I Decided To Abandon My Family In My Seventh Life (Dropped)

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Prologue: At the End of My Sixth Life

―I have never been loved since the day I was born.

I was born as the eldest son of “Jacob Glenville,” the head of the “Glenville” Marquess family, who rules over the eastern part of the “Saunzankrein Empire.”

However, my mother, “Eva Norfolk,” the daughter of the “Norfolk” Border Earl, passed away right after giving birth to me, as if trading her life for mine.

Originally, my father and mother were nothing more than a political marriage for the interests of their respective families, so when my mother died, my nursemaid joyfully told me, as a child, that my father shed not a single tear. He merely looked down at my mother’s lifeless body and the crying infant me beside it.

So, my father married the daughter of the “Hill” Baron, “Angela Hill,” as his second wife, as if his duty had been fulfilled.

And not even six months after my birth, my father and second wife had a son, my younger brother, “Louis.” In other words, they must have had that kind of relationship even when I was in my mother’s womb.

In contrast to my time, my father seemed to rejoice greatly at the birth of my brother. Two years later, my sister “Anna” was also born, and my father, stepmother, younger brother, and sister formed a picture-perfect happy family.

Meanwhile, I was driven to a distant mansion, where I lived alone with only a nursemaid and a few maids assigned to me, leading a lonely life.

I only had the chance to see my father once a year, when my grandfather, the Border Earl of Norfolk, came to visit.

However, even my grandfather had never exchanged a single word with me, merely glancing at me. So, whenever my father and grandfather met, I would just stand there like a doll.

My stepmother, my father’s second wife, also despised me, and every time she laid eyes on me, she would berate me. At times, she would even whip my back and legs under the pretense of discipline.

In contrast to me, my younger brother and sister were showered with love by our parents and grew up in happiness, arrogance, and conceit.

And thus,

“Brother, I accidentally broke the vase that Father cherished. Could you apologize in my place?”

Such occurrences were commonplace in our daily lives.

Why should I be the one to stand in for my brother? Despite such thoughts, my choice was clear.

“Yeah… I understand, Louis.”

As I picked up the shattered pieces of the vase, I smiled and nodded. Of course, my position within the marquess family played a role, but even more so,

…I wanted to be a part of the family.

By taking his place, my brother might come to admire me. Knowing that I had broken it, my sister might even worry if I was hurt.

I continued to accept my brother’s burdens, dreaming of such insignificant and improbable scenarios.

Despite what awaited me—imprisonment, a month of confinement in a dim and damp barn-like place without even a window—I still longed to be acknowledged as a family member.

That’s why I kept putting in every effort to better myself.

However, unlike Louis and Anna, I wasn’t given the opportunity to learn academics, swordsmanship, or etiquette.

So, I would secretly sneak into the library, stealing moments to read books, or I would hide and watch as Louis and Anna received lessons in studies and swordsmanship from their tutors, learning on my own in secret.

I had an abundance of time, and there was plenty of it to elevate myself.

And so, continuing to improve myself, the summer of my fourteenth year arrived.

For some reason, I found myself in a duel with a member of the knight order serving the marquess family. However, everyone in the marquess family knew that I hadn’t been trained in swordsmanship.

Still, I was set up for this duel… seemingly at my stepmother’s request, perhaps desiring to witness me being hurt.

But… just maybe, if I were to defeat this knight, my father might finally acknowledge me. With that thought in mind, I threw myself into the fight with all my might.

“I… I yield!”

The knight conceded defeat, prostrating himself on the ground. I looked down at him with eyes full of anticipation.

“Haha… With this, Father will finally look at me, won’t he?” I thought as I turned my gaze toward him.

…And he was indeed looking at me, nodding in satisfaction!

I was overjoyed. I trembled with elation.

Ah… With this, I can finally become a part of the family.

Afterward, my talent for swordsmanship was acknowledged, and I was soon placed under the guidance of a mature man.

I was rigorously trained, no mercy given regardless of how much I bled or cried… and I became an assassin.

From then on, I systematically killed anyone who posed a threat to the marquess family. Regardless of age, gender, or social status, I eliminated them thoroughly.

Yet, every time, I felt a sense of joy. Because in those moments of taking lives, I felt like a true member of the family.

Continuing these assassinations eventually led to my father gaining control over the Saunzankrein Empire… only to execute me as the perpetrator of a series of noble murders.

― That was my first life.

◇

After my first life ended, I awoke on the morning before the duel with the knight, lying in bed.

Though I was initially bewildered by the situation, upon seeing my youthful face and posture reflected in the mirror, I finally realized that I had returned to the past.

Therefore, learning from the mistakes of my first life, I intentionally let myself be defeated by the knight. Of course, the assassination skills I had acquired in my first life were still intact, and I could have killed the knight at any moment.

But… if I were to do that, I would never be accepted as a true member of the family.

So, I continued to endure the knight’s attacks while avoiding vital areas, ultimately surrendering.

Seemingly satisfied with this, my stepmother rose from her seat with a smirk, leaving the room with a smile.

Haha… Maybe my stepmother will look at me a little differently now…

Afterward, I decided to build myself up through academics rather than swordsmanship. This way, perhaps I wouldn’t be seen as detestable, being an assassin.

So, I continued my self-guided studies, delving into subjects such as history, business, law, and even imperial studies. Eventually, I became capable of discussing and reciting almost all the books present within the marquess family’s collection.

Now, it’s about how to gain recognition from Father, and I decided to do so by taking the role of assisting my younger brother.

For that purpose, I first approached my brother and gained his trust by completing assignments from the Imperial Academy he attends.

As a result:

“Haha! Thanks to you, big brother, I got the highest score on the assignment!”

“I see… that’s good.”

Yeah… it seems my brother has accepted me as his elder brother. As evidence, he started relying on me for everything at the academy, including assignments.

Of course, for exams and such, I took them in his place as a stand-in. Even in situations like this, the disguising skills I acquired from my first life as an assassin came in handy.

Continuing such efforts, my brother even entrusted me with attending the academy on his behalf. Gaining his trust was rewarding, but above all, experiencing school life as his brother was truly enjoyable.

Being able to study as much as I liked and having people I could call friends, even for someone like me…

However, all of this belonged to my brother’s life…

While questioning this lifestyle, I continued to live as my brother’s substitute.

And then… as we reached the age of eighteen, when we were about to graduate from the academy…

I was poisoned to death by my brother, Louis.

― That was my second life.

◇

In my third life, at the age of nineteen, I was killed as my stepmother set fire to the distant mansion where I lived.

In my fourth life, at the age of seventeen, I was torn apart and killed by a magical beast my father had illegally obtained, used as a playmate for my sister’s whim.

In my fifth life, at the age of sixteen, I was mistaken for my brother and assassinated.

And now… my sixth life begins.

“…Hugo, you have been sentenced to execution for the crime of attempting to overthrow the state. Tomorrow at noon, you will be executed.”

I received the death sentence from my father, standing before me, in a prison cell located in the deepest underground of a facility where only top-tier criminals of the empire were held.

“But even though you’re useless, Hugo… You can still offer up your life for the Glenville Marquess family, for Louis… and ultimately, for the sake of our family’s honor. Consider it an honor.”

In this life, I decided not to do anything.

Neither becoming an assassin and taking lives for my father, nor raising my reputation as a substitute for my brother.

For my stepmother, for my sister, for my grandfather, for the family, for the nation.

Regardless of these considerations, I ended up spending my time in idleness.

My purpose was to die as a substitute for my foolish brother, who had done something equally foolish.

“Hahaha…”

“…Hugo?”

No… laughter is welling up within me.

I had hoped, when the man I admired and my father figure appeared before me, that he had come to save me. I had hoped that my father, in his final gesture, would acknowledge me as a member of the family.

Ahh… What was I seeking?

It’s pointless to pursue such things.

“Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!”

“…Finally lost your mind, huh?”

Lost my mind? Oh, yes.

I’ve already broken.

I don’t need… a family anymore.

And so,

“!?”

I thrust the concealed dagger into my own chest.

“Haha, Hahaha… Next… I’ll definitely…”

“…”