A Truly Goddamned World
"Th-this... this wasn't in the Prophecy Book...?"
Dazedly reading the ominous penalty description, I frantically rummaged through my battered travel bag and pulled out a crumpled sheet of paper.
It might look like worthless scrap, but this was the family heirloom passed down through our house for a thousand years. So what could be written on this scrap of paper that made it worth handing down generation after generation?
The answer lay at the base of the empire's grandest monument—the Hero's Statue—etched into the stone tablet beneath it.
On the thousandth year since the Demon King's disappearance, his successor shall arise and devour the world.
To stop that successor, a hero with power like mine shall be needed.
This was the official last words and prophecy of the great hero who defeated the Demon King, known throughout the empire.
But the real prophecy was written on this paper.
Of course, it matched up to the line about needing "a hero with power," but everything after was in the secret script handed down through our family.
"Father, it's not runes or ancient script... and it's too systematic to be a cipher... what the hell is this?"
"Ah... it's called Hangul."
For reference, my father called that secret script "Hangul." He revered the hero so deeply that he took pride just in knowing it... but I never much liked its squiggly lines.
Anyway, what followed the widely known hero's prophecy was this:
And that hero is my direct descendant, born precisely one thousand years after the Demon King's death.
So, future descendant, if you're reading this, open your eyes wide.
Just as instructed, I widened my eyes, and colorful images and videos flooded my vision, greeted by these words:
Commencing the strategy.
That's right. The legendary hero who repelled the Demon King a thousand years ago—our family ancestor—was a man from another world.
According to the ancestor's lament in the Prophecy Book, written in magical script only direct bloodline could see, he was playing a "game" called Blacktail Fantasy, spat out "shitty fucking game" in frustration, lost consciousness to some unknown force, and woke up in our world where Blacktail Fantasy had become reality.
The ancestor's lengthy lament, spanning dozens of pages and even employing spatial distortion magic, boiled down to this: starting with nothing, he barely scraped together a happy ending using knowledge from his original world's "game."
The key point? In his original world, there was a sequel called Blacktail Fantasy 2, trashed as "worse than the first," "total dogshit," and "made by devs who hate their players."
Having started the series with that game, our ancestor knew it well. To bring a "happy ending" to the world in Blacktail Fantasy 2, the hero had to destroy the world himself once. That unlocked the "hidden route" granting the "system" for a true happy ending.
And so, in previous loops, I committed vile acts to ruin the world. My father, proud of our direct hero bloodline, raised me kindly, so the guilt was crushing... but what choice did I have? If I didn't trash the world, the Demon King would burn it down.
After countless atrocities and backstabbing the Demon King at the last moment, I regressed—and as the Prophecy Book foretold, earned the title Villain's Path.
This loop, I planned "villainy"—not true evil—to sacrifice myself and save the empire and world.
But the "main heroines" of Blacktail Fantasy 2, who loathed me viciously last loop, had regained their memories.
"How... why are they all such headaches... haa..."
Clutching my head, I recalled the heroines who must have their memories back by now.
The continent's top genius, future prime minister; prodigy of the strongest grand mage; once-in-a-millennium saintess; black mage who could've shrouded the world in darkness without her curse; and the imperial princess... I'm screwed.
No matter how I thought about it, it was absurd—I let out a hollow laugh. If I weren't the scion of the millennium-old hero duke family, I'd probably be a stabbed corpse in some alley by now.
And if the princess weren't a powerless tail-ender in succession, even that status might mean nothing. Though with her talent, she'd claim first in line soon enough... for now, she couldn't touch me.
...She won't touch me, right?
According to the ancestor's "game" info, the main heroines were designed to romance me—harem possible if played right. But now? Stabbed by all five.
So, I had to wrack my brain to survive them.
First... who's most urgent...?
Tomorrow was Sunrise Academy's entrance ceremony—I'd face most heroines there. Exclude my fiancée, future prime minister; she's abroad now, per my memory.
Grand mage prodigy, saintess, princess—exclude too. We'd meet tomorrow, but nothing doable now.
Which leaves...
Powerful killing intent detected nearby!
Deep in thought, someone knocked and entered my dorm.
"Excuse me."
"...Young master, it's time for dinner."
"...Ah."
Recognizing her, my eyes twitched wildly.
"...Is something wrong, young master?"
"...No, nothing."
She was Kania—our duke family's maid, cursed black mage... and one of the main heroines who'd just recalled last loop's memories. Staring down impassively at me.
Her cool look, black bob, black suit, white gloves were her trademarks. She and her sister wandered streets until my father—waiting per prophecy, recognizing her magic talent—took her in.
Anyway, I had two weaknesses on her: she's a condemned black mage, and cursed. Her life-draining curse stabilizes only near me, the hero's successor.
So she couldn't leave my side.
"How shall I prepare your meal?"
"...The usual."
"...Yes."
Recalling her info, she asked coldly about dinner—I requested the usual. I barely remembered what that was... but she'd figure it out.
Her voice and eyes had killing intent. Memories confirmed.
I'd hoped for a glitch, but the system was real. Couldn't sit idle—or five heroines might gruesomely kill me.
Even now...
Powerful killing intent detected nearby!
...What the hell?
A red alert popped up. Probably Kania. But why now? I felt her intent earlier.
"System."
Musing, I whispered to summon the system window and tapped "Held Skills."
Villain's Intuition LV1
As a villain, your intuition detects life-threatening dangers once per day.
As memorized from the Prophecy Book, there it was: Villain's Intuition. It detects once-daily lethal threats—perfect for my knife-edge life.
Wait, does that mean I'm in mortal danger now?
Activating now meant Kania, prepping food below, was plotting my death.
Assassination method: poison, obviously?
Frail from curse, she'd never confront me, hero bloodline, head-on. Without my aid, most black magic was off-limits. But straining hours, she could brew lethal poison.
- Creak...
"Young master... your usual... soup..."
Deep in assassination thoughts, the door opened—Kania entered with soup, voice strained.
"Enjoy your... meal..."
"........."
Forced black magic, clearly.
"When did I ask for soup?"
"...Pardon?"
I glared, growling lowly.
"When. Did I. Ask for soup?"
"You always enjoy soup..."
"Don't talk back!!"
Kania flinched as I yelled and spilled the soup, trembling as she spoke.
"...Then, what meal... shall I bring...?"
"I said the usual!"
"............."
"You stupid bitch!! Need me to spell it? Sandwich! Sandwich!!"
"...Yes... preparing now..."
I raged; she gritted teeth, stumbled out.
The Villain's Path—regression perk scam system—awards points for villainy, stacking to save the world. Perfect for an ex-empire's worst villain like me.
"Young master... your ordered sandwich..."
Musing on the window, far gaunter Kania returned with sandwich.
"...No cheese? Remake it."
"But..."
"...Talking back?"
"...No."
I sent her down again, nitpicking relentlessly.
"Bread's dry and warped—remake."
"Ham too thick—remake."
"Too few pickles—remake."
"Ugly shape—remake."
Back and forth for ages, she neared collapse—but eyes blazed fury.
"Forgot tuna—remake."
Eleventh remake order: overstrained black magic made her vomit blood, crumple.
◈ Total: 22pt
Staring blankly at the alerts as she collapsed, I rose quietly, approached her unconscious form.
"...Sorry, Kania."
Mournful apology she'd never hear—I carried her to bed, infused life force.
"...Urk!"
Body tearing in agony.
Her curse eases near me not from hero power, but my life force infusion—hers stabilizes, mine whittles away. But such is villain's fate.
◈ Total: 62pt
Aching all over, slumped on floor, I sighed.
"...Don't die in front of me this time. Kania."
Gazing at her soft breathing, moonlit through window, I reread the Prophecy Book's end by its glow.
Thus, all shall end, and the hero shall perish with the Demon King.
What a truly goddamned world.