"I am of low birth; I didn't have proper education. I couldn't awaken my Gift, so I practiced the sword in hopes of a brighter future. But-but, while I was training... m-my handsome face got scarred, and now, I cannot get any job other than being an adventurer, they see me as a thug! A thug, I tell you, Young Master Theo!" 

 

"Everyone judges you because of your looks!? How preposterous, they see you as a thug, and I see you, Kaba, as an upright warrior with the heart of steel which did not bow in the face of great hardship! Just make sure to stop harassing those who seem more fortunate than you. You're better than that! This is why your wife always gets mad at you! If you must drink, be an honorable drunk!"

 

Theo raised his mug and downed the liquor in one go. Kaba wiped his tears away downed the booze as well. 

 

"What… za hell, are you crrrying over?"

 

"I'm sorry… this is… just the first time someone looked at me like I'm not a thug… Young Master… you're such a good person! I can't see why so many are calling you useless! For you to hear out the plights of a peasant like myself... Yo-you are more worthy of being called Hero—" 

 

Kaba, who had been maltreated because of his looks, clung to the person who beat him up earlier. 

 

He was thankful, but then—

 

PAH!

 

A slap flew across his face!

 

The kind Young Master grabbed him by the collars, "Don't yu darrre referrr to me in such a mannerrr! I am no hero… Kaba! Like how you are no thug, I am not tied down to… such a title! I am not a hero! I am but an orrrdinarrrry~ person, trrrrying~ to live his best life."

 

Heruzen sniffled as he shouted! 

 

"Of course, you are, Young Master!"

 

Heruzen raised his cup and then downed it without hesitations. Everyone in the bar could hear their conversation, and as many of them found it weird, a lot more scoffed at their friendship.

 

'Birds of the same feather.' They thought in a chorus.

 

The drinking party ended with Kaba and Heruzen somehow befriending each other after a grueling one-sided beatdown. 

 

Heruzen drowned his sorrows with the time-tested method of drinking. He had Kaba, who had been treated as a lowly thug, accompany him throughout the night.

 

There was another who was with them, but he could not remember who it was. Only a constant smile remained in the foggy memory of his intoxicated mind.

 

They went to one bar after the other, vaguely remembering how many times he vomited his insides.

 

Without fear of death or losing any money, Heruzen kept drinking until he blacked out after a fight against a mighty brown beast. 

 

Opening his eyes, Heruzen was in disbelief. He woke up of his own volition.

 

'Oh yeah... I don't have to live on a constant schedule.'

 

Upon waking up, the first thing he did was assess the situation. He sat up straight and absorbed the information he got.

 

"This soft feeling on my butt... must be a high-quality canopy bed, several mirrors, luxurious furniture, and a butler looking at me weirdly. Yup, I am a rich kid." 

 

An old man with a reasonably well build looked at him with a pair of eyes as though looking at a fool.

 

'Well, to his defense, if he saw the Young Master he had been taking care of for a long time talking to himself with utter nonsense, that expression would be fitting. Also, seeing that contempt, mixed with disappointment and some hint of disgust, means that he sees me as something worth less than garbage… hmm, I think I may have misunderstood my situation.'

 

Hope sprouted from a tiny part of his heart.

 

Theo tried recalling this person's life he took over; he searched for vital information… but there was nothing.

 

'That's weird; the memory of this life is still not being shared with m—'

 

"AAHHH!" Heruzen held onto his head; bits and pieces of memories struck him, from emotions to thoughts, all of it flooded his mind.

 

"Young Master!? Wha-what's wrong!?" 

 

Heruzen held onto his head; the sensation of his soul and very existence conforming and receiving this new identity had never been so pleasant. 

 

A Takeover, a Replacement, a Fulfiller, such were the names Heruzen had come to give this kind of existence. The original's memories, emotions, experiences, and grievances would be given to the new possessor of the identity to ensure attachment, thoughts, and even mannerisms would be carved into him. 

 

The original and Heruzen would become as though they were the same person from their birth to the present.

 

Though the question, if it was Heruzen, was in control or if the original just inherited the memories of a mysterious being.

 

Heruzen already decided to believe the former to save his sanity.

 

Smoke only he could see seeped out of Heruzen's soul, materializing in front of him as a shadowy, ethereal figure. It was a reflection of the physical body.

 

Carrying sharp and deep silver eyes, his skin translucent much like a woman's yet, his muscles defined, giving him a beautiful form and perfectly trimmed silver hair.

 

This was the original Theo, staring back at Heruzen, bearing an unchanging smile.

 

'Tell me, what is your wish? Without the System chaining my actions, I can even conquer the world for you.' He asked the incorporeal figure.

 

Heruzen had taken over hundreds of identities, and to ensure he did not lose himself, he made sure to draw a line on himself and the previous owners. A single way to keep his guilt of taking over another person's life and reassuring himself that it was fair trade would be to give the original a single request.

 

Something for him to fulfill to act as the payment for his transgression. Sometimes he would be able to complete them when the System deems it not a hindrance to the plot, and often, the wishes were unfulfilled.

 

Heruzen knows it was not needed, but he does not care. It had already become his way of living.

 

Apologize to one's father, kill someone, fall in love, all sorts of requests would ask of him in exchange. In the past, he could not complete the ambitious desires of Villains, but if this would become his last life, Heruzen wanted to at least fulfill Theo's last wish.

 

"Save this family."

 

Guilt-stricken words were uttered, leaving Heruzen muddled and confused.

 

The other soul willingly disappeared into Herzuen's, the last of the memories flooded his mind and Heruzen finally became Theo Sigurd of the Illustrious Sigurd Family.

 

A man respected by many, someone who was once called a Hero turned outcast wastrel. A man who abandoned his sword for liquor sold his honor for his own pleasure.

 

Easy to say that Theo was a common man from any story. A man with a colorful past and a fallen story, someone who would star at a Shoujo Villainess Story, a simple character with only selling point was his face and body.

 

Either that or a character on his way to a Redemption Story. Theo opened his eyes in a cold sweat, the aged Butler to his right, standing still, observing him with a pitcher of cold drinking water at hand.

 

Quietly, Theo sat on the bed, grabbed the pitcher of water, and drank straight from it. He processed the information given to him by the original.

 

His heart was perturbed.

 

'The memories are incomplete.' Indeed, only the information about the host existed; everything else was erased. His family, his friends, his acquaintances, all were erased. Mere insignificant details remained.

 

'This is the first time this has happened. Goddess, did you do something?'

 

The Goddess of Fate did not answer.

 

'Did she finally die…that ended well. Now, what am I going to do.'

 

"Young Master, are you all right?" The Butler asked, concerned seeing how Theo just downed a whole pitcher.

 

"…"

 

'…that could work.'

 

Theo looked at the Butler with pale face and utter confusion, "Young Master? Who is that? Me? Wait… Who are you? Who am I?"

 

The Old Butler's smile cracked, "…sorry, Young Master, what?" the time-tested butler did not have the answer to such a question… he just stood there, and then, "…sorry what?" asked Theo again just to confirm.

 

Theo decided he had amnesia.

 

===

 

"I thank you for bringing my useless brother home, Sister Rose."

 

"It is fine; he was my intention for coming here in the region, after all. He also saved me from the drunkard… Sir Kaba… I wish he was all right going home." 

 

"Do not worry about that guy; I had the guards guide him back home. Oh yeah, are you sure about your decision to come here so early?"

 

Two women wearing beautiful dresses walked down a long hall. 

 

One of them wore a fitting dark pantsuit. She bears a striking pair of crimson eyes and beautiful long black hair. With a fierce air surrounding her, she commanded attention.

 

When she walked, her back was straight, and when she talked, it was forceful and commanding; this woman was Levia Sigurd, the first-born daughter of the Sigurd Family.

 

With her was Rose Breakblade. Against Levia's oppressing air, Rose was calm and subtle. An embodiment of her name, a beautiful rose whose beauty stands amongst others, untouchable without being pricked by thorns.

 

With her pear-like lips, sapphire eyes, perfect curves, elegant gestures, and intoxicating gaze, she was beautiful, to say the least. Even the black gloves she wore did nothing but add a sense of exoticness to the wildness of her beauty. 

 

A perfect lady that's the target of envy. Rose had hundreds of suitors who would line up from one end of a city to the other just to catch a glimpse of her. They would do everything to get her attention; alas, of the twenty years she spent in this world, none sent her heart aflutter except for one.

 

"The Young Master… do you think he is all right? He hit his head pretty badly when he fought a peeing dog for its territory." Rose was concerned.

 

"He fought a peeing dog for its territory… I don't even know what to say." Levia just sighed, thinking of what could lead to such an event.

 

But even with her genius, it was impossible.

 

"Help! SOMEONE! HELP!" from a distance, someone cried aloud, and without missing a beat, Levia took off and reached its source.

 

"Theo—" Levia abruptly stopped.

 

Her eyes immediately changed to that of contempt.

 

"He-HELP! SOMEONE!" 

 

"Theo?" Levia's eyes widened hearing her brother's voice.

 

The ground where she stood crumbled as she disappeared with haste. 

 

"The-THEO!" she called out his name but arriving at the source of the commotion, she made a major discovery.

 

Her eyes turned to slits, filled with scrutiny to what she was witnessed.

 

"Wh-why are you undressing me!? Unhand me, you disgusting old pervert!! Help! HELP! I did not consent to this!" Theo shouted as he pushed the old butler away with his legs.

 

"You-young Master! This is a standard procedure to get you dressed! Do not fight—Ack! Goddammit!" the butler cursed as he was struck squarely on the jaw.

 

The old butler with hair gray as ash trying to take off his Young Master's clothes.

 

 "I need an Adult for consent!"

 

"I am an Adult! Now stop fighting and take off your dirty pants!"

 

"NOOOO!" 

 

"Oh my." Was Rose's reaction as she stood by the door.

 

The butler of the young master pair stopped suddenly at her words.

 

"…what the hell is happening here?" Levia questioned... not knowing if she even wanted to know.

  

They saw a pair of eyes that was devoid of any and every respect. 

 

The butler of the young master pair stopped suddenly at her words.

 

They saw a pair of eyes that was devoid of any and every respect. 

 

Theo looked at Levia, then pointed at the old butler, "... He's trying to rape me."

 

"I AM NOT!" 

 

The Butler almost choked to death.