It had been weeks since I first discovered the library.
Most of my days were spent here, though I had to be careful. Estrella had almost caught me a few times, usually when she saw me near the door of my room. Because of that, I only came here at night, slipping out quietly while she thought I was asleep. Thankfully, she still didn't know where I had been going.
The duke, my father still hadn't visited me even once.
And honestly, I was glad. The less attention he paid to me, the better.
Since I was still a baby, I could only read the books I could reach. Unfortunately, that limited my options. Even so, I decided that before studying magic, I needed to understand this world first. History came before power.
As I examined the shelves, one book caught my attention.
It was old... so old that its cover was torn and stained with mold. It was heavier than the others.
I pulled it out with effort and opened it. Despite its condition, the words inside were still readable.
As I began to read, a familiar word appeared.
Aetheria.
That alone was enough to confirm my suspicions.
Aetheria, the land of swords and magic, kingdoms and nobles, heroes and demons.
A world I knew far too well.
It was the setting of the game I had played obsessively in my past life[Frontier Heroes of Aetheria].
This was the same world.
The same infamous hardcore version where players died in ridiculous and cruel ways a game even veteran players couldn't defeat.
Except me.
Maybe that was why I ended up here.
Winning that game felt less like a reward now and more like a punishment wrapped in opportunity.
As I flipped through the book, it detailed the geography and history of the world. Everything matched my memories from the game perfectly.
There was no doubt about it.
I was inside the game.
And worse…
I wasn't the protagonist.
That role belonged to someone else.
Orion.
The main character of the game, the hero players controlled. A genius swordsman whose talent bordered on monstrous. From the very beginning, he was overwhelmingly strong, gathering companions just as powerful as himself.
The story began at a prestigious academy, one that accepted anyone talented enough in magic or martial arts. During the enrollment exam, Orion dominated completely, ranking first with ease.
A strong body, sharp instincts, flawless swordsmanship, and on top of that, a handsome face with golden hair and hazel eyes. Girls confessed to him constantly, and he rejected every single one.
A perfect protagonist.
Of course, a hero like him had rivals and companions.
One of the most notable was a noble girl.
Roxane de Von Gellis.
A talented swordswoman from a powerful house. Proud and strong. She wasn't stronger than Orion, but she was close enough to challenge him. Because of that, their bond grew deeper. By the end of the story, the two of them fell in love.
I remembered everything clearly.
The academy arcs. The dungeons. The demon invasions. The seven companions who fought alongside Orion. Together, they challenged the Demon King and defeated him, becoming the heroes who saved the world.
And somewhere among all those characters…
There was my father.
The Duke of Nocte... Arthur Von Nocte, a prestigious noble and a close friend, as well as a rival, of His Majesty Clervaux de Eckart.
In the game, he was known as the handsome knight of the northern territories. He defeated countless monsters and demons at the border and later became one of the instructors at the academy.
I never saw his face clearly back then. He always wore a hood while teaching.
I never once imagined he would be my father.
I sighed, closed the book slowly, and crawled toward the door to return to my room. Opening doors was still difficult, I was just a baby, after all. I had been trying to stand up, but progress was slow.
Still…
I needed a goal.
First, I would never interact with the main characters. I had no intention of changing the plot of the story. If fate wanted to move forward, it could do so without me.
Second, I would train myself quietly. Magic interested me. Becoming a magician seems interesting maybe I can experiment spells.
Third, I would keep a low profile. Especially from my father.
And most importantly…
I wanted a lazy life.
I was tired... even in this new world. If I had to become strong, then I'd do it efficiently, quietly, and without unnecessary trouble.
Strong enough to survive.
Lazy enough to live in peace.