Reincarnated as a Bastard Prince with a System

Prologue-1

"What is this…?"

Valerius stumbled back on his butt as he witnessed a bizarre scene unfolding in front of him! It took him a second more to realize that the blue flame blazing like an infernal fire was not actual flames but the eyes of a certain being.

Valerius’s eyes shook as they slowly adjusted to the darkness and gazed at the being in front of him.

"What the he...!"

The words got stuck in his mouth as heavy sweat started to pour down his face. His face turned grim, and life left his body as he looked at what was present before his eyes.

-Gulp!

A huge figure towering more than 30 feet. Scales that moved as if they were alive and shone brightly like jewels.

Two enormous black wings that could cover the skies.

And an enormous body coupled with a gigantic horn! It was a being that could intimidate even the gods.

A dragon!

[The will of the Dragon Monarch, Acnologia, has responded to your call and has awoken from its deep slumber]

He heard an otherworldly voice resonating inside his head, shortly after which the dragon’s attention turned to him!

{Your call has reached this monarch. Under the name of the Dragon Monarch, Acnologia, I will grant you power and greatness. Offer your mind and body… Hmm?}

The enormous dragon that was exuding majesty just a second ago stopped still for a second, seeming to have taken aback after looking him up and down.

{....A child? Why is a child here…? Wait, two souls in a single body? ……What the heck are you?}

The wisest being in the world, the dragon monarch asked in confusion!

***

Prologue-2

I often had this thought throughout my life.

'Am I destined for failure?'

A question that lingered in my mind, like a haunting melody that refused to fade away.

As a young man with boundless potential, I once harbored ambitious dreams and lofty goals. Being a gold medalist from a prestigious National Institute, I stood on the cusp of greatness, fueled by the belief that success, honor, and fame were my birthright.

Yet, reality unfolded like a cruel script, written the moment I entered this world as a son of a destitute family.

My mother departed early, leaving me to survive amidst the treacherous waters of life, all alone. And my drunkard father only deepened the shadows that enveloped my path. Three meager meals were a luxury for me, to the point I found solace in the absence of siblings who might have forced me to share even that limited nourishment.

Still, amidst the hardship, I clung to a solid belief that education and relentless effort could carve a different destiny for me.

A life where full stomachs, comfortable beds, and clean clothes weren't distant fantasies. A life where having enough food, a comfortable bed, and clean clothes wasn't a far-off dream. They were just simple wishes... or so I thought.

Yet, standing on the edge of despair, doubts gnawed at my soul. Were my dreams too big? Was wanting a bit of comfort a crime, dreaming of a better life a sin? I questioned everything, haunted by the uncertainty of my fate.

"They say money can't buy happiness," I grumbled, staring emptily at a hanging rope, “What a load of bullshit!".

Only those who have it would say such nonsense.

In reality, money is everything!

Without money, life was just an uphill battle, a tough fight against an unfair society and an indifferent legal system.

Even with a master's degree and gold medals, my pleas fell on deaf ears. Justice favored the privileged, forcing me to confront a cold, harsh reality. 

Approaching the end, resentment boiled within me—not aimed at my fellow humans, but at some higher power, be it real or imagined.

"Why me?" I asked the skies, unsure if any god heard my plea.

"Why the hell do I have to be the one to bear all the sufferings? why not others?"

Was I in the wrong to ask such questions while being a mere mortal? Maybe.

But even now, inches away from death, I don't regret anything I did.

A smile touched my lips as a black cloth covered my face. Was it a happy smile or a bitter, self-mocking one? I couldn't tell.

Nevertheless, with the noose tightened, a last, desperate wish slipped from my lips.

"If I had another life, let my family be rich, you darn god."

In my last moments, as I drew my final breath, the image of the woman who birthed me blurred in my mind.

‘Perhaps things could've been different if she were alive’

That was the last thought I had as I felt the cold grip of the hanging rope.

*****