I Became the Male Lead who was Clinging onto the Female Leads

TL/Editor: Raei

Schedule: N/A

Illustrations: Posted in discord.

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"Why on earth?"

It was hard to understand why the old man was drinking in such a place.

"If you don't answer one more time, this won't end just with words!"

"Come on, give it up nicely while we're asking nicely!"

"Ugh."

But the situation wasn't favorable for calm contemplation.

First, he had to deal with those big guys.

Eugene got up.

"Stop it, that's enough."

"Who the hell are you!"

The attention of the brutes naturally shifted to him.

They looked at Eugene with disbelief and clicked their tongues.

"Even a young kid should know when to stop."

"You've really got the nerve to talk back to us like this."

They stood up and approached him, determined to take care of Eugene first, leaving the old man alone.

People around them couldn't bear it anymore and stood up.

"Isn't this too much!"

"Even if you are gangsters, there has to be a limit to your actions!"

"Leave the kid alone!"

Trembling, they still did not avert their gaze.

He admired the courage shown by these ordinary people.

But the rage of the brutes grew even more.

"Look at these bastards, really!"

Bam!

One of the brutes stomped his foot down, filled with mana.

The force shook the interior of the tavern, causing people to fall over.

"Stop it, all of you!"

"If the guards come because of this, the situation will really get out of control!"

"I don't care, damn it!"

"We'll deal with you guys first!"

The brutes approached those who had fallen.

Eugene, still standing upright, sighed.

"I tell you to stop, and you walk away. What pathetic bastards..."

Even though he spoke loudly enough for them to hear, the brutes, in their excitement, didn’t seem to notice and continued walking toward the fallen people.

"They're not even paying attention to me."

I couldn't help but feel a bit offended.

Was my provocation not provocative enough?

Eugene picked up two chopsticks and infused them with his mana.

This wasn’t ordinary mana.

It was mana infused with lightning energy, which he had honed through practicing the Lightning Sword Technique.

The chopsticks glowed with a bluish light, trembling as if they would shoot out like arrows the moment he let them go.

"This should be enough."

With the abilities of those brutes, there was a high probability they would dodge the chopsticks if they were only infused with ordinary mana.

That would make them angry and rush toward him, leading to a scuffle...

It would be exhausting.

So, he had to infuse the chopsticks with lightning energy before shooting at them.

The speed and power would be incomparable to ordinary chopsticks.

Eugene aimed the chopsticks at the brutes' necks, gathered his mana at a singular point, and exploded it.

Whoosh!

The two chopsticks, drawing a bluish line in the air, pierced through the necks of the brutes and embedded themselves in the wall.

"Ugh!"

"Kugh!"

The brutes’ eyes rolled back as they fell to the floor.

Their massive bodies collapsed, causing a loud rumble in the tavern.

"What on earth is this!"

"Are those... chopsticks?"

The trembling people witnessed chopsticks piercing through the wall.

Astonishment painted their faces.

"Who in the world…"

Their gaze shifted to the direction from which the chopsticks had come.

Eugene was standing there...

"Just some insignificant guys... Ugh."

He staggered back to his seat, seemingly hit by a delayed drunkenness, and plopped down.

"I need a drink."

He grabbed a bottle and started to drink, only to immediately grimace.

"Ugh! My drink's gone cold dealing with these thugs!"

"We'll provide this bottle on the house, sir!"

Recognizing Eugene's strength, a server quickly rushed over.

The other customers looked at Eugene with dazed eyes.

'He looks so young...'

'How did he manage to deal with those thugs using just chopsticks?'

They couldn't understand due to Eugene's youthful appearance.

'Were those thugs just weak?'

'No, that can't be...'

At the point where he subdued the thugs with chopsticks, it was clear that his strength was far beyond ordinary common sense.

It was safe to say that there were very few at his age who could display such a feat.

'Is he a hidden expert who has just emerged into the world?'

'Or a master so powerful that even aging has stopped for him?'

Their imaginations ran wild.

Regardless of their speculation, Eugene continued to tear into his side dishes and gulp down his drink.

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Raei Translations

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"Hmm."

The old man, who had just been surrounded and in a tight spot due to the thugs, now looked calmly at Eugene.

'Fascinating.'

He was a figure who served alongside the great emperor, overseeing all who worked within the royal family in the Holy Lucia Empire—the top authority in the empire.

A 'prime minister' who had dedicated his life for the people.

He was Russell von Reimon Cromwell.

Having taught the current emperor from a young age, he was like a father to the emperor and a respected spiritual pillar of the empire to all.

Although he had no expertise in swordsmanship or magic, his almost miraculous ability to manage the empire had earned him a position at the top.

Even great archmages and masters of swordsmanship bowed their heads to him.

As such, whenever he ventured outside the royal palace, it was enough to make the emperor grab his neck in worry.

Even tonight, he had taken a little time off to leave the palace.

It had been several years since his last outing, making this a rare deviation from his routine.

Russell worked tirelessly for the empire, day and night, even though he was just an ordinary old man without any knowledge of swordsmanship or magic.

Unable to draw upon mana, he tired more easily than others and needed rest due to his overwhelming workload.

In his youth, when he had fewer responsibilities, he used to enjoy tasty food and drink in street-side restaurants.

He longed to experience that atmosphere once again.

So, he made a personal request to a high-ranking mage of the royal palace.

He asked them to cast a spell on his face so that he could walk around outside without being recognized by anyone.

"Absolutely not! What are you saying! If His Majesty the Emperor finds out about this, he will try to kill me!"

The high-ranking mage vehemently refused.

However, the prime minister was no senile old man that can easily be dismissed, and it was easier for him to convince a single mage than to cook a meal.

He easily persuaded the mage and told them not to worry.

Realistically, how much trouble could one get into in just a few hours outside of the royal palace?

Well, there would be nothing he could say if he got into trouble with some thugs, but that’s another story.

Swoosh, swoosh.

The servers dragged out the unconscious thugs.

He went over what just happened.

Russell was surrounded by thugs and stayed silent while waiting for the guards.

Then suddenly, a young man, who looked too young to be drinking, appeared from a corner and took care of the thugs.

"It's truly strange."

His face looked too young; he even thought he might be someone who had reached the pinnacle of power and stopped aging.

However, even those individuals didn't look this young.

It was right to dismiss that possibility.

This person must just be someone who was incredibly strong at a young age.

And that was the problem.

'If there was such a genius, there is no way I wouldn't know about them.'

Who is Russell?

He was the empire’s prime minister, fully aware of the young talents who would lead the future of the empire.

Yet, he had never seen this face before.

'What family could this prodigy be from?'

He couldn’t be a commoner.

Having spent his life observing people, Russell was confident in his ability to discern one’s background just from their appearance.

'I don’t know him, so I should ask for his name…'

If this young man had the potential to lead the empire's future, it was necessary to know his name.

'He seems to have a sense of justice too.'

Moreover, he saved Russell, who appeared only as a common old man due to the facial transformation.

Not all strong individuals are righteous.

If one gained great power without mental maturity, they often became corrupt.

But this young man was different.

Though his actions and words in subduing the thugs were a bit extreme, they weren’t problematic enough to be criticized.

If he were to nitpick about such things, there would be no righteous people left in the world.

Such a degree of humanity could actually attract others as a form of charm, drawing in their favor.

He seemed to be a bit drunk, too...

Suddenly, after subduing the threatening thugs, he went back to his seat to continue his meal as if nothing had happened.

He didn’t demand any form of compensation from the onlookers.

If there was any corruption in his heart, he would have at least demanded something from Russell, who was in danger.

With just this, he exuded an air of upright purity.

'He's a promising young man to look forward to.'

To repay him, it was necessary to remember his name.

Russell stood up and approached Eugene.

“…….”

Eugene, who was in the middle of enjoying his spicy steamed buns, looked up at him.

With a kind smile, Russell sat down across from him.

"In this day and age, I never thought I would see such a strong and pure-hearted young hero."

“Excuse me?”

"I wish to repay you, and I would like to know your name if that's alright."

“…….”

Eugene looked at the old man with a blank expression.

He was slightly drunk, so his brain was not functioning as quickly as usual.

He answered dismissively and continued to eat his spicy steamed buns.

"I don’t need any repayment."

It was an attitude that could be perceived as insincere.

Russell was momentarily taken aback but soon guessed what Eugene might be thinking and regained his composure.

‘He must see me as an old man with nothing to offer.’

So he must be treating me coldly because he thinks he cannot receive anything from me.

"You need not be like that. I am a person who can afford to repay others."

"I know. I knew who you were when I helped."

"Right, I knew you thought that. So, let's hear it, what is it that you want... What did you say?"

Russell asked, looking baffled.

"I knew who I was when you helped?"

The level of the mage who cast the spell on his face should not have been decipherable by such a young prodigy.

One would have to be a high-level mage at least...

"What do you mean you knew who I was?"

Eugene stopped eating and looked at Russell, then said in a low voice.

"You’re the Prime Minister."

“……!”

Russell’s face was filled with astonishment.

"How in the world did you……"

“...Well, it's just something you can see if you look.”

"That's absurd..."

Russell looked at Eugene, flabbergasted.

How could such a young man decipher the magic of a high-ranking royal mage and recognize him?

If he were to become a mage, becoming a great archmage would be the basic expectation, and he could aim even higher.

And that’s not all.

Look at him; he’s not fazed at all, even in the presence of the Prime Minister.

His heart must be as solid as a rock.

'He's a once-in-a-lifetime prodigy, even in terms of mental strength.'

He was overflowing with qualities that could make him a great figure.

Even the Emperor in his youth would seem ordinary compared to this young man.

If possible, he wanted to take him as a disciple and nurture him.

Although he couldn’t become the Emperor since he wasn't of royal blood, he seemed likely to become a greater figure than himself, the Prime Minister.

If that happened, his power and authority could rival that of the Emperor.

‘Although, for the peace of the empire, I must prevent such an occurrence...’

Regardless, there was no doubt that Eugene’s talent was extraordinary.

'Talent, mental strength, ambition, purity... everything is perfect.'

Especially his purity.

It was indescribably high.

Even knowing what a prime minister does, he said that no repayment was necessary.

'At the very least, I must know his name.'

Russell could no longer back down.

He couldn't repay him, and creating a connection wasn't easy either.

But at the very least, he needed to remember this man's name, in case he needed help.

It would be a terrible loss if such a talented individual disappeared from the world.

Russell cautiously opened his mouth.

“...I understand that you don’t need any repayment, but at least tell me your name. I want to lend a hand when if you ever need help someday.”

Eugene, who was in the middle of drinking, put down his cup abruptly and answered.

“My name is Eugene von Lennon Grace.”

“Thank you.”

I will surely remember it.

Having achieved his goal, Russell stood up.

“Wait a moment.”

He had been harassed by some ruffians, but he was in a good mood after finding such an outstanding talent.

“My head wasn’t working well because I was drunk, but I’ve thought of something you can give in return.”

Russell smiled faintly and took a step, but then he stopped because Eugene had grabbed the hem of his clothes.

Russell turned around to look at Eugene.

“You said you thought of something I could give you in return?”

“Yes.”

“Cough. Tell me.”

“If there are any leftover elixirs from the royal family, could you spare one for me?"

Hearing this, Russell was stunned for a moment but then he smiled contentedly.

‘I guess I have to exclude purity from his virtues.’

His heroic qualities hadn’t changed, but he was a person who held a moderate amount of personal greed.

‘Still, I’m glad I can repay him.’

Russell smiled kindly.

“Tell me where you live, and I’ll send something suitable over.”

Eugene gave Russell the address of his dormitory, and Russell promised to send a servant with the elixir by the next morning.

Then, standing up, Russell looked at Eugene, who had collapsed from drunkenness, and said,

“This counts as repayment, but I still want to offer my help.”

“Hic.”

“When the time comes that you need my help, think of it as a debt and let me know. I will help as much as I can.”

“Sure thing. Hic.”

Eugene laughed and waved his hand.

He had been drinking non-stop and seemed to be completely drunk.

“...Then, let’s meet again next time.”

Russell forced a smile as he bid farewell and turned around.

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