Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 7

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 7

* * *

“Dad! That beggar brat is sleeping in my room!”

The Orphan Boy snapped awake at the ear-splitting shout.

‘What was I doing?’

His head was foggy with sleep, making it impossible to grasp the situation immediately.

Soon, thundering footsteps and the Orphanage Director’s shouting could be heard.

“You useless brat! I told you to earn your keep, and you’re slacking off?”

Only then did the Orphan Boy realize the situation he was in.

He had fallen asleep while cleaning the room of the Orphanage Director’s son, Heiron.

“I, I was wrong. I’m sorry, Director.”

Heiron’s blanket filled with feathers had looked so cozy that he had just rested his head against it for a moment, only to fall asleep.

“Since you didn’t do your assigned work properly, there’s no dinner tonight. Go to the solitary cell and reflect on how lazy and selfish you are until tomorrow morning!”

No matter how much the Orphan Boy begged for forgiveness, it was useless.

The Director shoved him into the freezing cold attic.

The Orphan Boy went to a corner, curled up his body as much as possible, and lay down. Then he tried to recall happy and joyful memories to forget the cold.

But what kept wandering through his mind was only the loving voice of the Orphanage Director’s Wife as she soothed the angry Heiron.

“Good boy. Let’s stop being angry now, my son.”

That voice kept stabbing at his feverish mind like an ice pick.

‘If I were Heiron, I would never throw a tantrum.’

‘If I had a mother, I would be the kindest child in the world.’

‘I would do whatever I was told and become a useful child who could earn my keep.’

And, and also…

Thinking such “what ifs,” he eventually ended up crying silently.

The Orphan Boy curled up his body and swallowed his tears to endure the loneliness.

His hands and feet grew cold and stiff, but his body kept burning with fever.

It felt exactly like being a snowman carelessly abandoned under the summer sun.

It seemed as if his entire body would melt like this, eventually disappearing from this world forever, leaving only wet stains and old clothes behind.

He wanted to cry out for help, but his throat was so swollen that even breathing was difficult.

‘Maybe I’ll die like this without ever seeing my mother’s face.’

In such fear, the Orphan Boy barely whispered words he had never spoken aloud even once.

“…Mom.”

I’m here.

Before I melt and disappear like a snowman, couldn’t you hold me just once?

If he was destined to disappear like this, he wanted to melt away while being held in someone’s warm embrace.

It was right then.

Someone firmly grasped his limp hand.

‘…Who?’

A large, warm adult hand.

He wanted to open his eyes, but he didn’t have the strength to move even an eyelid.

“From now on… I’ll definitely… give you.”

A voice that whispered like a lullaby, so cozy it could bring tears.

It didn’t melt the Orphan Boy like snow, but gradually made him stronger.

He couldn’t understand what was being said, but just listening to it was reassuring.

Soon, something as soft as a flower petal lightly touched his forehead and fell away.

“Sweet… dreams, Leo.”

At that moment, the Orphan Boy’s eyes snapped open.

Brilliant morning sunlight poured white onto the bed where the child lay.

The Orphan Boy hurriedly looked around, but all he could see was an empty chair placed beside the bed.

“…A dream?”

But for a dream, the warmth that had settled on his forehead was too vivid.

The Orphan Boy touched his forehead where the fever had subsided and murmured.

“Who could Leo be?”

It was a mystery he couldn’t solve with his current knowledge.

* * *

Early dawn when the moon had set.

Toma, who was lying comfortably with his legs stretched out for the first time in a while, leisurely stretched.

“Yes, this is life.”

With that annoying kid nowhere to be seen, he couldn’t feel more relieved.

Whether his nightly threats about Belinda had worked, the kid whose complexion had been growing darker day by day finally didn’t return to the dormitory last night.

‘He must have made a big mistake and been kicked out, right?’

Serves him right.

Toma was giggling while looking at the empty bed when he suddenly felt a chilling presence and rubbed the back of his neck.

Was a window open? Why was he getting goosebumps like this…

“You look quite comfortable. Look at you lying there with your legs stretched out.”

“Ah, ah, ah, Miss?”

He didn’t know when she had arrived, but there was Belinda standing by the door with her arms crossed.

He did stand up abruptly, but it certainly wasn’t because he was afraid of her and showing courtesy.

He was someone who would serve Schubel, who would become the family head. There was no reason to fear some fallen noble woman.

‘That’s how it should be…’

Strangely, his legs felt weak.

Belinda’s flashing eyes and the way she twisted one corner of her mouth into a smile was terrifyingly breathtaking.

Click.

Belinda took a step closer.

“You see, I really hate it when someone carelessly touches what’s mine.”

Tap.

The folding fan Belinda held touched Toma’s forehead.

That was all, but Toma instantly lost strength in his legs and collapsed onto the bed.

“But someone with rotten character like you, who looks exactly like a sprouted potato.”

Thud.

Belinda’s high-heeled shoe aimed between Toma’s legs and drove in.

“Eek!”

By a hair’s breadth, Toma was able to preserve his body, but there was no time to feel relieved.

“You dared to lay hands on what’s mine.”

“Urk.”

Because Belinda’s fan was pressing against his Adam’s apple.

It was just a fan, he could push it away. But the look in Belinda’s eyes seemed exactly like that of a madwoman, so he couldn’t move a finger.

“Urgh. I’m, I’m sorry…”

“How strange. Didn’t you know better than anyone what happens when you make eye contact with me?”

Thump.

At Belinda’s words tinged with elegant mockery, Toma immediately prostrated himself flat, not even noticing his knees were scraped. But he had no time to feel pain.

The moment the tip of Belinda’s fan touched the back of Toma’s neck with a tap.

“If something like this happens again next time, you know better than I do what this thing touching your neck now will be replaced with.”

As if what was touching his neck was a blade, he didn’t dare even breathe carelessly. That was the level of murderous intent.

Thus, Toma couldn’t get up from his spot for quite a while even after Belinda had left.

* * *

“Phew, that felt so refreshing. You there, you’ve caught my attention. Completely!”

How dare you bully our child?

Belinda emerged from Toma’s dormitory with a satisfied expression, dusting off her hands with sharp claps.

Thanks to the testimonies of servants summoned from dawn, Toma’s past actions had been thoroughly exposed.

As it turned out, this wasn’t the first or second time he had bullied newcomers with his territorial behavior to drive them away.

With a much lighter expression, Belinda was walking down the corridor, spinning her folding fan round and round.

She stopped walking as if she had discovered something in the middle of the dark corridor.

A low exclamation burst from Belinda’s lips as she stared blankly into the air.

“Huh?”

[Synchronization Progress: 1/100]

The synchronization value, which hadn’t budged for the past week, had changed for the first time.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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