5 - I Healed the Male Lead's Trauma
Episode 5
1. The Male Lead Doesn't Need Trauma (5)
"Count Lorraine has dared to treat someone who could become a valuable asset to the nation with negligence. He will be stripped of his qualifications as a sponsoring family. And that's not all."
His smile deepened.
The eerie feeling was almost chilling.
"Come to think of it, the Count's son was also registered as an Evolved Being candidate. Well, that won't matter to you anymore."
In short, the Lorraine family would be ruined, and he meant to find a new sponsoring family for Hiakin and me.
"I will have you released soon. Rest assured, the Lorraine family will have their title confiscated soon. Half of the confiscated assets will be deposited into your brother's account as compensation for this incident."
What?
I had only let the Prince talk to himself, and now there was even compensation?
I had thought I should get something if I could, but things were unfolding too easily, making me feel uneasy.
"You'll be released as soon as I leave, so don't worry."
"Uh… thank you?"
The gratitude came out with a subtle question mark, as the suspicion hadn't faded.
Prince Isidor seemed to have caught that.
"Why the question mark?"
"I'm just flustered. Um… I'm overwhelmed?"
"You're quite… unique, the more I see you."
"You're the first one to call me unique, Your Highness."
"Keuh…."
I wondered what was so funny.
The Prince, barely suppressing his laughter, soon put on a gentle smile again and stood up.
I unconsciously tried to follow suit, but then I remembered that I was locked in a solitary cell and couldn't move.
"Anyway, after I leave, a guide from your new sponsoring family will come from outside. They said they would gladly welcome not only your brother but you as well."
"That was fast."
"I'm just a bit smart. I had already figured things out to some extent before talking to you."
Oh, I see.
However, the Prince's next words…
Went beyond derailing my plans and suddenly grabbed me by the scruff of the neck, slamming me right into my destination.
"Brondearne will be different from Lorraine, so don't worry. Your grade isn't bad, and your brother is a promising talent, so they will gladly welcome you."
Because I heard a very familiar surname.
I foolishly repeated the proper noun the Prince said, questioning him.
“…Brondearne?”
"It's the family you know. The Duke family of Lyedel, known as the cradle of Transcendent Beings."
With those words, the Prince waved goodbye, saying he would see me later, and left.
Left alone, I slowly mulled over the name of the new sponsoring family he had left behind.
…Brondearne?
“…Should I be happy about this?”
I don't think so…. Should I be happy?
I don't think so…. But I feel like I should be happy….
Why do I feel like I shouldn't go?
No, I have to go there anyway. It was just too sudden, and I couldn't help but be flustered.
Because the Brondearne Dukedom.
“…That's the family Akteon is in, isn't it?”
The place where Akteon Brondearne, our male lead who causes my accidental death, is.
Furthermore, a crazy family swarming with high-ranking Transcendent Beings.
* * *
By the time I barely escaped the solitary cell and came outside, the sky was already dark.
I decided to sit alone in the lounge inside the Evolved Being Management Office until Hiakin arrived.
As I sat there blankly, various pieces of knowledge about Brondearne, the family that the Prince had kindly arranged for us, came to mind.
“…A crazy, hopeless family.”
Transcendent Beings are crazy bastards who can handle an infinite amount of magic that humans can't control, but they also bear great risks.
A miraculous body that can draw and utilize the magic of the atmosphere.
It was a blessing from God, but they were vulnerable to mental or psychological turmoil and shock, unlike their cheat-like bodies.
It was what you would call a glass cannon mentality.
The reason was the magic they wielded.
'The more you wield magic, the harder it becomes to stabilize the magic flowing into your body.'
You have to use the magic you wield within the limits that don't strain your body, but the greater the amount of magic you accept, the harder it becomes to control it.
Then, the magic flowing into the body bursts out uncontrollably, turning the Transcendent Being and the surroundings into scorched earth.
That's why guides like me exist. Beings who stabilize the magic of Transcendent Beings.
'But….'
Brondearne, where Hiakin and I are going, was a family where the emergence of these guides was particularly scarce.
What I mean is.
They are abnormally obsessed with guides, damn it.
'That's why the female lead, Milia, also… went through many hardships… there.'
Transcendent Beings who wield the new power of magic.
Guides who lead these Transcendent Beings so that they don't break down.
Among them, Brondearne, where the balance is clearly tilted towards the Transcendent Beings, was famous for using any means or schemes to keep guides with high resonance by their side, regardless of gender.
I, as a B-grade guide, am now about to stick my head directly into this lion's den.
'I'm B-grade, so they shouldn't be interested in me.'
As it is… I'm sorry to Milia… but I have to find Milia as soon as I get to Brondearne.
Unlike me, the female lead, Milia, is an S-grade guide.
'It would be better to meet Akteon in advance before experiencing all sorts of incidents and accidents. It would be even better if they built up a solid liking for each other early on and got engaged.'
I don't want to manipulate someone else's life as I please, but anyway, they are the main characters of this novel.
I was just regaining my composure.
"Liphy!"
The lounge door burst open, and Hiakin appeared with a face mixed with worry and relief.
"Hey, are you crazy?"
"I'm helping you, and you're still complaining."
"No, are you in your right mind? If it weren't for Prince Isidor, you…!"
"You haven't even called me 'sister' since it's been a while."
Hiakin shouted, frustrated, as I kept interrupting him.
But the words trailed off without finishing.
"Is that what's important now? How much I…."
Seeing his reddened eyes, I felt a little sorry for him, as he seemed to have been suffering greatly while I was locked up.
In the end, I couldn't tease him any further and reached out to pat his head.
"Yeah, thanks for worrying."
As I calmly comforted the guy who must have had a hard time, Hiakin finally frowned as tears welled up in his eyes.
I ended up laughing at the sight, and decided to calm him down first.
"I'm fine, so stop crying."
"No, I wasn't crying?"
"The tear marks haven't disappeared yet."
Hiakin, startled by my words, frantically rubbed his eyes with the sleeve of his clean new clothes.
Although I was suddenly possessed by an extra in the novel, the memories of growing up together, relying on each other as Liphy, are the most important to me.
My only family.
Now that I was finally able to truly relieve my feelings, I called Hiakin by his real name with a bit of mischief.
Hiakin Ortiz.
It's a pretty good name, but in fact, he has a real name like a flower.
"Just kidding, Hyacinth."
It's information that none of the original characters knew, and didn't need to know, but it's a privilege of being his older sister.
My brother's real name is Hyacinth.
Hiakin and His are just nicknames, so when I called him by his real name after a long time, his face turned red.
“…I told you not to call me that name.”
"You don't call me 'sister' either."
"I can call you that!"
I was teasing him, and I was finally able to relax a little.
I noticed the man who had been standing behind Hiakin for some time.
A young man with a monocle and neat brown bobbed hair tied in a ponytail.
“…Hello.”
“Nice to meet you, Miss Ortiz.”
Hiakin turned around and came in front of me as if to protect me.
But I already knew who he was.
“I’m Blair from Brondearne.”
He was the aide to the head of the Brondearne family, and probably the guide who came to pick us up.
Was it because His Highness had mentioned it to Brondearne in advance?
Blair was more interested in Hiakin than in me.
“If we delay any longer, we’ll be late for dinner. Do you have any luggage to pack?”
He took out a pocket watch from his coat, checked the time, and urged us to leave, as if to say it was time to depart. To Hiakin, not me.
“…I don’t have any luggage.”
“That’s fortunate. You’ll be getting everything new as soon as you arrive anyway. I’ll escort you.”
Even though I had just become an adult, I was still Hiakin's guardian in name and reality.
I couldn't help but laugh at the thorough disregard. Although I didn't laugh out loud.
Hiakin seemed uncomfortable with Blair's attitude of prioritizing him over me, but he remained silent, as if he had decided to keep his mouth shut for now.
That guy….
He would have acted first if it were in the past, but why has he become so dejected?
I must have taken Count Lorraine too lightly.
I shouldn't have ended it with just confiscating his title and property.
'But I can't kill him, so let's think about it slowly. How to repay him….'
Come to think of it, was it Reedman? The Count's son.
If he really manifests.
"Ah."
As I followed the two, I let out a soft exclamation, and Hiakin and Blair turned to look at me.
"It's nothing. Let's go."
“……”
Blair looked at me with a displeased expression and silently headed back outside the Management Office.
Hiakin, who was standing next to me, whispered in my ear.
"What were you thinking about?"
"It's really nothing."
"You wouldn't be so happy about something that's nothing."
Ah, did it show?
Well, it couldn't be helped.
Because if the Count's son manifests, he will become my junior.
'I can teach him the deep affection between seniors and juniors.'
The thought of personally teaching my junior what he doesn't know and guiding him on the right path makes me feel pleased.
Look forward to it, Reedman Lorraine.
You'll regret messing with the wrong person.
* * *
Brondearne's main residence was located in the central district, where high-ranking nobles resided, even within the capital.
As the carriage crossed the largest avenue in the central district, Hiakin was inwardly amazed.
"This place is really disgustingly wide."
"I know. The street alone seems to be twice the size of other districts."
"Anyway, nobles only like things that are either huge or tiny."
That's how nobles are.
How could a dirt spoon like us understand?
Everyone tries to occupy as much land as possible in the central district, even at great expense, so this place boasts an area two or three times larger than other districts.
Everyone took the lead in obtaining permission from the royal family to buy land in the central district, and even bought nearby land, so it gradually expanded.
Therefore, this place had the lowest population density but was unnecessarily the largest place in the capital.
Despite Hiakin's scathing criticism, Blair didn't even twitch an eyebrow. I could see exactly what he was thinking.
'Hmph, my brother won't grow up the way you think.'
Blair seemed to expect Hiakin to have quite strong abilities, as he was recommended by Prince Isidor.
Furthermore, he clearly wanted to make him a core member who would be loyal to Brondearne like himself.
'No way.'
Who said you could hand over my brother to a place like Brondearne?
Hiakin and I will get out of this shitty country and live a great life.
'But before that, I have to keep in check the various forces that will reach out to Hiakin.'
For example, yes, the Crown Prince.
The main culprit who pushed Hiakin's life further into ruin in the original story.
The reason I decided to use Prince Isidor is because of him.
I have to prevent him from approaching my brother.
