The Beast’s Castle
It was another perfect day. While others slaved away under the midday sun, I was sprawled comfortably on my bed, humming contentedly to myself. With the latest novel from my favorite author in hand, I felt like I was in paradise. Chuckling now and then, I eagerly turned page after page. My nanny, cleaning my room with increasingly annoyed glances, finally couldn’t hold herself back any longer.
“Young Master Briel, do you really intend to spend yet another entire day lounging around and reading?”
“Ah, Nanny, perfect timing! Could you bring me some more biscuits?”
“Good heavens! I’ve told you repeatedly not to eat on your bed! Those biscuit crumbs leave stains everywhere. Do you know how exhausting it is to wash sheets every single day?”
At this rate, I could tell her nagging was about to escalate into a full-blown lecture. I reluctantly dragged myself upright.
“Fine, fine. I’ll read at the desk.”
“And stop eating so many biscuits! You barely move as it is—what if you start putting on weight? If your handsome face grows a double chin, I’ll burst into tears!”
“Yes, yes.”
Just because I was too lazy to move, I’d ended up being scolded. Still, this was nothing to fuss about. Having someone to handle all my chores was already a blessing. On top of that, there was even someone else out there earning money for me.
Now that I think about it, this life is truly incredible.
Indeed, there was no reason to hide it—I was living my second life.
My previous existence had been painfully ordinary. I’d been a young man from Korea, scraping by with part-time jobs just to cover rent and basic expenses while struggling to land a stable job. It had been normal, yet exhausting.
But now? I was the youngest son of an immensely wealthy merchant who’d made a fortune in international trade. My life was guaranteed to be carefree, a dream where I could spend every waking moment indulging in leisure if I wished. And as if that wasn’t enough…
“Honestly, I still can’t get used to this.”
A broad grin spread across my face as I glanced at the mirror on my desk.
Honey-blond hair that shimmered like liquid gold and striking emerald eyes gazed back at me. The reflection belonged to a boyishly handsome young man whose good looks could easily land him the center position in an idol group.
It was my face, yet even I thought it was a waste to let it rot away idle in this mansion.
Of course, in my previous life, I would’ve scornfully called someone with such perfect features a pampered pretty-boy. But when that very face belonged to me, well, that changed everything.
“Young Master! Please come out quickly—your father has returned!”
“Father?”
Ah, right on time—the very person earning money for me had returned home. Naturally, I had to greet him properly.
When I reached the first floor, I found my older brothers already swarming around our father.
“Father, what took you so long?”
“Did you bring my gift?”
Seriously, was that all they could say to our family’s breadwinner after his tiring journey? It seemed I had to demonstrate proper etiquette.
Flashing a bright smile, I pushed past my brothers and rushed to my father.
“Father, welcome back!”
“Oh, my youngest boy!”
“You arrived later than planned, so I was getting worried. I’m relieved you’re home safely…?”
Wait. Safely? Was he really alright? Looking closely, he definitely didn’t seem fine. Sure, a bit of dirt and grime after a long journey was understandable, but even considering that, my father looked unusually disheveled.
“Did something happen?”
“Ugh, don’t get me started. There was an accident on the way home. Near the border, my horse suddenly panicked on a narrow mountain road, and I was thrown off.”
“What? Are you okay?”
“Fortunately, I landed in a bush, so the injuries weren’t severe. Unfortunately, the goods I was carrying on the horse were lost. Thankfully, since I was alone scouting a new business location, the loss wasn’t terribly significant.”
“Oh, wait—then what about my gift? You said you’d get me that snow leopard coat! Did you lose that too?”
My second brother truly had no sense. Our father had just fallen off a horse, and here he was immediately checking for his gift.
Sure, even I felt a pang of disappointment knowing I wouldn’t get the novel I’d been waiting for, but showing it outright wasn’t exactly professional. Catching Father’s irritated glance at my brother, I quickly chimed in with the response he clearly wanted.
“Father, your safety matters more than some coat.”
“Exactly! Without you, how would we survive? None of us even knows how to work,” my eldest brother added bluntly.
My eldest brother’s honesty was a little too direct. He wasn’t a bad guy, just painfully straightforward.
Of course, while inwardly sympathizing with my brothers, I wasn’t exactly virtuous myself, outwardly playing the devoted son.
To be honest, calling him Father feels formal; we don’t really have that family bond, so what can I do?
He felt more like a superior or employer rather than family. Like those bosses who never explicitly demand respect but somehow still make you feel obligated to impress them.
Moreover, Father gave off a strong “department head” aura. The stereotypical boss from dramas who loves to drink and recounts endless stories about “back in my day.”
Despite these private thoughts, Father seemed genuinely touched by my display of filial piety.
“Thank you for saying that, my boy. You hear that, second son? You could learn a thing or two from your younger brother. Is a coat really more important than your father?”
“What? Who said that? You came back alive, and that’s all that matters!”
Father shook his head, clicking his tongue at my second brother’s disrespectful comeback. But his irritation vanished instantly when my brother wrapped around his arm with exaggerated affection.
Truly, Father was hopelessly indulgent with his sons—or maybe just hopelessly indulgent overall.
Unlike Father, who was ordinary in appearance, my siblings and I had inherited our mother’s remarkable beauty. Although I’d never met her—she’d passed away before I reincarnated—she was apparently well-known in town for her stunning looks.
Our dinner that evening, with everyone home for the first time in a while, was especially extravagant and joyful. The atmosphere stayed warm and harmonious throughout the meal. Just as I was heading back to my room afterward, Father called me aside.
“Briel, come to my room for a moment.”
“What! Why only him? You’re secretly giving him something special, aren’t you?”
“Just come inside, Briel.”
Ignoring my second brother’s childish whining behind me, I entered Father’s room, wearing a triumphant grin.
See, brothers? This is how you handle things. You should’ve been nicer to our cash cow.
“Sit down for a bit.”
“Yes, Father.”
What could he want with me? Was he really planning to slip me something special? Such obvious favoritism would be slightly uncomfortable.
Despite that thought, my eyes involuntarily lingered near Father’s hands, but disappointingly, he sat down empty-handed.
“So, are you still spending all your days holed up in the house?”
“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad! Even I get bored sometimes. Occasionally, I go out for walks, do some shopping, or meet friends.”
“I see. Still living that way, then?”
His emphasis on “still” felt distinctly negative. All three of his sons idling around the house wasn’t anything new, so why bring it up now?
“Why do you ask all of a sudden?”
“Actually, there’s something else. Earlier, I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want everyone to worry, but I hurt my leg when I fell off the horse.”
Ah, I knew something had seemed off. Falling from a galloping horse—even onto grass—couldn’t leave him completely unharmed.
“Oh no, is it still hurting?”
“I’m fine now. But at the time, I couldn’t walk down the mountain on my own. Thankfully, someone was there to help me.”
“Who was it?”
“It’s still hard to believe, even as I tell you. Just listen carefully.”
Father’s story unfolded like this:
He’d been clutching his injured leg, stranded alone on the dark mountain, when he suddenly spotted a strange glow. Dragging himself toward it, he’d discovered an unexpectedly large mansion hidden deep in the woods. The mansion’s owner had heard Father’s story, tended to his wounds with medicine, and even let him stay until he’d recovered—all without asking for anything in return.
“We shared meals and talked quite a bit. I realized he was a very knowledgeable and admirable person. Even beyond repaying my debt, he’s someone worth maintaining a relationship with. So I promised to repay him somehow.”
“That’s amazing.”
It was genuinely a heartwarming story, and intriguing as well. But did he really have to tell only me?
Confused about his intentions, I stared blankly until Father finally got to the point.
“So, Briel, I’d like you to run an errand for me.”
“Me?”
“Yes. He practically saved your father’s life—I can’t send just anyone.”
“Well, um…”
From his explanation, the mansion was deep in the mountains near the border, a trip of about three days. Including the return journey, it would take at least a week.
A whole week. To put it plainly…
“That sounds like a pain.”
Ah, my honest thoughts slipped out.
But I couldn’t help it. Home was best, after all. Leaving home inevitably meant unnecessary suffering.
Father, however, must have anticipated my resistance because he swiftly offered a tempting alternative.
“I’ll provide our best carriage. Spend freely on food and accommodations along the way. Didn’t you recently say you wanted fresh seafood?”
“Fresh seafood does sound good.”
I felt a bit tempted. While our chef was skilled, ingredient variety was limited due to preservation challenges.
It’d be fantastic to enjoy fresh sashimi with some soju. Unfortunately, though, this world probably didn’t have anything resembling soju.
That quickly dampened my enthusiasm again. Seeing my hesitant expression, Father urgently threw in another offer.
“As extra compensation, I’ll double your allowance next month.”
“I’ll head out as soon as possible, Father!”
How did he know I’d already exhausted my allowance on new book releases this month? I appreciate you so much, my dear boss—wait, Father.
Father visibly relaxed at my sudden eagerness and smiled contentedly.
“Good. I’ll arrange everything, so depart early tomorrow morning.”
“Tomorrow morning? That soon?”
“Why wait? You’ve had plenty of rest at home already.”
He wasn’t wrong, so I couldn’t exactly argue. Still, it felt somewhat unfair. Everyone knows idle people have the busiest schedules.
But wait, maybe this was actually good timing. Gary had become increasingly annoying lately, so stepping away for a week wasn’t a bad idea. Perhaps he’d regain his senses by the time I returned.
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
“Good. Briel, my dear son,” Father said solemnly, clasping my hands tightly.
“I trust you.”
“Huh? Oh, sure. Don’t worry, I’ll handle it well.”
Did he really have to be so dramatic? It was just a simple errand, but anyone watching might think I was heading off to war.
…Why did that thought suddenly make me feel uneasy?
