"Her name is Anna. She'll be your little sister from now on, Roland."
In an exquisitely decorated room, a middle-aged man with golden hair stood. He was clad in light silver armour, with a white-haired girl positioned at his right side.
The man possessed a slightly lean, muscular frame, exuding a remarkable handsomeness. Gripping the hand of the young girl, he introduced her to a well-dressed, black-haired boy standing before him.
Albert Stormwind, a Marquis of the Sun Empire, held a position as one of the chief magicians of the Dawn Knight Order. He was the current patriarch of the Stormwind House and the father of Roland Stormwind, the stunned 9-year-old boy facing him.
Roland Stormwind, the sole son and heir of the Stormwind Family, had a dignified countenance and sported long hair secured in a ponytail.
Standing just under 1.5 metres tall, Roland was considered short, particularly among the nobility of his empire.
Roland's slender physique hinted at a lack of physical training, yet the noble upbringing he received from a young age bestowed upon him a composed and reserved demeanour, projecting a favourable initial impression to others.
However, beneath this exterior, Roland's appearance was nothing but a facade.
In actuality, Roland bore the infamous reputation of a tyrant. Despite his tender age, a lengthy catalogue of misdeeds was associated with his name. The mere mention of his name would cause the faces of the Stormwind House servants to pale.
It was this very tyrant who fixed his gaze on the white-haired girl, soon to be his stepsister.
With his mother's inherited golden eyes, he stared intently at the girl—so intently that it resembled the glare of a predator. This intensity unsettled her, prompting her to retreat and seek refuge behind her stepfather's legs.
"Roland! What are you doing? You're scaring her!"
Albert Stormwind bellowed at his mischievous son.
I swear, your appearance is the only redeeming thing about you when you act like a little villain.
You're the son of a Marquis, for crying out loud, and even now, you can't manage the basic courtesy of receiving a guest—especially one who is soon to be family.
Where have the manners your teacher instilled in you gone?
Observing Anna's fright in response to his son's intense gaze, Albert Stormwind felt deep embarrassment. Frustration surged, tempting him to raise his hand in anger, but he halted abruptly as the image of his late wife flashed across his mind. After a few seconds of hesitation, he let his hand fall with a sigh.
"Cough, cough. Alicia, it seems your brother Roel is exhausted. I shouldn't have subjected him to such rigorous magic training earlier."
As Marquis Albert set aside his pride to defuse the situation for his troublesome son, he subtly signalled to the maids standing by. Swift and perceptive, the maids stepped forward, guiding Roland back to his room to rest.
At this moment, Roland finally became aware of the strained voice of a little girl behind him.
"I-I'm alright. It's not Father's fault..."
_______
Roland was grappling with serious doubts about life at the moment.
This was due to his realisation that he had transmigrated—or rather, he had recollected memories from his past life.
In his previous life, Roland lacked meaningful relationships. Beyond attending college, he mostly indulged in playing games, reading manga, and watching anime. In essence, he was a NEET.
The conclusion of his previous life was equally unremarkable—Roland died from a lightning strike while on his way home. A rather mundane demise.
However, instead of transitioning to the afterlife, Roland found himself within the body of the sole heir of a Marquis, belonging to one of the great three empires. The Stormwind Household boasted a noble lineage spanning centuries, wielding significant power in this world.
If he had no prior knowledge, Roland would have been elated with his new life. He was the sole heir of a powerful house, possessed a striking appearance, had a wealthy and influential father, and so on. So, what could he possibly be discontented about?
Well, Roland's memories from his past life happened to resurface just before his father introduced his new step-sister to him.
As Roland laid eyes on his step-sister, he realised that his life had taken an unexpected turn. Her appearance triggered something within him, leading him to a revelation.
"The Dawn Empire..."
"The LionHeart Kingdom..."
"The Church of Grace exists here too..."
"Prince Richard... If he exists as well, I'm doomed!"
BAM!
A weighty book fell onto Roland's lap, its impact resounding ominously in his head.
"If all these exist, then he must exist too. Haha, I'm in deep trouble."
Roland clutched his head inside the study room as a throbbing headache began to take hold. He felt an intense pressure building up, and he struggled to prevent fear from taking over.
"What on earth did I get myself into?"
After comparing what he had just read to the knowledge in his head, Roland was certain that he had been transported into the world of a progression-based game he had played in his past life. To make matters worse, he had become the villain here.
Not a major villain by any means. He was merely a more substantial minor villain, honoured with the role of becoming the stepping stone for the protagonist.
If it were only this, Roland might not have been so distressed. The reason he was currently questioning his existence was because the character whose body he now inhabited was fated to die.
In fact, he was a character destined to die for the story to progress.
The game Roland played in his past life, which bore several similarities to this world, allowed players to control multiple characters. However, every playable character was intertwined with the fate of Roland Stormwind dying to advance the story.
Coincidentally, he now found himself in the role of Roland Stormwind.
The ironic twist, which wasn't the least bit amusing to Roland, was that the young girl his father had introduced as his step-sister was a game character responsible for his countless deaths in the game.
"Damn it!