I Became the Youngest Sister-in-law of the Ruined Reverse Harem’s Male Leads - Chapter 130
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#.130
Unlike me, who constantly pestered adults to buy me this or that or saying I wanted to eat something, Edgar rarely made requests unless it was absolutely necessary.
So this was the first time I’d seen Edgar speak with such determination.
“Edgar. That matter is… well…”
As my brother chose his words carefully, Edgar’s face showed resignation.
“I know what you’re going to say. I didn’t really think you’d grant my request either. I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable.”
Edgar glanced at me and continued.
“We even agreed to bury a time capsule to open when we meet again. When are you returning to Trobancha?”
“In a week.”
“O-one week? Why are you leaving so early?”
There’s no way I could prepare for separation in just one week!
As both Edgar and I became flustered, my brother answered carefully.
“Emilia and Francois have work schedules set over there. Since there aren’t many ships available, that’s how the timing worked out.”
“One week…”
Edgar swallowed hard and bit his lips tightly.
It was the moment I finally understood what Edgar meant about wanting to become an adult.
* * *
Andrea was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.
His eyes had no strength left, and the soup he’d eaten for dinner sat heavy in his stomach from fatigue, making his chest ache.
That wasn’t all. His head had been throbbing constantly, and now he was starting to develop a fever.
These were the aftereffects of turning back time.
Nothing hurt particularly, but he wasn’t exactly fine either.
His body had become so weak that his quality of life was completely compromised.
‘Still five years left.’
Five years felt endlessly long, but he’d endured a year after his last regression, so it wasn’t impossible.
Back then it was so difficult he thought it might be better to die.
Andrea pressed firmly around his eyes, enduring the fatigue.
“Having rooted out the black mages and cultists on such a large scale, they’ll probably lay low for a while. Lazarus himself felt a deadly threat, so even more so.”
“The problem is that deadly threat was an opportunity created by Lilliana, not you guys.”
Marius and Francois hung their heads as if they’d made a pact.
Though he seemed like a precarious flame that might be extinguished by even a small breeze, Andrea emanated an authority that was difficult to challenge.
It was the weighty power that Andrea possessed as a person.
“About Lazarus. Seeing how he lied about me being the ritualist’s description, I must have really gotten on his nerves.”
“This matter of Lazarus’s resurrection—”
Andrea cut off Marius’s words.
“Just as we turned Trobancha into a sea of fire, we need to burn away the sect hiding in your country. That’s your specialty, can’t you even do that?”
The Empire was rooting out the sect faster than expected.
But since Lilliana had nearly been hurt, he didn’t care about the Empire’s response or whatever their actions were.
“Find the ritualist quickly. Since he can’t possess Francois anymore, he’ll use the ritualist to descend directly to earth.”
“We discovered a branch living in a village they created in the countryside. They’re currently under interrogation, so raiding the headquarters is just a matter of time. So don’t worry too much.”
“Would you say such nonsense if your own child’s life was at stake?”
Andrea twisted his lips.
He’d been so shocked reading the letter about Lilliana being attacked by Lazarus that on his first day in the Empire, during his private meeting with Marius, he’d punched him in the solar plexus.
Since turning back time, Marius had always been submissive toward Andrea.
So rather than making an issue of the violence, he conveyed the situation while keeping his emotions as detached as possible.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d watch your words. Lilliana is your child, but she’s also my…”
My child.
Unable to shamefully utter those words, Marius bit his lips and corrected himself.
“I also have the affection of having raised her. That’s why I saved Lilliana without caring if my arm became a rag. You can curse my failure to properly protect the child, but I’d prefer you not misinterpret my affection.”
“Whether your arm becomes a rag or your life gets thrown in the trash, I don’t care. Rather, that would be the most fitting ending for someone like you, proving that God exists.”
Francois watched Andrea thoroughly disrespect Marius and thought how well he managed to hide such behavior.
To be precise, only Lilliana didn’t know. The other sisters had grown up together, so they couldn’t help but know.
‘Children and siblings are different, after all.’
He stayed quiet, worried that harsh words might come his way too. But Andrea had no intention of just letting it pass.
“Francois Cassel. I only gave you a chance to kill yourself. I didn’t tell you to use and exploit my sister, but you did something quite adorable.”
“…My feelings for Emilia are sincere.”
Francois acted quickly.
He raised his speech level, bowed his head, and hunched his shoulders, lowering his body.
Andrea let out a hollow laugh at the desperate change Francois displayed.
“Even if the Empire captures all of Lazarus’s followers, Lazarus won’t disappear. He’s destined to clash with Lilliana eventually.”
Catching the ritualist was just a way to delay things.
Andrea frowned as his head throbbed as if it might burst.
“That’s why I’m being careful. Whether it’s okay for me to go to Trobancha…”
“I think it’s better to keep you close and monitor you. And Emilia should be able to help you.”
At the unexpected answer, Francois’s eyes widened, and Andrea let out a short sigh.
“Regardless of how despicable you are, I won’t interfere in your relationship at all. Emilia is an adult and knows the whole truth. So what more would I say?”
Andrea closed his eyelids, heavy as if weighted down by fatigue.
Then his conversation with Edith from earlier echoed in his mind.
“I wish I could remember everything too. Then I wouldn’t have fallen in love with that man.”
“It seemed too cruel to give you hints.”
“I understand. I wasn’t trying to blame you or get an apology. Right now I want to focus on catching Lazarus rather than love and such things.”
“You don’t plan to return?”
“I can’t return.”
Having directly faced their parents’ death, it was an inevitable reaction for Edith.
Just then, something dripped onto the back of his hand. It was a nosebleed.
“Ah.”
He habitually pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the blood.
After plugging his nose with tissue, he belatedly remembered the issue he’d discussed with Emilia during the day.
“Francois. Do you really think Lazarus turned back time?”
“What do you mean…”
“That woman Rebecca, she made a contract with Lazarus to turn back time and gave up her body and soul, right?”
“That’s right.”
“But why do I have these aftereffects?”
His body turned to rags, Lazarus who could only properly control others’ bodies using the black holy water.
A question flashed through Francois’s mind, and he unconsciously muttered.
“Demons are cunning.”
Andrea said while looking at the blood-stained handkerchief.
“Right. Cunning. So Rebecca should have properly confirmed who fulfilled the contract before jumping into the sea.”
She paid the price without knowing that bastard had freeloaded on the regression I caused.
Andrea couldn’t even finish his words before collapsing from the overwhelming fatigue.
* * *
“Filippo and Yosiyas started walking earlier than other children their age. Their motor skills are exceptional.”
“When other kids could only say ‘woooo,’ Lilliana was already saying ‘bababa’ by herself.”
“Filippo is moody, but he’s very affectionate.”
“You didn’t see Lilliana when she was that small, did you? Even a baby angel wouldn’t have been as adorable as our child.”
My older brother and Leopold had been in a child-bragging battle since morning.
He wasn’t like this when we were young, but my older brother seemed to have become a bit of a fool after we reunited.
Embarrassed by the strange bragging, I quickly hugged my box and went to the garden.
Edgar was already in the garden.
“Edgar!”
Time flowed mercilessly fast.
We only had two days left now. So today we decided to bury the time capsule we had been putting off.
“Edgar, what did you put in your time capsule box? I agonized over it until I went to bed yesterday but couldn’t decide, so I just put in everything I was worried about.”
“It’s a secret.”
I sneakily lifted Edgar’s box. Unlike mine, Edgar’s box was quite light.
Even though our birthdays were only a few months apart, Edgar had a cynicism that was rare to see in kids our age.
“Your box is light, so now I look like the only childish one. Is it really a secret?”
“Yeah. I won’t tell.”
“Then there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Before putting the boxes into the hole the servants had dug, I spoke carefully.
“Edgar. Still, I’ll definitely come back before I become an adult.”
Instead of answering that he understood, Edgar buried his box in the pit.
He looked so lonely that I resolved to keep this promise no matter what happened.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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