Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Vow of Impotence
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7 years—2,556 days, including leap years—was no short amount of time.
Even applying the 10,000-hour rule, seven years amounted to 61,344 hours. For someone like me who barely slept two hours a day, that was enough time to become an expert not just five times over, but half again as much.
So, what had I accomplished in that long, long stretch?
"No way, Young Master! You're only twenty, but you've completely surpassed everything I could teach you—to the point where I should be begging you for guidance?! Hoo... I have to admit it now. Young Master Yang Woo-bin, you are number one. The king of domestic bliss...!"
My dedicated tutor, the Wet Nurse, teared up as she acknowledged that I'd reached an unrivaled pinnacle in the arts of housekeeping.
"That said, Young Master, your beauty only shines brighter with each passing day. Skin as smooth and pale as milk, not a single blemish even after puberty, a refined princely face, and hair as black as the night sky. You were always a pretty boy as a kid, but if I'd known you'd turn out this Exquisite, maybe you wouldn't have needed to work so hard on your studies..."
Even the hyper-diligent Wet Nurse was saying things like, "If I'd known you'd look this good, you could've skipped studying altogether." That's how much of a heartthrob I'd become.
I myself was startled every morning, staring at my reflection while washing up. Nuff said.
Anyway, while I mastered domestic skills to an insane degree and grew into an insanely Exquisite guy—the kind who'd have every woman on the marriage market begging him to marry her—what about the most important thing? My combat prowess?
"Heh."
Surprisingly, I hadn't grown a bit since parting with the little rascal.
Sure, at twenty, my body had filled out into a full adult frame, naturally boosting my strength along the way. But I hadn't gotten superhumanly, ridiculously stronger or anything.
And for good reason: once the little rascal—who'd basically given me free rein in the training hall—left, access to the hall was cut off. With nothing but bodyweight exercises available, even a superhuman like me hit a hard limit on gains.
The result? My face and body were perfect... but that was it.
Chocolate abs, sculpted pecs, veins popping on my arms when I flexed—sexy as hell, but no real power boost.
"Anyway, at this level, you could enter the academy without a worry in the world. Honestly, when the matriarch tasked me with turning you into the perfect catch, I wondered if it was even possible. But as expected of her—she saw this far ahead. Haha!"
Of course, I hadn't just sat around twiddling my thumbs. I'd done my absolute best with what I had.
And I'd pulled one ability all the way up to where I wanted it.
Status Window check.
Mana Sensitivity.
Through seven straight years of meditation, I'd built this up, and it would be my greatest weapon in academy life ahead.
Plus, the moment it hit A+, the trait Mana Fluidization awakened. It'd be a huge help in crises.
It was all groundwork to overcome this bullshit Solar Body. Staying cooped up in the Yang estate, stacking this much was plenty satisfying.
Real growth starts at the academy anyway. Seven years "wasted" was just the right handicap for me.
Alright, once I hit Dabcheon Academy, I'll shake off these chains and skyrocket in power. Snag top spot in midterms right away, help the protagonist along, push the story forward.
By graduation, I'll be strong enough to smash the Yang family's shackles and bolt from the clan.
Buy land overseas with the cash I've saved, escape this damn Yang family for good, and live free. That was my goal.
To sum up: Goal one, enough strength to easily shake off Yang family pursuit. Goal two, enough money to live without want.
And for someone who knew every inch of Reversal Hero Legend, those goals were a cakewalk. My future was paved smooth as silk.
I'd roam the world freely, enjoy it all, then swoop in to bail out the protagonist's party when things got dicey.
"Kuhuhu..."
"Oh, right, Young Master."
"Yes? What is it, Wet Nurse?"
The mere thought of that sweet freedom had me grinning from my soul when the Wet Nurse suddenly spoke up with a smile.
"The matriarch wants to see you tomorrow evening."
"The matriarch? Me?"
Yang Ga-jeong summoning me was rare... no, nonexistent.
She'd dumped all my education on the Wet Nurse from the start. To her, I was just merchandise to sell off for the Yang family's gain.
No reason for chit-chat or face-time.
"Why?"
That's why I had zero clue what reason she could have for seeing me now. I asked the Wet Nurse out of genuine curiosity.
She chuckled and replied.
"You'll find out tomorrow. Well, you're enrolling in the academy the day after, so maybe just some encouragement?"
"Ha, haha."
Encouragement? From her? Fat chance.
I brushed off the Wet Nurse's nonsense with a laugh and pondered what the meeting could be about.
Anyway, in twenty years, the only times she'd even laid eyes on me were the day I was born and the day I first met the little rascal. What reason could she have to summon me now? Encouragement? Bullshit... Hm, maybe a warning?
A warning—that seemed most likely.
The academy was beyond the clan's reach, no way to control me there. So maybe instill some fear to keep me in line.
If I were just a normal son, not a reincarnator and Reversal Hero Legend veteran, it'd work like a charm. Unfortunately for Yang Ga-jeong, I'm both.
Even if she waved the Yang family's power around and tried her intimidation bullshit, I'd just tune it out.
That's why I could face a one-on-one with the matriarch totally chill.
I really shouldn't have.
A day passed, and evening came for my audience with the matriarch. I took a deep breath and knocked.
Knock knock knock.
"I've arrived, Matriarch."
Slide—
No verbal invitation—just the door sliding open. For the first time in my life, I stepped into the matriarch's chambers, inwardly marveling.
Even a low-rank noble house like the Yangs goes this lavish for the matriarch's room. Wait, isn't that an artifact? Probably worth billions. Prestigious clans are no joke.
So much to gawk at, I reached the inner chamber in a blink.
Slide—
The inner door slid open on its own. There sat Yang Ga-jeong on the high seat.
"Ah, you're here. Sit."
"Yes."
An tone so cold and mechanical, impossible to imagine aimed at her own son.
But since I never saw her as a mother anyway, I just nodded casually and took my seat.
"Straight to business. You're enrolling in the academy tomorrow, yes?"
"Yes, Matriarch."
Yang Ga-jeong, more machine than human, hated wasting time. She cut right in as I sat.
Mentioning the academy? Warning as expected.
As a vet, whatever threats or bluster she threw, it wouldn't faze me. I leaned in, curious what she'd say.
"The academy is a dangerous place. Young men and women living together in close quarters. The twenty years I've invested in raising you could go to waste in one High-value-blooded moment."
"Yes, I suppose so."
Oh, coming at it from this angle? Warning me to watch out for girls? Fair, given my looks could charm anyone. If this game had a charm stat, it'd be EX rank easy.
I was so relaxed, I was cracking lame jokes in my head.
A little warning posed zero threat to me.
"So. To prevent any such mishaps, I'm taking measures."
"......Pardon?"
But as her words continued and she pulled a sheet of paper from under the table, my leisure vanished.
Th-that's......
The paper Yang Ga-jeong held matched perfectly something I'd glimpsed in passing in Reversal Hero Legend's lore.
My heart screamed "no way, can't be," but my eyes and brain had already ID'd it.
"Artifact, 'Vow of Impotence.'"
When those words left Yang Ga-jeong's mouth, confirming my dread, I bolted from my seat and ran.
"Tch."
Thwack—!
A tongue-click and a shockwave too fast for me to perceive rattled my skull.
Thud.
The floor rose to meet me, and my vision went black.
When I woke, my body was incapable of sex. Stricken with erectile dysfunction.