I, Who Only Had Effort as a Virtue, Reincarnated as a Talented Yet Lazy Villain

—My sister is unbelievably adorable.

Allowed back at the main estate, I found myself playing with my sister, Sakura, in her room.

“Ani! Ani!”

Sakura giggled innocently as she called out to me. She was incredibly cute.

It had been a year and a half since Sakura was born. By the way, her first word was “Ani.”

“Sakura~ That’s right, I’m your big brother~”

“Ani! Ani!”

“I see, I see! You really like your big brother that much!”

I lifted Sakura and nuzzled my cheek against hers. She was just so incredibly cute! I hadn’t had siblings in my past life, so this was a deeply joyful experience.

As we played, our mother, Yuna, entered Sakura’s room and smiled.

“Hehe, you two get along so well.”

“Yes! Sakura and I are best friends, right?”

I looked at Sakura and said, and she responded with cheerful laughter.

I’ll say it as many times as needed: my sister is the cutest in the world.

“Sakura only says ‘Ani,’ so Father got upset.”

“…Um, s-sorry about that.”

“Hehe, but that’s okay for him.”

Mother’s wry smile carried a certain weight.

Apparently, Mother had opposed pushing me away. However, Father insisted on my reform, which led to three years of separation.

Still, even if Father had made the same decision now, the guy who was here before I possessed him probably wouldn’t have reformed. After all, he had behaved recklessly during those three years of separation. It wasn’t unreasonable to think that way.

Father’s decision created some tension within the family. While it was a bit pitiful for him, allowing Sakura to be taken away wouldn’t have been wise, so things remained as they were.

“Haha!”

Sakura pointed at Mother and said, capturing her attention.

That single word made Mother immediately captivated. She approached Sakura and gently patted her head.

“Yes, it’s Mommy!”

“Ani! Haha!”

Sakura pointed once more, showing recognition.

Could Sakura be a genius…?

Perhaps Sakura was exceptionally intelligent? (I’m biased as a parent.)

However, I now understood why my previous parents had insisted on kendo. I felt the desire to teach her various things and see her try different activities. But I had to suppress that urge and adopt a more balanced approach, teaching her when she showed interest, rather than forcing it upon her.

Ultimately, the previous me, before I possessed him, was probably subjected to one-sided imposition of roles and behaviors by Father, which might have led to his rebellious behavior.

As my mother, Sakura, and I continued to play, Baran entered and said,

“Lord Benno, it’s time for your special training.”

“…Already? Okay, I’m coming.”

It was a bit regrettable, but I enjoyed special training just as much.

This body could move freely and develop limitlessly. It had been two and a half years since I started special training, and I sensed the potential for further growth.

“Do your best, Benno.”

Mother’s encouraging smile made me even more determined to give my best effort.

“Yes, I’ll do my best, Mother.”

I nodded and left for the garden to begin special training, just as I always did—or rather, with even greater determination.

***

Time passed, and another six months went by. I was now heading to the capital to attend the academy.

Sakura seemed to sense my departure and started crying loudly.

“Ani, Ani~!”

“Sakura~! I’m sorry, but big brother has to go!”

Even though I would come back every six months.

As I dealt with that, Father spoke up in a cold tone.

“Hurry up, Benno. Time is precious.”

Lately, Father had been sulking due to Sakura’s lack of attention toward him. It was pitiable, but leaving her with Father meant there would be no future for any of us, so I had to leave her be.

“…Alright, Father.”

However, I had to admit that it was indeed time to go today. So, I nodded and boarded the carriage.

Baran had taken the role of the coachman, while Father, the maid Akari, and I boarded the carriage.

“Well then, have a safe trip.”

Mother waved goodbye. I waved back and headed toward the capital.

During the journey, Father apologized to me with a hint of regret.

“…I’m sorry, Benno. I… couldn’t trust you. Yuna scolded me, saying I should have believed in you more.”

I widened my eyes upon hearing those words, looking at Father.

I didn’t really think Father’s judgment was wrong. But how many fathers would openly admit their mistakes and apologize? There probably weren’t many.

“No, Father’s judgment wasn’t wrong. Even if I hadn’t realized it, I would have continued to go astray.”

I said that, but it seemed that Mother had spoken to Father about various things, as he started talking with a downcast tone, revealing his feelings bit by bit.

“It makes me happy to hear you say that, and I can truly sense that you’ve changed. However, as a parent, I realize I was wrong to push you away. Being a parent isn’t just about holding down what’s wrong; we should also show the right path and encourage you to follow it. That’s what Yuna told me.”

Certainly, Mother’s words made sense. Suppressing what’s wrong doesn’t lead anywhere, and children can become lost. So, it’s important to show them a better path and encourage them to follow it. I understood that perspective.

But Father was just a human being too. Moreover, he was still quite young, not much different from my past self. There would certainly be plenty of mistakes.

And so, I said:

“Father, even so, I still respect you.”

Ultimately, parents grow along with their children. What’s important is not to avoid making mistakes, but to repair them multiple times, make amends, and establish a relationship where you can acknowledge each other.

In my past life, I failed at creating that kind of relationship. We couldn’t speak honestly to each other, became fixated on surface-level matters, grew to dislike each other, and ended up in a relationship beyond repair.

So, I decided to convey my true feelings—not to flatter Father with words or deny what I believed to be wrong—simply that I respected him.

Father’s eyes widened as he looked at me.

“…I see. You’re kind. I might not have known anything about you.”

Father said remorsefully.

To that Father, I smiled and said:

“If you don’t know, then you should know from now on. I don’t have anything in particular that I don’t want my father to know. –Ah, no, it’s a little hard to say about my propensity.”