The Reincarnated Villainous Young Master's Guide to Happiness

Chapter 4: Gareth

This chapter is brought to you by A Song Written Easily by ONEUS. 

Edited by: bafflinghaze

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Breakfast continued peacefully, with Guinivere's occasional chatter and a discussion between Aurelion and Gareth.

Only Vespera and Neo sat there eating silently.

Vespera wasn't one for small talk in the first place, whereas Neo had many thoughts brewing in his head. The two of them focused on their meals to the end.

Neo cut into his toast, the feeling of his etiquette lessons settling into his body like a second skin as he began to eat like Nazareth once more.

It was stifling.

He really missed the Modern Word.

"—And what of you, Nazareth?"

The cold voice of Gareth was sharp and clear as it directed itself to the oldest Odum.

Neo's head snapped up in surprise.

He wasn't paying attention to the conversation between his father and brother.

Sapphire eyes narrowed—looking as judgemental as Neo remembered, although he knew that his father didn't mean to. With a sigh, Gareth asked him again. "How is your study so far?"

How was his study?

He couldn't help but grimace. Second-year of Senior High at the academy was when he became particularly mad and twisted. He wasted most of his time scheming against his brother. His grades were the worst, and they certainly didn't get any better in his third year. How in the world did he even manage to graduate—oh yeah.

He died the day before the ceremony...

Letting out a small breath, Neo decided to be honest.

It was not like he could lie. Quarterly reports were sent home every season and his current work ethic really was terrible.

"Not good. I promise I'll raise them up as soon as I can."

There was a brief pause, and if his father's face wasn't already ice-cold, he would have thought the man had frozen in befuddlement.

However, soon enough his expression became one of admonishment and he sternly spoke.

"The school year has started long ago, Nazareth. I do not expect much from you as you are not my heir,"

Neo frowned uncomfortably.

That was right. He wasn't the heir. This fact had driven him toward the brink, not because he cared for the position, but because he felt powerless. What better way was there to topple the aristocracy than to sit in the seat of a Duke?

It was a fool's dream and a reckless scheme. What qualifications did he have to snatch Aurelion's birthright? While his younger brother cared for the people, Nazareth just wanted to sow discord.

Hearing his father's words, Neo was glad he wasn't heir.

His father was an awkward man. He moved stiffly and spoke bluntly. This was his assurance to Neo that he won't have to bear the responsibilities of an heir—his own way of conveying to him that he can live peacefully off the fortunes of the Odum Family as one of its members and abstain from any noble duties.

He tried, but Nazareth couldn't recognize those attempts of fatherly love.

Instead, he saw a man who believed he was a stain of his past and decidedly entrapped him in a house so he wouldn't turn out to be a disgrace.