Chapter 2. Felix Crossfield
As I waded through these memories, the weight of the real Felix's existence settled upon my shoulders.
I understood all too well why this body was so frail; the reason was not just the brutal beatings.
Years of neglect, malnutrition, and isolation had slowly drained the body's strength.
In the story I read, the Crossfield family was depicted as a symbol of power and dominance, a name spoken with fear and respect throughout the kingdom.
But behind the gilded walls of their mansion, there was nothing but rot.
Just a collection of filthy human beings.
I moved to the edge of my bed and sat down.
And I began to think about my situation.
I have no redeeming qualities, I am not strong, I have no allies, I have my family's hatred, and there is no good future waiting for me, just like in my old life.
According to the novel's story, Felix was constantly drawn to the path of evil and was always a third rate villain killed by the main characters.
The beginning of Felix's descent into evil started when he was 12 years old.
In this universe, some people gain a unique skill when they turn 12, while others gain more than one; the protagonist of the story was blessed with a total of 7 unique skills.
And as for Felix, he acquired absolutely no unique skills. This was the moment all hope broke in his life. After this event, his engagement with his fiancée was damaged. Although the families generally wanted to cancel the engagement, they somehow managed to keep it with a fragile bond.
Felix was tortured even more by his family and branded as completely useless. Without the surname he carried, he was a creature of no value.
Day by day, Felix turned into a filthy and jealous person; the world had completely turned its back on him.
After joining the academy, Felix began to envy the growing strength of the game's protagonist. An ordinary peasant boy was far stronger than him, which further stained his non existent pride.
Wherever he saw him, he would try to demean him with nicknames like commoner or peasant.
But this only caused him to earn the hatred of the other characters.
Even his own fiancée took the side of the story's protagonist instead of Felix.
Felix hated this situation.
Gradually, the rift between him and his fiancée grew wider, and the protagonist and his fiancée became closer.
This was unacceptable. Felix wanted to ruin them, and for this, he even collaborated with a devil. He sold his soul to a devil and gained power in return.
But what was the result?
The protagonist and his harem managed to defeat Felix without breaking a sweat, and he was hailed as a hero in the academy.
A pathetic way to die for Felix, a side character sacrificed for the protagonist's rise.
I involuntarily clenched my fists, anger rising in my chest.
I was Felix now, and this was the future waiting for me.
But then a spark of determination appeared within me.
I was not Felix in spirit.
I was not bound by the same fears or weaknesses that crushed the boy's soul.
I was Alex, and I had knowledge of what would happen in the future.
I knew the plot, the twists, and the power dynamics of the story.
If I played my cards right, I could turn this seemingly hopeless situation into an opportunity.
But first I need to survive. And surviving in this hateful house was no easy task.
Sitting on the edge of the creaking bed, I looked at the pale light filtering through the room's narrow window.
It was very early in the morning, and my body was suffering from the pain of the beatings I had received.
It was almost impossible to move without feeling pain due to the bruises left by my brothers.
"I'm going to f*ck them up," I muttered as I moved my numb arm.
Just as my thoughts began to drift into a whirlpool...
A faint flicker caught my eye, and in the blink of an eye, a bright blue screen appeared, suspended in the air before me.
— — —「∆ STATUS WINDOW ∆」— — —
∆Name: Felix Crossfield
∆Race: Human
∆Age: 10
• Level: 4
• Rank: E
• Elements: Fire Awakened
• Resonance: 3% {63%}
[Attributes]
• Strength: 4 (F)
• Agility: 6 (E-)
• Stamina: 3 (F)
• Mana: 1 (F)
• Intelligence: 59 (C)
• Luck: 0
• [Bloodline: Locked]
• [Blessing: Locked]
My heart was pounding in my chest.
My eyes scanned the glowing text, reading the words over and over as if they might change under my gaze.
'Is this... some kind of system?'
This concept was not entirely foreign to me.
I had read enough novels and played enough games in my past life to recognize the structure.
But experiencing it in person was something completely different.
"But what the hell are these numbers!!"
I knew I was weak, but this is seriously too much.
"How am I expected to survive when almost all my stats are Rank E, damn it," I put my hand over my eyes and let out a forced laugh.
"And what the hell is Zero Luck," as if all the trash stats weren't enough, I have been turned away by luck too.
Then my gaze lingered on the words "Bloodline" and "Blessing," both marked as locked.
A wave of frustration surged within me.
I didn't need this screen to tell me I was weak or that my bloodline and blessing were inaccessible.
I was already familiar with these facts.
But the appearance of this screen... was something new, something different.
A glimmer of hope appeared in my chest.
If I have a system and I was sent to this world for a reason, they wouldn't leave me weak like this!
Sooner or later, opportunities to get stronger will be presented to me.
Click Click
The screen flickered and vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving me staring at the empty space it once occupied.
"Young Master Felix," a gentle voice called from the other side.
"Please wake up. Your fiancée is visiting today. You must get ready quickly."
I blinked, dazed and confused.
For a moment I just lay in my bed, trying to make sense of the situation.
My fiancée, huh..
The memories from the game I played were still in my mind, I remembered very well.
After I turned 12 and gained no talent and my disgrace to the family was confirmed, even my fiancée stopped seeing me. I know her family forced her to do this, I even understand it, but after joining the academy and getting to know the game's true protagonist, she would leave me too. Her love for me was completely fake, just something arranged in line with our families' interests.
She might be the only person who has treated me with kindness so far, the only human who hasn't looked at me like a pest or a disgrace, but I know these are just an arranged game or ridiculous feelings brought on by childhood.
After gathering my thoughts.
"I'm coming," I called out.
My voice sounded hoarse as I swung my legs off the bed.
If it were the real Felix, I'm sure he wouldn't be able to sit still from the joy of seeing his fiancée. Just for this visit, for this brief moment of kindness, the boy had held on to life.
But the emotions I felt could hardly be called joy, yet I still have to act like Felix.
I splashed cold water on my face and prepared myself.
The body I now inhabited was that of a child, only ten years old, but it bore the marks of years of torture.
As I took off my clothes, I could see the scars and bruised areas on my body.
Despite the lingering pain in my ribs and the bruises coloring my skin, I moved quickly.
I washed and put on one of the few outfits in the closet.
A simple, slightly worn tunic and trousers that paled in comparison to the rich fabrics my brothers wore.
Bound by implicit orders from my mother, the family servants never bothered to help me.
I had learned to fend for myself.
When I stepped into the corridor, the grandeur of the Crossfield mansion laid out before me.
Marble floors, gilded chandeliers, and expensive carpets were all designed to showcase the family's power and wealth.
But for me, it was nothing more than a gilded cage.
With every step I took, I couldn't help but think about the reason I was still alive.
The mysterious blessing that some children in this world receive at the age of twelve.
Whether it was magic, combat, or something entirely different, this was a moment of destiny where one's potential was revealed.
Even the Crossfields, no matter how cruel they were, couldn't discard me until they learned the nature of my blessing.
As I walked, I passed my brothers idling in the grand halls.
Their cruel gazes followed me like predators scanning their prey.
None of them spoke, but their disdain was palpable.
I lowered my gaze, walking past them quickly.
Finally, I reached the grand reception hall.
In one of the ornate chairs, next to her mother, sat a girl with bright white hair falling in soft waves down her back.
Her blue eyes shone with warmth, her delicate features exuding a youthful charm.
She wore a modest yet elegant dress that complemented her vibrant hair, and her posture was demure but relaxed.
Next to her sat her mother, a calm woman.
For a moment I paused at the entrance, my gaze locked on the girl.
There was something almost surreal about her presence.
It contrasted sharply with the cold, stifling atmosphere that defined my life.
She looked exactly as she did in the game.
My mother noticed me and frowned slightly, her expression cold and distant as always.
"You're late, Felix," she said, her voice curt.
"I apologize, Mother," I replied quietly, bowing my head.
The white haired girl turned at the sound of my voice, her blue eyes lighting up when she noticed me.
"Felix!" she exclaimed, her voice warm.
She rose from her seat and took a step toward me.
I hesitated, unsure how to react.
The flood of memories and emotions was overwhelming me, but I quickly composed myself.
"Hello," I said in a soft voice, trying to smile faintly.
The girl's smile widened and she hugged me.
But I didn't return the hug; I just let my arms hang there.