The world we live in really is quite the strange place.
Despite having only one life, People often live with two appearances—almost like a coin that can be flipped to either side.
Either heads or tails?
On one hand, there's the appearance they present to the world—the version that others see and take as their true self. But on the other hand, there's a second appearance: the one they hide behind closed doors, the one they become when left to their own devices.
The man looking in the mirror had always been aware of this fact, but he had subtly ignored it.
He wasn't the type of person bored enough to worry about other people's affairs.
Who cared if the person you were talking to was two-faced?
As long as it didn't affect him, he could carry on with his life as usual.
Well... at least, that's how it should have been.
He never would've thought he'd have to confront this strange truth—not because of someone else, but because of a version of himself staring back at him in the mirror.
"Fuck!"
In a sleek, modern bathroom, a foul exclamation, completely uncharacteristic of the young man's otherwise regal appearance, broke through the air.
The curse seemed so strange because the man in the reflection couldn't simply be described as handsome.
A perfectly chiselled face framed by platinum silver hair, with a pair of bright purple eyes that seemed deeper than the abyss.
But his face alone wasn't his most striking feature.
No, it was the cold, unshakable sense of regal majesty that clung to his every movement.
Despite wearing a crisp, modern academic uniform of white, the person in the mirror had the bearing of a cold, arrogant medieval noble who looked down on the world as if it were beneath him.
'I still can't believe it,' thought the man.
He slowly reached his hand toward his face.
At the same time, the foreign figure in the mirror perfectly mimicked the motion, and as his fingertips touched his skin, a mixture of horror and disbelief churned in his chest.
He was beginning to sink into despair—and it was understandable.
No one would be prepared for something like this.
No one would expect to become a villain from a video game—and not just any villain, but a fraud no less!
Just yesterday, he had been a regular, law-abiding citizen from the best blue planet in the galaxy: Earth.
He paid his taxes. He didn't commit crimes. He even helped the old lady next door carry her groceries from time to time.
So what the hell had he done to deserve this?
[The Saviour from the Slayer Academy]
That was the name of the game. A colleague at work had recommended it, and he'd given it a try.
To his surprise, he'd actually quite enjoyed it.
He'd just finished his first playthrough before going to bed—only to wake up like this!
The game was fun to play but a horror to live in.
The world of the game was one on the brink of collapse, constantly fighting off the threat of destruction.
Extradimensional Demons, colloquially known as EXDs.
The battle against these invaders had never ended. From the era of knights with swords and shields to the current modern day of advanced weaponry, automated warfare, and tech far beyond Earth's capabilities, humanity had fought—and lost.
The living space for humans was shrinking. Society clung to optimistic illusions of victory, but underneath it all lurked a deep, gnawing despair.
In the game, the player began as a student at an elite institution called Nexus Academy, training to become a Slayer—a warrior capable of drawing ambient mana from the air and weaving it into powerful techniques.
These techniques, known as Mana Weaving, were the only effective method of combating EXDs.
The game was rich with dynamic characters, thrilling missions, and an immersive setting that had completely drawn him in.
But instead of waking up as a hero—or even a background character—he had become a villain.
Licht Draven Valtier.
According to his memory, Slayer Society—and wider human civilisation—was essentially ruled by the Eight Great Houses.
These ancient bloodlines were so powerful that even in a futuristic world where nobility should've been obsolete, they were still called "The Eight Great Dukes."
House Valtier was among the most prestigious. A bastion of swordsmanship and Slayer excellence. It was said that their talents shone like the sun itself...
But there was just one small problem:
They were demon worshippers.
Yes, despite humanity's eternal war with EXDs, the entire main branch of the Valtier Clan were unapologetic demon worshippers.
From a certain point of view, they were nothing short of traitors to the entire human race.
Their betrayal wasn't as simple as some twisted ideology—it was built on truth.
Their strength, their fame, their reputation—it all stemmed from a cursed pact that infused their bloodline with demonic power.
As long as the bloodline remained pure, every Valtier carried demon blood.
And Licht—born with the highest concentration of demonic essence since the founder of House Valtier—should have been destined for greatness.
But life doesn't always follow the script.
Calling Licht a disappointment would've been generous. He was worse than a commoner. The only reason he hadn't been cast out as a bastard was because repeated blood tests confirmed his lineage.
Falling from the heights of heaven into the depths of humiliation, Licht refused to accept the label of trash.
Unable to cultivate strength, he turned to the one thing he was good at: deception.
Through lies, blackmail, and manipulation—backed by the power and wealth of House Valtier—he forged the illusion of a genius.
By the time he entered Nexus Academy, the illusion was nearly flawless. Only a few insiders knew the truth.
And yet, that wasn't enough.
Licht wasn't just talentless. He was insane.
Arrogant, petty and delusional. He believed the world owed him everything and would happily burn down anything that got in his way.
Fueled by insecurity and envy, he spent his time sabotaging the game's protagonist, endlessly scheming to tear down those with real talent.
And in the end?
He was shattered—literally.
In one of the game's most brutal cutscenes, he was defeated in battle and had his spine broken like a ragdoll.
Thinking about that Mortal Kombat-style scene still made Licht shudder even now.
'No way. There's no way I'm letting that happen!'
He was just a regular guy from Earth. Why should he suffer for another man's sins?
No matter what happened, he couldn't become like the original Licht.
Yes, it was dire. Yes, it was terrifying.
But it wasn't hopeless.
He wasn't the real Licht. He wasn't a delusional villain.
And the story hadn't even started yet.
If he kept his head down, stayed out of trouble, and finished his studies quietly, he might just survive this world.
Or at least…
"Hehe… at least that's what I thought. How fucking naïve."
Licht chuckled bitterly at his earlier optimism. It had only been a few hours since he'd woken up in this world—barely enough time to accept reality—when he was suddenly thrust into danger.
A crushing presence pulled him out of his thoughts.
Before him stood a stunning young woman with flowing blue hair.
Her deep eyes burned with unfiltered hatred—so intense, it could drown an entire city.
Licht was like prey caught in the gaze of a predator.
He tried to speak—to defuse the situation—but his body wouldn't listen.
Even with death inches away, his trait [Valtier's Pride] locked his body in place, overriding the instincts of his soul.
The woman saw his silence and took it as a sign of arrogance.
Her fury flared, almost tangible in the air, distorting her beautiful face with murderous intent.
"Licht D. Valtier!" she snarled.
"I'll warn you one last time—draw your sword! Draw it so I can kill you where you stand!"
But to understand how our poor protagonist ended up in this moment, we need to go back just a few hours...