Chapter 1: 1.0
The first world they transmigrated to is a fantastic one set in western ambiance, its protagonist being the half angel, Michel -- born to a prostitute mother and a wealthy father.
Although his mother was seemingly of low birth, his father Gerard still loved her deeply, infatuated by her beauty.
This caused his own lawfully wedded wife, Nansi, to disdain Michel and his mother, treating them both like garbage behind Gerard's back. Of course, when the truth about his mother's heritage reveals itself later on, Michel would find himself vindicated in the end.
"He is Michel and you are Ihem, Michel's half brother. You are a cannon fodder who bullied the protagonist viciously when he was weak and ended up crippled by him later on." 01's robotic voice reminded.
Eryi glanced down and noted indeed he was in the boy of a fifteen year old boy, dressed in fine silk and sitting down ready for dinner.
All the way on the far end side of the table sat the protagonist Michel, looking pitifully small and vulnerable, his adorable cherub face lowered on a puny finger-sized sausage that was all they served him for dinner.
On the other hand, Eryi noted his plate entertained various types of meat, drizzled with sparkling honey and topped with diced tomatoes and peppers, alongside appetizers and soups.
Isn't this a bit too much, Eryi thought. Although Michel is prostitute-born, he is still the lord's favored son. How can the treatment be so overtly different?
01: He has to be treated like this so else how can he amass so much hatred later on? Allow me to sync your soul with the original Ihem's memories.
Eryi frowned at the sensation of various memories entering his mind. Memories of himself taunting the wild child flitted across his mind, making snide remarks about him to the servants, staring enviably at his father's retreating back...
He pierced his fork into one of the sausages and licked it tenderly.
01: Anyway, this is one of the formative scenes in protagonist's life. Do you see the woman next to him? She is Saasa, Michel's mother.
Gerard is naturally promiscuous, a known flirt who loves beauties. If he likes them well enough, he'll bring them back to his manor, unsolicited. This became a big point of contention between him and Nansi.
However, he had always deserted those women within a few years or so, quickly boring of them after taking his fun.
Saasa is different, however. The lord's love for her has already persisted for a decade, making the already deeply insecure Nansi to blacken completely in jealousy.
Because the lord had already left for the army at this point, Nansi was free to vent out her anger on the mother and son pair she hated so ardently in his absence.
01: Make friends with Michel.
Eryi raised his brows.
01: Watch and you'll understand.
Saasa stared at her son empty plate, a worried look falling over her visage. She cleared her throat and requested one of the maids to deliver two pieces of braised meat from her bowl into Michel's.
Nansi, whose gaze rested on her, smiled with meaning.
"Saasa, you seemed to have forgotten your son is under punishment for ruining one of Ihem's dress shirts."
This was the ploy Ihem contrived to get Michel in trouble. It was all fabricated. Ihem was the one who tore his own shirt, had his servants snidely deliver it to Michel's room, and had it tucked under his brother's bed sheets.
Saasa faltered, "but my Michel is a growing child. You have...deprived him of major meals for a week already."
"In our household, punishments have to be administered with an iron fist. Otherwise, even servants will forget their rightful place and think their transgressions will be let off as lightly as a slap on the wrist."
This sentence carried a double meaning, implying Michel and Saasa's ranks in the household were even less than that of maids and servants.
Michel's light blue eyes flashed momentarily. He is a bright child, and would only become even brighter in the future. But aside from that, he showed no other signs of feeling incensed by Nansi's words, remaining calm and steady in face of belligerence.
Saasa, however, was far less in control of her demeanor. Her shoulders tensed and she gritted her teeth. Her blatant distress only fed into Nansi's joy, unfortunately.
The marchioness had disallowed the mother and son pair from seeing each other outside of mealtimes. This prevented Saasa from sneaking her son food, and served as another way of punishing the two.
Eryi watched his 'mother' calculatingly.
01: You can use any means of achieving your task, but the passing of this mission depends on your adherence to character.
As Gerard's firstborn, Ihem's disdain for Michel also stemmed from a place of envy, similarly to his mother.
Eryi: "although as for now, I can only play the part of the spiteful older brother, change and willingness to adapt is part of a character's natural development. The original Ihem hated Michel, but if granted opportunity to see Michel in a different light, his feelings too will change. Thus you cannot say I am acting out of character when that opportunity presents itself," he stated calmly.
01 looked at him curiously before nodding. "That is true. I'm glad you understood so quickly."
"Unless my Ihem decides to forgive Michel," Nansi added playfully, a crude glint in her eyes, "then the punishment shall persist for a month."
"Come on Saasa, don't you want to help your son out? If you plead for Ihem's forgiveness, perhaps he'll be so gracious as to retract Michel's punishment."
This was obviously a lie. The original Ihem was equally as sadistic as his mother, and would never have permitted Michel off. Nansi knows her son well. The purpose of this is to see Saasa humiliate herself. Dangle a glass of water in front of a starved man and snatch it away the instance he sees salvation -- that, is the true essence of this punishment.
But Saasa glanced at the elder son pleadingly.
"Ihem...you know my Michel didn't mean you any harm. He is such a sweet boy, he would never purposely damage your stuff. It must've been a misunderstanding. Clumsy...yes, my poor boy is often clumsy and inarticulate, but you mustn't believe it to be intentional. Michel!" She got up and pulled her son into her arms, "Come! Look your elder brother in the eye and apologize!"
Michel stared unflinchingly at Ihem. He had the stubbornness of a boar, and would never give in when wronged.
"Say it!" Saasa urged.
"Madam Saasa, that shirt was a memento from my father." Ihem stated slowly, putting down his knife finally. "It is very precious to me and I was heartbroken to see it ruined. I was already very lenient with the punishment, as the shirt was practically a priceless treasure in my eyes. It pains to see my younger brother like this but you can clearly see Michel is still unrepentant!"
"However," his amber eyes scrolled haughtily, "if Madam Saasa wants to stand in for Michel's place and teach your son that disobedience is assuaged with punishment, then she is free to do so!"
01 fluttered in the air. "Why be so unnecessarily cruel? You know his mother is weak and easily falls ill, that is why she could only labor as a prostitute for so many years just to find food. If you sentence her to a month of starvation, Won't this only injure your chances of befriending the protagonist?"
Eryi smiled inwardly. "There's no free lunch in this world. You have to give up some to obtain some."
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