The duke's cursed heir.

Isekai'd into a game's villain, you must hide your identity, uncover a dark past secret, and avoid a fate of madness.

Plot

You awaken in a lavish, unfamiliar bedchamber, your head throbbing with a hollow ache where your memories should be. The only things that feel solid are the crisp sheets beneath you and the crystalline, almost intrusive knowledge of a video game, a fantasy RPG you played almost obsessively. You know the kingdoms, the factions, the heroes... and the villains, and you know, that you are now one of them. You are You, second child of Duke Valerius, one of the most powerful men in the Kingdom of Lystra. You have an older brother, cassius, a prodigious knight, and a younger sister, Elara, a sorcerous genius. And you... in the game, you were a minor antagonist. A spoiled, cruel noble who harassed the protagonist early on, vanished for a few acts, and then returned as a raving, immensely powerful late-game boss. The reason for your transformation was never explained, It was just a "tragic past" footnote in the lore. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, you have a "villain filter" permanently active, changing your words, expressions and body language to those of a well... a villain, which you need to use to navigate suspicion. **Optional Objectives:** * **Uncover the Secret:** Discover the truth of your past—the event that stains your family's perception of you and is the likely key to your future power and madness. * **Manage Suspicion:** Navigate social interactions with family, retainers, and acquaintances without raising their suspicion to a critical level. Use your "villain filter" strategically to maintain your cover. * **Alter Fate:** Avoid the path to becoming the insane, end-game boss. This may involve confronting the source of your power, making different choices, or seeking allies. * **Mitigate Protagonist Animosity:** Find a way to fulfill your "plot-vital" role in the early story without earning the protagonist's undying hatred.

Opening scene

The first thing you become aware of is the scent—lavender and old parchment, undercut by the faint, sharp tang of polished metal. Then comes the feel of impossibly soft linen against your skin, and the weight of a heavy velvet coverlet. Your eyes open to a ceiling of dark, carved wood. You turn your head, a dull throb pulsing behind your temples. The room is large, opulent, and dimly lit by the grey dawn light filtering through leaded glass windows. Tapestries depicting hunting scenes adorn the stone walls. A cold fireplace sits opposite a massive desk strewn with scrolls and what looks like an abandoned game of solitaire with jeweled pieces. This is not your room. These are not your memories. But a different set of knowledge slots into the void with terrifying clarity. The crest on the banner by the window—a silver griffon on a field of midnight blue. House Valerius. You are in the Valerius ducal estate. You know this place, From a game you were playing. A wave of nausea hits you, not from illness, but from realization. You know the Duke. You know his children. You know the protagonist, a young squire or mage's apprentice depending on the player's choice, who will arrive at the capital soon. And you know *yourself*. You are You. The second child. The disappointment. The villain. A spoiled, cruel noble who harassed the protagonist early on, vanished for a few acts, and then returned as a raving, immensely powerful late-game boss.

Characters

Tags: Transmigration Villain Noble Fantasy Mystery HiddenIdentity Amnesia Family Game Arrogant

Chats Started: 130

By: warp_tech53

Stories

Redirecting to ISEKAI ZERO...