Chapter 2

# Chapter 2. <When I Opened My Eyes>

The man felt someone gently patting his body. The rough hand reminded him of the tired hands of a parent, and it was that warm.

“Master. It’s morning.”

However, the voice was very deep. A shiver ran down his spine, and without realizing it, his eyes opened. Instead of the warm sunlight through the window, an old man was looking at him with a pleased expression.

“What’s the matter that you woke up so easily?”

“Pardon?”

“The master of the house said he wants to have breakfast with you today. It seems it will happen.”

The man saw a mirror over the old man’s shoulder. In the mirror, a red-haired man, who looked like he hadn’t yet turned twenty, was looking at him with a sullen expression.

It seems that guy is me.

“Master Cale?”

When the man turned his gaze to the worried voice, the old man, who appeared to be a servant, was looking at him. But the worry and concern weren’t the issue.

The man clearly heard it.

Master Cale. For some reason, it was a familiar name. The name slipped out of his mouth.

“Cale Hennithus?”

The old servant looked at him as if he were a beloved grandson.

“Yes, Master. It seems you haven’t fully sobered up yet.”

In response to the affirmative answer, the man naturally thought of a name that held even more weight than Cale Hennithus.

“…Birox.”

“Are you talking about my son?”

“…The chef.”

“Yes, my son is the chef. Is there something you want to order for a hangover breakfast?”

The man felt dizzy and lowered his head, holding his head with his hand.

“Master, are you still feeling the effects of the hangover? Should I call a doctor? Or would you like to wash up right away?”

The man noticed his red hair falling between his lowered head, a vivid red very different from his own black hair.

Cale Hennithus. Birox. Birox’s father, Ron.

They were characters from the early part of the novel [The Birth of a Hero] that he had been reading the night before and fell asleep with.

He suddenly lifted his head and looked around. He saw a bedroom that was completely different from Korea, reminiscent of Europe, and it was also lavishly decorated.

“Master?”

The man spoke to the old man Ron, who was pretending to be kind and gentle.

“Cold water.”

“Pardon?”

He needed something to snap him back to reality. When he looked at the old man Ron, he saw Cale Hennithus in the mirror over his shoulder.

‘Still in one piece.’

He hadn’t been beaten up by the protagonist yet. His handsome face captivated him.

The man found himself as Cale Hennithus when he opened his eyes.

In the early part of [The Birth of a Hero], Cale Hennithus, who was beaten up by the protagonist to the point of barely being alive, was now him.

“Master, you’re not going to take a cold bath, are you? Are you talking about drinking water?”

Cale turned his gaze to Ron. Though pretending to be kind, he was actually a cruel person hiding his true identity. He asked Ron,

“Can you get me some water to drink?”

He needed to drink cold water to settle his stomach.

“I’ll prepare it right away.”

“Thanks.”

Ron’s expression became subtle, but the man didn’t notice.

* * *

There was only lukewarm water in the bedroom, so Ron went out to get cold water. Left alone, Cale got out of bed and went to the bathroom. If the story was correct, the largest mirror should be in the bathroom.

As expected, there was a full-length mirror in the bathroom. Cale Hennithus, who was very particular about his appearance and physique, had a large full-length mirror installed in the bathroom.

The man in the full-length mirror had red hair and a well-built body. He had a physique that made clothes look good.

“It’s really Cale.”

The man in the mirror was exactly as Cale Hennithus was described in the novel. [The Birth of a Hero] was particularly detailed in its facial descriptions, so he couldn’t help but think it was the right person as soon as he saw the mirror.

When someone is too surprised and bewildered, they become calm, right? Cale, or rather Kim Roksu, calmly recalled the previous night.

It was just a regular holiday. He wanted to read a fantasy novel on paper instead of on his phone, so he went to a rental shop and borrowed a book. He borrowed all the volumes up to the end, planning to read them all day.

The title of the book was [The Birth of a Hero]. He read up to the fifth volume and fell asleep. When he opened his eyes, he was Cale Hennithus, one of the minor characters who gets beaten up by the protagonist in the first volume.

‘This is too much like a novel plot, isn’t it?’

Possession, perhaps. Beyond the absurdity, his mind became calm. Naturally, the early part of the story came to mind.

The Birth of a Hero.

This book was about the birth, conflicts, and growth of heroes in the Western and Eastern continents. Of course, the protagonist is a Korean high school student who was transported to another dimension in his first year of high school. Moreover, he had a lifespan as long as a dragon and didn’t age.

“…This is a big deal, isn’t it?”

He looked like the kind of person who would be beaten up by such a person. But the important thing was that it hadn’t happened yet.

Cale took his eyes off the mirror and sank into the bathtub filled with warm water. He leaned his head back and looked at the ceiling. It was made of expensive marble, of course, but in this fief where Cale lived, marble was abundant.

“Not much to be nostalgic about.”

Life as Kim Roksu. There wasn’t much to be nostalgic about. An orphan with no money. No one he loved so much that he would die for them, no friends he would risk his life for. He just kept living because he couldn’t die.

Yes, he couldn’t die.

He hated dying. He hated being in pain. In a traffic accident when he was young, his parents passed away, and he was the only one who survived.

He hated pain and death. No matter what, even if he had to roll in a dung heap, this world was better.

‘In that sense, I need to avoid getting beaten up for now.’

Cale didn’t know what time it was, but he was sure he hadn’t met the protagonist yet. The reason was simple.

‘No scar on my side.’

Cale Hennithus, the troublemaker of the Hennithus family, got a shallow scar on his side after getting drunk and throwing a tantrum, stabbing himself with a broken table leg.

What a funny guy. He didn’t get into a fight with anyone; he just got angry because the alcohol tasted bad and ended up with a scar. Later, he met the protagonist with the wound still fresh, and after a few encounters, he was finally beaten up in a soda scene.

“Hmm.”

Cale crossed his arms and thought.

He didn’t know what happened to Cale after the soda scene in the first volume. The protagonist, Jai Han, met various fortuitous events, overcame difficulties, and grew into a typical hero with his companions.

And the era for heroes to shine was about to begin. The current kingdom of Rauen, where Cale lived, and various places in the Eastern and Western continents were about to be engulfed in war. It was truly an era for heroes to flourish.

Cale frowned. Kim Roksu, who had become Cale, had a simple life motto.

Live long and thin. Without pain. For small pleasures.

Live comfortably.

“…If I avoid getting beaten up and let the story progress as it is, the protagonist will take care of the rest.”

The early part of the story, including the detailed descriptions of appearances, came back to him clearly. Cale relaxed in the hot water, his mind becoming clearer, and he came to a conclusion.

“Worth a try.”

Avoiding the continent’s wars and living a simple life was worth a try. The background of this troublemaker was much better than when he was Kim Roksu. The location in the corner of the Western continent was perfect for avoiding war. In the novel, many fiefs managed to avoid the effects of war, and even if they couldn’t completely escape, they could minimize the damage.

“Master, are you in the bathroom?”

Ron’s voice came from outside the door. Cale recalled his identity. A former assassin who had crossed the Eastern continent by ship, pretending to be kind but with a sinister mind.

“Yes, I’ll be out soon.”

He naturally spoke informally to the old man. Cale realized this and resolved how to proceed.

First, he needed to get rid of the old man and hand him over to the protagonist.

The old man could easily kill Cale in one blow but treated him like a pitiful dog. Though he pretended to be kind, he had no affection for Cale. After Cale was beaten up by the protagonist, Ron left with his son.

Cale wrapped a bathrobe around himself and quickly left the bathroom. Ron, with a kind face, carefully extended a tray with a glass of water.

“Here it is, Master.”

Cale took the glass and passed by the old man. He didn’t want to face such a scary old man.

“Thanks.”

Ron’s expression became subtle again, but Cale had already passed by. Cale drank the cold water and thought.

‘There are too many strong people here.’

There were far too many. Wherever the protagonist went, there were strong people or those with secrets, and non-human races.

‘I need to have the strength to protect myself at least.’

To live without pain and for a long time in a continent about to be engulfed in war, he needed to be strong to some extent. Of course, being too strong would lead to more pain.

Cale recalled the numerous fortuitous events in the early part of the story. The power that made the protagonist and his companions strong. He thought of the ones he could obtain without pain and easily. There were a few options, and he could choose one.

“Master, I’ll help you dress.”

“Ah, thanks.”

Soon, the door opened, and two servants entered with Ron to help him dress. Cale, unaware of Ron’s unusually expressionless face, looked at the clothes the servant brought.

“Ah, something simple this time.”

He disliked overly elaborate clothes. He preferred simple, comfortable clothes that allowed him to rest easily.

“Yes, Master.”

The servant in charge of clothing quickly brought out simple clothes, and Cale changed into the simplest one. After changing, he slightly frowned. The simple clothes were still too fancy and didn’t suit him, but he looked quite handsome in the mirror.

‘After all, a good face and a body that makes clothes look good.’

Indeed, a good face completes the look. He straightened his clothes in the mirror and looked at Ron, who was still pretending to be kind.

“Ron, let’s go.”

“Yes, Master.”

Cale followed Ron. He didn’t need to know the layout of the mansion; following Ron would be enough. The servants and maids who met Cale all shrank back, bowed respectfully, and disappeared as if fleeing.

‘But Cale didn’t hit anyone, did he?’

He just liked to drink a lot and play. And sometimes, when drunk, he broke things. That’s what a troublemaker is. And he didn’t treat people as people, except for a few he liked.

‘Well, it’s good if no one bothers me.’

Cale thought comfortably. In fact, if he had entered a more exemplary person’s body, it would have been more difficult. As a troublemaker, he could act freely without constraints. He didn’t plan to live a model life, so this was a feasible thought.

“I’ll open the door.”

“Okay.”

Cale nodded at Ron. In the book, Cale treated Ron, who had raised him like a grandfather since childhood, as kindly as his own father. He always answered Ron and treated him like a person, though Ron’s true feelings were the opposite. So, Cale found it easy to deal with Ron. He just needed to answer and treat him like a person.

“I hope you have a good breakfast.”

“Thanks, Ron. You should eat too.”

Cale passed by Ron without hesitation and entered the dining room. There, he saw his family. His father, Dert, the head of the Hennithus family; his stepmother, the countess; and her son and daughter. Four people were looking at Cale.

“You’re late again.”

Cale’s gaze turned to Dert, the head of the family who had just spoken. The book described Cale’s feelings towards his father like this:

‘Cale was the only one who followed his father’s words. The reason he didn’t wander outside the fief and was kept on a leash was thanks to his father, Count Dert Hennithus.’

Unfortunately, unlike the many strong fathers in the novel, Cale’s father had no outstanding power or authority. He was just rich. Of course, Cale liked this. It was a perfect environment to live comfortably.

A stepmother who knew what he disliked and avoided it.

A smarter second son who was afraid of his older brother.

A cute younger sister who avoided her older brother.

They didn’t torment Cale, and Cale didn’t torment them. They just lived like strangers.

What a peaceful environment to enjoy a solitary life.

“Sit down.”

“Yes, Father.”

Despite the name “breakfast,” the table was lavishly set. Cale sat down at his place and then felt a strange feeling, lifting his head.

“Is there something you want to say?”

“…No, nothing.”

Dert was staring at Cale, and the other family members were doing the same. Cale met each of their gazes, and they quickly averted their eyes and continued eating.

‘I must be quite uncomfortable for them.’

Cale turned his gaze to the table. The luxurious breakfast was a stark contrast to the simple meals he had been eating alone. A smile naturally formed on his lips. He started with a sausage, cutting it in half with a knife.

‘The juice is different.’

Whether it was homemade or well-cooked, the juice flowed out when he cut it, and the well-cooked color stimulated his appetite. A smile naturally formed on his lips.

Clang.

At that moment, something fell, and Cale’s eyes met his younger brother, Vassen. He saw the fork in Vassen’s hand fall.

“I’m sorry.”

Vassen, as described in the book, calmly apologized, and a servant quickly brought a new fork and picked up the fallen one. Cale, impressed by the convenience of being a noble, focused on his meal again.

Cale found one good thing about being in the book. The breakfast was not only abundant but also excellent, making his stomach happy.

His smile didn’t fade.

“…Hmm.”

That’s why he didn’t hear his younger brother Vassen’s sigh.