A Villain Also Gets a Chance

Consciousness returns.

The first thing I feel is something warm and cozy, of unknown origin, enveloping my entire body.

Just as I’m getting the feeling that it’s somehow familiar, a dull sound suddenly echoes.

Kung!

,Kyle! Did you forget what day it is!? Napping even on a day like this!”

,Ugh….”

At that, I groan and barely manage to rouse my spirit.

Then, the first thing that comes into view is the familiar scenery of my room.

No, to be exact, it’s a little different.

Like the room I used when I was young, there are some childish decorations engraved around, and the creaky door, which was so old, has been repaired to look quite clean.

,What are you doing, opening your eyes like a rotten dried pollack? Anyone would think you came back from the dead!”

,…….”

But what confused me was not just the awkward scenery of the room.

Rather, that was nothing.

What particularly catches my eye is not just the scenery of the room, but the existence of the man who is looking down at me with an overbearing tone and eyes that seem to look down on me as if I were a subordinate.

None other than Hasel Lierde, that is, my only brother.

But it took me quite a while to recognize him as my brother, Hasel.

It wasn’t because I naturally erased his existence from my head because he was my brother who repeatedly looked down on me and treated me coldly.

I don’t know what’s going on, but his face felt about 10 years younger, as if it had regressed to the past.

He was also quite short. Fortunately, he had been unusually developed since he was young, so he had a tall height like an adult early on, so the sense of difference was a little less.

,You don’t answer. What do you think of your brother, Kyle!”

,…….”

That annoying tone must be Hasel, but what the hell is going on?

My consciousness can’t keep up with the rapid changes.

Wasn’t I killed by that bastard with Sylvia?

Or do I have to face that shitty face all the time even in hell?

I don’t know who the author who judged me and sent me here is, but he used his head well.

It’s definitely more terrible to face that face and live than to fall into hell.

No, let’s stop joking around.

More than that, what the hell is this situation? Did I come back to the past?

,…I’m sorry for the inconvenience, hyung-nim. I couldn’t sleep last night, so it took me a while to come to my senses.”

,Did you get old in the meantime? Your tone has changed like an old man.”

,Uh, um….”

I don’t want to hear it from a guy who has been maintaining such an overbearing tone since he was only thirteen years old, claiming to show off his dignity as the next head of the family, but it’s true.

I’ll have to find out how far back I’ve come, but at least it’s better to make my tone as comfortable as possible now.

,I’m sorry. I wanted to imitate hyung-nim, so I….”

,Tsk, just imitating that tone won’t make you look like me. Anyway, you’re a stupid guy.”

I could pass it over without particularly worrying about this blatant belittling because it wasn’t a big deal yesterday or today.

More than that, what’s important to me now is not this guy.

If I came back to the past, Sylvia, what happened to her?

If everything has returned to its original state, she must be alive.

I have no way of knowing right now, so I’ll have to find out by asking around.

However, the mere hope that she might be alive made my heart flutter.

I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve tasted such pure joy and excitement.

,Anyway, don’t dawdle and come out quickly. You haven’t forgotten what day it is, have you?”

,Today…. Are you talking about?”

While I was reminiscing about Sylvia’s face, Hasel clicked his tongue and turned his back.

For some reason, Hasel himself came to my room, so I guess there’s something special going on today.

At least it’s not heartwarming news like a family trip.

If that were the case, there would be no reason to wake me up and take me with them.

It would be a good thing. Later, if I say that I fell asleep and they went by themselves, that’s it.

Tak.

To check today’s schedule, I checked the calendar on the table.

The number 317 in the Imperial calendar comes into view.

That means my age is about fifteen years old.

…Wait, if I’m fifteen?

,Father has called many people, so precious people will come soon. Today will be the day I publicly confirm my position as the next head of the family.”

,…….”

I realized it only after staring blankly at his back as he raised his nose and swaggered out of the room.

I see.

Today was that day.

The day I became the talk of the noble families as a failure of the Lierde family, and the most shameful day of my life.

It was the day of the first official sparring between Hasel and me.

***

The biggest turning point in my life, no, the expression turning point may be awkward.

To put it bluntly, there are two moments when I was most ashamed and wanted to die.

The first of these was the day I had a light sparring match with Hasel when I was thirteen years old.

I was miserably defeated that day.

Of course, it wasn’t a real battle where we fought for our lives, it was just a sparring match where we just held wooden swords and bickered, but the result was terrible.

I had to wipe away tears alone in the corner of the sparring hall, having been defeated without even touching my brother’s body with a wooden sword, who was only one year older than me.

My father had already recognized that I had no talent for swords, but he was so disappointed that I became a so-called outcast in the family after that day.

Still, it was bearable until then.

My father was also full of criticism, but he spoke to me, and so did the rest of the family.

However, from the moment I gave up the opportunity I had regained, I simply became a non-existent being in the house.

From some point on, my share of food was no longer placed on the table, and I had to go into the kitchen and ask the chef for food in an ugly way, and only then could I start eating after a long time.

And the second trigger was today, to be exact, the first official sparring match that took place about 7 years before the day I died.

,You must be very nervous, doryeon-nim.”

,Not really. I don’t have any thoughts.”

While changing into comfortable clothes for the sparring, the servant who was guarding me opened his mouth in a cautious tone, as if he was understanding my feelings.

The reason why he was making such a fuss about just a sparring match was, in a way, explained by his words.

In fact, in the Lierde family, when choosing the next head of the family, they gather outsiders in one place and engage in a bloody battle that is virtually a real sword fight under the pretext of sparring.

The person who wins in the process is virtually marked as the next head of the family.

In a way, it is a simple and clear process that is suitable for a family that is so versed in martial arts that it is called the Three Swords of the Empire, where only power proves everything.

And of course, I had to be ridiculed in front of everyone by being defeated by Hasel in a similar form to the previous one, or perhaps even more miserably.

It must have been from then on.

That’s when I got the unwelcome title of ‘Lierde family’s failure’.

In fact, I had expected it to happen from the beginning.

I could see through why my father rushed to hold the position that usually opens just before adulthood, even when I was a child.

From the beginning, my father wanted to brand me.

You are useless in the family, the only one needed in the family is your brother Hasel, know your place.

And the best stage for that was this place.

,I’ll take care of it myself, so get out.”

,Yes, doryeon-nim.”

After reminiscing about old memories for a while, I made the servant who was trying to take the wooden sword for me step back.

As the eyes watching me disappeared, I carefully opened my smaller hand and drew up magic.

Jieeng.

,…As expected.”

As expected.

I thought the flow of magic felt subtly different in my body since I woke up, but it seems that this body can use magic normally like I did just before I died.

No, not only that.

Originally, I was able to use magic in a heretical way through the magic book I got from the guy in the robe.

Thanks to that, all I could use was black magic that could only be used where no one was watching.

But what is in this hand now is magic with a clear white color, unlike then.

That means my current body can also use general white magic.

,Alf.”

– Yes, doryeon-nim.

After clenching the magic in my hand tightly as if making a promise and making it disappear, I secretly called the servant standing outside.

From the beginning, I have no interest in this family now.

I don’t particularly want to be the head of the family, and I don’t want the family members to look up to me now.

I’m used to being pointed at by others, so even if I declare my resignation and lie down on the bed, I won’t particularly regret it.

However, I couldn’t give up so easily because I suddenly remembered the conversation I had with Sylvia in the past.

– It’s a shame. No one recognizes the true value of Lierde gongja…. Seeing them point fingers at me without knowing anything about it makes me feel sorry for you.

Sylvia, you said that.

Of course, I know that I don’t have the right to approach you in this world, nor do I have the right to love you again.

But at least, for you, who was saddened to see a lowly person like me being pointed at, I will make sure that the same thing doesn’t happen.

At least in this world, I don’t want you to be sad because of me, or for you to be sad.

So I’ll do my best.

,Go to Father and hyung-nim and ask them if magic is allowed in this sparring match.”

– Magic…. Are you talking about? Yes, I’ll go ask.

Even if it is impossible to use magic, it is not impossible to win, but I decided to make sure.

And to be a little more honest, I wanted to see Hasel’s surprised face if possible, so I wanted to use magic to trample on him properly.

It’s pure revenge.

Even though I took the woman I love as an excuse, it seems that my essence is just a narrow-minded lowlife after all.