Chapter 9

Chapter 8

Academy Entrance – 3

The reunion with my brother, who had been admitted to the academy to see a wider world, was the worst. He was clearly a kid we raised with care at home, but he ended up being bewitched by a girl with a hellish difficulty level.

‘Scary. Human capybara.’

It was even more shocking because he was usually not interested in the opposite sex. If it had been someone I expected, I could have let it slide, but it was a complete surprise. The reunion with my brother was truly the worst...

“It’s good to see you’re doing well.”

Struggling with what to say due to my complicated feelings, I decided to let it pass. Even though my brother had entered the academy, which I could see the future of, it would be too ugly to interfere and give advice on his love life, which he hadn’t even talked about yet.

I don’t think my relationship with Erih is bad, but we’re not that close. Even if we were, if I suddenly told him, “Your love life is a mess,” he would probably cut ties with me immediately.

Erih nodded with a bewildered look as I patted his shoulder, and Irena, who had stepped back to observe, spoke up.

“But, Kal... Why did you come to the academy, big brother?”

Her question, which seemed to have drifted to “big brother” after some hesitation, made me feel a small sense of satisfaction. It felt good to hear the fresh word “big brother” after always being called “director,” “this guy,” “bastard,” or “crazy guy.”

“I came on business. I’ll probably be staying for quite a while, so if we run into each other, say hello.”

“Business? Are you a bureaucrat?”

Irena’s eyes widened in surprise. If a bureaucrat comes to the academy for business, they are usually a mid-level official, but Kal looked more like a new recruit who had just started.

“Yeah, a bureaucrat.”

I almost added, “Don’t do this kind of thing,” but closed my mouth. If my words influenced future civil servants and they really didn’t do it, it would be a problem.

The more new slaves pile up, the easier it is for me. Maybe one day, even without me, the gears will keep turning smoothly... please.

“Wow! I heard it’s really hard to become a bureaucrat these days!”

Capybara, I mean, Louise, sparkled at the mention of Kal being a bureaucrat. Is it really hard to become a civil servant these days? It shouldn’t be. Otherwise, the speed at which slaves increase would slow down.

“I became a bureaucrat four years ago, so I’m not sure about the current situation.”

Before Louise could say anything more, I quickly cut her off. I’m already the protagonist of this world, and Erih is someone who has been swallowed up by the protagonist. Keeping him close is terrifying. Of course, he hasn’t done anything wrong... but I’m a bit wary.

Is this the poor civil servant’s jealousy towards the beloved protagonist of the world? Hmm, that sounds plausible.

“By the way, weren’t you on your way to school? You might be late if you stay any longer.”

“It’s still okay...”

“Ah, right. We should go now.”

Irena stopped Louise, who seemed to have more to say. She must have noticed that I wanted to leave. She has good instincts. Is her attachment to the protagonist also a result of her instincts?

“Let’s catch up next time.”

I gave a casual greeting, similar to “Let’s have dinner sometime,” and looked at Erih. Since he’s my brother, I should at least give him some encouragement.

“There’s a lot you can do at the academy, so work hard and make progress.”

Of course, I don’t know what he can do. I’d have to attend the academy to find out. It’s a dog’s life.

With that, I turned and headed towards the main building, but I quickly changed direction when I saw a blonde man walking with a distant follower. Meeting the protagonist, having the worst reunion with my brother, and then seeing this guy would drive me crazy.

Erih sighed and wiped the sweat from his chin as he watched Kal’s retreating back. He hadn’t expected to see his awkward older brother at the academy. Even worse, Kal said he would be staying for a while. It was like a bolt from the blue.

Seeing Erih’s expression, Louise asked worriedly. He was stiff, sweating cold, and his pupils were darting around. Anyone passing by could tell something was seriously wrong. It would be rude not to ask.

“Erih, are you hurt? Are you okay?”

“A, a, um. I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

He forced a smile, but Erih was far from fine. From the moment Kal noticed him and approached, Erih had experienced the feeling of a frog in front of a snake.

“Long time no see. How have you been?”

When Kal, with his father’s pitch-black eyes, looked down at him and his deep voice wrapped around him, Erih could barely manage to answer without averting his gaze. Kal’s presence was a heavy pressure that weighed down on his entire body.

‘If I try to get used to it, it just gets worse.’

Perhaps as Erih’s abilities improved, he began to feel a pressure he hadn’t felt before. A person who exudes pressure while walking—could they really be brothers from the same mother?

In fact, when Erih was younger, things weren’t like this. Their relationship wasn’t particularly close, but they had a normal brotherly bond. They played, fought, apologized, and played again. It was a typical brotherly relationship, and Kal was a quiet older brother. This was until Kal fainted from a fall at 16.

Naturally, the mansion was in an uproar. With the heir of the viscount’s family unconscious, anyone even slightly responsible was on the verge of hanging themselves. Fortunately, Kal recovered after a short time, but from then on, he was different.

The once introverted Kal became more outgoing. It was a bit strange, but since he had almost died, a change in personality was understandable. However, no matter how positively one looked at it, the Kal after 17 was unrecognizable.

Kal’s expression hardened as the day went on, and at some point, he stopped coming home at all. It was too long to be just busy, and the last time he was seen, he looked completely exhausted.

Two years after Kal became a bureaucrat, when Erih was 15, Kal finally returned to the mansion. The mansion was in an uproar at the return of the heir, and the scene is still etched in Erih’s memory.

“Well done. You are a masterpiece of the Krausius family.”

Kal and Erih’s father, the head of the Krausius family. Calling him “father” felt strange. He was an excellent vassal, a distinguished noble, and a decent lord, but not a good father.

He saw his two sons as tools to continue the Krausius name and pawns to be used for the emperor and the empire. He treated them well to make them useful, but never showed affection or interest. That was the kind of person the head of the family was.

But the head of the family, who welcomed the long-absent Kal, smiled broadly and laughed loudly enough to be heard throughout the mansion. The butler and the head servant, who had served the head of the family for a long time, were clearly surprised by this. Only Kal responded to the head of the family’s praise with a bow.

“I merely did what needed to be done.”

The head of the family was even more satisfied with this answer.

After the head of the family left, Erih finally approached Kal. It was only natural to welcome his long-absent older brother, no matter how distant they were. But when Erih approached Kal, he was chilled by Kal’s gaze.

Kal’s eyes looked at him as if he were the head of the family, not a person, but an object to be evaluated. Kal patted Erih’s stiff shoulder a few times and left, leaving Erih standing there for a long time.

And two years later, today, Kal’s gaze was the same as it was then.

‘The kid is growing well, at least.’

Avoiding the blonde man seen from a distance, Kal finally managed to push aside his complicated feelings and recall Erih’s growth. Despite showing a pitiful and pathetic side to the protagonist just ten days after the opening ceremony, Erih was growing up healthy.

Erih made him feel guilty. The head of the family, who was not a father, the mother who either agreed with or was unable to challenge the head of the family’s methods, and the body’s original owner replaced by him. In this bizarre triangle, young Erih had to grow up alone.

When he took over the body, Erih was 12. From then on, Erih had to stand on his own. For the first year, they lived in the same mansion, so he could at least greet and take care of Erih a little. But once he started his civil service, even that became impossible.

When he returned to the mansion after finishing his work in the north, he was moved to see how much Erih had grown. He patted Erih’s shoulder a few times and left, feeling proud. Erih seemed a bit stiff, probably because he was awkward with his long-absent older brother.

Today, he felt the same way when he saw how much Erih had grown. He placed his hand on Erih’s shoulder, and Erih stiffened again. Family should live together and see each other often. Erih is getting used to his older brother.

‘I should try to see Erih more often.’

If Erih knew, he would be terrified and seriously consider dropping out of the academy and his school life with Louise.

Conversely, if Kal knew that Erih saw his gaze as similar to the head of the family’s, who looked at people like chess pieces, he would also be terrified.

The brothers each had a weapon that could deal a psychological blow to the other, but in different ways...

Author’s Note

From a distance, he seems invincible... (omitted)

Kal’s civil service life, which includes even his family from a distance. Who will truly understand his harsh reality?

Thank you for reading this chapter!

Thank you, Belog and Danjjamhollic, for your support!