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The eve of the Lion King’s birthday had arrived. Gilbert’s mental state was remarkably clear after receiving what could be considered a consolation from Camilla the previous day.

Lately, waking up several times in the middle of the night had become almost routine. The reason was, of course, the pressure of not knowing when those bastards might attack.

Perhaps the only time he had slept this poorly was when he was shot down in the middle of enemy territory and barely escaped with his life.

But whether it was thanks to Camilla or not, his sharp, heightened state of mind allowed him to sleep deeply for the first time in a long while. He slept soundly until morning without waking up once.

As a result, his mind was incredibly sharp and clear, and he felt no fatigue in his body. Considering how long it had been since he last slept so deeply, it was truly astonishing.

Even though his body was becoming almost superhuman, he was still in that ambiguous boundary where he couldn’t quite be called a perfect superhuman.

Does the game system apply even here? Gilbert thought to himself as he looked at his fully recovered body.

Tactical Combat favored realism, but since it was still a game, basic game systems were in place. One of them was the system where resting outside of combat would fully restore health and stamina.

It wasn’t a universal system that could heal injuries or status ailments, but it was more than enough to replenish completely depleted health and stamina.

Whether this was truly a game world or a parallel world with a similar setting remained a mystery, but the fact that the game system applied to him was undeniable.

Since he could see the game’s stat window and skill window, it made sense that the recovery system after sleeping was also in effect.

By the time Gilbert arrived at the guest reception room, he had already tucked away thoughts about the game system. Discovering the rest system was important, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

A servant from the academy opened the firmly closed door to the reception room. The interior decor was as lavish as one would expect from the Empire’s top academy. Given that it was a world where medieval civilization was appropriately blended, the architecture featured a mix of medieval Gothic styles.

As Gilbert stepped inside, he briefly took in the interior, built with flying buttresses and rib vaults, before noticing the two people seated in the reception room and standing across from them.

A man and a woman with golden hair and red eyes.

They were Gilbert’s siblings.

“Have you arrived, brother?”

Gilbert’s gaze turned to his younger brother, Glinda. The golden hair and red eyes were identical to Gilbert’s, but their physiques were different. Glinda’s body was the opposite of Gilbert’s massive, god-carved frame.

At first glance, Glinda’s slender build resembled Ian’s. Of course, appearances could be deceiving, as his body was well-trained and robust.

Compared to other men his age, Glinda had a sturdy physique. After all, his father was the famous Iron-Blooded Frontier Count, so that genetic trait wasn’t going anywhere. It was just that compared to Gilbert, he seemed relatively smaller.

“It’s been a while. Sit down.”

At Gilbert’s words, Glinda and Dorothy took their seats. A simple tea set was placed on the reception room table, and as soon as Gilbert sat down, a maid brought freshly brewed tea.

“I heard about your news through Dorothy. It’s late, but congratulations.”

“I just did what I could. No need to make a fuss.”

Glinda’s eyebrows twitched slightly. They hadn’t exchanged many words, but as Dorothy had said, his brother had changed.

Gilbert Lion Heart, before entering Medea Academy, was the epitome of arrogance personified.

He was arrogant despite his abilities, and his hollow interior was filled with bravado and empty boasts. Looking down on others was his default, and he never hesitated to belittle people.

He was the perfect embodiment of a troublemaker, the eldest son of the Lion Heart Count Family.

But not long after entering Medea Academy, Gilbert had somehow transformed into a proper nobleman. His demeanor and speech exuded the natural grace of a high-born noble.

Had his brother really changed? Glinda had heard from Dorothy that he had, but he couldn’t easily believe it. Only after seeing Gilbert with his own eyes did he have no choice but to accept it.

His brother had clearly become a different person. He even understood why his only sister had doubted whether Gilbert was a homunculus. Gilbert’s transformation was that shocking to Glinda.

“You seem to have something to say.”

Glinda’s expression shifted at Gilbert’s question as he sipped his tea. He hadn’t expected the conversation to take this turn, and his expression had inadvertently faltered.

Dorothy, sitting beside him, nudged him with her elbow. Normally, she would have scolded him for his lack of composure, but right now, Glinda’s head was spinning just trying to analyze Gilbert.

It wasn’t just his demeanor that had changed. The indifferent look in his eyes was something even Glinda, known as the Count Family’s genius, couldn’t easily decipher.

Compared to the Gilbert of old, whose thoughts were always transparent, the current Gilbert was an enigma.

He had accepted that Gilbert had changed, but for someone who prided himself on reading people, this was a shock.

But he didn’t make the mistake of letting his expression falter again. Glinda wasn’t so inexperienced as to repeat the same mistake.

“Glinda, you can make that kind of expression too? Was my change that surprising?”

“Not at all, brother.”

Glinda answered as calmly as possible, but it seemed to have no effect on Gilbert. He simply sipped his tea, as if he already knew everything.

Glinda had always prided himself on his ability to hide his thoughts, but that pride crumbled in this moment.

His transformed brother seemed to have gained the ability to see through people’s hearts.

“See, I told you! He’s not like the eldest brother anymore…!”

Dorothy, who had been quiet until now, whispered to Glinda. Her second brother had been skeptical of her claims about the eldest brother until he met him.

Of course, even she had trouble believing it despite seeing it with her own eyes, so she understood Glinda’s reaction.

But where was the heart of a girl her age ever purely rational?

No matter how rational Dorothy appeared, her heart was as sensitive as any girl her age. She couldn’t help but feel a little hurt that Glinda hadn’t fully believed her.

But Glinda didn’t have the mental capacity to consider Dorothy’s feelings. The sudden change in Gilbert, who had been preparing to take over as heir, was hard for Glinda to accept.

Since coming of age, Glinda had been receiving heir education in place of Gilbert for the sake of the Lion Heart Count Family and the territory’s people. It was a decision made after discussions with the Count of Lithuania and other vassals, as Gilbert showed no signs of outgrowing his troublemaker tendencies.

Glinda also thought it was the right decision. His brother was unfit for the position of the Empire’s Frontier Count. The idea of entrusting the borderlands to a troublemaker was absurd.

For that reason, Glinda’s life had been a continuous education to become the Count of Lithuania, and he had no doubt that he would one day hold that title.

But one day—or more precisely, after Gilbert enrolled in Demia Academy—strange rumors began to circulate.

The troublemaker son of the Count of Lithuania had changed.

At first, no one believed it. The perception that Gilbert, who had been causing trouble in the territory for so long, could change so drastically was too strong.

But Gilbert’s actions proved it true. Starting with winning the entrance mock battle at Demia Academy, he became the disciple of the Empire’s Best Sword, and ultimately earned a knight title by suppressing the Resistance that had rebelled against the Empire.

When these significant achievements reached the Lithuania Territory, everything changed.

The vassals, who had been ready to strip Gilbert of his heir position, had no choice but to fall silent. The troublemaker Gilbert had become a knight with the endorsement of Princess Seraphina, a strong candidate for the next emperor.

Of course, public opinion hadn’t changed. While no one was loudly calling for his removal as heir, they still doubted Gilbert’s qualifications, given his lack of proper heir education.

Glinda shared that opinion, but the Gilbert he saw now was beyond the rumors. The rude, vulgar demeanor was nowhere to be found.

It was then that Glinda realized: Gilbert had become more suited to be the heir than anyone else.

“Brother, I have something to ask.”

Glinda quickly organized his thoughts. Now that Gilbert was showing the qualities of a proper heir, Glinda no longer wanted to take the position. The terrible reputation was still a problem, but time would solve everything.

“What is it?”

“To be honest, I know you’re aware of your standing in the Lithuania Territory. The vassals and the people of the territory have no trust in you. I’m curious how you plan to handle this worst-case scenario.”

Glinda had given up on the heir position. There was no doubt about Gilbert’s abilities, having earned a knight title as an academy cadet. If asked if he regretted all his efforts, he would feel some regret, but he had never been ambitious about the heir position in the first place.

He only wished for the peace of the territory’s people. That’s why Glinda asked Gilbert about his future plans. He had witnessed the change in Gilbert, but depending on his thoughts, the future of the Lithuania Count Family could change.

“There’s nothing to think about.”

Gilbert set down his teacup and looked at Glinda with calm eyes. There wasn’t even a hint of wavering in his gaze.

“Nothing to think about… I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Exactly as I said. I don’t need to think about it.”

“Brother.”

Was he planning something reckless?

Glinda called out to Gilbert in frustration, but his brother raised a hand to cut him off. Glinda’s lips twitched as he had so much to say.

“Whatever you’re thinking, listen to me. I know exactly how the vassals and the people of the territory feel about me. After all these years of my actions, it’s impossible not to know.”

“That’s exactly why. If you were to inherit Father’s position in the future, all of that would hold you back.”

It wasn’t just an internal issue; there was a high chance of external noise as well. His past misdeeds didn’t spare even fellow nobles. In a society that valued reputation, that was a major weakness. Even the Lion Heart Count Family, which kept its distance from politics, was still fundamentally noble.

“That’s true.”

“Brother, this isn’t something to dismiss with ‘that’s true.'”

“No, it is something to dismiss. I don’t need to think about it.”

“Brother!”

Glinda couldn’t hold back and stood up abruptly. Having decided to give up the heir position, he had intended to support Gilbert, but his brother’s words were too frustrating.

“Don’t get angry. Glinda, I plan to give up the heir position.”

“Brother…?”

Glinda, who had stood up in frustration, was stunned by Gilbert’s sudden declaration. He wondered if he had misheard, but when he looked to the side, Dorothy was also staring at Gilbert in shock.

“What do you mean? You’re giving up the heir position?”

“Exactly. The next heir has already been decided to be you. I have no desire for the heir position now. I don’t even want to think about solving the problems you mentioned.”

“Brother, you can’t just say that so easily!”

“Do you think it’s the wrong decision? I don’t.”

Glinda weakly sat back down. It was true that Glinda, who had been receiving heir education for a long time, would be more efficient as the heir. The only thing he lacked was being the eldest son. In a society where reputation was everything, that was a major flaw, but if Gilbert gave up the position, the story changed.

But he couldn’t understand why Gilbert would do this. What kind of change had occurred in Demia Academy that made him give up the heir position he had been so obsessed with?

He desperately tried to read Gilbert’s thoughts, but he still couldn’t understand his intentions. Well, there was one thing Glinda could understand.

“I’ll say it again. I’m giving up the heir position.”

That was the only thing Glinda could grasp—Gilbert’s sincere intention to give up the heir position.

***

Watching the stunned Glinda and Dorothy leave, Gilbert let out a deep sigh. His acting had worked well to deceive the sharp Glinda.

As he had told Briana and Seraphina before, he genuinely intended to pass the heir position to Glinda. He was a soldier, not a politician. Even with modern knowledge, his lack of proper heir education meant he only had the basic knowledge of a noble.

On the other hand, Glinda was a natural choice for the Lion Heart Count Family’s heir, showing high potential even in Tactical Combat.

There was no guarantee that the future would unfold as Gilbert knew it, but with the main quest in place, the overall framework was unlikely to change. Now that he believed clearing the main quest was the way back to his original world, he had no time to be tied down by the Lion Heart Count Family. Passing on the heir position would allow him to focus on clearing the main quest, and if he could get Glinda’s help, that would be ideal.

Moreover, it was better for Glinda to take over the Lion Heart Count Family in case Gilbert returned to his original world. If the Frontier Count’s territory became unstable, it would only cause chaos in the Empire.

At the very least, he hoped Seraphina, whom he had grown fond of, wouldn’t suffer because of it.

After organizing his thoughts, Gilbert checked the time. There was still plenty of time before the parade, so he decided to rest a bit more. If he hadn’t found peace thanks to Camilla’s words the previous day, he would have been frantically searching for the culprits behind the academy attack. But now, he wasn’t.

He hadn’t let his guard down, but he had stopped being on edge every moment.

Perhaps being too hasty didn’t suit him. Maybe it was something that came with adapting to Gilbert’s body.

Planning to catch a quick nap before the parade, Gilbert gently closed his eyes.

A cool breeze blew in through the window, gently brushing against his bangs—a perfect breeze for a nap.

 

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