Chapter 2
[Minhyuk.]
[You can't change people. If you keep trusting people like that, you'll get badly hurt someday, you little punk.]
[And we…]
When I opened my eyes, I couldn't hear the final words.
Instead, the rattling of the carriage and the faint scent of night air pricked my nose.
Realizing that voice had only been a dream, I grimaced, let out a long breath, and ran a hand through my hair.
“I know, Father. I know now.”
Muttering softly to myself, I looked out the carriage window and realized that we had already arrived at the main estate.
A dream like that right after what happened.
Perhaps Father was warning me.
Never to forget it.
“I won't forget, so don't worry. Seriously.”
Did he still think I was a twenty-year-old brat?
I let out a hollow laugh and came to my senses. Feeling the carriage slowly lose speed, I straightened my clothes.
I woke up at a good time.
When the carriage finally came to a complete stop, I opened the door myself before the coachman could and stepped out, looking around.
There must already have been word sent to the family, because knights and servants were waiting outside to welcome me.
“Welcome back.”
“Yeah.”
“The head of the family is in his study. Shall I escort you?”
It was an extravagant welcome, as though the head of the family—or even an honored guest—had arrived.
If I had been the original Allen, the wastrel who received neither attention nor recognition, I could never have dreamed of such a welcome.
It was probably possible because I had firmly established my position as the next head of the family.
Of course, I still hadn't officially become the heir.
But as the eldest son, unless there was some major disqualifying factor or another reason, I was the one who should inherit the family in principle.
I had never shown any such disqualifying factor.
If anything, I had proven my abilities.
I could tell from the knights' attitude toward me.
Ordinarily, the knights often ignored Allen, but the moment I appeared, they straightened up, formed ranks, and showed me respect.
Even though no one had ordered them to.
Still, I wasn't particularly moved by it.
The next head of the family, the head of a count's house, or whatever.
It would all be over when the world ended.
“…Young master?”
“No, never mind.”
At the voice calling to me, I came out of my thoughts, waved a hand dismissively, and started walking.
“Where's Zeke?”
“If you mean the second young master, he's in his room. I believe he's handling official matters.”
“I'll go there.”
According to proper etiquette, I should have visited Father first, greeted him, and shown my face to tell him I'd returned safely.
But not now.
And no one objected to my decision.
It was a clear indication of how much authority the count's family held.
“You all go rest.”
“You worked hard, Young Master.”
I waved off the servants and knights who bowed respectfully to me, then continued on at an unhurried pace.
Just as I'd been told, a faint light was seeping from Zeke's room, suggesting that he was still working.
Without knocking, I flung open his door and entered with a small smile.
“…Brother, you're here.”
“How boring.”
“It's not as if this is the first or second time you've visited, Brother.”
“Oh, so you can be sarcastic too.”
Grinning at Zeke's words, I dragged a chair over to sit opposite him.
Zeke's blue eyes, which had been working by the light of a small artifact's flame, turned toward me.
“To put it in your usual words, Brother, it isn't sarcasm. It's a fact.”
“Yeah, yeah. I'm sure.”
I glanced at the artifact that produced a flame from a magic stone, shrugged, and leaned back against the chair.
“So what brings you here? If it's about what happened at the banquet, it's already being dealt with.”
“Rumors travel fast.”
“Mouths are always faster than feet.”
Honestly.
You had to give aristocrats credit for having such loose lips.
“So?”
“What else could have happened? Lady Elina threw a fit, crying and making a huge fuss, while the young noblemen scrambled to comfort her.”
“No, I mean, can you handle it?”
Whatever happened to Elina…
Whether those men searched for me with fire in their eyes or not, it wasn't my problem.
I had just been reminded once again that they were beyond saving.
There was no reason to hold on to any lingering attachment.
Zeke soon understood what I meant and gave a light nod.
“For now, they won't be foolish enough to pick a fight. Leaving such a scandal behind won't do either side any good. However…”
“Father?”
“Yes, there's no way around it if it reaches Father's ears.”
“I have a way to deal with that.”
It was something I had to confront him about at least once anyway.
“Understood.”
“Oh, right.”
I was about to get up when I realized I'd forgotten something and continued speaking calmly.
“You should become the next head of the family.”
“Brother, do you perhaps have something against Father?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“…Are you telling me to drive Father out and usurp his position as head of the family?”
Wearing a face just as calm as mine,
Zeke uttered something utterly outrageous.
I blinked at him in stunned disbelief and asked,
“When did I say that?”
“I naturally assumed that's what you meant.”
This guy was more dangerous than I was.
I let out a hollow laugh at Zeke's nonchalant words and shook my head.
“No, I mean you should be the next head, not me.”
“…Brother.”
His lowered, somber blue eyes fixed on me.
I calmly met that inscrutable gaze. After letting out a small breath, Zeke slowly continued.
“I'm busy enough just looking at what's right in front of me. It's hard enough simply to get through today, without even thinking about tomorrow, but you sometimes seem to be looking somewhere very far away.”
He wasn't wrong.
I was acting to prevent the world's destruction far in the future.
Ever since the moment I found myself in this world.
Since I couldn't tell him the truth, all I could do was calmly wait for Zeke to continue.
“What you said was usually right, so I always trusted you, but…”
“….”
“I don't know if I can believe you this time. I'm lacking compared to you.”
“Zeke.”
For some reason.
I saw fear in his eyes, unlike anything I'd seen from him normally.
Zeke had always diligently handled whatever responsibilities were entrusted to him.
Perhaps I'd assumed he would manage this time as well.
“Everyone has their own strengths. You have an exceptional talent for leading the family, while I simply have something else to do. You'll be better at it than I am.”
Zeke.
Even in the original story, he was the one who ably led the count's family in place of Allen, the wastrel.
Though Allen had committed every blunder imaginable and dragged down the count family's reputation, Zeke had ultimately managed to restore it.
Unlike me, scrambling desperately to change something—anything—by relying on the original story.
I smiled faintly and slowly rose to my feet.
“As you said, I'm running while looking toward somewhere very far away.”
The world's destruction.
And beyond that.
I turned my gaze aside and saw the hazy message window floating at the edge of my vision. I let out a small breath.
The reward slot, empty as ever, still displayed no message.
I tore my gaze away from it and looked at Zeke, who was watching me.
“So sometimes I don't know whether I'm moving forward or backward.”
“……”
“When that happens, help me, Zeke. You're one of the few people I can trust.”
“So even you say weak things sometimes, Brother.”
With a small smile.
Seeing Zeke say that with a much more relaxed expression than before, I smiled back and nodded.
“Then again, I'm human too.”
“So… you are human after all.”
“I'm really going to kill you.”
I lightly tapped Zeke on the head as he chuckled playfully, then turned away without a backward glance.
“I'll do my best.”
“You don't have to work too hard. It'd be a disaster if you collapse.”
I was about to leave the room when I grabbed the doorknob and paused.
What time is it again?
I looked out the window, spotted Zeke once again reaching for his paperwork at the edge of my vision, and let out a small sigh.
Looks like that's the problem.
The moment I had that thought, I lightly swung my hand toward the empty air.
Crack!
I cleanly smashed the artifact that used aura to produce light, then looked toward Zeke in the darkened room and said,
“Go to bed. You won't grow any taller.”
“Brother, do you know how much this costs…!”
“Nope, I don't.”
What a brat.
You know, staying up late keeps you from growing taller.
I let Zeke's voice from behind go in one ear and out the other as I smiled quietly.
Our little brother's health was more important than some silly artifact.