OBWESB 04

Chapter 04

“Lord Kaiser!!”

As I collapsed, Lyph rushed over to me in a flurry of panic. I tried to push out the hand that had been propping me up against the wall to stop him, but before I could, Lyph swiftly caught my body in his arms.

“Someone, fetch a doctor!!!”

“Lyph… I’m fine.”

Despite my weak shake of the head, people began gathering in a frenzy at his shout. Instantly, the corridor fell into complete chaos.

I knew for a fact that my own complexion must look dreadful, but I had a feeling the color of Lyph’s face right in front of me was even worse. Utterly uncharacteristic of his usual calm self, his frantic, visibly shaken expression was so pale it was actually concerning.

My valet, whom I trust more than anyone else.

The one who has been closest to me since childhood, and the person I rely on most.

With soft, beige-brown hair and gentle amber eyes, he always wears a kind smile that puts people at ease. He is highly capable, excellent at his job, humble, and deeply devoted to his master. Contrary to his soft aura, he possesses a remarkably decisive streak when it counts, and he acts as my absolute shield. He is one of the rare few with whom I can truly be myself and expose my weaknesses.

Though, as you’d expect, I can’t exactly expose the reality of my past-life memories or this raging inner turmoil to him. If I did, I’d probably get shipped straight to a mental asylum…

While our relationship is strictly master and servant on the surface, I consider him my best friend. In my heart, I even call him my “Soul Brother!” just like a certain famous neighborhood bully from a manga.

That very Lyph is genuinely worried sick about me right now.

However__________

However, man!! I’m so sorry!! The root cause of my sudden illness is you!!!

Suppressing the urge to scream out loud, I clamped a hand over my mouth instead.

‘What on earth happened?! Could the remnants of those degenerates have slipped him some kind of drug? No, he shouldn’t have ingested anything suspicious. Lord Kaiser!! Is the doctor not here yet?! What is taking them so long?!’

Voices were hammering and echoing violently inside my skull.

This all started just a few moments ago during the audience chamber assembly__________

While everyone else was intently listening to His Majesty’s address, it happened without warning.

‘What scum. Insects like them having the audacity to trouble Lord Kaiser… they don’t deserve to live. Instead of life imprisonment, they should all just be exterminated on the spot… But with this, they will never see the light of day again. It is a relief that my master will no longer be vexed by them.’

It wasn’t coming through my ears; the voice resonated directly inside my brain.

It was far too distinct to be a mere auditory hallucination, and above all, absolutely no one else was reacting to it. Inadvertently blinking, I caught the name mentioned and the phrase “my master,” prompting me to steal a sideways glance at Lyph.

Ever the capable valet, he picked up on my slight movement instantly.

‘His color is terrible. Could he perhaps be feeling unwell…?’

The voice echoed clearly once more.

Yet, Lyph’s lips hadn’t moved a single millimeter. At that exact realization, a cold sweat broke out across my back.

‘Lord Kaiser is beautiful again today.’

‘Useless bunch of fools, the least they could have done was succeed in assassinating those brats of the ducal house!’

It wasn’t just Lyph. Dozens of different voices began pouring in.

I genuinely thought my mind had snapped.

Because I could hear them. Even though no one was opening their mouths, countless voices were ringing and reverberating straight through my head. It felt so sickening that my legs began to tremble. Waiting just long enough for His Majesty to finish speaking, the very second the audience concluded, I exited the room as swiftly as decorum would allow.

I managed to drag my stumbling legs until I reached a secluded, quiet area…

And that brings us to now. Surrounded by a crowd of people once again, voices are hammering violently inside my head.

It has escalated to a multi-layered orchestra where I can no longer even tell who is saying what. The actual physical voices in the room are mixing with the mental voices echoing in my head, creating a thoroughly unbeautiful, non-stop harmony. If anything, it’s just pure noise.

And amidst it all, one voice resonates with particular force.

“Lord Kaiser!! Please, pull yourself together!!”

Lyph’s hand gently rubbed my back.

‘What should I do?! Is there anything I can do for him?!’

I felt the warm palm against my back. Unlike the venom-laced inner monologue from the audience chamber earlier, both his actual spoken words and the thoughts echoing in my head were undeniably filled with genuine, frantic concern for my well-being. There wasn’t a single shred of falsehood in either his words or his deathly pale face.

But I’m so sorry, man!! I am currently experiencing an absolute, ultra-tier existential crisis right now, so please step back a bit. I am begging you, just lower the volume of your thoughts a smidge.

In the end, all my desperate internal resistance proved futile, and I was carried off to one of the castle’s private chambers.

…I honestly never envisioned a day in my life where I, a fully grown guy, would experience being carried princess-style.

Lying on the bed, I stared blankly into the distance.

A castle knight had picked me up and carried me as easily as a feather. Even though I politely tried to decline, he replied with a perfectly courteous, “You’re so light, it’s no trouble at all,” and carried me right along. The fact that there wasn’t an ounce of malice in his words is what makes it truly painful.

You know, that’s the kind of thing that shatters a man’s pride into microscopic pieces… Yeah, yeah, I’m sure I’m light. To a burly knight like you, a weakling like me is probably nothing more than a sack of potatoes!!

The royal physician was summoned and conducted an examination.

The verdict: completely normal. Well, obviously. If there’s an abnormality anywhere, it’s inside my brain, thank you very much.

Concluding that it was likely psychosomatic or perhaps a sudden onset of accumulated fatigue, Lyph and the others in the room visibly relaxed with relief.

The room I had been brought to was practically overflowing with VIPs. From the First Prince, Tihard, who had accompanied me from the hall, to the Fourth Prince and even the Queen herself, who had dropped by to check on me.

Talk about extravagant treatment.

There was absolutely no way I could tell them the truth: “The reason I’m sick is because I can hear all of your inner thoughts!”

What is going on?! Seriously, what the hell is this?! It’s terrifying!!!

Clutching this massive state of confusion close to my chest, I rested for a short while before finally heading back to our estate. Tihard and the others had suggested, “Why don’t you stay the night at the palace?” but I humbly declined.

I wanted to go home as fast as humanly possible. More than anything, I just wanted to be alone.

Upon arriving home, however, my wish went entirely unfulfilled as I was immediately visited by a small army of servants. And then came the arrival of my precious, adorable little brother and sister.

To be honest, I hadn’t wanted to see them right now… I never in a million years thought a day would come where I dreaded seeing my own siblings.

But think about it—I can hear what seems to be people’s inner thoughts, okay?! If I hear them thinking something like, “My older brother is so annoying,” I will literally burst into tears! I will sob uncontrollably without a care for who sees me!

Completely oblivious to their older brother’s internal panic, the doors flew open with a dramatic BAM!! as my little angels staged a full-on tactical invasion. Their momentum was nothing short of a blitzkrieg.

“Brother!! Are you alright?!”

“Dearest Brother!!!”

Garnest and Beatrix rushed to my side, their faces completely pale with worry. Having likely raced home from the academy the moment he heard the news, beads of sweat glistened on Garnest’s forehead. Meanwhile, Beatrix clung to the edge of the bed and gripped my hand, tears welling up in her wide eyes.

‘Brother Kaiser… you had to push yourself to the limit just because I am so incompetent and powerless…’

I gently patted the head of Garnest, who was looking down with his fists tightly clenched.

No, no, no, it’s not your fault at all. You didn’t do a single thing wrong, Garnest.

‘Please don’t die, Big Brother!!!’

I wanted to reach out and wipe away the tears rolling down her still-childish, soft cheeks, but Beatrix was holding onto my hands so tightly that I couldn’t move them.

No, no, no, I am definitely not dying. It’s not a sickness at all.

“There is no need to worry. The royal physician examined me thoroughly and gave me a perfect clean bill of health.”

“They mentioned it was likely due to accumulated fatigue, so what Lord Kaiser needs more than anything right now is absolute rest.”

As I offered them a reassuring smile, Lyph jumped in with covering fire, gently ushering the angels away. Reluctant though they were, my siblings and the servants finally left the room, leaving behind wishes for a peaceful recovery. However, Lyph stubbornly refused to leave, insisting that he needed to stay nearby to monitor my condition.

I’m so sorry… I love you to death, man, but right now was the one time I desperately needed you to get out.

I just wanted to be completely, utterly alone.

Realizing my wish wasn’t going to grant itself, and being thoroughly exhausted anyway, I decided to push all these complex thoughts to the back of my mind and just go to sleep.

At the very least, my angels proved to be absolute, pure-hearted angels on the inside too—enough to blow all my worries away!!

Holding that single piece of profound comfort in my chest, I drifted off into the world of dreams.