My Glitched World Throne System Came Ten Years Too Early!

The next day quickly arrived.

Roderic woke up early in the morning and immediately got to work.

His first stop was the blacksmiths.

After everything he’d ordered the day before, he wanted to make sure production had actually started without any problems.

Fortunately, everything seemed to be going according to plan.

The furnaces were already burning, hammers constantly rang throughout the workshops, and dozens of newly forged traps were slowly beginning to pile up.

After confirming there were no immediate problems, Roderic headed straight for the training grounds.

There, he spent the next several hours alongside his four retainers.

Frederic, John and Peter had already begun practicing the basics of their new techniques, while Paul was still carefully studying his peculiar manual.

Roderic helped where he could.

At the same time, he used the opportunity to train himself.

By the afternoon, his entire body was drenched in sweat.

But there was no time to stop.

The rest of his day disappeared between checking supplies, speaking with several officials and making preparations for the approaching war.

By the time Roderic finally started heading back towards the estate, the sun was already beginning to disappear beyond the horizon.

Yet even then, his mind remained occupied.

’Baron Deres’ territory is roughly three days away on horseback,’ Roderic thought. ’Five if he brings a large army.’

Maybe even longer, depending on how many supplies and siege weapons they brought.

Then there was still the additional time from the negotiations, which had yet to start but would definitely be coming within the next few days.

’I don’t want to leave anything up to chance, though,’ he thought, rubbing his chin. ’In case he does immediately come with an army, everything needs to be ready.’

Roderic fell silent for a moment.

His gaze remained locked on the large territory map floating in a system window ahead of him.

’Greenfield, Riverwood and Coldwell villages should be evacuated ahead of time.’

All three villages were dangerously close to the routes Baron Deres would likely take.

Hell, Riverwood literally had a road running in a straight line between their territories!

Sooner or later, an army would certainly pass through there.

’I don’t want a repeat of Frederic’s Archive Records,’ he thought, a shiver rolling down his spine. ’There’s no need to have our villages pillaged and our citizens suffer through horrible things.’

Besides, after the villagers were gone... he could do something far funnier with the villages.

A grin appeared on Roderic’s face just thinking about it.

’I can put bear traps in the houses,’ he thought, rubbing his hands together. ’Not to mention the surrounding forests.’

The possibilities were infinite.

A few dozen trees on the road?

Well, some people would be forced to check the surroundings.

Except... the bushes are littered with traps!

Oh lord, then there are supplies.

Want to save some by hunting in the forests or pillaging the villages?

Have fun!

’It won’t be anything that’ll stop them,’ he thought. ’But it sure as hell will make every single kilometer absolute misery.’

And that was only the beginning.

Roderic’s grin began widening further and further.

’If I’m not careful, I might start liking this,’ he thought. ’It almost feels like I’m playing a game.’

Almost, that is.

The lives he’d lost while heading for the gathering were still fresh in his mind.

’Luckily, I don’t need to risk anyone with traps. That might honestly be the cherry on top for me.’

Before he could think any further, someone stepped out of an alley in front of him.

’’Brother!’’

Roderic’s grin immediately disappeared.

As the system window vanished, a familiar small figure revealed himself.

’What the hell is this little twerp doing here?’

Dennis stood several meters ahead of him, seemingly having waited there for quite some time.

The two locked eyes for a split-second.

Then Dennis lowered his head, clearly avoiding his gaze while awkwardly fidgeting with his fingers.

Roderic stared at him with a deadpan expression.

’’Yeah, no,’’ he said, shaking his head. ’’Not dealing with this right now.’’

If the little twerp wanted to beg for the freedom of his mother, he was at the wrong address.

Just as Roderic turned to step past him, Dennis frantically looked up.

’’Wait!’’

Roderic came to a halt.

Behind him, Dennis opened his mouth to speak.

’’I-I...’’

But the words immediately got stuck in his throat.

Roderic waited for several seconds before letting out a deep sigh.

He dragged a hand through his hair and turned back around helplessly.

’’What do you want?’’ he asked. ’’Shouldn’t you be training or something?’’

Dennis didn’t answer right away.

His fingers continued nervously twisting together as he stared at the ground.

’’Well?’’ Roderic pushed.

Dennis swallowed hard.

Then, seemingly gathering every bit of courage he had, he suddenly lowered his head.

’’I’m sorry!’’ he shouted.

Roderic blinked.

’’...What?’’

’’I’m sorry,’’ Dennis repeated, his voice trembling slightly. ’’For everything.’’

Roderic’s annoyed expression slowly disappeared.

For several seconds, he simply stared at the boy.

’What the hell is this now?’ he thought. ’Is he trying to get his mother out through sympathy?’

Dennis still refused to look at him.

’’I didn’t know you were going through so much,’’ he continued. ’’Mother did horrible things to you... and so did I.’’

His hands tightened into fists.

’’She always told me you were useless. That you embarrassed our family and that I should never become like you.’’

He paused, swallowing hard.

’’And I believed her.’’

Roderic remained completely silent.

The cogs in his brain had slowly started turning.

’’I’m sorry for all the horrible things I did and said! I’m sorry for everything I put you through!’’

Slowly, he finally raised his head.

His eyes were already beginning to redden.

’’I’m sorry, Brother.’’

Roderic stared at the kid’s reddened eyes.

For a moment, he truly didn’t know what to say.

’Was all of this legit?’ he thought, a strange expression on his face.

The words replayed through his mind for a moment.

Only now did he realize there was no longer any arrogance or smugness.

Unless he’d somehow become the greatest actor in the world... he genuinely meant it.

’Well, shit.’

Roderic let out another long sigh.

Personally, he truly didn’t give a rat’s ass about the brat.

But there were tons of bad memories from the previous owner of this body inside his mind.

Hell, even now, his body seemed to instinctively want to punch the brat!

But Roderic quickly crushed those feelings.

’I don’t have time for this nonsense,’ he thought, shaking his head. ’He’s a twelve-year-old kid whose mother has fed him lies all his life, and he has the potential to become a Sword Saint.’

’That’s all I need to know. Done. No wasting time.’

Roderic stepped forward and crouched down in front of him.

Flick!

’’Ow!’’

Dennis immediately grabbed his forehead.

As he rubbed the place where he’d been flicked, Roderic opened his mouth.

’’Enough with the grown-up stuff,’’ he said. ’’I’ve accepted your apology.’’

Dennis’s hand froze against his forehead.

His eyes widened as he slowly looked up.

’’R-Really?’’

Roderic nodded once.

With another sigh, he straightened himself.

’’Now piss off,’’ he said. ’’You’re just a twelve-year-old kid. Go train, play around, or whatever the hell you normally do.’’

For a moment, Dennis simply stared at him, almost as if he couldn’t believe it was that easy.

Then, slowly, a small smile appeared on his face.

’’Thank you, Brother.’’

Roderic waved him off dismissively.

’’Yeah, yeah, get lost.’’

Dennis’s smile only grew wider before he turned around and hurried off.

Roderic watched him disappear around the corner.

Then he shook his head.

’I really transmigrated into one weird fucking family...’