episode_0063

The eve of the Lion King’s birthday has arrived. Gilbert’s mental state was very clear after receiving comfort from Camilla the day before.

These days, waking up several times in the middle of the night is almost a daily routine. The reason, of course, was the pressure that they might attack at any time.

Probably the last time he had this much sleep was when he was shot down in the middle of enemy territory and barely escaped with his life.

However, I don’t know if it was thanks to Camilla, but I was able to get a good night’s sleep for the first time in a long time, something I couldn’t do because of my sharp mind. I slept deeply until morning without waking up even once.

Thanks to this, his mind was very clear and clear, and he felt no physical fatigue at all. Considering that I had not been able to sleep deeply for a while, it was surprising.

No matter how close he was to becoming a superhuman, he was still on the vague border of being completely superhuman.

Does the game system apply in places like this? That’s what Gilbert thought as he looked at his neatly recovered body.

Tactical Combat liked things that were realistic, but since it was still a game, the basic game system was applied. One of them was a system where all stamina was restored when you rested outside of battle.

Although it was not an all-purpose system that could resolve injuries or abnormalities inflicted on the character itself, it was quite possible to replenish completely depleted physical strength and stamina.

It was still a mystery whether this was really a game world or another world with a similar worldview, but it was true that the game system applied to him.

Since I was able to see the game’s stat window and skill window, it was understandable that the recovery system was applied after sleeping.

When Gilbert arrived at the outside guest reception room, he put everything about the game system in the back of his mind. Finding a relaxation system was important, but there was something more important now.

An employee working at the academy opened the door to the tightly closed reception room. The interior was gorgeous, befitting its reputation as the best academy in the empire. Perhaps because it was a world with an appropriate mix of medieval civilizations, medieval Gothic architectural styles were mixed together.

After entering, Gilbert took a quick look at the interior, which was built using construction techniques such as flying buttresses and rib bolts, and then found two people sitting in the living room and stood across from them.

A man and a woman with golden hair and red eyes.

They were Gilbert’s younger brothers.

“Are you here? Brother.”

Gilbert’s gaze turned to his younger brother, Glinda. He had blonde hair and red eyes just like Gilbert, but his physical condition was different. It was the opposite of Gilbert’s gigantic body, which seemed to have been carefully sculpted by God.

At first glance, he had a physique that looked similar to Ian’s with thin lines. Of course, it only looked that way on the outside, but in reality, it was a sturdy body perfected through training.

He had a strong body compared to other men his age. Since his father was the famous Margrave of Iron Blood, his genes were not lost anywhere. It only seemed relatively minor because the target of comparison was Gilbert.

“It’s been a while. Sit down.”

At Gilbert’s words, Glinda and Dorothy sat down. A simple tea set was placed on the table in the living room, and as soon as Gilbert sat down, the waiting maid brought out freshly brewed tea.

“I heard about you through Dorothy. It’s late, but congratulations.”

“I just did what I could. So there is no need to make a fuss.”

Glinda’s eyebrows twitched slightly. We didn’t exchange a few words, but as Dorothy said, his older brother was different from before.

His older brother, Gilbert Lionheart, was a man who seemed to have combed the word Anhamuin into human form before entering Medea Academy.

He was arrogant compared to his abilities, and like an empty gangjeong, his empty stomach was full of bravado and bravado. His basic attitude was to look down on others, and he did not hesitate to put others down.

It was the eldest son of the Earl of Hart who was so well described as a literal idiot.

However, not long after Gilbert entered Medea Academy, he suddenly became a master of a noble family. The atmosphere and words and actions naturally exuded the elegance of a noble family.

Was it true that your brother had really changed? Although she heard from Dorothy that he had changed, Glinda could not easily believe it and had no choice but to admit it after seeing Gilbert with her own eyes.

His older brother had clearly become a different person than before. I even understood why his only sister suspected that Gilbert was not a homunculus. Gilbert’s change came as a shock to Glinda as well.

“I think there is something I want to say.”

Glinda changed her expression when asked by Gilbert, who was savoring the taste of the tea as she lifted the teacup. He realized that his expression was disturbed without his knowledge due to the unexpected development of the situation.

Dorothy, who was sitting next to me, tapped my side with my elbow, asking me to look at it. Normally, she would have warned her to behave well, but right now, just analyzing Gilbert was giving Glinda a headache.

It wasn’t just behavior that changed. Even Glinda, who was said to be the count’s master, could not easily figure out what was contained in the indifferent eyes looking at him.

Compared to the old Gilbert, who was always see-through, I couldn’t even guess what the current Gilbert was thinking.

Although she accepted that she had changed, Glinda, who was confident in her ability to read people, could not help but be shocked.

However, he did not make the mistake of losing his expression like before. Glinda’s training wasn’t shallow enough to make the same mistakes over and over again.

“Glinda I guess you can make that kind of expression too. Was my change that surprising?”

“It is unreasonable. Brother.”

I answered the penetrating words with as much composure as I could, but it seemed to be of no use to Gilbert. He just drank his tea in silence, as if he already knew everything.

Glinda prided herself on being as talented at hiding her true feelings as she was at reading people’s minds, but that pride collapsed at this moment.

His older brother, who had changed, seemed to even have the ability to see through people’s hearts.

“Look, that’s right. I heard you don’t look like your first brother…!”

Dorothy, who had been quiet until now, whispered to Glinda. Her second brother had doubts about what she said until he met her first brother.

Of course, she also did not believe it even though she saw it with her own eyes, so she understood her second brother’s reaction.

But is the mind at her age only rational?

No matter how rational Dorothy appeared, she was as sensitive as any other girl her age. He couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed with Glinda, who didn’t completely believe what he said.

However, Glinda did not have the mental space to understand Dorothy’s situation. This was because Gilbert’s sudden change was difficult for Glinda, who was preparing to succeed her poor older brother, to accept.

From the time he became an adult, he received training as a successor on behalf of Gilbert for the Hart family and the people of the estate. This was the conclusion reached after a meeting of vassals, including the Count of Lithuania, as he did not intend for his brat nature to disappear even as he got older.

Glinda also thought that was natural. His older brother was not fit for the position of margrave of the empire. The very idea of entrusting the border area to a fool made no sense.

For that reason, his life was a series of education to become the Count of Lithuania, and he had no doubt that he would become the Count of Lithuania in the future.

But one day. No, to be more precise, when his older brother Gilbert entered Demeia Academy, strange rumors began to spread.

It was news that the son of a Lithuanian count had changed.

At first no one believed it. This was because there was a strong perception that Gilbert, who had been acting like an asshole within the territory for a long time, could not possibly have changed.

But Gilbert’s actions were true. Starting with winning the entrance mock battle at Demeia Academy, he became a disciple of the Empire’s greatest sword, and was eventually awarded the title of knight for eliminating the resistance that rebelled against the Empire.

As soon as this major move was delivered to the Lithuanian territory, the whole situation changed drastically.

All the vassals who said that Gilbert should be deprived of his position as successor immediately had no choice but to keep quiet. It was the bastard Gilbert who became a knight through the notarization of Princess Serafina, who was likely to be the next emperor.

Of course, public opinion did not change. They were not raising their voices calling for his successor to be revoked right now, but they were doubting Gilbert’s qualifications as he had not received proper training as a successor.

Glynda was of the same opinion, but the Gilbert she actually saw was more than just a rumor. There was nothing to be found that seemed rude or superficial.

I realized it there. Gilbert has become a person more suitable to be a successor than anyone else.

“Brother. I have something I want to ask.”

Glinda gathered her thoughts in a moment. Now that he has begun to show himself as a worthy successor, I have no intention of taking that position from him. Although his reputation as one of the worst was still an issue, it seemed clear that time would solve everything.

“What is that?”

“I will tell you honestly. You know very well what your position is in the Lithuanian territories. The territory residents, including the vassals, also have no trust in their brother. I wonder what you would do in such a worst-case situation.”

He gave up his position as successor. There was no room to doubt his abilities, having already been awarded a knighthood as an academy cadet. If you ask me if the effort I’ve put in so far is not a waste, I feel regretful, but I wasn’t greedy for the position of successor from the beginning.

All I wanted was for Young Ji-min to be at peace. That’s why Glinda asked Gilbert what he would do next. Although he keenly felt that things had changed from before, the future Lithuanian count family could change depending on his thoughts.

“No need to think about it.”

Gilbert put down his teacup and looked at Glinda with sunken eyes. There wasn’t even the slightest tremor in those eyes.

“It’s nothing to think about… I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“It’s literally true. It means I don’t have to think.”

“Brother.”

Are you thinking of going on a binge?

Glinda called Gilbert’s name in frustration, but his older brother held out a hand and cut him off. There was so much I wanted to say that my lips naturally moved.

“I don’t know what you were thinking, but listen to me. I fully know what my vassals and lords think of me. There is something I have done over a long period of time and it is impossible for me to be unaware of it.”

“That’s why. Brother, when you take over your father’s position in the future, all of that will come to a halt.”

There was a high possibility that there was noise not only internally, but also externally. Even among nobles, his viciousness was unavoidable. In an aristocratic society that values justification, this was bound to be a major weakness. Even though Count Hart kept his distance from politics, he was essentially an aristocrat.

“I guess so.”

“Brother. It is not a matter that will end just because it is so.”

“No, this is a matter that should be ended. It’s something I don’t have to think about.”

“Brother!”

Glynda couldn’t stand it anymore and jumped up from her seat. Since he had decided to give up his successor, he had planned to assist his older brother Gilbert, but he found Gilbert’s words too frustrating.

“No need to get angry. Glynda I am thinking of giving up my position as successor.”

“Brother…?”

Glinda, who woke up in frustration, was stopped by Gilbert’s sudden words. Thinking that I might have heard something wrong, I looked to the side and saw that Dorothy was also looking at Gilbert with a blank expression.

“What do you mean? You are giving up your position as successor.”

“It’s literally true. It would have already been decided that you, not me, would be the next successor. Now, I have no greed for the position of successor. I don’t even want to think about solving the problem you mentioned.”

“Brother. I’m not saying this so easily!”

“Do you think this is the wrong decision? I don’t think so.”

Glynda collapsed in her seat helplessly. Certainly, it could be seen as efficient for Glinda, who had already been receiving successor training for a long time, to receive it. The only thing he lacks is that he is not the firstborn son. In an aristocratic society where justification is everything, it was a huge flaw, but if Gilbert, the successor, gave up, the story would be different.

But I couldn’t figure out why I wanted to do that. What kind of change of heart did he have when he came to Demeia Academy that made him think of giving up the position of successor he was so obsessed with?

I desperately tried to read Gilbert’s inner thoughts, but I still couldn’t figure out his intentions. No, there was only one thing Glinda could know.

“Say it again. I will give up my position as successor.”

All he really said was that he would give up his position as successor.

***

Gilbert sighed as he watched Glinda and Dorothy leave, dazed by the bombshell. It seemed that his act to deceive the quick-witted Glinda had worked well.

As I said to Brianna and Seraphina before, I truly intended to hand over the position of successor to him. He was a soldier, not a politician. Even if he had modern knowledge, he did not receive proper education as a successor, so the knowledge he could use was at best the basic knowledge of an aristocrat.

On the other hand, Glinda was a person who naturally stood out as the successor to the Hart family in the absence of Gilbert, and was a person with high potential in Tactical Combat.

There was no guarantee that the future would proceed as Gilbert knew, but it was clear that the larger picture would not change as long as there was a main quest. Now that I thought the only way to return to the original world was to clear the main quest, there was no time to be tied down to the Heart Count family. Since I had passed on an heir, being able to ask for help when clearing the main quest was the icing on the cake.

Moreover, in many ways, it was good for Glinda to take charge of the Hart family in case he returned to the original world. If the Marginal Spirit was shaken, it would only cause chaos in the empire.

At least I hoped that Seraphina, whom I was starting to become attached to, would not have a hard time because of that.

After organizing his thoughts, Gilbert looked at the time. Since there was quite a bit of time left until the parade, I planned to rest a little longer. If I hadn’t found peace thanks to Camilla’s words the day before, I would have been frantically trying to find the people who attacked the academy, but not now.

It wasn’t that I relaxed, but I stopped being on edge at every moment.

It didn’t suit him to be too impatient in the first place. Maybe it was something that happened when I assimilated into Gilbert’s body.

Gilbert, who was planning on taking some time to sleep before the parade started, gently closed his eyes.

A cool breeze blew through the window. The wind that was just right for falling asleep tickled my front hair.