I Became the Youngest Sister-in-law of the Ruined Reverse Harem’s Male Leads - Chapter 29

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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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#.29

At the sudden presence, Leopold pulled Regina behind him to protect her. At the same time, footsteps could be heard from the darkness inside the garden.

Just as Leopold placed his hand on the sword at his waist to guard against the opponent, Regina grabbed his arm and stepped forward.

“Emilia. What are you doing there?”

Step, step.

Emilia revealed herself under the yellow lighting emitted by the moonstone that had absorbed sunlight.

Leopold relaxed his tension and Regina swallowed a sigh.

She was supposed to have gotten a job at the Magic Tower, but she looked disheveled like someone doing manual labor. Her hair was messy and her clothes were covered in dust.

What was a girl who should be at the Magic Tower doing wandering around the garden.

Anger flared up again at Emilia, who had abandoned a perfectly good research position to follow them to the Empire.

Leopold, caught between the cold sisters, glanced around for a moment before greeting first.

“Good evening. I heard you went to work at the Magic Tower, but your face looks quite worn in just a week.”

“That’s how work is. Have you been well?”

“Ah, yes. But what brings you to the garden?”

“I’m here to gather experimental materials. I need gorgon tree sap and white rose thorns… I have a collection permit.”

Her words weren’t false, as several small pouches were dangling from Emilia’s hands.

Emilia glanced at Regina and Leopold, then let out an awkward cough.

The twin sisters were still in a cold war.

“I was worried because I haven’t seen your face properly. How’s work?”

“Busy.”

As expected of twins, they were equally stubborn, but it was Regina who sent the first reconciliation signal.

Fighting more wouldn’t change the situation, and they couldn’t continue being cold to each other.

“Let’s have a meal together with Edith sometime. Lilliana is looking for you too.”

“I can’t make time until this weekend, so how about next week?”

“What time do you finish at night? It seems like you come home at dawn – isn’t working until that hour too dangerous?”

“You’re the one out at this hour… Wait, let me borrow her for a moment. We sisters have something urgent to discuss.”

Emilia, who had checked her wristwatch, grabbed Regina and went to a secluded spot.

Only after reaching a distance where Leopold couldn’t hear their conversation did Emilia say what she wanted to say.

“That man is a duke. He seems to like you without knowing anything, so sort it out quickly before problems arise.”

“If things go well, that’s good, and even if they don’t work out, he’s someone who would handle it cleanly, not someone who would cause problems. Do you think I wouldn’t have calculated that much?”

“Regina, it’s because of your ability.”

Regina frowned as if frustrated, and Emilia checked their surroundings before whispering very quietly.

“This isn’t just romance. You could get entangled in political issues. What will you do if that man changes his attitude after hearing about your ability? You’ll get hurt, and Edith will be in trouble too.”

Regina took a deep breath. Her wounded face was revealed under the moonstone lighting.

Emilia, who felt sorry for hitting a painful spot though she hadn’t intended to hurt her, rubbed her face roughly.

She wanted to support Regina too, but since the other party was a great noble of the Empire, it was an issue that needed to be addressed at least once.

“I am…”

Regina hesitated and averted her gaze.

Regina’s ability was mental domination.

Since she exercised influence over people’s minds through hypnosis, hallucinations, and emotional control, people who knew what Regina’s ability was often avoided her.

Whether friends or lovers, everyone suspected that she might have unknowingly stirred up their minds.

Even those who had been inseparably close until yesterday would fear her and keep their distance as soon as her ability was revealed.

“Did you use your ability to make me like you?”

Lovers who had grown cold and wanted to break up with her would hurt her by saying that she had used her ability to manipulate their emotions from the beginning.

Because of this, Regina had cried a lot and been deeply hurt. Regina answered with a voice mixed with moisture.

“I want to have a normal romance too.”

“I know. I know, but…”

“He seemed like a man who could understand and accept me. I know what the situation is… But he feels like someone I can’t let go of.”

Plop.

A tear that had rolled down her cheek fell to the ground.

She had made her cry after all. Emilia bit the inside of her mouth hard, feeling like a stupid fool for bringing up the topic so coldly.

The person who knew best what kind of wounds Regina had suffered in her previous relationships was none other than Emilia.

If it weren’t for Edith and the youngest, she wouldn’t have said this much… Feeling sorry, Emilia’s eyes reddened as she spread her arms and hugged Regina.

“Why are you crying? Don’t cry. It’s not your fault.”

“…”

“Those idiots who chased after you first and then ran away saying they were scared are the fools. What’s wrong with you?”

“…He says he likes me even though I’ve only been indebted to him since we first met. Don’t you think he could understand me?”

To the murmured question hoping for affirmation, Emilia couldn’t give any answer.

“Miss Regina, Miss Emilia! Are you there?”

She held and comforted Regina until Leopold, worried about the two, came looking for the sisters.

When Leopold approached, Regina wiped away the tear stains on her cheeks and composed her expression.

She was smiling lovingly as if she had never cried.

Unable to bear her troubled heart, Emilia ruffled her hair and bowed to Leopold.

“Please take Regina back to the Imperial Palace. I have to go quickly right now.”

“Don’t worry about me and go quickly.”

“Regina, I didn’t say those things because I wanted you to suffer.”

“Don’t worry and go. Let’s talk later.”

“…Sorry.”

With that, Emilia had to turn away with an uncomfortable feeling.

Leopold looked anxiously at Regina, who was following her twin sister’s retreating figure with empty eyes.

‘Her eyes are red and swollen. Something seems to have happened…’

He could quickly sense that the conversation between the two wasn’t about a light matter.

Regina, who belatedly realized Leopold was beside her and smiled brightly, looked even more desolate in proportion to her radiant smile.

“When you have time later, come on a picnic here with Lilliana and the young duke. This place is so beautiful.”

“That sounds good. I’ll make time before summer comes.”

Since Regina didn’t seem to want to reveal her inner thoughts, Leopold responded as if he knew nothing.

As time passed and their relationship deepened, if he tried harder, Regina would give him a place by her side too.

Leopold decided to believe that such a future would come.

* * *

I had definitely told my sisters a few days ago that I wouldn’t play with Edgar unless he became my subordinate…

‘Why am I playing with him?’

When I came to my senses, I was exploring the Imperial Palace with Edgar.

“Kkyahahaha!”

I ran through the Imperial Palace with Edgar, letting out dolphin-like laughter. Edgar watched me with satisfaction.

Since we had snuck into the Palace Stables, both of us had straw all over our hair and clothes.

“Edgar, did you see? The horse ate the carrot I gave it earlier!”

“I saw! Next time let’s go to the Knights’ Stables too. There are dogs there.”

“Great!”

I don’t know why secretly filling empty feed troughs with food while avoiding the stable keepers is so fun.

Having escaped near the garden, we plopped down on the ground and burst into laughter at the same time.

Then Edgar suddenly seemed to remember something, jumped up, and pulled me up by the hand.

“The garden maintenance should be finished today. Let’s go check if the trees you were looking for are there.”

I had casually mentioned last time that it would be nice if there were olive and lemon trees, and he hadn’t forgotten.

We confidently entered the entrance, determined to finally visit the garden today. However…

“We’re planting flowers, so you cannot enter today.”

Once again, the garden manager blocked our way.

“It’s not winter or early spring, and you’re only planting flowers now?”

Edgar narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Even though my mental age was definitely higher, Edgar’s sharp observations didn’t seem like those of an ordinary six-year-old.

Do all children who grow up in the Imperial Palace become as perceptive as Edgar?

“We planted many flowers this time, so the work took longer.”

“Then can we go in tomorrow?”

“Huh? Well, that’s…”

The gardener rolled his eyes around and just kept repeating that we couldn’t enter.

I was a bit disappointed that we still couldn’t go to the garden.

But since there were still many places left to explore in the Imperial Palace, I wasn’t depressed.

“I’m fine! Let’s go somewhere else.”

“But you said you wanted to see the olive trees and lemon trees… Alright. Let’s go there today.”

“There?”

“There’s a place you’ll like.”

“Where? Where is it?”

“You’ll know when we get there.”

Edgar started running quickly, so I slipped my hand out of his grasp.

I was out of breath and didn’t want to run anymore. Edgar, who had turned around with a frown, grabbed my hand again.

When I tried to let go of his hand again, he tightened his grip so I couldn’t move.

“Why? My hand hurts.”

“…The Imperial Palace is complicated. What if I lose you on the way?”

“Then let’s walk. I’m out of breath.”

“Fine. I guess I have no choice.”

Surprisingly, Edgar readily accepted my request. I couldn’t understand Edgar at all.

Even if the Imperial Palace was complicated, it wasn’t a crowded place like a market, so was there really a need to hold hands?

I fidgeted with my hand because it was uncomfortable, but Edgar didn’t seem to have any intention of letting go.

It seemed like he didn’t want to lose me since I was his only playmate.

Well, captains who play as well as I do aren’t common, so he wouldn’t want to lose me.

“But Lilliana, why do you want to become a hero?”

“Because heroes are strong.”

“Aren’t dragons stronger than heroes?”

“Dragons are bad, so heroes are better.”

“What do you want to save if you become a hero?”

“Uh…”

I didn’t know that.

I just wanted to be a hero since long ago. A hero who saves princesses trapped in towers.

“Maybe it’s because Edith is a hero.”

“Edith?”

“Yeah. My sister catches pirates and is really strong.”

“But why are you so weak?”

“Just wait ten years. I’ll have mace fists like Edith too.”

Unlike me, who puffed up my cheeks in anger, Edgar just giggled as if something was very amusing.

While we were bickering, we suddenly stopped, apparently having arrived at the place Edgar wanted to take me.

“Isn’t it cool?”

At Edgar’s fingertip was a tower.

It was a spire that soared high into the sky with a pointed roof.

Unlike all the other buildings in the Imperial Palace that boasted extreme beauty, the spire was incredibly crude.

I stared blankly at the top of the tower.

Unlike the other floors below, the windows were small, but because of the height, it was directly receiving the midday sunlight.

“Usually princesses are trapped in towers, not castles. This is the West Tower. It houses the Palace Mages’ research laboratories.”

My stomach churned. I felt dizzy from a strange sensation that I couldn’t tell was fear or déjà vu, and I felt like I was going to vomit.

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?”

When I suddenly sat down and dry heaved, Edgar asked worriedly from beside me.

I wanted to answer that I was fine, but my mouth wouldn’t open.

I knew better than Edgar what kind of place that was.

The West Tower was the place where Francois Cassel had imprisoned not only Rebecca Marchione, the original female protagonist, but also me, Rebecca’s maid.

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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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