* * *
“You don’t need to worry about anything. Just relax and make yourself at home,” the Duke said, abandoning the awkwardly kind tone for something more natural.
“From now on, think of this place as your home.”
“Ah… yes.”
But, uh… did you get my consent for that? Because I’m curious.
Of course, the question remained unspoken.
The Duke, convinced he had my agreement, turned his gaze to the side with a satisfied smile.
“And here is my son, Raizen Pantheon.”
The moment of truth had arrived.
Clenching my teeth, I turned slowly to face him.
“…Hyung?”
The word slipped out before I could stop myself.
‘No way.’
He looked a bit younger than I remembered, and his eyes were red, but it was unmistakable.
His flawlessly sculpted features and the delicate lines of his face formed an unmatched beauty.
Even the small scar under his right eye, like a faint mark, confirmed it.
It was him.
It had to be him.
The person who had suddenly appeared in my life, showered me with warmth and love my real parents never gave, and then disappeared without a trace.
‘Where were you? Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?’
Reaching out instinctively, I froze when the figure in front of me smiled.
It was a fake, insincere smile I knew my brother would never wear.
‘Ah, damn…’
Reality hit me, bringing my wandering mind back.
‘What do I do? Should I apologize and grovel?’
No, that might only make Raizen hate me more.
‘Screw it, whatever.’
Plastering on the brightest smile I could manage, I said, “Hyung! Nice to see you again!”
Ugh, this is so mortifying.
I even waved my arms like a kid to emphasize my childishness.
But Raizen’s piercing gaze, as if he wanted to kill me, didn’t soften in the slightest.
‘Seriously, people! Are your eyes just ornaments? Can’t you see the murderous intent in his stare?’
The Duke is supposed to be a Swordmaster, right?
Well, good luck with that title now!
Yet my silent plea went unanswered.
The Duke, his presumed aide, and Mila all smiled warmly at us as if we were some heartwarming family reunion scene.
‘This is hopeless. Maybe drowning in the bathtub would be better.’
Meanwhile, Raizen just stared, offering no reaction.
My face was cramping from forcing this smile, and he wasn’t even blinking.
Then, as if reading my thoughts, Raizen suddenly smiled and extended his hand toward me.
“Let’s get along.”
Why does that sound more like, ‘I’ll crush you to pieces?’ But I couldn’t let it show, so I exaggerated my grin and grabbed his hand.
“Sure, hyung!”
His small hand was ice cold.
∗ ∗ ∗
Raizen Panitheon, thirteen years old this year.
Sean Kreveta, twelve years old this year.
In the Empire of Sinoa, the setting of the novel, adulthood begins at eighteen.
Kim Minsoo’s transmigration takes place in the year Karon Luavis, his new body, turns eighteen. Karon Luavis was the same age as Raizen.
In other words, there are five years left until the start of the novel.
Raizen Panitheon will break the Demon King’s seal and be killed by Kim Minsoo’s hand two years later.
But that’s not what’s important.
‘The real problem is that I can’t remember how old Raizen was when he committed his first murder.’
Over the past few days, I’ve written down everything I remember about the novel ‘From Transmigration to Hero’. In Korean, which no one here can read.
My personal maid Mila even thought it was a drawing.
Anyway, I organized everything by timeline and key events.
But the most crucial detail—the timing of Sean’s death—eludes me.
‘I’m sure it was mentioned in “Raizen: The Side Story”! His exact age!’
And yet, even today… I can’t remember.
‘Seriously? Is my only ending the suicide route?’
The difference between being beaten to death and taking my own life is significant.
Even in my previous life on Earth, I’d tried crossing the River Styx on my own several times, only to fail every time.
‘Should I just enjoy the riches of this ducal household until Raizen kills me?’
Thinking this for what must be the hundredth time, I slumped over my desk.
Life in the ducal household was undeniably good.
Left alone, gourmet meals made from the finest ingredients appeared before me, with snacks promptly delivered on schedule.
Mila attended to my every need. Breathing was all I had to do.
‘This is such a cushy life.’
The problem is, none of this actually belongs to me.
If the Duke decides, “Get out,” I’ll have to say, “Yes, sir,” and leave.
“Sigh…”
All I do is sigh these days.
A soft knock broke the silence.
“Who is it?”
When I asked quietly, a voice replied, “It’s Mila.”
“Come in…!”
Even after being raised in Korea, the land of courtesy, it was hard to bring myself to speak informally to Mila.
At my permission, the door opened slowly, and Mila entered, her usual kind smile gracing her face.
She approached me carefully.
“Young Master Sean, were you playing with pictures?”
That’s… Korean, not pictures.
“Yes…!”
‘Sigh, pretending to be a child is exhausting.’
“You’re so well-behaved and independent. Truly admirable. But Young Master Sean, what shall we do? The Duke says he wants to see you.”
While I always stiffened in front of the Duke, my cheerful and informal demeanor with Raizen—calling him “hyung” like a bright child—seemed to have convinced the adults that I found the Duke intimidating.
“Huh… the Duke?”
Well, time to play along.
“Yes. He says he misses you so much he can’t even eat properly…”
Honestly, Duke, maybe use that energy to check on your own kid instead of obsessing over someone else’s.
Swallowing the words I couldn’t say aloud, I climbed down from my chair.
“Well, let’s go…!”
“Oh my, our young master is so brave!”
I don’t think I’ve ever received praise like this, even when I was an actual kid.
Resisting the urge to scratch my cheek in embarrassment, I followed Mila out of the room.
∗ ∗ ∗
As usual, my destination was the Duke’s office.
The door opened, and the Duke, who was reviewing documents, greeted me warmly.
Fortunately, Raizen wasn’t there.
“Sean, may I lift you up?”
His overly cautious tone made me nod right away.
The Duke gave a faint smile and sat me on his lap. From this unexpected vantage point, I noticed his desk cluttered with documents.
He picked up a few and placed them in front of me.
The letters of this world were readable to me, so I skimmed the content effortlessly.
A mana stone mine, a pink diamond mine, a mansion somewhere…
As I read the words, a piece of paper was suddenly placed in front of me.
It depicted a diamond mine, a mana stone mine, a three-story mansion, and stacks of cash sketched in bold strokes.
“Sean, you’re too young to understand this now, but… look carefully. These are all things your parents left for you. What’s shown here is only a portion.”
Excuse me?
“Mila, he probably doesn’t understand even if I say it like that.”
Mila sighed and walked closer.
“Young Master Sean, this is why the Duke has been so busy. I can’t go into detail, but just know that he’s been protecting what’s yours.”
“When you come of age, all of this will be returned to you without exception. So…”
The Duke’s voice choked, as though he were holding back tears, but I didn’t catch the rest of his words.
‘This is all mine? No, this is just a portion?’
Thanks to years of reading fantasy novels, I could guess what happened.
The late marquess and marchioness must have anticipated this situation and secretly entrusted a will to the Duke.
Using this, the Duke secured the inheritance without revealing that I was alive, likely to avoid exposing me to danger from traitors within the marquessate.
‘The important thing is… I don’t have to work another day in my life!’
How could I consider accepting death when I had these riches?
The original Sean might have resigned himself, but not me.
‘I’ll survive! No matter what it takes!’
Even if I have to grovel before the villain, I’ll stay alive!
∗ ∗ ∗
Yes, I resolved to survive no matter what.
But…
‘How exactly do I survive?’
The answer eluded me.
Days passed in fruitless contemplation until the Duchess invited me for tea. With Raizen.
I’d expected this.
For the Duke and Duchess, who were considering adopting me, fostering a bond between Raizen and me was important.
The problem lay elsewhere.
‘What the hell.’
The moment I saw Raizen, my body started trembling uncontrollably.
‘I mean, he’s scary, but not this scary!’
It seemed my body, recognizing Raizen as ‘the one who will kill me,’ was reacting instinctively.
Understandable—what child wouldn’t be terrified of someone destined to kill them?
‘Clatter!’
‘Still, there’s such a thing as too much!’
I couldn’t even hold on to the teacup and ended up dropping it.
Raizen had once described Sean as timid and frail, and he wasn’t wrong.
If Raizen was a budding villain, Sean seemed destined to be a fragile fish in a stormy sea.
“Sean…! Are you all right?”
* * *
