Chapter 1: The Villain’s Fourth Wife

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Villain’s Fourth Wife

Xavier’s eyes were still on the screen as he fought hard to stay awake reading one of his favorite novels.

The story was set in a world where mana had returned to Earth a century ago, changing everything.

Monsters appeared, ancient creatures awakened, and dimensional drifts opened across the world.

And because of this, humanity nearly went extinct.

And in this new world, strength determined everything.

Xavier had just reached another interesting part of the story when he yawned. "Just one more Chapter."

He placed his phone beside his pillow and didn’t even realize when he fell asleep.

When Xavier opened his eyes again, the first thing he noticed was the ceiling.

It wasn’t his ceiling.

As he sat up slowly, his eyes moved around the room.

He started to take note of everything. The furniture was different. Even the walls.

"Am I hallucinating?" He rubbed his face tiredly.

He got out of bed. The moment he stood, a sharp pain suddenly exploded inside his head.

"Ah!" Xavier grabbed his head and stumbled backward.

Then all of a sudden, it felt like his head was being flooded with something. It felt like a gush of water as he saw images and memories, like the life of someone was being played in his head.

A young boy that was growing up alone, parents who died a few years after his birth.

Then his grandmother took care of him, grew old, and eventually died.

After that, his life spiraled. He became a young man struggling to survive alone in a world where magical talent determined a person’s future. But he had none. None at all.

And the worst of all was the deep ache he felt in his chest as a result of long years of loneliness.

And because of this loneliness, he had opted to find someone he could spend the rest of his life with. His life was pitiful, yes. But he could find someone to love him, yes?

But fate was too cruel. When he married the first woman, she had died in her sleep. Then the second, she slumped and died. The third....

Xavier’s breathing became heavier as the realizations hit him at once. The third woman had also died.

Hence, earning him the title of a Cursed Villain!

He had been transmigrated into the world of his favorite novel and as the cursed protagonist!

"What the hell?" Xavier gritted his teeth in painful realization. "What kind of luck is this?"

He remembered that in the story, Xavier had continued to get married each time a wife died, not because he was an actual villain or had a hand in their deaths. He was just desperate to have someone by his side.

He didn’t want to be alone.

People started talking and isolating him when his third wife had died. No one wanted to give their daughters or sisters to him.

He didn’t have any magical talent which could help him earn money in this world or a prestigious job.

In this world where civilization had almost collapsed, it’s a place where people with strength determined everything — those who awakened powerful magical abilities became mages, warriors, adventurers, soldiers, and guardians who were respected and loved comfortably.

But those without talent were left struggling at the bottom.

If they were lucky, they got a government job that paid really well. But that itself took a lot. That is if your family had powerful backing and connections.

But his own case was different and very complicated.

Because of his reputation, almost nobody wanted to employ him.

Who would willingly hire a man people believed was cursed?

So Xavier survived by doing small jobs whenever he could find them.

It wasn’t enough to build a future, but it was enough to survive.

How the hell was he going to survive when he was utterly useless!

"Oh, Xavier... you should have stopped getting married when the first wife died. Now I have to live as a cursed person because of your desperation for a partner." Xavier gritted his teeth, brushed his hand through his hair, and exhaled.

"Fine. Now this is my life. I’d just focus on myself, won’t get in anyone’s way, and just figure out how to survive." He exhaled as his breathing finally settled.

Even though he said those words out loud, he knew those were far-fetched. This was a world that was typically smaller than most nations.

Almost everyone knew each other, he wouldn’t be hard to miss.

Pushing the thoughts away from his mind with a determination to try to survive, he walked towards the mirror and looked at his reflection.

Xavier Kane wasn’t exactly bad looking. He had black hair, sharp features, and a lean body.

"He looks 21, I guess." Xavier shrugged.

While Xavier was still checking himself out, he didn’t know fate had other interesting plans for him.

A loud knock came from outside.

"Xavier!"

Xavier froze as he recognized the voice. That was Marcus Reed.

The memories told him that Marcus was one of the few people who still approached him. They weren’t exactly close friends.

Marcus simply had a strange habit of talking to people everyone else avoided.

He knocked again. "Xavier, open up!"

Xavier walked over and opened the door.

Marcus immediately smiled. "There you are."

"What do you want?" Xavier’s voice sounded stiff even to his ears. As if he was scared that he would realize he wasn’t the same Xavier he knew.

"You’re still at home?" Marcus’ face formed a slight frown.

"Yes." Xavier wasn’t sure whether that was the right answer. Did they have a previous engagement he didn’t remember from Xavier’s memory?

Marcus stared at him, his eyes scolding. "You forgot what today is?"

"Uhm..." Xavier began to scratch his head, trying to remember.

Damn. He couldn’t find anything. What could he be—

"The matchmaking event! I can’t believe you’ve forgotten." Marcus scolded.

Oh...

Xavier’s eyes widened in realization. Another matchmaking event. The kind where youngsters gathered and chose their spouses.

This was also how Xavier had chosen his previous brides.

Xavier’s expression immediately became cold. "I’m not going."

"What? You? Oh, come on, Xavier. I know you. I know after your last wife died, you’ve been dying of waiting for the next matchmaking event so you’d choose your wife and..."

Marcus was rambling that he didn’t realize he was casually talking about a sensitive topic.

"Oh...I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to..."

"It’s fine, Marcus. I am not interested this time." Xavier waved it off. He wasn’t sure why he felt this ache in his chest.

It seemed like, along with this body, he had also inherited Xavier’s pain.

So the deaths of the women had hurt him. Oh, poor Xavier.

"Oh, come on, Xavier. I already apologized and besides, you can’t decide not to come this time. This particular matchmaking event is mandatory."

Marcus folded his arms as Xavier watched keenly, as if urging him to continue.

"Xavier, listen. The government changed the law."

Xavier frowned. "What law?"

"The marriage law." Marcus lowered his voice.

"Because the population has fallen so badly since the Great Ruin, the government has started making matchmaking mandatory for unmarried adults."

Xavier went silent for a while. "What does that mean? You’re trying to say getting married is mandatory? Does that even make sense? Plus, I have gotten married before. You can’t exactly tag me as an unmarried adult." His voice lowered as he added. "More like a cursed widower."

Marcus sighed. "I understand. But the government doesn’t care. Look, the war has gotten bad in the last few months and lives are being lost on a daily basis. The numbers keep increasing as the day passes. The government just doesn’t want humanity to go extinct."

Xavier seemed like he suddenly had a headache. This is so inconvenient. Was this in the novel or just the author changing the plot all of a sudden?

He let out a heavy sigh. Marcus, eager to make his friend play along, spoke up again.

"It’s not like it’s entirely a bad thing. I know with your last marriage, you have your fears, but we can’t keep dwelling in the past, can we?" He paused for a second before continuing.

"See, there are some incentives for this, okay? Married couples get a fifty-thousand-crown government subsidy. They also receive priority for government housing, food allocations, and certain public services. Married families are given better access to jobs and family support programs too. The government is practically begging people to get married. Isn’t that great?"

"What happens if I don’t go?" Xavier asked. The question had thrown Marcus off guard.

"You...you’ll be fined." He almost stuttered out of surprise at the question.

"How much?" Xavier asked.

"One hundred thousand crowns every year." Marcus replied as if he meant it.

"That’s like times two of the incentives given to the married couple." Xavier’s face darkened in anger. Marcus flinched a bit. But Marcus was the least of his problems at that point.

From his memories, Xavier barely earned five thousand in a month. Where was he supposed to get one hundred thousand when he can’t even get a proper job because of his darn fate!

He can’t afford to not get married. If he didn’t pay the fine, he knew this government would harshly carry out whatever punishment for proprietors. A punishment he didn’t want to ask about.

These were hard times, people got impatient. The government wouldn’t be any different.

Xavier leaned against the door. "Seems I have no choice."

Marcus’s smile appeared back. "Exactly."

"I hate this government." Xavier grabbed his coat.

"Let’s go," he said as Marcus trailed behind him like an excited puppy.

**********

City Square was packed.

Hundreds of people had gathered for the matchmaking event.

Unlike the previous events, today’s gathering was mandatory, so almost every eligible unmarried adult in the area had been brought together.

Xavier immediately regretted coming.

The moment he stepped into the square, people recognized him.

"Isn’t that Xavier Kane?"

"That’s him."

"He’s here again?"

"Didn’t his third wife die recently?"

"Yes."

Someone lowered his voice. "Why is he looking for another wife?"

Another person laughed. "Why wouldn’t he? He doesn’t want to pay the government fine."

Several women glanced toward Xavier.

The moment they recognized him, their expressions changed.

"That’s the cursed man?"

"I hope he doesn’t choose me."

"Same."

"Please don’t let my name come up."

Xavier heard every word, but he pretended not to.

Marcus, however, looked completely unaffected. "Don’t worry." He reassured Xavier.

Xavier glanced at him. "About what?"

"You’ll find someone." Marcus said.

"I don’t care." Xavier rolled his eyes and folded his arms, hoping all the women were taken so he could probably be an exception. But he knew that would be impossible. Naturally, the female population was more than the men.

Marcus didn’t get the chance to reply because an official eventually stepped onto the platform.

"Everyone, please settle down." His voice reverberated across the arena.

The crowd slowly became quiet as the official looked at his tablet.

"Today’s matchmaking event has been organized under the Marriage Restoration Act."

He paused and continued. "Due to the current population crisis, participation is mandatory for all eligible unmarried citizens."

"Now, eligible suitors can step out to choose a wife."

With that announcement, the event officially began.

One man stepped forward. "I choose Anna Williams."

Anna looked at him. "I accept."

"Mutual selection confirmed."

A pestle that looked like a hammer was hit on a gravel as a sign of confirmation.

Marcus stepped forward, grinning from ear to ear. "I choose Clara Bennett."

Xavier almost puked from outright irritation. Why the hell was he so excited?

He searched his memories and found out that Marcus had told him from one of those conversations he would force on Xavier. He said something about getting a house first before finding a wife, which was like his lifelong dream.

Not like he had gotten a house yet, but this new government subsidy?

Oh well, seems heaven was looking out for him. Killed two birds with one stone. No wonder he looked so excited.

While for him, this was outright torture.

The Clara Bennett in question was a beauty. Good choice. Xavier didn’t realize when he nodded approvingly.

Clara accepted him. Marcus was shocked that she had agreed.

Poor boy. Thinks he isn’t good enough. Was his inferiority complex the reason he associated himself with the most isolated person, Xavier Kane?

I mean, if others didn’t want him, the man with no choice would definitely want him.

Arghh. So exhausting.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he watched one after another, the participants make their choices.

Then a commotion suddenly spread through the crowd.

"Wait."

"Isn’t that Mira Sinclair? The Ice Rose of Arcadia?"

Xavier looked up.

A beautiful young woman stood among the female candidates. Mira Sinclair.

He remembered her from the novel.

She had once been one of the most talented young mages in Arcadia Academy.

But a few months ago, her magical affinity had mysteriously disappeared.

Her rank had fallen to F.

The Sinclair family, one of the four great families of Valemont, had eventually abandoned her.

Now she stood alone among hundreds of people.

Her head was bowed, but from the side, you could guess she was a beauty.

The selections continued and more couples formed.

Eventually, almost everyone had found a match.

Xavier looked around. Only a few candidates remained. Then another selection was made. And then—

"Shit." Xavier didn’t realize he had said that out loud.

The official checked his tablet, his expression changed slightly.

"Only one female candidate remains."

Everyone turned, including Xavier. What were the odds that one woman was remaining without a match and he was also the only remaining male participant?

The official looked toward Mira. "Mira Sinclair."

Mira slowly raised her head, without looking interested.

The official turned toward the men. "One male participant also remains."

Everyone’s eyes moved toward Xavier.

A murmur immediately spread through the crowd.

"Of course."

"Those two?"

"That’s actually terrifying."

"The cursed man and the abandoned daughter."

Marcus looked at Xavier. "Well?"

Xavier didn’t answer. He shifted his gaze at Mira.

She looked like someone who had already given up on everything.

The official cleared his throat.

"Xavier Kane, since you are the only remaining male participant and Mira Sinclair is the only remaining female participant."

He paused.

"According to the rules, you may either accept the match or withdraw and pay the applicable penalty."

Xavier almost laughed. This was an agonizing situation. Marry her and then what if she dies mysteriously? His odds of surviving this world get slimmer. And worst still, from her physique, she looked malnourished, sick, and pale.

This matchmaking event had involved people with mana getting married to people with none and otherwise. Most of the females from Arcadia Academy had been brought over. This was the government’s plan to make sure children with magic were given birth to. Increase the chances of humanity surviving.

But it was pitiful because Mira Sinclair was a previous prodigy who had fallen so hard that no one had imagined her downfall. Even he, who didn’t have any magic, was better than her.

And now, he was being forced to accept her.

While he was gathering his thoughts, Mira suddenly swayed and her body collapsed without warning.

Oh shit!

Xavier’s body immediately went stiff. Was she...was she going to die when they had just been pronounced a couple?

What was a better way to improve his reputation?! At least his other wives had lasted for months...this one didn’t even go past an hour.

Was he truly cursed?