KnowingAutumn
Quick idea, you could always just have Rudeus still existing, but in another body somewhere else. It is not like the fatso that reincarnated into Rudeus HAD to be reincarnated as Rudeus, son of Paul and all that. This way there wouldn't really be any trouble regarding plotholes since we DO NOT fully know or comprehend how reincarnation in that world works. All you'd need to do is decide where Rudeus would be reincarnated at, and make sure to show him. Maybe in that Royal family that the prince had an unhealthy obsession with Roxy. He'd do well there and he would still meet Roxy and he could still come to the academy later
You know that you could have just made the mc and rudeus have the same past world right? since the mc is not a modern guy isekai'd to fiction world, it's a fiction mc reincarnated to another fiction world, same as rudeus, so nanahoshi girl would still be summoned while original rudeus would, i dunno die for real maybe or whatever.
Почему бы просто не считать данный мир как 2 попытку Орстеда, потому как он все же допустил ошибку при бое с Хитогамой (когда Рудеус уже умер). А когда он будет ожидать возможность снова встретить Рудеуса в новой петле времени только в этот раз будет другая душа. Встретятся например на центральном континенте с все той же нанохоши но произойдёт в другом месте и в напарниках у Рудеуса будет другой партнер. Из замка Атофе можно выбраться через пол года после попадания в него. Атофе поймёт что тут он не может развить себя дальше и при одном из разговоров согласится на дуэль. Приняв ее сразится с Рудеусом с магическим мечем, посчитает его сильным и после легкого расспроса отпустит предложив помощь в поисках хоть и не большую. После крепости Рудеус пойдет за Сильфетт в Асору и там далее
Please read whole comment before forming opinion on comment Sorry for the size This will probably be a unpopular idea/suggestion because it may lead to a longer wait for us readers but comparing the "source material" to "similar materials" would be a potentially good option for finding something that "alread exists" or getting a bit of inspiration for something new to deal with the "issues" After getting your "research results" I would recommend then doing a read through of your story to determine your plans for the story like does something or someone need a "tweaking" for the new plan or do you need to squeeze a bit of something into the story somewhere After planning is done personally I think it's better to do a rewrite without taking down the story as that causes lots of issues just post the rewritten version's chapters after this "chapter" with it noted in the summary Please understand this is just me trying to suggest things that I think are helpful in the hopes that the author can get any use from it so even if the stuff I suggest is not what you want to do it also tells you directions you don't want to go in Good luck