It's been a whole day since I got into the world of Ascension of Hero , taking over the body of Daemon Draquemort, one of the game's antagonists.
Despite having ascertained that this was my reality, part of me continued to deny it. To be sure that I was not stuck in some dream or fantasy, I had attempted everything—pinching my face, slapping myself. Nothing worked. When a team of doctors visited me to check up on me, the reality felt even more real. But to dispel any remaining doubts, I chose to sleep.
Perhaps I'd awaken again in my own world.
But no—when I opened my eyes, I remained Daemon.
That settled that: this was not a dream.
And now to my present circumstances.
I was in a daze, wondering how I was going to handle what was about to happen.I knew from what I had learned about the game exactly what was going to occur.
Following Daemon's embarrassing defeat at the hands of the protagonist, while Daemon was still recovering in the hospital, his father—Duke Renard Draquemort—would disown him.
For Daemon, this would not have been surprising. His father had already lost all his faith in him. But what really broke him was what followed.
Duke Renard did not merely discard his son. He took it a step further—adopting the very person who had defeated Daemon to near death. The same individual who had taken everything from him would now become the part of the House Draquemort.
In the game, this was depicted as Daemon's breaking point.
And for real… I could see why.
Frustration seethed within me. The betrayal, the abandonment—it all felt too familiar. Like I was living my own past.
"What kind of father does this to his own son…?" I almost yelled, my voice shaking with rage.
All because his child made a mistake? It was fucking cruel.
I breathed in deeply, willing myself to be calm. Panicking wouldn't do me any good now. I needed to think ahead. It didn't matter what my so-called dad was going to do. What mattered was what I would do next.
I went through Daemon's memories once more. After a full day, they still felt alien to me. Fifteen years' worth of experience couldn't be learned overnight.
But what I did get was a shock to me as a player.
The game had only touched the surface of Daemon's life. His fall was not about losing his standing or his father's favor. What really drove him to despair was her.
Princess Merlin.
I gritted my teeth.
This moron had fallen for the wrong person. No—he had fallen for his own demise.
In Ascension of Hero, Daemon's tragic demise was attached to two heroines, but more often than not, it was Merlin who wrote his end. She was the one who twisted the knife deeper, repeatedly.
"Damn it…" I let out a deep sigh.
Daemon, I do feel sorry for you. Perhaps we are more similar than I realized.
But that doesn't mean I'll end up like you.
I had to change everything.
First, I needed to survive this crisis.
Knock....knock....
Just as I was daydreaming, thinking about the future, a knock resonated in the room.
"Young Master, may I enter?"
A deep, calm voice from the other side of the door.
Shit. My heart was racing.
It wasn't every day you were transmigrated into a villain's body and had to experience scenes you used to act out on a screen.
I took a deep breath.
"Come in."
The door slid back, and there stood a man in his mid-forties with a strong physique, dressed in a style that denoted him as a butler. Though well dressed, he was no common servant.
Sebastien.
A man of about fifty years of age, an S-rank hunter, and the head butler of Draquemort House. He had served my father as a shadow his entire life.
"Hello, Young Master," he said with his characteristic calm tone. "How are your injuries?"
"I'm fine, Sebastien."
He nodded.
I knew why he was there. He wasn't visiting just to check on me—he was there to drop the bombshell.
"So, what do you want, Sebastien?" I said, trying to sound nonchalant even as I knew precisely what was on his mind.
"I was asked to ask how you're doing," he answered smoothly.
Liar.
He was merely being courteous beforehand, before letting fall the hammer. What a clever old man.
"As you can see, I'm fine," I declared unemotionally.
"Oh? Good to know, Young Master."
I released my breath slowly, allowing the former playful expression on my face to drop away. My eyes hardened.
"Sebastien, if you've finished jesting, get on with it already."
His mask of poise slipped for an instant before he regained himself.
"You are correct, Young Master. I was instructed by the Duke to bring you a message personally."
"I guessed as much," I replied, irritation creeping into my voice. "Stop beating around the bush, Sebastien. Just tell me."
Sebastien released a soft sigh.
"I have two pieces of news for you, Young Master—good and bad. Which shall I tell you first?"
This old man was truly testing my patience.
I pushed my hair back in frustration. "The bad news first."
"As you wish."
He met my gaze.
"The bad news is that you've been disowned by your father."
Silence.
The seriousness of his words hung in the air.
"And the good news?" I finally broke the silence.
For the first time since he arrived, Sebastien's face changed.
"Young Master, I think you misunderstood. Your father has kicked you out. You are no longer part of House Draquemort."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
"I heard you the first time, Sebastien. Now, tell me the other news."
Sebastien's frown deepened. He wasn't used to this reaction. The original Daemon would have thrown a fit, but I… I wasn't him.
He hesitated for a moment before finally answering.
"The good news is that your father has let you retain all the money, stocks, and properties you individually earned. This includes the private jet and the palace he gave you on special occasions."
"Hell yeah..!"
I almost shouted out of excitement.
At least I wouldn't have to stress about money. In fact, I was fucking rich.
"Young Master," Sebastien's voice broke me out of my reverie. "May I ask you something?"
I looked at him. "What is it?"
"You don't seem… affected by this news."
Of course, I wasn't.
If I were the original Daemon, I would have pitched a fit. But I had anticipated this.
"You don't need to worry, Sebastien," I said. "I accepted this news long before you brought it to me."
Sebastien's face softened with something akin to pity.
"I am sorry, Young Master."
"It's not your fault," I said. "It's mine alone."
There was one more thing I had to do, there was something essential for my future plan and I have yo get it no matter what.
"Sebastien." My tone was stern.
"Yes, Young Master?"
"I have a request. First, inform my father that I accept his decision and that he will never have to see my face again."
Sebastien said nothing, waiting.
"Second… I want something from him. The necklace my mother gave me on my first birthday. The one he has in his vault."
Sebastien's eyes flashed with comprehension.
"I will deliver your message, Young Master."
"One final thing," I whispered. "You don't need to keep calling me that. I've been disowned..... remember?"
Sebastien smiled weakly.
"You are mistaken..... You still have dragons blood running through your veins and that will never change no matter what...
A dragon is a ....dragon—with or without its fire."
With that, he exited and left me to myself.
Left by my parents—for the second time.
Fatigue engulfed me. My injuries still throbbed from my fight with the main character.
And before I knew it, I fell asleep.