episode_0013

I whined for healing, but truthfully, I wasn’t in that much pain.

What worried me more was the aftermath of this mess.

What was I thinking, acting like that? If those people—no, if all the servants—decide to gang up and lynch me later, what then?

My frail body can’t handle that kind of violence.

Just raising my voice a little has left me aching all over. A group beating? Just kill me now.

“Stop… Chris…”

“But those people hurt you—!”

Even as she protested, Chris rushed over and cast a healing spell on me.

“It’s… whatever. It’s true—I was insane. I did hurt people.”

No matter how good my intentions were, the ones on the receiving end might not see it that way.

Besides, I never even explained why I acted the way I did. I never revealed my personal motives. Of course they’d find me suspicious and reject me.

And in the end, servants are just servants.

“So… don’t blame them too much.”

This much is only what I deserve.

“You’re not even angry? No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try to change, they won’t believe you! How can you just accept living your whole life shackled like this?!”

What is she even talking about?

I spoke.

“—–”

Only then did Chris’s eyes widen.

Maybe because she’s sharp, she realized her mistake quickly. Still, a mistake is a mistake.

And as her older brother, I can at least scold her once, right?

“——”

“Ah… Aah…”

Chris collapsed on the spot.

‐——–

The moment she saw Eric being kicked, Christine’s anger boiled over. But she forced herself to hold it in.

From their perspective, she and Eric did look suspicious. And if she were honest, she had hoped for something like this.

So she kept trying to reason with them. She wanted to scream that Eric had never been insane, that they were the ones in the wrong—but she swallowed those words.

She pleaded desperately for them to understand, but the guards just laughed her off.

This is wrong.

If things kept going like this, she wouldn’t be able to change anything.

It was happening all over again.

What do I do?

How can I make them respect Eric?

In the midst of her frantic thoughts, one guard gave her the answer.

“No one wants a cowardly lunati—”

I’ve found a way.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, Christine was standing in front of the guard.

Jack? John? It didn’t matter. She was just glad there was an idiot stupid enough to insult her brother to her face.

She needed an outlet for this rage. She needed a sacrifice to imprint Eric’s place in this household.

“You have no idea, do you? What you’ve done wrong, what kind of regret you’ll live with.”

Only after miraculously regressing did she realize how precious the bonds she had were. She clung to them desperately. And now, she couldn’t tolerate anyone breaking him again, hurting him.

She wouldn’t let anyone take him away. She wouldn’t let him become someone’s sacrifice again.

The other party members couldn’t do this. They were charismatic, magnetic—unlike her. If Eric stayed with them, willing or not, he’d be swept up in their heroic lives.

But this estate was safe.

As long as she stood at the top, giving orders, offering protection—within the cage of House Grave, the bird named Eric could sing safely.

And if that wasn’t possible, Christine would make it possible.

But first, she had to silence the noisy things disturbing his song.

Thud.

Just like Eric had been moments ago, Christine stomped on the guard’s head, pinning him down.

“I’ll have to break your spirit here first. Don’t worry—I won’t—”

“STOP!!!!!”

—kill you.

She meant to say it, but Eric was faster.

“Brother?”

When she looked up, she saw him hunched over, breathing heavily.

“If you don’t mind… could you heal me?”

Of course she would. As she healed him, Eric gave a faint smile, as if to say he was fine now. Frustrated, she couldn’t help but speak.

“Aren’t you even angry?”

The more she talked, the more she realized she was the one getting worked up.

“No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try to change, they won’t believe you! How can you just accept living your whole life shackled like this?!”

Why does this person live so selflessly? He’d already sacrificed his life once. If he gave it up for everyone else, wasn’t it okay for him to live a little for himself this time?

Her outburst came from frustration, but Eric answered calmly.

“——”

Christine’s mind went blank. Eric just stared at her, as if wondering what was wrong.

“Wh-what are you saying? Brother…”

She was shaking, even though it wasn’t cold. She desperately wanted to deny his words.

She wanted him to say no.

How much easier would it be if he said it was a joke? No—it might’ve been better if he’d said he’d regained his memories.

Then she could’ve run away, telling herself this was punishment for her sins.

But Eric, indifferent as ever, spoke again.

“——”

“Ah…”

His eyes.

They were the same as when she was a child. Eyes that had already given up, that didn’t care what happened anymore.

Things between Eric and her hadn’t improved. They hadn’t been reset.

They’d been broken from the start.

——-

I got hit.

Of course it hurt, but it was fine.

It was still better than being beaten by everyone and rolling on the ground.

Cough.

The moment I coughed, I knew something was wrong. Probably a broken bone.

It’s fine.

Still better than when half my body was gone and I couldn’t even eat until I was healed.

That was real suffering. A steak right in front of me, begging to be eaten, and I couldn’t even move my mouth.

“…Say it again, Brother.”

Chris stared at me with trembling eyes. Maybe she hadn’t heard me right, so I repeated it.

“I’m fine, Chris. You don’t have to worry so much.”

For someone like me, this much is already more than I deserve.

A lunatic, a failure, and on top of that, a noble—of course everyone would point fingers at me.

Honestly, what kind of amazing skills would an ordinary person who’d read a few novels suddenly gain by being reincarnated?

All I could do was try my best, struggle not to fall behind, and inconvenience everyone around me. That’s been my whole life.

So I’m fine. And—

“You were the one who wanted it to be like this in the first place.”

After all the bullying, gaslighting, and everything else you’ve done, what are you even saying now?

A ruined relationship can’t be fixed. That’s just how human connections are. Apologies and regrets are unnecessary—for you and for me.

The moment Chris decided to live proudly for herself, she also decided to reject my existence.

Any guilt she feels isn’t for someone like me—it’s from her sense of responsibility to be the perfect head of the family.

True repentance? Remorse for me?

No way. People are surprisingly forgiving of their own mistakes compared to others’. The arrogant stay arrogant to the end.

Especially someone like Chris, who rose from commoner to noble to hero party member—she must believe she’s blessed by heaven.

And now, she thinks her regression is part of that.

I know that much. Everything I do—lightening her burden, trying to get along with everyone, even doing nothing—is for her ideals.

Maybe this situation is just a rite of passage for her.

A trial, a device for her to defeat the Demon King.

A touching story where she kindly embraces her misunderstood brother, telling him he doesn’t have to suffer—where I break down, apologize, kneel, and we’re both saved.

Doesn’t that suit Lady Christine Grave perfectly?

“Eek.”

Chris’s hand kept pouring out mana. I was already fully healed.

Stop, Chris. You’ll run out!

Chris needs to stay intact for the hero party to form. The hero party needs to stay intact to defeat the Demon King.

And the Demon King needs to be defeated so I can take my 40 billion and leave this world.

With money, you can do anything. It’s 40 billion—what couldn’t I do?

Sleep where I want, eat what I want, love who I want—

Everyone else does it. Why can’t I?

When I get out, I want to try sushi. I’ve never had it before.

“Ah…!”

“Thanks, Chris. That’s enough.”

I gently pushed her hand away and slowly walked toward the guards.

A happy new life in another world?

Eat shit.

A harem of beautiful girls obsessed with me?

I’d rather kill myself.

Don’t try to remember. You don’t need to.

Don’t regret. You have a duty to grow stronger.

So don’t apologize, you worthless bitches.