He died as a king... but not a man.
That was the final thought that passed through his mind as the throne room crumbled around him. The marble pillars collapsed like dominos, his kingdom of glass and steel engulfed in arcane fire. Not because of war. Not because of betrayal. Simply... time. His body gave out before his will did.
He died surrounded by honor, wealth, power—yet utterly alone.
And then, darkness.
...
"Host consciousness detected. Binding Genius System... initializing."
"System integration complete."
"Welcome, [Unnamed Host]. Would you like to accept the Tutorial Mission?"
The words echoed in the void, not spoken aloud, but etched directly into his consciousness. A warm sensation, like light made liquid, poured through his mind. He didn't scream. He didn't panic. After all, he had been a ruler—what was rebirth if not another conquest?
"I see," he murmured, eyes still closed. "So this... is my second life."
A beep echoed in his head.
[Tutorial Mission Accepted.]
Reward: Intermediate Magic Knowledge (Elemental Theory) + Cognitive Processing Acceleration Lv.1
And just like that, his world exploded into awareness.
He awoke to sunlight bleeding through white curtains, the ceiling fan above humming in soft rotation. A surprisingly normal room. Polished wooden floors. A desk. A uniform hung neatly on a hook.
Kuoh Academy.The words came naturally. Memories—not his—bled into his consciousness like ink in water. The original owner of this body had recently transferred to Japan. Japanese, English, Latin—languages flowed into him like unlocked doors.
He looked at himself in the mirror.
No longer the withered monarch who ruled with wisdom but lacked talent. Now, he had a lean, youthful body with sharp cheekbones and golden eyes—eyes that held a regal glint far beyond their years. His jet-black hair, slightly tousled, framed a face too refined for a typical student.
Clothes, he realized, were out of sync with the aesthetic in the room. Too plain. He rummaged through the closet and pulled together a Kuoh Academy uniform—but re-tailored, clearly custom-fit. He smiled.
If I must walk among children, I may as well look the part of a prince.
[Genius System - Active]
• Current Mission: "Familiarize with Modern Education."
• Read at least three academic textbooks.
• Study modern Japanese history.
• Attend your first homeroom at Kuoh Academy.
• Reward: Enhanced Memory Consolidation Lv.1 + Basic Devil Energy Comprehension (Locked Until Awareness Triggered)
Interesting. So even the system required effort. It offered knowledge, but no shortcuts to mastery. No fireballs on day one. No sword of destiny. Just him, and the brilliance he'd never had in his last life.
That... pleased him.
- Kuoh Academy -
It was a strangely picturesque school. Old-style European architecture fused with Japanese sensibility. He walked through the front gates with quiet grace, drawing gazes immediately.
Girls whispered behind hands. Boys eyed him cautiously.
His name was now Reiji Arcanum—the surname he chose himself, a tribute to the lost magical language of his past world. His new life began here.
"Are you the transfer student?"
A soft voice pulled him from thought. A girl with short black hair and glasses approached, clipboard in hand. She had the aura of someone used to command, but not unused to loneliness.
Sona Shitori, he realized, scanning the memory fragments. Student Council President. Leviathan's younger sister. Tactical mind. Reserved heart.
He bowed slightly, refined and exact. "Reiji Arcanum. It's a pleasure, President."
She blinked. "You already know who I am?"
"Of course. It would be disgraceful not to understand the structure of one's new domain."
She hesitated. "...Interesting way to put it."
Class 2-B. Homeroom.
He was introduced by the teacher as the new transfer student, and naturally seated by the window. His desk neighbor?
A certain brown-haired, perverted young man named Issei Hyoudou, who was currently nose-deep in a suspiciously hidden adult magazine.
Fate had a cruel sense of humor.
"Yo, I'm Issei! Nice to meet ya!" Issei said with a lopsided grin. "You're seriously good-looking, man. Girls are already staring."
Reiji offered a polite smile. "You seem energetic."
"You don't know the half of it. So... do you like big oppai or slim ones?"
Reiji blinked. "I wouldn't know."
Issei paused. "Wait... don't tell me you're pure?"
"I was once a king, Hyoudou. But of many things, never of romance."
Issei blinked, confused. "...What?"
"Nothing."
System Notification:
[First Objective Completed.]
Attended first homeroom
Academic Review: 3 textbooks scanned
History: Modern Period comprehension – complete
Reward Unlocked:
• Enhanced Memory Consolidation Lv.1
• Basic Devil Energy Comprehension (Locked - Trigger Condition: Witnessing Supernatural Phenomena)
By lunch, he'd already gained the attention of half the female population.
By final period, he had memorized every class textbook.
By sunset, he stood at the school rooftop, gazing at the crimson twilight.
"I can feel it," he muttered. "This world... is bursting with secrets."
And then it happened.
A flicker of movement below the school building. A man—no, something not human. Wings of shadow. A girl cornered against a wall.
Fallen Angel.
His first step into the supernatural had come.
And Reiji Arcanum was ready.