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The Villain's White Halo (Novel) Vol. 1
Hao Da Yi Juan Wei Sheng Zhi
4.6
Lout of Count's Family (Novel) Vol. 1
by Yu Ryeo-Han
Published Sep 3, 2024
Categories
About this book
Kim Roksu wakes up in the body of Cale Henituse, a notorious, wine-loving wastrel within the pages of a fantasy novel he once read. Knowing that the original Cale is destined to be beaten to a pulp by the story’s actual protagonist, Roksu adopts a simple, strategic goal: avoid the plot, survive the chaos, and secure a life of endless, wealthy leisure. However, his desperate quest for tranquility is thwarted by his own foresight.
By preemptively securing powerful artifacts and resources to insulate himself from danger, Cale inadvertently draws the attention of those who desperately need his help. His path to a quiet life becomes hopelessly tangled with a growing, eccentric found family, including a traumatized baby dragon and two mysterious, shapeshifting kittens. As Cale uses his intimate knowledge of the world’s events to manipulate outcomes in his favor, he finds it increasingly difficult to remain a bystander.
The more he tries to sideline himself, the more he becomes the central figure in a brewing continental conflict. In this battle of wits against destiny, Cale discovers that the harder he runs from the spotlight, the more securely he is bound to a future he never wanted.
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What readers are saying
AelvanaMisunderstandings, Found Family, and Great Adventure
"Kim Roksu only got five volumes into Birth of a Hero before falling asleep--and waking up as Cale Henituse, the minor villain the protagonist Choi Han beats up on his way to starting his adventure! Since Cale is not a fan of being beaten to within an inch of his life, he decides a few small changes to the plot can't hurt . . . and finds his dreams of a lazy life as a rich layabout are somehow getting farther and farther away. This is one of my favorite stories, and I'm so happy to see it's finally gotten an official English release! Cale is a unique protagonist. He's unapologetically selfish, lazy, and entitled, yet he's also unable to turn his back on the suffering, and unwilling to put someone else in a position where they'll be harmed. Unless they deserve it, of course. He hates work so much he refuses to learn swordsmanship or magic and instead opts to collect Ancient Powers---a kind of historical relic the book's characters never got much use out of, but might help a weakling like Cale if a situation turns sour. Over the course of this volume, he collects a number of people either in need, or whose goals simply work well with his purposes, and starts a chain of machinations that will alter the face of the world. Cale is very much more of a chessmaster than a player---he prefers to create the plans and then issue orders, but he's also not above doing what he can on his own. (One of the funnier instances of this is when he creates search teams for the plaza, and assigns himself the role of drinking at a local bar. When one of the party members tries to protest, she realizes that everyone, including Cale himself, agrees he'd be useless.) There is NO ROMANCE in this series. Personally I find that a huge plus. Cale ends up more in a dad role to two kittens and one very young dragon, and is well on his way to building solid friendships with a number of other characters, both men and women. It's also refreshing that secondary characters by and large have their own personalities and goals, and Cale is simply appealing to their own inclinations to get them moving in the way that he needs. For the lonely, he provides friendship (and not only with himself). For the ambitious, opportunities. And for the villains? Endless frustration. Choi Han is also interesting, as Cale has an outsider's view to a very typical protagonist. Here's a 17-year-old kid who got thrown into a fantasy world in the middle of a very dangerous forest, then had to survive for decades before he started on the story's adventures. Cale never tries to undercut his strength, or steal anything that Choi Han would acquire. He can see the emotional journey that Choi Han is taking, and if Cale's actions shortcut some of the trauma, what's the harm? He's simply helping a little. And Cale completely fails to acknowledge that his actions are starting to make a much bigger impact on this wayward hero than he ever planned. Because that's the main attraction of this story. It's full of misunderstandings. Other characters misunderstand Cale, whether by his plot or by accident. Cale misses some clues that the readers pick up on. But there's also a layer where the readers are being misled by the narrative Cale is telling himself. Look at what he says. Then look at what he DOES. Cale likes to lie, even to himself. This particular volume covers the first segment of the journey, although irritatingly it cuts off in the middle of the plaza arc. I still recommend it wholeheartedly, and the cliffhanger hits before any of the action gets started, but it does end before the rising tension gets a chance to pay off. Before we get to that point, however, there are a few other arcs that do get completed, and they also serve to build up the ongoing story. Highly Recommended. ["
September 5, 2024 Verified Purchase
C.L.A solid start
"This writer has a real knack for holding a reader's interest; the translation is also clear and skillfully done. I do think they ought to have titled the book "Lout of a Count's Family" and am puzzled as to why they went with their more awkward alternative. ["
July 4, 2025 Verified Purchase
A. LopezAmazing Novel!!
"I have been waiting for this novel to come on print for a while and it’s great to have it in my hands now The story is amazing, definitely recommend reading the series As for the book’s quality, it’s not bad but I was expecting more given that it is form seven seas… it was a shame to not have this series getting the same quality of paper as others from this printing house Still, it was a good purchase and I definitely recommend you get it! ["
September 30, 2024 Verified Purchase
Marina LechugaAbsolutely fantastical!!
"I love this series so much and was over the moon when it got an official english translation. Found family stories with fantasy action and magic are some of my favorite genres and this series has them all and delivers them splendidly. The characters, the setting as well as the story progression are enjoyable to experience as a reader in this world. Highly recommend for a good read with an unforgettable fantasy story. ["
April 15, 2026 Verified Purchase
