Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: I'm Happy You've Changed
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I considered grabbing him by the collar.
But turning back time twice just to satisfy my own curiosity would be a perfect waste of points.
I clung to my reason and moved my hand toward his. Or at least, I tried to.
"You're joking, Luca."
He withdrew his hand, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners.
If I wasn't going to check, I could save the points, and I wouldn't have to take any extreme measures. That was fine by me...
All I could do was laugh.
I suppressed the urge to punch him and stared at him impassively.
"I trust you. If you say you took it, then you took it."
"......"
Ridiculous words.
Even if he claimed to have taken it, it was only four months ago that he'd forced the drug on me for his own amusement.
"You seem overcome with emotion."
"What emotion?"
"I'm sorry."
Adrian murmured, still propping his chin on his hand.
When I stared at him silently, he continued lightly.
"I won't do it again. From now on, I'll make sure to take proper care of it. Please spare me... That's what you said."
"......"
Those were all words I'd uttered after entering Luca's body.
Not by my will, but reflexively spat out the moment Luca's memories took shape.
I couldn't help but laugh.
"It turns out you were taking your medicine on time, yet you still made that excuse. You must have been scared. After thinking it over slowly, it seems like I failed to trust you fully because of my unnecessary worries."
It looked like remorse, but he was deliberately bringing up words from right before the change, hoping to unsettle me.
His smile concealed a gaze probing my condition.
No reason to give him the reaction he wanted.
I chuckled and leaned back against the chair.
"I've learned so much thanks to you, brother. No need to feel guilty."
It wasn't like I wouldn't slit my own throat anyway. Why bother with guilt?
More importantly...
There was one thing worth questioning now.
'The reason he's using the excuse of trusting me to avoid checking my magic power.'
It was probably the same reason I'd considered earlier.
First, he assumes that since I've changed so perfectly, he must have already checked my magic power.
It wasn't an unreasonable guess.
Maintaining the medication had been thanks to Luca's fear of his brother.
Even if the butler administered it personally, there were always loopholes.
Second, he'd obtained information that 'Luca' could use magic.
Earlier, I'd thought I needed to figure out which it was to decide my next moves...
'I don't need to know anymore.'
Whatever the cause, Adrian had already concluded that 'Luca can use magic.'
That conclusion would lead to only one action.
My death.
Either socially, or literally in a coffin under the dirt, or both.
Of course, I had no intention of letting it succeed.
* * *
Surprisingly, Adrian did nothing to me even after lunch passed.
We just read books together and drank tea. That was it.
It went without saying that I wasn't hoping for the basement, but the old him would have thrown me in there ages ago.
'His strategy has changed.'
As I pondered my next moves, Adrian spoke up.
"By the way, I heard you joined the school play. I had no idea you were interested in that sort of thing. Since when did you like acting?"
"You knew."
"How could I not know about my little brother's affairs?"
Of course. Trout must have told him.
I met his eyes calmly and said,
"It's not that I particularly like it, but I wanted to gain some experience. Same with entering the magic potion contest."
"Experience."
Adrian stroked his chin and smiled.
"To think my little brother has grown enough to take on all sorts of challenges. It's a new feeling for me. Just half a year ago, you couldn't even speak a word in front of people."
"People can change at any time."
I continued calmly, gazing into his unflinching eyes.
"You're the one who's kept me alive this far, brother. I didn't want to live in a way that would bring shame to you."
He was treating me with an almost suspiciously casual demeanor right now.
No matter how peaceful it looked on the surface, I couldn't reveal my inner thoughts.
This whole situation was likely part of his strategy.
Adrian nodded silently.
Now he was lost in thought, his gaze fixed on empty space.
"You're right. People can change anytime. Your completely transformed self compared to last year proves it."
Adrian's lips curved gently upward.
And the words that followed made me doubt my ears.
"I'm really happy you've changed."
"......"
Happy that I'd changed?
My head went cold in an instant, and I lifted the corners of my mouth, staring him down piercingly.
Hearing such words from him was the most ironic experience of my life. I doubted I'd ever top it.
He continued calmly, looking out the window.
"Being in the Papal States has taught me a lot. Pleroma cores have distinct characteristics. Most have cracks and strong expansion power. That's a common trait of cores that absorb others' magic power through blood."
Just as Lichtofen had said, it must be because of the vitriol.
Of course, no reason to cross-verify Lichtofen's info right now.
I kept my eyes on him, pondering his intentions.
"That might be a good core state for Pleromas, but not for us. You know well that someone who gains magic power by taking human blood could never be accepted by society."
His face no longer held a smile. Only solemnity remained.
"So it's always weighed on my mind. You were denied the ordinary life so many others enjoy. The reason you couldn't meet my eyes, or easily respond to the servants' questions—all of it stemmed from the stigma placed on you."
"......"
"Impressive. You've essentially seized your own life."
"...Seized it? You're evaluating my changes positively, brother."
"How could I not? Getting into the First Academy won't be hard now. You'll make plenty of good friends. And you'll reclaim all the things you should have rightfully had, one by one."
Adrian Ascanien was smiling more brightly than I'd ever seen.
"Congratulations, Luca. Truly."
"......"
I smiled back at him.
This was completely different from the past where I'd graduated from the Second Academy only to die.
I'd changed my mind.
'I need to scrap all the plans I've made so far.'
What I'd just heard was his strategy.
That's why he hadn't thrown me in the basement yet.
Realizing this, if he'd thrown me in the basement and tormented me like last year...
'I might have been disappointed instead.'
Last September's one-dimensional insults and torment were outdated strategies.
If I'd changed but he hadn't, he'd lose in the long run.
He must have judged my transformation far more rapid than expected, so he decided not to advance until he grasped my hidden cards.
In other words, the timing for him to kill me wasn't now, with this wind of change blowing my way, but when he could achieve perfect victory.
'Shall we test it?'
I fiddled with the tea he'd given me earlier and took a sip.
"You said I've seized my own life, brother."
"Yes."
I set the cup back on its saucer and snapped my fingers.
Whoosh—!
Pink magic power surged along the table.
I deliberately didn't lower the output since I wanted to observe his reaction.
Adrian Ascanien's head jerked back reflexively, his golden hair swaying with it.
Silence hung for a moment, then a bright smile spread across his shocked face.
"I can't believe it... What magnificent magic, Luca. To see magic of this color in our family."
His eyes no longer showed anxiety, unease, or any worry.
It wasn't entirely unexpected.
'You need that kind of composure to kill someone at 11 and frame your 4-year-old brother.'
As I listened to him, I opened the possibility window.
Dawn777
― Time until final ending 'Chapter X. Death': 647 days, 8 hours, 59 minutes, 34 seconds
― Possibility of change: 30.3%
30.3%.
Exactly as it was.
Knowing my magic power didn't bring any special crisis.
It was already within the range I'd predicted earlier.
That meant the 30.3% figure already accounted for both pluses and minuses.
'Good.'
I closed the window and spoke.
"I wanted to show you first, brother. There's something else I'd like to show you. Is that okay?"
I still sensed no agitation from Adrian.
Why would he be, when the brother he needs to kill is handing over information willingly?
I reached my arm toward his forehead.
I planned to use divine power now.
The effect was weaker, but even if I intended to rewind time, there was no benefit in him overhearing the incantation. I needed to block out the sound.
―"Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stay awake in vain."
White light spread outward.
But unlike others, Adrian didn't fall asleep.
'I expected it, but impressive.'
Mental magic didn't work on him.
I'd predicted that from his status window before.
Adrian Ascanien
Favorability: ?
Title: ?
Stamina: +10
Mental Strength: ?
Magic Power: +9
Skills: +10 [+?]
Impression: +10
Luck: +10 [-10]
Traits: Charm (Lv.10), Tenacity (Lv.10), Chapter X (Lv.1)(!)
Before, Ainsidel's magic power had been a question mark.
For Adrian, it was mental strength.
Filling all those stats like that suggested extraordinary mental fortitude.
He admired each divine power particle floating in the air.
"Even your divine power is as flashy as befits an Ascanien. A magician who wields divine power in our family—Father would be overjoyed. I have so many questions, but... I'll wait until you tell me yourself."
I replied with a smile.
He smiled back as if thankful for the show, so I mirrored his expression.
Now, let's see the reality.
Dawn777
― Time until final ending 'Chapter X. Death': 647 days, 8 hours, 58 minutes, 00 seconds
― Possibility of change: 0.3% (-30%p)
'...-30%p.'
A drop in possibility of change. First time I'd seen it.
This meant straight-up death.
He'd decided it was far more profitable to kill me right now than to search for a perfect long-term method.
A retry would reset it, but the number still sent a chill down my neck.
'In conclusion...'
He'd expected the magic power, but not the divine power. Naturally so. There'd been no sign of it in childhood.
And thankfully, he still didn't know it was Nicolaus.
'I know exactly how to move now.'
Deviating from the novel's flow had changed his actions.
He must have anticipated that tampering recklessly now would make things blow up far worse than in the novel. Nothing else explained the altered progression.
Adrian's perfectionism aimed for the opponent's total defeat and his own flawless victory.
By delaying my death, he'd now scour for the optimal way to kill me.
His plan would become far more intricate and airtight.
Honestly, if he hardened his resolve here, I couldn't predict how it'd go.
But having time meant...
Time to perfect Nicolaus so I could defeat him completely.
In that case, let's do it.
A natural smile formed on my face as I looked at him.
I summoned the retry window and opened my mouth.
"Rewind."