NOVEL NEXT chapter 2
2 – 2 – Even in a world where gender roles are reversed, a man must be strong.
The reason why remembering a past life sucks so much.
Hyun-woo!
Puff! Puff!
“Aaaargh!”
Memories of a past life surface unexpectedly, like they did tonight.
Because this isn’t the first or second time those memories have turned into nightmares.
“Heave… Heave…”
“Young Master, what’s happened to you?”
“Oh, it’s nothing!”
“But…”
“I’m fine! Just don’t come in!”
“Y-yes…”
I’m always sorry for the maid who worries and stands by, ready to assist.
But there’s no helping it.
Right after waking from such cursed nightmares,
there’s no way I could face a woman in my right mind.
It’s not that I hate women, but—
if not humans, even animals…
Due to an instinct that values one’s own life above all else,
if one were to have experiences like mine, it would be inevitable to keep women at a distance.
In this world where the roles of men and women are reversed, that’s a terribly difficult thing.
Fortunately, I am the second son of the great northern duke’s family.
In other words, I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, with power and wealth.
Excluding family like my mother and sister,
I could easily refuse the advances of other women.
They don’t seem to view my behavior favorably,
but what can I do?
If they’re envious, let them be born clutching a spoon after being stabbed to death by a madwoman.
Anyway, because I’m someone who doesn’t easily allow women’s advances,
even the maid outside, Emma, who has served me since childhood,
simply accepted my order not to approach without complaint.
In truth, when one hears the master’s scream, the correct response is to check on their wellbeing without hesitation.
However, due to my usual behavior, she never dares to open my door rashly.
And,
since the security of the great northern duke’s family is extremely tight,
there’s hardly any worry about an assassin’s attack.
Therefore, there was no need for her to unnecessarily enter my room to check on me.
Let’s return to the memories of my past life for a moment.
Although the big downside is I can’t forget them and they keep haunting me.
Yet, therein lay many lessons learned.
It was not merely about not bestowing a woman with an easy smile.
Thud! Thud!
“Ugh… Hah…”
Though it was but a nightmare, the vivid sensations kept resurfacing.
It hurt like hell, truly.
But the knife wielded by the female student that stabbed me,
It wasn’t fast at all.
On the contrary, it could be considered slow.
So why did such a blade leave me writhing on the ground like an idiot?
The reason was.
Simply because I was weak.
In my first life,
I prided myself on being athletic,
and healthy,
with physical abilities
well above the average South Korean male.
No, I believed myself to be in the upper echelon.
But that was pure arrogance.
Thud! Thud!
“Argh! Damn!”
“Sir!”
“It’s, it’s okay!”
Ah, truly, it’s such crap.
Every time I wake from this nightmare.
For quite a long time.
Haunted by the illusion of being stabbed. Knowing it’s not reality yet tormented by the trauma. To break free out of this. To prevent such incidents from happening again. I must be stronger than anyone else. Even if this world is a gender-reversed one. Even if it’s a world that doesn’t require strength from men. I had a reason to be stronger.
.. ..
Swoosh! Swoosh!
“Sir, you’re doing well!”
“Huff! Huff!”
“100 more to go!”
“Got it, Grace!”
Swoosh! Swoosh!
At the Frigid Noble House in the Northern Kingdom, Grace, the knight tasked with escorting the cherished second son Edward, was having another joyful day. That’s because she’s spending time with the nobleman whom she devoted more to than anyone else. In fact, she could even pledge more than mere loyalty. Indeed, she was not a member of the Frigid family.
To be precise, she was not of the Empire.
She was a half-human, half-dragon.
A descendant of the now extinct dragons.
In the distant past,
the half-human, half-dragons, being far from ordinary,
formed their own tribes in quiet places,
lived peacefully without harming others.
As ages passed,
features like horns were no longer present,
but their physical prowess remained exceptional,
and the red hair and eyes were considered beautiful.
Thus, they were sought by the Empire
as combat slaves
or simply for ornamental purposes.
Leading a massive army,
the Empire invaded,
their numbers overwhelming.
The half-human, half-dragons, vastly outnumbered,
stood no chance, however strong they were individually.
Following their defeat,
they lived a shameful life of slavery for many years.
Over time, their numbers dwindled and gradually vanished.
Among the few remaining half-human, half-dragon slaves was she.
To foster goodwill with the powerful Prisid ducal family of the north, the imperial court sent her as a birthday present for the family’s second and youngest son, who was turning ten.
She thought of the last she had heard from her parents; was the descendant of the most exalted lineage to meet her end as a mere plaything for this young boy?
“Oh, but the child does have such a pretty face, it’s some consolation… Ah, what am I even thinking…”
It was undeniably a humiliating situation, yet the face of the boy looking at her, trapped within the iron bars, was so exceedingly beautiful that she couldn’t help but feel foolishly sentimental.
Indeed, if she had to suffer indignity, better it be at the hands of a boy as fair and unblemished than those wretched fiends…
While she was lost in such thoughts,
“Release her.”
“What do you mean, Your Highness!”
“!?”
She wondered if she had heard wrong.
The attendant standing beside her also looked utterly flustered.
“Why, she’s my gift. Shouldn’t it be up to me to release her?”
“But… she was a gift from the imperial family!”
“Should our Prisid family be looking to the imperial court for how to act?”
“Ah, no! I’m sorry!”
“Please, release me quickly.”
“Yes, understood!”
The boy ordered without retracting his command, despite the servant’s opposition.
And the boy who came before the cell cage where he was confined said,
“You’ve had a tough time.”
“What, what did you say!?”
“This won’t make up for it, but…”
What was the boy saying?
“I’ll apologize on his behalf. I’m sorry.”
“Young master!!”
The boy, much younger than he, bowed his head as he spoke.
He spoke words that none of the Empire’s people he despised had ever said with such ease.
It was not something said lightly.
The boy’s apology was undeniably sincere.
Clank.
The boy who then opened the cell door said,
“From now on, live freely.”
He said this to him with a bright smile.
That moment was one that Grace would never forget in his life.
It was an unforgettable, incredibly beautiful moment. As soon as she left the iron bar cage, moved, she immediately fell to her knees and swore allegiance to him. She wanted to remain as his knight, not his slave. At first, the boy was quite taken aback, but after some consideration, he said, “Um… even if you suddenly said they were free, they would have no money, nothing…” She insisted it was not for that reason she wanted to be his knight. However, he was unaffected and simply responded with, “No, that’s okay. I understand. I’ll tell my mother,” and cheerfully agreed. “My name is Edward. And you?” Grace still vividly remembers that day, even after ten years. Her first meeting with her master, to whom she wanted to dedicate not just her loyalty, but even more. In order not to forget that moment, she kept revisiting it. However, when she sometimes told Confucius about it, he responded with, “What are you talking about? I laughed?” with disbelief. “Did you see me laughing? Stop kidding.”
Could it be that he doesn’t remember?
Or is he pretending not to know out of embarrassment?
“I’m not a man who laughs carelessly.”
It didn’t matter.
Because.
Grace hadn’t forgotten.
…
“Grace! I’m done with everything! What’s next?”
While she was lost in her past memories, it seemed Edward had completed the hundred practice swings with the wooden sword he had been instructed to do.
“Excellent, my lord!”
Edward was truly diligent.
Despite the task being undoubtedly tough for a man’s body,
he didn’t complain and quietly followed orders during his training.
At first, when he wanted to learn the sword in a man’s body,
she wanted to dissuade him by any means possible.
But the word of the lord she served was absolute.
She could only obey her master’s commands.
“Enough of that, what’s next?”
Even though Grace had praised him,
Edward showed no signs of happiness.
Come to think of it, since their first encounter, she hadn’t seen him smile at her.
How wonderful it would be to see that smile again.
Of course, since she never showed her smile to all the women, including herself, she hardly felt any jealousy or disappointment. Just…
It seemed that sometimes she would smile at the Grand Duke’s husband or the male knights…
Could it be a preference?
No, even if it was, it’s okay.
Probably… it’s okay.
“Grace, what are you doing?”
“Ah, no! Your Grace. Next, we should…”
Distracted, she was prompted by Edward to direct the training method.
Actually, she was just giving instructions in moderation.
He had sense and perseverance for a man, but…
‘Sadly, Your Grace, with a man’s physique, cannot even outmatch a trainee, let alone a junior knightess…’
What does it matter, though.
In times of danger, she, who was always by his side, would protect him.
It was enough as long as His Grace was satisfied.
…
…
…
“You’ve worked hard, Your Grace!”
“Huff… Huff…”
Today, I also completed my training.
Since the year I turned 15.
Opposing my family’s wishes.
I began to train in the sword.
Grace, my half-dragon, half-human bodyguard whom I was fortunate enough to adopt in my youth.
She is a person who could take pride in being stronger than anyone.
Whenever she practiced,
she would always praise me.
For having persistence.
For having talent.
For the fruits of my efforts coming to fruition.
I agree because it’s a fact.
In a past life, I wouldn’t have felt it to this extent.
The talent in this body was abundant.
I could feel myself growing.
And so, every time
Grace praised me,
I felt the growth along with it,
and though the corners of my mouth threatened to loosen,
I never smiled.
Sometimes Grace would ask me if I could occasionally show a smile, referring to the first day we met when I supposedly didn’t smile.
What nonsense.
I have absolutely no memory of that!
“Please, let’s do this again tomorrow at the same time.”
“Yes, Young Master!”
Leaving the training grounds, I requested Grace to help with the next day’s practice.
‘Hmm. I can definitely feel myself getting stronger.’
Today was truly another rewarding day of training.
Indeed.
Even in a world of gender role-reversals, men should still be strong.