The Extra Villain's Second Chance: A Hero's System-Chapter 18 - 17 - Harmonious Family

With a quick motion, Lev tilted his head slightly to the side.

If he had been even a fraction of a second slower, his face would have been hit by the plate and splattered with food. Fortunately, his reflexes were still sharp enough to dodge it.

Did being in a younger body improve his reaction speed? He wondered silently.

Crash!

The plate filled with food shattered into pieces as it hit the wall behind Lev. Shards of plate made of clay scattered across the marble floor, accompanied by chunks of meat and gravy.

'Such a waste of food.'

For Lev, who had once struggled to find food in the midst of war, seeing good food rolling on the ground was almost like witnessing a serious crime.

"Hey, what are you doing? Didn't you hear that Father wants to say something? How dare you interrupt him!"

Boris, who had risen from his seat, pointed at Lev and spoke in an angry tone.

Seeing Boris's hand, which looked like it had just thrown something, it seemed that the person Lev had just accused of committing a serious crime was Boris—the one who had hurled a plate full of food at him.

"What's with that look? You think I'm scared of you?"

Despite Lev's sharp gaze, Boris no longer averted his face like he had during their encounter in the banquet hall earlier.

"Enough, Boris! Let me finish what I want to say first. You can deal with him after I'm gone. Just wait a little longer."

As tensions began to rise, Andrei intervened and stopped Boris just as he was about to throw another plate of food.

"B-But, Father—" Boris tried to argue, but he ended up snorting when he saw Lev exhale as if relieved that his father had stopped him. "Seems like you're really scared," he said to Lev.

In reality, Lev was relieved because he had managed to save the food on the plate, not because he was afraid of Boris's anger.

Seeing the atmosphere calm down, Andrei continued, "Due to the unexpected outcome of Lev's coming-of-age ceremony, I've decided to hold another party next week."

Andrei spoke with a pretentiously mysterious expression. His posture and tone also seemed very authoritative.

Perhaps sensing her husband's strange behavior, this time it wasn't Boris or Lev who objected to Andrei's statement, but Irini.

"What's the occasion for this party? As far as I remember, there's no celebration next week. If it's for Boris's coming-of-age ceremony, isn't that still next year?"

"Why are you so panicked? No need to pretend to worry about our family's finances. Don't worry. I'll buy you a few new dresses and a necklace for the party."

As if knowing that his wife was pretending to worry about the family's finances, Andrei glared at Irini sharply until he finally managed to appease her.

Irini's gaze seemed to say, if you're going to throw a party that costs a fortune, at least spend some of that money on me.

'As expected from a woman obsessed with luxury items,' Lev thought to himself about Irini's obsession with jewelry, clothes, and other extravagant accessories.

When Lev observed the interaction between Andrei, Irini, and Boris, his past self would have thought that they were engaging in a normal interaction typical of a harmonious family.

'Sometimes, ignorance truly is bliss.' Lev swallowed the last piece of meat before sipping his apple juice.

Unlike his past self, Lev now saw their interactions in a different light: it was all about fulfilling their own selfish desires.

Boris here wanted to assert his superiority over Lev.

Irini here only wanted more money.

As for Andrei, he wanted to announce that he was taking a concubine... yes, you heard that right, a concubine. The purpose of the party next week was to announce Andrei's future concubine.

In this world, people could indeed take more than one partner. However, they had to possess significant power and influence. In other words, only high-ranking nobles with great strength could take more than one wife or husband.

Andrei seemed to be hiding the fact that he wanted to take a concubine.

Honestly, Lev was curious whether Irini would throw a fit or simply allow Andrei to take a concubine.

In his previous life, during the announcement ceremony Andrei had planned, Lev had been dragged out of the Razanov family gates. So, he never got to see Irini's reaction.

'When in my previous life the announcement party became the event where I was expelled from the family, then this time, I'll turn that party into the downfall of this family.'

The scene of him screaming in madness, banging on the closed iron gates until his hands were covered in blood, and the scene of him crying over Greda's corpse, killed in the chaos he had caused—all of it flashed through his mind.

Lev's gaze shifted to Greda, who was standing not far from his seat.

"Hmm?"

"Is there something wrong with my face, Young Master?"

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"... No."

What Lev was paying attention to wasn't Greda's face, but the full-armored soldiers standing around the room. They nodded in unison as if they had received some kind of secret instruction.

When Lev wondered where they had received such a secret instruction, it turned out that the person giving them the order was Boris—evident from the way their eyes were focused on him.

When Lev's eyes met Boris's, Boris's lips curled into an even wider grin.

Strangely, Andrei and Irini had already left the room. Only Boris remained, sitting with a mocking smile.

"You didn't hear what Father said? He no longer cares about you. In other words, I'm free to do whatever I want to you."

"Is that so? I think I understand what you're trying to do here."

"So what if you know? It's true that I'd lose to you in a one-on-one fight. But you don't think you can win against all these soldiers, do you?"

Boris burst into loud laughter as if releasing all the frustration he had been holding onto. "All of you, capture my older brother's nanny!"

The first order Boris gave was unpleasant to hear. Who would have thought he would resort to taking hostages?

Two of the eighteen full-armored soldiers grabbed Greda's arms and shoulders. They stood on either side of her, ensuring the hostage couldn't escape.

It was a bit strange to see them restraining Greda, considering she could barely stand without hunching over and using a cane.

"Let go! What are you doing?"

Greda struggled fiercely.

As you might expect, since Greda had no physical strength, she couldn't break free.

Seeing Greda's futile resistance, which could potentially break her old bones, Boris laughed maniacally. "Hahaha. Are you angry? Get angry! Did you think you'd always be the most respected person in this family? Who told you to fail your coming-of-age ceremony! Now, you'll kneel before me. Every day, every moment."

Boris stood up and kicked the chair he had been sitting on. He spread his arms wide in the air, acting like he had just won a world championship.

On the other hand, Lev watched Boris calmly.

"Why should I be angry? There's no need for me to waste my anger on you, my dear younger brother."

Lev stood up and slowly walked toward the two full-armored soldiers holding Greda.

In each of Lev's hands was a fork. He gripped the handles tightly as if what he held were deadly weapons.

[Swordsmanship skill - activated.]

Without saying much, Lev stabbed both forks into the eyeballs of each of the full-armor soldiers who holding Greda as a hostage. Lev attacked simultaneously. When Lev withdrew both forks from their eyes, fresh red blood oozed out of their helmet armor.