Chapter Text
A dull, throbbing pain hammered against his skull.
“Ugh…”
Why does my head hurt so much? What’s happening?
“Ugh…”
The pain surged again, sharper than before, as if his head were about to split open.
“My head… it hurts so badly. If this keeps up, I really might die. No—no, I can’t die yet. There’s still so much I haven’t done.”
After an agonizing few moments, the pain slowly receded, like a tide pulling back from the shore. His breathing steadied. Carefully, he opened his eyes.
What greeted him was not his familiar bedroom.
He was lying on a large, luxurious bed draped in soft fabrics. The ceiling above him was high and ornate, and the room itself was decorated in the style of a medieval nobleman’s chamber—elegant furniture, heavy curtains, and an air of quiet grandeur.
“…Where am I?”
His heart skipped a beat.
“Was I kidnapped? But this place is way too nice for that… Or am I dreaming?”
To confirm his suspicion, he raised a hand and pinched his cheek as hard as he could.
“Ouch!”
The sharp sting made him suck in a breath.
“That definitely hurts too much to be a dream.”
A terrifying yet strangely familiar thought surfaced in his mind.
“Don’t tell me… am I transmigrating? Like in those novels?”
He let out a dry laugh, disbelief mixing with unease.
“I never thought something like this would actually happen to me…”
At that moment, realization struck him with full force.
He had transmigrated.
Suddenly, a flood of foreign memories rushed into his mind. Scenes, names, and emotions poured in uncontrollably, almost overwhelming him.
The original owner of this body was named Klein Moretti, a noble from the Count Moretti family. He had an older brother, Benson Moretti, and a younger sister, Melissa Moretti. There were also two close friends—Welch and Naya.
Yet not all the memories were complete. Some of them felt shattered, fragmented like broken glass, leaving behind gaps he couldn’t quite grasp.
Once the surge of memories settled, Zhou slowly sat up and turned toward a mirror standing nearby.
He got out of bed and approached it.
The face reflected back at him was unfamiliar—black hair, brown eyes, a slim build, and delicate features that gave him the impression of a scholarly bookworm. It wasn’t ugly, but it wasn’t particularly striking either.
“…So this is my new face.”
An average appearance.
After silently observing himself for a while, Zhou returned to the edge of the bed, his thoughts racing as he tried to process everything that had happened.
What should he do now?
As he pondered, something caught his attention.
The light filtering through the window was red.
Frowning, he looked up and froze.
Outside, hanging silently in the sky, was a crimson moon.
Before he could think any further, a mirror suddenly appeared in midair before him. Its surface rippled like water, and a calm, almost polite voice echoed from it.
“Greetings, Great Master. My name is Arrodes. From this moment on, I will be your guide.”
Zhou stiffened. “…Guide? What do you mean by that?”
“You are currently inside a novel titled The Birth of a Hero.”
“The Birth of a Hero…?”
His eyes widened.
“Wait—wasn’t that the novel I was reading a few days ago? I only made it to volume four before I had to stop because of real-life problems.”
“Yes. From now on, I will accompany you.”
Zhou swallowed and took a breath. “May I ask you something?”
“Of course, Great Master. You may ask anything.”
“…How can I return to my original world?”
“A very good question.”
As Arrodes spoke, a blue screen suddenly materialized in front of Zhou. A long progress bar stretched across it, completely empty.
“To return to your world, you must accumulate 1,000,000 Stellar Points.”
“…One million?”
Zhou stared at the screen in disbelief.
“That’s insane! How am I supposed to get that many points?”
“Do not worry, Great Master. That is precisely why I exist—to guide and assist you.”
“To gain Stellar Points, the Great Master must ensure that the story of this novel proceeds smoothly. In simpler terms, you only need to allow the original storyline to unfold without interference.”
Arrodes paused briefly before continuing.
“However, additional Stellar Points may be obtained if the Great Master helps make the story even better—on one condition.”
“…Which is?”
“You must not interfere with, involve yourself in, or disrupt the original plot or its core characters.”
Zhou frowned thoughtfully.
“So basically, I just watch the story unfold. And if I want bonus points, I help improve things from the sidelines?”
“Precisely, Great Master.”
“…I see.”
“Oh, and one more thing,” Arrodes added. “You may also view your Status Window.”
“How do I do that?”
“Simply say ‘Status Window,’ and it will appear.”
“…Status Window.”
Instantly, a blue, game-like interface appeared before Zhou’s eyes.
“Oh, Great Master, you may also access the Shop in the same way.”
Without hesitation, Zhou spoke again. “Shop.”
A new interface opened, displaying various items. Each one, however, required coins to purchase.
“…Arrodes, how do I get these coins?”
“To obtain coins, you must complete daily quests or special quests, Great Master.”
“Quest.”
A quest panel immediately appeared before him.
After a moment of silence, Zhou let out a slow breath.
“…Is there anything else I should know?”
“For now, no. It would be best for you to rest and calm your mind. You may continue tomorrow morning.”
Zhou nodded faintly and returned to the bed, exhaustion finally catching up to him.
“Good night, Great Master.”
“…Good night, Arrodes.”
As he closed his eyes, a bitter yet amused smile formed on his lips.
So I’ve really become a supporting character in a novel I once read.
For the time being, it seemed he had no choice but to remain in this world.
I’ll think about everything tomorrow.
For now… rest was more important.