Chapter 3- A New Path

"Haaah" Roland exhaled heavily and struggled to his feet while urging his fragile body to cease it's trembling.

Tanithil looked at Roland with disdain and a satisfied smile surfaced on her face as she watched his feet almost collapse under his weight. Tanithil lifted her rapier and prepared to deal the finishing blow, should some miracle prevent the poison from taking his life.

Unbeknownst to Roland his treasured pendant that he had grasped in times of confusion, doubt and even the most difficult of situations had begun to absorb the blood from his wounds and started to make changes in his body.

Ding!* New Skill Acquired!

Roland was so occupied he didn't notice a notification appeared on his Q Link then faded right after. Roland who was running purely on adrenaline felt his body grow numb. F***.

By the time Roland had awakened he was greeted by the faint melodies of the birds above his head. There was no Tanithil nor Lusuka instead a strange looking figure stood over him. Did I die? I can't believe that b**** really killed me! Roland punched the ground in anger but there was no pain, if he had any doubt the absence of pain had wiped them away. Roland thought about it and dying wasn't such a bad thing after all, atleast now there weren't any crazy fourteen year old princess trying to kill him anymore. Roland closed his eyes and relaxed his body, aside from the regret he felt for not being able to achieve anything much in life Roland wasn't too caught up with his himself and immediately classified it as him being unable to achieve much due to his unfortunate situation.

"Aren't you a bit too relaxed for a dead person? are you really fourteen years old?" a petite little girl looking no more than nine years old stood over Roland with a questioning gaze , among the dead persons she'd seen Roland was by far one of the most relaxed.

Roland looked at the Loli figure and sighed. Even though she's underdeveloped given a few years she would steal the hearts of a thousand men in a heartbeat!

"I can see why you died" the Loli gave Roland a knowing look and shook her head. She could feel his heated gaze since the moment he had regained consciousness. It was surprising that someone like him would get a second chance.

"Gasp!" a freightened cry came from the person lying next to Roland. Roland turned to the figure and his expression darkened with rage. Sitting next to Roland grasping her own throat with tears in her eyes was a someone Roland had seen too recently, her long straight, dark-blue hair covered her face and ran down to her perfectly sculpted waists, hiding her underdeveloped breasts beneath. This was none other than Lusuka, Tanithil's personal maidservant.

Lusuka gasped for air as tears flooded her face, it was obvious she had just faced an unsavory death.

This is what a dead person should look like! The Loli thought to herself while watching Lusuka's reaction. Compared to Roland she was much more normal.

Roland was about to ask but thought about it and decided not to, knowing Tanithil, Lusuka had probably been killed for helping him. Even though his mind was clouded he could vaguely remember his strength returning to him after that kiss. "You shouldn't have helped me, idiot" he said to Lusuka with a scowl.

Lusuka lowered her head with an apologetic look. Even if it was unwanted she had chosen to help of her own free will "I'm sorry"

"My equal is someone who will never bow their head lightly like this, how distasteful" Roland scoffed. Even though it didn't show there was a great rage brewing in his heart. Tanithil you evil b****!

"Enough wasting time you should have already entered your reincarnation cycle, are you prepared?" the Loli clapped her hands together dismissively.

Lusuka turned to the Loli as the words 'reincarnation' were mentioned and she became hopeful 'Is it possible for me to follow young master into the second life?' she thought.

The Loli gave Lusuka a deadpan stare and knew what she was thinking. Immediately she shattered her hopes "it's unlikely, no it's downright impossible to enter the same lifetime, this lucky bastard over there was blessed by Ananke's saintess and gained a second chance at life" the Loli said, pointing at Roland.

Roland heard the Loli's words and a self confident smile appeared on his face. Blessed by God! Is this God's way of saying the world needs me?! Hahaha I knew I would never die such a dog's death for no reason! "Come on you flat chested Loli send me back!"

"No" the Loli refused

S**** did I hit the wrong nerve just now? She'll still send me back right? Roland started sweating at the thought of the Loli taking out her anger and crippling his reincarnation cycle and regretted his choice of words " beautiful young miss can't you send me back, I'm in a hurry"

"I'm not so petty as to openly give you a hard time don't worry about it, what I meant was I can't send you back to the world you came from since the Roland of that world no longer exists, instead you will be sent to a parallel world closest to the one you lived in"

Beads of sweat rolled down Roland's face. Not openly? Doesn't that mean you'll still give me a hard time?

"prepare yourself there will be a flood of information sent to your brain once you enter this parallel world, dying again means it's the end for you" the Loli gave Roland a haughty warning then turned away . Little did Roland know the world he was headed for would help him to turn over a new leaf.

Lusuka gave a disappointed glance and accepted her fate. Dying by the hands of the princess that had saved her life, how ironic. Lusuka twisted in Roland's direction and smiled with a mixture of lingering respect and regret in her eyes. Even though you fool everyone around you I know you are a wise young master, I wish you a prosperous second chance and I hope the me of that world will stand by you whenever need be, this is goodbye.

****

Roland's eyes bolted open. There was no serene feeling or tranquil air nor singing birds perched upon large trees, instead what awaited him was the familiar feeling of dread from earlier, approaching swiftly was Tanithil's rapier that seemed impossible to dodge. It was as if everything was repeating itself all over again, either that or meeting the little Loli before was a hallucination in his time of despair. Did that Loli set me up to die again? did I really meet that Loli? Roland closed his eyes and pondered as he awaited death. The familiar feeling of having his chest pierced made him bitter inwardly but Roland decided to accept his fate.

Klangg!

The sound of colliding blades made Roland jump for joy. Saved? The chance for a new future made Roland expectant and less stoic as his relief was hard to conceal.

"Carter's hindsight never fails to amaze me, you okay pipsqueak?" Hendrik Siegfried tapped the butt of his cigarette while scrolling through his Q Link, the message he had only received a few minutes ago read 'Hendrik, my investment is being threatened' made him instantly depressed for a reason only Hendrik himself knew.

Roland immediately recognized the familiar neck length dark green hair and washed out, torn clothing of the person in front of him. This was Hendrik Siegfried, Carter Siegfried's elder brother .

"Brother Hendrik!" Roland's eyes shone as his confidence was reignited. Now that he had just grasped a lifeline there was no way the b**** princess could put her hands on him.

Tanithil smirked and swiped her rapier through the air to remove Roland's blood. It was only a matter of time before the poison would kill Roland and there was nothing the Siegfried family could do to save him.

"Roland?" Hendrik yelled in surprise when Roland's figure rushed pass him and towards Tanithil. Hendrik was aware of Roland's prideful demeanor and feared he would risk his life to defend something so vain but his worries were proven to be for naught.