The recent period is almost over. A month passed really quickly.
As I was thinking, 'How can I follow the original work without damaging it as much as possible?', time seemed to pass faster.
Fortunately, we were able to gain the upper hand in our relationship with Astaroth as planned.
It was a great accomplishment to make her my servant and not just mine.
No matter how weak they were, Astaroth and Frax were able to become the final bosses of Chapter 3 because her strength was overwhelming.
Being a high-ranking devil means that she has the power to destroy a nation's capital in an instant just by existing.
Now that I have those forces on my side, I don't think I'll die over something trivial. The problem is that the point at which Astaroth's power stops working comes sooner than expected...We must act with this in mind.
Anyway, my head hurts in many ways. Just because I gained the upper hand over Astaroth, the flow of this novel could change.
I know that even my small actions can lead to big changes in the future. I will follow the flow of the original novel as much as possible, but... I need to know how to deal with such variables when they arise.
My purpose is purely 'survival'. I can do anything to survive. It was absurd to fall in love with a novel I wrote, and I had no choice but to die in vain.
And in order for me to survive, I have to raise the main character Ruslan, the main character Aris, and the people around Ruslan.
There were no replacements, no hidden pieces, no opportunities to fall back on.
Understanding Astaroth's true name gives her the power to determine her life and death, which means that the framework I set for the novel is concise.
In other words, my mission was simple because the main character remained the same, needing to grow through talent and experience.
It puts Ruslan and Aris in trouble, but not enough to kill them.
I had a vague rough plan in mind while writing the novel, so it should be okay...
I felt vaguely uneasy, but shook my head. There was no time to think about it until then. It's already been a long time since I wrote this novel, and just remembering this much was a blessing.
Now the only choice left is to stick with the original plan.
The biggest problem now is how to explain the situation to Edmund Lancel, Frax's father.
It gave me a headache because he was just a simple villain and his point of view had never been portrayed or even thought about.
I vaguely remember that Frax, son of Edmund Lancel, messed things up at that time...
Frax's rash behavior caused the family's reputation to plummet, and financial support for Frax was greatly reduced.
What's funny is that despite this, Frax has diligently saved up a lot of money. He used the money to harass Aris and Ruslan violently.
For now... then yes. At the very least, be careful not to hit your head with a flower pot.
***
"Do you know what you did?"
His questions were cold. He didn't scream or throw anything.
Edmund Lancel, a prominent member of the Empire and now my father, said this as soon as he saw me.
It was cold like midwinter in the office, but I think it was the optimal temperature.
It didn't just send a chill down my spine, it felt like a wave rushing through the space.
Am I crazy? Should I deny it in front of such a person, should I say that I had a plan... Is there a need to say something like that so carelessly?
In reality, it didn't seem to be the case. He had no choice but to pass it by.
"I guess there was something I strongly emphasized. Okay."
"Yes, I'm sure."
Edmund Lanceley's emphasis was undoubtedly that he placed family honor above all else.
Individuals are not important. The Lancel family has always been built by people who sacrifice themselves for the family's honor.
How did Frax react then? I don't remember explaining this part in detail.
Even though it happened over ten years ago, the reason I was able to recall the scene where he ran to Aris and threatened her was because it was something I had worried about countless times from the beginning...
This part was not very important, he merely mentioned that Frax had been scolded by Edmund Lanceley and moved on. Therefore, he could not help but feel even more frustrated.
It is a rash assumption to assume that he just needs to give a simple answer. Every word mentioned here can have unpredictable repercussions.
But he had no plans to spill any nonsense. In the end, Edmund Lancel surprisingly gave his family several opportunities. Frax in particular was someone who often aroused Edward's pride, so he tried to overlook this mistake with just a reprimand.
There is no need to reprimand needlessly. From the beginning of the novel, Lancel's support has consistently been given to Frax.
So first things first... an apology must come first is.
"I insulted myself. I was exhausted in the heat of the moment."
"I did."
Frax basically had great respect for his father, so he never behaved rudely. Although he allowed his feelings for Aris to darken, he was not a fundamentally detached person.
"It's an emotional moment. Did you really like Aris Winslet that much?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"I see. Sure, it showed. But haven't I always said this? Love is good, but you shouldn't get carried away by your emotions," he said.
"... remember."
"This is not just a mistake, it is a most heinous crime. You have done to a lady of the illustrious Winslet family what would have tarnished our reputation if you had done it to a commoner attending the academy."
"I know."
"What are you planning to do?"
What to do. I've already thought about that question. As much as possible, I will not interact with Aris Winslet and will continue to harass her.
...It's a really mean idea, but there's no other way. We had to do this to survive.
"It's not good to talk about things for no reason. I'm just thinking of staying away from Aris."
"Even apologizing would be very hurtful to that child," he said.
Originally, I even went so far as to apologize directly in front of her and even told her that I was just teasing her kindly, which was a contradictory attitude. Therefore, this is the only choice I have.
"Okay, good thought. Please don't bring this up any further, but I'm going to have to sentence you for your excesses. Do you have anything to say to Ethan Winslet, Winslet's master?"
"I dare to accept it."
"I hope this is the last time I punish you. Even if you are my only son and sole heir, I cannot leave Lancel in the care of someone who keeps making mistakes. This is our first time, so let's move on."
"I will remember that."
"The punishment I give you is whipping."
"...Flogging?"
"Okay," he said. "At least we have to severely punish him to prevent him from saying anything. Since this is his first time, I have to discipline him severely. Only then can he avoid making this mistake again."
"That's true."
Then something suddenly occurred to me. great. I forgot this.
It didn't end with a simple reprimand. whipping. Yes, Frax will definitely be punished by the bereaved family.
Suddenly everything in front of me became blurry. The whipping, the whipping of Frax's trained body, would be extreme.
This is a disaster.
But I couldn't object.
It is a long-standing Lancel tradition to punish family members who have committed wrongdoings for the sake of family honor. It is because of this tradition that we are where we are today.
If I get angry that I will not be punished, my status as heir will be jeopardized. Lancel's followers will not follow an irresponsible person.
In the end, I had no choice but to humbly accept the punishment.
***
My father, Edmund Lancel, was surprisingly quick to act.
He immediately apologized to the Winslet family for the heir's mistake, and even sent an official letter threatening to whip me.
The Winslet family was outraged by my actions, but thanks to my father's amazing persuasion, they did not demand that I be hanged immediately.
When they heard that I was being whipped, they said I should see it for myself... So now before me is the Winslet family.
Ethan Winslet, who visited the Lancel mansion as a representative, was standing there.
For your information, Aris said she wanted to see me whipped, but Ethan Winslet dissuaded her and she gave up, saying it wasn't fun to watch.
Anyway, now I'm taking my shirt off. Of course, whipping means fighting back with a whip... which is expected.
Ethan Winslet looked at me with cold eyes, then nodded to my father. It seemed like a signal to keep going.
Fortunately, it doesn't seem to have escalated into a family feud.
They knew what it meant to make an enemy of Lancel, so it seemed like they were willing to let things slide when they saw Lancel take his first steps forward humility.
Of course, his point of view was only about relationships between families. Ethan Winslet's eyes were very... very fierce as he looked at me. For a man whose childhood friend tried to molest his daughter, the sense of betrayal must be beyond imagination.
The only relief is that so far the narrative is identical to the original. The scene where I am punished. Yes, I was able to come this far. That's enough.
I wanted to slap my past self for being in this situation.
If I had known sooner, I would have maintained a happy and peaceful academy life. Why on earth did I include this setting in a novel I wrote for my own satisfaction, knowing that it would bring me wealth and fame?
"Just be glad we got away with this, Frax Lancel."
I refrained from apologizing. I knew that no matter what I said, they would only sound disgusting.
The punishment imposed in Frax was 10 lashes. Some people think that the number of whips was only ten, but the whippings wielded by a skilled craftsman were punishments that could kill even a weak person if they made a mistake.
Cracked!
The sound of a whip splitting the air resonated, and immediately a fierce pain spread across my back.
tear!
Even if I was hit just once, I felt like my senses were becoming blurred. But it was okay.
So far, everything was going according to plan. In the end, I will only feel the pain of dying, but I will not actually die. If you can endure it, you will be able to receive treatment from the priest. So just bear with this!
However, the force of the whip eventually forced me to lose consciousness. How was I supposed to endure that pain? A chunk of flesh was literally torn off my back.
Hey, can't you make it any easier for me, dammit.