Surviving as a Plagiarist in Another World

Kapeter Duke’s Proxy, Anthony.

Anthony Kapeter was the heir of a ducal family, one of the few remaining in the Empire that governed a duchy.

Because of the immense duties and workload involved, he had undergone extensive education and gained various practical experiences from a young age to prepare for inheriting the duchy.

That is, until the Duke of Kapeter suddenly abandoned his territory and embarked on a knightly journey.

“This must have been quite troublesome for you…”

“It wasn’t too troublesome. It was a bit disconcerting at first, but I got used to it over time… Although, even now, after several years, there are still areas I don’t fully understand, so I end up learning as I work. Also, as a ‘proxy’ Duke, I sometimes need additional documents to handle certain tasks… Haha… Yes, that’s how it is.”

Perhaps because of this, the dark circles under Anthony’s eyes were reminiscent of the ‘Chief Mage.’

Even while talking, he occasionally furrowed his brows and pressed his temples as though he was exhausted.

“The reason I came to see you, author, is that I heard you have a way to contact my father… the Duke.”

“You’ve written about my father’s travels… and there have been testimonies claiming that my father was sighted whenever you organized events. So, I thought, perhaps if I came to you, I might find a way to locate him.”

“Ah, I see.”

Contrary to Anthony’s expectations, I didn’t have any way of contacting the Duke of Kapeter.

There were occasions when the Duke would show up unannounced, but I couldn’t think of a reliable method to find him. Oh, perhaps the Magic Tower might know.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have any means of contacting the Duke either.”

“Is that so? Haah…”

Anthony let out a deep sigh, closed his eyes tightly, and pressed his philtrum as if he was dealing with a headache.

Then, as if feeling suffocated, he muttered under his breath.

“I really need my father to return soon…”

“Hmm, I’ve heard you’ve managed the territory well for nearly ten years… Is there a pressing reason to find the Duke now?”

“…The Empire is conducting a qualification review this year. Despite postponing it as much as possible, if this continues, the ‘Kapeter Ducal House’ will remain only as a name in the archives. The Imperial Court and the Central Council are eagerly waiting for a chance to centralize all territories under their direct control…”

“Ah, I see.”

“Of course, the Empire will offer fair compensation for acquiring the territory, and the Kapeter Duchy could even declare independence from the Empire. However, the people of the territory would not wish for independence. The Empire, too, would not tolerate such indulgence. I… do not want to end the legacy of my family due to my incompetence.” ʀ𝖆ɴǑʙƐȘ

“Well, with the Duke being absent for ten years, it’s understandable that the Empire would question the Kapeter family’s qualifications to govern the territory.”

“No.”

“Excuse me?”

“That’s not the issue. Even if my father neglected the territory for a hundred years, if someone capable managed it and brought prosperity, the Empire would maintain the duchy. The Empire’s authority cannot take precedence over the lives of its citizens. It’s solely due to my incompetence that things have turned out this way.”

“……”

“I am a more inadequate person than my father. Recently, I’ve been making even more mistakes than when I first took over the territory. Sometimes, I find documents with my signature, yet I have no recollection of signing them. Other times, I lose my temper without reason and scold administrators working hard alongside me. I even misread documents, leading to misunderstandings with officials… Yes. That is the kind of lacking individual I am.”

Anthony Kapeter spoke with self-reproach, clutching his chest as though in pain.

His tightly shut eyelids trembled slightly, revealing his inner turmoil.

“You’re sleep-deprived.”

“…What?”

“Memory loss, forgetfulness, sudden irritation, reduced concentration, excessive anxiety… These are all symptoms of sleep deprivation.”

This man.

It was obvious he looked like someone who worked tirelessly, staying up every night.

“Are you getting proper sleep these days?”

“…I sleep as much as I need to. About four hours a day…”

“Ha.”

Four hours of sleep every day for ten years?

Even a manual laborer performing repetitive tasks would inevitably make mistakes in such a condition.

“Anthony.”

“…Yes.”

“You’re going to die at this rate.”

You’ll really die.

I know because I’ve died before.

Humans.

If they work without sleeping, they die!

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[The lion wiped his tears with the tip of his tail and said, “When something dangerous happens… my heart beats too fast.”]

[“You probably have a heart condition,” said the Tin Man.]

[“Maybe you’re right,” the Lion replied.]

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When I explained the importance of sleep, Anthony countered, claiming it was nonsense.

“Hah, but my father could handle everything perfectly even without sleep. He would stay up for several nights in preparation for events and still always seemed energetic. This is just because I’m lazy—.”

“The Duke of Kapeter is practically a superhuman, isn’t he?”@@novelbin@@

“I too am a knight, before being a noble.”

“Practicing swordsmanship and building muscles doesn’t make your mind healthy.”

“But…”

“Just get some proper sleep. For a few days. At the same time every day. At least eight hours.”

It’s common sense that you can’t do anything properly without proper sleep. The notion that ‘eating well and sleeping well is good for health’ exists in every era.

The problem is that many people fail to differentiate between ‘health’ and ‘mental well-being.’

Even in the 21st century, when sleep medicine is well-advanced, there are still people who proudly say things like, ‘You have to study on four hours of sleep a day to get into college.’ Many people can’t distinguish between focus and diligence.

Diligence is, of course, a virtue.

But virtue doesn’t guarantee efficiency.

“I’m healthy. I’ve been regularly receiving blessings from the Kapeter Archbishop Priest… and I always keep potions from the Alchemy Workshop on hand.”

“You’re going to drop dead at this rate.”

In my previous life, I had thought like Anthony—‘I’m relatively healthy, so I should be fine’—and ended up dying of overwork. Caffeine and taurine don’t guarantee survival.

I’ll say it again.

If humans don’t sleep, they die.

“I’ll… think about it. For now, I’ll deal with the urgent matters of the territory first… If I have the luxury, I’ll consider increasing my sleeping hours…”

“…….”

“Still, I am the owner of the territory, am I not? For the lord to finish work later than the officials would be a sign of irresponsibility… Everyone is struggling together, and since there are still areas where I am lacking, I believe now is the time to make an effort. Please don’t worry too much about my health…”

“…….”

“And, if you do get in touch with my father, please ask him to return to the territory as soon as possible. I’m begging you…”

“The Duke of Kapeter mentioned that he believed Proxy Duke Anthony had more than enough capability to govern the territory.”

“Haha… Did my father really say that? He must have overestimated me. Parents always tend to see their children as geniuses, after all.”

Well.

I haven’t met the Duke of Kapeter often, but the one I know wasn’t the kind to overestimate anyone.

Rather, he was someone who could never become a Don Quixote.

Because he saw everything exactly as it was, he was the kind of person who would journey across half the Earth and into space in search of something bigger and deeper. That was the ‘Duke of Kapeter.’

In that case, wouldn’t his assessment of his son also be trustworthy?

“Hoo… I understand.”

Still, giving more unsolicited advice would have been out of line.

In the end, I simply nodded.

“If I happen to meet the Duke of Kapeter, I’ll relay your message.”

“Yes! Thank you!”

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[“But that’s not right. The King of Beasts cannot be a coward.”]

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Kapeter Duchy. Proxy Duke Anthony’s bedroom.

Sitting on the bed, finishing up some paperwork placed on the bedside table, Anthony called for his attendant and gave an order.

“Wake me up exactly four hours from now… No, I’m running a bit late finishing up my work. Make it three hours.”

“Yes, understood.”

The attendant nodded as if it were a familiar command.

After the attendant left the bedroom, Anthony lay on the bed and closed his eyes, attempting to sleep. His mind replayed fragments of his conversation with Homer from earlier.

“If people don’t sleep, they die. Get some good rest. For a few days. At the same time every day. At least eight hours.”

Anthony knew well that he was sleep-deprived.

His head felt foggy all day, drowsiness hit him suddenly even while walking, and his head constantly ached. There was no way he could be unaware of it.

However, he was the proxy lord of Kapeter.

If he were to stop working simply because of sleep deprivation, the officials under him would bear several times the burden. If the burden on the officials increased, administration wouldn’t function properly, and eventually, the duchy would crumble and be swallowed by the Empire.

So.

Even if he were to suddenly die one day.

He had to stay awake.

“For the citizens to sleep peacefully at night, the lord must always remain awake. That is the responsibility of a ruler.”

After all, Anthony had seen it himself.

Ever since his mother, the Duchess of Kapeter, lost her life to a Night Parade of Monsters…

The Duke of Kapeter had stayed awake every single night, eyes wide open.

For years.

Not once, not even for an hour, had he laid his head on a pillow.