Chapter 5

Introduction to Delinquent Studies - Chapter 5 (5/300)

#005

Carius von Rivera.

As the first prince of the Rivera Empire and the most likely candidate for the vacant position of crown prince, he was a prominent figure. True to the Rivera bloodline, his golden hair and piercing eyes made him strikingly handsome. However, unlike the inexperienced August, Carius exuded a maturity and sophistication akin to a seasoned noble.

Beside him stood a man with a cold, murderous gaze, as if he were about to devour me.

Though not as formidable as Carius, this man also radiated a menacing aura. He must be the prince Darius.

“Darius, calm down. We’re here to listen to the situation, not to interrogate.”

“...Hmph.”

With Carius’s gentle words, he reluctantly reined in his hostility. Was he angry because his younger brother August had been beaten up by me?

“There’s no need to be so tense. Aren’t we family?”

To an outsider, they might have seemed like a close-knit family. He gestured to the sofa in front of me, and I sat down without a word.

“I heard there was a commotion. I had hoped we could strengthen our bond as brothers, separate from our royal lineage, but it’s a bit disappointing.”

“...I apologize.”

Carius sighed softly, as if truly regretful. There was no trace of the contempt that Darius and August had shown me.

‘Damn, this is creepy.’

If I hadn’t known the story from the original work, I wouldn’t have believed that this gentle, kind person was the one who played the biggest role in tormenting Leos.

What emotions lurk behind that smile he gives me? How can a teenager, almost ten years younger than my real self, be so cruel?

Clang.

Darius, who had been listening to our conversation, slammed his teacup down roughly. He then glared at me with a look that reeked of hostility.

“I won’t say this again. Know your place.”

“...”

It was a philosophical statement, but the malice behind it cut to the bone. While Carius was the mastermind pulling the strings from behind, Darius was the one who took direct action.

Leos had always avoided Darius, and for good reason.

His gaze, as if looking at trash, made me bow my head deeply, trying to suppress the boiling anger inside.

My hands, resting on my knees, clenched tightly. My nails dug into my skin, and the veins on the back of my hands stood out in stark blue.

But I had to endure. I had just beaten August to a pulp.

I didn’t know how things would change if I caused more trouble here.

“Filthy bastard, born of a whore.”

“Darius.”

He spat out cruel words with a tone of disdain. Carius, frowning slightly, called his name softly, but Darius seemed unwilling to stop.

“Brother, this is a matter that needs to be addressed! A bastard like him dares to challenge the legitimate line! If you keep coddling him, he’ll just keep climbing the ranks!”

“Hm...”

Carius sighed deeply at Darius’s harsh words. He shook his head, indicating that he didn’t want to get involved, and fell silent.

‘Look at this.’

I didn’t miss the way Carius’s lips twitched into a brief smile, as if his plan had worked perfectly. It was a truly despicable sight.

“You.”

Darius stood up and pointed at me. He tapped my forehead with his finger and spewed out all sorts of insults.

Glancing around, I saw the knights nearby either pretending not to see me or smirking with satisfaction.

This was Leos’s situation.

In this large room, among the few people present, no one was on his side.

Lonely, so lonely.

This was the constant refrain of Leos, who had been oppressed and rejected. Now, I could finally empathize with his pain.

Snap.

“...!”

I grabbed Darius’s finger, which was poking my forehead. Surprised by my sudden action, he tried to pull his hand away, but I didn’t let go.

“You little...!”

Just as Darius’s face contorted and he was about to let out a roar, I stood up and took a step forward—

Smack!

I headbutted him in the face.

Thud!

Darius fell backward, landing on the floor. His face, covered in blood from his nose, was a mess as he tried to get up, looking bewildered.

“...!”

The knights, including Damian, who had been watching, stood there with their mouths agape, like living statues. But, being royal knights, they quickly regained their composure and rushed to Darius’s side, frantically wiping away the blood.

“...”

Carius, genuinely surprised, could only gape. Even Darius, the one who had been attacked, looked dumbfounded as he touched his face.

The pleasure of shattering their sense of superiority made me slowly open my mouth.

“I’m sorry, I slipped...”

And I also wanted to shut that mouth of his, hahaha.

* * *

I scratched my cheek, pretending to be apologetic, and extended my hand.

“You...”

Darius’s nose was bleeding, staining his shirt. But he was so shocked by the humiliation that he could only gasp for breath.

“Are you alright, Your Highness!”

“...Let go!”

He pushed away the hands of the knights trying to help him. Snatching a white cloth offered to him, he roughly wiped his nose and threw it on the floor.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

His eyes were filled with not just hostility but a demonic aura. If looks could kill, I would have been torn to pieces.

“I’ll make you regret being alive.”

Darius, cursing me, glanced at me with burning eyes and then turned and walked out, as if he didn’t want to speak to me anymore.

“...Wow, that’s scary.”

“...”

Seeing this, I couldn’t help but sneer. The bomb had already exploded, so what difference would it make to pour more oil on the fire?

Darius’s steps faltered for a moment at my words. But his pride wouldn’t allow him to turn back, so he slammed the door shut, expressing his anger, and left the room.

“Hm...”

Carius, who had been observing the situation, sighed.

“Leos, it would be best to apologize to Darius later. He can be very scary when he’s angry.”

He looked genuinely worried about a fight between brothers. His handsome face and expression made him seem truly concerned, but his eyes, which were looking at me, were filled with amusement at the current situation.

“...”

Feeling there was no need to stay any longer, I turned around. My forehead, which had hit Darius’s face, throbbed slightly, but I had given a lesson to the brat who had been acting out, so it was worth it.

‘Damn, I don’t know what to do.’

Just because my body and environment had changed didn’t mean the core of who I was had changed.

After all, if my temper, which had lasted for 28 years, could change in such a short time, what would be the point of my life so far?

‘Let’s do it my way.’

I’m the type who acts first and thinks later.

I was like that during my school days when my head wasn’t fully formed, and when I entered the writing industry after leaving the military.

I’ll live my life as I see fit, even if it means getting cursed and rolling on the ground. I can’t stand to lie on the ground, groveling and waiting for the right moment.

‘I’ll show you why the protagonists in novels were delinquents.’

What else is there but to die? Even if I die here, it’s not certain that I’ll die in reality, and even if I do, my life ends here.

Swish.

I bowed slightly to Carius and left the room. I’m not Leos. I’ll live my life in a different way.

That’s how I resolved, and to prove my determination, I didn’t even glance at the closing door.

...

...

...

But I don’t know the way back...

* * *

Just a few hours ago, I had caught a passing servant and ordered him to guide me back to my palace with a haughty expression.

When I returned to my room, the mess from the commotion with August had been tidied up.

A lot had happened today. It felt like a more intense day than the week I had spent in this world. I wanted to just throw everything away and lie down on the soft bed, but I couldn’t afford to be unprepared, as I didn’t know what kind of retaliation might come.

“Let’s make a plan.”

I took out a bundle of parchment, nearly twenty sheets. According to Parsi, it was high-quality parchment with a preservation spell that wouldn’t be damaged by water or fire, but to me, it was just one of the things lying around.

In this regard, I was lucky to possess Leos. If I had possessed a minor character or a supporting role and ended up in the middle of a war or the underworld, I would have been stripped of all my organs within an hour.

“Your Highness, what would you like for dinner?”

“Just bring me what I usually have.”

While writing the plan, I answered Parsi’s question with a nod.

There was a separate place for meals, but I didn’t bother going there. Power is great because you can have whatever you want.

While waiting for the meal to be prepared, I held a quill with a fancy feather and began to outline my future plans.

Leos started his active life at seventeen, when he left the palace and entered the academy.

The story from the original work hasn’t even started yet. Before the new year, my options were quite limited.

At best, I could search for hidden pieces within the palace?

So, it’s important to get the first step right. My track record in the palace is already ruined.

“Since it’s late today, let’s start tomorrow.”

It’s fine to spend a day planning. After sorting out the palace part, I roughly selected the characters I needed to recruit for the academy.

They were originally supposed to be the protagonist’s supporters, but I had my own plans.

‘If things go wrong, I’ll take over the whole story and make the protagonist my pawn.’

What does it matter how the story unfolds or what the plot is?

First, I need to survive. While I’m willing to be cautious, I’m prepared to turn the tables and take everything for myself if necessary.

If I take away all the protagonist’s and other characters’ lucky breaks, I should be able to become one of the strongest in this world.

“The meal is ready.”

I put down the quill when Parsi announced that the meal was ready. I wasn’t worried about her reading the Korean text, but I was a bit concerned about it getting lost. But would anyone dare to steal a prince’s belongings?

“Delicious.”

A lavish meal, difficult to believe it was prepared for just one person, was laid out before me. Parsi had brought it in two trips because of the sheer amount.

Grilled veal steak, various soups, and unknown seafood were all beautifully arranged, stimulating my appetite.

“Hmm...”

One thing I realized since coming here is that a good meal is a source of happiness in itself. For someone like me, who had been eating convenience store food and instant meals, it was a whole new world.

Cutting a large piece of veal steak and taking a big bite, the meat was so tender and sweet, as if it had been infused with honey. It was a supreme taste that made me want to stand up and exclaim, “This is delicious!”

“Does it suit your taste?”

“If this doesn’t suit my taste, I don’t know what will.”

Shrugging, I answered, and she covered her mouth with a smile.

“Oh, I’ll go to the stables right after breakfast tomorrow, so please prepare everything.”

“Understood.”

After finishing the meal, she took the dishes outside and returned with a plate. A golden pudding with a dark chocolate sauce was irresistible, even though I was already full. I picked up a spoon without thinking.

“This is dessert.”

I understand now what my ex-girlfriend meant when she said there’s a separate stomach for sweets.

The fist-sized pudding disappeared in an instant. Parsi left to get something, and I savored the lingering taste on my tongue while picking up the quill again.

Holding the quill in this old-fashioned room made me feel like a medieval noble.

Which I actually was.

The only sound in the now silent room was the scratching of the quill. I organized the list of characters to recruit and wrote down the details of the villains to exclude.

Suddenly, my vision began to blur.

‘Too focused, maybe?’

This was a common occurrence when I wrote all night, and my blood rushed to my head. I thought about doing some stretching and stood up, but a sudden wave of weakness overtook my body, and I collapsed in my chair.

“...Ugh.”

I barely managed to grab the armrest, but my body felt as if I was dehydrated, with no strength left.

My rapid breathing and cold sweat made me realize the situation was serious. I tried to call for help, but only a metallic sound came out.

“...Your Highness?”

At that moment, someone opened the door and entered, like an oasis in the desert. But my vision was already distorted, as if someone had squeezed my eyes shut.

I could barely recognize the figure as Parsi from the faint voice in my ear.

“Cough.”

A bitter taste of blood filled my nose and mouth. The sudden spread of red told me I was spitting blood.

“...!”

A sharp scream pierced my ears, but it soon faded away.

In that situation, all I could do was...

Stare at the status window that appeared in my blurred vision.

...What’s the point of telling me this now?