_DevilBlooms_

I died—and woke up inside a novel I was only halfway through reading.

Not as the protagonist. Not even as a decent side character.
No, I’ve been reincarnated as Brandy—the arrogant noble brat who gets crushed by the real main character in Chapter 2.

And that protagonist? He’s a regressor.
This is his second life.
He knows every plot twist, hidden treasure, and future threat.
And he’s not here to play fair.

In his first timeline, he was beaten, betrayed, and broken.
Now? He’s out for blood—and my family’s territory is his first target.

If I lose, I don’t just lose status. I lose the chance to grow, to fight, to survive.
He’ll rise. I’ll fall. Just like in the book.

Unless I change the story.

I still have Brandy’s memories, noble blood, and now, a fire of my own.
This isn’t just his second chance—it’s my first.

And now, it’s a race.

A race between a hero who knows the future...
And a “villain” who refuses to play his role.


“He’s the regressor. I’m the rewrite. Let’s see who gets to the top first.”

Brad the Baron: Rewrite of Villain

Not metaphorically. Literally. The minute I stepped out of the infirmary, the light stabbed straight through my skull like it had a personal vendetta.

I squinted and raised a hand over my eyes. The breeze was cool, the scent of antiseptic fading into crisp morning air. My shoulder still ached where the axe hit, but everything else was… tolerable.

Lira walked beside me, as usual. Silent. Steady. Like nothing ever happened.

I rolled my neck and exhaled. "Alright. I'm up, mostly in one piece, and engaged. Now, can someone tell me what happened after I blacked out?"

"You fainted first. Before the redhead."

"Seraphine," I muttered, recalling the wild flash of axes and scarlet hair.

Lira nodded. "They announced the results. You, Elric, and Seraphine were selected for the second trial."

So, even in this life, he managed to crawl through.

I had better things to think about.

I gave Lira a sidelong glance. After all this time, I'd grown good at reading her—even beneath that cold face, I could tell. She was mad.

I couldn't blame her. I hugged her out of nowhere after waking from that dream. Or maybe she's jealous. The engagement news probably didn't help.

Let's add a small goal: I must make things clear with Lira before the Academy.

With that, we made our way toward the carriage waiting to take us back to Valemont.

Now that this whole engagement fiasco is out of the way, I have something more urgent to focus on.

In the novel, Elric didn't go for the elixir until mid-semester of his first year. But I have no reason to wait. That thing is critical.

He delayed because he didn't know it existed—he only found it by chance. But I know. I have the advantage. And I'm not going to waste it.

Unlike the first trial, the second one doesn't rely on brute strength. It's about potential. Inner quality. Will. That's where Elric barely scraped through thanks to his two-life mentality and protagonist perks.

And Brandy, the body I'm in, didn't even make it into the Academy in the original story.

I'll make my mark before the second exam even begins.

Let's see how Elric likes it when someone else gets there first.

Seraphine Ashthorn—the redhead—didn't just defeat me. She crushed me.

Every blow from her axes slammed like it was forged from spite and fire. Her presence was overwhelming, primal. She didn't even try to hide the fact that she was holding back.

I thought I'd earned something this time. A new life. A new chance. But all I've done is carry over the same weakness from before, just wrapped in nicer clothes.

He's not the brat I remember. He fights like someone who knows things he shouldn't. Fights like someone who's already bled in wars he hasn't even lived through.

It's like the whole world is moving forward, and I'm stuck watching them vanish into the horizon.

I sat on the cold edge of the tournament grounds, long after everyone else had left.

The sun had dipped low, stretching my shadow across the dirt like a final judgment. My sword lay across my lap, still dusty from the match. Still useless.

In my last life, I'd heard rumors of a place in the Ancient Forest. A ruin. A buried elixir. Something that could awaken a man's potential if it didn't kill him first.

I figured it was a lie. Or if not, then someone else would find it first.

This time, I told myself I'd go after I made it into the Academy. After I had support. Tools. Strength.

Let Brandy be smarter. Let Seraphine be stronger.

I just need something—anything—to bridge the gap.

I will not fall behind, not again.

Ch 23: Diverging Roads