Episode 12
Crash!!

With an overwhelming aura of darkness blazing like a wildfire, Count Kazar burst into Chris’s room.

Chris, his face flushed from drink, greeted his father.

“Father? hic”

“What on earth do you think you’re doing?!”

“Doing? I’m just enjoying some daytime drinking. You know, daytime drinks are the best. Care to join me, Father?”

Seeing Chris so thoroughly drunk, Count Kazar clenched his fists tightly.

The tension was so thick it felt like he might strike his son’s face at any moment. The servants nearby held their breath.

But then, with a heavy sigh and slumped shoulders, Count Kazar turned his back.

“…Do as you please. I have no more expectations of you.”

Chris thought to himself at those words.

‘Hmm, that stings a little. But I can’t exactly warn him in advance.’

Right now, this whole act was a performance.

A trap to catch the rat.

Once the rat saw him fall back into debauchery, it would make its move—and Chris planned to use that to exterminate it.

But he couldn’t explain this plan to Count Kazar beforehand.

‘They say to deceive your allies first if you want to fool your enemies.’

If Kazar found out early, he’d notice something was off, and the rat would be more cautious, less likely to fall into the trap.

‘Seeing him like this makes me uneasy. Still, what I’m about to do will be good for the Kazar family too.’

Just then, Banshee floated over, swaying gently.

“Oh ho ho… Are you worried about Father? Our young master… you’re quite filial, aren’t you?”

“…Enough with the ‘filial’ already!”

“But why not? Here, have some of the girl’s drink.”

Using poltergeist powers, Banshee poured a drink for Chris.

To think I’d ever be served alcohol by a banshee.

An experience I never want to repeat.

“By the way… I must say, I’m impressed by your plan, young master.”

Banshee had agreed to cooperate after hearing Chris’s scheme.

In return, Chris promised to grant one reasonable favor later.

“What’s even more impressive is that you managed to improve the four-star curse spell, ‘Seal of Binding,’ in such a short time.”

Over the past two weeks, Chris hadn’t just been training his body.

He’d also learned several dark magic spells.

He mastered basic one-star dark magic—and went further, learning the four-star curse spell ‘Seal of Binding.’

No matter how gifted, it’s impossible to learn a four-star spell at a one-star level, right?

How did he do it?

He modified it.

So even someone at a one-star level like him could use it.

“Told you, I’m a genius.”

Chris said casually, raising his glass.

Then he frowned.

‘Damn, I really want a real drink.’

In truth, what he was drinking wasn’t real alcohol.

Banshee, who had agreed to help, wouldn’t allow it.

“Oh ho ho… Young master, you’re underage. Real alcohol is out of the question. Please be satisfied with this fake drink.”

“I’m a wastrel, what does that matter?”

“Still, underage drinking is forbidden. Absolutely not. Oh ho ho…”

For a ghost who craves virgin blood, Banshee was surprisingly strict about this.

Thanks to his alchemy knowledge from his past life, Chris had removed the alcohol content from the drink.

His drunkenness was just an illusion, a trick he’d learned before.

He’d mastered all sorts of odd skills in this world, including how to look drunk without actually being so.

‘Well, I’ll just take this chance to rest up. It’s a shame it’s not real alcohol, but…’

He loved lounging around and being lazy.

Since he was pretending to be a wastrel, he might as well rest properly.

‘Nice! Maybe it’s even better if the rat takes longer to fall into the trap. More time to relax, drink, and be lazy.’

Just as he was about to fully enjoy this rare break—

Bang! The door slammed open again.

Turning his head, he saw an unexpected figure.

‘Tern?’

His younger brother.

Tern was glaring at him, fuming.

‘What’s gotten into him?’

Chris was a little taken aback.

Tern, face flushed red, strode up to him.

Then—

Grab!

He grabbed Chris by the collar.

“!!”

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

Tern exploded with anger.

“Is this all you’re capable of?! Was all your boasting just for this pathetic display?!”

Chris was surprised.

He saw genuine anger in Tern’s eyes.

Unexpected.

‘Didn’t he hate me?’

He probably did.

But it wasn’t just hatred.

If it were, he wouldn’t show such sincere anger.

It was disappointment.

And disappointment only comes from having expectations—hopes that things would change.

He wouldn’t have expected anything from someone he simply despised.

‘So, he must consider me a brother in his own way.’

With that thought, Chris reached a conclusion.

As expected, Tern wasn’t the culprit.

The rat was someone else.

Then—

‘I’ll have to use Tern.’

Chris spoke.

“Let go.”

“…What?”

“Let me go.”

Just as Tern was about to lash out again, their eyes met.

“!!”

Tern’s pupils flickered uncertainly.

He sensed something was off.

Though Chris looked like a reckless wastrel, this wasn’t the same as before.

That heavy presence he’d felt last time pressed down on Tern again.

Chris raised his hand and released his collar.

Surprisingly, Tern didn’t resist and stepped back helplessly.

It wasn’t a matter of strength—it was a matter of presence.

“Just one question. What am I to you?”

“…”

Tern stayed silent.

What was he to him?

A disgrace to the family. A detestable bloodline.

That’s what Tern thought of his older brother, Christian.

But after their barehanded duel that day—

His thoughts had cracked.

Tern hesitated, then answered.

“At first, you were garbage that made me sick just by looking at you. I wished you’d disappear forever.”

A blunt confession.

“And now?”

“Someone I want to crush properly.”

Chris chuckled.

So, in his own way, he recognized him as a rival.

But now, seeing him like this, he was angry.

“Tell me, Tern. Do you think I’ve become that disgusting garbage again?”

“…”

No.

He could tell instinctively.

If that were true, why act like this?

“…Is there some purpose behind this?”

“Yes. I think there’s a rat in the family.”

“!!”

Chris let slip a hint of his plan.

Tern’s eyes widened.

“You really think there’s a rat in the family?”

“Yes. I can’t say exactly who yet, but there definitely is.”

“How dare…!!”

Tern ground his teeth.

“So, I have a favor to ask of you.”

“A favor?”

Chris looked at Tern.

Unlike himself, the wastrel, Tern was the model son, respected by the family.

And he was free from the scrutiny others faced as a child.

Perfect for the task.

“Come closer.”

Chris whispered into Tern’s ear.

After hearing the details, Tern’s eyes grew as wide as if they might tear.

---

After that, Chris fully indulged in his debauched wastrel lifestyle.

Sleeping as long as he wanted, eating whatever he pleased, drinking—well, not really—but otherwise doing as he pleased.

It was bliss.

‘As expected of a noble family. The food’s delicious too.’

If only the fact that his attendant was a ghost wasn’t so strange.

Of course, he wasn’t completely wasting time.

Pretending to lounge in bed, he practiced dark magic.

Magic could be learned lying down.

‘I’ve got all the knowledge from the books in the archives in my head. Now I just have to master it lying here.’

Thanks to that, his spellcasting improved rapidly.

He could now skillfully use most one-star dark magic spells.

He was at the level to be called a one-star dark mage anywhere.

He also caused a little mischief here and there.

Just eating and drinking quietly wouldn’t suit a wastrel.

He put on a convincing act to make the rat hurry and fall into the trap.

“What’s this?”

“Wh-what is it, young master?”

“This isn’t the wine I ordered. Send for the butler!”

“T-the butler is busy right now…”

“Busy? Then I’ll go find him myself. hic”

When he arrived at the office, the ashen-faced butler jumped up in surprise.

“Young master, what’s the matter…?”

Instead of answering,

Splash!

Chris splashed the wine he’d grabbed all over the vampire butler’s pristine white suit, staining it bright red.

Butler Cox’s face flushed with anger.

Chris smirked inwardly.

‘Can’t cause trouble to just anyone.’

So he focused his mischief on the butler he suspected most.

He’d often go to him, pick fights, and find fault to harass him.

‘Will he put up with it this time too?’

His carefully groomed mustache trembled.

But surprisingly, the butler held back his anger again.

“Is there something wrong, young master? If there’s a problem, I will correct it immediately.”

Chris thought, “Huh, even after being doused with wine, he’s patient. Impressive.”

“The servant brought the wrong wine. Are you trying to insult me, butler?”

“Of course not! I’ll bring the correct one right away!”

“Bring it yourself.”

“…What?”

“Don’t send the underlings. You bring it personally.”

The butler hesitated.

Chris caught the butler’s eyes flickering nervously before settling on a particular section of the documents.

“That’s… because I was handling some work,” the butler stammered.

“Handling work looking like that? You’re going to have to change clothes anyway, aren’t you?”

The butler trembled slightly, forcing a smile.

After all, he was the one who spilled the wine, yet he had the nerve to say that. Chris could barely hold back his rising anger.

“I’m letting you go change as a special favor. I’ll be here guarding things, so don’t worry. Or are you really trying to insult me?”

“N-no, of course not. I’ll be quick.”

When Chris snapped at him, the butler had no choice but to leave the room.

He seemed to underestimate the butler, thinking someone like that wouldn’t be capable of understanding the documents.

Left alone, Chris’s eyes gleamed.

“Let’s see what kind of trick you’re up to.”

Chris was almost certain the butler was a rat hiding within the Kazarr family estate.

“If I’m wrong… well, sorry. But no, I’m sure I’m right.”

If the butler really was a rat sneaking around the Kazarr household, it was likely he was scheming something in the administrative records.

Unlike the stubborn-minded others, Chris was very skilled at reading these documents.

He could tell what the numbers meant.

Which entries were off.

He could grasp it all just by looking.

And then.

In the short time it took the butler to change and bring back the wine—

“Bingo.”

Chris smiled slyly.

He’d found exactly what he was looking for.