Episode 13

Due to Juno’s interruption, Kazuki had finished his training faster than planned and since it had come to this, he had spare time.
Recently, whenever he had even a little bit of free time, he was putting effort in sword training. He should have started it because he was driven by the necessity when looking at the future, but he had become addicted to the process of acquiring skills by copying the movements in the game.
Maybe due to its adverse effects, other than swinging the sword he didn’t have any other means of wasting time. He found this body hateful since he couldn’t lightly head out to the town.

Since it was like that, he made up his mind to quietly do some reading once in a while, and picking up a few of the books which were kept in the bookshelf, he started flipping through the books.
Among the large number of books similar to children’s books, the one that caught Kazuki’s eyes was a book related to magic.

Although, the contents weren’t technical. The origin of a magic and its progress, a person who had mastered and represented it and also anecdotes related to it- it was a book where all these were written in detail.
The ones which were taken up were grand moves, where each and every one of them were classified as advanced level magic inside the game. While being convinced that it was something like sure-kill techniques popular with children, he continued reading it.

Inside it, he found a name which he had seen before.

Vincent Von Westerfort.
In the original work, he was a heroic figure who at a young age, served as the captain of the chivalric order of the Saint King. He naturally excelled in sword skills, but he also excelled in magic enough to be introduced on par with historical figures like this.
(TL- Changed knight order to chivalric order of the Saint King)

If he had to be expressed in few words, then it was “ultra firepower”.
Making use of his abnormally high defense where one wouldn’t think he got it just from the armor he wore, he would break through from the front, and having the highest attacking power among all the characters in the story, to speak of it, suppressing the enemy with pure force was his combat style.
And sadly, in the final stages of the story, Vincent was an enemy character who fights with the protagonist party. Although he wasn’t the last boss, his strength was authentic and when the party composition had a weak vanguard or when the healing of the person who played the role of the shield was late, the amount of times they were instantly killed wasn’t less.

And unlike Harold, he had gained a high popularity from the players. Thinking over the reason for Vincent standing in front of the party’s way and his feelings, 「Even this guy was suffering huh」- almost all the players sympathized with him.
Even Kazuki didn’t hate Vincent.

But maybe it was because he had possessed Harold now. Kazuki suddenly imagined a Harold vs. Vincent battle which was impossible in the original work, and he started turning his mind thinking what Harold could do to win.
One had the story’s highest firepower, the other was the story’s fastest.
If he clashed directly from the front, it would be disadvantageous for Harold. If he directly received Vincent’s attacks, he wouldn’t last for long.

But just by depending on moving around, if it was Harold who had excellent attack speed and variations, Kazuki thought that he could contend with Vincent.
During the days when it was released, at those times the concept of depth or 3D movement hadn’t been used like how it was now and the combat system of 『Brave Hearts』 only had 2D movement like in fighting games. And with that, one not only had to control the main character, but also had to give detailed orders to the party members and importance was placed on how high the combo count one could earn was.
Including Kazuki, if it were the experts, it was possible for them to stably connect 80 combos.

But that was naturally because it would be done by a party composed of 4 people. Even though the abilities of the enemy character would be set to a high value since it would be a single enemy, Kazuki could easily connect more than 30 combos in hero fights. Especially, once he had launched the enemy into air, as long as the combo wasn’t interrupted by the other party members, he would make the enemy into a sandbag until the enemy’s life ran out.

That is, for Harold to win against Vincent, he had to keep avoiding attacks somehow or the other, and it would be fine as long as he absolutely didn’t drop the combo once he got it in and kept on slicing him up endlessly. Well, if he could do that, no matter who the opponent was, to start with, he would never lose. In other words, if he couldn’t do that much, winning against Vincent in a 1-on-1 would be difficult.

Then, how would it be if that character was the opponent- Kazuki started thinking of battles with Harold vs. an impossible someone one after the other. Picturing imaginary battle cards and looking for logical moves to win, this was a way of enjoying it only because he was a deep fan.

Like this, once in a while his thoughts derailed and he ate dinner in the middle, and by the time he finished the book which was about 100 pages, it was already late in the night.
Closing the book with a snap, he lightly sighed. It was quite a worthwhile read.

When he confirmed the time, the date was already changing.
When I wake up tomorrow, I’ll search for a book on swordsmanship next. He thought that just before lying down on the bed.
And then, Kazuki finally realized.

(Ah, I came back leaving the sword as it is in the forest……..)

After hastily running away, since he was absorbed in reading as soon as he came back, he had forgotten about it until now.
Juno might have payed some attention and retrieved it, but since she didn’t visit after that, the sword might still remain stabbed to the tree even now.

Kazuki came to an understanding that it was obvious that a normal woman who was an attendant would be reluctant to carry a dangerous object like a real sword, which was completely off the mark.
Actually, she couldn’t simply walk around the Stokes mansion holding a weapon, but she also couldn’t inform the people in the mansion about the whereabouts of the sword since she didn’t want to be needlessly suspected about why she was at that kind of place, and so she just left it as it was.

He examined the situation outside from the window. As though to erase the light from a multitude of stars in the night sky, peeking from the breaks in the clouds, the moon was shining brilliantly.
The yard, which was illuminated by the moon which was 2 times bigger than the one Kazuki knew of, was bright enough for there to be no problems in walking even without any lights.

Might as well go since I remembered about it- Kazuki raised his back.
That was a real sword, and truthfully it was a lethal weapon. From his senses as a Japanese person, he couldn’t calm down if a large lethal weapon was left outdoors and neglected. Much less when that sword’s owner was Kazuki (Harold), and if by chance a problem occurred, he didn’t want to be held accountable for it.

He passed through the mansion, which had fallen silent since almost all the people were asleep, without making any noise.
He passed through the empty hall, and pushing open the front door which gave off a feeling of dignity, he stepped outside.

Since it was brighter than expected, he was relieved as he thought that it would be fine even inside the forest. Even though the beings which could be called as monsters didn’t exist here, considerable amount of courage was necessary to wander around a pitch-black forest.
It would be better to get it over with before the moon was obscured by the clouds.

In a slightly fast pace, he went around the mansion and towards the rear. He approached the flower bed in the southwest, which was in the opposite direction of the cellar. The flower bed was expansive enough for it to be expressed as a field of flowers. Flowers of various colors were swaying due to a gentle wind.

Kazuki stopped his legs at the appearance of Erika motionlessly gazing at that scene. The first question that came to his mind was – 「Huh, are you alright?」. Even  if she had completely recovered by resting for 2 weeks, the air at night would be bad for the body.

This was just genuine concern. An adult being concerned about a child, this was a very obvious and sensible reaction.
That was why he had no hesitation in taking action by calling out to her in the abusive tone as always, wanting to send her back to her room. Without realizing that it would become 1 of the reasons for the collapse of the original story and his own plans.

If time was turned back to this moment with him retaining his memories from the future, Kazuki would absolutely not call out to Erika. He wouldn’t have been able to call out to her.
But there was no way such a convenient thing would happen, and it would be a few years from now that Kazuki, looking back at the past, would keenly feel that this might have been the greatest turning point in his life.
But it wasn’t now.

「What are you doing, at a time like this?」

At that voice, Erika’s thin shoulders trembled. Timidly turning around, Erika winced as she confirmed Harold’s figure.
To the reaction which she hadn’t made until now, he had a slight sense of discomfort, but without minding much about it, Kazuki closed the distance between them with unfaltering steps.

「I heard that you were staying in bed since you weren’t feeling well. And yet, seeing you standing here in the night air, I can’t help but think that you’re an idiot who doesn’t think」

” To go that far, even for me….” was what Kazuki thought.
From here, he didn’t continue with a -「I, it’s not like I’m worried about you, alright!?」, but as expected, Harold was scum who didn’t have even a little bit of naive nature like a tsundere. He had a despicable nature, but that was how he was.
Even Kazuki didn’t want Harold to change into a mass produced tsundere.
Even just by imagining it, his hairs stood on end.


「Don’t just keep standing there, return to your room. As for me, I’ll feel relieved if you just go back home like that itself」

Even though the words which didn’t seem to be very concerned were hurled at her, Erika was still looking downwards without any signs of movement.

「…….Oi, don’t simply keep quiet. Speak something」

Towards Harold’s mouth which was starting to get irritated, Kazuki felt as though it was someone else’s problem. It could also be called as resignation.
Erika was still keeping quiet, but fundamentally, she was a very understanding child. Deciding that if he continued speaking any more than this, he would just be hurting the girl who wasn’t offering any resistance, Kazuki finished the talk.

It was probably just that she was very young compared to in the game, and she couldn’t be frank in front of a person who held prejudice. She would probably understand what Kazuki was trying to say after Harold leaves and she becomes a bit calm.

「Fuh, Well fine. Even if your condition grows worse, I don’t care」

Then why did Kazuki (Harold) go past her after speaking words which would make one want to ask why he even talked to her.
But unexpectedly, Erika stopped him.

「……..Please wait」


「I have something that I want to ask about」

Her voice sounded very uneasy, but as though she had resolved herself, she was staring at Harold.
Thinking whether there was any question which made her stop him so spiritedly, Kazuki inwardly tilted his neck.

His doubt was cleared away by the next words she spoke.

「There is a rumor that you burnt a servant to death. Is that true?」

(Ah, it’s about that, huh)

Kazuki calmly accepted Erika’s question. He wasn’t flustered or agitated.

This was because 2 week ago when he had guided Erika, at that time itself he had felt that it would shortly be exposed. Since Kazuki and his parents didn’t feel like hiding it. Rather, there were no signs of it not getting exposed.

And from the start, the answer regarding that was already decided.

「No, you’re wrong」


When Harold clearly denied it, Erika stepped forward with an expression as though she was glad.
The girl, who seemed as though she had discovered a strand of hope, was pushed down to the bottom of hell by Kazuki (Harold).

「I killed the servant and her daughter, the 2 of them. Well, no matter how many people are killed, it doesn’t make a difference unless they are people who would be talked about in military stories」

A complete change from joy, as though she had heard something couldn’t believe………..no, as though she had heard something didn’t want to believe, Erika’s eyes widened.

「Why…….? For what reason was such a thing……..」

Sadness, rage, despair.
Somehow pushing down the various feelings that were boiling up inside, Erika tried to probe into Harold’s true motives.
But the words which came back from him were only those which completely mangled her heart.

「No particular reason. If I had to tell, it’s because she got on my nerves」

Harold coolly told that he killed her because he was a bit displeased with her.
Erika didn’t understand even in the slightest how he could easily take lives for just a reason like that. As a human, that was a “shouldn’t be able to understand” line of thinking.

「Those 2 were nothing more than livestock. Depending on my mood, I can let them live or kill them as I please, right?」

「………Enough already」

「So that the daughter wouldn’t be left all alone in the world, I showed mercy and killed them together. Rather, she might be thankful」

「Stop it, please………!」

「After all, they were inferior species. From the moment they were born, something like freedom–」

Pan- a sound rang out.
The cause was Erika’s palm and Harold’s cheek.
To the statement that discriminated against people who didn’t have the blood of nobles, as 『Inferior species』, Erika’s patience crossed its limits.


Her hand, which was swung out, was shaking in anger and her eyes, which were shedding tears, were filled with disdain. Glaring at Harold, Erika, for the first time in her life, spoke abusive words.

「You are the worst!」

「So what?」

As though he wasn’t enduring at all, he was even wearing the smile that he always wore that made everyone out to be a fool.
Killing a person, being abused as the worst, as far as he was concerned, all these things didn’t matter at all.
Erika realized. That it was impossible to win an argument with this person.

「………..I have nothing else left to speak with you」

「Ha, that is some delightful news」

「Excuse me」

While he was looking at Erika’s back as she was growing distant, his left cheek which was slapped started tingling with pain.
Although Kazuki had his reasons for pushing her away, even so, directly getting hit with hostility was a painful thing.

(By no means can you think of it as a “reward”)

I’m sorry for one part of the crazy fans, but no matter how you think about it, you must be insane to enjoy this- Kazuki sighed as though he was amazed.
Well, it would be of no help even if he got depressed. It was better than getting slapped by an 18 year old Erika- he forcefully started thinking positively. Since a slap from Erika, who would grow up and experience adventures, wouldn’t simply contain only this much strength.

「Don’t waver. If you don’t get used to this degree, persevering in the future won’t be possible」

The mumbling to cheer himself up was carried somewhere by the wind.

Author –
With this, Erika’s valuation of Harold is at the bottom

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72 thoughts on “Episode 13

    1. she is supposed to hook up with the hero group and the servant girl should have already right? even if it takes a while i think finding out about the truth is inevitable.


  1. I did read the MTL of this and a few following chapters since I was impatient, so I knew this was coming…. but this still was… 😦

    Btw, “confute” might not be the best word to use, because the feeling is more like Erika wants to see Harold realize he’s wrong? Something like that – it didn’t feel right.


  2. So, it derails from both the original game story and his plans from here, eh? I wonder if she’ll actually work to find out what really happened soon as a result of this.


  3. Woohoo~! The misunderstanding has become deeper >_<" But the curious thing is the part about the "turning point in his life"

    What will this scene bring in the future that it made Kazuki/Harold regret so much?

    Liked by 2 people

      1. More like she will find out Kazuki’s true motives later and starts seen him in good light and maybe fall’s in love with him (and he doesn’t want that because in the original story everyone hates him) and there the story changes


      2. Well, you could put it like a certain stealing heroines novel where the MC changing the storylines, but in here, he accidentally changed the path


    1. Rather than misunderstanding, it’s more like Kazuki is trying to hide the fact that the two are still alive to protect them. So he is actually saying that he killed them.
      So it’s not really a misunderstanding since he wants that fact to be hidden.

      However, the reason for the murders are probably from Harold’s mouth ratherthan Kazuki’s.


    1. That Vincent is too old to be her bodyguard, it might possibly the hero since Kazuki gave some hints when he gave the medalion?


      1. Vincent is described as an opponent you have to fight. Given that the hero is the MC you play as in the game that seems kind of impossible.


  4. The foreshadowing that the author tried to do was a little hard to pick up in the translation. I guess that somewhere in the future Kazuki considers this encounter a turning point in his life, but I don’t know if it was a good one or a bad one. Is that intentional or did it not come across in the translation? Like, was the author purposely being ambiguous…. I wonder.


    1. well on the vol 2 cover erica is blushing looking at harold, so im guessing she finds out from sebastian or someone really soon


  5. Many thanks for new chapter!!
    I want to hug Harold so badly, it is an indescribable awful feeling to be hated by others, and even more when it is not even our fault. Please be strong Harold. And please Author, make Harold has many friends whose truly understand the real him.


  6. Damn, I feel bad for Kazu. Hope she finds out the truth in future chapters or volume.
    Tragic Hero?
    Will he make the whole world turn against him just to protect the people he cares?
    Find it out on the next chapter!


  7. Mmm… turning point, as said before Erika could feel the need to investigate what happened… I wonder where carried his mumbling the wind…


  8. I can’t help but feel Author tried too hard to make MC as an edgelord and the overall direction of the story is heading into a weird place in this arc.

    First arc was done better where MC was portrayed as edgy in an amusing way through the chuuni dialogues while actually he was panicking inside. But now he just have to act like one with such a sappy lines. Erika will sooner or later knows the truth just to make MC seems more like a tragic character but it is done in a cringeworthy way this time.

    Also is it necessary to increase his OPness this early in the story? Now he’s an expert swordman in a mere age of 10 and is on the way of being a master magic swordsman, I doubt even Liner, the original protagonist can match him by now.

    So he will become an OP magic swordsman with various knowledge of medicine and a business acumen to boot, not to mention his ever increasing circle of loyal aides and a soon-to-be dedicated fiancee. He will be stronger than Liner and Colette doesn’t have a reason to hate him. Exactly what was he’s worrying again?

    I failed to see how this can stay as “villain” story instead of turning into an ordinary isekai story of OP MC adventure in an another world, hopefully I was wrong.


    1. His character was already OP. You need to remember hes the main Rival of the Hero’s Party and is a match for the full hero party together not just the hero himself. And this is with his character being lazy and pompus. Now add a not lazy MC in that body and you have a severe cheat character.

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Besides the fact that he is a Boss, the whole point of the story is to NOT become a villain and survive the predetermined original plot story. What he is worried about is the possible existence of a balance power that could force thing into the canon Harold dies route


  9. woohoo~! What the wind! I love you wind~! Lol~!
    Now I wonder just who it is that heard his mumblings~ 🙂

    — Thanks for the chapter~ ^^.


  10. “One day a wanderer sought a path out from a dark and mazy wood. This wanderer followed a wind from beyond the world, and that wind led him to this unquiet grave. The wanderer looked upon the grave and spoke to the corpse within it, saying: Dig deeper, and find a darker tomb.
    “For the wanderer was the crooked knight, and he had learned that only by descending can one rise.”
    -from Blade of Tyshalle by Matthew Woodrew Stover

    Thanks for the chapter! 😀


  11. hmmm i wonder when erika will discover that they’re both alive and happy
    i mean, she’ll enter the game’s protagonist’s party right? in that party the girl and perhaps her mother will definitely be

    thanks for the chapter


  12. Iyo.
    Just found this, and I want to dig into the internet with a jackhammer to find more. Keep up the good work, please.


  13. good chapter or atleast it might have been if the author didnt SPOIL IT! serisouly why would the author make a note spoiling the next upcoming chapter?


  14. Comments lamenting Harold’s rude mouth are forgetting that the messes it causes are why the story is so entertaining. It drives me up a wall too, especially in this arc with Erika continually dropping opinion. But it’s certainly getting readers emotionally involved & it was the most entertaining part of the first arc.
    Thx for the chapter


  15. Children… what can you think they can understand??? they’re naive not thinking of the world in another frame…. He needs a tutor or spell book asap for some kind of legendary magic…

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Hmmm, I’m interested in how this would affect events in the future, seeing as the author explicitly mentioned it… But damn, I guess the slap event was brought forward by a few years… Anyway, an anti-hero, is it… I feel bad for the him… Even though he planned that outcome…


  17. Thanks for the chapter Madao! Well, looks like he’ll get his wish when Erika goes home and tells Tasuku about his “murders.”


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