Chapter 1: Death by Vending Machine… and a Second Chance
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Part 1: A Pathetic End
Aiden's POV
I died saving a cat.
Not from a burning building. Not from a speeding truck. No—this fluffy little demon had somehow gotten itself stuck under a *vending machine*, of all things. And like the idiot I was, I tried to lift it.
Creeeak—
The machine wobbled. The cat bolted. And then, with the cruel indifference of the universe, it tipped over—
**CRUNCH.**
Darkness.
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Part 2: "Wait, I'm the *Villain*?!"
When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in a lavish bedroom, staring at a face in the mirror that was *definitely* not mine. Sharp jawline, silver-blue eyes, hair so artfully tousled it looked like a romance novel cover.
"Congratulations, User Aiden! You've been reborn as 'Aiden von Reinhart,' the third son of the Duke of—"
A robotic voice chirped in my head.
Wait. Aiden von Reinhart?
My blood ran cold. That was the name of the *arrogant noble villain* from *Legends of the Twilight Blade*, the fantasy web novel I'd binge-read before my death. The guy who gets his throat slit by the hero in *Chapter 3* for harassing the heroine.
"Error: User's panic levels exceeding recommended thresholds. Activating emergency protocol—Flirt Mode."
**DING!**
**New Quest:** *Survive the Day!*
**Objective:** Flirt with Lady Seraphina (Future Saintess & Your Executioner).
> **Reward:** +5 Charisma, Unlock [Charm Shield] skill.
> **Failure:** Death by "accidental" stabbing.
I choked. *Flirt with the woman destined to kill me?!*
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Part 3: First Encounter – The Icy Saintess
The system wasn't kidding. Within the hour, I was dragged to a royal banquet—where *she* stood across the hall. Seraphina, the heroine, with her piercing silver eyes and aura of "touch me and lose a hand."
"Approach her. Compliment her hair," the system urged.
Me: "You want me to commit suicide faster?!"
But then I noticed something—the way her fingers clenched around her wine glass. The slight tremble. The novel had called her "cold," but this? This was *fear*.
…Huh.
I took a breath, sauntered over, and flashed a grin.
Aiden: "Lady Seraphina, your hair shines like moonlight. It's almost unfair to the rest of us."
Silence. The nobles nearby gasped. Seraphina's eyes widened—
**SLAP!**
My cheek stung, but the system *cheered*.
"Affection +1! (Note: Tsundere-type response detected.)"
Behind her fury, though, I caught it—the faintest blush.
*Oh. This might just work.*
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Part 4: The System's Secret
That night, as I rubbed my sore face, the system finally explained:
"User's survival depends on building 'affection points' to alter fate. Warning: Hero 'Kael' arrives in 3 days."
The screen flickered, then showed something new—a hidden stat:
**"Original Aiden's Karma: -100 (Fated Death)."**
But beneath it, in tiny text:
"System Origin: UNKNOWN. Primary Objective: ????"
I frowned. Was this really just about *flirting*? Or was something darker pulling the strings?
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Just then, my door burst open—not by guards, but by a *hooded figure* with glowing violet eyes.
Mysterious Assassin: "Aiden von Reinhart… you're not who you're supposed to be, are you?"
The system *blared*:
**"CRITICAL QUEST: FLIRT OR DIE."**
**"Good luck."**
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