A young man sat in his room, immersed in a video game. The title on his screen read 'Road to Kings 2', a newly released strategy game where territory management was everything. As a sequel, it built on the foundation of the original but introduced a twist that caught players off guard: a feature called Character Flavor.
In the first game, players simply chose a region and were assigned a randomly named ruler—a faceless avatar with no real impact on gameplay. But in 'Road to Kings 2', the developers took a bold new direction. Character creation wasn't just included—it became a headline feature. Personality traits, backstories, and even minor quirks were now woven into the gameplay, shaping interactions, diplomacy, and morale. The unexpected addition received mixed reviews, dividing the player base between those who preferred the straightforward mechanics of the original and those who welcomed the added depth.
But the young man didn't care about any of that. He wasn't part of the debates. He was just a casual gamer—an office worker who spent his evenings glued to his PC, playing until sleep crept in. And tonight was no different. Just another ordinary evening, clicking through menus until he eventually nodded off at his keyboard.
Or so he thought.
He had no idea that tonight would change his life. Literally.
It all started when a wave of drowsiness washed over him. His eyes blinked slowly as he stared at the screen. Something familiar, yet out of place, appeared.
"…Huh? Why am I starting a new game?"
Sure enough, the 'character creation' screen was open.
"Oh well, whatever," he mumbled, too sleepy to care.
With a shrug, he clicked the 'Randomize Appearance' button and selected a look that suited his taste. But when he reached the 'Character Traits' tab, a mischievous grin crept onto his face.
"Since this is a throwaway save... why not go full throttle on naughtiness? Hehehe."
It wasn't a serious playthrough. He figured he'd just reload one of his main saves later if he was playing again. So why not mess around?
Thus after picking all the relevant traits, he proceeds to the childhood event of his character.
This part of character creation played like a multi-step origin story. Players were given randomized events and multiple choices that shaped their character's upbringing and early stats. This was also one of the most controversial features among fans—an RPG-style storytelling element inserted into a strategy game. Many questioned why it was even necessary.
But the young man enjoyed it. It didn't require much critical thinking, and the choices were fun to explore. You could just pick what felt right and roll with it.
He chose for his character to be born into a noble house and follow the path of a knight—mainly to get early bonuses in sword training. Weapon-based skills were overpowered in this game; a character with high stats in combat could steamroll through most fight events.
However, the knight path required a high reputation and dignity-related traits for the best outcomes. His naughty character had none of those.
As a result, his character was thrust into a multi-step misadventure. He served as a squire to a respected knight, only for that knight to fall in battle before the boy was old enough to be knighted. Because of his bad reputation, none of the other well-known knights wanted to touch him. Eventually, he was knighted by an obscure, backwater knight with no name recognition.
Well, the young man didn't care. He hadn't intended to actually play this character—he was just curious how the chain events would unfold with this setup he made.
He stretched his arms and let out a wide yawn.
"Alright, time for bed. Gotta work tomorrow…"
He clicked save, exited to the main menu, and shut down the game. The soft glow of the monitor faded, leaving his room in silence.
He climbed into bed, unaware that his ordinary routine was already over.
He thought morning light would wake him. That he'd go to work, just like always.
But he was wrong.
"Huh, where am I?" the young man muttered groggily.
He blinked, expecting the familiar sight of his cluttered bedroom, maybe the glow of his PC monitor still on standby. Instead, he was met with something entirely unfamiliar—luxury and stillness, heavy with silence and grandeur.
He sat up, the sheets beneath him softer than anything he'd ever owned. The bed was massive—larger than a king-size—with deep crimson drapes cascading down from the high canopy. The mattress itself felt like it was made of clouds, and the blanket that covered him was lined with fur he couldn't even identify
His gaze wandered across the room.
Gilded pillars framed the walls, polished to a mirror shine. A chandelier made of crystal and silver hung above. There were towering bookshelves lined and an ornate desk with quills and parchment arranged with meticulous care. A fireplace crackled softly across the room, its warmth subtle but present.
It was the kind of room you'd only ever see in a fantasy setting like story.
"What the hell..." he whispered.
Confused, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and slowly stood. His body felt strange—lighter in some ways, heavier in others. Stronger? He moved carefully, his footsteps muffled by the plush rug beneath him.
As he wandered the lavish room, taking in the surreal sights, something shiny caught his attention in the corner—a tall, full-length mirror framed in ornate silver vines. He walked toward it, hesitant but curious, and when he looked into the glass…
He froze.
Staring back at him was not his face.
The man in the mirror had sharp, refined features: a narrow chin, high cheekbones, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to hold both nobility and danger, framed by tousled blond hair that fell in elegant layers.
"...No way."
A cold shiver went down his spine. Recognition hit like a hammer. He knew this person.
This face was the character he had created the night before.
He touched his face in disbelief. The mirror reflection copied him exactly, but it wasn't him. It was—
Arslan Caelthorn.
That was the full name he had lazily decided to generate for this person.