A Painting of the Villainess as a Young Lady - Chapter 3

High school student Misumi Makoto is called into a fantasy world by the god Tsukuyomi, in order to be a hero. However, the Goddess ruling the world isn’t as thrilled to have him there, and kicks him to the edge of the world. Tsukuyomi declares that Makoto is free to find his own way after Makoto is abandoned by the other Goddess.

Damian, a Centurion of the Punishment Unit of the Baroque Kingdom. “Damn it.” Just once. If I were given just one more chance… ‘I would have truly conquered the battlefield with these guys.’ At the age of 30, he closed his eyes on a nameless battlefield. But when he opened them, he found himself back 17 years in the past. And this time, he had a perfectly functioning mana core that could wield magic. ‘This time.’ I will rise higher than anyone else. I won’t be swept away by the turbulent times. ‘I will conquer.’ Damian, who has returned to the past, wields his spear toward the world.

A huge guy is bawling his eyes out. In this day and age? Sure, maybe the world changed while I was away in that other place. I’m not some old-fashioned boomer.But what if that guy is clinging to my pant leg, sobbing and sniffling—And we’re not even acquaintances?Even in modern times, that’s just messed up. Ask any passing kid, they’d agree.So yeah, I shook my leg. He was gross and too close.“The hell’s wrong with you? Crying just ’cause you saw a ghost?” “N-no! I swear, it was really there! You didn’t see it!!”I let the disrespect slide. Barely. He was asking for help and still talking down to me just because I look young?Obviously, I’m not the one who lost his balls. He is.And yet… when I looked where he pointed—Something was there.I threw some coarse salt and looked again.He stared at me like I was insane, but I ignored it.…Yeah. Something was definitely there.It made eye contact.

For five years, Kian tried to beat End Realms: Arcadia — a brutal fantasy game no one ever cleared.He knew every quest, every secret, every ending.And yet, after countless failures, he died… with only one regret.Then he woke up — not as a hero, but as Luca Valentine, a useless extra doomed to die in Chapter 3.Now, on his 1,432nd try, he can’t afford to die.But Luca knows the world inside out.He thought he knew the story. But the story may know him better.