Have you ever imagined dying at the peak of your success, yet not having the chance to enjoy it?
It's a fairly common death story in society, and I guess many people experience this. And I'm one of them.
Died after saving the Earth from disaster might sound heroic, but not really. I just wanted to enjoy my retirement after becoming strong, wealthy, and successful.
Let's take a step back. I was a mercenary with the code name Dark Saber. Occupying the 98th position on the list of the most prestigious mercenary associations in the Milky Way Galaxy, the Aragorn Intergalactic Mercenary Association (AIMA).
Being ranked 98th might sound low, but I was the only solo mercenary in the top 100. The other rankings were mercenary groups.
Sure, there were strong solo mercenaries, but they only made it to the top 500. Though few, solo mercenaries who made it to the top 500 shouldn't be underestimated. Because they could compete with mercenary groups in the rankings.
In short, I was strong and successful enough. After reaching the pinnacle of my life, I just wanted to retire and enjoy my success.
But plans don't always go smoothly. While I was relaxing at a bar, an emergency broadcast was aired throughout the galaxy.
Something big was happening on our beloved planet, Earth. A dimensional rift appeared in orbit, and strange and dangerous creatures emerged. Their presence was estimated to threaten the Galaxy as well.
Since I had a strong connection to Earth, which was my birthplace and the final destination of my retirement, I joined in defending Earth.
Many organizations flocked to Earth, including mercenaries.
Long story short, after about 10 years of fighting, we finally managed to close the rift by destroying the main headquarters of the alien creatures within the dimensional rift. Many individuals and powerful groups were mobilized to destroy it, including me.
And that's when I died as one of the many heroes who saved Earth and the Galaxy.
...
And here I am, enjoying a cup of coffee outside of a luxurious cafe while casually reading a pocketbook.
I look around.
The environment I see has a Medieval slash Victorian fantasy vibe with various magical technologies that I wasn't familiar with before.
More primitive than what I saw before I died. However, all of it is covered with advanced magic technology developments.
From my seat, I can see towering buildings with landing platforms at the top for floating ships powered by magicium crystals. People call these landing platforms "Airports". Well, it's named the same as where I come from, but, okay.
There are even cars here. Perhaps calling them cars is a bit inaccurate, magical carriages would be more accurate. Because the shape of these cars is completely different from the direction of car development in my world. They look like wagons without horses. As usual, powered by magicium crystals as well.
With further magic utilization, this city or world could be considered advanced in terms of technological development and urban planning.
For the welfare of the society, it seems balanced as well. Although it's undeniable that there must be poverty amidst this prosperity.
Many people of various races roam around with happy expressions on their faces. Their clothes are well-made too.
After finishing observing my surroundings while reading the small book in my hand, I close the book and lean back. Then I sigh.
"Still, even after three days of digesting and organizing my thoughts, I still can't believe it."
Some of you might wonder, what happened three days ago? Well, I'll explain it.
...
Three days ago, when I thought I was truly dead, it turns out I woke up in a luxurious room at night.
At first, I was confused. If you ask me why, I tell you one thing, that's a normal reaction when you think you're dead but apparently not yet.
Because of my professional experience as a mercenary, I immediately calmed down and wake up from the bed.
I look around. The atmosphere and place are very strange to me. The room I occupied was large and had luxurious decorations that I found to be too excessive.
The lighting is dim. Instead of using lamps, the lighting here uses crystals. I assume these crystals are secondary lighting, like night lights.
"Hmmm, I've read in history and literature books from ancient times. Is this what they call the Middle Ages? Or more precisely, medieval fantasy? Or... the Victorian era?"
I muttered in a low tone.
Then I realized that my voice was a bit different.
'Huh, my voice, different?..Wait, don't tell me...'
I checked my body. That's when I realized. My body is smaller than usual.
To confirm my suspicion, I immediately went to the mirror. The mirror was long enough to see the whole body of the person reflected.
"Damn! Whose body is this? This is not my body."
After examining the figure in the mirror, I can say that this body is tall and muscular. Not as muscular as my original body, but the proportions are balanced and not exaggerated.
Combined with the height I estimate to be around 190 to 195 cm, this body is very good and ideal.
And the most striking thing is the face. My current face is very handsome. With shoulder-length black hair in a wolf cut style and red irises.
My new face features a combination of beautiful and masculine features with slightly sharp eye and jawline shapes.
I approached the mirror and touched my new face.
"Dang, this face is as handsome as a celebrity's-"
The sentence in my mind stuttered. Suddenly I felt a surge of intense pain in my head. I held back from screaming.
"Damn it!"
The pain grew worse accompanied by flashes of images and scenes. I assumed this was like a memory transfer. And indeed, what was in those scenes was related to this body, my body.
After a minute, the pain in my head subsided and the flashes of memory stopped.
Sweat poured down my body. I sat down as relaxed as possible and regulated my breathing. Organizing what I had obtained from the memory transfer.
"Shit! This is so sudden."
After 3 minutes of sorting and organizing my thoughts, I already knew where I was and whose body this actually was. I knew enough about the body I now occupied.
I was in a game world and in the body of a side villain who played a role as a stepping stone for the main character to become a strong hero.
...
Back to the present, I gaze at the beautiful blue sky and sigh.
'Legends of Dragon Knight.'
This place is in the game that I just finished playing 5 times in between my work as a mercenary. This game is based on the famous visual novel of the same name.
This game isn't a virtual reality game. It's a normal RPG game with 3D graphics rendered in a stylized style. Even so, the shading and lighting are very good. Not only that, NPC interactions, object interactions, environmental interactions, animations, and physics in this game are very realistic.
When the story mode finished and starts free-roaming, many random scenarios will appear. NPC interactions, mission creation, everything is made and arranged by AI.
Although virtual reality games were very popular at that time, games like Legends of Dragon Knight played on PC and consoles still had many fans. Including me.
Well, then, how did I transmigrate here? I didn't even play the game while the war was going on.
How did this world become real? Why did characters that were originally stylized 3D models now become realistic? Am I in the game world, or am I in a different world but with game elements in it?
Many possibilities crossed my mind. However, the possibility I'm holding onto now is that I'm in a world that has game elements. How did that happen? A work that has a story like a novel, movie, comic, folklore, myth, and the like might create a new reality in a distant universe. Moreover, the existence of magic is proven to be here.
Although it sounds like nonsense, I can only think of that possibility. There are too many mysteries in the universe, anything is possible. It's better to ignore it for now.
A little info, playing games is one of the main leisure activities I wanted to do after retirement. But instead of retiring, I ended up dead and occupying this body in the game world.
And who was the previous owner of this body? I know very well who the previous owner of this body was. This character has a less detailed background in the game. I only got his background after the painful memory transfer when my soul possessed this body. Whether I like it or not, I furrow my brows even though it's been 3 days since I was resurrected.
"Of all people, why Edward?"
Edward Kazan Vallois, he is the youngest son of Marquis Vallois. His mother, Eilif Jubaida Vallois, is the third concubine of the Marquis. And Edward himself, I, am the second and youngest son among the 7 children of the Marquis.
The middle name, Kazan, was taken from the founder of Viscounty Zefattin, Eilif's hometown, who was the second daughter of Viscount Zefattin.
At the birth of her two children, Eilif gave them the middle name Kazan so that both children could follow the path of Zefattin's founder and not forget their roots.
This does not mean that Eilif wanted her two children to aspire to occupy the Vallois family head seat. Eilif knew very well that, as the third concubine, her son's rights and opportunities to compete to become the head of the Vallois family were very slim. So she gave up from the start and let her two children walk their own paths. Of course, accompanied by proper support and education. Eilif is a good mother who always cares for her two children with love.
Edward's older sister, Yolina Kazan Vallois, who is 2 years older than Edward, is a beautiful, firm, disciplined woman with a soft heart. Thanks to the genes, support, and education of Eilif.
However, in contrast to his sister, Edward is a naughty child. Even after growing up into a 15-year-old teenager, Edward always misbehaves and is cruel to the servants.
His bad behavior is not without reason. At the awakening ceremony at the age of 5, Edward failed to awaken any mana, unlike the Vallois descendants who have strong mana talents.
Edward was disappointed with the result and became naughty. Eilif had tried various ways to nurture his talent, but all failed.
But that doesn't mean Edward didn't work hard. Edward works hard to hone his physical and mental abilities. But still, his strength is inferior to the Vallois children.
Until at one point, at the peak of Edward's disappointment, anger, and depression, Edward stole an important family artifact that could enhance talents. Of course, what Edward hoped for did not happen, his talent remained the same.
Edward was caught by the guards, and as punishment, Edward's right to the family head seat, which was already very small in percentage, was revoked.
Eilif was relieved because the punishment was not too severe since Eilif did not aspire for her son to occupy the family head seat.
However, her disappointment in Edward was great. Eilif ended up scolding and advising Edward for his actions.
Not accepting being scolded by his mother, Edward denied his mother and became angry at why his mother did not defend him, even to the point of revoking his right to the family head seat.
Because of that, Edward's relationship with the Vallois family, especially his mother and older sister, became distant and tense. Edward ended up being ostracized.
Even so, Edward continued his bad behavior until now at the academy.
Edward's reputation is bad at the academy. He often discriminates against commoners and even noble children with lower ranks.
Although Edward has no mana talent, his physical strength is above average among students in the hero department. Edward ranks 162nd among 250 students. That level of strength is enough to discriminate against those below him in rank with strength.
And for his scenario and fate in the game later, he will become a side villain. In the middle of the third year, desperate because his strength is always in the middle, Edward makes a contract with a demon and destroys the training area at the academy.
His actions that go beyond the limits and favor the demon make him have to be killed. Edward will later be killed by the main character, Zephyr Orion, whom Edward often scorns because he comes from a commoner background.
Of course, Edward will be killed by Zephyr, his mentor and classmate, after getting permission to destroy the demon from the academy and the local church.
That's how Edward should die in the game. But different from the game scenario, 3 days ago Edward committed suicide with a Soul Release potion which I, as the player, am very vague about. I only got incomplete information from Edward's memory.
This potion has a 30% chance of successfully releasing the soul from the body. Unfortunately, its effect succeeded, making Edward's soul disappear and my soul replacing Edward's soul.
Strangely enough, memories of Edward's suicide process did not appear during the memory transfer. So I do not know Edward's motive for suicide and where Edward got the soul release potion.
I sighed and massaged my forehead.
"I wonder how the giver of this potion will react later. Lucky me, I feel like I'm in a big scheme, ahaha...haha."