Actually, I Was The Real One
Chapter 7

"Noonym! What are you doing with your pajamas?"

"Because you're here."

"I'm right here? Where else would I go? What do you think Dad's gonna say when he sees this?"

"...Daddy?"

Keyra freezes. "Dad is here too?"

"Why did you come here this morning? He's in his room."

"It... Isn't this the afterlife?"

Her brother's face was strangely disturbed.

"I think you're still half asleep. You, take him to the bedroom. Nope, no. I'll take you there myself" said Zeke, ordering someone to bring him some shoes.

Keira was barefoot due to running carelessly from her room. Luckily he did not hurt his leg while running.

Frozen, he looked straight ahead until a servant approached him and put the shoes on his feet.

I think this is the afterlife.

However, there were too many strange things to keep thinking that way. First of all, the mansion looked the same since he was alive, there were too many familiar faces, and they looked younger than he remembered.

"Zeck."

"Hmm?"

"What date is it today?"

"It's the 13th."

"What year and month?"

"13 August 1295."

Zeke looked at him curiously as if he wanted to ask why but could not.

In 1295, Keira was twenty years old.

At that moment, an unreasonable thought appeared in his mind. Perhaps, he had returned to the past, not the afterlife? If so, who did this?

Do you think anyone other than me remembers the past?

Endless questions filled his head. Therefore, he did not hear Zeke calling him.

"–nim! Afternoon!"

"Huh, huh?"

"Why are you daydreaming? You're acting weird today."

Really true? Is he really back? It doesn't feel real.

"...maybe because I'm having nightmares."

"What kind of nightmares are you having?"

"Dreams of me dying."

Keira looked at her brother's face. Facing the family he thought he would never see again evoked a gentle emotion.

"It was a very clear dream so I really thought this was the afterlife ... But because you are here ... I think you too died and came to the afterlife ..."

"Oh my God, I never thought you'd be afraid of that." He said it like that, but he could feel in his voice that he was worried. "It was just a dream. Don't worry about that."

"Yes, it shouldn't."

"Go back and change your clothes first... No, I have to take it.." murmured Zeke and turned around.

It seemed like he intended to go to his room and take his coat. Seeing his back walk away, he remembered the last time he saw Zeke. He saw it through the prison bars.

I couldn't see my sister again after that.

"Wait."

When Keira regained consciousness, she held onto her brother's wrist. Zeke looked back, confused.

"...?"

"Have you had breakfast?"

"Not yet."

"That's great. Let's eat together."

If it was true that he had returned to the past, he no longer wanted to cling to things that he could not reach. He did not want to look for the affection of someone who would not look back.

He wanted to devote that effort and time to other things. For example, he could spend it on his younger brother who must have been lonely all along.

Keira smiled at her sister who was looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Now? Eaten? You want to eat with me?"

"Yes. You said you haven't eaten."

"Stay away... If you eat with me, you'll be late. You always go to say hello to me."

In the past, he always got up early and dressed well. It was an ancient custom that no one cared about, but every morning, he would send greetings to his father.

The people around him looked at him with curious gazes.

"That's. I just decided not to start today."

"Why suddenly?"

"Your Majesty only receives my greetings once every three days. I was sent away because he was busy. And most of the time, even if we meet, we don't even make eye contact."

"...But you still go every day? You're amazing."

"Yes, that's stupid. So, I don't want to do it anymore."

Now that he thought about it, it was a very stupid act. Why did he crave so much love from someone who never cared?

Keira's sudden change of heart seemed incredible to Zeke.

In a pleasant tone, Zeke said, "Sister has finally learned how to become angry. That's a good idea. I'd rather sleep more at that time."

"I'm not disappointed."

He really isn't. It used to be maybe not like that, but now he's giving up everything. Therefore, he should not be angry.

Giving up on someone is a huge relief.

"He's a busy man. He doesn't need me to come and bother him in the morning, does he?"

"Th-"

Zeke's face said 'okay.'

Keira knew that expression. One cannot forget in just one day.

His older sister wanted to be liked by their stupid father. It was the opposite of Zeke who had shown affection to Keira and said, "The snake-like man is not my blood."

He would congratulate her if she decided to stop trying in vain.

'Oh.' Keira then realized something strange.

"Noonim, what are you saying?"

"I don't think I need to visit and disturb Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty? Not Dad?"

Keira always insisted on calling the Grand Duke 'father' in person and 'His Majesty' on official occasions. But now that he was alone with his younger brother, he called him 'Your Majesty.'

Keira answered vaguely, "Why? He's my father, but he's also the ruler of the Grand Duchy. I don't think I called him wrong."

"He is, but-."

Today, Keira continues to surprise him. Zeke wonders if something happened to dad, but it doesn't seem so.

Her brother looks very happy. Wasn't he the one who felt like digging a hole in the ground every time he heard something bad from their father?

Whatever the reason, it's good for Zeke. Keira used to insist on the title of 'Father' when in person, so she had to follow him. Now that he could call their father 'His Majesty' without worrying about his sister, wouldn't that be a good thing?

"You're really weird today."

"I think so."

"...?"

Keira was really weird today. He looked like the same person he saw yesterday, but it felt like he became a different person.

'What happened?'

Zeke narrowed his eyes and thought about it, and immediately turned his attention elsewhere. Whatever the reason, the change does not seem to be bad.

-AIWTRO

Nino is the record keeper of the Grand Duke[1]. His job was to follow Grand Duke Ludwig all day, tracking his every move. He is still faithful to do his duty today.

The Grand Duke of Parvis is the master master for the record keeper because he is the one who follows the schedule to T. Mostly, he did not perform any spontaneous actions.

Today, Ludwig woke up at the appointed time, stepping into the office at the appointed time. It's no different than yesterday.

While he thought that it was possible to rewrite the notes he did yesterday...

"Huh?" Nino found something strange. His surprised voice rang out loud in the quiet office.

All eyes were on him. Even the Grand Duke.

Nino, who suddenly caught the attention of the Grand Duke, froze.

Soon after, a glacial sound flowed from Ludwig, "What happened?"

"W-well, that..."

"You know I don't like repeating."

"A-A-It's okay, Your Majesty. It's just that the woman didn't come to see you today."

Grand Duke's eyes narrowed. Only then did he realize the facts.