Repeat Vice - The Villainous Noble Doesn't Want to Die, So He Swore to Not Die As One of The Four Heavenly Kings - Chapter 1 - The Future

Chapter 1 – Rougvelt

#1 – 3 Years Before the Prologue

I had been watching an incredibly long, endlessly unfolding dream.

The tale begins with a commoner boy entering a magical academy.

In this academy rooted in aristocratic society, mocked and scorned by his origins as a commoner, the protagonist steadily gains strength, proving himself and overcoming challenges that came to him.

Gradually surrounded by trustworthy companions and numerous charming heroines, the protagonist achieved many successes during his lifetime.

However, suddenly, an ancient sealed demon king was resurrected, leading an army of monsters to eradicate humanity as a whole.

Standing against them are soldiers of the human race; the magical army, and the students of a magical academy—the protagonist and his merry band of friends.

With twists and turns, the protagonist’s forces repel the demon army, eventually defeating the demon king himself.

With the demon king vanquished, peace comes to the human race, and all ends well.

This is the rough outline of the first chapter of that story.

The story continues with the second chapter, the third chapter, and so on, concluding with the fifth chapter of this long saga, where the commoner protagonist achieves numerous accomplishments, marries one of the heroines, a princess, and ascends to the throne as king.

Truly, what a long tale it is.

A story with laughter, tears, and a captivating plotline, at least from the perspective of the common folk.

*

“I… had that dream,” I said to my Butler, Carlos, as the morning sun streamed in through the window, casting its light upon the pitch-black coffee in my mug.

Seated in a chair diagonally across from me, the elderly butler glanced at his pocket watch and shrugged subtly. 

“To spend thirty minutes explaining a dream you had last night… It must have been quite an impressionable dream. I think it’s a story that could resonate with the masses, a story about a commoner’s rise to glory. Perhaps it could be written into a book?”

“Hold on, Carlos. Would one normally go on at such length about a mere dream? The issue isn’t the dream itself but the fact that within that narrative, I—Rofus Ray Lightless, the heir to the Earldom—was part of it.”

“Oh… So you appeared in this rags-to-riches tale? And what role did you play, if I may ask?”

“Don’t phrase it as if it were a stage play! But here’s the thing: in the first chapter, during the protagonist’s school life, I played a rather insignificant role. I was one of the five students who mocked and bullied the protagonist for being a commoner, serving as the lackey to the leader of the group of bullies. It was quite an unremarkable role.”

“I see, I see…”

“But here’s where it gets interesting. In the second chapter, I reappear as one of the Four Heavenly Kings serving the second demon king, known as ‘Rofus of the Shadow Wolves.’ I confront the protagonist, wield my dark magic with considerable force, only to be defeated in battle and ultimately get killed. Quite anticlimactic, really.”

“Heh.”

“Why are you laughing?”

As I glared at Carlos, he coughed lightly, attempting to cover up his amusement.

“…And then?”

“But that’s not all. Why would the heir to the Earldom, me, die so early in the second chapter? And as a particularly unimpressive adversary, no less? It’s preposterous, isn’t it?”

“Even so… Ah, I see. So you’ve been in a foul mood since this morning because of that?”

“I had to endure a dream where I died, and on top of that, the person who killed me went on to become king, all while I’m dreaming endlessly about it. Of course, I’d be in a bad mood. Oh, and by the way, Carlos, you die too. In the battle of the Four Heavenly Kings during the second chapter, you appear as a dark butler and get killed by the protagonist and his merry band of friends.”

“My role is a mid-boss, I suppose. However, it seems rather cruel to dispose of an old man like me so mercilessly.”

“Hmph, well, it’s just a dream.”

And thus, I dismissed that absurd nightmare.

However, the fact that a commoner would rise to become king, surpassing the nobility…

It was the worst nightmare I have had.

But this dream didn’t end there.

That night, I had a similar dream again.

This time, I was surrounded by the protagonist’s forces, including Carlos, and was killed repeatedly, it even emphasizes multiple ways I could die.

And it repeated endlessly.

I fought back with my dark magic, but they relentlessly beat me with weapons of fire and light, my weaknesses.

My death repeated countless times, and eventually, the line between dream and reality became blurred to me.

Was this truly a dream?

I couldn’t wake up no matter how much time passed.

Just an endless dream of me being killed over and over again.

Once killed, the scene would change to being surrounded by the protagonist’s forces again, only to be killed once more.

All the while, being showered with insults.

Called a traitor to humanity for selling my soul to the demon king.

Called a demon who imposed heavy taxes upon heavy taxes, tormenting the people.

Called out for having a sinister gaze, being gloomy, wearing dorky robes, etc…

Yeah, the first one was understandable, but weren’t the second and third a bit off?

Furthermore, at the point where I was killed in the second chapter, both I and the protagonist’s allies were upperclassmen at the academy.

At this point, I had no involvement in managing the estate’s finances whatsoever.

So how could I be called a demon tormenting the people with heavy taxes?

Sure, it might have something to do with the affairs that were happening within the Lightless Earldom’s territory, but even then, labeling someone who wasn’t directly involved in the management of a territory as a demon?

Anyway, as a member of the Lightless family, wouldn’t it be stupid of them to label me as evil?

And the third insult, wasn’t that just plain slander?

Regarding this, I couldn’t quite see the justification for the protagonist’s forces’ actions, but was it because I was on the side being killed?

Also, in this dream, it hurt when I was hit, as if it was real.

It was hot when fire magic was thrown at me, and it wasn’t just a mere light burn.

And the attacks and patterns varied every time.

I felt like I could only move in a predetermined manner, yet the protagonist’s side had a wide range of movements and techniques.

That’s just unfair.

At least let me fight normally, what’s with this turn-based system?

As I experienced my own death thousands, tens of thousands of times, I almost lost my sense of self.

When I woke up, I found myself in my familiar bed.

Outside the window, I could hear the cheerful chirping of birds.

“…Ugh, ugh…”

I cried.

I cried, throwing away any semblance of noble pride that I had.

Even though I was about to turn twelve.

I cried like a child.

Finally, when my tears stopped after an hour.

I regained some composure.

I removed my hold on Carlos’s suit and let go.

“By the way, Carlos. What’s with this smell of smoke? Aren’t you supposed to be on duty?”

“Oh, yes. I’ve been on duty for a few minutes now. Just about five minutes ago.”

Carlos showed me the pocket watch he took out of his pocket.

It was past 5 o’clock in the morning.

I couldn’t believe it was this early.

It seemed that I had been crying in Carlos’s chest even before he started his duty.

“Hmph. It’s commendable to rush to your master’s aid even before duty hours, Carlos.”

“More importantly, what’s the matter? Rofus-sama, the man known for his lively demeanor, is so distraught. The people in the mansion are quite surprised.”

Carlos’s gaze shifted to the door.

Outside the open door, I could see the maids peeking in.

“What are you looking at! Get back to work!!”

I shouted angrily, dispersing the maids.

Had my crying voice echoed throughout the mansion?

It was fortunate that my father and mother were at a separate residence.

“Master…”

“Hmph, it was just an intolerable nightmare.”

Although I put on a brave front, my gaze must have been quite distant.

It was truly an unbearable dream.

No, it was too much to call it just a dream.

It was a dream where I was killed over and over again, for hours, for tens of hours, for thousands of hours.

All while being showered with unjust insults.

No, I couldn’t think about it.

Tears again…

Seeing me shedding tears, Carlos took out a letter from his pocket.

“Let’s change the topic. Rofus-sama, Please take a look at this.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s an invitation to a party.”

“A party? Whose house is it from?”

“Oh, it’s from the Duke’s family.”

“Oh! The Duke’s family?”

“Galeon Duke’s family, to be exact!”

“I see! From the Galeon… Duke’s family…?”

Galeon Duke’s family.

One of the most powerful noble families in our kingdom, ruling the western part of the country.

But wait.

In that nightmare—the one where I was repeatedly killed as one of the Four Heavenly Kings.

The second demon king I served, the person who was the ringleader of the students who bullied the protagonist in the first chapter of the story.

A ruthless man with extraordinary ambition and charisma.

His name was Raymond Rois Norden Galeon.

The eldest son of the Galeon Duke’s family and the heir apparent.

And if the invitation was from that same Galeon family…?

“Goho!”

I vomited.

I vomited loudly.

That’s right.

The story in my dream started from the protagonist’s enrollment in school.

From the protagonist’s first day at school, Raymond had been calling the protagonist a commoner and looking down on him.

Yes, along with his four companions.

Since there were already five of them when they enrolled, they might have known each other even before entering the academy.

Or perhaps they met at this party with this same invitation.

If a noble family was hosting it, it could be inferred that it was quite large in scale.

The fact that the Galeon family, who wasn’t particularly close to the Lightless family, sent an invitation implied that they were sending it to a wide range of households as well.

Most likely, it’s the second demon king’s entourage, specifically the four who would eventually become the Four Heavenly Kings.

If things continued like this, would that nightmare become a reality?

Would I be mercilessly tortured and killed again?

…No.

No, no, no!

I mustn’t let it happen!

As the heir apparent of the Lightless Earldom, I couldn’t allow such an ignoble death.

If that nightmare was about to become a reality, I would crush it with all my might.

Would I let that detestable protagonist, who killed me repeatedly, become king?

No way.

I vowed to myself as I sobbed uncontrollably.