Notes

-SQQ is an evil chancellor
-Leacherous comments on NYY ("Oh how... pretty you are."). Turns out he just likes cute things. Beware cute bunny rabbits and fluffy cushions.

-Typical story of a hero child prophetized to kill the Demon Lord. Evil chancellor impeding progress at every turn.
-Truth: Yeah, resting the country's wellbeing on CHILD LABOR leaves a bad taste in SQQ's mouth and he wants to stop him from leaving due to that. Takes the Unchosen Hero trope to the extreme.
-NYY is LBH's L.I. and childhood friend (also resident idiot ball) [L.I. GET]
-YYX is the resident muscle, met after a Shenhe plot. (Local big bad powerful demon refusing to let the town go unless it has sacrifices.) [Musclehead GET ]
-Heroes need to travel by boat, howverr, evil chancellor forbids any boats from traveling in a port town because there's aparently "a kraken" there. Chalked up to the demon lord messing up things. Oh yeah, and SQQ got a free pass through the restrictions. What a jerk.
-Truth: Yeah, there is A KRAKEN that just so happened to MIGRATE there at the same time demon lord shinanigens is happening. Purely coincidental.
-Mingming is resident bully/constant mini boss. Apparently he got employeed by SQQ not long after LBH's story began. Evil flocks together ig. [Rival bully GET]
-Truth: You'd not have an employee for long if you employeed LBH, as resident hero-ing and later being a celebrity tends to make it hard to do any sort of work. MF has high magic potential, eager to learn, and a good head on his shoulders when it doesn't involve LBH.
-A couple of thugs tries to kill LBH. They were apparently hired by SQQ.
-TRUTH: SQQ was framed. That dastardly gov. official did it. He found of LBH was a demon and wanted to kill him for it. Try better next time.
-SQQ killed his benefactor. Can you believe it?
-Truth: His sponsor was a lecherous pervert and was going to do unsavory things to him if he didn't fight back. Honestly, the world's better off without him.
-"Luke, I am your father." Only demons can use dark magic, and LBH can use dark magic. Why? Because the demon lord's his father! TLJ and mom had a very happy relationship until, while mom was out grocery shopping in the capital city with baby LBH, she was killed. LBH was free from being kidnapped or killed too, instead being adopted by a nice old woman. Now the demon lord wants to avenge the murder and destroy all of humanity. Oh, and the person who killed the mom? SQQ. Cue showing SQQ tortured beyond belief.
-Truth: SQQ was framed! It was instead that nice government official that let LBH escape from the city that actually killed mom, because he considered mom betraying humanity by "colluding with demons". Also the one that murdered SY (supposed to be YQY)
-Why does the king keep SQQ around anyways? He's done so many bad things throughout the story yet he keeps letting him get away with them!
-Truth: 1. SQQ is really damn good at his job (see: all the truths for stuff). 2. Feels guilty for indirectly killing his little brother because, oh yeah, HE FREAKING KILLED HIS LITTLE BROTHER WITH POISONED FOOD. 3. Having the position of chancellor gives SQQ as much power as possible to search for a potential cure for No Cure. But the leniency for things is from guilt.
-That macguffin that powers up a deadly potent magic aimed to wipe out humanity that TLJ later fuses with to gain ultimate power for the final boss fight before he is killed? Yeah, that thing. That can cure SQQ's No Cure. That's the main reason SQQ went on this journey in the first place.
-Oh yeah, possible alchemist for 4th party member.

Backstory time!
-At the end of the story, it's strongly implied that LBH would become the deadly, mad demon king that his father was. SY was so affronted by this downer ending that he dies in rage (actually, dies from a silly reason, like food poisoning or pacemaker going out of wack like OG SY, but who knows)
-The story always made people to believe that SQQ has always been rich.
-imagine SY's surprise when he wakes up dirt poor and a street begger.
-Filthy, disgusting. Smears mud and make themselves as ugly as possible so they don't attract unwanted attention,
-They sonehow become servants to a rich, short sighted master.
-SY meets YQY. YQY feels bad for him and tries to sneak him food whenever possible, not knowing it's poisoned
-SJ likes him too! He really really does! SJ doesn't know what to do with himself and his usual snappy remarks seem more tsundere--ish than normal.
-First night and SY eats the food. It tastes awful and he throws it back up (careful not to awaken SJ who's sleeping). He speculates that the former SY couldn't taste the poison (having no reference to what delicious food tastes like) and it probably genuinly being the greatest thing he's ever tasted. Meanwhile, SY, who had a plethora of good food from his past life (and thus knows what this food is supposed to taste like) knows that something is off and thus avoids the death flag. [Averted flag GET]
-SY continues to take the food so that YQ doesn't get hurt. He's still suspicious as to who tries to poison him.
-Eventually, during a hunt with other nobles, one noble takes notice of SJ's immense magical potential and begs the employer to take SJ. Employer goes "yeah yeah whatever" and agrees. Whoops.
-OH YEAH During this hunt or a previous hunt, SY protects SJ from being Without A Cure'd. Cue angst.
-Anyways, SJ strongarms SY into going with the noble. They have a cool mentor (unrelated to their sponsor, who has malicious intentions for them), and the mentor suggests that SJ take a new name, like... SQQ. DUN DUN DUUUUUUUN.
-It is at this moment that SY realizes SJ is SQQ.
-noooooooooo
-Anyways, school starts.
-SY is not officially enrolled, but shares a dorm with SJ anyways, because SJ is going nowhere without SY. SY is mostly bedridden.
-In the original timeline, this is where SJ meets LQG, with LQG immediately disliking SJ because he thinks he's a stuck up, pretentious rich jerk who has always been rich (very far from the truth). This is also where SJ meets YQY again (SJ blew up at YQY after SY died and didn't talk to him again)
-SY clears up the LQG misunderstanding, because one look at him and you know there is more to SJ's story than at first glance. YQY? Well, there was no misunderstanding to begin with (though there is a conspiracy)
-It is around this time SY learns YQY is a prince.
-WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!
-Meets QQQ. She's cool. They're buds.
-Oh yeah, did I mention LQG is the Captain of the Guards in the original story? He was. SQQ and LQG hates each other. LQG escorted LBH to outside the city by spite. LQG is also LBH's mentor and dies early on. Yay.
-Oh yeah, there's a conspiracy around how a "War God" like LQG managed to die to a weaksauce enemy very early on. Turns out, LQG wasn't paying attention (he's bad at escort missions) and died due to that. (You point him at a monster and he takes care of it. He can't protect for shit.) Due to being SY's designated escort (Liu-ber driver, anyone?) this timeline is averted.
-School shenanigans!
-Piece of trash sponsor summons SJ and tries to collect "payment" from him. SY stops that in its tracks and gets the authorities to posthumously arrest the noble and strip all its ranks before giving it to SJ (as apposed to SJ usurping the noble and inheriting and the riches and stuff from him, being too prideful and stubborn to tell the truth)
-Sometime during the school arc, YQY offers SJ the position of right hand man (lot less guilt this time, due to no murder-poisoning, more grim determination from both to heal SY from Without a Cure). SJ accepts, everybody graduates. School arc ends.

Some other arcs:
-LQG evolving from a lone wolf to learning how teamwork works
-QQQ trash novel agenda
-SJ evolving from hissy feral cat to Dignified hissy cat
-Maybe we can fit MBJ in there??? Who knows.
-SY self-sacrificing agenda. Helps everyone through their character arcs, but definitely not doing well for himself. Self-sacrificing becomes worse after the timeskip.
-SY rescues ZZL suffering as a regular garden snake. This will be important later.
-Maybe some hints of LBH's Mom?
-Either in this arc or in the beginning of LBH's journey, there's the SHL demon fight. Probably during LBH's journey. Either way, in the original work, it was supposed to be a three round bout (YXY win, NYY lose, LBH win). In this, SY fights them all (showing off and accidentally grievously injures SHL. Instead of finishing her off, after he gets her word that she will withdraw her forces and not attack anymore, SY collapses (he overused his magic), but stops SHL from leaving and cleans and bandages her wounds. She calls him stupid and that he'll pay for this (she things he's looking down on her, such is demon culture) before leaving. This is important.


TIMESKIP
-SJ is a chancellor
-YQY is king
-LQG is head guard
-QQQ is somewhere
-EVERYONE GET INTO POSITIONS, ACT 2 IS HERE
-SY is technically SJ's employee, though in reality has free reign to so whatever he wants.
-SY hears about the demon lord, realizes "oh shit, plot" and goes to grab LBH.
-Well, actually, LBH walked into the castle so that he could be granted permission to go on the quest to kill the demon lord (SJ vemountly objects, iniciating "trapped in capital city" beginning arc)
-[insert SY internally squealing about LBH being a cute fluffy sheep] Fluffy Sheep GET
-SY brings LBH to the training courtyard to teach LBH some basic moves (basic sword moves and magic) before meeting the king because "You want to show that you're able to fend for yourself, right?"
-SJ didn't hear about the macguffin orb and the all-healing powers (thank goodness) and so LBH is approved for adventuring
-SY sneaks out of the castle and becomes a Stealth Mentor, taking out huge threats before they could pose a problem to LBH (i.e. the kraken). He also realizes how many things that made SJ look bad weren't actually his fault (such as SJ's Gap Moe)
-SY gets hurt a lot due to Without a Cure wrecking his body (plus, SY is very sickly, making it worse). SY wonders how SJ dealt with this throughout the whole story.

There are two ways I think this could go:
-SY is captured by the demon forces and tortured the same way SJ was, only more thanks to his weak body. SY is confused, because he knows that SJ didn't do anything bad in this timeline yet he's still responsible for it. (Either that, or all the bad edicts and thug hitmen are pinned of SY instead to prevent identity confusion and make the pain worse) ZZL, in repayment for the kindness, helps ease SY's suffering as much as he can (though he's powerless to go against TLJ's orders) Then, during the final confrontation between LBH and TLJ, he puts the pieces together and realizes the truth in a dramatic "Wait a moment!" The truth is laid out, everyone confronts the true villain
-Maybe SJ is still framed for the crimes, but everyone "in the know" think that SY manipulated SJ into doing it and is the real mastermind?
-ZZL is sent out to capture SY, but realizes that SY isn't the person behind LBH's mom murder. He hides SY from TLJ as he reports that he hadn't found SY yet or explains the situation that SY is not actually the perpetrator. Cue the demon gang (ZZL, SHL, TLJ, etc.) and SY teaming up to search who the main culprit is. When LBH comes, TLJ throws a "Welcome home son!" party instead, revealing himself as an embarrassing dad and leaving LBH with a bundle of mixed emotions.

Either way, near the end of the arc, they find out that the golden macguffin orb that is

Either way, they find the true villain and he's put in jail
-Despite being happy to have SY alive and free from Without a Cure, they give shit to SY for LEAVING THE CASTLE WITHOUT TELLING ANYBODY and DO YOU KNOW HOW DANGEROUS THAT WAS?! YOU COULD HAVE VERY EASILY DIED
-SY's smooth brain doesn't get what all the fuss is about, and it takes the combined Disappointment(TM) of everybody in the cast for him to feel even a little bit guilty for what he's done
-SJ especially was extremely worried about him (possible background flavor throughout the hero journey and demon act about SJ looking for SY). Gives him a big hug, with tears and angry tsun-tsun words that are really fond and soft (or cut out the tsundere entirely and have him speak his own mind for once)
-SY says he's sorry a lot, but no one buys it, and the story ends on a bittersweet, yet hopeful note about SY trying to sacrifice himself quite so much.


Extra notes:
-Don't let the happy, standard hero stuff fool you. This is pure whump. SY is self sacrificing for way too long. From beginning to end, he sacrifices his physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing to help others. He superimposes his own thoughts and feelings, both from the original story and his first impressions, onto others, even when it has been years and people have changed dramatically, both in terms of the story and of the butterfly effect. He wants the best for others, but he doesn't realize that they're already doing fine and are trying to help him instead, forcing him to get rest and not try to fix everybody's problems for them. He is easily summed up in this meme:
SY: I want everybody to be happy!
Everybody: But what about you?
SY, oblivious: What about me?!
-SJ is overbearingly smothering to help SY. That mandatory bed rest in the School Arc? It was because SY was becoming PHYSICALLY SICK from the stress, poor living conditions, and trying to take care of his older brother.
-LQG cares in his own awkward way, bringing things to cheer SY up, take his mind off of things, and also brings SY monster hunting so he can see cool monsters.
-QQQ girlbosses her way into SY's life and is a frightening yet kind mom to him. She makes sure he eats all his food, gets his rest, and dressed for success. SY fears her catching him when he's up passed curfew.
-YQY tries to help but not really. He wants to stop SY from doing things, but also fears that he's imposing on him too much. Ironically, this gives SY a lot more freedom than other people. Still, one Disappointing Look (TM) is enough to whip SY into shape.
-LBH, once he takes off the mentor worship filter and finds out SY is overworking himself to the bone for others' sake, tries to help take the burden off his shoulders however he can, scouting for information, making food and making sure he eats the food, and turning on the waterworks to get him to take care of himself. (SY can't say no to the little sheep)
-ZZL is shy but tries to help SY when he can.
-TLJ tries to help, but it's a 50/50 shot as to whether anything works or not.
-NYY is a sweet pea and is one of the best at easing SY's stress (prrks of being his brother's favorite)
-^ Ming Fan is the same as NYY, ironically enough
-YXY: "Oh! That's the guy my mentor likes! I must help him!" Takes SY out to sparring breaks, in the only way a musclehead knows how. It works, because you can't do any work when you're too tired from spars to think. SY conks out easily after fighting him.
-SJ, during the Hero's Journey and Demon Arcs, is the equivalent of the "Have you seen my child? He's about this tall, clearly gay, but we haven't had the talk yet."