Rain hammered against the tall windows like a relentless army.
Lightning tore across the night sky, illuminating the sprawling noble district of the imperial capital.
At the very center stood a massive estate surrounded by black iron gates and towering marble walls.
The residence of the Aurelius Clan.
One of the most powerful noble families in the empire.
Inside the estate, golden chandeliers illuminated long corridors lined with expensive paintings and crimson carpets. Servants quietly moved through the halls, careful not to make too much noise.
In a luxurious bedroom on the second floor—
A young man suddenly gasped and sat upright.
"Haah…!"
His breathing was uneven as if he had just escaped from drowning.
Cold sweat covered his forehead.
For several seconds he simply sat there, staring blankly at the unfamiliar room.
The ceiling above him was high and decorated with intricate carvings.
A massive chandelier hung in the center.
Heavy velvet curtains covered tall windows.
Everything around him screamed luxury.
"…Where am I?"
His voice sounded strange.
Lower.
Smoother.
Definitely not his own.
The young man quickly looked down at his hands.
They were pale, slender, and clearly belonged to someone who had never done physical labor in his life.
"This… isn't my body."
A strange feeling of unease crept into his chest.
He distinctly remembered what had happened before this.
Last night he had been lying in bed scrolling through his phone while reading a web novel.
The novel had become extremely popular online.
A fantasy story filled with magic, noble families, heroic battles, and powerful cultivation systems.
But what frustrated him the most was the villain.
The arrogant noble named Lucien Aurelius.
That character was so stupid that readers constantly complained in the comment section.
Lucien bullied the protagonist early in the story and relied on his powerful family to oppress others.
Of course, the ending for someone like that was obvious.
The hero eventually rose to power and crushed him completely.
In one of the most brutal scenes of the novel, Lucien was publicly executed after begging for mercy.
The young man remembered shaking his head while reading that chapter.
"Man… this villain is hopeless."
But now—
His thoughts suddenly froze.
A wave of unfamiliar memories violently flooded his mind.
Images flashed before his eyes.
A noble estate.
Servants bowing respectfully.
A powerful father who ruled an enormous clan.
And a reputation that made many people fear him.
The young man clutched his head as the memories continued pouring in.
Lucien Aurelius.
Third young master of the Aurelius Clan.
A noble known across the capital for his arrogance and cruel temper.
After several minutes the pain slowly faded.
The young man lowered his hand and stared at the floor in disbelief.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
He slowly stood up from the bed.
His legs felt slightly weak as he walked across the room.
Directly ahead of him stood a tall mirror framed in silver.
When he looked into it—
He froze.
The reflection staring back at him was incredibly handsome.
Long black hair fell smoothly past his shoulders.
Sharp silver eyes gave his face a cold and noble appearance.
His features were so perfect that he almost looked unreal.
But none of that mattered.
Because he recognized that face instantly.
"Lucien Aurelius…"
The villain of the story.
The character destined to die.
He leaned closer to the mirror and rubbed his temples.
"This can't be real."
But the memories inside his head said otherwise.
This was definitely Lucien's body.
Which meant one terrifying thing.
He had transmigrated into the novel he had been reading.
And not as the hero.
Not as a powerful side character.
But as the villain who gets killed early in the story.
For a moment the room fell silent except for the sound of rain hitting the windows.
Then the young man sighed heavily.
"Alright… calm down."
Panicking wouldn't change anything.
If this world truly followed the story of the novel, then he still had some time.
He quickly recalled the timeline.
The main plot had not started yet.
The protagonist of the story, Adrian Solhart, was still an unknown commoner living in a small town.
The first major event of the story would occur in three days.
The entrance examination for Celestial Academy.
That was where the hero would meet his first important companion.
The ice mage prodigy—
Elena Valtieri.
Together they would survive a dangerous trial during the academy exam.
That event would form their first bond.
From there, the hero's journey would begin.
The young man slowly crossed his arms.
"If I remember correctly…"
Lucien originally tried to humiliate Adrian during the academy exam.
Instead, the hero defeated him and gained fame.
That incident started the chain of events leading to Lucien's downfall.
"Yeah… that sounds about right."
He sighed again.
"So if I just avoid provoking the hero, maybe I can survive."
Just as that thought appeared in his mind—
A strange mechanical sound suddenly echoed inside his head.
[System initializing…]
The young man froze.
"…Wait."
A translucent blue screen appeared in front of his eyes.
Floating in midair.
Shadow Sovereign System Activated
Host: Lucien Aurelius
Identity: Transmigrator
Status: Minor Villain
Shadow Points: 0
The young man blinked in surprise.
"A system?"
He had read enough web novels to recognize what this meant.
Many protagonists received mysterious systems that helped them grow stronger.
But he hadn't expected to get one himself.
The screen flickered as new text appeared.
System Objective:
Assist the host in rewriting destiny.
Primary Directive:
Destroy the Hero's Fate.
Lucien raised an eyebrow.
"Destroy the hero's fate?"
That sounded extremely dangerous.
But the system continued.
Host gains rewards by disrupting major destiny events.
Examples:
• Stealing treasures meant for the hero
• Taking opportunities from the hero
• Turning the hero's future allies into followers of the host
Lucien slowly began to smile.
"So that's how it works."
If the system rewarded him for interfering with the hero's path…
Then his knowledge of the novel's plot became incredibly valuable.
Because he knew exactly where the hero's biggest opportunities were hidden.
Just then another notification appeared.
New Mission Detected
Hero Destiny Event Approaching.
Event: First encounter between Hero and Ice Mage Prodigy.
Target: Elena Valtieri
Location: Celestial Academy Entrance Examination
Time Remaining: 72 Hours
Objective: Interfere with the encounter.
Reward:
+500 Shadow Points
Skill: Fate Disruption
Lucien rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
In the original story, Adrian saved Elena from a dangerous ice beast during the trial.
That moment created a strong bond between them.
But what would happen if Adrian never saved her?
What if someone else arrived first?
Lucien's smile slowly widened.
"That mission sounds… very doable."
He walked toward the window and pushed the curtain aside.
Outside, lightning illuminated the massive city beyond the estate walls.
The capital of the empire.
A place filled with powerful nobles, ambitious politicians, and hidden dangers.
In the original story, this world revolved around the hero's journey.
But now that journey was about to change.
Lucien looked at his reflection in the window.
The villain of the story.
The man destined to be crushed by the protagonist.
But that future belonged to the original Lucien.
Not him.
Because now someone else was controlling this body.
Someone who knew the entire plot.
Someone who knew every treasure, secret, and opportunity hidden across the world.
And most importantly—
Someone who had a system designed to support villains.
Lucien quietly chuckled.
"Well then…"
"If the hero is supposed to meet his destined companion in three days…"
His silver eyes gleamed with dangerous amusement.
"I'll simply meet her first."
The rain outside continued to fall as thunder echoed across the night sky.
Unbeknownst to the world—
The villain who was supposed to die early in the story had just become the most unpredictable existence in the entire empire.
And the hero's fate…
Was about to be rewritten.