episode_0001

The Duke’s wife is five.

After returning home, it was the title of a web novel that I’ve been seeing every day lately.

I’ve been watching it for a long time, and even after it ended, I still had some affection for this work, as I’ve rewatched it several times.

Especially, I liked the pitifulness of the sub-male lead, feeling attracted to the satisfaction of watching something like NTR where there’s no hope and they’re chasing what the main character already has.

But until now, I didn’t know.

I didn’t know that just by leaving a comment saying “I like pitiful characters,” I would be sucked into a novel out of the blue.

…

“Ugh.”

The first thing I felt upon entering this world was discomfort.

A sense of unease that I had never felt in my daily life, not even for a moment, suddenly struck me.

As soon as I realized it, an expression of disgust appeared on my face, and my gaze lowered.

My arms and legs felt heavy.

Without any strength in my muscles, I suddenly forced myself up due to the sudden abnormality in my body.

As I looked at the owner getting up from the bed all of a sudden, the steward who was beside me prevented it.

“It’s dangerous. Sir Ian, you haven’t fully recovered from your illness yet.”

The one who stopped me was the gray-haired steward who had started to show streaks of white in his hair.

Seeing him holding me back with one hand and calmly enduring it, it was clear that he was no ordinary civilian.

However, unlike the steward’s hopes, I still couldn’t accept the situation.

“What… are you talking about? I’m fine, what illness? Damn, did I become paralyzed overnight?”

“Sir Ian, it’s time for you to accept it. We’ve tried all sorts of medicines and called for various doctors. But ultimately, your condition only worsened. Now…”

“So, you’re saying I’m not that damned cripple.”

“Ian Gongja-nim, please come to your senses. Ian Gongja-nim is the only one. He is the third son of the Breitna family and a nobleman.”

“You… Are you kidding me right now?”

“…”

The butler, who had been silently staring at me, presses on my pressure points and struggles to speak.

“Breathe slowly, very slowly.”

His hand touches my body accordingly. The breath, which had risen as if it were a lie, begins to decrease. Perhaps because I see blue magic swirling in his hands… Wait, magic? How do I know this is magic? As my chilled mind diligently deduces the current situation, I can only think of the opulent furnishings in the room as part of a fantasy world. The maid looking disdainfully at me from the side and the appearance of the butler attending to me. Most of all, the titles and names used to address me seem to hint at the current situation.

Right. As I grasp my head and search my memories, the name Ian Gongja comes to mind. The Ian Breitna I’ve possessed. Wasn’t he the troublemaker who caused trouble from the beginning, or was it in episode 1 or 2 where he appeared as a mid-boss and died? In another loop, he didn’t even appear and died of an incurable disease. Of all people, why did I possess him, a guy like that?

I exert force once, but surprisingly, the butler seems to have already known and restrains my arms and legs. Even the maid who came in holds onto my ankle.

“Are you going to act like this again?!”

“I just felt a little strange for a moment…! It’s been quiet lately…”

Even the slender maid couldn’t resist. It’s not that the maid is strong; it’s just that this body is weak. With limbs almost useless, there wasn’t much use for strength or magic. Realizing that I couldn’t do anything in this continuing pressured situation, I eventually let go. The gazes of the maid and the butler become dumbfounded. Because Ian Gongja was a notorious troublemaker even in the mansion, barely restraining someone to this extent wouldn’t make him give up.

However, the one throwing punches right now isn’t Ian.

At first, it was hard to believe the reality that had just hit me, but after some time, I began to understand that some strength had returned to my limbs and I could manage a few simple steps. I looked around and let out a deep sigh.

First and foremost, I keenly felt the need to accept this reality. The butler, wiping the sweat from his forehead, spoke, “Are you coming to your senses, Sir Ian?”

“…Yeah.”

Feeling an intense itch on my forehead, I grabbed the butler who was about to leave for a moment. “What year is it now?”

“It’s… the 890th year of the Empire.”

“890 years… Damn, the novel hasn’t even started yet?” I needed to quickly make plans for the fact that I had transmigrated earlier than the original work. Holding my forehead, I sent the butler away and at the same time caught hold of a maid.

“But, your—”

“Ahhhh!” She suddenly screamed as if her eardrums were about to burst, then tore her wrist from my grasp and immediately collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down her face.

The gaze of hatred she directed at me… Why, what did I do wrong again? Those eyes were unfamiliar to me. Not understanding what had just happened, I stared at the maid with a dumbfounded expression.

The butler, who had rushed in at the sound of the scream, looked at me with a surprised expression and said, “W-what have you done?”

“I just… grabbed her wrist for a moment…”

“When you grab someone, especially a maid, you should use gloves or grab the area around their clothes. Sigh… It can’t be helped. I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”

“Why do I have to do that?”

“Well, are you trying to kill the maid just because you saved yourself? Last time, you struggled to stop a servant girl from hanging herself. Are you trying to do something like rape again?”

Damn. When did I become such a bastard? Looking at myself, fallen into a state of attempted rape, murder, and mental illness, it seemed like I was completely screwed. ‘But can a servant speak so rudely to a noble?’ Maybe someone is backing her up or the master instructed her to act that way. My head already started to ache.

“I even forgot my name, let alone forgetting about it completely, Ian. Do you realize how serious the situation is?”

A woman with black hair and eyes that shone like gold stared at me from the desk in the study.

Brittany Rachel.

She was an attractive woman no matter how you looked at her. She brushed back her characteristic black hair to reveal her neck. Her radiant golden eyes and full lips never failed to captivate anyone who saw them. The azure shoulder ornament she wore and the pristine white suit exuded nobility, and most importantly, her ample chest and hips. However, what truly set her apart from the somber office was the light streaming in through the window, giving her an air of aristocratic elegance and an imposing yet delicate presence, akin to a flower on a cliff.

Her fair face and the two dots under her right eye immediately identified her as Brittany Rachel, the mother of the protagonist who had appeared consistently since Episode 1.

“…Damn it. I can’t believe I’ve been dragged here just because I managed to grab his wrist.”

But I didn’t feel bad about it. She was that beautiful.

The Countess possessed the power and authority to rule anywhere within the mansion.

“Do you realize,” she asked, “that my words are falling on deaf ears?”

“…Yes, I do.”

I deliberately used formal language to show remorse and emphasize the seriousness of the situation. Fortunately, this prevented Rachel from erupting into the rage described in the original work. It was a moment when my exceptional ability to handle situations shone through.

But Rachel’s words didn’t end there. First, we needed to sort out the incident.

“You grabbed the maid’s wrist?”

I bowed my head.

There was no need to worry excessively; being the youngest among the siblings, I could explain any misunderstandings if an investigation were to take place.

“But… why does the reaction seem strange?”

The attendants by my side, who were trying to secure me in place one way or another, seemed slightly taken aback. The surrounding area was filled with a constant buzzing sound.

“Did you just use formal language?”

“You two have never raised your voices like that before…”

Come to think of it. “I remember now. I was a wretch, wasn’t I?” It’s depicted in the original work as well. The protagonist Dylan’s youngest self eventually turns into a villain and is killed off as a mid-boss. The only memory I had constantly pushed aside with disgust was that of this guy. It turns out it was me.

“…” Even Rachel, who was staring intently at me with her arms resting on the office table, couldn’t hide her slight surprise. She must be shocked.

I marveled at Ian’s manipulative power and resolved to take advantage of this mistake.

“…I’m sorry.”

With just that apology, Rachel subtly tilted her head, and her voice noticeably softened.

“You have nothing to apologize for. That maid has already voluntarily resigned.”

“I know.”

“I also know there’s no contagion from your incurable disease. However, many servants are so afraid from the start that they avoid going near your room, as if visiting you is some kind of punishment.”

Naturally. Even though it’s in the past. Who would want to serve a nobleman with a dirty mind, who raped a maid and has an incurable disease that makes them terminally ill?

Furthermore, unlike other noble sisters, I don’t have a personal maid, and the reason I have an old butler is also because of that.

“I understand.”

“So, even though it’s off-topic now… how about trying to do something properly for once? By doing that, you can cleanly forget about this incident, reduce jealousy around you, and go all the way in your own way.”

“What do you mean?”

“Would you be interested in learning swordsmanship, archery, spear techniques, shield combat, or even magic? That was indeed a foolish question. However, don’t you possess an innate blessing of magic power? Your reservoir is far deeper and richer than your peers, and even if your mana core is tainted, with effort, you will undoubtedly break through it. With that, why not attempt to create a magical formula?”

…

A moment of silence followed.

Rachel’s face came into view.

Her coldly set eyes and golden irises remained unchanged, but beneath them, her clasped hands trembled faintly.

Just as described in the original work, she was a mother who harbored deep affection and earnest concern for her children. Admitting one’s own fault and proposing an alternative was not an easy choice in a society where nobility had to display dignity. Especially so if it concerned a son.

Unavoidably, I resolved to once again become the dutiful son.

“Do you mean to try it?”

“How could I, as your son, disregard the plan you’ve thought about deeply and suggested? Let me try it thoroughly, and if it doesn’t work, then we can consider other options.”

As if scholarly or virtuous words were coming from a fool’s mouth, the steward watching from behind widened his eyes and stared at me as if they were about to pop out.

“You, you… What did you just say…”

“T-that’s not… proper. How can you always blame yourself?” Ian’s mouth twitched as he seemed to have a fit.

Ahem, Rachel, after coughing lightly, closed her eyes and gestured quietly to the steward to be silent.

“Why are you doing this?”

“It’s nothing. Since I sent you the basics of magical formulas for this year’s assessment, take them and study. I’m counting on you.”

‘Was she trying to force me, even if it was against my will?’

My thoughts, concentrated on the problem from start to finish, came to a sudden halt.

“…Isn’t this a high school math problem?”