Chapter 1: The Useless Tag-Along Gets a Cheat
my life ended because I tried to save twenty bucks on delivery.
Rain hammered the streets like the sky was personally offended. I was sprinting home with a greasy paper bag of half-price chicken wings when the truck hydroplaned right into me. One second I'm cursing my broke college dropout existence; the next, everything's black.
Then white.
Not hospital-white. Blank-page-white.
A cold, mechanical voice echoed in the void.
[Welcome, Host. Transmigration complete.]
[You have been selected for the rare "Backer System."]
[Current Identity: Elias Voss, 18-year-old son of a fallen minor noble house. Childhood friend and eternal tag-along to Duchess Seraphina Valtoria—the villainess destined to die in Chapter 300 of "Eternal Crown: The Saintess's Ascension."]
[Objective: Survive. Thrive. Rewrite fate. Optional bonus: Make someone unstoppable.]
[Initial Gift: Backer Points = 100]
[You may secretly funnel resources, skills, plot armor, hidden items, or fate alterations to any supported target. The more dramatic their rise, the more points you earn.]
[Warning: Direct interference reveals your identity. Subtlety is survival.]
I blinked—or at least my soul did.
"Wait… what?"
The void shifted. Suddenly I was staring at an opulent but dusty bedroom. Heavy velvet curtains, cracked marble floor, a four-poster bed that looked like it cost more than my entire life but smelled faintly of mildew. My body—new body—felt tall, lanky, underfed. Mirror across the room showed a pale guy with messy black hair, sharp cheekbones, and the kind of "forgettable handsome" face that gets friend-zoned in every romance novel.
I knew this face.
I'd read "Eternal Crown" during a three-day binge when I was avoiding finals. It was trashy otome-game-adapted web novel slop: plucky commoner heroine rises with the power of friendship and four hot capture targets (crown prince, duke, holy knight, mysterious shadow assassin). The villainess? Seraphina Valtoria. Arrogant, beautiful, ice-cold duchess who bullies the heroine out of jealousy, poisons people, schemes for the throne, and gets publicly executed in the finale after losing everything.
And Elias Voss? Her pathetic childhood friend. The guy who followed her around like a lost puppy, got used as a shield in every scandal, confessed once (got rejected brutally), and died ignobly in Chapter 150 protecting her from an assassin—only for her to call him "useless" in her last moments.
I was that guy.
"Holy shit," I muttered, voice cracking. "I'm the definition of cannon fodder."
[Backer System Tip: You are currently at Favorability Level -10 with Seraphina Valtoria. ("Annoying leech who won't leave.")]
[Current Support Targets Available: None.]
[Would you like to select your first Backer Target? Y/N]
I stared at the floating blue panel only I could see.
The smart move? Pick the heroine. The saintess. Back her secretly, ride her plot armor to the top, live comfortably as the hidden rich guy behind the new empress.
But…
I remembered Seraphina's final scene. Not the execution—the quiet one in the tower before it all fell apart. She'd been sitting alone, staring at the moon, whispering, "If I'd had even one person who believed in me… maybe things would've been different."
Arrogant? Yes. Cruel? Absolutely. But doomed from page one because the story needed a villain.
And I hated stories that wasted good characters.
My finger hovered.
"Select target: Seraphina Valtoria."
[Target locked.]
[Backer Link established. Initial investment options unlocked.]
[1. Minor Mana Affinity Boost (50 BP) – She gains slight talent in forbidden dark magic.]
[2. Hidden Tutor Memory Fragment (80 BP) – Implants knowledge of advanced swordsmanship.]
[3. Fate Deflection Charm (100 BP) – Next assassination attempt fails dramatically.]
[Warning: Using points reveals minor traces. She may sense "something" watching her.]
I grinned despite myself. My broke-ass life had one talent: gambling on long shots.
"All in. Fate Deflection Charm."
[Investment complete.]
[Seraphina Valtoria's survival odds +15%.]
[You have 0 Backer Points remaining.]
[New Mission: Observe and nurture your investment. First dramatic rise grants bonus points.]
A knock rattled the door.
"Lord Elias!" A maid's panicked voice. "The Duchess requests your presence in the training courtyard. Immediately. She… she seems furious."
I straightened my rumpled tunic. Heart pounding.
Time to meet the villainess I'd just bet my second life on.
As I stepped into the hallway, a cold wind brushed past—like invisible eyes turning toward me.
Somewhere in the manor, Seraphina Valtoria paused mid-swing with her practice blade.
She frowned, touching her chest.
"…What was that?"
I smirked into the empty corridor.
Game on.
Chapter 2: The Blade That Missed
The Valtoria family training courtyard was more arena than garden.
High stone walls draped in dying ivy, scarred sand pits from years of brutal drills, racks of weapons that looked older than the empire itself. Dawn light barely crept over the eastern tower, painting everything in cold silver and shadow.
And in the center stood her.
Seraphina Valtoria.
Even from fifty paces away, she radiated danger like a drawn blade. Tall for a woman in this world, black hair bound in a severe braid that reached her waist, crimson training uniform clinging to a frame built for both grace and violence. Her eyes—pale violet, almost luminous—swept the courtyard like she was judging every crack in the stone.
She was twenty-one. Already a duchess in her own right after her father's "unfortunate hunting accident" two years ago. Already whispered to be the most talented dark-element mage of her generation. Already hated by half the nobility and feared by the other half.
And according to the novel, in less than three years she would lose everything because she couldn't stop herself from becoming the perfect villain.
Right now, though, she looked… irritated.
"Elias Voss," she said without turning. Her voice carried perfectly across the open space—cool, clipped, aristocratic. "You kept me waiting."
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced my legs to move. Every step felt like walking into a lion's den wearing a meat suit.
"Sorry, Duchess. I came as soon as—"
"Save the excuses." She finally faced me fully. The practice sword in her hand—a slender, double-edged thing etched with faint runes—twirled once, lazily. "You've grown even slower since last spring. Pathetic."
Ouch. Straight to the childhood-friend roast.
I stopped a respectful ten paces away and bowed slightly, the way protocol demanded. "I… didn't realize you needed me this early."
"I don't need you." She stepped closer. The air around her seemed to thicken, carrying the faint scent of frost and iron. "But protocol demands a witness for today's exercise. And you are, regrettably, still listed as my… companion."
The word dripped with disdain.
Behind her, two armored knights stood at attention—her personal guards. One of them smirked faintly when our eyes met. Yeah, everyone knew Elias Voss was basically decorative.
I kept my face neutral. Inside, though, my mind was racing.
The Fate Deflection Charm. I'd spent every last point on it.
According to the system log I mentally pulled up:
[Charm active. Next lethal threat within 72 hours will be dramatically neutralized. Side effect: Target may experience a momentary 'sense of being watched.']
So… she'd felt something earlier. That cold brush of wind in the hallway.
She was staring at me now, head tilted slightly, like a predator trying to decide if the rabbit in front of her was worth the effort.
"You look different," she said suddenly.
I blinked. "Different how?"
"Less… spineless." A faint smirk curved her lips—beautiful and terrifying at once. "Or perhaps I'm simply tired of looking at the same useless face every morning."
Before I could respond, she turned sharply toward the far wall.
"Begin."
A hidden mechanism clicked.
From slits in the stone wall, three steel training dummies slid forward on tracks—each armed with blunted but heavy swords. Mechanical golems, powered by low-grade mana crystals. Standard warm-up for high nobles.
Seraphina moved.
It was poetry and murder in the same breath.
Her blade sang through the air. First dummy—parried, countered, head cleaved clean off in one fluid motion. Second—duck, spin, thrust through the chest plate. Third—
A fourth dummy erupted from the ground behind her.
Not part of the normal sequence.
This one wasn't blunted.
Its sword was live steel, razor-edged, aimed straight at the back of her neck.
Time slowed.
I saw the arc of the blade. Saw her eyes widen a fraction—she'd sensed it too late.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
The charm!
The golem's sword descended—
—and stopped.
Not by magic. Not by her parry.
By sheer, impossible bad luck.
A loose flagstone—cracked from years of abuse—tilted under the golem's foot at the exact second it committed to the strike. The construct's balance shattered. It lurched forward, overbalanced, and drove its own sword point-first into the sand inches from Seraphina's boot.
The blade snapped at the hilt with a metallic crack.
Silence.
Seraphina stared at the broken weapon. Then at the smoking mana crystal now exposed and flickering in the golem's chest.
Then slowly—very slowly—she turned to look at me.
Her violet eyes were narrowed to slits.
"…Explain."
I raised both hands. "I didn't do anything! I was standing right here!"
"You were watching." She stalked toward me, sword still in hand. The broken golem sparked and died behind her. "And something… intervened."
My mouth went dry.
The system pinged softly in my head.
[First dramatic rise observed: Seraphina Valtoria avoids assassination attempt #1.]
[Backer Points earned: 300]
[New investment options unlocked. Favorability with target increased slightly: -10 → -7 ("Suspicious… but intriguing.")]
She stopped inches from me. Close enough that I could see the faint tremor in her fingers—not fear. Rage. Or maybe something else.
"Who are you protecting me from, Elias?" she whispered. "Or… who are you protecting me for?"
I met her gaze. For the first time since waking up in this body, I didn't flinch.
"Maybe," I said quietly, "someone finally decided you deserved better than the ending they wrote for you."
Her eyes widened—just a flicker.
Then she laughed. Short, cold, beautiful.
"You've gone mad."
She turned on her heel and strode toward the manor doors, braid swinging like a whip.
"Clean up the mess," she called without looking back. "And don't be late for breakfast. I have questions."
The knights hurried to drag the broken golem away.
I stood there alone in the courtyard, adrenaline crashing.
300 points.
A suspicious villainess.
And the game had only just begun.
Chapter 3: Breakfast with a Blade
The dining hall of Valtoria Manor was designed to intimidate.
Long ebony table polished to a mirror sheen, flanked by high-backed chairs carved with snarling wolves and ravens—the family crest. Crystal chandeliers hung like frozen storms overhead, casting fractured light across silver platters laden with food I could never have afforded in my old life: roasted pheasant glazed in honey, fresh berries dusted with sugar, loaves of bread still warm from the ovens, and a decanter of deep red wine that probably cost more than a house.
Seraphina sat at the head like she owned the world—which, technically, she did in this duchy. She'd changed into a simple black morning gown edged in silver thread, but the elegance only sharpened her edges. No jewelry except a single obsidian ring on her right hand. Her violet eyes tracked my every step as I entered.
I'd washed up quickly, thrown on the least threadbare tunic in Elias's wardrobe, and combed my hair. Still looked like a poor relation next to her.
"Sit," she commanded, gesturing to the chair directly opposite her. Not beside. Opposite. Like an interrogation.
I obeyed, heart thumping. The knights from earlier stood guard at the doors—silent, armored statues.
A servant poured tea into delicate porcelain cups. Steam curled up like smoke signals.
Seraphina didn't touch hers. She leaned forward, elbows on the table—unladylike by noble standards, but no one dared correct her.
"Explain the golem," she said flatly.
I picked up my fork, speared a berry, and popped it in my mouth to buy time. Sweet. Tart. Real.
"I told you—I didn't do anything."
"You were the only one there." Her voice dropped lower. "And you didn't flinch. Most men would have screamed or run. You… watched. Like you expected it."
I met her gaze. No point lying outright—the system had nudged her intuition. Better to deflect with half-truths.
"Maybe I've just gotten used to your training being lethal," I said dryly. "You've been pushing those constructs harder lately. One was bound to malfunction."
Her lips thinned. "Malfunction? That blade was live steel. Not training weight. Someone swapped it."
A beat of silence.
I set the fork down. "Assassination attempt?"
"Obviously." She sipped her tea—slow, deliberate. "The third this month. The first two were poison in the wine cellar and a 'falling' chandelier in my study. This one was clumsier. But the timing…" She tilted her head. "Right when you arrived. Convenient."
I raised an eyebrow. "You think I'm behind it? Me? The guy who can barely swing a practice sword?"
"No." She set the cup down with a soft clink. "I think someone is trying to kill me. And you… are somehow involved in why they failed."
Close. Too close.
The system chimed softly in my mind—only I could hear it.
[Current Backer Points: 300]
[Investment Options Available (Seraphina Valtoria):]
[1. Dark Mana Seed (150 BP) – Plants latent dark affinity. Unlocks forbidden spells over time. Subtle—no immediate trace.]
[2. Shadow Veil Technique Fragment (200 BP) – Grants basic evasion skill. Improves survival in ambushes.]
[3. Loyalty Echo (250 BP) – Slightly increases favorability toward you. (Risk: She may sense emotional influence.)]
[4. Minor Plot Armor Patch (300 BP) – Next major crisis auto-deflects with dramatic flair.]
[Tip: Stacking investments accelerates growth. But overuse risks exposure.]
I mentally filed them away. 300 points wasn't enough for the big ones yet. But the Dark Mana Seed… that could turn her from talented to terrifying. Exactly what the story needed to flip her fate.
Seraphina was still watching me. "You're thinking too hard, Elias. That's new."
I forced a small smile. "Maybe I'm just hungry."
She didn't laugh. Instead, she pushed a plate toward me—pheasant, bread, fruit. "Eat. You look half-starved. Always have."
A flicker of something crossed her face. Not pity. Curiosity?
I took a bite of bread. Chewed slowly. "Why do you keep me around, anyway? I'm not useful. Never have been."
Her eyes narrowed. "You were useful once. When we were children. You followed me everywhere. Took the blame for my pranks. Stood between me and Father's temper more than once."
I hadn't known that detail from the novel. Elias's backstory was barely a footnote.
She continued, voice quieter. "Then you grew up. Became… convenient. A shield. A scapegoat. Someone the court could mock instead of me."
Ouch. Brutal honesty.
"But today…" She leaned back. "You didn't run. You didn't beg. You just… stood there. Like you believed the world would bend before it broke me."
Her words hung in the air.
I swallowed. "Maybe I do."
She studied me for a long moment. Then, almost casually: "Prove it."
I blinked. "Prove what?"
"That you're not useless." She rose smoothly, chair scraping back. "Tonight. Midnight. The old chapel ruins behind the east wing. Bring a sword. Any sword. We spar. No guards. No witnesses."
My stomach dropped.
Spar? With Seraphina Valtoria? The woman who could slice through steel golems like butter?
[Warning: Direct combat with target risks revealing Backer identity if intervention occurs.]
She walked past me toward the doors, pausing only to add over her shoulder:
"And Elias?"
"Yes?"
"If you don't show… I'll assume you're the one trying to kill me."
The doors closed behind her with a heavy thud.
I stared at the empty chair.
300 points burning a hole in my system inventory.
A midnight duel.
And a villainess who was starting to look at me like I might be worth something.
The game wasn't just on anymore.
It was accelerating.