Death was surprisingly anticlimactic.
At least, that was what Adrian Blackwood thought.
One moment, he was sitting by the window side in a cafe, reading his favourite fantasy novel. The next, a speeding truck had introduced him to the afterlife.
What a waste.
Unfortunately, when Adrian opened his eyes again, he wasn't greeted by the pearly gates of heaven. Instead, he found himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling decorated with elaborate golden patterns.
"Hmm?"
He blinked.
Then he slowly sat up.
The bed beneath him was enormous, covered with silk sheets and an expensive-looking blanket. Beside it stood a wooden cabinet, a wardrobe, and a large mirror. The room was ridiculously luxurious.
Adrian looked down at himself.
His clothes were unfamiliar, consisting of a white silk shirt and black trousers. His hands were also noticeably different.
They were slender, pale, and completely free of the calluses he had developed from years of working out.
"What the hell?"
He immediately climbed out of bed and approached the mirror.
A handsome young man stared back at him with black hair, sharp facial features and crimson eyes. A face that looked like it belonged on the cover of a romance novel.
"Am I dreaming?"
Adrian touched his cheek, and the reflection also did the same.
"Okay. That's new."
He examined himself for several seconds before an overwhelming headache suddenly struck.
"Argh!"
He staggered backward, clutching his head as memories flooded into his consciousness. Memories of a luxurious mansion, a powerful noble family, a big prestigious academy, an arrogant young nobleman, and finally… a name.
Adrian Blackwood.
The youngest son of Duke Richard Blackwood.
His expression gradually changed.
"No way."
He hurriedly returned to the mirror.
"Adrian Blackwood?"
He knew that name. In fact, he knew it rather well.
It belonged to a minor villain in a fantasy novel he had been reading before his death.
The Legend of the Chosen Hero
A fairly popular fantasy novel about a young commoner who awakened an extraordinary magical ability and eventually became the strongest hero in the empire.
Adrian Blackwood was one of the first antagonists. A spoiled nobleman and arrogant bastard.
A pathetic individual who constantly bullied the protagonist because of his commoner background.
And, most importantly… he was destined to die.
Adrian's expression darkened.
"You must be kidding me."
He remembered the character's fate.
During the academy's annual tournament, Adrian Blackwood would attempt to humiliate the protagonist publicly.
Unfortunately, the protagonist would retaliate, defeating him before thousands of spectators.
Unable to accept the humiliation, Adrian would later arrange an assassination attempt.
The plan would fail.
And several chapters afterward, the protagonist would personally execute him.
What a wonderful life.
He had transmigrated into the body of a character whose sole purpose was to make the protagonist look impressive.
Adrian slowly approached the bed and sat down. For several moments, he remained silent.
Then he sighed.
"Well, at least I'm handsome."
It was a ridiculous thing to be happy about, but he wasn't going to complain. He had been given a second chance at life. And not just that, he was born into a wealthy family with a handsome face and a world filled with magic. There were certainly worse situations.
However, he wasn't particularly interested in dying just to satisfy the protagonist's character development.
"First things first."
He stood up.
"I need to avoid that idiot."
He remembered enough of the novel to know what would happen over the next few years. If he played his cards correctly, he could avoid most of the dangerous events.
He would abandon his previous body's arrogant behaviour, stay away from the protagonist, and enjoy his new life. Perhaps he could even find a beautiful wife or maybe wives.
A peaceful life with wealth, magic, and beautiful women. That sounded considerably better than becoming the protagonist's stepping stone.
Just as Adrian was contemplating his future, a voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
"Young Master?"
A knock came from the door.
"Are you awake?"
Adrian turned.
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing a beautiful young maid wearing a black-and-white uniform. She had long brown hair tied into a ponytail and a delicate face.
"Good morning, Young Master."
She bowed respectfully.
"Breakfast has been prepared. His Grace also wishes to see you."
Adrian nodded.
"What's your name?"
The maid raised her head. For a moment, she looked confused.
"My name is Clara, Young Master."
"Clara…"
He repeated the name.
There was no mention of her in the original novel. Perhaps she was just an ordinary maid.
"Alright. Give me a moment."
"Yes, Young Master."
She bowed and left.
Adrian watched her disappear before turning toward the mirror again.
"Guess I have no choice but to start a new life as someone else." He smiled.
Hopefully, this one would be considerably longer.
⸻
The Blackwood Estate was enormous.
Located on the outskirts of the imperial capital, it occupied an expansive stretch of land surrounded by beautiful gardens, artificial lakes, and several training grounds.
It was the residence of one of the empire's oldest ducal families. Unfortunately, the family had recently fallen into political difficulties.
Adrian remembered that much from the novel.
The Blackwood family had been accused of secretly supporting a rebellion against the imperial throne. Although the allegations were eventually proven false, the damage had already been done.
Several influential nobles had turned against them, their political influence had weakened, and the family's enemies were waiting for an opportunity to destroy them completely. Not exactly an ideal situation.
Adrian entered the dining room.
A middle-aged man with black hair and a well-trimmed beard sat at the head of the table.
His appearance was imposing, and his crimson eyes carried the unmistakable authority of someone accustomed to giving orders.
Duke Richard Blackwood
His new father.
Beside him sat a beautiful woman with silver hair and gentle blue eyes… the Duchess
Adrian recognized her from the memories he had inherited.
"Good morning, Father. Mother."
Both parents looked at him.
The Duchess smiled.
"Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well?"
"Quite well, Mother."
Richard, however, narrowed his eyes.
"You woke up late."
Adrian glanced at the clock. He was barely five minutes late, but he decided against arguing.
"My apologies, Father."
The Duke studied him for a moment.
"Sit down."
Adrian obeyed.
Breakfast was served shortly afterward.
For a while, nobody spoke. Then Richard placed his cutlery down.
"I received another letter from the academy this morning."
Adrian paused.
Oh? Here it comes.
"Apparently, you've been involved in another altercation."
Adrian nearly sighed.
Of course. The original owner of this body had apparently been a walking disaster.
Richard's expression darkened.
"How many times must I remind you that you're a member of the Blackwood family?"
"Father, I—"
"Three students have filed complaints against you. One of them is the son of Marquis Everhart."
Adrian silently listened.
"You've been suspended from participating in the upcoming academy tournament."
That was unexpected.
In the original novel, the tournament was where the protagonist humiliated him. But if he had already been suspended… would the storyline change?
Richard continued.
"I'm beginning to wonder whether you've inherited even a fraction of this family's intelligence."
The Duchess gently touched her husband's arm.
"Dear, he's still young."
"Young? He's nineteen!"
Adrian lowered his eyes. He had to admit, the situation was rather amusing. He had been alive in this world for less than an hour, yet he was already receiving a lecture for someone else's mistakes.
"I understand, Father."
Richard stopped and then stared at him.
"What did you say?"
"I said I understand."
Richard looked genuinely confused, even the duchess was taken aback. They had expected an argument from him.
"Are you feeling unwell?"
Adrian almost laughed. Was the original owner really that troublesome?
"I'm perfectly fine, Father."
The Duke studied him for another moment before returning to his breakfast.
"Good. Then perhaps you'll finally start behaving like a Blackwood."
Adrian smiled faintly.
'Don't worry, Father. I'll behave like a Blackwood. Just not the kind you're expecting.' He grinned to himself.
⸻
After breakfast, Adrian returned to his bedroom.
He had several things to investigate.
First, his magical abilities.
Second, his family's financial situation.
And third, the possibility of acquiring some powerful magical items before the protagonist discovered them.
Unfortunately, before he could begin, something strange happened.
A translucent blue screen appeared before his eyes.
[Compatibility confirmed]
[Host has been successfully integrated]
Adrian froze.
'A system?'
He stared at the screen.
Then another notification appeared.
[Welcome, Host]
[Villainess Investment Rebate System has been activated]
Adrian blinked.
'What?'
Another screen appeared.
[System Objective: Invest in fallen villainesses, restore their lost potential, and establish marital bonds]
[Investment rewards include wealth, abilities, talents, bloodline enhancements, and special items]
[Marriage rewards include exclusive bonuses and enhanced investment rebates]
Adrian stared at the notification, then he read it again.
Finally, he rubbed his chin.
"Villainess Investment Rebate System?"
What kind of ridiculous system was this?
He had expected something like a Villain System.
Perhaps a system that rewarded him for defeating heroes, conquering kingdoms, or committing villainous deeds. Instead, he had received something that sounded like a wealthy man's retirement plan.
Invest in women, receive rebates and marry them. But he wasn't complaining, instead he was smiling.
"Interesting."
In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea.
He had transmigrated into a fantasy world filled with beautiful women, magical powers, and opportunities. And now he had a system that would reward him for helping talented women recover their lost potential.
It was practically perfect.
"Show me the details."
The screen changed.
[Villainess Investment Rebate System]
Host: Adrian Blackwood
Current Wealth: 250,000 Gold Coins
Investment Points: 0
Number of Wives: 0
Investment Targets: 0
[Current Rebate Rate: 100x]
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"Only one hundred?"
He wasn't particularly impressed.
But the next notification caught his attention.
[New female target Identified: Evelyn Roseheart]
Adrian's smile disappeared.
Evelyn Roseheart?
He knew that name.
In the original novel, she was the Saintess of the Holy Kingdom. A woman blessed with extraordinary divine magic. She was also one of the most beautiful characters in the entire story.
Unfortunately, she would eventually become one of its most tragic villains. Her divine core would be destroyed. Her reputation would be ruined. And she would eventually be executed after being falsely accused of practising forbidden magic.
Adrian remembered her storyline rather clearly. He also remembered something else.
Before her downfall, Evelyn possessed a legendary bloodline capable of rivaling the divine beings; a powerful force known to be gods ruling over everyone in their world.
If she recovered her powers… her potential would be terrifying.
Then he continue to read the displayed message.
[Target: Evelyn Roseheart]
Current Status: Crippled Saintess
[Current Condition: Divine Core Destroyed]
Adrian's eyes widened.
"Her core has already been destroyed?!"
[First Investment Mission Unlocked]
Objective: Locate Evelyn Roseheart and make an investment on her
[Time Limit: 30 Days]
Adrian chuckled.
He leaned back against his chair, and a slow smile appeared on his face.
"Well…"
Perhaps his second life was going to be much more interesting than he had anticipated. He stood up and approached the window.
Beyond the estate's gardens lay the imperial capital.
Somewhere in that enormous city was a fallen Saintess who would eventually become one of the world's most dangerous villainesses.
And apparently… She was his first investment opportunity.
Adrian adjusted his collar.
"Clara!"
The bedroom door opened almost immediately.
"Yes, Young Master?"
"Prepare a carriage."
"Where are we going?"
Adrian smiled.
"We're going shopping."
"Shopping?"
He glanced at the system screen one last time.
"Let's go find ourselves a Saintess."