The Beginning of Change

The people in the mansion looked at Arthur with puzzled expressions.

They all knew he had changed recently.

But they couldn't understand why he was acting this way even toward Loris.

"Y-yeah?"

Loris's face briefly twisted in confusion before she quickly smoothed it over.

"I've prepared breakfast, so let's eat together, Loris."

"Yes, ma'am."

Loris flashed her usual bright smile again.

Everyone headed to the kitchen.

For breakfast, a surprisingly hearty spread had been laid out.

Loris took a polite bite, savoring it.

"The food is delicious, Lady Helen."

"Eat plenty."

Helen smiled warmly.

Hans watched from behind, full of admiration.

'Heh, not only is Miss Loris beautiful, but she's so humble too. No wonder she's known as the top beauty in Brat Territory.'

Unlike the admiring group, Arthur ate in silence.

It was a pretty amusing quest.

A faint smile tugged at Arthur's lips before vanishing just as quickly.

'Interesting.'

The quest itself was entertaining enough.

And the notification chime had rung twice in total.

As the quest window faded, something else hidden behind it appeared: Important Information View.

'Important Information View? What the hell is this?'

Arthur couldn't help but wonder.

Next to the Important Information View label was a note for 500 cash.

He ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠received cash every time he completed a quest.

Was this something he could unlock by spending it?

'Purchase it.'

Another holographic window popped up in front of Arthur.

His eyes widened slightly as he read it, then quickly returned to normal.

'To reveal something like this...'

The Important Information View had disclosed something utterly shocking.

He swallowed a groan inwardly and briefly recalled the past.

When fire broke out in his mansion, killing his mother, the servants, and the maids, Loris had turned her back on him—and worse, spread rumors that he'd gone mad from losing his parents.

And now, that same woman was sharing a meal with him.

Loris spoke up as Arthur gave her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his usual indifferent response, barely glancing her way.

"Not hungry, Arthur?"

"Nah, it's good."

He casually sliced off a piece of meat and popped it into his mouth.

'Why's this coward suddenly killing the vibe? He used to blush to his ears just from me talking to him...!'

Loris kept smiling outwardly, but inwardly she was baffled.

Soon breakfast ended, and as Helen stepped away to the bathroom, Arthur turned to Hans.

"Hans, I need to talk to Loris alone."

'A confession...?'

Hans thought, a small smile forming.

Maybe that's why he'd worn that expression today. A funny thought crossed his mind.

He gave a slight nod and quickly left the room.

"Loris."

For the first time today, Arthur addressed her first.

"Yeah? Arthur."

She elegantly dabbed her mouth with a napkin and beamed.

Arthur chewed the last bit of meat and spoke coldly.

"Don't come to our house anymore. You're ugly."

Loris's face froze the instant she heard it.

She nearly let her true colors slip.

Thinking she'd misheard, she asked again.

"W-what...?"

"If you're ugly, does fat grow in your ears too? Don't come to our house anymore."

"What are you talking about, Arthur? Do you know how rude you're being right now?"

Loris suppressed her anger with effort.

"Rude? Rude, huh."

Arthur mulled it over, nodding.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin and tossed it onto his plate.

"You're the rude one. No long talks, Loris."

His gaze grew icier by the second.

But his face wore a beaming smile.

"Enough with the fake act in front of me. You sleep with Carman, pretend to be into me, then laugh behind my back with him, calling me a fucking loser?"

'H-how...?'

How did he know she and Carman were lovers?

No one in Brat or Kallis Territory knew.

And whenever she'd toyed with him before, he'd say, "You're so nice," and get thrilled at the slightest touch?

Could a person change this much overnight?

But that wasn't the point.

The issue was she couldn't have fun with him anymore—and he'd seen through her true nature.

"Y-you... knew?"

Her expression shifted.

It turned cold in an instant.

The sly, fake smile vanished, replaced by a wicked smirk curling one side of her mouth.

She picked up her knife, glancing around casually as she spoke.

"You won't tell anyone, right, Arthur? If you do, Aus and his buddies will stomp you flat."

Aus.

A name he hadn't heard in ages.

From his past as the coward Arthur.

That past had started changing when he joined the territory army at nineteen.

Aus, the innkeeper's son, was a local thug leader, no better than street trash.

He groveled to a guy named Carman but loved crushing Arthur.

'Pathetic story. And I'm a knight's son, no less.'

Arthur's father had earned a junior baronetcy.

Though it was personal, since he'd died fighting to save the territory, people treated Arthur and Helen somewhat like minor nobility.

'Which just proves how much of a coward I was back then.'

Arthur nodded slowly.

"Do whatever."

Loris was thrown off by his bored tone.

This guy who used to tremble at the mere mention of Aus?

"F-fine. You'll get beaten today. And calling me ugly? What's wrong with your eyes?"

"My eyes are just fine."

He stared at her face, wide-eyed, as if inspecting it closely.

"Let me see... Yeah, I can see it clear as day..."

He'd just learned her secret from the Important Information View.

"A fat pig covered in freckles, crossed eyes, bitchy personality... Oh, right—one bucktooth sticking out."

"...!"

Loris jolted in shock.

'T-that appearance...'

Arthur had described her—her hidden true form.

It was right there in the Important Information View he'd bought.

This was the first info that showed just how incredible the ability was.

"Must be nice being from a rich family. Hiring an alchemist to fix your face. How much did that power cost you?"

Loris bit her lip hard.

How the hell did he know?

She had been an ugly girl.

She never left the house until eleven.

Her heartbroken father hired a top alchemist and changed her face.

It cost a fortune.

From then on, Loris became beautiful and ventured into the world.

Arthur clicked his tongue.

"Disgusting."

Loris's face twisted grotesquely.

But Arthur continued.

"Not because you changed your looks to be beautiful. That's not disgusting."

He took a sip from his water glass.

Judging people by appearance?

Was there anything more foolish?

Arthur didn't care for that.

But he had a reason to call it disgusting.

"You get beautiful and then mock and trample others, calling them ugly and ignoring them. Isn't that fun? If you were ugly and spent a fortune to fix it, shouldn't you be grateful and treat others better? What I find disgusting is your nature, Loris."

Her arms trembled at his words.

She was disgusting?

With this beautiful face?

She, rumored across Brat Territory for her beauty and character?

"You fucking bastard!"

A vulgar curse finally burst out.

Helen, returning from the bathroom, jumped in surprise.

Loris realized her mistake as their eyes met.

She bit her lip and stormed out of the house.

"What's gotten into Loris?"

"Mother, she's not the good girl she seems."

Arthur gave a wry smile.

He couldn't make that face in front of his mother.

Helen looked puzzled. Even Hans, who thought today was confession day, was the same.

After breakfast, Arthur headed upstairs.

As he reached the top of the stairs, Hans's voice called out.

"Young master, come out when you're ready."

Today was the territory army exam.

Arthur had declared he'd join to change himself.

His ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠initially worried mother had relented at his firm resolve.

Arthur paused.

"I'm going alone."

"Alone?"

Hans tilted his head.

"I'm plenty grown."

"To me, you're still a child who needs my help."

Hans spoke like he wanted to follow.

He always accompanied Arthur whenever he went out into the territory.

Lately, Arthur hadn't wanted that, so Hans must feel a bit neglected.

But today, he really didn't want Hans tagging along.

There was something he needed to confirm.

Arthur said firmly.

"If you keep following me..."

"If I do...?"

Arthur smirked.

"I won't join the army."

"...Have a safe trip."

Hans deflated.

Arthur had guessed it.

When he'd announced joining the army, Hans had been secretly thrilled.

Tired of babysitting him?

The opposite.

Hans had seen what Arthur was like in the dungeon.

He was expecting something.

For the so-called coward Arthur to show everyone he took after his father!

Arthur glanced back at Hans, head bowed and mumbling.

"Young master... all grown up now... I'm... useless... He used to stick by my side endlessly."

Who knew the massive Hans could look so cute.

Arthur entered his room to prepare to leave.

* * *

When he finished preparing and came out, his mother waited with an anxious expression.

'Makes sense.'

How could she not worry about her son joining the army?

"Be careful. If it feels too much, just come back."

"Don't worry, Mother."

Arthur smiled brightly.

As he turned to go, Runi came rushing from inside.

Runi was a maid whose smile was enchantingly pretty.

"Young master, take this. Lady Helen made it herself. I just packed it."

Arthur happily took the lunchbox wrapped in soft cloth.

"I'll enjoy it, Mother."

Helen smiled gently.

He felt her support.

His mother, whom he'd missed so much.

It made him want to do even better today.

Arthur grabbed the lunchbox and left the mansion.

He headed toward the territory army training camp.

Then—

He stopped abruptly and turned down the opposite road from the camp.

He entered a sparsely populated alley.

As he did, just as expected, two burly boys appeared at the far end.

Both nineteen, much taller and bulkier than Arthur.

"Hey, Arthur."

And behind him, blocking the entrance, two more men.

The tall one with a shaved blond head was Aus.

Aus was especially huge, around 188cm.

'Just as I thought.'

This was exactly what Arthur wanted to confirm.

Loris must have set it up.

'Well, it's necessary for change anyway.'

Arthur was almost glad.

Once he crushed them, no one would call him coward Arthur again.

And when he crushed them, it'd be thorough.

So they'd never touch him again.

Aus held a club.

Whoosh. Whoosh.

He swung it menacingly, slicing the air as he approached.

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