Trying not to look at the stain on the carpet, Woo Jin backed away.
He was afraid that one more glance at the mess would trigger another episode of anxiety.
It seemed as if Victor's very skin had become saturated with rot. Woo Jin wanted to scream in disgust, but he could only manage a hoarse gasp.
Finding a jug that still contained water, he began to drink greedily. He was ready to drink every last drop to get rid of the disgusting taste of vomit. At least there was no one around.
Woo Jin approached the bed and, sinking onto the dirty sheets, closed his eyes for a moment.
Victor's own memories were fragmented and hazy. Images flashed through his mind only occasionally. He didn't know whether this was the result of years of drinking or his brain simply trying to erase shameful moments.
Finding himself in this world, Woo Jin realized that he was now almost powerless. Given his dire financial situation, he couldn't even take a step outside the door.
For a long time, Victor had done nothing but drink away his fortune and squander his money on gambling.
The situation at home was even worse. It was hard not to notice the hatred the children felt toward him. The way their own father was tearing the family apart, day after day, only fueled their hatred.
"Right, the kids."
Woo Jin snapped his fingers. An idea flashed through his mind that seemed like a lifeline, though in reality it was just a desperate attempt to cling to logic.
In the novel, there were four of them.
Kyle, the eldest, twenty-four years old. The sole knight of the Hellsworth estate, who tried to the very end to defend what remained of the family's honor. He will end the family's torment in the future by piercing the sleeping Victor with his sword.
Evelina, the second eldest, eighteen years old. The only daughter, upon whose shoulders the household rested. If Woo Jin was not mistaken, she secretly sold her jewelry to buy food for her brothers and servants while her father gambled away their gold at the casino.
Ethan, the third child, a fourteen-year-old teenager. He barely ever left the library, hiding from reality among the books. Little was known about him, except for one horrifying fact. Victor hated his passion and, in fits of rage, would burn the boy's hands if he caught him reading.
The thought of Ethan and his burned hands made Woo Jin feel sick, though this time it wasn't from a hangover. As an actor, he was used to empathizing with characters, but Victor inspired only one desire in him: to destroy that body right now. But that was impossible. Now he himself was that monster.
Leon was the youngest. At ten years old, he had never known any father other than a monster. From the moment he was born, Leon had witnessed nothing but violence and abuse directed at his older brothers and sister. To him, Victor was a monster in human form.
"Damn it, how did I end up in this world?"
Covering his face with his hands, Woo Jin sighed heavily.
He had no magical abilities, no allies, not even physical strength in this weak body. Only the knowledge of future events was etched into his memory after hundreds of hours of rehearsals and script readings.
Wu Jin wasn't a hero, but he was an excellent actor. And a good actor never quits a role, even if the script seems like pure hell. Since there was no other way out, he would have to survive under the conditions the author had written.
Woo Jin quickly analyzed the plot structure.
"To save my own skin, I need to save this damn world. And to save the world, I must deprive my children of a reason to kill me. But I have to do it in such a way that they don't suspect a switch."
With his experience, it wouldn't have been difficult. But it's one thing to feign rage during rehearsals, and quite another to keep a straight face in a world that already sees you as a dead man.
The first person he ran into, predictably, was Kyle. His eldest son didn't even try to hide his hatred, his whole demeanor radiating cold contempt.
"Breakfast, right…"
Victor sighed involuntarily, recalling his son's words. It was only the first day, and he was already about to come face-to-face with his future killers.
"Kyle mentioned repudiate."
As if struck by an electric shock, he forced himself to get out of bed. In the novel, that document had been a death sentence. It was the official disinheritance that had been the turning point after which Kyle had ceased to see his father as a human being.
"Where could that bastard have hidden it?" thought Woo Jin, surveying the chaos in the room.
His gaze fell on the table, littered with food scraps and papers. His fingers trembled with revulsion. It took an incredible effort of willpower to touch that sticky surface. Trying to breathe in between breaths, he began to clear away the debris.
Amid the unpaid bills from gambling houses and empty envelopes, he finally spotted a thick sheet of parchment bearing a heavy wax seal. The Hellsworth coat of arms was emblazoned upon it.
At the center of the coat of arms was a crimson rose enclosed within a pristine white circle.
Unfolding the document, Woo Jin quickly scanned the lines. The text was written with particular cruelty.
Victor was effectively kicking Kyle out of the house penniless, transferring all the lands to a distant relative—a man who, in the novel, was known as one of the main antagonists of the second volume.
"Idiot," Woo Jin cursed under his breath.
The document hadn't been sent to the capital yet. All that was missing was the final signature. Perhaps he still had a chance to save himself. It might be slim, but it was at least a glimmer of hope.
Of course, other problems awaited him outside the door, namely, debts. Even remembering the novel's plot, Woo Jin couldn't imagine exactly how much Victor owed and to whom.
Judging by his memories, Victor was too lazy to go to the office, so all the important papers, receipts, and bills were lying around in his office.
"To hell with breakfast…"
Food was the last thing on his mind right now. Breakfast with kids who wanted to see him in a coffin seemed like a walk in the park compared to the noose that was slowly tightening around his neck.
The only right decision was to immediately figure out what Victor had managed to do and try to save what hadn't yet turned to dust.
Opening the double doors, Woo Jin stepped out of the bedroom.
The chatter in the hallway fell silent the very same second. The maid froze in place, clutching the edges of her tray with pale fingers. The servant, who had been casually leaning against the wall just moments before, stood up straight, like a statue. A heavy silence hung in the air.
The servants stared at him as if they had seen a corpse come back to life.
"M-my lord…" the maid gasped, turning pale before their eyes.
Paying them no attention, Woo Jin hurried toward the study.
His body's memory guided him through the dimly lit corridors. Reaching the door, he stepped inside, slammed it shut, and turned the key in the lock.