The Darkened Second Male Lead Seeks to Rewrite the Original Storyline (Completed)

The man who had been laughing heartily beside the Duke of Keblick suddenly scooped Ria into a crushing hug.

“Ahk!”

His strength was overwhelming, and Ria let out an involuntary yelp.

“Let me go—”

She was about to push him away when the Duke, standing with his hands behind his back, chuckled warmly.

“You two make such a delightful pair of siblings.”

Siblings? Siblings?!

Still trapped in the man’s bear hug, Ria’s eyes widened in shock.

‘This is the older brother who was off at war?’

It made sense now why he was so good-looking. As the thought crossed her mind, Ria scanned him from head to toe. Yet again, another character who was barely mentioned in the original story had made their entrance.

Despite the late hour, the man insisted on having a small welcome celebration, and soon a modest gathering with drinks was underway.

Ria poked at some fruit with her fork, trying to piece together the name of this supposed older brother. No matter how much she wracked her brain, she couldn’t recall it from the original story.

The household staff all referred to him as “the young master,” and the Duke and Duchess—who might have addressed him by name—had excused themselves, leaving the siblings to catch up.

‘Maybe his name was never mentioned at all?’

That seemed likely, considering even she had forgotten the existence of an older brother in the first place. His role had been that insignificant in the story.

“So, how’s school going these days?”

The man asked with a wide grin, raising his wine glass in what looked like a toast. Ria picked up her own glass and clinked it against his.

“It’s the same as always.”

In the Bycen Empire, anyone old enough to use magic—typically eighteen years of age—was considered an adult. That meant Ria was legally allowed to drink, and this casual offer of wine was a reminder of a detail she’d almost forgotten since her reincarnation.

‘Oh, right. That was a thing.’

The wine was delicious, its smooth bitterness lingering pleasantly as she swallowed. It was so good that she regretted not drinking earlier.

‘Is wine in this world always this good, or is this just really expensive wine?’

Ria made a mental note to start asking Isabel for a glass of wine with her late-night snacks.

“It’s been so long since I’ve had fresh fruit,” the man said in a warm tone. “During the war, meat was easy enough to come by, but fruit was a luxury.”

‘He did just come back from the war.’

Ria looked at him intently.

Byron Evon was also called a war hero, and it seemed that a lot of people had been sent to the battlefield. Perhaps wars were a common occurrence in this world. For someone like Ria, who had never experienced war in her previous life, the thought was unsettling.

“So, are you back for good now, Brother? Does that mean the war is over?”

He widened his eyes slightly, then laughed.

“Are you sure you’re actually attending school? War doesn’t just end. It might pause for a while, but it never truly stops.”

“Ah… that’s true.”

“But yes, I’m back for good. It’s time for me to start preparing to lead the Keblick family. I can’t leave everything in your hands forever, can I?”

He ruffled her hair affectionately. His touch was filled with warmth and love.

Even though he’d been away at war, he seemed to know Ria’s personality well. She had been a wild and spoiled child growing up, but he appeared to trust her deeply. His eyes mirrored those of the Duke—filled with unconditional love.

Ria smoothed her hair, feeling an unfamiliar sense of comfort. She thought of her brother from her original world—a distant, emotionless relationship where they had never shared even a single hug or casual touch.

‘So this is what family feels like. In contrast, those people….’

Her expression darkened briefly, but she quickly shook her head. There was no point in letting people who weren’t even here ruin her mood.

Instead, she focused on observing the man in front of her. If she didn’t figure out his name soon, she might raise suspicion.

The man, oblivious to her inner turmoil, was casually eating grapes with his hands—a sight rarely seen in noble households where table manners were strictly observed.

‘Is it because he just returned from the battlefield?’

As Ria stared at him, she suddenly remembered that Byron Evon, the war hero, had impeccable noble etiquette despite his military background.

‘I guess it just comes down to a person’s nature.’

Nodding to herself, she finally asked the question that had been on her mind.

“Brother, do you happen to know someone named Byron Evon?”

“Byron Evon…?”

The man blinked blankly, like he hadn’t expected the question.

Ria had been meaning to ask ever since she’d heard that he’d returned from the war. Something about Byron made her uneasy.

A war hero, by definition, was someone who had achieved great accomplishments in battle—usually by killing more people than others. But Byron seemed too cheerful for someone with such a history. It felt unnatural, almost as if he were hiding something.

Of course, it might simply have been because he was meant to play the role of a secondary male lead.

“Ah, Evon! Of course, I know him. He was a knight in our order. I heard he joined the royal guard after being discharged.”

The man’s familiar and friendly tone surprised Ria.

“You were in the same order?”

“Yes. At first, he was quiet, almost invisible. But with that pretty face of his, his skills turned out to be remarkable.”

His tone carried a hint of condescension, as if looking down on Byron.

“Brother… are you ranked high in your order?”

The man widened his eyes in surprise before bursting into hearty laughter.

“You could say that. But why do you ask? Do you know him? Handsome fellow, isn’t he?”

It was almost as if he were gauging whether Ria had a crush on Byron. Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, he waited for her response. Ria waved her hands frantically in denial.

“He’s a new student at the royal academy,” she explained.

Her brother raised an eyebrow.

“A knight? At the royal academy? Why?”

Ria pieced together the rumors circulating at school and replied, “Apparently, it’s part of his training to inherit the title of Count Evon.”

“Hm… It’s strange that he would attend school. Surely, with all the rigorous training he’s already undergone as a knight, he’d be more than qualified to inherit the title.”

“You think it’s odd too?”

“A little. It’s unsettling that someone from the royal guard would enroll in school….”

It was clear that not only Ria but others also found Byron’s enrollment to be an unusual and artificial development.

‘Could this really have been done just to insert him into “Throbbing Hearts at the Royal Academy”?’

If that were the case, why did her brother sense something was amiss? Ria’s expression hardened.

The more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed. If other students accepted Byron’s presence without question, then Zen and her brother should have done the same. The fact that some found it odd while others didn’t only heightened the mystery.

‘Is there something about this world I don’t know yet?’

A sinking feeling of unease crept into her chest. Her brother’s face also darkened, as if he were piecing together his own suspicions.

“Isn’t the Crown Prince also attending your school?” he asked suddenly.

“Yes, that’s right. Why do you ask?”

“…I think I should meet him. I’ll visit the academy soon.”

“You want to meet Zen?”

Ria tilted her head in confusion, but her brother offered no further explanation, returning his focus to the grapes and wine instead.

What could Byron and Zen have in common? While her brother tried to act nonchalant, the seriousness in his expression was impossible to miss.

Byron and Zen. The only connection Ria could think of between the two was that they were both secondary male leads in the story.

‘Does he know something?’

Ria stared at him intently, frustration bubbling up within her.

‘But seriously, what is his name?!’

Despite spending over two hours with him during the impromptu drinking session, Ria learned about his order’s insignia, the number of enemies he had slain, and his favorite part of a roasted chicken—but she never managed to learn his name.

At the center of the royal academy’s garden, Ria and Siklaen were enjoying their lunch together.

Even after Zen had interrupted their tea and made his remarks about her becoming the crown princess, Ria had persistently sought out Siklaen to make amends. Thanks to her heartfelt apologies, Siklaen had gradually warmed up to her, and the two often shared meals now.

Siklaen particularly enjoyed eating in the garden, and Ria agreed. The garden offered a much more open and refreshing view compared to the dining hall. The vibrant flowers and lush trees even seemed to enhance their appetite.

As Ria’s eyes wandered to the beautiful flowerbeds, Siklaen, seated across from her, delicately cut her chicken into bite-sized pieces and remarked, “Sometimes, when no one’s looking, I eat grapes with my hands too.”

Ria, still impressed by her brother’s casual eating habits the previous night, had just brought up the topic of nobles and table manners.

“Right? I do the same thing sometimes,” Ria whispered conspiratorially, as if sharing a great secret. The two girls exchanged smiles.

Suddenly, the garden erupted into a commotion. Startled, Ria looked around.

‘What’s going on?’

Some students gasped in awe, others jumped to their feet, and a few even cheered. The sudden uproar made Ria furrow her brows.

Through the excited crowd, someone was making their way toward her. The clinking sound of armor rang loudly, and Ria stood up in shock.

“B-Brother?”

The man whose name she still didn’t know stood before her.

“There you are, Ria.”

Siklaen, also taken aback, quickly composed herself and stood. With graceful poise, she curtsied deeply.

“Commander Hanneman. It’s an honor to meet you.”

“Siklaen! My, you’ve grown so much,” the man said warmly, patting her shoulder with a satisfied smile. Siklaen didn’t seem offended, instead returning his greeting with genuine joy.

The two appeared quite familiar with each other, but Ria was too preoccupied to pay attention to their interaction.

‘Hanneman?’

Hearing her brother’s name from Siklaen’s lips, Ria froze in place.

‘I knew it…!’

“See? It really is him.”

“Is that the Iron-Blooded Hanneman?!”

Exclamations of amazement echoed throughout the garden. Ria’s jaw dropped slightly.

Hanneman, the Iron-Blooded Warmonger. The most melodramatic nickname in the entire Bycen Empire, belonging to the greatest knight in the land.

Her brother, whose name she had struggled so hard to learn, turned out to be the Hanneman.