Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Fixing the Dantian (1)
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"Hey, tubby. What kind of nonsense are you pulling now?"
A woman with black twin tails approached right up to my face and glared at me.
Who the hell is this?
I'm not causing any trouble... First time seeing someone exercise?
"Who are you...?"
"What...?"
The woman in front of me made a displeased face.
Wait, looking closely... she kinda resembles Pablo's features.
Am I imagining it?
"Have you gotten so stupid that you can't even recognize your own blood relative anymore?"
"Pardon?"
Blood relative?
Does that mean... she's my sister?
No, she's too mature-looking to be just a little sister.
"...Sister?"
"Don't you dare call me that. It makes me sick to my stomach thinking we share the same blood."
Guess I was right.
That contemptuous gaze and her arrogantly lifted chin.
Apparently, Sian's sister hates him just as much.
Before possession, this guy... didn't have anyone on his side, huh.
Self-inflicted, sure, but still—it's his sister. How can she hate her brother this much for being a debauched young master? It felt a bit extreme.
"That's why I'm asking what kind of racket you're making first thing in the morning. Answer me."
"I was exercising."
"...What?"
"I said I was exercising."
My sister widened her eyes in shock.
Three seconds of silence followed. Then she looked at me like I was crazy.
"Did you... hit your head or something?"
She's saying the exact same thing as Pablo.
Is my behavior that different from pre-possession Sian? What can I do... with a body like this, I have to exercise.
I'm not the type to procrastinate. If I have to lose the fat anyway, better to act fast, take the suspicion, and get used to it.
"I just figured it was fat I'd have to lose someday, so I started exercising. No big reason."
"...Annoying. Like losing weight would change anything about a kid like you? Quit talking nonsense and come eat breakfast. Father is calling for you."
With that, she turned on her heel with a huff and walked back to the house.
Breakfast, huh...
To make strength training efficient, I do need to eat breakfast.
Especially in a growth phase—starving to lose weight would have bad side effects. Getting weak would hinder building strength too.
Might as well go eat.
I'm curious about the house and this world's food anyway.
I followed behind her toward the house.
"Everyone's gathered."
The Brace Ducal Family assembled at the large dining table in the kitchen.
Not that there's many—just Father, Sister, and me.
I'd wondered if there were other family members, but no.
Mother seemed to have only borne my full sister and me.
Where's Mother, though...?
As I glanced around, Pablo picked up his spoon and started eating before she even arrived.
Roast chicken, vegetable soup, wheat bread—the table groaned under delicious-looking dishes.
Worried about drawing suspicion if I kept looking around, I set aside my questions and picked up my spoon.
For my first bite, I scooped some soup into my mouth.
'Oh, not bad at all?'
The soup had a deep flavor... Unlike what I'd feared, it was light yet subtly sweet—pretty good. Must be a personal chef in a ducal house.
"...The academy term starts in three months, right?"
As I was enjoying the food, Pablo asked me.
"Yeah, something like that."
I answered casually.
Three months until academy starts... So it's vacation now?
Explains why no one nagged when I holed up at home.
"...Even if you go, you skip classes and just eat and play—what's the point? Might as well die."
Sister said while scooping her food.
Die? That's a bit harsh.
I'm not the one who lived like a slacker—that was the original Sian.
She doesn't know the details, but it still stung hearing it.
I glanced at Pablo.
He was silently eating. Agreeing with Sister?
How badly did pre-possession Sian live to get this treatment at home?
Can't stay quiet. Gotta say something.
Not knowing exactly how he was before, I'd tone it down.
"Isn't that a bit too much?"
"...Too much? Hey, your late mother who died giving birth to you must be heartbroken watching from heaven."
"Enough, Sara."
So her name's Sara.
Wait... what did she say?
Died giving birth to me? Mother?
"Am I wrong, Father? Mother died in childbirth because of that kid's dantian, and now he's turning into more of a debauched young master every day. If she were alive, how devastated would she be?"
"......"
Sara said calmly as she ate.
Pablo stayed silent.
The many maids lining the walls, watching us, kept their mouths shut too. The silence leaned toward agreeing with Sara.
I was too stunned to eat.
Her words about Mother dying because of my dantian echoed in my mind.
...Can't stay.
"I'll excuse myself first."
Sitting longer felt like being a criminal—food wouldn't go down.
I set down my spoon, stood from the table, and headed to my room.
No one spoke to me the whole way. Not a soul.
...Guess I'll eat alone from now on.
I entered my room and sat on the bed.
Now I get it.
Why everyone in this mansion hates Sian so much—it finally makes sense.
'Maternal death in childbirth.'
I'd seen it in the game story. Newborns with dantian issues causing dangerous mana reactions during birth, killing the mother.
Sian must be a case like that. Losing your wife in one moment, only for the child to grow into a debauched young master... I'd be pissed too.
'But aren't these cases usually when birthing sword master or grand mage prodigies?'
Great power demands great price. Mothers dying birthing high-spec dantian newborns was common in the story.
But...
Sian's dantian is definitely damaged.
Even high-spec, birthing one without mana capacity shouldn't be an issue.
So, acquired damage to the dantian after birth?
No idea.
'Guess fixing the dantian will tell.'
Need to lose weight ASAP.
Whether it's truly sword master or grand mage potential, we'll see later.
Till then, no pointless hopes.
Two months passed.
"That debauched young master... doesn't he look a bit slimmer?"
"Kinda more handsome too... or am I imagining it?"
It was the usual morning cardio, post-lunch strength training time.
'Hoo...'
Push-ups.
5 sets of 20.
Eating less, running and exercising daily—my body felt unrecognizably better.
Still fat, but way better than before.
'Time to move on...'
Time to fix the dantian.
First step: exercise to make the body somewhat human.
Second and final: hunt the high-rank beast Great Eagle near Griffon Forest.
Digging through pre-possession Sian's memories, there were faint recollections of basic swordsmanship from the academy.
'But hunting beasts with this sluggish body? No way.'
One swing, and it'd counterattack.
That's why I shed so much weight. From severely obese to just obese.
Feels like 85kg now. Good thing this debauched young master is tall.
'Much more agile than before... Can't dawdle anymore.'
Academy starts in a month.
I wiped sweat with a cool wet cloth and headed to the bath.
After washing, I grabbed pre-possession Sian's wooden sword and went to the back yard.
Shady enough, and maids rarely came—perfect spot for secret practice.
'Hoo...'
I gripped the wooden sword precisely with both hands.
Pulled elbows to right angles overhead.
Then, as I swung down, gathered core strength, straightened arms, and slashed.
"Hah!"
Vertical slash, one of the Three Fundamental Sword Techniques.
Sian had never practiced it—not even once—just sat and learned.
-Whoosh!
Each swing cut the air sharply with the blade's edge.
Planning 10,000 reps today.
Master basics solidly to flow smoothly into footwork and next moves.
"Haah!"
I cleared my mind and focused solely on swinging.
"Hah... huff... huff..."
Around 7,000 swings, fatigue hit—I collapsed to the ground.
'Damn... should rest a bit.'
Swinging like mad with a body never used a sword—unused arm and core muscles screamed.
'Not talentless, though...'
If anything, talented in swordsmanship.
Clumsy at first, but body adapted quick—swings got smooth.
'With a body this good, why'd Sian waste it?'
Even with damaged dantian, training swordsmanship could've put him in a decent spot.
As a gamer, hard to gauge the level... but definitely flexible for sword work.
'...Time to resume.'
Promised myself 10,000—gotta keep it.
Stood, took stance again.
As I went to swing—
"May I check your sword form?"
"Gyaaah!"
A woman's voice from behind—I didn't know she was there. Startled, I fell backward.