Online Game: Confessing to a Noble Lady at the Start

Victor Clavenna, a former game booster, transmigrates into the body of a viscount in a fantasy world identical to an MMORPG he once played. He immediately finds himself in a precarious position, having just publicly confessed to a minor, the Duke’s daughter, Erika du Croy. This act has drawn the wrath of the nobility and endangered his family’s standing. His sister, Lia Clavenna, a capable but hostile manager of their territory, scolds him for his recklessness but secretly secures him a professorship at the Royal Academy of Magic to shield him from the Duke’s private soldiers. Victor realizes he has inhabited the body of the game’s main antagonist, a villain known as the Scumbag Mage who is destined to be killed by his fiancée, Gwen De Lin, a righteous knight of unparalleled strength.

Complicating his survival is the sudden appearance of Vega, a one-eyed raven claiming to be an evil god named Habika. Vega proposes a contract: in exchange for food, shelter, and the establishment of a church, it will aid Victor. Victor, recognizing the potential power of an ally despite the risks, signs the pact. This bond grants him access to game-like mechanics, including a vast mana pool and a crafting system that allows him to create high-quality potions and magical equipment far beyond the capabilities of ordinary mages in this world. He uses these abilities to craft a Mage’s Hand glove, which stores multiple spells for instant casting without incantations, significantly enhancing his combat versatility.

At the Royal Academy, Victor faces immediate challenges. Erika, humiliated by his public refusal to answer her questions, sets a teleportation trap in his classroom. Victor effortlessly dismantles her spell, retrieves her lost hairpin from another dimension, and demonstrates superior magical knowledge, forcing her to apologize to a commoner student she had accidentally teleported away. This incident establishes his authority and reveals his true competence, shifting student perceptions from disdain to awe. He also takes in Henny, a timid but knowledgeable magic apprentice, as his assistant, recognizing her potential and protecting her from the harsh realities of the academy.

Victor’s primary goal is survival, which requires him to navigate the political and social minefield created by his villainous reputation. He learns that his fiancée, Gwen, is heading to Mount Vesuvius on a mission to investigate a dormant volcano that is actually the slumbering location of a world boss, the Molten Behemoth. Knowing the creature’s true nature from his past life as a player, Victor insists on joining her expedition. He manipulates Gwen into allowing him to accompany her by claiming he needs specific crystals for crafting, using a self-hypnosis spell to ensure his statement is perceived as truth by her Heart of Justice ability.

As he prepares for the journey, Victor also addresses the financial troubles of his territory. He introduces instant-manarecovery potions to the market, a revolutionary product that promises immense wealth. He equips his sister with magical gloves, enabling her to cast spells and defend her caravans, thereby securing their trade routes and improving their economic stability. The narrative follows Victor as he leverages his future knowledge and game mechanics to alter the course of events, turning a death sentence into an opportunity for power and influence while managing the dangerous relationships with the key female characters who are destined to oppose him.