A grand chamber bathed in gold and silver. The air carried a faint scent of jasmine, and the flickering glow of enchanted crystals cast soft shadows on the walls. The sheer luxury of it was overwhelming.

At the center of the room, on a massive bed that could fit ten people, lay a boy no older than twelve.

Then—

"AHHHHHH!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream tore through the silence.

BOOM!

The doors burst open.

"Young Master Noah! Are you alright?!"

A middle-aged woman in a maid's uniform rushed inside, her face pale with worry. She raised her hands, a warm green light flickering to life in her palms. "Please, lie down! I'll help you!" She used her magic to calm him.

The boy—Brandon, now in an unfamiliar body—blinked, dazed. His breathing was ragged, his heart racing.

What… just happened?

Reincarnation? No. That was just a concept in fiction. This couldn't be real.

But everything that had happened so far pointed to one truth.

It was real.

"Where am I—?"

"Young Master?" The woman's voice trembled—not out of concern for him, but out of fear. Fear of what his mother would do if she found her son unwell.

Brandon's—no, Noah's—gaze snapped to her.

He forced a weak nod. "I'm fine." His voice came out hoarse, unfamiliar.

Best to keep his words short to avoid suspicion.

The maid let out a breath of relief. "I'll leave you to rest, then." She practically fled the room, as if unwilling to stay with him more than necessary.

Noah watched her go, his mind spinning.

Then—

[Ding! You have been reborn in the world of Laeh.]

[Your new identity: Noah Weaverheart, sole heir of the Weaverheart Family.]

His blood ran cold.

Weaverheart.

The name struck him like a thunderbolt.

No. No way.

He knew that name.

How could he not?

This was the novel he had just started reading before his… unfortunate drowning incident.

"The Goddess's Lover is Her Champion."

A medieval fantasy novel filled with magic, swords, dungeons, kingdoms, and powerful families. All the standard tropes.

But the worst part?

The protagonist.

Noah clenched his fists.

"Elijah Stoneheart."

A walking cliché. The bastard son of one of the Four Great Families—the Stonehearts. Born from a prostitute, scorned, ignored, treated like filth. Until his Awakening Day.

Where he unlocked an SSS-rank talent, got blessed by the Goddess, and was handed a broken system that showered him with overpowered rewards after each completed quest.

Just like that, he went from the lowest of the low… to the most coveted person in the kingdom in a single day.

And what did that mean for Noah Weaverheart?

His downfall.

Noah exhaled sharply, forcing himself to stay calm.

In the novel, Noah dies within the first 50 chapters.

Why?

Because at an event hosted by the Royal Family—meant to introduce Elijah as the Goddess's Chosen and announce his engagement to the princess—Noah, the spoiled heir, couldn't handle the humiliation.

He had always loved the princess. They were childhood friends. Their families had promised to engage them when they were older.

And now, just because some random guy got blessed by the Goddess, they changed their minds?

Okay, that's actually logical to be honest. But,

He couldn't stand it.

So he acted like a spoiled brat. He insulted Elijah's mother.

Called her a whore in front of everyone.

Elijah killed him on the spot.

And that was only the beginning.

His mother, Selene Weaverheart—Matriarch of the Weaverheart Family— went berserk trying to avenge him. She fought against three of the Four Great Families' heads… and died.

Died for him.

Because that's who Selene Weaverheart was.

A mother whose entire world revolved around her son.

Her greatest strength.

Her greatest weakness.

And because of her reckless retaliation, the entire Weaverheart Family was wiped out.

Just like that.

Noah ran a hand through his hair, exhaling shakily.

"…I'm doomed."

His body in this life was trash. On his Awakening Day, he would unlock a D-rank talent—the lowest possible. A disgrace to his lineage.

And the worst part?

He had no idea what happened after Chapter 50.

Because he never continued the novel.

Why?

Because the rest of the chapters were locked.

And he didn't have the money to unlock them.

Because he had been saving for that goddamn ring.

Noah closed his eyes, forcing himself not to curse both the bloodline tree of that cheating ex and his own past stupidity.

He took a deep breath.

"System." His voice was steady despite the turmoil inside. "Why did you reincarnate me here? Out of all the novels I've read?"

[Host, it was random.]

His eye twitched. A deep sigh left his lips. "Fantastic. Just my luck."

What the hell was he supposed to do now? He didn't even know how the plot unfolded past his own death.

Noah slumped back against the absurdly soft pillows, rubbing his temples.

Everything was against him.

His talent.

His fate.

[Host, you have me.]

Noah frowned. "Yeah. That's the only reason I'm not throwing myself out the window right now. So… what are you? What can you do? Will you give me quests like Elijah's system?"

[I am the Sovereign Bond System.]

[A cluster of power formed by the residual energy of over a billion destroyed universes.]

Noah's breath hitched. That sounded… ominous.

"And your abilities?"

[As my name suggests, Host.]

[By forming bonds with women, you can share their talent, bloodline, skills, physique, and attributes—amplified by a factor of x10,000. But only work up to 3 rank above you.]

Noah's eyes widened in shock. He immediately sit up, his back straight.

…What ?

WHAT?!

His breath hitched, but he forced himself to focus. "Define 'bond.'"

[Deep emotional connection.]

[Only true love will be recognized. No shallow relationships. Affection level must be at least 70% to form a bond.]

[If their affection drops below that… you lose everything you've gained from them.]

Noah's lips parted slightly in shock. "Wait. So I can't just flirt with random girls and stack power?"

[Correct. Only genuine, meaningful relationships qualify.]

[The System will assist and guide you… but every choice is yours.]

Silence stretched in the opulent chamber.

Noah exhaled, letting the tension drain from his shoulders. His hands, which had been trembling moments ago, steadied.

So this was it, huh? His new reality.

A world where power belonged to the chosen.

Where talent dictated your worth.

Where he was meant to die as nothing more than a stepping stone.

…Screw that.

A slow, sharp grin crept onto Noah's face.

Let me show you how to truly cheat fate.

—End of Chapter 2—