I Have Become The Heroes’ Rival

Chapter 86 – The Heroine’s Brother Has Returned

Translator: Kay

Three and a half years passed.

At present, this period was well beyond the completion of the original novel.

Half a year ago, Crown Prince Lucas finally ascended the throne. And we just watched him become the emperor. It was because it was not the right time yet.

It was the same as before that the future development was impossible to predict after twisting the original plot.

However, now that the completion period has passed, it was better not to think of this as just a novel since I didn’t know what would happen next.

So Claudia and I decided to arrange everything we could to prepare for the future, and I had no choice but to stop living in the mansion.

After Felix left, we learned one important fact. The three brothers; if we didn’t cut them as soon as possible, we’d get cut by them someday.

Consequently, I decided to now completely abandon my idle thoughts. It was not a problem that would be solved by hiding in a cave while praying that no one would interfere.

To overthrow an unqualified emperor who was a tyrant and only driven by personal emotions. To place a new emperor on the throne – to walk the path of rebellion.

It was a method that I didn’t consider until the very end because I was afraid of becoming the same as them. However, even after the completion of the original novel, the three useless brothers did not give up on Claudia.

That meant that the battle would only end once either of us died. Thus, I decided to end the fight.

* * *

I wasn’t aware of this because I hadn’t attended an academy, and I thought I was an extra who didn’t have any skills.

I was surprisingly somewhat gifted in magic.

Of course, I wasn’t talented enough to actually implement magic. The magical talent that I referred to here was the minimum capability to execute magic.

In other words, the ability to use mana. Amazingly, I had that talent.

Compared to an actual sorcerer, it was very insignificant, so even if I tried to implement magic myself, I couldn’t do anything. It was the ‘minimum capability’ but only the least.

A passing sorcerer who saw my skill said, “If you had steadily honed your skills since childhood, you would have been able to use basic magic just before you died.”

I think he said it to console me in his own manner, but in my ears, it sounded like he was telling me to give up on using magic.

Anyway, I didn’t care if I couldn’t use magic. All I needed was to manage mana!

I was more interested in potion-making than being a sorcerer.

And now, after three years, as long as the recipe and ingredients were available, I could make any potion. Not only that, I recently developed my own potions.

That was how I became a potion master.

It was deeply moving.

Of course, it wasn’t because I was a genius or extremely talented that I could reach this stage so quickly.

‘…There’s nothing like that, ahem.’

In any case, the painstaking efforts that I made during my senior years of high school to obtain a full scholarship also played a part.

No matter how talented one was, if they didn’t constantly work hard, they would fall behind.

I stretched out my arms towards the sky and called out as my body trembled.

“Ahh…!”

After I finished stretching, I yawned and drank some tea made of herbs containing stimulant ingredients.

I felt my mind – which was previously clouded – instantly become clear again.

However, although my mind became clear, I felt like my life was being shortened in real time.

“If it goes on like this, I’ll definitely die before I turn 30…”

I pessimistically murmured as I looked at the colorful glass bottles, black pots, and tens of thousands of herbs that filled the room. This time, while researching a new potion, it was accompanied by a series of failures.

It was such endless repetitive labor where no solution would exist unless I found it myself.

“I’m going to work for one more hour and then rest.”

I glanced at the clock on the wall and then started manufacturing the potion again with the exact quantities as the failed attempt, but with only one different herb root that I put in the final stage.

The potion, which should be transparent and clear, was somewhat blurry and turbid.

The result was another failure. Damn it.

* * *

“Please come here.”

Cedric suddenly held out an invitation and said those words.

He was once the second prince but now received the title of Grand Duke and was currently assisting the emperor.

He was destined to die horribly at the hands of Lucas in the original novel.

However, he was one of the characters who survived the fate of the original because the plot was thoroughly twisted.

In the original, his relationship with Lucas wasn’t that bad until he decided to run away with Claudia.

Lucas was rather fond of Cedric. He enjoyed watching those who had no will to live being swept around to and fro without an anchor.

In that regard, Cedric, who was a pessimist, and a spectator, was bound to gain Lucas’s favor.

Of course, Cedric was also a crucial part of our plan. In other words, everything Cedric was showing to Lucas was an act.

He had already found his way of life three years ago due to my help.

Simply put, he was a double spy.

“What’s this?”

I opened the invitation with the imperial seal that Cedric had given me.

The invitation stated that a victory party would be held shortly to honor turning the small kingdom of Rassa into a vassal state.

What victory? It was an invasion party.

Our crown prince, Lucas, who took pleasure in harassing and trampling on the weak, was now continuously revealing his corrupt taste after becoming emperor.

He was probably thinking of unifying the continent.

Having lost the support of the public a long time ago, Lucas still repeatedly declared war on the surrounding kingdoms without caring at all.

“Well, why do I have to go there?”

“There’s someone that bothers me.”

“Who bothers you?”

When I asked him to elaborate, Cedric’s explanation continued.

As I listened quietly, it seemed that the one who bothered Cedric was an individual who made a significant contribution in this war as well as the recent wars.

In fact, this party was called a victory celebration, but it was said to be held exclusively to welcome the hero.

A war hero.

“He’s an orphan, has no connections, and his records are clean. He achieved all the glory alone, without any backing.”

That was definitely incredible.

“It seems like he’s planning to award him the title of Count for Roxitant and Duke for the small kingdom of Rassa.”

No matter how exceptional a war hero was, was it okay to give such a high rank without reserve?

My thoughts seemed to have been reflected in my expression too.

“He might be the person we need. You said that it felt like we were missing the last piece of the puzzle to carry out our plan, and I think he’s that puzzle piece.”

‘Are you implying that he’s such an incredible person?’

However, I felt a little repulsed by the word ‘hero.’ It was because the only hero I knew was the owner of a very defective personality.

I just hoped that this hero was not the owner of a personality like Constantine.

Cedric totally skipped straight to the point and aimed his finger at me, and said.

“So, that’s why. Seduce him.”

“…What?”

That’s so sudden! Why would you ask me to seduce him?

“You have a talent for seducing and attracting people.”

I now realized why Cedric came to me. He came to tell me to attend the victory party and attract the hero’s attention.

“Is the hero a woman?”

Cedric’s eyes narrowed when I stated that it would be impossible to seduce them to work with us unless they were a woman.

“You still haven’t fixed that habit? I’m a man too, but you spoke to me well. You’re the one who drew me into this. It might be difficult at first, but you’ll be fine once you get used to it.”

However, the reason I easily captivated Cedric was because I already knew what he was like and what he desired from the original story.

And the same was true for the other characters. I usually didn’t seduce people who didn’t appear in the original novel. It was because I didn’t know what the variables were.

I didn’t even know what kind of person he was, so how could I seduce the war hero?!

“I’m not asking you to thoughtlessly make him an ally. I’m telling you to observe him with your own eyes and judge if he’s a good person or not. Your eyes are accurate in judging others.”

It was not my eyes but a cheat code for those who knew the original novel. However, there was no way that I could refuse when he said it like this.

Perhaps it was the missing great opportunity that held the chance for our strategy to succeed.

“Haa… It can’t be helped.”

I sighed and nodded my head.

For the time being, it was necessary to understand the tastes of the great hero first.

* * *