A Stroke of Good Luck
"...Ugh."
I arrived back at the school dormitory and let out a quiet sigh as I began wrapping bandages around my back. It was a situation that really needed professional treatment, but with no idea when Kania might barge in, I had to finish this emergency care as quickly as possible.
'Damn system. If you're gonna screw me over like this, at least give me some healing items.'
Cursing the petty system, I felt a surge of frustration while pathetically bandaging myself up. Here I was, working so hard to save the world, and all I got was a mask that could only hide my identity for a measly minute once a week, or a whip that didn't even hurt when it hit... Even for a system based on villainy, wasn't this too much? At the very least, they could give me some ointment that heals wounds on contact or a potion that instantly restores life force.
As I grumbled to myself, the pain in my back returned, twisting my face in agony as I writhed.
'This is driving me insane.'
Honestly, even with my mental strength stat at 9, my resolve was starting to waver. Even if I was the only one who could save the world—even knowing that if I didn't do this, the world would end, and that I had a chance to come back and live luxuriously—it was tough.
I could separate my villainous self from my hero self to cope with drowning in evil acts. I could endure the heroines and everyone around me hating and tormenting me. Because if they didn't hate me, the people I loved would die.
But the loneliness... that was impossible to bear. This solitary ordeal, with not a single soul who understood me, shook even me, with my hero identity, from time to time.
That's why I sometimes wondered if I really needed to be so obsessively villainous. Wouldn't it be better to just play the cool, imposing dark overlord of the underworld and steadily farm points?
But that was an impossible wish. I had to be a ugly, pathetic, childish third-rate villain—not some noble, dignified dark lord with elegant speech.
According to the prophecy book left by my ancestor, among the traits available on the Villain's Path, the one with the highest clear rate was the "third-rate villain" type I was emulating. And the reason was the "Cumulative Infamy System" that would soon be added to the system.
The Cumulative Infamy System evaluated my infamy spread across the world once a week and converted it into points. It was the core of the Villain's Path system, the key to raking in points... and it gave the most generous rewards for this "third-rate villain" trait.
In a way, it made sense. Ask a random person on the street if they know Yustiano Count, the infamous underworld boss, and eight or nine out of ten would shake their heads. But ask if they know Frey, the wastrel young master of the Starlight Duke's family, and eight or nine would nod.
As this example shows, a flashy wastrel infamous across the entire empire is seen as worse than a shadowy overlord known only to a select few in the underworld. That's why the "third-rate villain" trait excels at point farming—but ironically, in the game from my ancestor's world, it had the lowest selection rate.
The reason was simple: the story got too bleak. It had a high clear rate, but players felt extreme fatigue, so those playing for fun never chose it.
But I chose the "third-rate villain" type, which, if done right, could almost certainly save everyone except me. This wasn't the game Blacktail Fantasy 2 for fun and thrills—this was the Sunrise Empire, where my beloved family and friends lived and breathed.
"Let's see. Yeah, this should cover it nicely... Huh?"
Shaking off the lingering thoughts and steeling myself, I finished wrapping the bandages under my clothes and checked the mirror to ensure they weren't visible. That's when I noticed something odd.
"...Where's my brooch?"
The star-shaped brooch, custom-made in secret by the back-alley shopkeeper, allowed me to remotely transfer life force to Kania in emergencies. It must have fallen off in the back alleys... but I had no idea where.
Did I lose it fighting the Succubus Queen? During the chase from the heroines at the auction house? Or did it roll away in the crowd?
'What a waste.'
Considering the cost to make it, I wanted to throw on my coat and go search right away. But unfortunately, my body needed rest now, and wandering the back alleys looking for it could get me spotted by the main heroines.
'Come to think of it, what happened to the shopkeeper?'
Isolet had beaten him unconscious, and with the terrorist attack, he'd been left abandoned in the middle of the street. He'd probably woken up soon after, but with his shop smashed, asking him to remake the brooch might be tough.
Fortunately...
I'd prepared a spare in case of loss. I reached into the secret magical pocket in the front pouch of the bag I'd brought from home to pin the spare brooch to my chest.
"...Huh?"
Along with the brooch, a crumpled scrap of paper fell into my hand.
'I never put any paper in here.'
Tilting my head, I unfolded it upon seeing writing inside.
To my beloved son.
"...!"
The moment I read the first line, my hand holding the letter began to tremble. It was written in Hangul, the language of the previous hero, in my father's handwriting—mimicking the previous hero's script perfectly.
Surprised to see this note? Of course you are. I was pretty shocked myself just now.
"Wh-what? There was no note like this last loop?"
There definitely hadn't been anything like this in the bag's secret space last time. Worried it was some unknown variable outside the main heroines' memories, I read on and soon sighed in relief.
So, you finally took down the Demon King and regressed in mutual destruction? Seeing [Memory Adjustment: 10 Minutes Prior] pop up before my eyes tells me as much.
"Ah, so that's what it was."
Relieved it was just a system adjustment that wouldn't harm me, I continued reading.
So, how did you kill me? Poison? Strangulation? Beheading? Drowning?
I squeezed my eyes shut at that line, then opened them and read on, hands shaking uncontrollably.
You didn't let some father-son bond nonsense stop you, right? No, that can't be. 'Patricide' is essential to overload the Hero's Armament, after all.
The note was right. Last loop, I killed my father with my own hands. To overload the Hero's Armament, which demands blind loyalty from the direct bloodline of the hero's Starlight family, that bloodline had to commit heinous sins. And among those, the essential event was patricide—the protagonist killing his own father.
Honestly, that moment was my greatest trial. To save my father, I had to kill him myself... What a horrific fate.
That's why, after regressing, the first person I wanted to see was my father... but I deliberately avoided him. Even knowing it was unavoidable, seeing his face brought back that scene, driving me to the brink of madness.
Anyway, my son, reading this now—listen carefully to what I say next.
Desperately trying not to recall that moment, I froze at the next line.
Your father is sorry.
"............"
Staring at that line, I slowly read on.
I hate myself for shoving that burden onto you, who was kinder and purer than anyone.
"Father..."
If only I were the subject of the prophecy... or could take that fate in your place. This worthless old man would be better suited to evil deeds than a good child like you.
"What nonsense..."
Feeling a tear fall from my eye, I chuckled bitterly, recalling my cheerful father—who was no worse than me, if anything kinder.
I have so much I want to apologize for and say, but time is short, and it feels ridiculous for me to ramble when you've suffered so much. So, one last thing.
"............"
Feeling a pang of regret at that, I read the final part—and my eyes widened.
I've set up an anonymous bank account at the Imperial Bank. I was going to leave a complex hint only clever you would understand, but with this chance, I'll scrap that.
'An anonymous account?'
I've put in the money I earned from personal ventures for your second loop—not the duke's fortune, so no issues even with memory adjustment.
I glanced at the account password and verification method, then dropped my head at the postscript.
P.S. I love you, my son.
[Abraham Raon Starlight]
My shoulders shook as I bowed my head. Worried Kania might burst in, I forced back tears, stuffed the letter into the secret space, and headed to bed.
"...Ahk."
Lying down to calm myself, excruciating pain shot through my back. I gritted my teeth and muttered.
"I'm... a hero. So... this is... nothing."
It felt like someone was sneering 'Really?' in my ear, so I whispered weakly again.
"Nothing... at all......"
Sleep wouldn't come easy tonight.
......
"...I'm back, Young Master."
"............"
"Young Master, even though it's late, if there's anything you need..."
"...No need."
I'd lain limply in bed until Kania arrived, too unmotivated for even villainy, staring blankly as I replied.
"Young Master, if I may..."
"...Yeah?"
"...Are you hurt anywhere?"
She asked a strange question. Did I look that pathetic?
"...Mind your own business."
"........."
She stared silently at my listless response, then set a black cat doll from her bosom on the desk and headed to her folding bed.
"Young Master, at least change into nightclothes before bed."
"...I said mind your own business."
"...Then good night."
"...Yeah."
Hours after the lights went out, I lay staring blankly until confirming she was fully asleep. With hollow eyes, I grumbled at her.
"...Shall we do it again tonight, then."
Placing my hand on her stomach to share life force, sudden nausea hit. I doubled over and vomited blood onto the floor.
"...Cough, cough!! Cough!!! What the—why... Oh, right, I overdid it today..."
Sharing life force with her had become habit, and with my body overtaxed, my mind wasn't sharp. Despite my own life force deficiency, I gave to her and ended up coughing blood.
"...Damn, guess that's it for tonight."
Feeling drained as I wiped the floor, my eyes drifted to the cat on the desk.
It'd been in Kania's arms forever, so seeing it out after so long felt welcoming. Smiling, I picked it up and stroked it.
"...Kitty, so much happened today."
"............"
"If I told you everything, the night would pass... but I barely survived at least three near-death moments."
".............."
"And... I read a letter full of Father's true feelings. I nearly burst into tears... but I held back. Because I'm a hero."
"...Honestly, it's tough. So tough I feel like dying, but what can I do? I'm the hero. Gotta keep going."
"................"
With no one to confess to, I poured out my heart to the cat. As tears welled again, I squeezed my eyes shut and muttered.
"...Wait, just... hold on a sec... just like this for a bit..."
Hugging the strangely warm cat, I stifled sobs so as not to wake Kania.
"...Even a hero... can't help but struggle..."
After crying for a while until my heart lightened, I set the cat down and returned to bed.
"...Gotta buy one for real."
Drifting off, I dreamed of playing with a giant black cat—finally sleeping peacefully.
......
"...Young Master, time to wake up."
"......Mm."
I was rolling around on a massive black cat's belly when Kania shook me awake.
"...Morning already."
Seeing sunlight through the window, I savored the rare refreshed feeling, stretched, and sat up.
'How long since I last cried? Even last loop, only a few times.'
Except when Isolet died, the heroines died, or I killed my father— I hadn't cried much. But yesterday, I bawled.
Probably pent-up from the unfair situation where the heroines' memories returned, jacking up the difficulty several times over.
'But I feel pretty refreshed? Catharsis from crying it out?'
Curious, I opened my status window—and was shocked.
'Mental strength up by 0.3?'
The prophecy said stats above 9 rarely rose without cause. So, hugging the cat doll and crying yesterday triggered it?
'Makes sense. Gotta vent emotions sometimes.'
Last night was probably the breaking point for my mentality. But with near-max mental strength, a single cat doll helped me endure.
Embarrassing to cry hugging a doll, but it boosted my stat and refreshed me—worth it.
"Kania, what're you standing around for? Bring breakfast!"
Done thinking, I snapped at her irritably as usual, ordering breakfast.
"........."
"...What?"
Something was off. She ignored my order, staring straight at me.
"Young Master, allow me to tell you an amusing story."
"...What?"
After staring a while, she spoke bluntly. I scowled, about to yell for breakfast...
"Forget it! Just bring breakf—!"
"I went to the auction house in the back alleys yesterday..."
"Bring it—"
Her words made me trail off, brain racing.
"...The back-alley auction house, huh? Interesting. Go on."
"And there, I spotted someone wearing a sword identical to the one the family head used."
"...Is that so?"
Mentioning Father's sword reminded me my rapier was his gift.
'It was so clean and sharp, I thought it was newly commissioned... It was Father's sword!?'
Lamenting his cheapness briefly, I recalled it was to fund me, coughed quietly, and continued.
"Could just be similar. Or maybe Father was out for air."
"...Is that right?"
"...Yeah, so enough with the flimsy stories and ju—"
"Ah, Young Master. Your brooch fell off."
"Oh? Uh..."
Dismissing her words as coincidence, I was pushing for breakfast when she bent down, handing me my brooch. I took it absentmindedly, reaching for my chest.
"...Huh?"
A star-shaped brooch was already pinned there.
"The sword-bearer dropped that brooch... and it looks exactly like the one you always wear, doesn't it?"
".........."
"You won't call that coincidence too, will you?"
As Kania quietly pressed, I scrambled for excuses.
"...Bought this at a back-alley magic shop. Pretty famous place—probably where that guy got his."
"...Where is that shop?"
"Out of business."
"Didn't you just say it was famous?"
"Owner got in a fight with some brute. Shop got smashed."
"...I see."
"Yeah, so quit the nonsense and—"
Sweating as I bullshitted, I tried sending her away to plan countermeasures, but...
"...Ah, Young Master! Look there!"
".....?"
She gasped, pointing behind me. Thinking a Demon King exec had invaded after yesterday, I whipped around.
And then...
- Poke!
"...Gaaahhh!!!"
She jabbed my back hard. I screamed, clutching it and collapsing onto the bed.
"Wh-what the hell are yo—"
"...Isn't this the trick you used on me yesterday, Young Master?"
".......!!!"
She gave me an incredulous look as my jaw dropped.
"...Why did you save me yesterday? Young Master?"
"Ah..."
And at that moment...
Permanent Debuff: Villain's Fate
User's lifespan and life force greatly reduced!
Stacks: 1
"...I just can't understand it. And what happened at dawn today baffles me too. So please, convince me..."
"Nooooooo!!!"
".....!?"
The system window I'd prayed wouldn't appear floated before me.
Lifespan and life force massively reduced.
Stacks: 1 (Permanent)
"Young Master? What's wrong..."
"Keurgh!!!"
"...Kyaa!?"
Staring despairingly at the window, I vomited more blood than ever and muttered inwardly.
'No wonder today felt so lucky.'
Collapsing forward amid the blood, I gazed blearily at Kania reaching for me, then blacked out.
".............Young Master?"
Meanwhile, Kania caught the falling Frey with outstretched hands. Staring anxiously at his limp, unconscious form, she shook him.
But despite her efforts, Frey didn't regain consciousness that day.