The Conquerors Path Chapter 4: My New Identity

Austin Lionheart—this is a name that every veteran player of Arizinons would recognize instantly.

In the game, he was a character who evoked nothing but genuine pity from me.

As the younger brother of a major capture target, he was depicted as a spineless crybaby. He trailed after the protagonist constantly, adoringly calling him "big brother."

Possessing a level of beauty that triggered the protagonist's envy, Austin was the type of boy who hid in the shadows and acted with the delicacy of a girl.

While he was rumored to possess latent combat talent, a traumatic event during his early years left him paralyzed by a crippling fear of violence.

That by itself wouldn't have been a disaster, but the game developers decided to use him as a mere sacrificial lamb to elevate the protagonist's status.

The plot revealed that this seemingly innocent kid was entangled in a scandalous affair with his own aunt—the Empress of the Azraeil Empire.

Furthermore, the Empress was so obsessively fixated on him that she eventually chose to self-immolate, dragging him into the flames so they could remain united in death!

It was later exposed that the Empress had forced herself upon him, using blackmail to keep him as her secret plaything while hiding their twisted relationship from the world.

The memory of Austin's desperate screams as he was consumed by fire alongside the Empress still makes me shiver with dread.

Taking a deep breath to settle my nerves, I moved toward the mirror in the room to inspect my reflection.

Staring back at me was an eight-year-old boy. He had striking silver hair and deep, piercing purple eyes. With his chubby cheeks and a dainty nose, he looked incredibly adorable.

Yes, there is no mistake; this is him. Even at this young age, the defining traits of his future handsome face are clearly visible.

‘Th-then that means she is real too. S-so, aren't I basically already dead?!’

‘Wait, wait... breathe. Those events are still in the future. The Empress’s obsession shouldn't have started yet.’

‘That’s right. I don’t need to panic. I still have time to change things.’

Suppressing my rising panic through sheer willpower, I gradually regained my composure.

[Host, is your internal monologue finished?]

“Yeah, what’s the matter?”

[It is simply that I have not yet transferred this body's current memories to you. Please prepare yourself.]

“Memories?”

Only then did it dawn on me that I possessed absolutely no recollection of this body’s past life.

“Fine, tell me what I need to do.”

[It is quite simple, Host. Just lie down on the bed while I initiate the transfer. You might experience a minor headache, but that is all.]

Nodding, I walked over to the bed and settled myself down.

[Beginning the procedure in 3... 2... 1...]

Suddenly, a sharp pang of pain shot through my mind as images began to flicker. Like scenes from a film, they rushed through my consciousness. I shut my eyes tight and began the process of integrating these memories.

Ten minutes later, I opened my eyes. The mature aura I previously held vanished, and my movements became more fluid, naturally mimicking those of a child.

A spark of fierce determination flared within me. From this day forward, I am Austin.

Austin Lionheart.

Suddenly, the bedroom door swung open and a woman stepped inside. The moment I saw her, I was momentarily dazed.

She had blonde hair falling to her shoulders, green eyes that sparkled like precious gems, full lips, and a warm, motherly presence.

Grace Lionheart, my mother, had entered. Although I recognized her from the newly acquired memories, seeing her in person was a completely different sensation.

Grace looked at her son, and for a fleeting second, she felt as though he seemed different—almost like a stranger.

‘What am I thinking? I must be more stressed than I realized.’

Brushing the thought aside, she walked toward her child.

Watching my so-called mother hesitate with a frown made my heart race, and a cold sweat broke out across my back.

‘Does she suspect something? Did she sense a change? I really need to stay in character.’

Ending my inner thoughts, I looked up at my mother and started my performance.

“Little Austy, are you feeling okay? I was so worried when you suddenly collapsed.”

As she spoke, my mother reached out and pulled me into a tight embrace. My face was pressed directly into her soft chest, and the sweet fragrance of her perfume filled my senses.

‘Mmm, smells like roses... wait, that's not the point. Did she say I fainted?’

Searching through my memories, I discovered that I had indeed passed out during breakfast.

Placing my hands on my mother’s chest (entirely by accident) to push myself up, I looked her in the eye and smiled.

“It’s nothing, Mom. I just had a bit of a headache, but I feel much better now.”

Seeing that her son appeared recovered, Grace gave a relieved smile.

“Then everything is fine. I had a healer examine you, and she confirmed you are healthy.”

“Hmph... of course he’s fine. He’s the one who always manages to survive, after all.”

Following that loud exclamation, two girls entered the room—one aged ten and the other six.

I recognized the one who had just spoken immediately.

Nora Lionheart.

My elder sister, and one of the game's primary capture targets.