General POV
One week had passed since the birth of the long-awaited heir of the Ravenor Duchy. Deep inside one of the castle's grand towers, a morning unfolded. A room bathed in soft sunlight awaited the day. Every time a breeze fluttered through the open window, the heavy fabric swayed gently, scattering, moving shadows across the pale blue walls.
Silver patterns — delicate vines intertwined with tiny star shapes — curled gracefully along the walls, giving the room an almost celestial atmosphere. It was peaceful. The kind of place designed to cradle a miracle.
At the center of the room stood a crib carved from polished whitewood, gleaming faintly under the morning light. Tiny silver ravens — the symbol of House Ravenor — were engraved along the frame, each one positioned as though mid-flight. The bedding was impossibly soft, stuffed with enchanted cotton that stayed warm even during winter's harshest nights.
Above it hung a crystal mobile, suspended from thin silver strings. Each star-shaped crystal glowed faintly, scattering reflections across the room like drifting snowflakes. The mobile turned slowly, guided by a gentle wind, filling the room with a dreamlike view.
Inside the crib lay a small infant — black hair as soft as silk, violet eyes that shimmered like a pair of polished gemstones. A child whose beauty already made passing maids pause some time, looking this cute baby for some time.
But those eyes, those beautiful deep purple eyes, knew something they donʼt know.
A Memory.
Kael was awake.
---
Kael's POV
Sometimes, I stare at the crystal mobile for a long time that my mind drifts into sleep without my knowing. It's almost hypnotic — the way the tiny stars spin slowly. Peaceful. Soothing. I think being baby has its own downsides, like you can't stay awake more than couple of hours.
Which is ironic, considering the storm inside me.
It has been a week since I opened my eyes in this new world. Week passed with crying when I am hungry, crying when I shit and sleeping. When I am awake I try desperately to remember the novel in my mind. But I slowly… painfully slowly… began to remember it. And I succeeded. Situation is not bad as I think. Because...
I remembered the end.
And I remembered him — Kael.
The villain.
The man whose future is in blood and tragedy at some point.
Honestly, the more I thought about it, the more simple it feels. Of all the characters…I am him now. The man who destroys everything around him, including himself? Because of betrayal? Betrayal of his girlfriend. How pathetic.
Kael Ravenor is an aristocrat who ruined his own future chasing after a girl in novel. He loved another Ducal familyʼs daughter. They grew up as childhood friends because of their status and Kael wanted to advance relationship by one step.
But life rarely follows a clean path. Their engagement was all but confirmed, until the protagonist entered their lives. Aiden Crosshart — the golden hero, summoned from Earth, with overwhelming power and unshakable charisma. Typical protagonist I think.
She fell for him.
Very deeply. And she betrayed Kael.
And that betrayal shattered him.
After that betrayal, Blinded by a heartbreak he couldn't accept that, and the original Kael fall into obsession and darkness. He started to study forbidden books at academy's and his own houses archives. He learned summoning magic from them. He cared about nothing — his sanity, his future, his parents, his Duchy and eventually his life.
During the graduation ceremony, he committed the sin no one expected from him.
He summoned a demon. Into academy that full of mages and knights.
After demon summoned with many human sacrifices, he made a single wish to demon:
Kill Aiden Crosshart.
But instead of vengeance, all he found was death. His body twisted, his mind shattered, and the demon he summoned began to take his body. Then he began to kill everybody. Students. Guards. Even some teachers.
Yet in the end, the imperial academy stood prepared. Built to fight demons, filled with war-hardened mages and swordsmen — they overwhelmed him before he could escape.
And just when the demon's power began to devour what remained of him…
Aiden Crosshart struck him down.
It was a tragic, pathetic end.
And now… here I am.
In his body.
With his fate looming over me.
Which means only one thing:
I must never follow his path.
I must never fall into that obsession.
Never fall into despair.
Never fall in love with her.
I think my life depends on it now.
But avoiding that fate is only the beginning. Because in the original story, even without the heartbreak, the world is filled with dangers: monsters, wars, assassins, and political battles between noble families.
If I want to survive, I need more than "never fall in love" line.
I need strength.
Powerful strength.
Enough to defend myself, maybe even challenge the protagonist someday, if necessary and beat shit out him.
The bright side?
I am the first and only son of Duke Ravenor — heir to one of the strongest ducal houses in the empire. This means I will have access to nearly everything I need:
Magic tomes.
Elixirs.
Artifacts.
Sword masters.
Mana training.
Rare beasts.
Summoning contracts.
Resources that people can only dream of.
If I use them wisely, I can build a future that where I want to be.
But first… I have to survive infancy. A real headache indeed.
---
General POV
While Kael's tiny lips moved in soundless murmurs, his mother watched him with amusement. Selara Ravenor, with hair like spun gold and eyes the color of a summer sky, sat in an armchair near the crib, sipping warm tea.
Her posture was elegant — evidence of her royal upbringing. Yet the smile she wore was not formal smile of a noblewoman. It was warm. Overflowing with affection.
She leaned forward slightly, tracing the rim of her porcelain cup with a delicate finger.
"Kael," she whispered, voice filled with curiosity, "what are you thinking about this time? You've been so quiet."
She knew, of course, that he couldn't answer, he couldnʼt understand. But the question slipped out anyway.
Kael only blinked, fingers grasping at the blanket in his crib.
The breeze from the window stirred the curtains again, illuminating his violet eyes. They shimmered faintly, catching Selara's attention.
"So clear…" she murmured to herself. "So beautiful, like your father."
Her heart swelled.
To her, he was a dream — something prayed for through sleepless nights Now he was here, she cherished every breath he took.
"You will be strong, my son," she whispered. "Stronger than anyone expects."
As if reacting to her words, Kael's eyes sharpened for a moment, filled with a determination far too mature for a newborn.
A determination born not from innocence, but from the memories of a future already knew.
A future awaited him — a future filled with choices that would shape the fate of the empire. But here, in this sunlit room, surrounded by warmth and love, Kael made a silent vow.
He would change everything.
