ATHO Chapter 41

Chapter 41 – Jade: The First Life (Part 2)

Jade: The First Life, Part 2

Novel Title: 嫌われ者の俺はやり直しの世界で義弟達にごまをする (As the Hated One, I Flatter My Stepbrothers in a World Where I Get a Second Chance)

Author：赤牙 (Akakiba)

Art：古澤エノ (Furusawa Eno)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: シャルル (Charles -MC), リエン (Lien -ML1) & ジェイド (Jade -ML2)

*Please read at novels.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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After explaining our situation and begging to stay, our uncle reluctantly allowed us to stay for a short while, albeit with a visible look of displeasure.

Our uncle’s wife and daughter were similarly unkind, treating us coldly from the start.

We were used to living in a hostile environment, but no matter how accustomed we became, the pain never disappeared.

A few weeks after arriving at our uncle’s mansion, we befriended a servant close to our age. He would talk to us freely, unburdened by any reservations.

“Sir Jade, Sir Lien, you two are too reserved—that’s why the lady of the house dislikes you. You both have such beautiful faces; you should smile more! Smiling is the key!”

Skeptical but willing to try, Lien and I began responding to others with smiles.

To our surprise, as the servant predicted, our aunt and cousin started to treat us more kindly, even initiating conversations with us.

While this development initially pleased us, over time, we began to notice something disturbing beneath their newfound warmth.

As we grew older, the daughter began to touch me at every opportunity. Her fingers seemed to linger, as if seeking something, and it made my skin crawl. Even worse, our aunt would blush whenever she spoke to me.

Realizing that their glances carried a certain inappropriate intent, I began to feel uneasy, even fearful of their supposed goodwill.

“Nii-sama… Aunt held my hand again today… She gave me that creepy smile…”

Lien clung to me, his face on the verge of tears.

“It’s okay, Lien. It won’t last forever… Look, I’ll hold your hand instead.”

“Mm… When you hold my hand, I feel safe. I love you, Nii-sama…”

“I love you too, Lien,” I reassured him, gripping his hand tightly to bring him comfort. He finally smiled again.

If we were driven out of this house, we would have nowhere else to go. We just had to endure this for now…

Whenever something upsetting happened, Lien and I consoled each other as best we could, clinging to the hope of a better future.

As the years passed, however, the aunt and daughter’s demands grew increasingly inappropriate.

Believing this suffering was a trial to endure on the way to future happiness, Lien and I bore the pain and persisted.

Eventually, the dynamic in the household shifted entirely.

Our aunt and cousin came to obey our every word.

After assisting my uncle with his work, I effectively became the head of the household, as my uncle proved inept.

By then, no one in the house dared to mistreat us anymore.

In this twisted way, Lien and I had finally secured a stable life and a semblance of happiness.

No one could oppress us anymore.

And yet, my heart felt perpetually empty.

There was a wound within me that refused to heal, a hollow ache that cried out for something I couldn’t name.

That wound was inflicted by none other than Charles.

Even now, the memory of his hateful blue eyes haunted me.

I had never forgotten him—not once. Lien and I had endured such suffering, and now, it was Charles’ turn to suffer.

With that resolve, Lien and I began investigating Charles’ circumstances.

Far from the elegant life of a noble lord we had imagined, we discovered that the marquis’ household was drowning in debt. Rumors painted Charles as a disastrous lord.

When we learned that the debt was caused by Charles’ uncle, Lyle, we decided to meet him.

At the gambling den he frequented, we found Lyle drinking and gambling away the money he had extorted from Charles.

―――What an easy man to manipulate.

That was my first impression of Lyle.

Feigning interest, we approached him with promises of a profitable scheme, and he immediately took the bait.

“Mr. Lyle, this is just between us, alright?”

“Of course, of course! Man, you’re a lifesaver. My nephew’s been giving me a hard time lately, you know?”

Drunk and loose-lipped, Lyle began spilling secrets, badmouthing Charles at length for refusing to give him more money.

“Charles, you’ve been tormented by such a fool?” The thought filled me with irritation.  

―――Only the two of us are allowed to make Charles suffer.  

Using Lyle, we urged Charles to invest in a mining venture, plunging him into enormous debt.  

The once selfish and arrogant brother gradually lost his manor, his status, and transformed into a pitiful man.  

Every year, without fail, Charles visited our parents’ graves on their death anniversary. That’s when we appeared before him.  

Seeing us, so different from the past, left him in shock. Watching him panic as he realized he had unwittingly taken on so much debt was utterly satisfying.  

But the best part was when he groveled on the ground and kissed Lien’s shoe.  

When he tried to do the same to me, I refused. His watery blue eyes wavered with unease.  

Those eyes… that expression…  

―――You’re incredible, Charles.  

Knowing we had wounded his heart and engraved hatred for us into it filled me with an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.  

“Nii-sama, we’ve finally avenged ourselves against Charles, haven’t we?”  

“Ah, indeed we have.”  

As I sipped wine and recalled Charles’ despair-ridden face, a smile spread across my lips.  

“What horrors await Charles next, I wonder?”  

“Well, he’s a slave now, so he won’t be treated like a human, that’s for sure.”  

“Wow, I’d love to see Charles being whipped and sobbing.”  

Lien downed his wine and spoke with delight. Listening to him, I too imagined Charles’ fate, a grin tugging at my lips.  

As we reveled in tales of Charles’ downfall, Lien leaned his head on my shoulder.  

“Hey, Jade Nii-sama, we’re happy, aren’t we…?”  

“Of course, we’re happy.”  

“Heh, right? We’re happy…”  

When Lien nervously rubbed his forehead against me, I embraced him. He looked relieved.  

―――We’ve become happy.

Lien and I whispered those words to each other over and over, as if to confirm them. It felt like a curse…  

After reducing Charles to slavery, I took on the role of lord.  

Leaving our uncle’s house to focus on our duties, we returned to the manor.  

“It’s nostalgic, isn’t it, Nii-sama…”  

“Indeed.”  

The days spent in this manor held only painful memories.  

But from now on, Lien and I would live happily here.  

As we threw ourselves into the responsibilities of lordship, we managed to protect the Wahlman estate. A year flew by in the blink of an eye.  

Yet even in that time, thoughts of Charles never left my mind.  

His final moments would surface in my thoughts unexpectedly—his sorrowful expression, his trembling blue eyes filled with fear and despair.  

Despite having cast him into hell, despite no longer needing to care, the resentment I’d harbored for 15 years wouldn’t simply disappear. His presence lingered in my mind like a thorn in my heart.  

The fulfillment I’d felt then was gone, leaving me empty once more.  

Days passed without understanding the reason, until the night of the Wahlman family’s first soirée under my lordship arrived.  

I invited Charles’ former wife, Marianne, to the soirée.  

I had to meet her.  

How would the woman whose life was ruined by loving Charles speak of him?  

I wanted to hear her words of resentment, to see her face twisted in hatred.  

I thought hearing those words would fill the void inside me.  

On the day of the event, I attended to the guests while searching for Marianne. Eventually, I spotted her with her brother.  

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*Translator’s Note: It’s not mentioned in the story, but I can deduce after reading that it was subtly suggested both Jade and Lien were sexually abused by their aunt and cousin. . -K

*GLOSSARY: 

• Nii-san/Nii-sama/Onii-san = (Big/Elder) Brother

☝🏻I’ll be using these throughout my translation. Jade would call Charles ‘Nii-san’ while Lien would call him ‘Nii-sama’.

Next update: 2025.10.04

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