Esther_stargirl

When Liam Carter, a down on his luck gambler, dies in a ridiculous accident (slipping on a casino chip and hitting his head), he wakes up in the body of Leonard Duskbane the infamous, scheming noble villain from the fantasy novel “The Hero’s Rise.”

Problem? Leonard is supposed to lose. Badly.  

In the original story, the hero, Kael Ardentblade, exposes Leonard’s crimes in a grand trial, leading to his execution. And guess what? Liam arrives *right* at that moment.  

Just as Kael points at him and declares, "This man is guilty!"

DING!

[The Luck of the Scoundrel System has activated!]

[Your Luck stat is now MAXED OUT.]

Suddenly, the courtroom’s chandelier mysteriously snaps, crashing onto Kael instead.  

Leonard blinks. "Huh. That’s convenient."

Now, armed with absurd, reality-bending luck, Liam now Leonard decides to embrace his new role as the most infuriatingly *fortunate* villain in history.  

Assassins? They trip on their own daggers.  
Magic spells? They fizzle out at the last second.  
Heroic speeches? A sudden bird poop ruins the moment.  

But as his luck keeps tipping the scales, the world itself starts fighting back. The Hero’s Party grows suspicious. The Goddess of Fate sends agents to "correct" the story. And worst of all Leonard might just be *too* lucky for his own good.

The System’s Luckiest Scoundrel

The morning after my miraculous courtroom victory, I woke up to three earth-shattering revelations:

1. Dawnbreaker, the legendary sword of heroes, was spooning me

2. My bedsheets had somehow transformed into royal tapestries

3. A crowd of peasants was *literally* worshipping me outside my window

"BEHOLD!" cried a robed fanatic. "The man who defies probability!"

I pulled the curtains shut. "Nope. Not doing this before coffee."

[DAILY QUEST: 'Exist Shamelessly']

[Objective: Survive the next 24 hours]

[Bonus: Make the hero cry (again)]

I groaned. The system had been "particularly"chatty since the trial. Yesterday's notifications included:

• [+10 Luck: Your shadow winked at the princess]*

• [Achievement: 'Most Improved Villain (Still Terrible)']

• [System Note: Watching you is like seeing a raccoon operate heavy machinery]

"Lord Duskbane?" My butler's voice trembled. "The Archbishop is here. He says you're... a living miracle?"

I opened the door to find the kingdom's most revered holy man kneeling before a half-eaten sandwich I'd left on the floor.

"Behold!" The Archbishop wept. "The sacred Sandwich of Providence!"

[System Note: ...I'm not even mad]

THE HERO'S VILLAIN ARC BEGINS

Kael found me in the marketplace, where I was "miraculously" winning every game of chance.

"You." He grabbed my collar, his hero cape slightly frayed. "I've spent *72 hours straight* researching divine intervention." His bloodshot eyes twitched. "There are *rules*."

I patted his cheek. "Rules are just suggestions written by losers, champ."

A passing donkey chose that moment to kick over a cart of apples which ricocheted off seven surfaces before forming a perfect pyramid at my feet.

[CRITICAL LUCK: 'F*ck Your Narrative' Achieved]

Kael made a noise like a teakettle exploding.

### **HOW TO BECOME POPE IN 3 EASY STEPS**

1. Attend one (1) cathedral service

[+50 Luck: Your sneeze sounds like the holy chant of Saint Arrivederci]

3. Watch as the clergy declares you the Second Coming

By sundown, they'd minted commemorative coins with my face. The inscription read: "God's Favorite Problem Child."

[Effect: When accused of heresy, a nearby statue will animate to flip them off]

HOW TO ACCIDENTALLY RELIGION (AND OTHER CRIMES)