I Have Become The Heroes’ Rival

Editor: Daed

Felix’s eyes blinked slowly. His white eyelashes shielded his eyes that were as clear as the autumn sky.

As the sunlight shone down on him, his eyebrows sparkled as if they were sprinkled with the stars that were still peeking out in the dawn.

Just like Claudia, his handsomeness was so striking. He made for a captivating sight looking like a prince holding a bunch of lilies in the breaking dawn. Well, it must be something that runs in their family.

He shook the grass that he held gently while smiling joyfully. Huh? A setaria?

When I looked outside my window and wondered what he was doing out there, I saw a black chunk kicking the setaria excitedly. Turns out it was Lynn, a stray cat who lives near to Ambers’ house.

That damn cat. When I approached her, she acted all grumpy and rude. But when Felix patted and caressed her face, she rolled onto her back.

‘So, why is the brother of the heroine standing in front of my house and playing with a stray cat?’

It was weird. It seemed like I was in a dream, maybe because of the morning fog.

I left the mansion after wearing a scarf to cover my nightgown.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to come here impolitely like this.”

He apologized before he came closer towards me.

“It’s fine.”

It seemed like I had a disease where I can’t stop acting stiff in front of the opposite gender.

I wasn’t like this in my childhood. However, after being surrounded by girl friends in high school and university, I adopted that characteristic.

Because of the wall I didn’t mean to build, men who talked to me would often ask:

“Are you angry?”

Yes, like that.

“No way. I can never get angry with such a handsome man.”

And that was what you are. So how could I even get angry?

Then I realized what I just said and thought hard to clear the misunderstanding. Felix burst into laughter after hearing my words. His laugh was so refreshing and warmed the chilly, freezing morning air.

“Is that so? Then I’m gonna thank my parents for giving birth to me like this.”

Yes, say thanks because they’ve given birth to perfect siblings.

Every time I met the heroine’s brother, my heart that was full of dirty desires seemed to be cleansed by a white light.

Unfortunately, this perfect Felix was also fated to die. In fact, the heroine wasn’t fated to have a perfect family in this exhausting novel.

Wasn’t it exhausting? When you had a dependable family who loves you, but you were deficient mentally.

The three heroes who wanted to get Claudia in their hands whatever it takes planned to work as a team to completely isolate Claudia from the world.

And Felix’s character was gonna be the victim of their plan. They decided to destroy the Chamberlains thoroughly using a forbidden ancient demonic magic.

Words can’t express how crazy they were to think of using the demonic power, which once almost led the world to ruin, without hesitation.

Felix wouldn’t be defeated that easy. Wasn’t he the best sorcerer in this novel’s world?

Well, Felix would’ve been perfect if not for his one weakness–he always put others before himself.

In a situation where he had to choose between the world’s destruction or self-sacrifice, Felix chose to absorb the demonic power inside his own body, killing all the Chamberlains.

And after the heroes defeated Felix, who had been completely possessed by the demonic power, they pretended to be Claudia’s savior.

I really wanted to stop this tragedy from occurring.

So a year ago, as soon as I met Claudia for the first time, I asked her to let me meet Felix personally.

“Are you still practicing the spell of magic resistance?”

The reason why he was easily eaten by the demonic power is because he neglected that spell.

Since the demon had never dealt any harm to the human world since a thousand years ago, the Empire decided to neglect the skill of magic resistance.

The Empire assumed it was useless to learn the skill, and the three heroes took advantage of that situation.

A year ago, I met Felix personally and asked him to learn that skill with a serious tone and expression.

“Please develop your magic resistance skill without anyone knowing.”

Felix must have been bewildered when a friend of his sister, someone whom he never met before, suddenly made such a strange request.

It was a presumptuous request to make of him, as he was someone who held the mighty title of the “Youngest Vice Minister of Magic”.

I didn’t even give him any reason. If he were normal, he’d have ignored me or got rid of me angrily.

But, he answered while smiling gently.

“Lady Amber, thank you for pointing out my weakness. No matter how great we are, we have to keep learning, don’t we?”

Looking back, he must be an angel.

‘My worries have been washed away….’

While I reminisced about the past, Felix said something.

“Thanks to you. At first I didn’t understand, but now I do. Even right now, my body absorbed the demonic power yet I’m still breathing and walking normally.”

Certainly, a year is enough of time for a genius to master that skill.

It happened all according to my plan. The worst scenario had been avoided.

I rolled my eyes awkwardly, then released a relieved sigh.

Speaking of which.

“What are you doing here at this hour?”

He answered my question with a sweet smile, asking in return.

“Did you spend your night peacefully?”

“Um.. Yes.. Thanks to you.”

Thanks to him??

I was so embarrassed for giving such a weird answer. I cursed at myself in a whisper and stroked my face for a moment.

It must have seemed funny to him. He smiled in amusement and said,

“What a relief. I actually didn’t want to wake you up from your deep sleep.”

I see. I had a deep sleep….. What?

“It seems to have an implicit meaning!”

What did he actually mean?

First, he had been here a nightlong.

Second, he entered my room.

Less than a minute ago, I complimented him as an angel. What is happening now?

“It seems like you’ve hired a new maid recently.”

“What’s the point of this? You keep changing the topic…!”

“The maid had been bribed.”

“…..What?”

“Do you realize that you have been poisoned now?”

I’m poisoned? What the hell are you talking about, noble sorcerer?

“The poison inside your body is deadly. You’re going to die.”

He smiled sweetly while announcing my death. I couldn’t even react to his words.

Wait. Pardon me?

I knew I had my time limit, but am I really going to die now?

I knew I had given up my life and shouted out to just kill me, but really? So soon? It’s only been a day since I made a lifetime promise with Claudia.

‘Sigh… Look at what three insane men have done.’

I froze with blank eyes and a slightly agape jaw. Then I asked him.

“Oh, how much time do I have left?”

“Within half a day, your whole body will be in terrible pain. You will be paralyzed from your limbs and legs, until your body hardens like a stone. Then you’ll lose all your senses…..”

“E, Enough.”

Even so, I still had time to write my will, didn’t I? But I hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.

I really couldn’t believe it at all. I was lost in my thoughts.

Felix stared at me with sad eyes, then said in a comforting, warm voice,

“Even so, you’ve already passed half a day.”

Was that supposed to be comforting? When I began to doubt my evaluation of him as an angel, he continued,

“If I didn’t come here, Irene wouldn’t have been able to stand in front of me like this.”

“…. The assassins came here too, didn’t they?”

Oh, that’s why you entered my room. I was startled because he’s not a person who would do something like that.

I had thought that I heard voices in my sleep. The voice was loud enough, but the moment I fell asleep, I slept like the dead. It’s a struggle to wake up.

Without Felix, I would have died in my sleep. Of course, death would still follow me everywhere after this.

“I have taken care of them, so there’s nothing to be worried about.”

Taken care’ in his words must have had implied meaning.

Mr. Angel, how can you say things like that so euphemistically?

I’m very grateful but! No matter how deeply I was sleeping, please wake me up when the assassins came!

Anyway, my mind’s going to burst thinking about the fact that I almost died.

When I heard it, I suddenly felt dizzy and nauseated. Maybe it’s a psychological effect.

I felt like my head’s going to explode thinking what and who I should write into my will.

Felix put the setaria down and brought me to my senses.

“So, don’t be so far away and come closer to me. I’ll detoxify you.”