Regressor, Possessor, Reincarnator

“Can’t you see there’s something wrong with him?!”

Bang!

Allen slammed the table despite his father being present. It was disrespectful, yet his father remained silent and stared back coldly. Just as Allen was about to part his lips, his father softly asked in reply,

“Allen. Are you Allen Reinhart, or my son Allen?”

Allen couldn’t understand the purpose of that question. Allen and Allen Reinhart. Both of them were him. It couldn’t be separated or understood differently.

“…Your son Allen is me, just like Allen Reinhart is me.”

“Right.”

His father grinned cynically. 

“In that case, if the two can’t be differentiated… Does it matter which one it is?”

“I don’t underst…”

Allen couldn’t comprehend any of that. 

“You see…”

His father spoke with a soft smirk. 

“I am willing to do anything for the success of this family. Even if that means…”

The lamp died and a shadow fell over his father’s face.

“…The devil takes over my son’s body.”

Allen couldn’t see his father’s face at that moment, but…

He could tell his father was smiling.

* * *

I was a bad brother. Yes, a pathetic older brother who envied his younger brother. So to me, Julius was nothing but a competition for the position of heir. His jolly personality contrasted with my rigid personality, and his outstanding magic talent made me feel inferior. As a result, I didn’t like him.

It was an obvious result, since even the servants compared us. I grew sick of the comparisons that started before I could even remember. 

“Allen, if you are free, will you—”

“No, I’m not.”

Even though he did nothing wrong, I was always annoyed with him. 

“Hehe, nevermind, then.”

I despised my brother, yet my brother liked me. That’s why I still remember. 

The day my perception of my brother changed. The day I decided I’d live on for him. The day he gave me a grimoire when I was disgruntled from losing a battle with him. 

“Allen, I got my hands on this new grimoire…”

I was excited internally, but I yelled at him, saying I didn’t need it. But he still handed it to me and ran out of the room.

I didn’t want to read it, but after flipping through a few pages out of curiosity, I became completely engrossed in it. 

When I left the room a few days later, I wasn’t even mad anymore from the thrill of reading a new grimoire. I looked for Julius to thank him, but the news I heard back instead was shocking. 

“The Second Young Lord apparently lost the grimoire that Grandelle, the grand sorcerer, was working on…”

I hurriedly went to Father with the grimoire, but it was already too late. Grandelle was furious with my brother and destroyed his circle. 

The grimoire I brought eventually settled things. But what’s done couldn’t be undone. 

Julius must have expected to be punished for taking Grandelle’s grimoire, but he probably didn’t expect his circle—which was practically a sorcerer’s life—to be destroyed. 

‘That fool. Taking such a reckless action just to make me feel better.’

That was the first time I ever saw him cry. 

And from that day on, he changed. He indulged himself with liquor and women and grew violent. Even so, he tried to act alright in front of me. 

The Second Young Lord who was benevolent and kind to everyone was gone. All that remained was a ruffian hiding his true, rotten self away.

‘But why? Why?’

“What do you think you’re doing here?”

This place was only permitted to those affiliated with House Reinhart.

‘Who are you? Why? How?’

“It’s not a place for someone like you.”

The training ground went silent at Allen’s voice.

As I entered, Julius slowly turned towards me. The face of my brother. But it was a different person inside. 

“Ah, Brother.”

He was sweating, seemingly training with the soldiers. His restricted breathing and movements…

As well as the scent of mana. 

The last strand of hope Allen had of Julius still being in there died immediately when he sensed the magic power coming from his brother’s core. Julius had a talent for magic and kept active, but he didn’t enjoy training.

‘But come on, swordsmanship? Hah.’

“This isn’t like you. I expected you to be drowning in liquor like usual. Why are you out here?”

“Haha… Allen. I’m trying to be a better man.”

The bastard chuckled and scratched his head. 

That sight of him infuriated Allen. Julius would never chuckle like that. 

As a noble—and because he was noble—Julius paid close attention to his words and actions and was way too clever for his age in social situations. To avoid pressuring the soldiers, he would avoid visiting them unless it was necessary and always used their exclusive training court instead. 

‘How’d he expect not to be discovered when he’s acting this differently?’

Allen looked over to the knights in the training ground. They had guarded Julius long before he changed. They were the ones that would notice even the smallest changes in his breathing, gait, and attitude. Yet the very ones who made an oath to serve him—

“Hah.”

—turned a blind eye to this.

The bastard approached with a grin on his face. 

“Anyways, what brings you here…?”

“Forget it. I find it unnecessary to tell you.”

Allen turned and walked away without waiting for Julius’s answer. 

Years had passed since. 

As if trying to prove he was changing, Julius made many accomplishments. He found several undiscovered dungeons and prevented disasters from occurring, as if he knew the future. Coincidentally, he even saved a young lady from danger and found talented people who didn’t even know they had talent. Above all, he made connections with the royals and strengthened the family’s stature. Rumors said he traveled the world now and continued to prevent disasters. 

Father finally accepted him and started praising Julius as if he were his biological father. 

Allen loathed the whole situation. 

‘Do the others know? What he does behind that mask. How he views people.’

It wasn’t obvious to the untrained eye, but Allen could see it. The hideousness he hid behind that smile.

While Julius grew famous, Allen only did one thing. No, it was the only thing he could do. 

‘Study magic.’

The servants started talking about how the First Young Lord had gone mad for magic or that he had ventured into the forbidden magics, but Allen didn’t care. That much humiliation no longer had an effect on him.

“Too many have forgotten you.”

Most of the people of the manor started praising Julius’s accomplishments as if they had forgotten the real Julius.

And their father?

Their father didn’t care if Julius was his real son or not. He was blinded by his greed and desire for power.

As for their mother?

She was a lost cause, ever since Julius started lavishing her with luxuries. She used to be a humble person, but those luxuries were more than enough to change her. Now, she would abandon her duties to be a part of high society.

And the knights?

Even the ones who knew Julius had changed started following him, just because of his glamorous achievements. Once one started to follow, the others followed with ease. 

‘If I, your brother, can’t save you… who would, now? So…’

“Hold on a little longer.”

* * *

* * * 

Allen proceeded with his studies. 

Conjuration, dimensional studies, soul separation, soul resurrection, contract studies, summoning contracts, teleportation, and more. He studied a wide variety of fields. 

While doing so, he looked for cases similar to Julius’s, but it was a fruitless endeavor. The only cases close to this were possession by demons or ghosts. 

Allen even secretly invited a priest to confirm that Julius was not possessed, so Allen grew more impatient. 

He needed more data. 

Way more. 

“Fuck!”

There was too little information. Actually, it was his own capabilities that stalled the progress. If he had a little more—just a tiny bit more creativity—he would have finished the spell. 

Allen had already changed the goal of his research a long time ago. If whoever was inside Julius couldn’t be identified, perhaps it would be better to have the soul and body separated. From then on, the research made progress and was now on the final step of completion. 

However—

“Not talented enough, am I? Ha… Hahaha.”

After everything he had poured into this research, only one little obstacle prevented him from reaching his goal. The family’s support had all transferred to Julius, and since Allen only stayed in his office, he was no longer considered a suitable heir. He spent his last penny on this research. 

“If I fail in this… If I fail…”

‘No one would remember Julius. And whatever he commits in Julius’s body, the consequences would all be Julius’s to bear.’

Allen wouldn’t be able to prevent that, and he couldn’t allow himself to let that happen.

As he nervously looked around the office, a red book caught his attention. It was a demonic contract grimoire he coincidentally acquired while searching for spells on contracts. Black magic was the only field Allen was hesitant to look into.

“The devil…”

‘Demons only trade. If he didn’t wish for something too grand… If he only wished for a little inspiration…’

“Perhaps it’d be alright.”

He was shocked at how his words slipped out. However, he couldn’t deny the fact that he was tempted. Allen looked into the mirror.

A wrinkly, silver-haired man looked back at him. Despite still being in his twenties, the life he spent on this research made him look like a middle-aged man. 

Allen clenched his jaw. 

‘Yes.’

“I’m the one who ruined your life, so now I must be the one that saves you, right?”

Allen picked up the red book and snickered. He didn’t have a choice anymore. 

* * *

Evil was repaid with evil. And the final cost of a deal could even be death. Allen chewed his lips and despaired.

“Devil! Isn’t this enough? I have already sacrificed a lot!”

He had thought that just a little sacrifice would be enough. However, he had to sacrifice many times what he expected. And by what he had heard, Julius had started investigating. 

As his heart raced from anxiety, the devil who was slicing up another piece of flesh spoke.

“Alright… This will do. Contractor, you have…”

Just as the magic circle began to glow scarlet red and the contract was about to be made—

Burst—

“Of course… It’s you.”

The bastard who barged in scanned the room. The floor was flooded in blood, and there was a pile of skulls on the altar along with unidentifiable pieces of flesh. Julius parted his lips as if he had expected this whole thing. 

“…I know you have been getting loans from the merchants under my name.”

Behind him stood holy knights and priests all wearing the same appalled expression. 

“But still… I let it slide since we’re family, after all.”

As soon as he heard the word, Allen couldn’t retain his anger. 

“If I knew you would have used it like this—”

“Family? You, my family? What about all the hideous things you’ve done? What have you done to Julius?! You thought I wouldn’t notice?”

“…What do you—”

Allen scoffed at the bewildered look on his face.

“Did you really, genuinely think your act was perfect? That you tricked Father, Mother, and the knights? And me? Hah, hah.”

While the bastard was flustered, Allen shouted.

“Devil! Finish the contract!”

Allen knew the devil was done with all the preparations the moment the door had broken open. The devil was probably just waiting for Allen to die so that he wouldn’t have to make the contract. 

“Keke, fine. Contract made.”

The devil pressed Allen’s head with his bloody hands, and his head filled with what he wanted most—the little piece of inspiration. As soon as his head cleared up, he embodied it with his magic power. His magic power swirled and formed a translucent sphere. 

“S-Seize him!”

The holy knights and priests moved at his words, but it was already too late. 

‘No.’

“You aren’t too late.”

Stab—

Allen sensed the cold blade pierce through his heart. The bastard was standing in front of him. 

‘Yes, so you have talent equivalent to my brother.

‘But I…’

“…calculated it.”

Blood poured out from his heart. Allen turned pale, but his smile was radiant. 

“It would be unbrotherly of me not to know my brother’s talents.”

He transmitted all his remaining life into the spell.

“What’d you say?”

The bastard moved away, but Allen’s blood already formed a barrier that would hold him for a moment. 

‘Would it be able to hold him for a few seconds? But that much is…’

“So…”

‘…Enough.’

“Goodbye, you fucking…”

Allen closed his eyes. 

“…Outlander.”

The effort he poured in for this moment as well as his memories flashed before his eyes. 

And—

“For Julius…”

A kind, playful, and talented soul.

“…My dead brother.”

…For Julius Reinhart.

The translucent light turned into a sword. And with the stroke of Allen’s hand…

“…Cunt!”

It split him in half. 

Then, along with a sound of a crash, blue smoke escaped Julius’s body. At that exact moment, something struck into the body. Allen looked at the twitching body and closed his eyes in peace. 

[You must… kill…]

He felt like he heard something. When he opened his eyes again…

“Allen? Why are you still standing there?”

“…You.”

The bastard stood in front of him, smiling.