Seven years, including leap years, totaling 2556 days, is by no means a short time.
Applying the 10,000-hour rule, in seven years, that’s 61,344 hours.
For me, who only slept 2 hours a day, that was enough time to become an expert five times over, and possibly one more.
So, what did I achieve during all that long time?
“Ah, but young master, you’re only 20, and yet you’ve surpassed everything I could teach and reached a level where I must now seek teachings from you?!!!
Huh, I guess I must admit it now.
Young master Woobin, you are number one.
The king of domestic affairs…!”
My personal tutor, Yubu, acknowledged with tears in his eyes that I had reached a level in domestic affairs that left others far behind.
“By the way, young master, your beauty shines even brighter with each passing day.
With skin as smooth as milk and no blemishes even through puberty, and with your noble appearance and jet-black hair like the night sky…
You were always a handsome boy since childhood, but I didn’t expect you’d grow up this handsome.
If I had known, maybe I wouldn’t have pushed you so hard with studying…”
Furthermore, even Yubu, the overly zealous parent, said something like, “If I had known you’d look this good, you wouldn’t have needed to study.”
I grew up into a handsome young man.
Even I was shocked when I looked at myself in the mirror every morning while washing my face.
It says it all.
Whatever.
Anyway, I was doing incredibly well with domestic affairs and was extremely handsome.
The moment I entered the marriage market, every woman would beg to marry me, a perfect 0-tier catch.
But the most important thing was, how much had my physical strength grown?
“Heh.”
Surprisingly, when I parted ways with the little one, I hadn’t grown at all.
Sure, at 20, my body had matured into an adult physique, and naturally, I became stronger, but I hadn’t become superhuman or anything like that.
That’s because, when the little one left, who had unrestricted access to the training hall, I could no longer use it.
With that, the only option left was bodyweight exercises, but as a superhuman, there was a limit to how much I could strengthen myself with bodyweight alone.
As a result, both my face and body became perfect, but that was it.
I became more sexy, with chocolate abs, sculpted chest muscles, and veins popping out when I flexed my arms, but I didn’t get any stronger.
“Anyway, at this point, there’s no need to worry about entering the academy.
Honestly, when I was told to make you the perfect catch for the family head, I wasn’t sure it would be possible.
But, as expected of the family head, you foresaw this. Haha!”
Of course, I didn’t just sit idly by and let time pass.
I did my best with what I could do during that time.
The result was that I managed to raise one ability to the desired level.
Checking the status window:
[Name: Yang Woobin]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 20]
[Traits: Sun’s Delay (EX), Mana Fluidization (A)]
[Mana Sensitivity (A+)]
[Total Mana: 100]
[Previous Life Bonus: Status Window (EX)]
!Due to the previous life’s bonus, you can use the special ability ‘Status Window’.
By touching the target and reciting the activation phrase in your mind, you can view the target’s status window.
The activation phrase is ‘Status Window Check’.
And that was Mana Sensitivity.
This Mana Sensitivity, built up over seven years of meditation, would become my most powerful weapon in my future academy life.
Additionally, the trait that was activated when my Mana Sensitivity reached A+—Mana Fluidization—would be a huge help in moments of crisis.
This ridiculous Sun’s Delay would serve as a stepping stone, so I was satisfied with this much for now while I stayed in the Yang family.
Real growth would begin at the academy, so spending these seven years was just the perfect handicap for me.
Alright, once I get into the Jeokcheon Academy, I’ll truly unleash my potential.
I’ll top the midterms, help the protagonist, and push forward with the story.
By the time I graduate from the academy, I’ll be strong enough to break the shackles of the Yang family and escape.
With the money I make, I’ll buy land overseas, fully escape from this cursed Yang family, and live there.
That was my goal.
In short, my future goal was to acquire the power to easily shake off the Yang family’s pursuit and enough money to live without any worries.
And such a goal would be so easy for someone who knew everything about this reversal hero story like me.
My future was as solid as could be.
I’d enjoy the world of this reversal hero story freely, and if the protagonist’s party were ever in danger, I’d go and help them.
That’s it.
“Ah…”
“Oh, by the way, young master.”
“Yeah? What is it, Yubu?”
I was smiling inwardly at the sweetness of freedom as I thought about the future, when suddenly, Yubu, with a smile on his face, spoke to me.
“Tomorrow evening, the family head wishes to meet you.”
“The family head? Me?”
The Yang family rarely called for me…
Actually, never.
All my education was entrusted to Yubu, and to him, I was just a commodity to be sold for the sake of the Yang family.
So there was no reason for him to talk to me or see me.
“Why?”
For that reason, I couldn’t understand why the Yang family wanted to meet me, so I asked Yubu out of genuine curiosity.
Yubu laughed and answered.
“You’ll understand when you go tomorrow.
Well, maybe they want to give you some encouragement since you’re entering the academy the day after tomorrow?”
“Ha, haha.”
Encouragement?
That guy would never do that.
I dismissed Yubu’s nonsense with a laugh and started to wonder why they wanted to meet me.
Anyway, the only times the Yang family ever faced me were when I was born and when I first met the little one.
So suddenly calling me now, it’s not encouragement for sure…
Maybe they want to warn me?
The most likely assumption was that it was a warning.
Since they couldn’t control me at the academy, where the family had no influence, they might be trying to instill fear in me to control me.
If I were an ordinary son, not a reborn person, not a veteran of this reversal hero story, their method would definitely work.
But, unfortunately for the Yang family, I was both a reborn person and a veteran.
Even if they tried to threaten me by mentioning the Yang family’s power, I was confident they wouldn’t even be able to reach my ears.
Because of that, I could remain lighthearted, even with a private meeting with the family head approaching.
I shouldn’t have been, though.
***
The next evening, the scheduled private meeting with the family head arrived.
I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
Knock knock knock.
“I’m here, family head.”
Creak—
Instead of a reply telling me to come in, the family head’s door creaked open.
I entered, admiring the family head’s room, the first time I’d ever stepped into it.
Even the Yang family, ranked low among prestigious families, had a room this lavish?
Wait, isn’t this an artifact?
This must cost millions.
A prestigious family is still a prestigious family.
I must have been mesmerized by the room, as it felt like no time at all passed before I reached the room where the family head was seated.
Creak—
When I reached the inner door, it opened automatically, and I was faced with the Yang family head, sitting in the seat of honor.
“Oh, you’ve come? Sit down.”
“Yes.”
The tone used was so cold and stiff, it didn’t feel like a parent talking to their child.
But since I didn’t consider this person a mother, I just nodded and casually answered before sitting down.
“Let’s get straight to the point. You’re entering the academy tomorrow, right?”
“Yes, family head.”
The Yang family head, who had a personality closer to a machine than a person, hated wasting time, so she got straight to the point as soon as I sat down.
Seeing her mention the academy, I already knew she was going to deliver the warning I expected.
Since I was a veteran, I didn’t care what the Yang family head said or how she tried to intimidate me.
I was actually interested in what she was going to say and focused on her words.
“The academy is a dangerous place. It’s a place where young men and women live together.
The 20 years I’ve spent raising you could be all for nothing in an instant due to youthful recklessness.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
Ah, so this is the kind of warning?
Is she going to tell me to be careful with women?
Well, considering my looks, I’m sure I could easily charm anyone.
If there were charm stats in this game, I’d probably get an EX rating.
I was so relaxed that I even made an internal joke about it.
Warnings didn’t pose any threat to me at all.
“So, I’m planning to take measures to prevent such accidents.”
“…What?”
But when the Yang family head’s words continued, and she pulled out a piece of paper from under the table, I could no longer stay relaxed.
That—
The paper she pulled out looked exactly like the one I had briefly seen in the setting book of the reversal hero story.
In my heart, I wanted to deny it, tell myself it couldn’t possibly be, but my eyes and mind had already recognized that piece of paper as that exact item.
“It’s an artifact, ‘The Oath of Defeat.’”
And as the Yang family head’s voice confirmed my fears, I immediately leapt up from my seat and ran.
“x”
Thump—!
But with a sound like a quick click of the tongue, I felt a shock strike the back of my head at a speed I couldn’t even perceive.
Thud.
As I felt the ground rise up beneath me, my vision went dark.
And when I opened my eyes again, I realized I was in a body incapable of having sex, a body suffering from impotence.