Chapter 0: Prologue

The room, isolated from the others in the Earl’s manor, was sparsely furnished, almost shabby, a far cry from the opulence expected of the family. Yet, it was meticulously clean, not a speck of dust in sight, a testament to diligent care.

This room had been my home for almost my entire life.

“They’re all busy again, I see.”

“Young Master…”

I had specifically requested they visit me today. Dragging my barely functional body, I had even written letters and tried to seek them out, but my family, and my former fiancé, seemed too preoccupied to bother.

I suppose if I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t visit a good-for-nothing, abandoned son like myself either.

“Young… Master…”

“Why are you crying? Don’t cry.”

The only person by my side was Stella, my maid since childhood.

With such a tender heart, how will she survive in this harsh world?

“I’m the one dying, why are you so upset?”

“Sob… Waaaaah!”

Well… that was meant to comfort her, but it seems to have had the opposite effect. Instead of stopping, she buried her face in my bed and cried even harder. I felt a pang of sympathy.

Stella had worked for the Earl’s household, attending to me since we were children. I worried about her future after my death.

As I just mentioned, I was about to die.

The reason? Let’s just say it was to protect the protagonist. That would be the simplest explanation.

It was a cliché, straight out of a typical fantasy novel. Though I never thought I’d actually experience such a scenario myself.

I had been reincarnated into a medieval magic academy novel, the title of which I couldn’t even recall. And I had been reborn as the protagonist’s fiancé.

Not just any fiancé, mind you, but a troublemaking, prank-loving, good-for-nothing fiancé.

By the time I realized I was living in a novel, I had already pulled all the pranks described in the original story. I tried to turn over a new leaf, but my tarnished image was beyond repair. Even my attempts at good deeds were perceived as insincere, a belated effort to salvage my reputation.

Only Stella, who had been by my side since childhood, believed in my sincerity. But it was too late to change anyone else’s mind.

So, to atone for my past misdeeds against Adele, my sickly fiancée in the novel, I used my unique absorption ability, inherited from the original Lian Kindred, to absorb her illness. The result? My impending death.

Surely, this would count as an apology for all the pranks and wrongdoings I had inflicted upon Adele, wouldn’t it?

‘I hope it’s enough.’

Of course, neither Adele nor my family knew the truth. Only Stella, whom I confided in, was aware of the situation.

It was better that way. I didn’t want them to feel burdened by the knowledge of my sacrifice.

Beep Beep

Was it time already? I started hearing the telltale ringing in my ears. Realizing my time was short, I spoke my final words to Stella, the only one who had stayed by my side.

“You’ve had a hard time, Stella… taking care of such a sickly master…”

“Don’t say that… I’d rather you were healthy, even if you were mean to me…”

“You’re too kind for your own good…”

My kind and loyal maid, who had endured my childhood pranks and torment, continued to care for me until the very end.

Seeing her like this, I closed my eyes with a peaceful smile.

“Don’t… worry… We’ll… see… each other… soon.”

A warm sensation on my forehead accompanied Stella’s final, mumbled words. Was it a hallucination, a final comfort before death?

And so, I died.

“…”

I should be dead.

So why am I waking up in bed again, with this same stupid expression on my face?

“Haha…”

It seems I’ve fallen victim to another common novel trope.