It’s already been a month and two weeks since I possessed the body of a character from someone else’s novel.
During that time, I had to learn and master many things.
Saying I was busy doesn’t even begin to cover it.
The evidence is right there in the deep dark circles shadowing my eyes.
‘Wow, I really do look exhausted!’
Staring at my reflection in the mirror, that was the only thought that came to mind.
Still, despite being thoroughly soaked in fatigue, I didn’t look like some kind of shut-in.
Instead, I gave off the impression of a sickly, sharp-featured young nobleman.
That’s all thanks to the person who managed my appearance so I wouldn’t lose my dignity as a noble.
And that’s a privilege I wouldn’t be able to enjoy while living in the academy dormitory.
“Um… Young Master? Why are you suddenly looking at me with such wistful eyes?”
The attendant, who was carefully tending to my body’s long, curly white hair, looked at me in confusion.
He hadn’t even looked at me directly, just through the mirror, and yet he still sensed my gaze.
He must have good instincts.
But in the end, he’s still just a kid.
“It just feels a bit strange and awkward, having someone treat me with such genuine concern…”
Feigning confusion, I rolled my eyes around and lifted the corners of my lips into a self-mocking smile.
Then, as if to check his reaction, I glanced at the attendant’s face reflected in the mirror.
Sure enough, he was wearing an expression that said he didn’t know what to do out of pity for me.
Truly, a boy at the age where his emotions run deep.
He even showed sympathy for me on the very first day I possessed this novel.
So after poking at his sympathy a few times like this, he started acting increasingly kind toward me.
Now, he even shows signs of friendliness.
He told me his name was ‘Yon Leifson’ without me even asking, and right now, he’s tending to my hair as part of his newfound friendliness.
Of course, it’s only natural for an attendant to tidy up my messy hair right after I wake up in the morning.
But insisting on giving me a final touch-up before I left for the academy and sitting me in front of the mirror—that was going a bit beyond professional duty and into the realm of meddling.
‘And was it bothersome?’ Not at all.
‘If anything, I was grateful for it. After all, it’s pretty common in novels for close attendants or maids to play the role of information shuttles.’
Besides, I’d been wanting to secure someone on ‘my side’ in this ducal residence.
It would be nice to have someone who could tell me what happened here while I’m living in the dormitory.
Even better if he could bring me rumors and information from inside and outside the ducal residence.
But I don’t plan to trust Yon blindly.
‘Close aide’ and ‘my side’ sound nice, but in reality, he’s someone employed by Duke Austri, Hard Austri.
The reason he’s treating me so well now is just a mix of professional duty and sympathy.
‘Still, it’s far better to have someone I can at least hope will act for me in a pinch, than to have no one at all!’
And that’s not all. Yon’s kindness was incredibly convenient and helpful.
Whenever I came back exhausted from training, he’d hand me a cool ion drink, wipe my sweat, and even fan me.
If I was up late memorizing materials, he’d bring me snacks to help recharge my sugar levels.
He even kindly taught me how to care for my hair, probably worried I’d run around the academy looking like a mess.
‘Honestly, I’d love nothing more than to just cut off this ridiculously long hair…’
Yon said that with hair this curly, cutting it short would actually make it harder to manage.
So it’s better to grow it out and tie or braid it, apparently.
For the record, Yon chose the hard way instead of the easy one.
He carefully sprayed water and applied various products to the hair of my possessed body, meticulously styling it into curls so well-done it looked like a professional perm.
And this body’s hair is not only thick but also long enough to reach the waist.
He does this twice a day by choice—now that’s real dedication.
Clicking my tongue, I looked at the reflection of my possessed body in the mirror again.
No wonder the original novel described this face as ‘delicate and exuding noble elegance.’
Even hair that curled like a hippie perm was transformed into a young lord’s style.
And there was one feature that heightened the mysterious aura of this face.
It was the eyes—like a drop of sky-blue ink in a purple glass bead, two colors coexisting in one gaze.
But the possessed body absolutely hated these eyes.
‘Because they’re basically a mark that says he’s defective!’
According to the 《Nas-e》 world setting, ‘the color of Aether appears in one’s eyes.’
In other words, ‘Aether color = eye color’ is an established rule.
Not inheriting the family’s Aether color properly meant not inheriting its abilities fully, either.
For reference, the Austri Ducal Family’s Aether, passed down for generations, is purple, and their abilities are poison and Buff.
The possessed body couldn’t use any of the poison-related abilities.
He also had no poison resistance whatsoever.
Karbaldr choosing ‘Poison Ingestion’ as his method of suicide was probably related to this.
‘But seriously, isn’t this possessed body a bit too overloaded with information for an early-stage villain?’
The poison incident wasn’t in the original novel, so I’ll let that slide.
His father’s indifference and only inheriting half the family’s abilities—those are just explanations for why Karbaldr turned into a villain, so nothing strange about that.
As for the noble and elegant appearance? That’s to emphasize he’s from a high-ranking noble family.
If he were just plain ugly, readers wouldn’t get the same satisfaction from seeing him fall.
‘But if he has just enough good points, it makes it all the sweeter.’
‘But heterochromia? Isn’t that a bit much?’
Even in fiction, characters with heterochromia aren’t common.
And usually, it’s odd eyes—different colors in each eye. Having two colors mixed in each iris is rare.
In 《Nas-e》, the sky-blue part of the eye is called a ‘blemish,’ and is described as looking like the pigment has faded there.
This is linked to the fact that Karbaldr only inherited half of the family’s abilities.
When I read the novel, I just thought, ‘Wow, the author is really committed to the Aether color = eye color setting,’ and didn’t think much of it.
But seeing Karbaldr’s eyes in person, the color was so mystical it was almost too much.
Maybe that’s why I suddenly had this thought.
‘Was this character actually meant to redeem himself and join the protagonist’s group? Maybe the author put in all this backstory, but gave up because the reader comments weren’t positive…?’
It’s possible.
If so, it makes sense that the author didn’t kill Karbaldr off right away.
It would be a waste to kill off a character they’d crafted so carefully.
‘Or maybe they got attached while writing…’
“Alright, all done!”
Yon withdrew his hands from my hair, looking satisfied.
Checking in the mirror, my hair was even curlier and bouncier than usual.
He must have styled it more tightly, considering the back would get flattened during the carriage ride.
‘Well, there probably aren’t many people at the academy yet since there’s still a week until classes start…’
That thought crossed my mind, but I didn’t dare say it out loud.
I’d worked hard to gain his sympathy and build up my favorability—I couldn’t risk ruining it now.
“This should be… more than acceptable.”
I lifted my chin and looked around, pretending to inspect my finished hairstyle.
Speaking in a very arrogant and unpleasant tone.
Then, after briefly meeting Yon’s gaze in the mirror, I quickly averted my eyes and mumbled in a small, retreating voice,
“Th-thank… you…?”
“Sorry? What did you just…”
“Ahem, ahem! We should get going. No need to see me off.”
For the record, I’m not the type who has a hard time saying thank you.
But the reason I coughed and acted embarrassed like that was because there’s a good reason.
This possessed body is extremely arrogant and steeped in elitism.
He’s also the type who can’t open up to anyone.
Yet after talking about ‘genuine concern,’ he then, in a ‘very cautious manner,’ says thank you?
‘There’s no way the favorability wouldn’t go up after that.’
No matter how selfish and self-centered a character may be, if they show kindness or weakness only to the protagonist, readers love them for it.
That’s just how it is.
If someone who isn’t normally like that acts that way only toward you, it’s a huge bonus.
“Come on~, I’m your personal attendant, Young Master. Of course I should help! Please, let me carry your bag!”
As expected, Yon cheerfully snatched away the bag I was about to pick up.
His face was bright with a beaming smile.
At this rate, there’s no way my favorability with him will reset to zero while I’m away at the academy.
“Hmph, do as you wish.”
I can’t believe I actually said something like that.
A wave of embarrassment washed over me, my face flushed, and my hands and feet curled up.
But what could I do? If I wanted to stay true to Karbaldr’s character while building favorability with my attendant, acting like a tsundere was my best bet.
‘If this were a novel, would the readers find me pitiful? Or just funny? Maybe they’d feel so much secondhand embarrassment they’d suffer right along with me…!’
With a complicated, indescribable feeling, I picked up the Familiar Egg.
It was already the end of August, and the possessed body’s birthday was September 17, so there wasn’t much time left until the Familiar hatched.
That was my one and only source of comfort, happiness, and healing right now.
Hugging the precious Familiar Egg, I headed outside, where a splendid carriage awaited me.
But not a single person had come to see me off.
That was expected, so I wasn’t bothered in the least, but Yon looked at me anxiously with a gloomy expression.
I met the boy’s eyes, but without showing any reaction, I climbed into the carriage.
At times like this, it’s better to act indifferent than to pretend to be sad.
That way, people can interpret it however they want.
If you actively use this ‘room for interpretation’ in a novel, it becomes a misunderstanding story.
In real life…
‘What does it become? A con artist?’
While I was lost in those thoughts, Yon loaded my luggage onto the carriage.
Not realizing he was being deceived by me, the young attendant looked at me with eyes full of sympathy.
Then, forcing himself to sound cheerful, he spoke up.
“Well then, have a good trip! Enjoy your time at the academy… and, um… anyway, good luck! I’ll be waiting for the day you come back!”
He seemed to be stringing together whatever words came to mind, just to say something.
It was kind of cute to see a child trying to cheer me on like that.
But at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel a bit dumbfounded.
Yeah.
There was a strange sense of satisfaction and superiority in being pitied by my own attendant.
‘Well… does it really matter? It’s a feeling that works in my favor, after all.’
With a bitter smile I couldn’t suppress, I quickly hardened my expression and shut the door.
Hoping Yon would interpret my actions in whatever way would benefit me most.