Chapter 0- Death and rebirth

[46.28]

I looked at my stopwatch which I started just right after I knew I was bitten. My eyes watered but I fought my tears. My body burned but I held it inside. I had a far greater source of attention and I can't miss these last few moments I got with her.

"Bella, you need to go!"

"I won't! I will become a zombie like you! I can't live without you!" My sister had shed more tears than this pain could have ever caused me. And truth be told, far greater than this wound, I was suffering from seeing her like this right now.

I have always protected my sister from every danger, especially when our parents left us. And even after this disease scattered across the globe, I have been shielding her from most of the threats for the past three years. But now, our journey has to be separated here.

We were betrayed by our crew with whom we have been living for the past six months and they left us with no ration and vehicles. All the weapons and supplies were gone when we woke up and since we were somewhere in the townside, there weren't any tall buildings to take cover as well.

Amidst the chaos, after I fired the flare gun to call for help, I got bitten by one of the zombies because of a lack of equipment.

Fortunately, the helicopter arrived and took care of the rest of the inhumane, and they were signalling to Bella to take the rope and fly along with them to some safe place.

But here, this stupid girl...

[32.29]

I glanced at the stopwatch and found I had only half a minute's worth of humanity left.

I held her cheeks and while looking into her warm blue eyes, I said, "Bella, you have to go since it would be worse than death for me to know that I possibly infected my sister."

"But br-" I covered her mouth and shook my head.

In these last moments, every memory I have spent with her flashed across my eyes as I whispered in the softest tone I could produce,

"Bella....you always....always have been my hope to live....so please...I beg you, for me you have to live..." I could feel my throat burning and my eyes turning blurry.

I pushed her away and started to run toward the other side.

"Brother!! No, don't leave me!!!!"

I could hear her cry but more than ever I ran as fast as I could.

"Haaaaa...." My breath became choked and ragged, my lungs struggling to release air in desperate gasps. Darkness crept into my vision, and a numbing void swallowed my mind.

It was a helpless feeling.

I numbly turned around and found my sister being carried away by one of the soldiers.

I found my lips stretching in a smile....at least she would be safe now....and I...I can now die in peace...

*DHAK*

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...

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"Ah?!" Inside a spacious room, far too expansive for a single occupant, a boy with striking crimson hair abruptly rose from his bed, startling the nearby maid who had been quietly attending to her duties.

"Y-Young master?" The said maid stuttered while calling to the young man as she checked his complexion which seemed to be paler than a sheet.

The golden orbs of the boy stared blankly at the wall in front like he was awake but not. Sweat trickled down non-stop and the breathing of the boy suggested he was in pain.

The maid, upon not receiving any response from her master, turned on her heels and dashed out of the room as fast as she could—intending to call the healer.

"What...." The boy spoke up for the first time after waking up. His voice was slightly rough given his dry throat and his eyes were now burning which urged him to finally blink.

Because of the sudden change in scenery the boy, who a moment ago was a twenty-two-year-old man, didn't notice the long red locks covering his eyes and the fact that his voice sounded a lot softer than it should have.

He slowly got up from the excessively comfortable bed and analysed himself—his wrist to be more precise where a large wound should have been visible.

However, there was no doubt that he was in a far better condition and there were no abnormalities to signify that he had turned into a zombie.

The surroundings suggested he was in some kind of expensive hotel room(?) and was wearing clothes which could not have been factory-made.

*Clank*

The doors of the room were nearly shot out of their hinges because of the force being utilised behind the push. From outside entered a crimson-haired woman with tears staining her cheeks and following her, there were two men. But the boy recognised none of them.

"Richie, my baby! You are finally awake!" The woman didn't let the boy—now named Richie—even utter a word before she embraced him with such force that nearly hurt him.

"Madame Duchess, that might not be advisable. Please release young master before he suffocates." One of the two white robe-wearing men asked the lady and the said young master inwardly agreed to the thought.

The lady realised her mistake and immediately let him go, "Did I hurt you, Richie? Does it hurt anywhere?"

The boy scrutinized the woman intently, a nagging sense of familiarity tugging at his thoughts. However, amidst his chaotic state of mind, he couldn't quite place where he had seen her before.

"Sorry, but do I know you?"

The lady froze and so did the two men.

The smile on the lady's face broke, as she asked, "....you don't know me?"

The redhead boy slowly shook his head—and instantly widened his eyes as suddenly the lady began to fall to her knees.

"Careful!" Richie formally known as Richard, helped the lady before she could hurt her knees and the two men also came forward to help.

"M-My lady?!" Suddenly the same maid who rushed away from the room earlier rushed back in and checked on the lady.

Richard was more than just shocked to see that the lady had fainted—just because he didn't recognise her. It shows how much Richard mattered to her.

'But still....why does this feel so familiar....yet I can't seem to remember anything?' Richard frowned and, with the maid's assistance, carefully moved the woman to the bed where he had been lying just moments earlier.

"Uuu....Richie's smell...." The lady mumbled in her sleep before, with a smile, hugging the pillow on which Richard rested his head earlier.

....the way she sniffed it sent a shiver down his spine but he decided to not focus on it for now.

"Young master, do you really don't remember her?" The robe-wearing man who looked like a priest and had a long white beard, stepped forward and asked Richard with a frown.

Richard didn't have any collection of how he ended up here...or whether this was all true or not. In such a situation all he could ask for was,

"Can you give me some time to think in peace? I think I have amnesia."

"Amibia?...what is that?"

Richard raised his brows, but before he could explain them, someone voiced up a command, "Since the young master said he needs some time, I think we should respect his wish and leave him alone?"

It was a man whom Richard utterly failed to notice until now.

Long legs, sharp eyes and by looks one could tell that this middle-aged man has a stern personality.

The two priests gulped at the sight of the man. After exchanging a quick glance with each other, they swiftly departed.

"This way, young master. I will escort you to the guest room." The man spoke after he took a glance at the lady who was still having her time of life on the bed.

Richard had a bad feeling following the man so he said, "Umm, it's okay. I want to stay here for now. You can go."

Richard discerned much that he was the master here and could command whatever he deems right. And thankfully, the lanky man didn't insist and after saying, 'As you wish' he walked out of the room.

Richard looked around the room and found it

was huge and had some doors.

He decided to rely on his luck and opened one of those doors,

"Ah, nice." Mumbling to himself, Richard stepped inside the spacious bathroom.

There was a small pool created on the floor which was sufficient for four to five people to accommodate. However, Richard wasn't in the right mind to think about a bath for now.

He walked toward the sink placed just opposite the entrance and stared at the mirror reflection of himself.

Those golden eyes, that flame-like hair and this charismatic face...

'Have I reincarnated as a fucking mid-rank villain?!'

The surprise from his identity didn't last long before Richard found something more shocking,

[Initializing....]

[Memories retrieved...]

[Loading up the data....]

[Ding!]

[Do you accept the System to be integrated with your soul?]

[Y/N]

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A/N:- Nooooooo