NXT_MARVEL

Our MC was an extreme introvert in his past life — a bookworm who avoided people like the plague, focused only on his studies, and had zero interest in anime, games, or romance. The only time he ever touched anime was when his one and only friend forced him to watch a single episode of some fantasy academy drama — and he hated every second of it.
So when he wakes up in an unfamiliar, lavish room and finds himself in the body of Lucien von Zephyr— a rich, handsome academy student — things seem… pretty okay. That is, until memory floods in and he realizes who  Lucien is: the pervy, obsessive side character doomed to die in Episode 7 for going too far with the main heroine!

Survive the Death Flag! (Or Die a Simp)

When Lucien opened his eyes, the first thing he felt was pain. Every muscle ached, and his body felt like it had been put through a meat grinder. Groaning, he tried to sit up—only for a sharp jolt of pain to remind him that moving was a terrible idea.

[Good morning, sparky. How's life?]

"Shut up," Lucien muttered. His voice was hoarse, his throat dry.

"We almost died!" Ignis wailed dramatically. "I saw the light, Lucien! And it was judging us!"

"Good. You deserve it," Lucien grumbled.

The infirmary room was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of curtains. He turned his head—and immediately regretted it—but managed to catch a glimpse of the pristine white walls and shelves lined with potions and bandages. A faint hum of healing magic hung in the air.

Lucien's heart nearly leaped out of his chest. He turned—slowly this time—and saw Aeris Valebrand standing by the doorway, arms crossed. She looked…annoyed. Or maybe curious. It was hard to tell with her usual icy demeanor.

She raised an eyebrow. "You lasted longer than I expected."

[Wow, what a compliment. Marry her.]

Lucien ignored the system. "Thanks… I guess?"

Aeris studied him for a moment before sighing. "Why didn't you just surrender? You clearly knew you couldn't win."

"Because if I lose without trying, I get expelled," Lucien said bluntly. "And I'd rather not die, thanks."

She frowned. "Die? Isn't that a bit dramatic?"

Lucien just gave a strained smile. "Not really."

Before Aeris could respond, the door swung open—and the last person Lucien wanted to see entered.

"Why am I not surprised to find you here?" Cecilia Arventis's voice dripped with disdain. Leon followed right behind her, smirking like he owned the world.

"Oh, fantastic," Lucien groaned. "The peanut gallery's here."

Cecilia ignored him, turning to Aeris instead. "You should've finished him off properly. Now we all have to deal with his pathetic presence a little longer."

Aeris's expression didn't change, but there was a sudden tension in the air. "I fight by the rules. Unlike some people."

Leon scowled. "Watch your mouth, Valebrand."

[Ooooh, is there about to be drama? Please say yes.]

Lucien decided to seize the moment. "Hey, if you guys are going to argue, can you do it outside? Some of us are trying to recover from near-electrocution."

Cecilia's eyes flashed. "You should be grateful you're even here at all, Lucien."

"Yeah, yeah. So I've heard." Lucien waved a hand dismissively. "Listen, unless you're here to apologize—which I'm guessing you're not—you can just leave."

Leon took a threatening step forward, but Aeris moved between them. "Enough. I don't care about your feud. If you want to fight, do it somewhere else."

For a moment, it seemed like Leon might push it—but then Cecilia tugged at his sleeve. "Let's go. He's not worth the trouble."

With a final glare, they turned and left. The tension in the room eased, and Lucien let out a long breath.

"Thanks for that," he said to Aeris.

She shrugged. "I didn't do it for you."

Before Lucien could respond, Aeris turned on her heel and left without another word. He stared after her, the room suddenly feeling much quieter.

"So…" Ignis began slowly. "You think she likes you?"

Aftermath and Unexpected Meetings