How long has it been since then? Maybe a month or more. I expected the police to show up to my door but they never arrived. No knocks, only birds chirping and neighbors mowing their lawn. A few calls from the school but other than that I mostly laid restlessly on my bed. I had no willpower to get up from my bedside, barely enough strength to get food or water.
I started indulging myself reading an action novel about a nobleman named Dominic. He acted to others beckoning so he wouldn't disappoint the emperor's high expectations of his family. He was an outcast in the world of aristocrats when he continued to grow up. At a young age, he was easily influenced by nobles who used him to entertain themselves. They would ask him to display actions that varied, but in most cases were wholly to degrade him. They knew he wouldn't refute, being on the lower spectrum of nobility. One day, the prince had gone to one of these gatherings to see what the fuss was about. After giving Dominic tasks like licking the bottom of his shoe and even throwing himself out a window. He was surprised to see that he accomplished them without hesitation. A cunning thought came to his head as he challenged him to gamble his family's savings on a bet. If he could defeat him in a fight he would allow him to marry his sister. A princess who was widely known for her beauty. All the nobles in the room were envious of such an opportunity just to entertain the heir to the throne.
The prince gave him 2 days to accept the bet, not knowing any better he felt confident in his fighting abilities, as he was the number one for promising knights in the academy. His parents were oblivious to their son's behavior, as he was only a teenager. Coming back home with a smile on his face and occasionally a bit beat up, Dominic would reassure them that it was just training with other nobles or knights. His family hadn't been aristocrats for more than a decade or so, his father had the chance to be promoted after the emperor saw his courageousness on the field of battle. He had even saved the second young prince's head from being sliced off. Secretly Dominic gained access to the family's treasury and signed a contract with the prince, setting a date for the fight.
Unluckily for Dominic, the prince had never intended to fight, poisoning himself the prince blamed Dominic and his family for such atrocities. As they were put to trial by the emperor,
Dominic's "Friends" pleaded with the defendant as witnesses that the poison was intentional. Out of pity, the prince begged the emperor that the perpetrator did not know any better and as a better punishment he suggested stripping his title and kicking them into the slums instead of execution.
As a few years go by, his mother dies of a disease because of how poorly managed the slums were. He was unable to find proper treatment before his mother died, and his father had died long ago being beaten to death by protecting a child from traffickers. An ongoing war for the throne started sprouting and as Dominic was holding a funeral a by-passer suited in a black attire gave him a letter. The letter was supposedly by the prince, he had asked for Dominic to join his side on the war as his trusted knight. The letter had a half-assed apology with a promise from the princess. His resentment which was suppressed to not cause stress for his mother filled to the brim. The anger and frustration mixed with regret overpowered his mental state. Causing it to deteriorate with him kneeling on the floor, words of death and murder muddied his mind. A blue text box at that exact moment appeared in front of him. Staring at the words written on it,
"Glory to the future emperor. Do you wish to start over? This action will determine your future."
Another two messages below with the words, 'Yes' or 'No'
The book then follows his journey as he regressed back into when he first lost his noble status. Rather than wasting his time feeling regret, he trains relentlessly following the suggestions and quest given by the blue spacial box. He was able to lead his parents to live in a small home off in the countryside where no one could disturb them as he went to redeem himself. His most important quest was defeating the demon lord to gain the title "Regressed Hero" and find companions of different species to join him on his adventure to teach him different lessons. He needed the title of a hero to boost his abilities since the prince had gained a powerful weapon. He had tried going to the prince before to kill him but a woman had stopped his feeble attempt.
This woman was dangerously strong, Dominic didn't understand how such a horrible man was able to gain this woman's devotion and even more keep her under his control. The powerful woman let Dominic leave since it was a waste of time to kill him. The system was even stumped on how to defeat her. Resorting to him having to gain the "Regressed Hero" title. While his party members and him were traveling he had garnered enough merit to be called the "Hero Party." The prince gained interest in this party and sent spies to investigate. Once the prince figured out a noble of his kingdom was actually the potential hero he set off to greet him. He appeared in front of Dominic and his group at night, this caused a spook and chilling rage to fall on Dominic's face. He thought it was his lucky day, his own prey came walking in his own backyard. The prince introduced himself and asked Dominic to be his friend, he said he would reward him with the hand of the princess if he defeated the demon lord. As Dominic was about to strike the prince's head, he was distracted by the woman from before, he could feel her bloodlust with just
a single glare. The woman then proceeded to whisper in the prince's ear and his face turned cold. He quickly said a farewell to the group and vanished. Dominic regained his consciousness and grunted in frustration.
They continued on their journey after the demon lord was on its last leg when a sudden explosion came from the entrance. Dominic saw that it was the prince and the woman. The prince formally introduced himself and the woman next to him as his wife Daniella. The greeting was short as Daniella unsheathed her sword, almost cutting Dominic's head. Instead of his head she sliced off his party member's arm in an instant. His party members realized all together, they were no match for her. Even Dominic knew, he was shaking in rage from his uselessness. His party members understood him very well, and before Dominic could charge in recklessly Dominic's mage casted a teleportation spell and sent him away.
He was sent to a rural town, defeated, he sat on the streets with the system eagerly encouraging him to go back. Travelers were passing by and were talking about the hero that defeated the demon lord. Dominic's ears instantly were intrigued and followed the travelers. They talked about the hero party dying, but the prince had come swooping to save the day. Sadly he didn't come in time which had led the party to perish. Dominic was enraged his title of regressed hero was now stripped from him and his friends were also killed by the prince. Recklessly going to the kingdom he saw posters of himself being plastered all around, with a high sum and a "kill on sight." The system warned Dominic he was being followed and warned him to retreat to the Kagia Dynasty. The system hadn't foreseen this outcome and was helping Dominic much more than before. He had given him information on the strange woman but it was only her being the princess of Iwetha and wife of the prince. It was indeed strange, the system led Dominic to the Kagia Dynasty for refuge. After he found out that they had made a serum to multiply your abilities by 10, he teamed up with them being a test dummy. Dominic also developed a secret friendship with the second prince, who became crippled after the war for the throne. The second prince would help him find a way to get the first prince by giving him intel on when he sends the princess away to battle. After one fateful day, the prince was alone and he was able to get his revenge. The battle was long and hard, the prince was strong after gaining the title "Hero", almost as powerful as the demon lord. It wouldn't matter as he drank the serum and sliced the prince's head. The princess of Iwetha arrived too late to save him and knowing he couldn't defeat her left her alone. She was holding onto the prince's body and he knew her mental state would be in shambles after his death.
After he continued his adventures and became the ruler of the entire continent uniting kingdoms, empires, and other races. Titled, "The Emperor's Return '' I resonated with Dominic so much that at times it felt like I was reading my own story. Even having his loved ones die. The revenge he got in the end, satisfied me too.
It felt like my own story was portrayed in this novel but with a happy ending so I wrote a positive review and closed my laptop. Before I could hit my lights I felt a tight squeeze in my lower abdomen. As I lifted my shirt to look at what was causing this discomfort a black hole I could presume was slowly growing wider and wider. Unconsciously slipping out the words,
"What in the world...?"
My whole entire body tugged into the black hole as I can start to feel myself suffocating, I blanked out. When I woke up I heard a "WPSH" . My body was severely aching, and my feet were screaming from pain. I can feel a harsh coldness prick my skin as the haziness from my eyes clear.