ATHO Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Tranquility and Warmth

Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Second Life, Part 5

Novel Title: 嫌われ者の俺はやり直しの世界で義弟達にごまをする (As the Hated One, I Flatter My Stepbrothers in a World Where I Get a Second Chance)

Author：赤牙 (Akakiba)

Art：古澤エノ (Furusawa Eno)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: シャルル (Charles -MC), リエン (Lien -ML1) & ジェイド (Jade -ML2)

*Please read at freenovels.net, the original site of translation. TQ*

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“Good luck,” I told him before leaving, letting out a sigh.  

From now on, I’ll keep an eye on him from the shadows. If anyone tries to harm him, I’ll deal with them. To ensure Jade’s school life is filled with smiles, I’ll do whatever it takes, one step at a time.  

“Let’s handle this bit by bit…”  

With renewed determination, I headed to my own classroom.  

***

After school, our schedules differed, so I returned to the estate first and went to see Lien. Later, Jade arrived home, and I greeted him.  

“How was school? Did you have fun?”  

“Yes, it was very enjoyable. I even made some friends.”  

“Really? That’s great,” I said, letting out a small sigh of relief at Jade’s words.

“That’s so cool, Jade! I want to go to the academy with you guys too!” exclaimed Lien excitedly.

“When you turn eight, Lien, we’ll go together. When that time comes, I’ll take you to the special place Charles showed me,” Jade promised with a smile.

“Eh? What’s this special place like?” Lien asked eagerly.

“That’s something to look forward to after you enter the academy,” Jade teased.

“Yay! I can’t wait!” Lien beamed as he and Jade chatted excitedly about the future.

―――Maybe, just maybe, such a future could really come true.  

Imagining the three of us happily attending the academy together, I found myself smiling softly.

***

Two years had passed since I became family with the three of them.  

Life was still focused on ensuring I wasn’t disliked by my stepbrothers, but little by little, things had started to change.  

At first, I had been overwhelmed by anxiety and fear, but as time went on and I spent more time with them, I began to notice differences.  

When I talked to them, they smiled. When I played with them or helped out, they thanked me.  

Sometimes, when I was struggling, it was Jade or Lien who came to my aid instead, offering support when I needed it most.  

Through these experiences, I began to see parts of them I hadn’t noticed in my first life.  

Flor is cheerful and extraordinarily kind. She empathizes with others and offers a hand to those in pain. Maybe, in my first life, Flor had seen through to the suffering I tried to hide.  

Jade is diligent, hardworking, and a model student. He’s quiet and level-headed, far more mature than I am. In fact, I often sought his advice when I was at a loss.  

His academic performance is consistently at the top of his class. In my first life, I constantly compared myself to him, feeling consumed by inferiority. But comparing us was a mistake.  

Jade’s success is the result of his hard work. There’s no way someone like me, who never made the same effort, could compete with him. Despite this, Jade has a childlike side—he has a secret love for sweets. When he eats something sweet, an unconscious smile spreads across his face. It’s so endearing that I often bring him snacks so we can enjoy a tea party together.  

Lien, who used to be shy, has grown a lot. He can now greet strangers and rarely cries anymore. At seven years old, he’s still as affectionate as ever. He loves holding hands during walks and cuddling up to me when I read to him.  

Although he used to cling to Jade, now he prefers to stay by my side most of the time. He and Jade seem to get along fine, but it still catches me off guard sometimes.  

And so, another peaceful day in our household began.

“Nii-san, there’s something in my studies I don’t understand. Could you help me?” Jade asked one morning.

“Of course,” I replied.

At ten years old, Jade was as diligent as ever. He brought over a challenging math problem, and I wracked my brain trying to help him solve it.

“Um, let’s see… For this, you use this equation, and then… hmm…” I muttered, struggling with the advanced problem.

As I stumbled over my explanations, Jade suddenly picked up his pen and started writing effortlessly.

“Nii-san, is this correct?” he asked, showing me his solution.

“Yes! Exactly! That’s perfect!” I exclaimed.

“I see. As expected of you, Charles Nii-san. Your explanations are always so clear,” Jade said, smiling.

“I barely did anything. You solved it on your own,” I said modestly.

“No, I couldn’t have done it without you. It’s all thanks to you,” Jade insisted.

Despite his praise, it was clear that Jade’s success was entirely due to his own abilities.  

“That’s not true. This is the result of your hard work,” I replied.

Hearing that, Jade smiled softly.  

“Nii-san… aren’t you going to pat my head today?” he asked, almost shyly.

“Ah, of course. Jade, well done,” I said, ruffling his hair gently.  

His smile grew even brighter—a smile I had never seen in my first life. Back then, Jade’s cold expressions had made me feel like he was looking down on me, fueling my insecurities and leading to my harsh words.  

The me from back then would have been astonished to see this side of him now.  

“Oh, by the way, I baked some new cookies. I’ll bring them over later,” I said.

“Really? I’m looking forward to it!” Jade replied, his face lighting up like a blooming flower.

After our study session, I left Jade’s room, only to be tackled from behind by Lien.  

“Charles Nii-sama! Play with me now!” he pleaded.

“Sure. What should we do today?” I asked.

“Hmm, can you read me a book?” Lien asked, grabbing a book and sitting on my lap.

“Alright. Let’s see what you picked today… Wait, Lien, isn’t this a bit difficult? ‘Equality and Inequality in Human Societies’? You enjoy books like this?”

“Yup! They’re fun!” Lien said brightly.

“I… see. Well, as long as you’re enjoying yourself,” I replied, slightly overwhelmed by his choice.

Lien listened intently as I read, his small hands gripping the book tightly. As I repeated a particularly tricky section for the fourth time, he giggled.

“Nii-sama, you’ve read that part four times already!” he teased.

Lien chuckled softly, making me feel embarrassed. I braced myself and turned back to the book. However, the convoluted expressions, along with the repetitive discussions about “equality” and “inequality,” felt like they were going in circles, leaving my brain ready to burst.  

Lien, seemingly understanding the material, nodded along.  

Desperate to satisfy him, I forced my eyes open and continued reading, but the words blurred and swayed. In my head, “equality” and “inequality” swirled incessantly.  

Lien tried to wake me up, calling out to me. I managed a faint, “Yeah…” but, before I knew it, I succumbed to the devilish temptation of sleep.  

…When I finally woke up, I was enveloped by a warm sensation. Something heavy pressed against my chest—it was Lien, clinging to me as he slept. At some point, Jade had arrived too; he was dozing peacefully, leaning against my shoulder.  

The soft sounds of their breathing and their defenseless, adorable sleeping faces filled the space.  

Savoring the tranquility and warmth I had never experienced in my first life, I closed my eyes once more.  

***

Time passed, and spring of my thirteenth year arrived.  

Lien, now eight, eagerly looked forward to his new life at the academy.  

“Charles Nii-sama! When we get to the academy, you have to show me your favorite spot first!”  

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*GLOSSARY: 

• Nii-san/Nii-sama/Onii-san = (Big/Elder) Brother

☝🏻I’ll be using these throughout my translation. Jade would call Charles ‘Nii-san’ while Lien would call him ‘Nii-sama’.

Next update: 2025.08.31

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