Early in the morning, Valerian opened his eyes, piercing through the darkness that clouded his vision.
The headache that had tormented him before was gone. In front of him stood a maid, watching him anxiously.
"You've finally woken up, my lord... I... I will go fetch the doctor!" she said nervously before rushing out of the room.
Valerian paid no attention to her departure. Instead, he stared at his body—a body that was not his.
"So, this is real... I've been given another chance."
A smile formed on his lips as he sat up from the bed, then laughter bubbled up from him, even as tears fell like rain.
"I've been given a second chance... Thank you, God, for this."
Suddenly, he remembered something important—a mysterious voice he had heard during his transition.
"That voice… Who did it belong to? Was it the one who brought me here?"
His smile gradually faded as he delved into his newfound memories, searching for anything that might help him.
Images flashed before his eyes, but they did not belong to him. They belonged to this stolen body—one that was part of the Lucard family, a family that had lost its royal title and had become nothing more than a forgotten name struggling to reclaim its former glory.
But this body was not just any member of the family; it was its disgrace. The one with a broken talent, the weakest of all.
Although the family was no longer royal, they had retained immense wealth, allowing them to train talents and maintain their influence.
Valerian's expression darkened the more he explored the memories of the original owner of this body.
He had been the subject of ridicule and scorn, beaten and humiliated mercilessly simply because he had been born with a weak talent.
Valerian then recalled his own past and found himself in the same position.
"You and I... we're alike."
His voice carried a deep pain, an echo of memories that were still fresh in his mind.
He fully understood the original Valerian's suffering—how much he had struggled, how hard he had trained, how desperately he had tried to prove himself... all in vain. Even his own father had disregarded him, believing that those without strong talents were unworthy of anything.
"It seems we're two sides of the same coin..."
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. The door swung open, revealing an elderly man in a white suit.
"Finally, you've regained consciousness, my lord."
His voice was slightly trembling as he gazed at Valerian with concern.
"Please, return to your bed so I can examine you."
His tone was somewhat sharp, reflecting the fear he felt for his lord's condition.
Valerian returned to the bed, noting how soft and comfortable it was.
"What a comfortable bed... Maybe I should never leave it."
He quickly dismissed the thought when he saw the doctor's frail, trembling hand grasping his.
He noticed the contrast between his young, muscular hand and the doctor's weak, aged fingers.
"You're fine, but you need to eat some food and take the medicine I will prescribe."
The doctor pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled down some instructions before handing it to the maid and leaving, his steps slow and heavy, as if his worry had drained him.
The maid also left to fetch food, leaving Valerian alone with his thoughts.
"Is there nothing for me to do now?"
Then, he recalled something else...
That glowing screen he had seen before losing consciousness.
He couldn't remember its contents, but he remembered that it had appeared suddenly.
"Was it a screen like those in games?"
He tried to summon it.
"Main screen."
...Nothing.
"System."
...Nothing.
Running his fingers through his hair, he began thinking.
"How did it appear in the first place? Was I just imagining things?"
But he quickly dismissed the idea.
"No, that's impossible. After what happened to me, anything is possible."
He tried again, this time smiling as he whispered:
"Open menu."
...Nothing.
"For God's sake, how am I supposed to summon you?!"
His teeth clenched as he rubbed his head.
And finally, without thinking, he uttered:
"Just appear already!"
Suddenly, a blue light glowed before him, and the words he had seen earlier appeared:
> [Name: Valerian Lucard]
[Rank: Human]
[Talent: Broken]
[Skills: Fate Theft – Level 1 (This skill allows the user to steal a skill, future opportunity, or talent from a person).]
His eyes widened as he stared at the skill description.
"Fate Theft? That sounds like an overpowered skill!"
He reached out to touch the screen, expecting his fingers to pass through it, but instead, they met a solid surface, as if it were glass.
Then, he read the skill's details.
"It allows me to steal a weak skill for ten minutes... Steal a future opportunity... And steal a person's talent?"
The higher the person's rank, the lower the chance of success. And the consequences? Unspecified.
His face twisted into a frown.
"So, the bigger the theft, the greater the consequences?"
There was no response.
"I guess you're just a silent thing... Like a phone, nothing more."
Finally, he stood up and left the room, finding the butler standing outside, looking at him in confusion.
"Where are you going, my lord?"
His face was devoid of any expression.
"You are ill, you cannot leave."
"Hmm... Just accompany me."
He had someone in mind.
"Zeke..."
That boy who appeared in his memories.
Someone with a strong talent, though not the strongest. Yet, he had used his superiority to crush Valerian at every opportunity.
Walking through the hallways, he observed the family portraits adorning the walls, showcasing the faces of powerful ancestors who had shaped history.
Then, he arrived at the training grounds.
He saw knights training rigorously, their scars bearing witness to the harshness of their regimen.
But his eyes settled on a red-haired boy wielding a metal spear.
"Zack..."
He was sparring with his instructor, but the latter effortlessly blocked his strikes with bare hands.
Everyone stopped when Valerian entered.
Zack stepped forward, a smug smile on his face.
"Look who decided to show up, guys... Lord Valerian!"
He bowed along with the others out of respect, though his words dripped with mockery.
"Are you here to train with us? Or will you just keep watching?"
"I'll just watch."
Zack raised an eyebrow.
"Tsk, what a coward."
Then he spat on the ground and resumed his training.
But Valerian didn't care about his words. He was focused on something else.
"Let's test my first theft..."
> [Skill Theft Activated.]
Suddenly, Zack felt something strange.
He grew weaker.
Then, he collapsed, screaming in pain, while Valerian felt a massive shock surge through his body.
And finally, he fell into darkness.
Everyone in the arena stared in disbelief, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Zack—the boy who had always been the strongest among his peers—was now lying on the ground, writhing in agony, while his instructor looked at him with concern.
As for Valerian, he suddenly collapsed without warning. His breathing was erratic, his body trembling as if struck by lightning.
> [Congratulations! You have stolen the talent "Inferior."]
[Penalty is being calculated...]
[Penalty: Physical Shock.]
And indeed, the penalty was evident as his body convulsed violently.
Meanwhile, Zack tried to stand but felt an unfamiliar weakness. The strength he had always prided himself on, the skill that had made him superior... was gone.
"What... What is happening to me?!"
He looked at his trembling hands, then at his instructor, who stood before him with a grim expression.
"Zack, what's wrong? Why has your level dropped all of a sudden?"
But Zack couldn't answer. He only felt an overwhelming emptiness inside him. Something had been taken from him.
In the meantime, the butler desperately tried to wake Valerian, but to no avail. He decided to call the doctor immediately, while everyone in the arena remained silent, watching the scene unfold.
Someone murmured in fear:
"What just happened here?"
But no one had an answer.
Valerian, the one they had always considered the weakest… had fallen. But this time, he was not the loser.