Arc stood in front of the massive mirror in the corner of the room. His new figure reflected back at him—pink eyes that shimmered like gemstones, long black hair cascading past his shoulders, and pale, flawless skin that looked like it had never seen the sun. His face was so ethereal that he blinked twice to make sure it wasn't a trick.
"Huh," he muttered, tilting his head to examine his profile. "I look like one of those fantasy characters drawn by an artist who had a little too much time on their hands."
He poked at his cheek. It was unnervingly soft. Too soft.
"I mean, not bad for someone who got obliterated a few hours ago."
As he turned his attention away from his face, he opened his palm. Flames instantly erupted, dancing elegantly across his fingers. Seven distinct colors swirled together in perfect harmony—blue, purple, red, black, golden, pink, and green. Each flame seemed to possess its own personality, flickering and twisting like living beings.
"Still got it," Arc said with a satisfied grin. He flicked his wrist, and the flames began performing tricks, weaving into spirals, leaping into the air, and forming shapes of animals, swords, and a particularly unflattering imitation of the goddess's crying face.
The black flame crackled menacingly, its heat making the air shimmer. "Yeah, this one's still my favorite," he said, letting it dance on his palm.
His body might have been unfamiliar, but his powers felt the same—intense, destructive, and oddly comforting. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he let the flames fade.
"Well, at least they didn't nerf me when they reincarnated me. That's a relief."
The golden-haired goddess, Seraphina, hovered in the air nearby, her arms crossed and her wings twitching with annoyance. "Are you done admiring yourself, or should I come back after you've taken fifty more selfies?"
"Jealous?" Arc quipped, running a hand through his glossy black hair. "Don't worry, I'm sure you've got admirers, too. Somewhere. Maybe in another dimension."
Seraphina glared at him but chose to ignore the jab. She cleared her throat and began pacing. "Let's get serious. Since you so graciously eliminated the Archduke, you need to understand the role he was supposed to play in this world."
Arc plopped onto a plush armchair, one leg draped over the other. "Enlighten me, feather lady."
"The name's Seraphina," she said through gritted teeth. "Anyway, this world revolves around a very special individual—the Chosen Child. She is the light of this realm, destined to unite the Empire and bring peace and prosperity to all its people."
"Yawn," Arc interrupted, dramatically pretending to fall asleep.
Seraphina ignored him and continued. "The Chosen Child awakened as a saintess when she turned sixteen, radiating divine power. Her beauty, purity, and kindness inspired everyone around her. She soon met the Holy Knight, who instantly fell in love with her. Together, they began their journey—"
"Let me guess," Arc said, holding up a hand. "The Crown Prince and Second Prince both fall for her too, right?"
Seraphina's eyes sparkled. "Yes! And they protect her from—"
"And then she meets two Dukes who fight over who gets to adopt her and make her their beloved daughter?" Arc finished, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Seraphina blinked, her mouth hanging open. "How did you know?"
Arc sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Because it's the most cliché setup I've ever heard. I could probably write the rest of her story myself. Let me guess, villains exist to make her look good, and that's where I come in, right?"
The goddess nodded, her expression serious. "Exactly. You're the new villain."
"Nope," Arc said immediately, crossing his arms. "Not happening."
Seraphina frowned. "What do you mean, 'not happening'? You don't have a choice."
"Of course, I have a choice," Arc said. "And I'm choosing no. Do I look like some generic bad guy who's going to get obliterated by plot armor?"
"You literally killed the Archduke, Arc," Seraphina said, exasperated. "You're already a villain in the eyes of the world!"
"Yeah, but I didn't sign up to play 'evil guy number three' in your overdramatic fairy tale," Arc shot back.
Seraphina: "You have to do this! It's your responsibility!"
Arc: "Last time I checked, being reincarnated doesn't come with a job description."
Seraphina: "You destroyed the Archduke! You owe this world!"
Arc: "Technically, he was sneaking up on me. So, if anything, he owes me for not being sneakier."
Seraphina: "If you don't step up, the Chosen Child's destiny will be ruined!"
Arc: "Is that supposed to be a threat? Because I've met toddlers scarier than you."
Seraphina: "I'll cry again if you keep this up!"
Arc: "You've been crying since I woke up. Do you have, like, a hydration problem?"
Seraphina: "This isn't about me! It's about the fate of the Empire!"
Arc: "Oh, I'm sorry, I must've missed the part where I signed up to be the Empire's babysitter."
Seraphina: "You're impossible!"
Arc: "And you're predictable. Guess we're even."
Finally, Seraphina threw her hands up in frustration. "Fine! What do you want?"
Arc leaned back, a smug grin on his face. "I'll help. But I need a family."
Seraphina blinked. "What?"
"You heard me," Arc said. "A family. You can't be a proper Archduke without a household, right? I'm not going to wander around as some creepy lone wolf villain."
The goddess rubbed her temples. "And where, exactly, am I supposed to get you a family? It's not like I have a stockpile of spare relatives lying around."
Arc chuckled, standing up. "I don't need you to get me one. I'll make my own."
Before Seraphina could question him further, Arc opened his hand. Two flames, one golden and the other green, appeared in his palm. The golden flame was warm and regal, while the green flame pulsed with life.
"What… what are you doing?" Seraphina asked, her wings fluttering nervously.
"Watch and learn," Arc said. "With these flames, I can create my own family. But to make it believable, I'll need that illusion magic your dear Archduke was using."
Seraphina stared at the pile of ashes on the floor, her expression conflicted. "You want his illusion magic? Are you serious?"
Arc nodded. "Dead serious. You said you needed me to fill his role, right? Well, I'm going to need his toolkit. No Archduke worth his salt is walking around without at least a decent reputation."
The goddess hesitated, glancing between Arc and the ashes. Finally, she sighed. "Fine. I'll give you an advanced version of his illusion magic. But if you mess this up, it's on you."
"Relax, feather lady," Arc said, clapping her on the shoulder. "You're looking at the future Archduke. What could go wrong?"