I Will Save the Villain

Today feels like it's lasted a year. I can't even think straight anymore, let alone plan my next move. All I want is to collapse and forget everything.

As I walked through the sidewalks, each step felt heavier, the weight on my chest growing with every step I took. My mind was blank, but I had only one goal: walking and walking.

I crossed the road hundreds of times until I reached the corner where I needed to cross it, but this was the first time I crossed without looking around.

It took me a second to realize that people were shouting, their voices cutting through the fog in my head. Then I saw a 16-wheeler truck approaching me at speed, and I was in the middle of the road. I know that thing would hit me if I didn't leave. But my legs wouldn't move. Maybe they shouldn't. Maybe this is easier.

The screech of tires and the roar of the engine filled my ears. The blinding sunlight made it hard to see anything clearly, but I knew—this was it. The impact came like a thunderclap, and then... nothing.

The next thing I knew, I was flying over and seeing the sun looking at me, saying, "You are so pathetic and stupid thinking everything will go how you wanted it to happen." But yeah, he's right about that. I already know that after all the hard work I have done since then, it will get buried the same as me after I meet my end here.

***

[NOTICE: You have successfully entered your next life. Congratulations!]

When I opened my eyes, I saw bunches of paper, a book, and a feather pen thing right before me. I stood up and found myself sitting in a fancy old-school chair. Am I just dreaming when I saw myself get hit on that truck?

"But where am I? Why am I surrounded with these papers and books at a table? What am I doing here?"

[NOTICE: You are now a mob character of the Kingdom of Arventia.]

"A glowing blue screen? Floating in the air? Fantastic. It's like a video game that I used to play. Either I've finally snapped, or this is some elaborate prank. But... it did say 'next life.' And I'm pretty sure I was just hit by a truck. So…"

I read again what is written in it. "Kingdom of Arventia?!" My eyes widened. "That's the series I watched just last night before I went to work the next day! I know I don't get enough sleep because of it, and when I go to work and get my way home, I—oh, now it makes sense!"

If I'm in the Arventia right now, that explains why I am familiar with some things in this room. I look at myself, and my outfit also differs from what I usually wear in my old world.

Unlike anything I owned, the shirt's fabric felt stiff and scratchy against my skin. And my hands—were they always this pale? This... soft?

I stood up from the chair to see my reflection in the mirror in the room's corner. "No. No, no, no—this has to be some kind of sick joke."

I stared at the mirror, dread clawing at my chest. Nicodeim Thorne. The smug, spoiled bully who dies so early that you forget he even existed. And now, I'm him. Fantastic. Just... fantastic.

Possessing a character that will die eventually is common and normal, but die soonest? Right after the inciting incident of the story? It's like I only have a small time frame to ensure I'll survive here!

But there's no way I'll let myself get killed that quickly again. Not anymore.

I return to my table and sit there to remember everything in the Kingdom of Arventia series.

The series is about a princess named Nicolette Thorne, the younger sister of Prince Nicolo and my dear cousin. Her goal in the series is to determine why Nicolo's death. And that's how she will meet the series' hero, Sage Donovan Hartman. 

Of course, the series has a happy ending. But like I said, I will die soonest in this series.

And that is because of the villain, Livius Sarrafort.

Livius is the second son of a baron who lived in this estate. In his backstory, he dreams of becoming a physician someday, like his father. 

In my old world, being a doctor was a high-class job suited for people with high intelligence. But not in this world. Physicians are considered low-class jobs here.

Because of his dreams, the nobles of this estate mock him and see him as trash. 

And when I say nobles, that includes me. I used to bully him since we were kids because I find his dream job useless. Whenever I got a chance to make fun of him, I did my best to make sure he'd go home crying.

I remember watching Livius's breakdown so clearly. The taunts, the sneers, the crushing of his dreams. And at the center of it all was Nicodeim—me. No wonder I'm his first target when he becomes a villain.

Nicodeim, as a series character, has no role aside from being Livius's bully. That makes me a mob character, like a bubble that comes and goes quickly.

I looked at the glowing blue screen floating thing again. "It's given that I once died. And I'm sure this thing did something, so I am right here now. If this thing transported me here, I can assume it can also help me survive my soonest death."

Aside from the notifications I received earlier, another tab appeared before me. It says:

[NOTICE: View your status.]

At first, I can't figure out how this thing works, but when I say "Status," the screen shows a generated picture of me on the left side and my status information on the right.

[STATUS:]

Name: Nicodeim Thorne

Rank: ??? Level: ??? Magic Type: ???

HP: 100/100 MP: 50/50 SP: 70/70

[ATTRIBUTES:]

Strength: 5

Agility: 7

Intelligence: 6

Constitution: 4

Focus: 5

This looks like a game, and I need to do something to upgrade my status to survive and become stronger.

I looked at the glowing blue screen floating thing intensely. "The simplest way to prevent from dying again is to stop Livius from becoming a villain. He wouldn't think of killing me if he didn't turn into a villain. I just need to save him from the mockery," I said while a grin flashed on my lips.

Livius is a victim of mockery of this estate, my father's estate. 

"If the rules of this world are anything like the ones I know, then I just need to play the game smarter than everyone else. Livius isn't a villain yet. And as long as I can keep it that way, I'll stay alive."

If I fail to stop Livius from becoming a villain, he won't just kill me—he'll burn this whole kingdom to the ground. I have to change his story. I have to change my story.

Another tab appears and says:

[NOTICE: You have (1) new primary quest and (2) new secondary quests.]

I tilt my head to the side. "I think primary quest means must-do events. But I'm not sure why there's a secondary, is it because it's less priority? Means I can do it anytime I am free?"

I decided to open the primary quest first. And it shows,

[NOTICE: Primary Quest Available: Gain Livius's trust.]

I smiled when I read it, and I guess I got the right idea of saving him from mockery.

"But wait, did it just say gain his trust? That's my first task? How can I pull that off when the guy probably hates my guts? This isn't just hard; it's impossible!"

Then I realized I had another two tasks. Now I understand why there is a secondary quest!

Since I had already opened the primary quest, I had no choice but to command "Accept," as this was the only option. I guess there's no escape in doing this quest.

After that, the notification vanished, and the next thing I did was open the other two quests.

I'm not sure what Nicodeim was doing before I got transported here, but I know this is related to his responsibility of being the first and only son of Duke Nicomar Thorne. And if I escape from it, no one will be shocked because that's what Nicodeim always does. I just need to be him, and I'm good to go.

I used a window to step down from my study room to the back of the mansion. It's a good thing no one notices me. I was about to walk away from here, but luck was sure fond of me as I heard a familiar voice.

"I'm tired of hearing myself saying this, but I'll say it anyway. You're such a useless son of this house, brother."

A tiny smile comes to my lips before I face my younger sister, who is glaring at me right now. "Nicomaine, what are you doing down here?"

Well, I guess it won't make me sweat to do the secondary quest, as I already spotted my goal.

[NOTICE: Secondary Quest Available: Spend time with your sister, Nicomaine.]