The first thing I felt was cold—harsh, uncomfortable—pressing against my back. An unfamiliar scent filled my nose, a mix of old wood and something sweet, sharp and pungent.
My eyes opened slowly.
In front of me stretched a uniquely shaped ceiling, adorned with intricate carvings and hanging crystal lamps that scattered soft light in every direction.
My head throbbed painfully.
I groaned softly, lifting my hand to press against my temples. My memories were fragmented—rifles, gunfire, darkness—
"Wh…where am I?" My voice was hoarse.
I took a deep breath. My chest rose and fell unevenly.
Right.
I should be dead.
I slowly stood up and surveyed the surroundings. My heart raced faster with every passing second.
Around me, glass bottles were scattered across the floor, reflecting the dim light from the crystal lamps above. Some were broken, while dark liquid pooled and seeped into the thick, patterned carpet—clearly no cheap material.
The ceiling was high, gilded with carvings. Heavy velvet curtains hung from large windows. Dark wooden cabinets stood neatly in the corners, and a desk with delicate carvings was not far from them, while a large bed with expensive sheets starkly contrasted with the chaos on the floor.
This… was lavish.
Suddenly, my head throbbed again.
The pain cut deeper, and at the same time—
a foreign memory flooded my mind.
The memory of a young noble named Lucian Valcaryn, the young master of a marquis-level noble family in the Kingdom of Celestra.
All his life, he had been proud and arrogant, believing he was entitled to whatever he desired. Born a noble, almost all his wishes were granted, shaping him into a spoiled and lazy person.
But everything changed when he entered the academy.
There, he saw people with abilities far beyond his own. Attention that should have been on him was given to others, filling him with disgust and jealousy. Yet, thanks to his father's status, he still managed to enter Orion Academy—a school attended by gifted individuals from across the world.
With false pride, he began to oppress many. Though weak, he was cunning in choosing his targets. Many submitted—not out of respect, but out of fear of the consequences of defying a high-ranking noble.
Until one day, he tried to harass a common-born woman.
But he hadn't expected—
the woman was under the protection of the prince of Celestra.
Lucian was publicly humiliated.
And that wasn't even the end.
Soon after, a letter from his father arrived.
A letter that pushed him to take his own life.
"Somehow, we share the same name," I muttered softly. "And although I once said I'd become a villain in my past life… I never imagined I'd reincarnate into the body of one."
I exhaled, trying to accept this absurd situation.
My gaze returned to the dozens of bottles scattered around, and I limped toward the desk. A letter lay there neatly—too neatly for such a wrecked room.
I picked it up and began to read.
Letter contents:
To Lucian Valcaryn,
Your actions have tarnished the Valcaryn name and exceeded the limits we can tolerate.
From the moment this letter is received, you are expelled from the Valcaryn family.
You will no longer be recognized as a member, neither by name nor by status.
If one day you wish to return, restore the Valcaryn name by your own means.
Until you succeed, you will never be accepted again.
Effective immediately, all facilities, financial support, and protection previously provided to you are withdrawn entirely.
Consider this your last chance—or the end of our connection.
—Alaric Valcaryn
Alaric Valcaryn is the head of the Valcaryn family. He is known to be caring and always pampered Lucian, especially since Lucian is his only heir. Yet he is a strict man, particularly when it comes to family interests.
The Valcaryn family is a noble household involved in politics. Reputation is everything. As long as the family head lives, the position of heir is not absolute—they can create a new heir at any time.
If my assumption is correct, a desperate Lucian had consumed Ramuan Aetherium.
In this world, elixirs are one of the official paths to increase power—used by nobles, royal soldiers, and academies. These elixirs are crafted from monster cores, etheric metals, and rare plants, capable of stimulating mana flow, strengthening the physical body, and expanding the capacity of the soul.
But this enhancement is not without limits.
Every body has a threshold of tolerance. Elixirs must be digested and absorbed gradually. If consumed excessively in a short time, the raw energy within can accumulate, damaging internal tissues, destroying mana pathways—even resulting in death.
I closed my eyes.
Taking a deep breath, I focused my awareness inward, searching for the sensation that should be there—a warm glow, a gentle pulse, or traces of the Stelar Nexus that form the foundation of power in this world.
But… there was nothing.
Empty.
No light. No response. As if this body were merely a vessel without its core.
"Could it be…" I murmured, my brows furrowing. "Lucian's previous power… really shattered?"
According to Stelar Nexus theory, power is directly linked to the soul. If the soul is destroyed, the Stelar lights connected to it will extinguish and vanish.
And the old Lucian… was dead.
From the memories that remained, Lucian should have been at Radiant 3. He had awakened the third light in his Stelar Nexus. That's no small feat, even for a noble.
But now…
There was nothing.
I was completely empty.
Not a single light. No foundation. No trace of power.
If I wanted to rise again, I had to start from zero.
My chest felt tight.
The frustration I had held back finally erupted.
To enter Radiant 1, I needed to consume Ramuan Aetherium level 1. And to digest it—even in the best-case scenario—it would take at least a month. That's if I were a genius. Otherwise, it could take far longer.
And the higher the level, the stronger the elixir, the longer the body needed to absorb it.
One month. Two months. A year. Years.
I clenched my fists.
"Bastards…" my voice broke, low and filled with restrained anger.
Without realizing it, I tore the letter in my hands—rough, chaotic movements. The paper ripped into small pieces that fell to the floor, mixing with broken bottles and dark liquid.
I stood there, panting.
I hated this feeling.
The anxiety pressing on my chest. The helplessness of realizing I had nothing in this world. The sense that everything was telling me, start from the bottom—or be crushed again.
And what I hated most…
I had no choice but to accept it.
"Wait," I muttered suddenly. "What if the mana pathways in this body are damaged? Wouldn't I end up crippled?"
The thought hit me like a hammer.
My body felt cold. My heart raced. I quickly sat in the nearest chair, pressing my chest as I tried to calm my breathing.
"That could happen," I whispered. "But… there might be a way to heal it."
I knew it was just self-soothing, but at least it gave me a reason to hold on—to keep hope alive.
I looked around, taking in the room filled with luxurious furniture. Orion Academy was essentially a massive floating island. Within it existed a self-contained society, complete with cities, forests, and facilities under the academy's jurisdiction.
Of course, the academy provided dormitories for its students.
But only talented and promising students were entitled to special dorms. The rest had to share rooms with peers.
Lucian—with his high pride—chose to rent a private room in the city. He decorated it with furniture brought from home, matching his own aesthetic tastes.
He requested a lot of money every month, most of which went to rent this place.
"That means… for the next few days, I can still use this room. But by next month—I'll have to leave."
With that thought, I began searching the drawers and cabinets for valuable items. Once I gathered everything, I found a backpack hanging on the wall.
I placed each item inside one by one.
I hoisted the bag onto my shoulder and stepped out of the room. The hallway before me was lined with thick red carpets, and the walls were adorned with luxurious paintings radiating an aura of wealth.
Along the corridor, other doors led to rooms for nobles who chose not to stay in the common dormitories.
I continued walking until I reached the elevator. Holding the bag in my hand, I pressed the button, and the elevator slowly descended from the 10th floor to the ground floor.
When the elevator doors opened, I stepped into the spacious lobby. Several servants greeted me with warm smiles. I returned their greetings and asked them a few questions.
After getting all the answers I needed, I stepped out of the lobby—and before me stretched a world that was truly breathtaking.