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Translator: uly
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: A Devoted Reader's Reformation Life
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<―>
It was nothing serious—just a stifling matter that had him stepping out for some air, and he'd ended up late.
After assuring them that he'd explain everything clearly once his thoughts were sorted tomorrow, Sion finally managed to slip away from Lichten's grasp.
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—Lichten hadn't assigned anyone to tail him this time. With a command to rest in his room after discussing things again tomorrow, he let Sion go.
'Crazy.'
He'd thought he'd handled the start pretty well, only to screw up in an unexpected spot.
In the original story flow, Sion at this point didn't know who Lucia's father was or even who Raido was.
Only later, after time passed, would he learn that the woman he'd tried to assault was the sole daughter of someone who'd risen to the prestigious position of court mage.
Because of that, he'd face Raido's vengeance—laced with personal grudges—right there in the grand banquet hall, enduring mockery from the assembled nobles.
That incident was one of the major factors that twisted him.
But this time, things were flowing strangely.
Lucia had returned with Kim Yu-hyun without incident.
Yet her gaze toward him was anything but ordinary, and he'd even let slip Raido's identity to her.
In this margrave territory, a truth known only to his father, Lichten Claussen.
'Calling myself an avid reader king god man and showing off—now I'm the one getting exposed.'
He'd assumed knowing the entire novel put him at an absolute advantage, but getting complacent with the plot made his foreknowledge spill out too soon, risking everything going sideways.
Sion resolved that from now on, first rule: watch his mouth; second rule: watch his mouth—as he descended the stairs.
"Young Lord."
He nearly jumped out of his skin when Sebastian called him without a sound, appearing out of nowhere.
Even a normal person would startle at someone approaching so stealthily, but Sebastian looked like a mere elderly butler on the outside—while inside, he was a powerhouse who could hold his own against the protagonist. Anyone with a regular heart would faint dead away.
Sion desperately wanted to yell at him to make some noise when walking, but he suppressed the urge with superhuman restraint.
Well, to be precise, it wasn't superhuman restraint—it was superhuman survival instinct.
"Sebastian."
"Yes, Young Lord. Do you have something to say?"
His eyes sparkled excessively as he looked at Sion.
The original Sion would have snapped at him to stop wasting time and get back to work, but knowing Sebastian's true nature, the current Sion couldn't dare.
Acting cocky in front of this old man might mean his head rolls off his shoulders at any moment.
Desperate to escape the terrifying elder, Sion forced a smile.
"It's late today, so I just want to rest."
"Ah, you're right—I've come to my senses.
My apologies, Young Lord."
At this point, he hoped Sebastian would leave, but instead, the butler insisted on escorting him to his room and even urged him along.
As if Sion were some guest who needed directions to his own bedroom.
'Please just leave!
Damn it!
You're freaking terrifying!'
He was a swordsman with a different brand of madness from Kim Yu-hyun.
Why else would he have bolted from the honorable royal secret guardian knight order, claiming it wasn't his style?
Less a knight and more a swordsman—or even better, an assassin—who had no qualms about ambushes or schemes.
And now this scary old man was grinning ear to ear, urging him on like a kindly grandfather chuckling heartily.
Sion nearly shouted from his gut, 'Quit the bullshit and go swing a sword somewhere!' But once again, his superhuman survival instinct clamped it down.
'Please, just go somewhere else...'
Right from the start: Kim Yu-hyun, and now Sebastian.
He'd already encountered two of the novel's top-ten powerhouses in terms of combat prowess.
Sion seriously worried he might drop dead from a heart attack any second.
Thud—thud—thud—
'Hm?'
Something taut and bouncy was ricocheting off the floor, drawing closer.
The sound grew nearer until a small ball lightly bumped his foot with a tap and stopped.
Just as Sion thought, 'What's with the ball?' and bent to pick it up—
"Ah!"
A cry like a scream echoed.
Turning, Sion faced a tiny child frozen in place, blinking rapidly.
'That kid... Aden?'
Sion Claussen's half-brother, Aden Claussen.
The original lady of the Claussen count family—and Sion's mother—had passed early from illness, and Margrave Lichten had spent many years alone without taking another wife.
Then, seven years ago, he'd taken a noblewoman as his wife for some reason, and they had a son: Aden Claussen.
'The original Sion was insanely jealous and wary of his little half-brother, full of hatred.'
There was a fifteen-year age gap to begin with.
Even if Aden's mother was the proper wife rather than a concubine, Sion was the legitimate firstborn son. With such an age difference between children, the successor position naturally went to the elder.
Yet Sion, talentless and accomplishment-free, brimmed with suspicion and envy.
In the end, he'd bullied and threatened his half-brother relentlessly, driving Aden to flee the margrave territory at just twelve years old.
'...Bastard.
He must've already been tormenting the poor kid pretty bad.'
Aden's eyes shook wildly as he stared at Sion.
Like he'd run into a ferocious, persistent wolf on the road.
"Playing ball inside the castle."
Aden flinched as Sion spoke.
Sebastian, standing behind Sion, clicked his tongue inwardly at the boy's evident fear.
'This punk's about to pounce and devour his little brother again.
Where's the countess? How'd the young master end up wandering alone and running into this guy?'
Worried the sharp, savage blade would tear into his little charge unchecked, Sebastian decided to step in.
If he could distract Sion, maybe Aden could slip away.
"Come here."
But before Sebastian could act, Sion spoke first.
Aden hesitated—too terrified of Sion, or unable to defy his "brother"—but shuffled forward anyway.
"..."
The twenty-year-old youth and five-year-old child standing face-to-face amplified their visible difference.
Just as Sebastian prepared to rudely intervene—
'Hm?'
He doubted his own eyes.
Sion slowly knelt, bowing at the waist to meet Aden's gaze.
"The ball hit this big brother, so you need punishment."
"B-Bro...
Th-This..."
"Tomorrow, you play ball with this big brother.
We'll play so much you'll never want to touch a ball inside the castle again. Get ready."
Aden's eyes, brimming with imminent tears at "punishment," widened dramatically.
Sebastian's eyes bulged like full moons beside him.
'Am I hearing things?
Dreaming?
Am I dying tomorrow?'
Every wild thought crossed his mind, but this was no hallucination or dream.
Though he might die tomorrow—who knew?—this moment was undeniably real.
"Take it.
Big brother's arm hurts."
Sion handed the ball to the dazed Aden.
As Aden snatched it hurriedly, the Claussen heir smiled, then resumed walking.
Aden stared blankly after him; Sebastian rubbed his chin, groaning, before hurrying to catch up.
"..."
And one noblewoman had silently witnessed the entire exchange.
――――――――
"Rest well, Young Lord."
If you want me to rest well, then get lost!
Sebastian barely shut the door and vanished before Sion exploded.
Finally alone, Sion collapsed onto the bed, strength draining from his body.
"Phew..."
Only a little over two hours had passed.
Yet to Sion, it felt longer than an eon.
Just yesterday, he'd been an utterly ordinary young man in Korea, living for the joy of reading novels. Then, after a ridiculous author reply, he'd become the novel's villain.
Worse: the ultimate loser antagonist who relentlessly harassed the protagonist, failed at talent and effort, yet persistently snagged the heroine Lucia through sheer pettiness.
"What the hell is even happening...?"
To survive, he'd pulled every trick and spat every line in that short time.
Just now, hoping a good sibling bond might benefit his life, he'd even role-played the nice big brother with Aden.
Despite being an only child himself!
Sitting up, Sion ran a hand through his hair, pondering what lay ahead.
'First, war with Nudia Kingdom within the next month.
That's when Kim Yu-hyun bursts in—bam!—protagonist buffs, mowing down foes, and thanks to Margrave Lichten, heads to the capital, the royal city. That's the original plot.
But then Nudia's surprise attack wounds Lichten, wrecks the territory.
And in the chaos, he kills his own father—the ultimate bastard filial impiety...'
A chronicle of Sion Claussen's evils, through and through.
'The novel's plot doesn't matter.
Surviving comes first.
But arbitrarily derailing the story risks twisting every event's location and timing that I know.
So I can't intervene recklessly...'
If he could just live, he'd say screw the plot and change it all.
But facing unknown events from those changes? The fallout would hit him hardest.
And then, he might not even fend them off properly.
Think, think, think, think...
As Sion burned all his energy dreaming of an intelligence boost—
"Kekeke.
What're you fretting over?"
Damn it!
Do the novel's characters take turns on a circus rotation?!
Sion shot to his feet, whipping his head toward the voice.
An old man stood there, cackling as he eyed Sion directly.
"Hoo, you're quite the looker.
Not as much as me, of course, but enough to catch Lucia's eye."
Lucia?
That name clicked Sion's realization.
'Raido!'
Former court mage, now residing in the margrave territory.
Some called him a brilliant mage; others said his personality was eccentric but he was undoubtedly a sage. Sion knew his true nature precisely.
'Why's this guy showing up now?!'
Why did Kim Yu-hyun take him as a master?
Not for magic or parlor tricks—but for his lethal martial arts.
A mage (physician), fists before spells.
A battlefield lunatic smashing foes with his staff.
A combat genius who should've been a fighter, not a mage.
The man with every bizarre nickname imaginable stood right before him.