I Became the Youngest Sister-in-law of the Ruined Reverse Harem’s Male Leads - Chapter 152

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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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#.152

Marius stopped abruptly, apparently quite surprised by my question.

While I didn’t remember every detail of my childhood, I hadn’t forgotten everything.

Some important situations came back as vividly as if they happened yesterday, and Marius’s arm was one of them.

“It’s fine. You remembered that?”

Marius suddenly messed up my hair roughly.

“Aaaah!”

Marius grinned as he watched me frantically try to fix my disheveled hair.

“When did this little snotty kid grow up so much, huh?”

“I’m not snotty. You always treated me like a child even back then.”

“Little chestnut, are you not sick anymore?”

“I’m healthy!”

“That’s a relief.”

Just how frail was I as a young child?

I vaguely remember being sick often, but was it to the extent that everyone I meet asks about it like this?

As I pouted, Marius hesitated for a moment before asking.

“Could I hug you just once? Haha. You’re all grown up now, so I can’t just grab you like before.”

“Uh, yes.”

Marius hugged me politely and carefully.

He was trembling slightly. I could hear very quiet sniffling sounds near my ear.

This embrace wasn’t unfamiliar. Neither were the hands patting my back, nor the rising and falling chest.

I started feeling strange too. My chin trembled and tears seemed about to fall.

‘Ah.’

Suddenly I remembered how Marius used to hug me as a child.

Sometimes he’d hug me so tightly I could barely breathe, but I remember those hugs being quite nice.

It felt like being safely protected, but also because his overwhelming affection for me was conveyed completely.

I was incredibly happy each time.

The world seemed to shine brightly with that abundant love.

‘Right. That’s how it was.’

I had grown up receiving the infinite love he gave.

The reason I quickly forgave him despite hating Marius right before leaving the Empire was because he had raised young me with love.

It wasn’t fake love meant to earn forgiveness. Even though Marius was the Emperor, he didn’t care about appearances.

We played pranks every day, teased each other over trivial things, sometimes read fairy tales together, and sometimes played at the playground together.

When I was sick, he personally nursed me all night, and when I cried over something upsetting, he hurt as if it were his own problem.

So I always felt secure having Marius there.

The happiness I felt during our time together came back clearly.

Even though my older brother was absent, I was truly happy during those days.

I was loved without lacking anything and received abundant attention.

Even though I wasn’t his niece or his biological daughter.

“…Thank you.”

My voice was so small that I wasn’t sure if Marius heard it, but I was too embarrassed to say it louder.

Marius led me to the dining hall with the same silly smile as in childhood.

* * *

Antonio and Edgar didn’t show their faces even until we finished eating and had snacks.

Antonio wasn’t the type to skip meals, but since he’s at a sensitive age during puberty, I decided to let it slide.

“Try this too. You used to eat it well when you were little.”

Marius pushed the blueberry cheesecake toward me.

Throughout the meal, he was so busy recommending this food and that food to me that he barely ate anything himself.

“Do you remember what foods I liked when I was little?”

“Of course. I even remember when you hid candy under your pillow and it all melted in summer and stuck to your hair.”

“I don’t remember that. You’re lying, right? I couldn’t have been that stupid.”

“It’s true. Edith lamented so much about who you took after to cause such trouble.”

I stabbed the blueberry cheesecake with my fork.

“If you ask me, this is genetic. The twins are like that too, and Edgar—”

Oops. I quickly stuffed cake in my mouth and stopped talking.

“Edgar?”

“Mmm. Edgar, that…”

He’s Edith and the coachman’s child.

I couldn’t bring myself to say it and squeezed my eyes shut.

It was an adult matter, and I couldn’t speak carelessly about it.

But since I’m still at an age where I empathize more with children’s hearts than adults’, I felt bad.

‘He asked me subtly. Youngest aunt, do you happen to know who our dad is?’

I poked the blueberries with my fork and asked him.

“Edith was still pretty, right?”

“Of course. Is that even a question?”

“Right? You still like Edith, don’t you?”

A grin leaked out.

Marius pressed down on my head with a ‘look at this kid’ expression.

“Don’t be cheeky.”

“Didn’t you still like Edith? Your face earlier looked like a tragic heroine.”

“I guess my genre is tragic melodrama.”

“No, no. That’s not it.”

My puppy-like youngest nephew is so adorable.

In romance novels, children symbolize the fruit of love.

So I don’t think the romance between Marius and Edith is over.

They still have Act 2 left.

“Edith didn’t date anyone in Trowance. And she still reads newspapers with articles about you carefully. Not just international affairs, but all the trivial articles too.”

No response came back, but I could feel that Marius was paying close attention to my words.

“So work hard at it. I’m rooting for you.”

When I even clenched my fist to show support, quite an overwhelming smile spread across his face.

“You used to come begging me not to get married, but look how your attitude changed now that you’ve grown up.”

“So you don’t like it? You don’t need my support?”

“No way. I’m so reassured by our prospective youngest sister-in-law.”

“Good. Then that’s settled.”

Sorry, Edith. I can’t help it with parents who have already passed away, but it’s too sad for him to long for someone without even knowing who his living parent is.

“I’m going back with Antonio on Sunday, so take me right to the house then.”

Before going to school today, I confirmed that Edgar had come to the Ducal Residence last night.

So if he takes me there, they’ll naturally have to meet.

My heart was pounding with anticipation for Sunday.

* * *

Click.

The door handle wouldn’t turn – it was locked.

Ha, look at this.

When I applied force and turned the handle firmly, the door handle broke with a creak and the door opened.

Edgar nudged Antonio, who was covered with blankets, with his foot.

“Get up and eat.”

“I don’t want to.”

“If you whine about being hungry at dawn, you’re dead. Get up quickly.”

Edgar set down the food he brought to the table and then yanked away the blanket.

As soon as the blanket was taken away, Edgar said to Antonio who was flailing about.

“If you have complaints, get out of my house.”

“Acting all high and mighty about having a house.”

Antonio grumbled as he got up and immediately sat down, picking up his knife first.

He said he didn’t want to eat, but he ate well like a pig as usual.

In the middle of eating, Edgar casually handed something to Antonio who kept flipping his hair back.

“Use this.”

It was a hair tie. The one he bought from the general store.

“You just left, so I bought it.”

“Ugh. Getting this kind of gift from a guy.”

“You talk too much.”

Antonio quickly made a ponytail with the hair tie and offered Edgar the last remaining chicken leg as a gesture of gratitude.

This kid’s mental age is definitely 8. Edgar shook his head disapprovingly.

“You… don’t you ever hate your cousin brothers even though you like them?”

“Of course I do. Naturally there are times.”

Thinking of Marius, who seemed fine but had a screw loose somewhere, made him sigh deeply.

“When I look at him I feel sorry for him, but when I turn around I get annoyed wondering why he lives like that, and even though he’s pathetic… I think this might be what having a father feels like.”

“Really?”

Antonio cut his steak until it was almost the size of a fingernail, cutting it over and over. Until then, he kept his mouth shut.

“My dad has been married three times. I was born from his second marriage.”

“Really?”

His tone was indifferent, as if responding to someone saying they had yogurt for breakfast this morning.

Antonio confessed while poking at pieces of steak with his fork.

“I haven’t been able to contact my mom at all since she remarried 5 years ago. She had a baby and says she doesn’t want to see me.”

“…That’s unfortunate.”

“After my parents divorced, I was left at my grandfather’s house, and when grandfather passed away, I had no choice but to live with my father.”

“…”

“The sibling that dad’s third wife brought doesn’t like me. I want to get along with them though. Dad doesn’t pay any attention to me either.”

“I see.”

“I guess when people get lovers, they can’t see their children or anything else.”

I thought his possessiveness and jealousy toward his friend was a bit excessive.

But now I understood that behavior.

Antonio was afraid that Lilliana, who had gotten a boyfriend, would leave him and he’d be alone, just like how his parents had abandoned him.

“I’m similar. Since Leo has his own family, I feel more distant from him than from Marius. But he never turned his back on me. Leo is still a good guardian.”

“Are you trying to annoy me?”

“Of course not. I’m actually envious that you have parents like that. But the reason your parents turned their backs on you is because they’re irresponsible people.”

Edgar rubbed the back of his neck as he chose his words.

“You’re… a troublesome guy, but you’re not trouble itself.”

Chris was very picky about people.

But he liked Antonio, saying he was a comfortable and fun friend.

It was the same with Leopold and the twins, who had known Antonio for less than a month.

Though he was overconfident to the point of sometimes being arrogant, he had a cheerful charm that Edgar couldn’t imitate.

A sparkling charm that was impossible to hate, just like Lilliana.

“Someday you’ll be loved more than anyone else. At least that’s how you seem to me. So don’t be afraid. Don’t lose heart either.”

Damn it. Why am I saying this to him.

Antonio looked at him and chuckled.

For just a moment, it seemed like the kid’s eyes were glistening with moisture.

Edgar got annoyed for no reason and firmly stepped on Antonio’s foot under the table.

He was still an irritating kid.

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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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