Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: A Devoted Reader's Reformation Life
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<―>
Aden wondered if he was dreaming right now.
Just yesterday, his half-brother had been hounding him like he was about to devour him alive, and now here he was, playing ball with him—and having a blast at it, no less.
Aden remained tense, fearing it was all a ploy to let his guard down before some sudden tantrum, but he soon realized the truth.
Sion Klauzen, his half-brother who had hated and despised him so much...
was genuinely playing with him right now.
"Not bad?
You really five years old?"
"Y-Yes, five years old.
I mean, yes!
Brother!"
"Why the hell you talking like that?"
"It's because... you told me to..."
"Cut it out.
Back to kid talk.
No more of that cringey shit.
Got it?"
"Y-Yeah!
Brother!"
Sion tilted his head and said, 'Say it again,' prompting Aden to frantically switch back to his childish speech.
"Yep, bro!"
After that, the two brothers resumed their ball game.
Sure, one might think the full-grown twenty-year-old was just going easy on his barely five-year-old brother, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
Tatat!
Shoo!
Tatat!
Whoosh!
'What the fuck?
That's the movement of a five-year-old?'
Sion had been kicking lightly in case the kid missed, but Aden caught it with remarkably swift motions, as if repaying the favor.
He even dodged Sion blocking his path and pulled off flashy dribbles—and that wasn't because Sion was holding back for his brother.
'...Now I get why Sion Klauzen hated his half-brother so much.'
It wasn't just because he was a half-brother threatening his heir position.
Unlike Sion, a mana cripple, Aden Klauzen wielded his mana with complete freedom.
That allowed him to show such impressive agility despite being only five—extremely young.
Meanwhile, Sion—a full-grown adult and top heir—couldn't handle a single speck of mana.
Forget adult; this kid who hadn't even shed his baby fat, and wasn't even the eldest son, could wield mana.
And not just any mana—he handled it as freely as a decent knight or mage!
'Sion got zilch in talent, and Aden scooped it all up.'
He was a genius through and through.
Impressive now, but with age and proper training? Sion was already curious about that future.
'Too bad Sion's ass-kicking forces him to leave the Klauzen Margrave Territory, ending Aden's story there, so no details on what comes after.'
Either way, it was heaven-sent talent.
The moment he realized it, Sion knew he had to bring the kid to his side.
The character vanished after a few mentions, so changing the future wouldn't matter much—and as brothers, the bond was strong enough to keep him close.
Plus, his skills were guaranteed from childhood; raise him right, and even if not full Kim Yu-hyun, he'd be a 'mini' version for sure.
'To mend this broken bond, I gotta play hard, make him laugh—a lot—from now on!'
And so, for nearly half a day, Sion went wild playing ball with Aden.
It only ended when the maids came calling for lunch.
"Hehehe!"
Even the initially composed Aden was just a kid in the end.
His wariness melted away like snow in spring sun, leaving only bright joy on his face.
"Huff huff huff!"
Sion, the mana cripple, was sweating buckets like ice in midsummer blaze.
'Fuck!
I'm screwed!
I'm gonna die from ball playing first!'
Aden, innately gifted with mana, instinctively used it to keep peak condition.
But Sion had no mana—just pure stamina—and worse, as a mana-crippled Sion Klauzen, his stamina was premature ejaculation levels.
Not for nothing was he the author-certified 'weakest' villain.
"Hehe!
Bro!
Play tomorrow too, right?"
Shit!
You're definitely plotting to assassinate me!
Two more rounds and I might actually drop dead—that thought dominated Sion's mind.
Hoping the kid would lose interest, Sion nodded and headed inside the castle.
After lunch, to recover his wrecked stamina, he holed up in the castle library.
He overheard maids whispering about the young lord suddenly reading books, but honestly, he just wanted a nap.
Still, for plausible deniability, he wedged a few thick tomes under his arms, approached the desk, and plopped right down.
"...Fuck, gonna die.
Mom, Dad..."
"That dad you're calling is right here."
...―(―)$―Pro^!
If it weren't for the Margrave of Lichten, he'd have unleashed a torrent of curses and glared.
Make some noise if someone's there—why lurk like a pervert!
"D-Dad!"
"Why so startled?
Anyone'd think you saw a ghost."
"It's just..."
"It's been ages since I saw you enter the library—or read a book."
"Huh?"
"After your mother died, you ignored every word I said, living wild.
Naturally, you avoided books like the plague."
With that, Margrave Lichten closely examined the book Sion had brought.
"A Study on Celestials and Demons, eh.
Quite the intriguing read."
"Oh, this is..."
Sion couldn't exactly say 'This ain't a book, it's a pillow,' so he mumbled something about it suddenly catching his eye.
Margrave Lichten nodded indifferently and slowly spoke.
"Raido visited yesterday.
He told me about your conversations—and that you'd already guessed his identity."
"Seriously..."
Fucking old man.
Chasing him down to tattle right away?
Sion screamed internally but sharpened his focus.
Having brushed off Raido and Sebastian, now another obstacle blocked him.
This one? His father, who knew Sion Klauzen better than anyone.
"If I ask why you chose such a tough path, will you answer?"
Luckily, Margrave Lichten seemed to view his son's change positively, not suspiciously.
The question dripping out even carried goodwill.
'Lucky break.'
Sion exhaled in relief and repeated what he'd told Raido yesterday.
The resolve of a man with nothing to his name, refusing to die a fool—he wanted to do something himself now.
Margrave Lichten listened quietly, slammed his book shut, and stood.
"Sion Klauzen."
"Yes, Father."
"A letter arrived this morning from a Nudia Kingdom territory."
The enemy territory bordering Klauzen Margrave Territory.
A letter from there meant either great news—or terrible.
And unfortunately, it was the latter.
"A declaration of war.
They've chosen war over peace."
"R-Really?"
Sion feigned shock, but he'd foreseen this.
After Kim Yu-hyun cut off Sion Klauzen's arm, he had to become the margrave's savior—the stage was all-out war with Nudia Kingdom.
"A declaration means they've finished war prep long ago.
They'll invade soon—but in your view, Sion, where should we defend?"
"My view..."
Hold up—didn't the novel have the margrave territory striking first preemptively?
Discussing defense points now? Sion sensed something off.
As Raido said, the Klauzen family hid it, but they were born warriors.
When enemies appeared, they struck first—smashing heads before invasion. That was Klauzen Margrave Territory's history and tradition.
In the novel, Margrave Lichten preemptively attacked post-declaration, inflicting massive damage on Nudia.
The problem came after: an unforeseen enemy knight order ambush shattered their lines, nearly capturing the margrave himself.
Enter Kim Yu-hyun, massacring the Nudia forces.
Common soldiers, elite knights—all equal before the protagonist's blade.
Saving the margrave and troops earned him thanks despite cutting Sion's arm—and a trip to the royal capital.
'That's how Margrave Lichten's tragedy began.'
Enraged at sending his arm-cutter free, Sion Klauzen kills his own father.
An unforgivable, heaven-defying filial impiety.
But now? The shell was old Sion Klauzen, but inside? A true pervert reader who knew the novel inside-out, endorsed by the author and others!
"Father."
"Speak."
"Their declaration means they've nearly finished invasion prep."
"Indeed.
All prepped, so they declare openly."
"Then how about we strike first instead?"
Wisdom for surviving harsh worlds, first rule:
If you know your superior's intentions, exploit them fully.
"Strike first?"
"They'll think their sudden declaration has us panicking.
That's when we punch 'em in the mouth—break their momentum from the start."
"...Not a bad plan.
Fits the Klauzen way."
Margrave Lichten stroked his chin, clearly pleased.
He secretly admired Sion inwardly.
As if reading his mind, pinpointing exactly what he wanted.
Raido's words weren't empty—feeling that anew, he continued.
"But we're short on troops and morale.
We need one more thing, I think."
"I agree.
I was thinking the same."
Currently, the enemy territory hosted a Nudia knight order in secret.
The force that turned Klauzen's successful raiders into routed rabble overnight.
But Kim Yu-hyun vaporizes them to cosmic dust.
"You think so?
What’s that one thing you need?"
"I heard Raido took a disciple recently.
Bringing him would boost our forces greatly, Father."
"Now that you mention it, Raido grumbled about getting a disciple in his old age.
But he looked thrilled—the young man's quite taken with him."
"He said the same to me."
Never happened.
Just from the novel.
"So your 'one' is Raido's disciple.
Hmm, differs from my pick, Sion Klauzen."
"Who do you have in mind, Father?"
Didn't need to guess.
Margrave's choice: Raido or Sebastian.
One of the two.
"Sion Klauzen."
"Yes?"
"I need you.
Sion Klauzen—you."
"...?"
Hearing his name from Margrave Lichten froze Sion's brain.
Did I hear wrong?
Battlefields: swords clash, lives snuffed like flies.
Send me—a mana-less speck—there?
"Father, what do you mean..."
"You hid yourself well till now—good.
But no need anymore.
You're twenty, an adult.
Spread your wings freely—no more tiptoeing."
No, hold up?
Margrave Lichten?
Dad?
I got no wings from the start.
Mana cripple, stamina premature—war? What war!
Damn it, you fool!
Why'd you show off?!
Dad, I'll die!
I'll die!
"Father, I doubt I'd help much in war..."
"First experiences must be had.
I'll be there too—no need to worry."
Margrave Lichten patted his son's shoulder reassuringly.
But Sion wanted to scream and jump.
He'd met monsters galore, yapping nonstop to survive—and now dragged openly to the battlefield.
Mana-less, stamina beaten by a five-year-old in ball play!
'...No choice.
Gotta do something.
Can't live without mana, fuck.'
[Author's Note] Next part around 1 PM...
Bookmarks, recs, and comments always a huge help...!