Ascendia's protagonist

Frederick remained silent, his gaze fixed on them, his smile warm and inviting. Eventually, he broke the silence with a friendly tone. "I'm curious, may I ask who all of you are?"

Before the disrespectful male could utter another word, a white-haired woman swiftly intercepted him.

"Greetings, Sir Xandris. I am Princess Esme Duche Zach Xiveras. Please call me Princess Esme. The Emperor has sent me to first congratulate you on your recent affinity discovery. We have brought gifts and wish to celebrate this joyous occasion for the empire," she said as she slowly approached one of the sofas before sitting on it gracefully still accompanied by two of what seemed to be maids.

The princess was a vision of ethereal beauty, with long, flowing white hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall of snow. Her piercing sapphire eyes held a hint of mystery, framed by delicate eyebrows like strokes of ebony. An intricate silver filigree crown rested atop her head, accentuating her regal bearing. She wore an elegant gown of pale blue silk, its intricate embroidery hinting at a realm of enchantment. Every movement exuded grace and poise, and her presence commanded attention from all around. Overall, the princess was a vision of timeless beauty, with her white hair, sapphire eyes, and regal demeanor coming together to create an image that was both captivating and unforgettable.

However, Frederick paid little attention to her beauty as he was busy frowning internally. He perceived hidden implications in every word and action of hers. Crudely translated, her message might as well have been: "I'm the princess sent by the emperor of the country, so behave. It's impossible for anyone to stay undetected when they have a perfect dark elemental body, so you're suspicious and you must explain your background. I bought some gifts from my own pocket and the moment you accept those, it would be like if you became my follower from my siblings' point of view. You cannot escape the empire, as you now belong to us."

Frederick took a brief moment before responding, his expression grateful yet cautious. "I truly appreciate the gesture and extend my gratitude to the emperor for his kindness. However, I must respectfully decline the gifts."

Before Esme could reply, the male accompanying her interjected with a burst of indignation. "Don't you dare disrespect Princess Esme! She personally provided those gifts!" His voice resonated with fervor, defending her honor. Frederick regarded the man with a composed gaze, his tone even and inquisitive. "Ah, I see. My apologies for any confusion. May I inquire about your identity?"

At this point, Riley, who had been relatively quiet, chimed in with a hint of admiration in her eyes. "He's Rian Stormrider, often known as the 'Dark Thunder Sword.' A rare talent in both dark and lightning elemental arts. He achieved the top ranks at the Imperial Academy multiple times after being rejected by his family. He became a beacon of hope for our nation after having defeated the unmatched genius of the neighboring kingdom of Corinthia, and there are even some rumors about Rian being Princess Esme's lover—never mind." Riley suddenly halted her words, her gaze shifting to observe Esme and Rian's interaction closely with a bit of shame.

Frederick, who had been silently watching Rian. Frederick slowly thought of a hypothesis as he was watching Rian. Throughout his life, he hadn't been much of a fiction reader, nor did he particularly enjoy it, as he was too focused on work. However, his best friend, Jacob, had a penchant for fictional tales. They would frequently meet up to discuss Jacob's latest readings. Frederick cherished their time together, and even though he found the stories rather boring, he never revealed it to Jacob. Occasionally, he even pushed himself to read some novels just to engage in conversations about them with his dear friend.

'Even I, who doesn't read stories that much, find this cliché… I'm 70% sure that he's probably the protagonist of this world. But isn't this weirdly convenient to meet the protagoni—what is he doing?' Frederick was looking at Rian with perplexed eyes. Rian was acting strangely as he was staring at thin air before suddenly glaring at Frederick with murderous eyes. A sudden realization struck Frederick: 'Staring at thin air... wait don't tell me that …'

Before Frederick could react, Rian lunged at him suddenly, catching Frederick off guard. Rian's jet-black sword crackled with electric energy, gleaming ominously in the dim room. Frederick, lacking any supernatural abilities, struggled to comprehend the imminent danger as Rian's blade descended upon him like a tempest.

The initial strike sliced through the air with blinding speed, its dark edge resonating with the intertwined power of the void and lightning. Frederick's attempt to dodge was a fraction too late. The sword landed on his left arm with a sickening thud, tearing through flesh and bone. Blood gushed from the wound, staining the nearby sofa a grim red. Though wracked with agony, adrenaline kept Frederick on his feet.

Exploiting his initiative, Rian relentlessly pressed his advantage. Each swing of his sword was accompanied by bursts of crackling lightning, and Frederick struggled to defend himself. Despite his efforts, the lightning's paralyzing shock from the first attack still coursed through him, hindering his movements and leaving him vulnerable.

As the one-sided battle raged on, Frederick's strength grew weaker despite his unwillingness. His resistance grew weaker with every passing second, and his vision started to dim. Rian's assault continued, strike after strike, until he suddenly took a big step back and with a wave of his hand, summoned a 2-meter spear made of a kind of dark matter before throwing it at Frederick.

Frederick attempted to dodge, but the dark spear was still heavily hit his left leg. Strangely, though, the spear didn't harm him and passed through his leg as if he were a ghost. If the spear hadn't torn his pants, Frederick might have thought Rian had missed. This surprising occurrence caught Frederick's attention briefly, but he was too focused on staying alive to dwell on it. Noticing that his spear had no effect, Rian's frustration grew, and he intensified his attack on Frederick, becoming even more frenzied.

The room's occupants were frozen in shock, unable to utter a word. It wasn't until Frederick was drenched in his own blood that Princess Esme snapped out of her stupor and intervened with a yell. "Rian! What madness has taken you?!" Esme's voice cracked with a mix of anger and concern. She raised her hand, conjuring a sudden wall of water that separated the whole room as well as Frederick and Rian. Her eyes blazed with disbelief and fury. "Why have you attacked him?! Have you lost your senses?!"

"Esme, please trust me for now. We have to stop this bastard first to save the world," Rian said seriously, his gaze filled with anger as he stared at Frederick.

"What are you talking about?! You're supposed to be my guard, not attacking innocent people!" Esme shouted back, her voice filled with frustration.

The room was filled with an intense and heavy atmosphere. The air seemed to thicken with tension as the shocking scene unfolded before everyone's eyes. Esme's anger clashed with Rian's determination, and Frederick stood wounded and bloodied, his expression a mix of pain and a frown.

Esme's eyes bore into Rian, her gaze a mixture of disbelief and fury. Her voice trembled with a mixture of emotions as she struggled to comprehend the situation. "Rian, answer me. This is beyond madness! Why would you attack him? He's not our enemy!"

Rian's gaze remained fixed on Frederick, his expression unyielding despite Esme's words. "Esme, you don't understand. There's more to him than you realize. He's a threat to everything we hold dear, and we must kill him before he kills us!"

Frederick's voice, though weakened by pain, joined the conversation. "Princess Esme, I assure you, I have no ill intentions! This is a misunderstanding!"

Esme's eyes darted between Rian and Frederick, her mind racing to grasp the truth of the situation. The weight of room's tension was heavy as if the air itself was holding its breath, waiting for resolution. Others in the room remained frozen in shock, unable to intervene or make sense of the chaotic scene unfolding before them.

Riley, who had been observing silently, finally found her voice amidst the turmoil. "Wait, everyone, how about we take a moment to understand what's happening? Attacking each other won't solve anything. Although this hobo is a weirdo, he doesn't deserve to die just because of it, right?"

Tears welled in Esme's eyes as conflicting emotions battled within her. She glanced at Rian, then at Frederick, her heart torn between trust and doubt. The choice before her was monumental. If she let Rian kill Frederick, her siblings would seize the opportunity, and she might lose her rights to succession or even be condemned and stripped of her title. On the other side was Rian, the only one who truly understood her, her only true friend... and lover. Her mind told her that it was nonsense, but her heart urged her to trust Rian, even if it meant losing everything she owned.

Esme was conflicted to the point of pain.

However, she thought of the time spent with Rian and couldn't help but grit her teeth. She pondered the moments spent with Rian, the laughter they shared, the unspoken understanding, and the moments of genuine affection that had brought light to her once monochrome existence. With a clenched jaw, Esme realized that her life had transformed dramatically since Rian's arrival.

Life was dull before she met him, a world of black and white, where her life was defined by rigid rules and obligations. Now, standing on the precipice of this choice, she felt torn between her duty and love, until a little inner voice guided her like a devil's whisper.

After a few minutes that seemed like an eternity, she finally said, "The consequences are vast and complicated, Rian... Are you sure of yourself?"

Rian nodded, his eyes softening. "I understand your situation, Esme. I can't really explain right now, but we must kill him now! He's a threat not only to the empire but to the whole of humanity!"

Meanwhile, Frederick's condition worsened. The blood loss made standing difficult, and he struggled to find a way out. His mind raced, and a realization dawned on him. 'Everything since I arrived here has been too orchestrated, too convenient. The truck incident, the easy path to growing stronger, meeting the protagonist – it's all part of a plot.' thought Frederick as he looked at the status. Or more precisely, at his curse.

<Curse >: One against the worlds (Unique)

One against the worlds (Unique):

Effect: The world will try to kill you by every means possible, and the experience points you earn will be divided by ten times.

Frederick's expression was grim because of his current situation but also at the thought that everything was planned, and he walked right into the trap. 'I have a premonition that this will be hell... I hope I am wrong but it seems that the protagonist also has a system panel that helps him way more than the one given by the Chronicles, as it seems to even provide information somehow... And if we add the fact that even the world is trying to murder me with those plots…'

Frederick was baffled by the challenge of finishing this side story. He couldn't figure out how to succeed. If he tried to assassinate the protagonist, something would stop him. A direct approach might just lead him back here again. Escaping far away wouldn't work either, as the protagonist would always find him, no matter what, either thanks to his "invisible panel" or some "coincidences". It seemed like an unsolvable puzzle.

'I can't fight him nor escape him. That's like fighting a plot armor...'

Frederick's strength finally gave way, and he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud. Witnessing his fall, Esme closed her eyes briefly and murmured, "I apologize, Sir Xandris. I won't ask for your forgiveness, for I know I don't deserve it." With those words, she dispelled the barrier separating Rian and Frederick. Rian's expression shifted to one of triumph as he approached Frederick, his intentions clear.

In his final moments of desperation, Frederick discreetly consumed a small purple marble, a last-ditch effort in hopes that it might trigger something. He clung to a glimmer of anticipation, but sadly, the marble yielded no result. Despite half-expecting the disappointment, it still weighed heavily on him.

As Rian was slowly approaching Frederick, Frederick gathered all his last strength and said, "Ah... It's... Your... System's... quest... right?" Although Frederick wasn't sure if Rian really had a system and such, he wanted to test the waters for the "next time".

Hearing this, Rian frowned and stopped in front of the dying Frederick and whispered to Frederick, "How did you know that I have a system?! Tell me, and I'll give you a painless death." Hearing this, Frederick was satisfied. It was truly one of those classic systems, and from what he heard, it was truly a quest that informed Rian about Frederick.

Seeing that Frederick didn't answer at all, Rian tried to ask more questions but Frederick couldn't hear anything at all.

He had never felt so cold and weak as he slowly fell "asleep" and finally everything went black.