Ch.165165. What’s the Reason for Your Sudden Change?

WHOOSH-!

THWACK-! THWACK-!

Facing the relentless beating, Leonard was naturally the first to declare surrender.

“Ha! You could just ask me to give up my place in the succession battle, why beat your brother like this?”

“Seeing your mouth still works, I suppose I can continue a bit more.”

“W-wait a minute!!”

THWACK-! THWACK-!

After looking at Leonard rolling on the floor, I turned my gaze toward Jawil Wilson.

Far away, he was desperately trying to open the basement door.

Then, upon meeting my eyes, he dropped to his knees.

“Young Master, it was all my fault!”

“What exactly did you do wrong?”

“Just everything! All of it was wrong!”

“So you don’t actually know?”

“…Pardon?”

“Then you deserve to be hit.”

WHOOSH-!

THWACK-!

The dull sound gives me quite a refreshing feeling.

I’d almost pay a thousand gold to legally hit someone I dislike.

After enthusiastically beating Jawil Wilson, I looked at Dennis.

At least this guy was somewhat decent.

Despite his battered body, wasn’t he still standing precariously, wooden sword in hand?

“Oh? You asked me to go easy if you didn’t resist, but have you changed your mind already?”

“Yes… I’ve changed my mind. I realized this is an opportunity to learn from you, Young Master.”

“Good, that’s an excellent attitude. I’ll give you special treatment and face you properly.”

WHOOSH-!

THWACK-! THWACK-! THWACK-!

Having seen the Dark Squad members improve with my own eyes, I felt even more motivated.

If only Jawil Wilson and Leonard could be half as good as this guy…

After finally laying Dennis on the floor, I sat down in a chair to rest.

Then, Jawil Wilson and Leonard crawled on their knees toward me.

“Young Master, please at least tell us why you’re doing this.”

Leonard, who came along, was clearly curious too, perking up his ears.

With a short sigh, I opened my mouth.

“I’m just hitting you to release the energy of the Thousand Gold Pill. No hard feelings.”

“D-does this really work?”

“The experiment is already complete. Dennis over there has confirmed it with his own eyes.”

“…Well, that’s a relief. If I had to endure this beating for a few more days, I might have died.”

I tilted my head at Jawil Wilson.

“Did you think today was the end?”

“…Pardon?”

“The Thousand Gold Pill is such a powerful medicine, how could it be over in just one day?”

“W-what does that mean…?”

“Since I have time to spare now, I’m going to make you, Brother Leonard, and Dennis stronger.”

Leonard and Jawil Wilson wore expressions of despair.

Among them, Jawil Wilson grabbed my leg, looking aggrieved.

“Why did you only give the pill to me when Rio and Luna are also here?”

“Because you’re weaker than them, of course.”

“Wouldn’t it benefit the Alphonse family more to make the strong even stronger?”

He had a point.

If Luna wasn’t a crazy woman and if Rio wasn’t essential to the protagonist, the Thousand Gold Pill would have naturally gone to them first.

I sighed deeply.

“I had no choice.”

“Can’t you change your mind even now?”

“You’ve already taken the pill, what can I do? That’s why I warned you it would be very painful…”

“When exactly did you warn me, Young Master?”

“You must have been so blinded by the pill that you didn’t listen to me.”

Jawil Wilson despaired once again.

He crawled back to the basement door on his knees, trying his best to open it.

Leonard raised his head with hollow eyes.

“Will I really get stronger?”

“Yes. Otherwise, why would Dennis so desperately grip his wooden sword and spar with me?”

“…Can I become stronger than Brother Evander?”

“I can’t promise that, but you’ll be several times stronger than before taking the pill.”

“I see…”

Then, still with hollow eyes, he picked up a wooden sword and slowly rose from the floor.

“Shall we go another round?”

“Yes, after all, I’m going to be the head of the Alphonse family.”

Well, look at that!

I don’t know what strengthened his resolve, but the Leonard I used to know seemed to have disappeared.

To honor his determination, I gripped my wooden sword and stood up from the chair.

“Why did you suddenly change?”

I was curious.

Look at Jawil Wilson.

Even now, he’s desperately scratching at the basement door trying to escape my grasp, while Leonard, who was once full of nothing but bluster, could change this much?

“I will become strong. Stronger and stronger until I can proudly…”

Just as I was about to express admiration at his firm voice, Leonard carefully raised his wooden sword above his head and continued.

“Spend a passionate night with Seri Familia!!”

Leonard’s shout echoed through the basement.

It turned into a scream just a few seconds later.

*

“Young Master, you seem quite tired lately?”

Riden Solis asked, raising his head.

Another month had already passed.

Today marked the end of the final training for Leonard, Jawil Wilson, and Dennis.

Perhaps because I trained them more rigorously than the Dark Squad members, they became much stronger than expected.

Tomorrow, I’ll send Leonard to the Alphonse territory and start preparing for the coming-of-age ceremony.

I sighed briefly before speaking.

“When will I ever get to rest properly?”

“You can rest whenever you wish, Young Master. You can leave the complicated matters to me.”

“That’s precisely why I can’t.”

Riden Solis smiled gently.

“Lately, there have been constant screams from the basement. Were you satisfied with the training?”

“Rather than me training, I was training Brother Leonard, Jawil Wilson, and Dennis.”

“…Would it be possible for me to request training when you have time?”

I tilted my head at this unexpected request.

“Don’t you already have sufficient skills as an informant?”

“My skills are meager. With my current abilities, I can’t even flee from a strong opponent.”

Riden Solis wasn’t a particularly strong character in the original story.

He was just excellent at chasing money and gathering information.

Moreover.

The protagonist and his companions were so strong that Riden Solis never particularly desired to become stronger.

Wondering if this was another butterfly effect caused by me, I carefully asked.

“Why do you want to become stronger? I think you’re already skilled enough as an informant.”

“Although temporary, I’m managing the mercenary group members. I want to be at least stronger than them.”

This was strange.

Except for Dennis, Riden Solis could easily subdue most of them.

I kept tilting my head at him.

“Who do you think you’re weaker than?”

“Rebecca, who recently joined the mercenary group.”

“R-Rebecca? You want to become stronger than her?”

“…Is it wrong for me to become stronger than Rebecca?”

Did bringing Rebecca into the mercenary group serve as a catalyst for Riden Solis’s desire to become stronger?

It was a tragicomic reality.

According to the original story, Riden Solis could never become stronger than Rebecca.

Rebecca, with her innate magical power, was already a formidable magician.

Moreover, she wasn’t a lazy genius.

She lost her parents to nobles when she was young and hadn’t yet taken proper revenge.

How could one surpass a hardworking genius who would be difficult to catch up to even if one stood still?

To temper Riden Solis’s impatience, I cleared my throat.

“I wasn’t going to mention this, but Rebecca lost her parents to nobles.”

“…Pardon?”

“That’s why Rebecca’s personality is twisted. She temporarily joined under me, but I’m also a noble, just like the enemies who caused her to lose her parents.”

Riden Solis hesitated before nodding.

“I see that happened.”

“Rebecca didn’t become strong just out of desire. She’s training every day, grinding her teeth, to take revenge on the nobles who killed her parents.”

“I had no idea Rebecca had such a past.”

“Do you have the same determination as Rebecca to grit your teeth and work hard?”

“…No, I don’t.”

“Still, your desire to become stronger is admirable, so I’ll oversee your training.”

Riden Solis startled before breaking into a smile.

Just then, Pedericks burst into the study without knocking.

CREAK-! THUD-!

“What now?”

“Sir Serion Raikers has sent a letter.”

“A letter?”

“He says he’s safely arrived at the Succubus Sanctuary.”

Has Serion Raikers already reached the Succubus Sanctuary?

There’s no need for him to report this.

“Tell him not to get hurt.”

“T-that’s not it. He caught a succubus there who emphasized her friendship with you.”

Sigh…

Evalin, this deranged succubus went to the Succubus Sanctuary prepared to die, yet dares to use my name?

“I don’t have any friendship with a succubus.”

Anyway, Evalin is now useless to me.

Besides, wasn’t this the path she chose?

I coldly shrugged my shoulders, pretending not to know, when Pedericks continued.

“The succubus says she’ll expose her relationship with you if you don’t guarantee her safety.”