“This way.”
The employees blocking my sides took me up, higher and higher.
Their final destination was the old Joseon-style mansion on the top floor of the family estate.
Seeing that familiar sight gradually approaching made me want to vomit out my insides right then and there.
‘Even the air is f*cking terrible.’
This was where the direct bloodline of the nobles resided.
And simultaneously, the place where I’d buried my head and begged for my life.
How long did I wait standing in that empty courtyard?
“You’re here.”
With a cold voice, a man walked out.
White robes with their characteristic blue light seeping through.
Phase power that made my entire body tingle just from him taking a step.
And a man covered with followers from other families as if flaunting his position.
My half-brother, Kim Hyunwoo.
The eldest son of the Andong Kim clan and the undisputed heir of this household.
“Young Master. You’re here.”
“We’ve brought Young Master Changwoon as instructed. As investigated, touching the family’s public funds was…”
“That’s enough.”
Even after raising his hand to stop the employees’ words, he said nothing more.
Just silently staring at me with eyes similar to Father’s.
But that was brief.
“Ridiculous. A powerless bastard, and you still have that kind of look in your eyes before me.”
With those cold words, a tremendous torrent of phase power crushed my body.
Krrruummm—!
“Krgh…!”
Pain as if my shoulders would be crushed any moment.
A human like me without a shred of phase power couldn’t endure long.
Thud—!
Unable to withstand the crushing force, I dropped to one knee.
Then, as if now ready to listen, he began spewing his words with an arrogant expression.
“I heard the news. Phase power reading of zero. From our Andong Kim clan, the first powerless one was born.”
“…”
As expected, there’s no way he called me over money.
Though Kim Hyunwoo finished speaking, I gave no particular answer.
He wouldn’t listen anyway, so what’s the point?
Seeing no reaction even after being called powerless, Kim Sunghyun [1] frowned and continued his prattle.
“Our Andong Kim clan is a distinguished family that upholds the will of King Gwangjo. A family that received the royal command to close the rifts rampaging in the northern lands and islands, and save Joseon from crisis.”
Listening to Kim Hyunwoo talk like that, I sneered inwardly.
‘Right. When I was young, this voice really scared me.’
That tone speaking as if my birth was my fault.
That voice chattering as if being born itself was a sin.
What I felt in my previous life was fear, but not now.
What I felt now was just one thing.
Nothing but deep revulsion.
‘Upholding King Gwangjo’s will? Closing rifts and protecting Joseon? Bullshit has its limits.’
Father… no. Maybe for an old fart like Lord Kim Jungheon, but there’s no way that bastard has such admirable thoughts.
I know.
Kim Hyunwoo.
What ambitions lurk inside that arrogant head.
And later, what that idiot drunk on ambition will do.
“Trash was born from the blood of such a power clan without even a shred of phase power. Yet Father showed you mercy…”
But regardless.
While I was thinking that, Kim Hyunwoo continued speaking.
“You try to bring in outsiders unnecessarily and use the family’s funds as if they’re yours.”
“…”
“If you, an illegitimate powerless bastard, think you can run wild without knowing your place.”
Pausing briefly, Kim Hyunwoo captured my appearance with his indifferent gaze.
“You have no need to be in our family.”
Krrruuuummm…!
With a solemn voice like a sentence, the pressure crushing my shoulders grew stronger and stronger.
Pain as if crushing my entire body.
That pain brought forth my voice from my previous life, like unfolding an old self-portrait.
‘I’m sorry for being born powerless… I’m sorry for betraying the family’s expectations…!’
‘Please just… just give me one chance! I’ll do anything I can for the family! I’ll dedicate my entire life serving the family! So please…!’
‘F*ck off.’
Clenching my teeth, I forced my body up against the crushing pressure.
I never wanted to bow my head to those idiots again.
I didn’t want to submit like a frightened dog to those pathetic power clan bastards who’d crumble like sandcastles with one revolution.
“Kneel right now and beg the family for forgiveness. Cancel everything you were trying to do and live like you’re dead…!”
“Then kill me.”
The moment I finished speaking, Kim Hyunwoo’s phase power crushing me stopped.
Looking up slightly, what do you know.
Kim Hyunwoo, his eyes wide as if seeing something he shouldn’t, stared at me and asked again.
“…What?”
“I said if you’ll kill me, then try it. If blood from an illegitimate bastard born between a commoner’s legs splatters on the main house mansion boasting two hundred years of history, Lord Kim Jungheon will be so pleased. Isn’t that right, Young Master?”
Insolent words and behavior grating on his nerves.
Perhaps he never even imagined such words would come from my mouth.
Kim Hyunwoo, who’d been dumbfounded for a moment, frowned with rising anger.
“…Have you truly gone mad?”
With seething fury, the concentration of phase power dominating the surroundings grew even denser.
“Urgh…!”
“Young Master Hyunwoo. Control yourself! In the middle of the main house mansion…!”
Phase power intense enough to make even the servants lined up around tremble.
Simultaneously, a sword was drawn from Kim Hyunwoo’s waist.
Soon one step, then another.
Finally approaching right before me, Kim Hyunwoo opened his mouth with demigod-like authority.
“Last chance. Bow your head and beg for your life, or right here…”
“But isn’t this strange?”
But what to do.
Compared to the bastards I’d seen in my previous life, this level of phase power was nothing.
Compared to the killing intent of those hero bastards who’d sever your necks, this level of pain was nothing.
“I know best that I’m lowborn scum. That I’m powerless too.”
“What?”
“But the authority to dispose of that trash isn’t yours, Young Master, but the authority of Lord Kim Jungheon, the family’s head, isn’t it?”
“…!”
For the first time, a different emotion appeared on Kim Hyunwoo’s face that had only shown anger and disgust.
Bewilderment.
Not missing that, I continued provoking him.
“Yet you, Young Master, directly ordered the finance team, the family’s workers, to bring me here, spoke of spilling lowborn blood in the family mansion, and even freely emit phase power in this mansion. Isn’t that strange?”
Dragging out what he desperately wanted to hide.
His true intentions.
“Watching you, it seems… like you’re playing the role of the Andong Kim family head.”
“Y-Young Master Changwoon!”
“What disrespect…!”
“Is there anything wrong with my words? If so, please enlighten me. As you can see, being born of lowborn blood, I can’t tell up from down.”
As I sneered like that, Kim Hyunwoo tried to move his mouth around as if searching for words.
But in the end, no voice came out.
Natural.
He never would have imagined that I, who’d always been groveling on the floor, would throw a fit like this.
And that I, of all people.
Would drag out those dark thoughts inside his head.
‘Using family law to make me kneel? Then I’ll just counter with family law the same way.’
After a brief silence, Kim Hyunwoo opened his mouth to say something.
I won’t let that happen.
Immediately cutting off his words, I pressed him with a clear tone.
“Summoning a family member, privately using those entrusted with family responsibilities. These are all the authority of the family head, Lord Kim Jungheon.”
I stood up to match his eye level.
Staring directly into his eyes, I spoke against the waves of phase power crushing my entire body.
“So your summoning me, Young Master… though presumptuous of me to say, is an action that doesn’t align with reason.”
If you’re the heir, act like an heir—why already act like the master of this house?
Isn’t it you who doesn’t know your place?
Realizing that meaning, Kim Hyunwoo’s eyes became bloodshot.
“Shut your mouth.”
Got him.
As if my sneering had blown his top, Kim Hyunwoo clenched his teeth and emitted even more phase power.
Dark clouds formed from that massive force.
They said it was the highest output phase power in Joseon history, and that wasn’t an exaggeration.
“You asked if I’d splatter blood in this mansion, didn’t you? No, there’s no need for that.”
Krrrack—!
Thunder shook the gathering, and the phase power pouring out like a torrent flashed as if it would burn me alive any moment.
“Because all that’ll remain where you stand is just a black lump of charcoal.”
“Oh, really? Then stop talking and kill me.”
Swinging around a brat who hasn’t even lived twenty years is nothing.
Even as my hair stood on end, I maintained my smile and grated on his nerves.
“What’s wrong? If I don’t shut up, can’t that great phase power of yours come out?”
“…!”
The moment Kim Hyunwoo was about to explode after hearing my last words.
“How noisy.”
Krrrruuummm—!
A heavy storm of phase power overwhelmed the gathering and everyone present dropped to one knee.
The output was lower than Kim Hyunwoo’s, but its precision was incomparably superior.
As his phase power vanished in an instant, Kim Hyunwoo hurriedly turned around, his eyes widening.
“Father…!”
Where he turned, the head of the Andong Kim clan stood.
Kim Jungheon.
“…!”
“…”
Silence descended over the entire gathering.
Kim Hyunwoo’s phase power that had poured like a storm, his anger, and my voice sneering and provoking—all disappeared.
Terrible silence.
Everyone standing in the courtyard froze in place, holding their breath and reading his mood.
“Utterly disappointing.”
His voice came after a long while.
With those words, Kim Jungheon slowly approached me and Kim Hyunwoo facing each other.
Smack—!
The next moment, he immediately slapped Kim Hyunwoo’s cheek.
“F-Father. Let me explain…!”
Kim Hyunwoo tried to say something despite his angry father’s appearance.
Smack—! Smack—! Smaaack—!
After striking him three times in succession, he could only close his mouth and bow his head.
“Immature, frivolous, and utterly vulgar.”
Kim Jungheon’s sharp voice continued.
“Kim Hyunwoo. What you’ll face ahead are old monsters who’ve clung to the top of this Joseon for decades and their promising youth. Where you’ll enter is a demon’s den where they hide blades in smiles and thrust daggers with every word and action.”
“…”
“And such a person can’t even control his petty emotions and wields phase power in the family mansion? Do you think you can fulfill the role of Andong Kim’s eldest son like this?”
“My thoughts were short. Father, please punish me.”
“When making insincere sounds, manage your expression first. Someone who must enter the royal court can’t even control his own face…”
“I’m… sorry.”
After pouring out his tirade, Kim Jungheon finally looked toward me.
No, that’s a lie.
What he saw wasn’t me, but the employees who brought me here.
And the lackeys who’d followed behind Kim Hyunwoo.
“Everyone leave. I can’t stand the noise.”
“Y-yes!”
“Ex-excuse us, my Lord.”
With those words, employees approached me.
But having come this far, I should at least get permission.
“My Lord!”
I spoke toward Kim Jungheon with a pleased voice.
“A new guard and some allowance. That much is fine to use freely, isn’t it?”
“…”
Turning his back, Kim Jungheon only turned his head to look at me.
Soon, after staring at me briefly, he turned away without saying anything and returned to the mansion.
Meaning he didn’t care, so do as I please.
The funds I arbitrarily pulled this time, the money going to a guard.
Petty cash worth less than alms to a beggar.
Crunch.
As Lord Kim Jungheon disappeared, Kim Hyunwoo with a twisted face approached me.
“You trash, daring to humiliate me before Father? Someday I won’t let you…”
“You should listen well to the Lord’s words, Young Master. Won’t you manage your expression?”
“Krgh…!”
Perhaps realizing further argument would only be his loss.
Kim Hyunwoo clenched his teeth and turned his head, ending the warm brotherly conversation.
And shortly after.
The moment I returned to my room guided by the employees.
Thud—!
The aftereffects of exposure to phase power arrived belatedly.
As my stiffened body relaxed, I could only collapse on the spot.
“Huk… huk…! Huurk…!”
“Young Master Changwoon!”
“I’m fine! Just for a moment… really, I’m really fine…!”
No. Actually not fine at all.
The fear of confronting my brother for the first time in my life.
That tremendous phase power.
That overwhelming pressure as if it would tear my entire body apart any moment.
‘I thought being in my second life would make me okay, but I didn’t expect to tremble this much…!’
But even while trembling all over, a corner of my heart felt incredibly refreshed.
“Ha, haha…! Hahaha…!”
I can do it.
Even alone.
Even with this powerless body, I could defiantly run my mouth against that pathetic phase-wielder bastard!
“Kim Hyunwoo.”
And the next thing that came to mind was Kim Hyunwoo conversing with Lord Kim Jungheon.
That sight of him getting slapped and scolded.
“Lucky you. Getting to be scolded by Father and all.”
They raise the rod because they intend to raise you.
They scold because they acknowledge you as their child.
Either way, it was an appearance never once shown to me.
“…Tsk.”
No need for self-pity now.
I shook my head once to shake off the lingering resentment.
Angry, scared, happy, sad.
I’m not bipolar—what am I even doing?
“Taewoong.”
“Yes.”
“Sorry, but just get me a glass of water, and… let me ask you one favor.”
“A favor?”
“Yeah. A favor.”
I forced my tension-released, drooping body up.
“The allowance I gave you. Take out just a portion and get me something. As fast as possible.”
Having grated on his nerves this much, there’s no way Kim Hyunwoo wouldn’t retaliate given his personality.
Especially considering what he did to me in my previous life…
“Probably, there won’t be that much time.”
- 1. TLN: Perhaps a typo. I’m pretty sure this should be Hyunwoo not Sunghyun
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