2 - I Healed the Male Lead's Trauma
Episode 2
1. The Male Lead Doesn't Need Trauma (2)
The news that I had submitted paperwork to go home spread throughout the entire main building in less than half a day.
This is what happens when the administrator has a loose mouth.
Don't they know about respecting privacy? Why are these people so interested in other people's personal lives?
It meant I was summoned because my sudden misdeed had reached my supervising professor's ears.
"Why on earth..."
The professor, whom I had met again in half a day, scrutinized my face with a worried expression, as if wondering if some problem had erupted.
"Liphy, have you felt any physical or mental abnormalities during the Guiding process?"
"No, I'm perfectly fine."
"Then, did Didier commit any insults or violence that disregarded your wishes during the Second Manifestation?"
"That's not it either. There's nothing for you to worry about, Professor."
"Then why... a leave of absence?"
It's not like I was seized by the thought of 'I'm going to twist the original work, I have to meet the male lead right now' and impulsively did this without any thought.
Of course, arranging the meeting between Akteon and Milia is something that needs to be done quickly.
And getting out of this hellish Estra Academy is also a priority in order to meet those two who haven't even enrolled yet.
But more than anything....
"I miss my brother."
"Huh?"
"My brother has been living alone ever since it became known that I had the potential for Manifestation."
"Hmm, I see... You're worried about your brother?"
"Since we're the only family we have, it's even more so."
The professor, who had been silent for a moment, nodded as if she understood.
I could clearly see what she was thinking.
Twenty years old.
The minimum age to enter this academy, assuming one has undergone the First Manifestation.
Since I awakened as a decent B-grade Guide, Hiakin also has the potential to Manifest.
She wouldn't waste the opportunity to bring Hiakin here as well.
However, she wasn't the type to openly reveal such calculations.
Even though she was raising students to send them to the battlefield, she must have felt a sense of reluctance to mention it directly, as if her last shred of conscience was bothering her.
So, I laid the groundwork appropriately to take advantage of her meager conscience.
"Besides, once I graduate, I'll be immediately assigned to live in a garrison."
As expected.
The professor didn't refuse my request, which came out so naturally.
"Ah, I see what you're trying to say now. You want to spend time with your only family before that?"
I smiled gently and didn't bother to explain.
I had already submitted the leave of absence application with a sense of urgency, but...
'The most urgent problem right now isn't Akteon.'
The reason I made such an extreme decision was because my brother, Hiakin's problem, was the most pressing.
Hiakin.
Hiakin Ortiz.
This guy, the villain of the original story, loses both parents in the war, but grows up under the patronage of a noble family thanks to his sister being a student at the academy.
This is because if you have an Evolved Being in your family, the family also has a very high chance of Manifesting.
Those with a high potential for Manifestation receive support from noble families as part of a national policy.
Then, if they Manifest, they are placed under the affiliation of the country in advance under the pretext of managing them, and are assigned to the academy or various administrative agencies within the country connected to the royal palace.
Yes.
National support is provided in order to monitor and secure potential candidates for new Manifestation in advance.
It's called support from noble families, but in reality, it's an order to the nobles to tame and leash the prospective Evolved Beings in advance.
Using the family member who Manifested first as a hostage.
'Where did human rights go? I'm going to fix all of this someday.'
In this system, my brother, Hiakin, also received the care of a noble family thanks to Liliop Ortiz, an extra in the original story, that is, thanks to me...
'Liliop in the original story didn't know. That the family treated Hiakin, who hadn't yet Manifested, like a burden and abused him. Until the moment she died.'
That support was by no means a good thing for Hiakin.
The war between countries has intensified with the appearance of Transcendent Beings and Guides.
No matter how hard they try to manage prospective Evolved Beings, it was impossible to take care of everyone meticulously.
Rather, various crimes were rampant, taking advantage of the fact that the royal palace's attention was focused on Transcendent Beings, Guides, and the war.
Moreover, the sponsoring families were actively concealing such facts.
Future Evolved Beings who would be used like weapons when they grew up.
Some sponsoring families coveted their powerful abilities.
They made them obey the sponsoring family rather than the country, or they feared their power and abused them even more to avoid showing any signs of intimidation.
Hiakin was a victim of these things.
'...So I have to get him out of there as soon as possible.'
The news of his blood relative's death, who had promised to earn a lot of money and make him happy, must have been truly devastating for the child who had been waiting in such pain.
His sister died in an accident during the grade assessment of an S-class Transcendent Being.
The death of Liliop in the original story.
Hiakin, who had no choice but to curse and hate Akteon, Manifested with that dark emotion and spirit as nourishment.
Originally, he would have had to go through the First Manifestation and Second Manifestation separately.
He skipped this process and immediately awakened as a Transcendent Being.
And he was the 12th S-class in the entire continent.
Hiakin's sponsoring family never imagined that Hiakin would awaken as an S-class, not even an A-class.
And they were brutally massacred without even responding properly.
'Transcendent Beings have great abilities, but in return, if their minds are contaminated, they lose control of themselves and become monsters.'
There must have been aftereffects from skipping the Manifestation stages, which are divided into the First and Second Manifestations.
But even though several Guides clung to him and barely stabilized him, one corner of Hiakin's heart was completely broken.
On the other hand, the royal palace, which had to deal with this situation, wanted to use Hiakin instead.
They had lost sight of everything when another S-class Manifested in succession.
'It's understandable, since two precious S-class Transcendent Beings suddenly appeared.'
The royal palace covered up Hiakin's crime of destroying the sponsoring family.
After that, the crown prince himself stepped in and adopted Hiakin, who had become alone, as his own son.
Without even caring about what state the child was actually in.
Just to use him as a weapon.
After that, Hiakin threatened the lives of Akteon and the female lead Milia, hating Akteon for killing his sister, and eventually died at Akteon's hands.
'Hmm, it makes me angry when I think about it.'
Liliop's death didn't just leave Akteon with terrible trauma.
It was also a shocking event for Hiakin.
So, in order to prevent the impending tragedy, it is necessary to move quickly.
"I'll allow the leave of absence for now."
The professor approved the application I brought with a generous tone.
"Thank you. Thank you for your consideration even though I did this so suddenly."
I was planning to skip out without permission if this didn't work.
I wonder if she noticed this reckless thought.
The professor promised a smooth process. I'm so glad.
"But I won't tolerate anything like this happening again. You're not just a student. You're a talent who will go to the battlefield. You'll be commanding troops or directly carrying out the orders of officers, so don't act impulsively."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Those people aren't the type to let things slide, so don't do anything rash."
"Yes, I will."
I nodded obediently to the professor's words.
Perhaps not trusting me, the professor added one more thing.
"And any unauthorized Guiding will be immediately reported to me and the supervisors through your Control Stone Bracelet. Don't cause any trouble and rest quietly before coming back."
How did she know I was planning to cause trouble?
Even though I've been living quietly at school so far.
"Uh, um... I will."
"This isn't something you should be hesitant about..."
"I know. I'll try my best for now."
"......"
The professor agonized over my unsatisfactory answer.
I quickly got up, afraid that she might cancel the approval.
"Then, Professor, I'll see you again in half a year."
"Liphy, this might sound like nagging, but I sincerely hope I don't hear from you at all."
"Don't worry too much. I won't cause any trouble."
The professor nodded, still suspicious.
I quickly left, having smoothly obtained permission for my sudden leave of absence. I immediately went to the dormitory and packed my bags.
There weren't any friends I particularly wanted to say goodbye to.
After all, this place is a jungle where classism and the caste system are rampant.
As soon as I left the academy, I booked a train that ran on magic power and headed straight to the sponsoring family where Hiakin was.
And that place is....
"Hello. I'm here to see someone."
Wearing a plain blouse and skirt so as not to look like a student, I gave a bright smile to the servant of Count Lorraine's family.
