How To Ruin The Original Work (16 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 9
Ludin warmly greeted a sharp-featured young man with deep navy hair nearly black, thin-rimmed glasses, and white gloves on his hands.
“Oh, you arrived right on time. Please, come in….”
“…Jerome?”
Nigel instantly uttered the man’s name.
The man dryly extended his gloved right hand toward Nigel, who stood rigidly upright.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other in person. Hello, Nigel.”
Zeronin naturally sat down on the sofa opposite Nigel.
“You must be dreadfully bored, huh?”
“Thanks to you, I’m always busy. But I still had to see you off to the academy.”
“Unnecessary meddling.”
“The director also specifically asked me to look after you.”
“…Fine, then.”
Just then, Soo and Rina brought in refreshments.
“We’ll leave you alone so you can talk comfortably as family—ho ho!”
Creak.
The three of them closed the door and left.
Zeronin poured tea into Nigel’s cup and then filled his own.
“By the way, you chose the dress I picked out, didn’t you? I knew it would suit you well.”
“Well, Madame Ludin’s skill is so exceptional that it’s worth appreciating.”
Zeronin smirked as he watched Nigel awkwardly turn his head.
“I heard you’ve already made a friend on your way? That’s great.”
“Who told you that? Don’t tell me you’ve had me under surveillance? That’s creepy.”
“Of course not. A letter arrived from the orphanage a few days ago. Oh, don’t look disappointed that yours hasn’t come yet—they’re practicing their handwriting so they can write you a proper letter.”
“…”
Nigel silently lifted the corners of his mouth.
“You’ve really grown up. The kid who used to run away or escape all the time is now entering the academy and even making friends.”
“Don’t treat me like a child. You’re not even ten years older than me.”
“If seventeen isn’t a kid, then who is?”
“You’ve got a point there.”
Nigel scoffed.
‘I’ve already lived more than thirty years.’
Of course, whether in my past life or this one, I’ve never truly been an adult.
“I’d love to draw you a map of Syenia, but unfortunately, it’s been ages since I graduated.”
Zeronin playfully shrugged his shoulders.
“Oh right—you were from there too, weren’t you?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know when you clearly do. Thanks to that, your life was saved.”
“…”
Nigel turned his head away once again.
He bitterly recalled how seriously he’d considered asking Jerome yesterday whether he knew where the Golden Dragon was.
“Oh, right.”
Zeronin pulled a pocket watch from his coat.
Though it appeared to be an ordinary timepiece on the outside, it was actually a soundproofing magic tool.
“By the way, your magic leakage was dangerously close again, wasn’t it? I told you not to push beyond a month. Even if you feel fine now, it’s definitely straining your body.”
‘…Here we go again.’
Nigel’s eyebrows furrowed.
Every time Zeronin saw him, he seemed desperate to nag.
“I’ve been busy with winter preparations and other things. And I know my own body best.”
“I understand that, but you treat your cycles so casually—it’s a matter of your life.”
“…”
That was the problem—he left Nigel speechless.
Because of this, Nigel disliked meeting Zeronin.
“What if you collapse at the academy? Most people would take potions or call a priest for healing, but magic is poison to you with your magic poisoning.”
“I got it—drop it already. I’ll just stick to my cycle. Besides, the academy has holidays anyway.”
“Right. You’re not a kid anymore, so I trust you’ll manage well, just as you said?”
Nigel let out a deep sigh and reluctantly gave a single nod.
Zeronin’s eyes softened slightly as he looked at Nigel.
No matter how hard he tried to act grown-up, at moments like these, he was unmistakably a child.
“So, what’s your real reason for coming here? You didn’t just come to see me off, did you?”
Zeronin smirked and pulled a ring box from his pocket, holding it out.
Nigel’s face instantly crumpled.
“…What is this?”
Creepy.
Even without saying it aloud, the rest of his thought was written all over his face.
“Open it.”
When Nigel opened the case, a delicate silver ring came into view.
“I went through some trouble making this.”
“What is it?”
“It’s a ring that converts your divine energy into ordinary magic power. Divine energy is technically a subset of magic, but since it’s mostly used for healing, people tend to forget about it. It’s also a rather obscure field. So, the thing is…”
“It’s because of divine energy’s purity, obviously.”
Nigel crossed his arms and spoke.
“Right—unlike magic, which has strong resistance and is difficult to implement in magic tools, divine energy has almost no resistance at all. It absorbs everything indiscriminately, like a child who doesn’t yet know good from evil.”
“I hate that phrasing. Jerome, you’ve barely taken care of kids, so you probably don’t realize it’s a misconception that children are pure.”
At those words, Zeronin’s eyes sparkled mischievously.
“Oh? What about your Christmas wish when you were eight…?”
“Now that I think about it, you’re absolutely right.”
Nigel quickly cut off Zeronin’s next words.
“Anyway, you might struggle a bit with magic control at first, but as long as you wear this ring, daily life shouldn’t be a problem. Congratulations on your enrollment.”
Zeronin spoke as if it were nothing, though dark shadows lingered beneath his eyes.
“Yeah… thanks.”
Nigel replied in a barely audible voice.
He hated to admit it, but this was exactly the gift he’d needed most.
“Good.”
Zeronin grinned at Nigel, who kept his head lowered.
“Well then, I, an uninvited guest, should take my leave.”
“Good riddance.”
“Oh, contact me if anything comes up. I’ll be off, then.”
Zeronin gave the same dry hand gesture as when he’d arrived.
Jingle.
And without hesitation, he strode out of the shop.
“Whew…”
Now it was truly his turn to leave.
[This is the timeline separator]Madam Ludin—or rather, the carriage prepared by Jerome—dashed vigorously toward Syenia.
Syenia was situated just barely on the eastern edge of the capital.
The academy had been built in the royal-owned forest on the outskirts for reasons such as creating a quiet study environment for students and the convenience of securing vast grounds.
Consequently, the scenery outside the window gradually transformed from streets illuminated solely by lamplight and buildings into a dense, sprawling forest.
Seeing the tall, towering trees, Nigel felt as calm as if he’d arrived in Tilin.
“We’ve arrived.”
Nigel’s eyes widened as he stepped down from the carriage.
Beyond the massive gate stretched grounds so expansive they couldn’t be taken in at a single glance.
He’d never imagined such a vast place could exist deep within this forest.
It was no wonder the title ‘Imperial’ was affixed—the Imperial Academy was as expansive as the vast territory of Areneum.
“Oh, are you a new student?”
A guard stationed at the gate approached Nigel, who stood there dazed.
Nod.
“What’s your name?”
Nigel wordlessly handed over his enrollment certificate.
“Ah…!”
The guard flinched in surprise for a moment, but Nigel was too preoccupied scanning for the Golden Dragon statue to notice his reaction.
“Confirmed. We sincerely welcome you to Syenia. We’ll deliver your luggage directly to your dormitory room, so please enjoy the reception at ease.”
Without even glancing at the list in his hand, he continued.
“The new student party is being held in the banquet hall ahead. Walking around the grounds before the banquet is also a great option—Syenia has many beautiful spots!”
“Thank you.”
“Then, I hope you have a wonderful time. Syenia will always stand by your side.”
He bowed respectfully and opened the grand main gate.
“…”
Nigel stepped through the gate, carrying an indescribable, peculiar feeling in his heart.
Until now, he’d felt indifferent and unmoved, but actually entering the academy stirred something different within him.
Belonging somewhere offered no small measure of reassurance.
Especially for Nigel, it resonated profoundly.
Living as Nigel had always been a series of choices—whether happy or sad, his emotions were always overshadowed by anxiety over an unpredictable tomorrow.
Now, finally having an identity he could claim proudly…
“Well, not bad at all.”
Nigel smiled faintly and walked forward.
[This is the timeline separator]However, Nigel’s smile didn’t last long.
“Where on earth is the Golden Dragon?”
Trusting Allen’s words—that he’d immediately know once he arrived at Syenia—Nigel walked and walked, searching for the Golden Dragon.
Yet after twenty minutes of walking, he hadn’t spotted not only the Golden Dragon statue but not even a single animal statue.
Every time he thought he’d found it, he was met only with statues of random people.
Thus, eight statues—including that of the founding emperor—had already earned his curses.
“What kind of trouble is this, all because of Allen?”
Moreover, the occasional passersby he’d seen earlier had now completely vanished.
Before Nigel, three paths diverged.
“…”
His decision was quick.
Nigel chose to go straight.
And he walked.
Choosing straight ahead yielded one good thing and one bad thing.
The good thing was that, just as the guard had said Syenia had many beautiful spots, a lush blue lake came into view in the distance.
The bad thing was that Nigel’s feet, entirely unaccustomed to high heels, began to ache in protest.
“This is damn uncomfortable.”
Since no one was around anyway, Nigel sat on a rock, removed his silver high heels, held them in both hands, and continued toward the lake.
Having already walked too far to turn back, he figured he might as well properly see the lake now.
“…!”
Just as he neared the lake, he sensed movement nearby.
‘A person? Or a beast?’
Objectively speaking, on the day of a party, he doubted anyone besides himself would venture all the way to the lake, so he leaned toward ‘beast.’
‘If it’s a beast, I’ll need a weapon. Is there anything suitable nearby…!’
As Nigel seriously scanned the forest, his gaze suddenly fell upon the high heels in his hands.
The thin, tall heels—annoying when worn—now felt incredibly reliable.
‘…With these, I should manage somehow. Thanks, Rina.’
Gripping both heels tightly, Nigel held his breath, waiting for the source of the movement to reveal itself.
Swish.
Soon enough, the sound of rustling bushes reached his ears. Nigel tightened his grip on the heels.
In that tense moment, the figure emerged.
“…!”
“…!”
Bathed in moonlight, silver hair gleamed elegantly, deep blue eyes like the ocean itself, and eyes sharp yet gentle…
A boy his age, whose description Nigel knew all too well, stood right before him, poised threateningly as if ready to draw a sword any second.
Though Nigel had never seen him before, he instantly recalled his name.
‘…Noah Vessalion.’
He was the male protagonist of the original story.
‘I’m thoroughly screwed.’
It wouldn’t have mattered if everyone else in this world had changed from the original.
As long as Noah Vessalion remained exactly the same.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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Chapter Comments (1)
The praise for Nigel is growing at the academy; let’s see how this highly talented girl fares there and develops a good relationship with Noah.
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