Surviving as the Second Main Lead: Second Lead's POV

Horas was not sure if he wanted to embrace the kid in front of him or throw him far away. Howard Spencer’s small body was cute but it was also scaring Horas.

Those eyes looking back at him innocently were making Horas feel a certain kind of way he was not supposed to. He was not supposed to get attached to a kid he did not know but his body was overflowing with emotions.

“Be careful. I think your arms are a little tired kid, so give Howard to me.”

Julie interfered just as Horas was about to let go of Howard’s small body. He did not even feel his arms getting tired in the meantime.

“Ah, be careful. I guess holding on to a kid was too much for little Horas.”

Jack tried to make excuses for Horas and anyone could see that Jack was suddenly interested in Howard again. His eyes had an evil and hungry glint in his eye when he looked at the one-year-old.

Maybe Julie saw it as well because she suddenly took Howard and stood up. It caused Horas to stagger as well since Howard had a hard grip on Horas’s arm. Somehow, it was far too strong for a child to have.

Julie looked surprised as she watched Howard make a fuss when he was being led out. The child was reaching out toward Horas but Horas was pinned to the ground by that harsh gaze.

“Looks like your brother did not want to let you out of his sight. What a cute pair of brothers you both are. I wonder how close you will be in the future.”

Jack’s voice was full of sweet poison as he made the observation. He looked outside the door where Julie was taking Howard away.

Horas could not shake off the feeling of a snake looking at a baby bird it wanted to eat. Jack Hollow’s interest in Howard Spencer was not normal.

Julie came back pretty quickly and her skin loomed flushed. She was also breathing hard because of the small workout she did.

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“I am sorry. You all came so far to meet Howard but the kid is pretty tired now. He even fell asleep as soon as I took him in.”

Julie looked sorry but also determined to see the air go. Horas could tell that it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with Jack Hollow and his interest in Howard Spencer. The man was creepy enough to make anyone uncomfortable.

“No, don’t worry about it. I will bring Horas back around more. We don’t want these brothers’ bonds to fade away over time, right?”

Jack’s slippers and greasy voice full of manipulation spoke. His eyes were smiling but no one could say that he was happy to see the outcome.

Julie's breath was caught in her throat and she could not deny the man in front of her. But she wanted to deny him so hard.

“No, I don’t want to meet my brother again. He won’t be able to start a new and better life if I am around to remind him of his loss. Besides, I have a new life as well.”

Horas only realized how un-childlike he sounded once those words were out of his mouth. Even he had no idea why he spoke like that all of a sudden.

Julie looked sad when she looked at Horas and her eyes were full of pity as well. But Jack’s eyes were silently raging as he looked at Horas. He had started to realize that his persuasion was not working on the kid.

“N-No, you should visit Howard when you have time. I’m sure Howard would be happy to have his brother around more.”

Julie tried to convenience Horas but Horas knew it would be for Howard’s betterment if he did not show up around.

After all, Howard Spencer had no contact with his brother in the original novel until he was older and in the academy. But by that time, they were both nothing more than strangers who knew nothing about each other.

Avoiding the main character was the only way Horas would be able to stay out of danger and live a long life. It would be the only insurance he would have upon returning home.

‘I cannot risk my life for Howard Spencer. No matter how much respect I have for the protagonist, I cannot change myself dying before I go back home.’

Horas had no idea why it was so important for him to go back home, but he needed to go back urgently. Everything in him called for Horas to go back home.

“Well, looks like we were thrown out by Julie. I guess it’s time to go home for both of us. Horas, I hope you remembered what I talked to you about before.”

It took Horas a minute to recall what Jack could be saying this about. But then it clicked in his mind - Horas was talking about not tattling on him in front of others.

“I will not say anything. It was my fault I got hurt after all. And look, I am all better now. I am a strong boy.”

It was killing Horas to be that cringy. He wanted to let Jack know he would keep quiet because it was in his best interest as well but that would just trigger Jakck’s paranoia even more.

It would be better for Horas to try and pretend to be like a kid in front of Jack. That way the ma will lose interest in Horas and would forget all about him shortly.

‘Please believe my childish act. I can’t hold on to my act any longer.’

Horas’s smile was wide and harmless. Thankfully, Jack lost interest in Horas as soon as he was faced with all this childish display. He was not interested in a child after all.

“Alright kid, get in the car. We are going back home now. I hope you had a fun day outside and got to meet your brother as well.”

Horas maintained his smile painfully as he kept on looking toward Jack. it was true that he had gotten to meet his brother, but this day was far from peaceful.

It was stressful and bothersome. It had made Horas feel all ranges of emotions and he was emotionally drained.

The journey back to the Esper’s academy did not take half as long as it took to get there. It was relatively quiet as well and the silence was only broken when Jack spoke up to ask for food choices.

Technically, it had been an outing that lasted for a day and a half. It had been beyond exhausting and Horas waddled inside the academy and toward his wing. He had not even pages Mark to come and get him.

“Horas Spencer, remember what we talked about. And I hope we can be good friends in the future.”

Jack Hollow repeated the same words for the tenth time that day. Horas was getting tired of hearing the same thing over and over again so he decided to not show any reaction.

Luckily, Mark was still awake by the time Horas entered the room. But that was a given since it was not late in the evening yet. The sun had yet to set over the horizon and Mark was more of a night guy anyway.

“Horas, you are back? That was one long ride you took. Anyway, come in and have something to eat. Knowing Jack Hollow, he might have tried to feed you something funny. I hope you were cautious enough not to take him up on his food offer.”

Horas had so much to say to that. He was a growing boy and his metabolism was healthy. Going a day without food was unthinkable for him.

But Horas did not have enough energy to protest when Mark was fuzzing over him. He went to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow and that was it.

Mark watched the kid sleep and brought over a pillow and blanket set.

They did not talk about what happened on Horas’s outing the next day, or even the next year.

When Horas woke up the next morning, he was darn tired but he did his best to make use of what he had. He also decided to finally have a look at the thing he had picked up inside that cave.

The legendary ‘cheat’ that would enable him to survive.

[[[Item code X

Name: ???

Type: Unidentified. Cannot be scanned.]]]

And it turned out to be useless in the end. It was a cheat but Horas did not even know what kind of chest it would be.

There was so much to unpack but the cheat refused to be acknowledged no matter what Horas did. There could only be one reason behind it - it was not the time or it was not an item that Horas could use.

‘Ugh, useless.’

Horas was frustrated that day and this would not be the first time he would be frustrated in this regard. Over the years, he learned a few more things as he grew up. He learned about this world and his capabilities.

But the most important lesson Horas learned was how to cheat the system to survive. And that was how he became known as the ‘Ghost of the Esper.’