The Survival Strategy

Even if Rocco, the incompetent villainous younger brother, became the heir, he'd soon be eliminated by others.

Layla's inability to see this only highlighted her role as an unskilled and stupid antagonist.

Driven by this ambition, Layla began her efforts to push Rocco into the heir's position, which included relentlessly tormenting Sylas.

Predictably, Sylas eventually retaliated, leading to a satisfying karma-filled ending where DLayla's schemes backfired.

However, this storyline was an essential part of the novel's early stage—a key event that helped Sylas grow tougher.

While Rocco didn't want to disrupt the story too much, doing nothing would mean his own death.

So, he decided to intervene, skip this event, and save himself.

The plan was simple: protect Sylas, earn his gratitude, and perhaps even curry a little favor from him.

In order to do that, Layla had to be stopped, and Sylas needed to be shielded from her clutches.

But how?

While Rocco didn't care what happened to his obsessive mother, he had to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

To escape from his "bad ending" and make sure that only Layla was removed, he needed a strategy.

Running away wasn't an option.

If Layla was left unchecked, Rocco's death was inevitable.

He had no choice but to act.

Thus, Rocco decided to step into the story himself.

And the plan is...

Deal with Layla, protect Sylas, and leave the plot as soon as possible.

He only had to endure the early scenario of the story.

As long he can pass it he believes he can survive.

This could work. I can do this.

With that decision made, it was time to prepare.

Soon, Layla would send a letter—likely using her family's influence to convince his father—announcing Rocco's sixth birthday party.

That letter would ignite the chain of events leading to the downfall.

...

And so, the story truly began.

For years leading up to his sixth birthday, Rocco had been carefully crafting strategies to avoid his bad ending that was tied up to that fateful party.

Reflecting on those efforts, he was determined not to let them go to waste.

Desperate for survival, he had poured every ounce of thought into a plan.

Now, he neatly summarized it on paper, boldly writing the operation's name at the top in large and decisive letters.

<<The Grand Plan to Suck Up the Protagonist and Secretly Steal His Allies!>>

"Hm…"

He paused.

Wait.

This sounds like something a petty villain would come up with.

Relax.

Rocco took a deep breath.

With a pencil in his hand, he began to refine the details on the page.

The plan, in essence, was this: While currying favor with the protagonist to improve his chances of survival, he would quietly recruit the protagonist's future allies to his side as a backup.

Simple.

Effective.

Even if it also made him seem like a petty villain… well, so be it.

After all.

I'm just a hardworking and desperate side character who is trying to survive.

That's all!