ATHO Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Protecting Everyone

Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Second Life, Part 10

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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After all, when Jade and I had gone to the forest, I’d tried my hardest to prevent harm, yet Jade had still ended up injured.  

“Charles Nii-san, is something wrong?”  

“Hm? Oh, sorry. Where did you say you were stuck?”  

As usual, I was helping Jade with his assignments, but my mind kept wandering.  

“Sorry, Jade. I’m not teaching you very well today…”  

“Don’t worry about it, Nii-san. But… is something troubling you? You’ve looked distressed all morning.”  

I hadn’t realized my unease was so obvious. Trying to hide it, I forced a smile.  

“Thanks, Jade. But I’m fine. Just a little tired.”  

“Nii-san, if there’s anything I can do to help, please tell me.”  

Jade’s kindness touched me, his concern soothing my restless heart.  

The morning passed without incident. After lunch, I sat in my room, lost in thought, when Lien entered.  

“Nii-sama, are you feeling down? Are you okay?”  

“Haha. What’s this about, Lien? I’m fine.”  

“Jade Nii-sama said you seemed upset, so I got worried…”  

Lien ran up to me, concern etched on his face.  

I smiled at him just as I had at Jade, but Lien still clung to my shirt, his worry palpable.  

I told myself I needed to stay strong, but the looming thought of losing Father and Flor again churned uneasily in my heart.  

“Nii-sama… can I do a ‘charm’ for you?”  

“A ‘charm,’ huh? Alright, I’ll take you up on that.”  

“Okay! Nii-sama, I hope you’ll feel better soon.”  

Lien leaned forward, parting my bangs with his fingers before pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.  

Since that night, Lien had started using this ‘charm’ frequently.  

He told me he’d read about it in a picture book, but it truly seemed to work.  

Every time he performed it, I found myself smiling without realizing it.  

“Thank you, Lien. I feel better already.”  

“Great! Whenever you’re feeling down, I’ll do the ‘charm’ for you!”  

“Alright, I’ll count on you.”  

―――Letting someone as young as Lien worry about me and even cheer me up… I felt ashamed as an older brother.  

But as I watched Lien’s smiling face—something I hadn’t seen the first time—I began to hope that the future might change.  

Perhaps, just perhaps, I could avoid the tragedy of losing Father and Flor.  

Holding onto that faint hope, I prayed over and over to the gods: “Please, save them both.”  

By evening, neither Father nor Flor seemed inclined to leave, and as usual, we all gathered around the dinner table. Watching the two of them chat happily, it was hard to believe they were fated to die.  

Had the second future already changed? No, as with Jade, a different cause could lead to the same outcome.  

Hope and anxiety tangled within me, and I could hardly eat dinner that night.  

As night fell, I lay in bed, unable to sleep with thoughts of Father and Flor weighing heavily on my mind.  

―――What if Flor’s condition worsens during the night?  

―――No, that’s not all—what if thieves break into the manor?  

The more anxious I felt, the darker my thoughts became. If thieves attacked, not only Father and Flor but also Jade and Lien would be in danger.  

Terrified at the thought, I got out of bed.  

“I have to protect everyone.”  

Grabbing a lantern and a blanket, I left my room. Walking down the silent hallway, I made my way to the living room closest to Father’s bedroom, deciding to keep watch for the night.  

As the long night began, I silently wished for morning to come without incident. Staring at the faintly flickering lantern light, I steeled myself.  

***

After some time, I heard a creaking sound—creak… creak—as the floorboards groaned.  

Footsteps echoed closer, making me tense up. I grabbed the fire poker by the hearth. The footsteps stopped just outside the door, and the knob turned with a soft click. Clutching the fire poker tightly, I prepared myself.  

But as the door opened, a small figure—not a thief—entered the room.  

“Charles Nii-san? What are you doing here at this hour?”  

Illuminated by the faint glow of his lantern was Jade.  

“…Jade? What about you? Why are you here?”  

“Lien said he heard noises from the living room while going to the restroom. He thought it was a ghost, so I came to check.”  

Jade stepped aside to reveal Lien, who peeked around him fearfully.  

“Lien, the ghost is just Charles Nii-san.”  

“Charles Nii-sama!”  

Seeing my face, Lien looked relieved and ran over to hug me tightly.  

“Sorry, Lien. Did I scare you?”  

“No, it’s okay. But… why are you here, Charles Nii-sama?”  

“I couldn’t sleep.”  

“Oh… are you going to stay here?”  

“Yeah. Now, you two should go back to your rooms—”  

“Then I’ll stay too!”  

Before I could finish, Lien gripped my hand firmly.  

“But it’s late—”  

“Then I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep, Nii-sama. Tomorrow’s a holiday at the academy, so why don’t we all stay up late?”  

Jade chimed in and took a seat beside me.  

“It’s cold, so I’ll grab blankets from our rooms!”  

“Then I’ll make something warm to drink.”  

“Jade, I want tea with lots of honey!”  

“Alright, alright. What about you, Charles Nii-san?”  

“Uh… tea sounds good.”  

Excited, the two set to work preparing for a late-night vigil. Lien brought warm blankets, and Jade brewed steaming cups of tea that filled the room with a comforting aroma.  

The increased light from their lanterns transformed the room’s atmosphere from tense to cozy.  

Once everything was ready, Lien urged me to sit on the sofa, and the two joined me on either side.  

“This is kind of fun!”  

“Yeah, it is.”  

Lien pulled the blanket over his head and sipped his sweet tea, while Jade smiled softly, seeming to enjoy the moment.  

Surrounded by their warmth, I drank my tea, feeling a comforting heat spread through me. My heart, heavy with worry, began to ease.  

“Are you having fun too, Charles Nii-san?… Wait, why are you crying?”  

“Huh?”  

Jade stared at me in shock, then gently touched my cheek.  

“Why are you crying?”  

Only then did I realize tears were streaming down my face.  

“Huh… why am I crying?”  

Tears flowed uncontrollably as I sat there, confused.  

I was simply sitting with the two of them, feeling safe… and then…  

“Nii-sama… are you okay?”  

Lien gripped my hand gently, looking up at me with concern.  

“Sorry… I guess being with you two makes me feel at ease.”  

“Are those sad tears?”  

“No, they’re not.”  

I smiled, and Lien’s face lit up with a soft, relieved smile of his own.  

“If being with us makes you feel better, I’ll stay with you forever!”  

“I’ll stay too, Nii-san. Always. We’ll be here for you.”  

“…Thank you, Lien, Jade.”  

Their kindness surrounded me like a warm embrace, and more tears slipped down my cheeks—not of sadness, but of gratitude and joy.  

When this second chance at life began, I often remembered the first versions of Jade and Lien and felt fear toward them. However, as I began spending time with them like real siblings and experiencing their kindness, I realized how much they cared for me.

No matter the circumstances, they always worried about me, giving me countless smiles and moments of happiness. Over time, I came to rely on them more than they relied on me. How could I, in my first life, have been so cruel to such kind-hearted people? The thought fills me with shame.

But dwelling on regrets won’t change anything.

In my first life, I drove them away for senseless reasons, causing them immense pain. This time, in this second chance, I swear I will make Jade and Lien happy no matter what.

―――From now on, I won’t live just for myself. I’ll do everything I can for their happiness.

Making this firm vow in my heart, I hugged them tightly.

As the three of us chatted about trivial things, the night passed pleasantly.

At some point, Lien fell asleep, resting his head on my lap, his soft breaths rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

Jade, too, looked drowsy, eventually leaning his head on my shoulder.

“Niisan, the sky is getting brighter,” Jade murmured.

“Yeah… you’re right.”

Through the window, the dark navy sky was starting to lighten.

By the time the sun rose, Jade had also fallen asleep. My own eyelids grew heavier, and as I drifted off, I heard the soft sound of the door opening. Turning my gaze, I saw Flor standing there.

“Oh my…”

Her eyes widened at the sight of us before she smiled warmly.

Seeing that gentle smile made me realize once again how important Flor had become to me.

It had taken so much time, but now… now I could finally say it.

“Good morning… Mother.”

“Oh my! Good morning, Charles. Were the three of you up all night?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“Did you have fun?”

“Yes, it was wonderful.”

As we talked, my father arrived and, like Flor, smiled at the sight of us.

Our fate had changed.

My beloved parents were alive. What had once been a painful, sorrowful day—the anniversary of my parents’ deaths—had transformed into an unforgettable day filled with cherished family memories.

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*Translator’s Note: Yup, Charles. Make them happy. In bed, too. Teehee. -K

*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: 2025.09.05

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