Talia's Rise

The thin leaves pasted over the windows were almost transparent, allowing the morning sunlight to filter gently and warmly into the room.

The entire room was filled with the refreshing fragrance of wood.

A cool breeze from the courtyard softly brushed against him. He felt a chill run through his body, and his eyes opened unconsciously.

What drew his attention was not the modern European-style furniture filling the room.

Instead, it was the handsome face reflected in the mirror not far away. A trace of confusion and drowsiness was hidden in those cool green eyes.

He looked as though he wanted to keep people a thousand miles away while also seeming harmless.

He raised a hand and touched his face.

The black-haired, green-eyed boy reflected in the mirror made the exact same movement.

"Where is this...?"

Lanchi murmured.

It seemed he had transmigrated.

The familiar appearance in the mirror belonged to a character from the new game Thorn Lionheart, developed by his company—a character he knew better than anyone.

As the game's Chief Artist, he had originally been at the company with his colleagues, burning incense for the planner's mother. Then everything went black, as if his brain had disconnected. When he opened his eyes again, he was here.

At the same time, a vast amount of information surged into his mind like a tide, and he struggled to understand his current situation.

His brows gradually furrowed deeper.

Because he had not transmigrated into some hero with limitless potential... or some heinous villain.

He had become a minor character who was instantly killed in the game's side story, Talia's Rise.

This boy named "Lanchi" had no particular traits aside from being handsome, rich, and not especially bright!

Since the character art for the important character "Talia" had been assigned to him, he had drawn every character connected to her story, including "Lanchi."

He had never imagined that he would actually become the minor character Lanchi...

Fortunately.

In keeping with his professional standards, he had drawn Lanchi extremely handsome.

Covering his chin, he couldn't help but fall into thought.

"Come to think of it, why did this rich young master get himself killed again...?"

Although he belonged to the art department, he had at least played the game and obtained some of the characters' design documents.

He quickly remembered—

Someone would set his sights on the life of "Young Master Lanchi."

And that person was the protagonist of the side story, as well as the game's planned final villain—the Demon Race's Last Princess, Talia.

At this point in time, although Great Demon Race Talia had yet to rise, and appeared to be nothing more than a destitute refugee girl, she was already tremendously powerful.

To survive in the human kingdom, she had constantly worked to disguise herself.

Only when pushed to the brink would she be unable to suppress the viciousness and ferocity in her nature.

And in the side story...

"Lanchi" was the first human to provoke Talia into an explosive rage after her exile.

The spark that ignited their feud was "Lanchi" shooting down Dark Dove, Talia's familiar, which she had sent to scout for information, and treating it as prey.

When Talia found "Lanchi" two days later,

the young master, who had yet to understand the seriousness of the matter, not only failed to apologize but also launched into a barrage of ridicule at Talia, who looked like a beggar.

He had even declared that he would roast her other familiars as well and throw her a super—great barbecue party!

In the end.

The reckless "Lanchi" got exactly what he had asked for. Talia killed him instantly, causing a huge pile of gold coins to drop, and took the ancient relic Poem of Compassion, treasured by his family.

This stolen wealth also became extremely important start-up capital on Talia's path to restoring the demon race's nation.

In a sense, their benevolent saint, Mr. Lanqi, really had been Talia's great benefactor.

"I don't want to be Talia's number-one sugar daddy—!"

Sitting on the bed, Lanchi covered his head as though he had just awakened from a nightmare.

Calm down.

Look on the bright side.

Things actually weren't that bad.

Since he knew about "Lanchi and Talia's feud," all he had to do was prevent it from happening!

Don't provoke this demon powerhouse, and safely send her out of his family's territory. Easy!

At this very moment, in this brand-new world,

Lanchi felt a long-lost surge of drive and spirit!

It must have been the good fortune earned from obeying the law and doing good deeds in his previous life.

From now on, his wonderful life as a rich young master was beginning!

Financial freedom, and no more overtime! Wealth and power—what a dream!

Just then.

A light knock sounded at the door, interrupting his thoughts.

"Young Master, are you awake? You told me to wake you earlier yesterday..."

As though she had heard the movement inside, a faint female voice came from outside the door.

"I'm awake."

Lanchi answered. He got out of bed, but had barely stepped onto the floor when he almost tripped over a pile of wine bottles by the bed.

He paused.

Right.

Ever since his predecessor had turned sixteen and become an adult last month, he had developed a bad drinking habit.

That was why his memories of the past month or so felt somewhat fragmented.

It seemed that his predecessor also often got drunk, went on drunken rampages, and did stupid things.

As for the original story's "Lanchi provoking Talia," he wondered whether that had also happened because he was drunk.

See? Excessive drinking harmed people.

Thinking this, Lanchi changed his clothes.

He had just walked out of the bedroom

when he noticed the trembling maid standing beside the door.

The maid seemed to have been forced to carry out the young master's unpleasant order, while also fearing that waking him would send him into a furious rage and bring her a scolding.

"Good morning."

Lanchi spoke in a calm tone.

"Huh?"

The maid looked surprised and let out a sound without thinking.

She seemed to be judging Lanchi's mood that day.

Then she came to her senses and hurriedly said to Lanchi:

"Master has been waiting for you in the dining room."

Lanchi nodded.

He knew that his predecessor's parents were both still alive, so he was not an orphan.

They were busy managing the merchant association's affairs, however, and had practically left Lanchi to his own devices in recent years.

Even his father returning home these past few days counted as a rare occurrence in his predecessor's memories.

As he thought about this, Lanchi walked along the manor's corridor.

Without exception, every servant shrank back, bowed deeply, and then hurried away as though fleeing.

It seemed his predecessor had caused no shortage of trouble for the people around him.

Lanchi sighed inwardly.

Although he did not have many memories of being drunk, his predecessor apparently became irritable when intoxicated and would throw things around recklessly. It was only natural that the servants were afraid of him.

Lanchi soon arrived at the dining room.

At the far end of the long table sat a middle-aged man—Lanchi's father.

"You're late again today."

His father was not reprimanding Lanchi. He was merely stating a fact.

"I'm sorry. I won't drink excessively anymore."

There was no need to give up on himself from now on, either.

Lanchi was very satisfied with the life of a rich young master.

He had only one goal in life—

to live freely, peacefully, and comfortably.

"Sit down."

All the servants in the hall were clearly astonished by Lanchi's attitude.

After his father stared blankly for a moment, he still nodded and replied.

"All right."

Lanchi looked at the sumptuous food on the table, which did not fit his definition of breakfast at all, and sat down in his place.

For some reason.

He felt that something was strange.

Then, without thinking, he raised his head and stared at a cooked dish in the center of the long table.

—On the plate lay a roasted pigeon with golden, crispy skin.

It had been evenly coated in an aromatic seasoning, and even after being cut apart, it still retained a perfect shape.

"This is..."

Lanchi's expression turned strange. He slowly raised a finger and pointed at the pigeon.

The more he looked at it, the more inexplicable déjà vu he felt.

His father did not answer immediately. The attendants in the distance also looked at Lanchi in confusion.

Lanchi seemed extremely strange to them today. In short, he was very gentle.

"That's the pigeon you shot down yesterday. The servants prepared it as today's breakfast according to your request."

His father raised his head and glanced at Lanchi before saying flatly,

"You were so drunk last night. Have you forgotten again?"

Lanchi: ""

Yesterday?

The pigeon I shot down?

Feeling that something was terribly wrong, Lanchi hurriedly reached his fork toward a dish he did not recognize and pretended to remain calm.

Although the roasted pigeon on the plate was already beyond recognition,

a careful look at its shape and outline

finally convinced Lanchi beyond all doubt that it was the pigeon belonging to Talia, the Great Demon Race.

After all, he had drawn Talia's familiar himself.

"Are you all right?"

There was no way his father's eyes could miss Lanchi's strange behavior.

"I'm fine. Just the aftereffects of excessive drinking. Alcohol really does harm people."

Lanchi smiled at his father, then continued eating breakfast.

Seeing the miserable state of Talia's familiar, Lanchi felt as though something were stuck in his throat.

You really are a monster, predecessor...

You turned someone else's familiar into this.

And then you wanted to ridicule her like that.

If she didn't kill you, she wouldn't deserve to be the Demon Race's ruler!

Lanchi couldn't help wondering whether the pigeon, crisp on the outside and tender within, could still be saved.

The answer was no.

Then the most reasonable thing for him to do now was obvious.

He should completely destroy the evidence, pull himself together, and recover from his hangover.

Thus, he finally reached out, picked up the pigeon leg, and put it into his mouth. He bit into the crispy roasted meat, rich with salt and infused with grease, and its marvelous flavor spread through his mouth.

He was thoroughly satisfied.

He could take the bones out to feed the dog later.