of his time at the war front ever since he was 10 years old and only returned to the Capital to attend Scarlett Academy when he was 12. After he graduated at 18 years old, he went back to the war front and became the youngest General. People called him mad-dog because he is addicted to bloodshed and killing. He was also known as the Sword of the Empire, as he is one of the strongest people in the entire Empire. ]

[2 years later, at 20 years old, he met the 2nd prince James and the heroine at the war front. He never encountered the two at the Academy as he was in the Elite class along with the Crown Prince, Kairos Kingston. The heroine and the 2nd prince were in the average class.]

[Plus, Leo was also a Year 3 student. Each year is put into different buildings. The only time the other grade levels would meet was during the school festival or mock battles. Although the Crown Prince was in Year 1, he was allowed to attend Year 3 classes in the Elite class because he had knowledge beyond his years. Because of this, the two of them become best friends right away.]

[Although Kairos had the option to graduate along with Leo, he chose to stay for the rest of the two years until he turned 18 years old because he wanted to research at the Academy's magic institute. Even when the Duke graduated two years ahead of Kairos and went out to war, Kairos would always send him letters and Leo will reply.]

[During the war, Duke Leo fell in love with Tiffany's kindness and bravery. When the heroine got married, he secluded himself in his duchy. After a week, he decided to visit his only friend Kairos, only to find out he was killed for treason. Heartbroken after losing everything he ever cared about, he kills himself.]

"What!? Noooo!!! The second male lead is better! Humph! Why did he have such a dark ending!" Ruan Siyao whined in frustration.

[You simply can not oppose the heroine and male lead halo/aura. But, now you can change both the original's fate as well as others now that you are bound to me: the side character counterattack system!" System 002 stated proudly.

"Good. Although I'm just doing this so I can go back to my original life, I still want justice for the original host and any other character that faces such as dire ending." Ruan Siyao declared.

[Hey, sorry for being so rude earlier. You are actually a good person. I'll try to hold back my rude comments but no guarantee.] System 002 apologized.

"It's alright." Ruan Siyao responded.

Ruan Siyao glanced back at the picture of Duke Leo and his eyebrows scrunched together.

'Looking at him, why do I get reminded of someone?' Ruan Siyao thought as a memory flashed by him of a 4-year-old who he used to play with.

He used to play every day with the boy until he suddenly disappeared, leaving him all alone. He wonders what happened to the little boy who used to cry gege when he was bullied by the other little kids.

The little kids used to bully the little boy because he has scary red eyes but kind-hearted Ruan Siyao protected him when he found out. The little kids only bullied him because he had red eyes that only demons have.

Even though Ruan Siyao knew in his heart that the little boy must be at least half-demon, he did not care as he knew that not all demons were evil.

Because Ruan Siyao protected the little boy, the little boy stuck to his side like glue. They played with each other every day for an entire year.

Although Ruan Siyao told him his name, the little boy refused to tell him his name. So Ruan Siyao simply called him Xiao Tang Yuan meaning little dumpling since the little boy had chubby cheeks that Ruan Siyao liked to squish. Ruan Siyao doted on his didi and Xiao Tang Yuan looked up to and adored his gege.

He was 7 years old when the little 4 year old disappeared. He remembered that the day before the little boy's disappearance, Xiao Tang Yuan made him promise to marry him.

Thinking that it was a joke, he pinky promised him that he would only if the little boy grew up to be strong and handsome. Ruan Siyao shook that thought away. He doubts that the little boy even remembers him.

»»————-　➴　————-««

Rong Chinxi (Xiao Tang Yuan~little dumpling): "Aaah Choo!!!!" he sneezed more than three times.

'Who is thinking about me? Hopefully it's Ruan Siyao.' He thought with a slight smile.