Time passed swiftly, and Noah's days were filled with the usual routines of a noble child. The Asvolds had already returned to their duchy after a brief stay, and Noah's life returned to a tranquil state in the Vestron estate.
It had been a few months since the Asvolds' visit, and Noah had now gained complete fluency in the language of this world. At first, he was confused by his surroundings, but once he pieced together the clues, he realized the gravity of his identity.
Noah Vestron—heir to the Vestron Duchy.
It wasn't that he was a major character in the novel Sword Saint's Legacy. On the contrary, he was not even part of the story. His name was mentioned in passing. But Noah, as insignificant as his role seemed, became an indirect catalyst for major events in the novel.
The revelation had come as a shock. While reading the novel, Noah's name was on the lips of almost every character at one point. His significance? The fact that his very existence caused a chain of events leading to the destruction of the royal family.
The more he learned about his new life, the more the weight of his identity began to settle on him. He remembered reading how Noah Vestron was described as the epitome of charm and grace. He was kind-hearted, adored by those around him, and was respected not only by his household but by everyone who knew him. His servants spoke highly of him, his teachers admired him, and his peers… well, they envied him.
Everyone loved Noah Vestron.
Even now, as he was held in his mother Lilith's arms, he could feel the genuine affection radiating from her. It was as if she treated him as her entire world. Her beauty was said to be unmatched, and her magical prowess legendary. The love she had for her son was palpable, and he could see how her life revolved around him.
However, behind the love and warmth, Noah couldn't shake the ominous feeling that always lingered in the back of his mind.
So if he died even before the plot started, why was his name mentioned in the book so many times. Even though he was not part of the book, he was a major character in people's stories. Because the mark he left after dying was unforgetable. People talked about him in their own version of tales. But few things were common, Noah Vestron's charm and his Villainess mother. So how did this beautiful woman who is being respected by everyone and loved by everyone in her terriotory became a villainess.
The story of Noah Vestron, the novel's tragic side character, unfolded in his thoughts. He had been born into a prestigious family, a genius with unmatched talent who could wield both mana and aura, an anomaly in the world. His mere existence was enough to make people whisper in jealousy. To many, he was a deviation from the natural order—something that shouldn't exist.
The royal family, already wary of the power the Vestron family wielded, saw Noah's birth as a direct threat. His father, Lucious Vestron, was a Sword Grandmaster and had many masters under him even his wife was an archmage, feared throughout the empire. His strength alone was enough to make the empire's elite uneasy. But Lucious had no interest in politics or overthrowing the monarchy. He simply wanted to protect his family and lead his duchy in peace.
Yet, the royal family's paranoia grew.
The Vestrons held enough power to destabilize the empire. If they chose to rebel, they could topple the royal family. The fact that they didn't act on this power didn't alleviate the royal family's fears—it only heightened them. And then Noah, a prodigy with the potential to become even more powerful than his father, was born.
It was Noah's extraordinary talent that sealed his fate.
The story played out vividly in his mind as he remembered the events leading to his own death in the novel. He had been a bright, charming young boy who excelled in both magic and swordsmanship. He was admired by all, and even the crown prince was jealous of him. But that jealousy soon turned to hatred.
In the novel, Noah's death was the result of a carefully orchestrated plan. During his first year at the academy, a fateful incident took place. The crown prince, egged on by his own insecurities, provoked Noah during a field training exercise. Noah, unable to control his anger, retaliated, severely injuring the prince. The situation escalated, and before Noah could realize what was happening, the prince's personal knight—a Master-ranked warrior—struck him down.
The royal family quickly moved to cover up the incident. They blamed the knight's actions, claiming it was a tragic accident, a misunderstanding between children. But Noah's death was far from accidental. It was a deliberate move by the royal family to eliminate a threat.
However, what they hadn't accounted for was Lilith, Noah's mother.
When she learned of her son's death, Lilith went mad with grief. Her love for Noah was boundless, and in her anguish, she unleashed her full magical fury on the royal family. The empire had never seen such devastation. Even the most elite royal guards crumbled before her. She tore through their defenses, seeking vengeance for her beloved son.
Lilith was a force of nature, but her strength alone wasn't enough to bring down the entire royal family. That's when Lucious Vestron, Noah's father, joined the fray. The Vestron Duchy declared open war on the empire, and the once-peaceful estate became a battlefield.
The conflict didn't stop there. Duke Ethan Asvold, the Flame Emperor, had long been suspicious of the royal family, especially after the mysterious illness and death of his wife, Elena, and the assassination attempt on his daughter, Alicia. When Noah's death occurred, it only solidified his suspicions, and he threw his support behind the Vestron Duchy.
The empire was plunged into chaos. What began as a calculated assassination of a young boy quickly spiraled into a full-blown war. The royal family, once the most powerful institution in the empire, was systematically dismantled by the combined might of the Vestron and Asvold families.
Later, Lilith Asvold was known to be as worst villainess who was catalyst in the destruction of the empire leading to the death of thousands of innocent people. No one cared for the reason for her motive. Everyone just considered as a evil being who needs to be eliminated, but she was too strong. Even the protagonist was almost killed by her, but the suddenly the power of the plot armor activated, and Lilith also fell in the end.
Noah's thoughts swirled as he tried to make sense of it all. He had been nothing more than an extra in the story, a mere tool for the author to advance the plot. But this is not a novel now. It is his life. I won't be an extra character in this life too. I will not die as a nobody in this life too.
"There's still plenty of time for me to prepare for upcoming tragedies, and I've just been born into this world."
"Some long-term plans have to be implemented in the future, and now I'd rather just keep sucking and taking naps."
"Physically, babies are very weak." Noah closed his eyes and fell fast asleep.