Reincarnated As The Dying Villain

Chapter 11

"Why are you glaring at me Marcus? What are you doing wasting time with this thing here? Don't you have work to do? I heard from elder brother that you've been slacking off recently.", said Mikhail in a strict tone.

Marcus's sharp eyes became reverent. He said respectfully, "I'm sorry, second brother. I will work hard.".

"You're not a child anymore Marcus, don't waste your time on useless things. Time is precious."

"Yes, second brother."

After saying this, Mikhail started to walk away. Mason felt like he needed to thank him for saving him or else it'd be ungrateful of him. So he ran behind him before he could walk further away and said, "Thank you, second brother for helping me."

Mikhail paused and didn't turn his head to look at Mason. He coldly said, "Stop causing trouble for Marcus and the staff around the house. Let them do their work. They are not as jobless as you.". After relying his message, he walked off without looking back.

Mason never thought he was seriously causing trouble for Marcus. He thought Marcus hung out with him only when he was free. Immense guilt spread through Mason's chest. He turned to Marcus and apologized repeatedly for being inconsiderate. Marcus wanted to say that he didn't mind but looking at Mason's hurt expression, he knew he would only make him feel worse if he said that.

Marcus headed back to work and Mason to read books in the library.

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The words said by Mikhail that day held so much weight that the time Marcus and Mason spent together became almost became non-existent. Their meeting time of nearly 3-4 hours became mere greetings when they bumped into each other.

Even Jadon felt bad looking at Mason sitting alone all day. He was either reading books, painting or just lying down. After seeing Mason being talkative to Greta, Marcus, other staff and himself, the Mason who almost said nothing looked like an illusion. Before Mason's sudden change more than a month ago, he would atleast throw tantrums now and then. But now, he was always quiet. His eyes empty and actions slow as if he weren't in the right state of mind.

The other day Jadon saw a bruise on Mason's leg while he was wearing shorts. He tried asking Mason about what happened but Mason just replied with, "It's okay, you don't have to worry about me. I'm okay."

He was suspicious of the other kids bullying Mason in school after recalling Mason telling about some stuff that occured before, so he informed the duke of the injury. The duke dismissed that saying no one would dare to bully the son of the duke and he might've just fallen down while playing around. Jadon also mentioned about Mason being too quiet for a 12 year old child which was labeled as an attention seeking tactic by the duke.

Jadon hadn't seen any other bruises or injuries on Mason. Mostly because he didn't have the chance to since Mason started to dress himself, more than a month ago. He just had to pick and place his clothes on a place he could reach. Thereby, he just accepted the duke's words as the truth and didn't dig into it anymore.

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Tired and painful. Mason always felt tired and painful nowadays. He used to be tired and in pain in his previous life too. He used to work himself to the bones so much that his body always ached and felt painful. He barely got any sleep because of the jobs he used to work so he always felt tired and sleepy. But this was different.

It had only been a little more than a month since Mason arrived in this world. Eventhough he should be feeling unaccustomed to this world, it didn't feel unfamiliar. Maybe because Mason inhabited the memories of the original, he had a strange sense of deja vu.

He didn't want to talk, eat, get out his room, move or even exist for that matter. He missed his old world. The other day when he met Mikhail, somewhere in his mind he already knew that he was going to be scolded. He was afraid of Mikhail not because he was a war lord but because he was Mikhail, his elder brother.

The fear he felt every time in front of his father was no joke either. The more he saw him, the more the fear instilled deep within his heart emerged. Like the phobia had always been there in him but was covered by the memories of his previous life.

Things in school were getting out of hand. His assignments and notebooks were torn into pieces, his desk was scribbled on, his chair was drenched with some kind of liquid whenever he came to sit down and he was pushed around in the name of playing.

When will this stop?

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Mason walked towards the terrace, to hide again. School was over and everyone was heading home while he was busy running away. A bunch of kids were searching for him. Mason would have fought back if he had the strength to but he was significantly smaller, in size and number, than the bunch. Zilon and some other noble kids had taken off to prepare for the birthday event of the twin princes. Even if they didn't like it they had to select and present the best gifts they possibly could for the twins.

The devils were catching up and Mason had no energy to run faster. He had skipped lunch in school ever since he came to this world. He didn't really eat much during other times too, since he felt nauseous eating beyond a certain limit. He walked towards the old store room where Zilon and Mason met secretly, hoping to hide there without being found out. But luck was not on his side today.

He entered the room hastily when the kids rushed in behind him too. As soon as Mason reached the dead end, the kids began to laugh and shove every piece of old furniture and instrument onto Mason. Mason tried to dodge but was singled out in front of the others. Old broken furniture fell on him as he tried to catch them desperately. Mason made no sound until a huge broken table was pushed onto his left leg directly. *crack*

Everyone there heard the terrible noise of something breaking. They all looked at Mason simultaneously.

Mason gasped and grunted, his breathing heavy and eyes misty. His body began to tremble and he lied flat on the ground. He felt intense pain that made him want to yell out. His throat tightened in pain and despair.

"Sto- stop. Please... help"

The kids around him paused for a minute before they panicked. They looked at each other until one of them ran away in terror. Following the girl who ran away first, the others fled too. The last boy left, who was also flustered, ran out of the room too. But as if something stopped him, he came back.

"Ple...please ....don't leave.... help.... please", Mason cried out.

The boy looked at Mason with a complicated gaze. Mason's face scrunched up in pain. He looked as if he was going to cry or pass out the next moment. Anxiety and dread filled the boy. He came to the door and locked the old store room from the outside and left.