So the "gift" that so-called God mentioned?

Yeah. It was a system.

And not even a cool one.

For a moment, I dared to hope — maybe I’d get legendary quests, growth missions, a fate-breaking cheat ability.

Nope.

It was bare-bones.

No voice.

No quests.

No daily rewards.

Not even a welcome bonus for reincarnating.

Just a plain status window that showed numbers and a tiny shop with nothing in it.

"Thanks, God. Truly divine support."

I opened the status screen again, praying I had read wrong.

*****

Name: Lucien Ashborne

Gender: Male

Age: 16

Race: Human

Affiliation: Imperial Academy / Ashborne House

Personality Traits: Arrogant, Impulsive, Cruel, Entitled

Stats:

Strength: 4

Agility: 3

Endurance: 3

Intelligence: 6

Mana: 4

Charm: 63

Skills:

Mana Control Lv. 1 (Poor)

Horse Riding Lv. 3

Basic Etiquette (Only useful at tea parties)

Intimidation (Useless now that everyone hates me)

Points: 0

System Shop: [Currently Unavailable]

*****

I blinked.

"What the hell is this... garbage?"

He had no combat talent, no magic talent, and his stats were lower than the average commoner foot soldier. He is a cadet and doesn’t even have a single combat related skill.

Yet this idiot was running around the academy acting like a mafia boss?

"...If I didn’t know the story, I’d bully myself too."

If he weren’t the only heir of the Ashborne family, he would’ve been kicked out long before I arrived. Even after causing such a ruckus, I was just exiled till I redeemed myself. Though I still don’t know what they meant my redemption.

I sighed and looked at my neatly packed clothes inside the bag.

Then my gaze drifted around the room — luxurious items, expensive decorations, gold-trimmed furniture.

I had thought I could ignore all that junk.

But now?

"I don’t have the privilege to leave anything behind anymore."

Money was now my lifeline.

I began packing everything that looked valuable:

jewellery, watches, decorative daggers, even that stupid golden lamp.

By the time I was done, the room looked like it had been cleaned out by a professional thief.

I checked the wall clock. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

4 PM.

The dorm eviction deadline was 5 PM.

"I should get moving."

Not only did I need to report to the disciplinary office...

I also needed to find a place to sleep tonight.

I stared one last time at the empty room.

The room that once belonged to a spoiled young master.

Now stripped clean and cold.

My new life started now —

as a disgraced villain in a doomed world.

"...At least I’m not dead," I muttered, slinging the heavy bag over my shoulder.

I headed to the dormitory office, returned the key to the warden.

She didn’t even look at me.

Not one word. Not even disgust — just indifference.

Honestly, that felt worse.

As I walked away, I once again heard whispers behind me.

"There goes the trash noble."

"Finally, he’s out."

"He deserves worse."

I ignored them. I had bigger problems now than bruised ego.

By the time I stepped off academy grounds, the sun was dipping.

Barely one month into the semester...

And I was already homeless.

Bravo, Lucien. Bravo.

Luckily, nobles always carry money, so I booked an inn and collapsed on the bed — didn’t even bother to unpack.

Tomorrow was going to be hell anyway.

****

Morning.

I woke up early, a luxury I didn’t have back home.

Maybe because fear is a great alarm clock.

I checked out of the inn with my bag filled with my new life savings and stepped into the chilly morning air.

I couldn’t live in inns forever — way too expensive.

I needed a place, which meant I needed money.

And I knew exactly where to start.

****

The building I stopped at looked like it should have collapsed five years ago.

A crooked signboard hung above:

"Merle’s Pawn & Trade"

This was a place players always used in the game — a dirty but reliable shop where items were bought at fair prices... usually.

Inside, the air smelled like dust, old wood, and regret.

The counter was staffed by a hunched old man with a beard so long it was practically a scarf.

Thick round spectacles magnified his eyes to owl-like proportions.

His clothes were rough, patched more times than I could count.

But his gaze was sharp.

The kind of sharp that sees numbers in everything.

Without a word, I approached the counter and dropped my bag with a thud.

"I want to sell this."

He raised a brow.

"The bag?" he asked dryly.

"No — the contents."

He stared at me for a moment.

Then, slowly, the corners of his mouth lifted.

"You’re quite the direct one. I like that."

He opened the bag — and gasped.

The gold items.

The jewellery.

The stupid luxury watches.

His eyes sparkled brighter than the gems.

"Well, well, well... Looks like this old man will need a loan to afford all this," he chuckled.

"How much can you give me?" I asked, not wasting time.

"Oh ho... also impatient? Very good."

He stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"Assessing everything properly will take time. Why don’t you have breakfast? Come back by noon."

I nodded and left.

*****

Across the street was a small restaurant.

I sat at a corner table.

The waitress served my meal quickly — a plate of pale, chewy "meat" from some monster I didn’t know, mashed potatoes, and bread.

British cuisine would cry in solidarity.

This world’s cooking was... bleak.

But what else could I expect from a land that’s been at war for centuries?

I sighed.

"I miss fast food. And cola. And pizza. And everything with flavour."

With no better choice, I ordered toast, a sad-looking omelette, and a cup of bitter coffee.

As I lifted my fork to eat—

Ding!

The restaurant door opened.

A group of students in academy uniforms walked in — laughter and conversation filling the room.

My heart sank when I saw who it was.

They were unmistakable.

Bright, confident, talented — the Protagonist’s party.

The heroes destined to save the world.

And I, the disgraced villain, was sitting right in their path.