Isaac began recalling Maximilian’s closest aides, all of whom had clashed with or harbored grudges against the original Isaac.
Among them, the one with the worst relationship was…
“I plan to send Sir Gilbert.”
“Sir… Gilbert…?”
“That’s correct.”
“…”
The worst-case scenario Isaac had dreaded was becoming reality.
Clenching his teeth, Isaac forced a smile.
Gilbert Howard.
The eldest son of the Howard family and one of Maximilian’s most loyal confidants.
He was currently the commander of the imperial knight order.
Given his status, his relationship with Isaac—who had played the role of a villain—was disastrous.
Even as someone reincarnated into Isaac’s body, he had done enough to earn Gilbert’s disdain.
“Why would Your Majesty send a member of the Imperial Guard, no less Sir Gilbert, to me…?”
“Because Sir Gilbert requested it himself.”
“…What?”
“Isn’t that fortunate?”
“….”
As Maximilian smiled brightly, Isaac found himself at a loss for words.
‘Fortunate, my foot.’
This was the worst possible outcome.
‘Damn it, does he still hold a grudge against me?’
Judging by his eagerness to take on this role, Gilbert certainly hadn’t forgotten past grievances.
Having such a man as a watchdog would be a nightmare.
Isaac needed to stop this, no matter the cost.
“Your Majesty, I believe reconsidering this decision would be prudent.”
“As it happens, I’ve already summoned Sir Gilbert. You can leave together.”
“…”
Damn it.
All Isaac could do was watch helplessly as the office door opened at Maximilian’s gesture.
A tall man with commanding strides entered the room.
A burly figure with striking red hair, sun-darkened skin, and a long scar running down his cheek.
The scar gave him a harsh appearance, but in the story, he was portrayed as one of the most righteous and straightforward characters—qualities that made him all the more incompatible with Isaac.
As soon as their subdued brown eyes met, Isaac quickly turned his gaze away.
“Since you’re already acquainted, there’s no need for introductions.”
“…”
“…”
Gilbert remained stoic, merely nodding to Maximilian’s words, while Isaac, now forcibly taciturn, stayed silent.
“Since you’ll be working closely from now on, why don’t you shake hands?”
“…”
“…”
Maximilian, oblivious to—or perhaps reveling in—the tension, uttered such carefree words.
He was surely enjoying the situation under the guise of innocence.
Bound by the emperor’s orders, Gilbert extended his hand first.
Reluctantly, Isaac grasped it, feeling the firm grip envelop his own.
“Urgh…”
“I look forward to working with you.”
“…”
Gilbert’s hand, as expected of a knight, was excessively strong.
Just as Isaac wondered about his level, a status window appeared before his eyes.
[Name: Gilbert Howard
Level: 95
Age: 29
Affiliation: Beatrix Empire
Position: Commander of the Imperial Knights
Special Notes: Close confidant of the Emperor]
Maximilian had clearly poured his efforts into Gilbert’s development, leaving him on the verge of reaching the maximum level.
For someone like Maximilian, who would usually grow wary of individuals with such strength, Gilbert was an exception due to his unwavering loyalty.
Their first meeting was in the northern territories, when Maximilian had awakened in the body of the duke’s heir.
The Howards, who served the northern duke, had been loyal followers.
As Isaac reflected on the events of the original story, he subtly withdrew his hand, and Gilbert’s large, sturdy hand finally let go.
“By the way, Sir Gilbert, I heard your younger brother recently became the head priest of the temple. Is that true?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“That’s truly something to celebrate. Don’t you agree, Viscount?”
“…”
He’s definitely doing this on purpose.
Biting back the curses that surged to his lips, Isaac forced an awkward smile.
“…Congratulations, Sir Gilbert.”
“Thank you.”
“…”
Gilbert’s expression remained inscrutable as he inclined his head in acknowledgment.
Gilbert’s younger brother, Samuel Howard, was a significant character in the original story. When first introduced, he was a low-ranking priest in the temple.
However, due to his rare divine power, he was often praised as a future pope candidate in the northern regions.
It seemed he had risen to the position of head priest at a young age.
Rumors abounded that Gilbert, much older than Samuel, had always doted on his brother.
Isaac had once personally experienced the depth of their bond.
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful for the three of you to meet sometime?”
“Ha… haha.”
Maximilian’s sinister grin revealed his ulterior motives.
Suppressing his anger, Isaac forced another laugh.
In the original story, Isaac had committed numerous atrocities, the worst of which included kidnapping, assaulting, and orchestrating murders of the protagonists’ loved ones.
Although Isaac had avoided some of these heinous acts after reincarnating, there was one incident he hadn’t been able to prevent: Samuel’s Kidnapping.
Isaac now recalled the details of that event, a memory from what felt like a lifetime ago.
* * *
It had been about a year since I found myself transmigrating in Isaac’s body.
I was just a nameless actor who only ever landed bit parts, scraping by with part-time jobs when I wasn’t on set.
So when I first opened my eyes, it wasn’t in my cramped one-room apartment but in a dark, musty, isolated warehouse.
“Huh…? What’s going on…?”
Thinking I might still be half-asleep, I looked around.
It didn’t take long for a strong sense of unease to set in.
Everything felt too vivid to be a dream, but calling it reality didn’t make sense either.
After all, I distinctly remembered falling asleep in my shabby little apartment the night before.
Was that a dream, then?
And this is reality?
Or maybe I dozed off during a shoot?
Unable to distinguish dream from reality, I sat there in a daze.
But that confusion didn’t last long.
Was I even filming a scene in a place like this?
Furrowing my brow, I tried to think hard.
I had recently gotten a minor role in a movie, but it was a lighthearted campus romance comedy.
If it had been that old gangster movie I shot a while back, filming in a shady warehouse might make sense, but this project…?
It just didn’t add up.
“Hmm…?”
Then I noticed the people around me, and they were even stranger.
A group of foreigners I didn’t recognize stood in a circle, surrounding someone at the center.
What kind of movie would hire this many foreign extras?
Still unaware that I had transmigrated Isaac’s body, I could only tilt my head in puzzlement.
At that moment, one of the people in the group stepped closer to me.
“Your Grace, what are your orders?”
“Excuse me? Your Grace?”
“Yes?”
“Huh?”
“……”
“……”
The two of us stared at each other, equally bewildered.
I was utterly at a loss.
My name was Lee Chan.
Lee Chan!
And yet this man just called me “Your Grace”?
I’d never even auditioned for a role like that before! Confused, I tried to question him again.
“What are you talking about? Do you know me?”
“Your Grace, Duke Drake, what are you saying?”
“Wait a second—Duke Drake?”
The familiarity of the name made me squint.
Duke Drake.
That was a character from the novel I had been reading before bed.
His name was Isaac, I remembered.
A cruel and brutal villain who relentlessly tormented the protagonist and his allies.
I recalled clicking my tongue in disgust while reading the scene where he kidnapped and tortured the protagonist’s younger brother.
I had read the entire novel once before but had started rereading it recently.
I’d fallen asleep after a particularly distressing chapter where the Duke was being especially cruel to a child.
Now, here I was, staring at the man who just addressed me as Duke Drake.
“Don’t tell me… Is this a dream?”
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