When I Finished Playing the Terminally-Ill Villainous Omega C37

Chapter 37

When I simply stared blankly at him, Locke lightly tapped the carriage step with his foot, adjusting it so the height matched the carriage as closely as possible.

“Come down.”

“I’ll catch you, so don’t hesitate because you’re afraid of falling.”

It was strange.

He was simply telling me to get out of the carriage.

His tone wasn’t particularly gentle, either.

And yet…

In that instant, all my tension and fear vanished as though they’d never existed.

Until now, I’d always felt as though I was fighting alone.

To someone like me…

The simple words “I’ll catch you” made it feel as though we were facing it together.

For the first time…

I found the courage to step into this unfamiliar world.

I smiled.

“Yeah.”

“Thanks, Locke.”

I nodded and firmly took the hand he offered.

Getting down from the carriage was much easier than when I had to cling to the handle by myself.

A servant from the Marquis’s household immediately approached, saying he would escort me to my room.

Almost simultaneously, Locke and I quietly let go of each other’s hands.

The Marquis’s estate was divided into the main residence, the guest wing, the training grounds, and separate quarters for the servants.

Following a servant dressed in clothes embroidered with House Albre’s lion crest, I was led to a room on the third floor of the guest wing.

Outside the window stretched a vast garden, with a wide open lawn at its center.

This would be my room for the duration of the banquet.

As soon as the servant left after setting down my luggage, I walked over to the open window.

Unfortunately…

Because of the difference in our social status, Locke had been assigned different accommodations and had gone to be shown his own room.

At the moment, several high-ranking nobles were staying at the Marquis’s estate.

For reasons of security and safety, only a select number of the Marquis’s own servants were permitted beyond the guest wing and the first floor of the main residence.

I’d heard that some nobles had quietly raised concerns before the banquet regarding the inconvenience and safety of restricting personal attendants.

However…

Because members of the imperial family would also be attending, those complaints had quietly disappeared.

Whether people liked it or not, anyone hoping to build connections had no choice but to attend.

At least in this world, nobles carrying magic artifacts was perfectly normal, which probably helped ease everyone’s concerns.

As a compromise, the servants brought by each noble family were allowed to wait outside the guest wing if their masters wished.

Whenever their masters went out, they could accompany them.

If they were waiting in the rooms assigned to them, they could also be summoned through one of the Marquis’s servants.

Like me…

Locke knew no one among the other nobles’ attendants.

I couldn’t help worrying.

I hope he isn’t being bullied…

Or struggling to fit in like I probably would.

❖ ❖ ❖

Contrary to my worries…

The exhaustion from traveling such a long distance in my frail condition knocked me completely unconscious.

I slept so soundly that I missed lunch altogether.

It wasn’t until Ciel came to check on me that I learned I’d slept for nearly four hours.

She’d had a servant bring me a simple meal of bread and soup.

“Are you feeling worse?”

“Shouldn’t you just go home?”

“I told you not to volunteer to escort someone out of nowhere.”

“Look at all this trouble.”

“I’m fine.”

“I was just sleepy from the carriage ride.”

“Really?”

Ciel narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Really.”

“I promise.”

“Good.”

“But the moment you feel sick…”

“I’m putting you straight back into a carriage and sending you home.”

She still looked unconvinced.

I nodded several times.

Just then…

Noise drifted in from outside.

When I asked about it, Ciel explained that banquets this large lasted all day.

Whenever there wasn’t an official event scheduled, nobles often held games or afternoon tea to socialize.

Those moments were the best opportunities to build connections.

“Since you’re already here…”

“If you’re feeling better, go mingle.”

“Meet people.”

“And stop clinging only to your servant.”

“‘Clinging’?”

“We’re just close friends, Sister.”

“I’m telling you not to do anything that’ll make Father and Mother disapprove.”

“And if you feel sick…”

“Say so immediately.”

“Don’t endure it just because you’re worried about appearances.”

“It could become something much worse.”

“Yes, Sister.”

Ciel hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

“Even if you never become the head of the family…”

“The more nobles who stand on your side…”

“The easier your life will be.”

“Remember that.”

“Thank you for the advice.”

After watching me dip pieces of bread into the soup and eat a few bites, Ciel reminded me not to miss dinner before standing.

She reached the door…

Then suddenly stopped.

Turning back, she looked at me seriously.

“You have to build allies, Cedric.”

Only after the door had completely closed behind her did I lower the piece of bread in my hand onto the tray.

Even Ciel…

Who, before my regression, had cared only about her own goals…

Was beginning to worry about me.

She must’ve realized Cassian was fully capable of harming me.

I sat there quietly, absentmindedly playing with the pieces of bread she’d torn apart.

Her words echoed in my mind.

Even if you never become the family head…

Which meant…

If I did want to become the family head…

Building relationships with other nobles was absolutely essential.

Can I really do it?

No.

I had to.

Just because I’d repaired my relationship with Locke didn’t mean I could relax.

As long as both Cassian…

And the System…

Remained obstacles between us…

Our relationship could fall apart again at any moment.

At the very least…

I needed to overcome one of them.

Only then would surviving inside this novel become a little easier.

❖ ❖ ❖

Determined to follow Ciel’s advice, I headed into the garden late that afternoon, where the nobles had gathered for games and conversation.

After only a few steps…

Servants carrying parasols trimmed with golden tassels naturally moved to my side, shielding me from the sun.

The Marquis’s household undoubtedly knew I was terminally ill.

It wasn’t exactly a secret.

Yet despite the fact that I held no real authority…

They still treated me with remarkable care.

I appreciated their thoughtfulness.

Though…

Part of me wondered whether they were actually keeping an eye on me.

“Haa…”

“It’s hot.”

The sun had begun sinking behind the mountains.

Even so…

The heat remained intense.

Sheltering beneath the parasol’s shade, I slowly wandered through the gardens.

At the same time, I looked around for a group I might naturally join.

If I’m going to build allies…

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to start with the Marquis’s eldest son.

With this frail body…

I’d be lucky to meaningfully interact with two or three people in a day.

Simply meeting someone didn’t automatically make them an ally.

Efficiency mattered.

I planned to choose a handful of influential people…

And spend the next two days focusing solely on them.

My first target…

Was the Marquis’s eldest son.

Before my regression…

Every member of the imperial bloodline except Locke had died.

There was no point trying to ally myself with the princes.

The next most powerful families were the Dukes and Marquises.

Meeting them directly wasn’t realistic for someone in my position.

Which left…

Their children.

The Marquis’s eldest son was the first person I wanted to approach.

In the previous timeline…

He’d never inherited the title.

Partly because his younger brother awakened as an Alpha and succeeded first.

But also because he’d never wanted power.

I’d heard he preferred staying at home and lacked any real ambition.

The reason I wanted him as an ally was simple.

I already knew how House Albre would eventually end.

If nothing changed…

Just like House Hestian…

The Marquis’s family would ultimately be annihilated by Locke.

Actually…

They fell before we did.

The Marquis’s second son secretly raised a private army separate from the family’s official military forces.

He sided with the Seventh Prince and launched a rebellion.

The moment the Emperor died…

He tried to behead the Crown Prince.

In the process…

Countless innocent people were slaughtered.

He’d stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

How could I ever ally myself with someone just like Cassian?

He was hopeless.

In any case…

The rebellion of the Seventh Prince and House Albre was crushed by a single man.

The last imperial prince to appear without warning.

Locke.

With the rebellion’s failure…

House Albre was immediately drowned in blood.

Every important member of the family was purged.

Their soldiers were given only two choices.

Remain loyal to their current master…

Or swear loyalty to a new one.

Most chose death.

If I could ally myself with the son of a family doomed to such a tragic fate…

And save them using the knowledge I possessed…

Wouldn’t that benefit both of us?

I understood better than anyone that my motives weren’t entirely pure.

But…

If someone was willing to stand beside me despite my calculations…

Then I fully intended to become their ally as well.

I had no army.

Very little wealth.

Not much time left to live.

But…

I knew a future no one else did.

An alliance built upon mutual benefit.

I didn’t think that was such a bad thing.

Now then…

Which one is the Marquis’s eldest son?

There were simply too many finely dressed noblemen wandering around.

Back then…

I’d never cared about aristocratic society.

I spent all my time shut inside the house, anxiously waiting for the System window to appear and desperately trying to survive.

Because of that…

I only knew scattered bits of information about the nobles.

Even if I knew their names…

Unless someone stood out dramatically, they all looked remarkably similar.

Elegant clothes.

Refined appearances.

One noble looked much like another.

Besides…

Asking the servant holding my parasol, “Which one is your eldest young master?” would’ve been incredibly rude.

It also would’ve openly revealed my interest in him.

Rather than making him wary before I’d even had a chance to act…

I wanted to slip naturally into his awareness.

Like clothes slowly soaked by a gentle drizzle.

As I wandered around looking for an opportunity…

Voices drifted up from below the terrace.

Curious, I stepped closer to the railing.

Near the large fountain beside the pond…

A chess match was underway.

The player seated with his back toward me repeatedly reached for his pieces before hesitating.

The young man facing my direction wore the relaxed smile of someone already certain of victory.

His silver hair glowed beautifully beneath the fading sunset.

He’s handsome.

Bet he’s popular.

“It’s over.”

“The hourglass has run out.”

“Count Chelsea loses again.”

“Indeed.”

The surrounding nobles murmured among themselves.

I didn’t actually know how to play chess.

I’d heard bits and pieces over the years.

Each piece moved differently…

And…

Was it the king you had to capture?

Or did the player with the most pieces remaining win…?

I’d never cared enough to learn properly.

The scattered knowledge I’d picked up was now hopelessly tangled together.

I glanced uncertainly at the board.

It looked like White had fewer pieces remaining.

Hmm…

I don’t know which one is the king…

If the side with more pieces wins… then…

“So…”

“Black wins?”

“You think so?”

Golden tassels suddenly swayed into my view.

A man had quietly come to stand beside me.

Because the parasol was hanging too low, I couldn’t clearly see his face.

I reached up and lifted the servant’s parasol myself.

Then my face brightened.

“Locke!”