Chapter 1: Is There Something Wrong with Facing Destruction Right at the Start?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 1: Is There Something Wrong with Facing Destruction Right at the Start?
Volume 1
"Did I... transmigrate?"
Muen stared blankly at his reflection in the mirror.
Short golden hair spread out in fine strands, like the rays of a newborn sun. His handsome face possessed perfect lines, as if it were a work of art carved from marble. A pair of pale blue eyes held a depth and tranquility reminiscent of a secluded lake.
So handsome!
Muen felt his heart skip a beat at the sheer attractiveness of the man in the mirror. Even with his aesthetic sensibilities battered by countless modern idol dramas, he couldn't help but marvel at how such a handsome man could exist in this world.
But this wasn't him.
No, this was him. Or rather, he had become someone else.
After getting off work at 2:30 AM, he had been standing on the road pulling gacha. Just as he was ecstatic over pulling five golds in a ten-roll, a passing dump truck had sent him flying. He died instantly, only to transmigrate into another world and inhabit a different body.
"Muen Campbell."
A flood of memories surged into his mind, making his head spin. He couldn't help but mutter his current name aloud.
It was the exact same name he had in his previous life.
But this name made his heart sink.
"No way... what are the odds?"
Muen Campbell.
Because the name was identical to his own, he had a vivid impression of it.
It belonged to a character in a "Soaring Phoenix" Western fantasy novel he had been following recently.
The son of a Duke, high-born, elegant, handsome, and even engaged to the Empire’s Third Princess.
It was a perfect character profile—a top-tier elite born with a silver spoon in his mouth. The probability of transmigrating into such a person was lower than the national football team winning the World Cup.
But there was one fatal flaw—
He was the early-game blonde villain of that book.
That’s right. Handsome, noble, blonde, wealthy, and arrogant. His sole specialty was providing the protagonist with opportunities to slap his face. He was a textbook villain.
His only purpose was to oppress the protagonist in the early stages, forcing them to grow. He would send waves of underlings of various levels to provide the protagonist with experience points, allowing the protagonist to experience a rocket-like growth speed amidst constant oppression and adversity—the ultimate "thirty years on the east bank, thirty years on the west" power fantasy.
Naturally, Muen Campbell was destined to meet his rightful destruction later in the plot. His downfall would serve as a catalyst for a major "favorability event" between the protagonist and one of the heroines—who happened to be his own fiancée.
When Muen had read that part of the story, even he couldn't help but curse the man for being an idiot.
Muen Campbell—the original host—had stubbornly believed that Celicia was "cucking" him simply because she was getting too close to the protagonist and remained distant toward him. In a fit of rage during a banquet, he had drugged Celicia, intending to forcibly take her for himself ahead of time.
Of course, because the protagonist arrived just in time, he didn't succeed.
In fact, being rescued became the turning point for Celicia. Originally, she had only paid the protagonist some attention because they were starting to stand out, but after the incident, she truly began to develop special feelings for them.
It was a classic case of "going for the wool and coming home shorn."
As for the original host, he was charged with attempted assault on Her Highness the Princess. The King, in a towering rage, personally ordered the stripping of his noble status. Even his doting parents couldn't protect him.
His final end was, naturally, miserable.
In Muen’s memory, although the original host didn't die, when the protagonist's party encountered him again in the latter half of the book, he was already a beggar who had lost an arm and a leg, struggling to survive on the streets.
"I can't believe I actually transmigrated into the blonde villain. This is ridiculous. As a transmigrator, shouldn't I have a protagonist aura, a cheat, and the power to defy the heavens? Since I'm not the protagonist, shouldn't I just kill the protagonist and take their place?"
Muen wanted to cry, but no tears came.
However, he couldn't think like that.
Because this wasn't an ordinary "Dragon Proud Sky" novel.
This was a Yuri Dragon Proud Sky novel.
In other words, a "Soaring Phoenix" novel.
The protagonist was a girl! A girl! A girl!
Furthermore, due to the setting, the romantic atmosphere of this world was exceptionally free. Lesbianism was perfectly normal here; there was even magic that allowed two women to have children together!
Magic really can do anything.jpg
That was why the original host had become jealous when he saw the signs of an abnormal relationship between Celicia and the protagonist. He felt like his property was being violated.
But is there any chance for a blonde male villain to make a comeback in a Yuri novel?
How could there be? That kind of NTR plot would get the author shredded by the readers!
So, even a noble son of Muen Campbell’s status could only be an early-game villain. He was scheduled to crash and burn within twenty chapters to make way for the Princess’s route.
"So it's a weirdly disastrous beginning, huh?"
Muen rubbed his chin, falling into deep thought.
"But if I think about it carefully, this identity is actually a good starting point. As long as I don't cross the protagonist, I can just be an ordinary Duke's son. If I completely marginalize myself, even if I can't marry Celicia, I can still marry some other beautiful noble girl and live the luxurious life of my dreams. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
"The only question is how far the conflict between the original host and the protagonist has escalated. It would be best if it's before the Academy arc starts."
Only someone who had read the original book would know how ridiculous the Soaring Phoenix's mandate and cheats were. Muen wasn't stupid enough to try and compete with a protagonist in a pure power-fantasy world.
As long as I accept that I'm a weakling, I'm invincible!
Thinking about it this way, wasn't his identity actually quite sweet?
"Young Master Muen."
Just as Muen was getting carried away, a knock sounded at the door.
A dignified and beautiful maid walked in.
"Oh, it's An."
Muen recognized this maid. She had a few scenes in the book; she was the original host's personal maid and his confidant. They were extremely close, and many of the schemes used against the protagonist were devised by this maid named An.
"Is something the matter?"
"The Madam is calling for you."
An folded her hands over her lower abdomen and gave a respectful bow.
"It is said that your formal suit for tomorrow's banquet has arrived."
"Oh, I see. I understand."
Muen gave a casual response, intending to dismiss An first. After all, he had just transmigrated and needed time to adjust. Otherwise, it would be hard to guarantee that a personal maid like An wouldn't notice something was off.
"Wait, what did you say?"
But just as An was about to leave, Muen suddenly called out to her, his expression stiffening.
"Banquet? What banquet?"
"It is your coming-of-age ceremony banquet, Young Master."
An’s brow furrowed slightly, a hint of worry in her voice. "Is the Young Master ill? How could you forget such a thing?"
"No, no, it's nothing. I just... I just woke up and my head is a bit foggy. Sorry, you can go now."
Muen forced a smile and dismissed An.
It was clear that An was still confused and worried, but she didn't dare disobey Muen’s order and obediently left the room.
After she left, the room fell into silence once more.
Muen slowly turned his head, staring at the person in the mirror—staring at the stranger who was now himself.
Memories were still surging; the memories of the two Muens were constantly merging.
Some blurred images gradually became clear and solid.
He was now both Muen and Muen Campbell.
His cause and effect were now his own.
He could not escape.
"Aaaah, why is it like this!"
Muen suddenly clutched his head in distress, letting out a miserable wail.
"Why is my coming-of-age ceremony banquet tomorrow?!"
Becoming a lazy Duke's son, marrying a beautiful noble girl, and living a happy, carefree life—all of that was predicated on one thing.
That was: not provoking the protagonist and not becoming the suicidal blonde villain from the book.
Ideally, he shouldn't have anything to do with that Soaring Phoenix at all.
That would be his HAPPY END.
But now, that ending was already impossible.
Because according to the current timeline, he had already provoked the protagonist. Moreover, the level of provocation was like a powder keg that only needed a fuse to explode completely.
And tomorrow, at Muen Campbell’s coming-of-age ceremony banquet, was the day he was supposed to drug the Empire’s Third Princess, Celicia.
That was the fuse.
That was the moment of his destruction.
*
T/N: Although the first volume might feel slow, pretty poorly written, and the MC's actions may seem utterly stupid (I think Yandere lovers might like it). However, it improves significantly in later volumes and becomes a very interesting one as well. I'm not just saying this; you can see NU reviews as well, and this Novel is consistently among the top-selling novels of SFACG. I wrote this because you guys might miss out on a good novel if you just drop it in Vol 1. With that, I hope you enjoy the Novel.