Reborn as a Side Character: Secrets of a Forgotten Scholar

The smell of old paper and ink filled his senses as Cendikia blinked into consciousness. He could hear the faint rustling of parchment, the muted hum of distant voices that subdued, scholarly, and unfamiliar. His mind struggled to make sense of where he was, each breath slow and disoriented.

He lifted his head, vision blurry as his surroundings came into focus. Rows upon rows of bookshelves loomed overhead, stretching far beyond his line of sight. The light was dim, casting long shadows across the floor, and the air carried a musty scent. For a moment, his mind latched onto the strange atmosphere. am i in the library? But it wasn't the kind he remembered, nothing like the libraries he used to frequent.

He frowned, trying to gather his thoughts. His head ached, like he had just woken from a long, restless sleep.

Where…?

Memories rushed forward suddenly, colliding with each other in a chaotic storm with his life as a scholar back on Earth, his endless hours spent poring over ancient texts, his quiet, detached existence. And then, a sharp, painful memory of the last thing he could recall: a sudden accident, the screech of tires, a blinding flash of light… death.

I'm dead…

The realization hit him like a blow to the chest. He should be dead. So why was he here?

He rubbed his temples, forcing himself to stay calm. His body felt strange.. too light and unfamiliar. His fingers, delicate and pale, trembled as he lifted his hands to inspect them. This wasn't his body.

Panic flared in his chest, but before it could fully set in, a strange voice echoed inside his mind.

[System Initializing…]

He froze.

[Welcome to the world of Aurelia, Cendikia Paramarta.]

His breath caught. Aurelia? The name wasn't unfamiliar to him. No.. it was far too familiar. He knew it because it was the name of the world in a book he had once read, a novel about heroes and dark lords, kingdoms on the brink of war, and a chosen one destined to save them all.

But it was just a book. A work of fiction. Wasn't it?

His heart raced as the voice continued, cool and mechanical.

[You have been reincarnated into the world of The Chronicles of Aurelia: Rise of the Shadow King.

You are now a side character: Cendikia Paramarta, a scholar in the Kingdom of Esthara.]

Reincarnated. The word sent a shiver down his spine. His thoughts scrambled to catch up.

"This can't be real," he muttered aloud, glancing down at himself again. His body was too thin, too frail for someone his age. And the clothes he wore were simple and shabby robes, unlike anything he had ever chosen for himself.

The system's voice cut through his disbelief.

[As a scholar in Esthara, your knowledge and skills will help you navigate the challenges of this world. You have access to the Scholar's System, which will guide your growth in combat, strategy, survival, and knowledge-gathering.]

Cendikia felt the weight of those words sink in. His mind raced through the implications, desperately trying to make sense of what was happening. A system. something like a game interface that could help him survive in this world.

But I'm a side character? He recalled reading the novel long ago. The protagonist was a young warrior, Ethan Vale, destined to defeat the Shadow King and save the kingdom. But Cendikia's name hadn't appeared anywhere in the book. In fact, if he was a side character, his role was probably insignificant.

Just a scholar, he thought bitterly. A background figure. Not a hero. Not even close.

He stood up slowly, testing his new body. His legs wobbled but held firm as he walked toward the nearest shelf, his fingers grazing the worn leather spines of ancient tomes. A small part of him felt a flicker of excitement because this was a library filled with knowledge. And knowledge had always been his strength.

But he couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling of dread.

I know how this story goes, he thought, anxiety gnawing at him. The Shadow King rises. War ravages the land. Countless lives are lost. And I… I'm no one.

But before his thoughts spiraled further, the system spoke again.

[Mission Assigned: Unlock the First Fragment of Forgotten Knowledge.]

He blinked, a faint chill crawling up his spine. "First fragment? Forgotten knowledge?"

A small window appeared in his mind's eye, outlining his new task.

[Objective: Discover the lost texts of the Forgotten Scholar hidden within the library of Varlim. Reward: Knowledge Enhancement, Beginner Combat Skill.]

The Forgotten Scholar? His curiosity stirred. This wasn't part of the original novel. The term "Forgotten Scholar" hadn't appeared anywhere in the book he read. A deviation from the story?

His mind buzzed with possibilities. If this system had assigned him a mission tied to hidden knowledge, perhaps he wasn't as insignificant as he thought. And if the plot was already deviating from the book he knew… maybe he had a chance. A chance to change things. To survive.

Cendikia turned away from the bookshelf and started walking deeper into the library. If there was one thing he understood about his new role as a scholar, it was this: knowledge was power. And if he was going to survive in this dangerous world, he needed power more than anything.

As he navigated the quiet, winding paths between the shelves, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of purpose settle within him. He had always been a scholar. Always valued knowledge above all else. Perhaps fate had a twisted sense of humor in reincarnating him as one again.

But this time, he wouldn't stay in the background. No, not if he could help it.

He stopped before a large, dusty tome tucked into the farthest corner of the library. The title was faded, the cover cracked with age, but something about it caught his attention. He reached for it, and as his fingers brushed the surface, the system chimed in again.

[Objective Complete: Unlock the First Fragment of Forgotten Knowledge.]

A flood of information poured into his mind. ancient languages, forgotten histories and arcane symbols. His head throbbed with the weight of it, but alongside the pain came a feeling of clarity.

This is just the beginning, he realized, clutching the book tightly.

As the system's window flickered out of sight, he understood one thing clearly. He was no longer just a side character. The Forgotten Scholar's secrets were his to uncover, and with them, he could forge a path through the chaos of this world. one that he controlled.

And maybe, just maybe, rewrite the ending.