_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

Seraphine and I sat across from each other in the dying firelight, silence stretching between us like a taut string.

"I won't beat around the bush. Lira is my lover."

Seraphine blinked—caught off guard by the sudden confession—but I didn't give her time to speak.

"You know what I hate most about romance novels?"

She tilted her head slightly. "Didn't peg you for the type to read romance. Or novels, for that matter."

I shrugged. "I don't look the type for a lot of things. Anyway, the worst part is how they make everything needlessly complicated. If you like someone, just say it. Why drag out misunderstandings for five chapters?"

I continued, "I won't lie—I don't love you. Not yet. We haven't known each other long enough. But I respect you. You've shown me you're not just some ornament waiting to be placed on a noble's shelf. You've got fire. And I admire that."

I exhaled. "So here's the truth: I care about Lira. I won't make it official—not now—but I'm not hiding it either. Let the rumors come. I don't care."

I met her eyes. "It might sound unfair. But it's your choice now. You can use this to break the engagement—or we can keep going. Who knows? Maybe we'll fall for each other somewhere down the road."

Seraphine narrowed her eyes slightly. "Sounds like you don't want to let go of me either."

I smiled. "Of course I don't. I'm a greedy man. Why would I give up a strong, smart, terrifyingly capable woman who fell into my lap without even trying?"

"I don't know if you're good or bad, but at least you're interesting." She leaned back, voice lighter now. "Honestly, I don't like seeing you get close to other girls… but this is nobility. Having multiple lovers isn't rare. Even my father, who adores my mother, still has some unofficial attachments on the side. You're just more blunt about it."

Then she looked directly at me. "Let's see how long this engagement lasts."

I met her gaze, firm. "Longer than you think."

With that, I made my way toward the tent. Our shift was done.

After all, if the protagonist can juggle a harem while pretending to be clueless, why can't I?

The rest of the night passed without trouble.

No bandits. No monsters. Just the occasional rustling in the trees and the quiet crackle of the fire.

By dawn, we were back on the road.

To my surprise, the tension between Seraphine and me had eased. The talk worked. Not everything was settled—but the distance had softened. We spoke more freely now. Her sarcasm still came sharp, but I parried with ease, and conversation began to flow naturally between us.

Not angry. Not cold. Just... still.

She didn't speak to Seraphine. Seraphine didn't speak to her.

Whatever line existed between them—it wasn't mine to cross.

Kael remained his usual silent self. His gaze lingered on me a little too long, but he said nothing. Raven tried to make small talk and was ignored by everyone, which, at this point, probably counted as tradition.

Ch 27: No Unnecessary Drama