Beyond the Original Story

By the way… it truly is fascinating.

“Pardon?”

Ah, did I say that out loud? Sierra stopped just before her teacup reached her lips and looked at me. It wasn’t an expression I could just brush off as nothing.

“What are you talking about?”

Sierra set her teacup down entirely. Aside from her focusing on my words, it was a bit burdensome. It really was nothing major. I wanted to tell her a truly fascinating, surprising, and fun story, but nothing came to mind. You can’t pull out what isn’t there. I gave up quickly and answered honestly.

“I feel like my condition is better than before. No, it has definitely improved.”

A loose silence followed my words. I leaned against the back of the chair and toyed with my ring.

I didn’t realize it when I first woke up. It was only natural; I had woken up after sleeping for 174 days, not just a day or two. My body, which had barely been kept alive through magic, felt like someone else’s, and my head, heavy from the long slumber, felt like cotton soaked in water. I didn’t have a fever, but other than that, it was the worst physical state I had ever experienced.

It was difficult to stay awake for even an hour a day. Let alone moving, even breathing was a struggle. Ilios said sleeping would help with recovery, but frankly, I was pessimistic. If I fall asleep this time, I might never wake up again. Out of that fear, I forced my eyes to stay open. Of course, I couldn’t hold out for long. Sleep was a weight far too heavy for my weakened self to resist.

But I really have improved. I am no longer afraid of sleep. I don’t know about next year, but I feel certain I will see tomorrow. It’s a hope that could be shattered instantly if the Dragon Blood runs wild, but that has been quiet as well.

“That…”

I looked at Sierra. When our eyes met, Sierra averted her gaze to the side.

“That isn’t fascinating at all. It’s only natural.”

When did she learn to swallow her words along with her tea? Where did the little princess who chirped like a baby bird go, leaving only this dignified Imperial Princess before me?

“I see.”

I recalled the moment I first woke up.

It was a total mess back then. Isaac was wailing like a child, and Ilios was acting like a parrot, shouting nothing but, “Your Highness! Are you conscious?” I was having thoughts unbecoming of a person who just returned from the brink of death, like, ‘This is a complete sh*tshow…’

I knew you would wake up, Brother.

Only Sierra smiled while looking at me. I… I just smiled back vacantly, happy to see her again when I thought I never would, and glad she was still as pretty as ever. I didn’t even realize the weight of the heart that was welcoming me back.

“You promised to stay with me forever.”

174 days. How did Sierra spend those hours while I was submerged in darkness?

I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak. I simply nodded.

Sierra stood up, saying she had to prepare for the victory commemoration charity bazaar. It felt a bit wrong that my ten-year-old sister was working, but I let her go without saying much. The way she mentioned working looked as if she were bragging.

And so, for the first time in a very long while, I was alone.

Kallios was busy, Sierra was gone, and Isaac wasn’t here. The reason Isaac, who had been stuck to me like glue for nearly ten years, was absent was that he had left to manage his fief, which he had neglected while guarding my sleeping side. He left promising to return within a month, but I wasn’t so sure. He probably wouldn’t be able to come back that quickly.

Isaac received the fief of that Count whom Lamier had torn to death. It seemed the “sh*t” left behind by his incompetent predecessor was substantial… I wondered if he was currently crying about not wanting the title of Count.

Lamier, who used to come play with me under the pretext of a check-up, wouldn’t be around for a while either. He is currently at the Academy. I sent him there to learn magic properly. Not as a regular student, but as a special trainee. The magic he uses now was self-taught from books found in the Weaver house. He is talented enough to have achieved significant results even with old textbooks, but he will grow stronger much faster if he accepts the teaching methods and new theories of the Academy. I am certain of this, as it was in the original story.

The kids are all working hard at their respective tasks. That’s very good.

Now I just need to find something for myself to do. Hmm. What would be good…

“Brother.”

I snapped my eyes open at the familiar voice. The table was clean. Someone must have come and cleared it, and I am truly impressive for sleeping through that without noticing. I rubbed my eyes, still heavy with sleep, with the back of my hand. Kallios was sitting across from me. A stack of documents lay in front of him. Even with Sierra gone to work, now this fellow was making a show of working right in front of me. They don’t even consider my position, falling asleep while wondering what to do.

“Yes.”

I cleared my throat, embarrassed by my voice which was raspy from sleep. Flip, the sound of a page turning.

“I heard you sent Weaver to the Academy.”

During those 174 days, Isaac became a crybaby, Ilios became a kind grandfather, and Sierra became a dignified princess. Everyone changed a little, whether in big ways or small. It was only natural after the events they had endured. But only this fellow, Kallios, remained unchanged. The way he just flipped through papers with a person right in front of him, the way he only blurted out what he had to say, his expressionless face, and his indifferent tone.

“Yeah.”

Flip, another page turned. I let out a long yawn and rubbed my mouth. Fortunately, it seemed I hadn’t drooled. My lips were a bit dry and scratchy, but other than that, nothing was bothering me.

“It’s good for him to learn properly. Besides, he’s still at the age to attend the Academy…”

“Brother.”

He picked up a pen and scrawled a signature that looked stylish even at a glance. I leaned forward and rested my chin on my hand to watch.

“Yes.”

“How much do you want to live?”

“Pardon?”

He pushed the signed paper aside and picked up a new one. His dried-rose eyes moved along the densely packed text. What did he just say?

Suddenly, I felt a chill. Why? I shifted my hand from my chin to rub my cheek before covering my mouth. He was still looking at the paper, but I felt as if… as if I were being observed. I took a deep breath and exhaled very thinly and slowly, turning my gaze away from him.

My familiar room, the bed, the table, and the single document set aside so the signature wouldn’t smudge.

I exhaled until my lungs were empty and forced myself to accept the reason for the sudden surge of emotion. It was only natural to feel uncomfortable when the person who could become the main villain talked about life and death. Right. That must be it.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

But Kallios did not let me just roughly accept it and move on.

“With that, you should be able to live for another two… maybe three years.”

“Kallios.”

“It is too short to promise a lifetime.”

Kallios picked up his pen again. This time, instead of a signature, he drew a long diagonal line from bottom to top. Then from top to bottom. The paper marked with an X was placed on top of another stack.

Suddenly.

‘The severed head fell to the floor.’

The sentence I had reread several times ten years ago came to mind. It’s strange, since I don’t even have a good memory. As if etched onto my retinas, I could clearly see the words on the white screen, the phone with the cracked corner, and my hand holding it. I read it. No, I recalled it.

‘Blood erupted like a fountain from where the head had been. The sound of screaming, the smell of blood, and the sight of the training ground turned entirely red shook my five senses. I couldn’t do anything but stare at him as he lowered the tip of his sword. At that moment, his gaze pierced right through me. I couldn’t breathe.’

Kallios looked at me. He, who was like a dried bloodstain.

‘Those glass-like eyes didn’t seem alive.’

“Did you take a liking to Weaver?”

I clasped my cold hands together. I felt the still-loose ring.

Kallios Capre Arneb-s. The villain of “The Dragon’s Empire.”

Kallios. My brother whom I’ve known for ten years—though not related by blood, still my brother.

Yes, my brother, Kallios.

“Yeah…”

Upon hearing my answer, he gathered the scattered papers and picked them up.

“Very well.”

As usual, he left my room without even a goodbye.

As he walked out the door, Kallios wore the same expression he had that day, that night.

I slumped over the table, rubbing my eyes even though they weren’t itchy, then pressing them hard with my fists. In the darkness behind my eyelids, the afterimage of light flickered. I tried hard to clear my mind and focus on that meaningless light, but it didn’t work. Of course. If self-reproach was an emotion that disappeared through such futile actions, the world would be ten times more peaceful.

I took my hands away. It was time to face it.

Kallios killed the former Emperor.

Kallios had intended to kill Lamier as well.

Because that was the only way I could live longer.

I hated Kallios. I did want to live, I truly was desperate, but I didn’t want to become a hungry ghost that swallowed the lives of others. I am not a perfectly good person, but I couldn’t be a shameless and remorseless person either. Of course, dying is scary and sad. Still, for me, dying while trembling in fear and crying in sorrow was…

Better.

No.

Let’s be honest, Kaian Capre Arneb-s.

That day, that night. The red gem fragments Kallios showered over me reeked of blood. I knew that, yet I pretended not to. Because my condition was bad? Because I didn’t know where they came from? Really?

I… just wanted to live. What does it matter if I become a hungry ghost? If I could stay by my kids’ side a little longer, I would have willingly done something even worse than murder. It wasn’t for Sierra or Kallios. It was for me. I wanted to be with them. They were so precious to me. I didn’t want to say goodbye. Just a little more, just one more day. No, for as long as possible, together.

I was scared, sad, pained, suffocated, angry, resentful, hateful, and miserable.

I wrapped my right hand around my index finger wearing the ring.

Even though I am the one who wants to live the most, I even wanted to be the most innocent… so I dared to resent him. I drew a line. I habitually brought up the “original story” and projected it onto him. Because it was easier to accept that he did such things because he was originally that kind of character, rather than accepting that he killed someone for me.

That wasn’t it.

Do you wish to be at peace?

He asked me twice, and I answered twice.

No, I don’t want to be at peace.

Kallios wasn’t the villain of the original, but a ridiculous younger brother who flustered me with his bizarre consideration. Truly, I really don’t know what kind of piece of sh*t I am. It’s clear that it’s not my body that’s weak, but my head. A pathetic guy to the point where I wondered if the original Kallios would have just plucked my head right off. I banged my forehead against the table and sighed.

Kallios.

“I’m sorry…”

I squeezed out an apology, barely a whisper.

Since the person meant to receive it had already left, the apology was also absurdly late.

I knew that, but I felt like I couldn’t endure it if I didn’t at least do this.

I decided to forget the original story. Even now, I’ve forgotten almost everything except for a few impressive episodes, but I decided to live while forgetting it entirely. Because this is a world where there is no protagonist “Lamier Weaver” and no main villain “Kallios Capre Arneb-s.” There is only the talkative Lamier and my brother Kallios.

So this is the world where I must live, the world to which I belong.

It was only natural, but nothing changed just because I had a change of heart.

Isaac, who said he would return in a month, has been stuck in his fief for over two months. Sierra, seemingly gaining confidence after successfully hosting the charity bazaar, is busy running around saying she will provide relief for the poor.

Kallios… I haven’t seen his face since then. According to the news Ilios brings, he is incredibly busy. On top of frequent clashes of opinion with the officials, the atmosphere in Apellion is not great at all, so he might even have to go to war again if things go south. I have many things I want to say to him and things I want to hear. But it’s not more urgent than national affairs, so I’ll have to ask him to come see me later.

Since I’m also doing “work,” I should tell him to make sure to contact me before coming.

I scrawled a signature on the last page of the stack of documents I had gone through half-heartedly. It was a waste-of-paper document that spent three pages praising the Emperor (Kallios) and the Grand Duke (me) in a flowery style before stating the main point in the final paragraph: “So please reduce the taxes for the people of the Kaian Duchy.”

I have no talent for flattery, but I did a pretty good job of compressing the reasons why a tax reduction was necessary into one paragraph. I checked the name of the document’s creator. Baron Batman. After a moment of thought, I wrote a sentence below the signature.

Get to the point.

…Is this too much like Kallios? After some thought, I added a kind remark below it.

Let’s have a meal together sometime.