The Academys Villain
Title: Crimson Oath
Synopsis:
When 23-year-old game developer Adrian Cross dies in a freak accident, he wakes up as Vincent Astor, the notorious villain’s son from -Crimson Oath- , the fantasy RPG he helped create. Born into the infamous Astor family, Vincent is destined to follow his mother, the feared "Witch of Evernight," down a path of darkness that ultimately leads to his demise at the hands of the game's hero.
But now that Adrian inhabits Vincent’s body, he has no intention of letting the story play out as written. Armed with insider knowledge of the game’s mechanics and plot, Vincent resolves to avoid becoming the villain and instead forge a brighter future. His first challenge? Surviving the prestigious yet cutthroat -Grand Arcanum Academy-, the central hub for training the next generation of nobles, heroes, and mages.
The Academy is both an opportunity and a minefield for Vincent. Here, he must prove his worth among the children of dukes, kings, and other powerful figures while avoiding the hero and their companions. Yet, his attempts to stay under the radar backfire spectacularly when his unconventional actions begin to draw attention—both admiration and suspicion.
Complicating matters further, Vincent’s mother, Lady Seraphina, has arranged for him to succeed her dark legacy. Her enigmatic letters and cryptic warnings cast a shadow over his attempts to forge a new path. Meanwhile, the Academy is rife with rivalries, dangerous alliances, and secrets, including an underground network tied to a brewing conflict that Vincent thought he had scripted merely as background lore.
Despite his intentions to remain neutral, Vincent begins to make unexpected connections: a cold and aloof princess ranked at the top of their class, a sharp-tongued commoner with a chip on his shoulder, and even the hero themself, who seem different from what he remembers. As he navigates the high-stakes environment of the Academy, Vincent realizes that his actions are causing ripple effects far beyond his control.
Now caught between his desire to rewrite his fate and the growing pressure to fulfill his destined role as the villain’s heir, Vincent must decide what kind of person he wants to become—and what sacrifices he’s willing to make to achieve it.
-Themes:
- Redemption in the shadow of a villainous legacy
- Friendship and rivalry in a competitive academy setting
- Political intrigue and alliances among noble families
- The blurred line between hero and villain
Will Vincent rise above his destiny, or will his choices lead him back to the darkness he so desperately wants to avoid? At the Grand Arcanum Academy, the stakes have never been higher—and neither has the risk of failure.
