I Became the Youngest Sister-in-law of the Ruined Reverse Harem’s Male Leads - Chapter 35

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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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#.35

03. Phantom Pain

On the day Edgar overheard their conversation, Leopold eventually had a big fight with Marius.

It was fortunate, if anything, that Edgar had returned to his room before the two started raising their voices.

‘I just need to pay more attention to Edgar.’

Leopold was careful because he didn’t want to meet Regina with a dark expression on his face.

But unfortunately, Regina was in a situation where she had decided to break up with him.

She hadn’t intended to break up from the beginning.

She had even thought about confessing her ability to Leopold, but when Lilliana fell seriously ill recently, she came to her senses.

‘I need to focus on establishing myself in the Empire right now…’

Reality finally became clear to her. She was ashamed of herself for being distracted by romance when she had come to this distant foreign country to help her sister.

She had to prevent any problems from arising between Edith and the Imperial Family.

Since this was a foreign country, if Lilliana couldn’t receive proper help when she was sick, the situation could become irreversibly serious.

For that, it would be better to become friends rather than lovers who would become awkward after breaking up.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No. I just arrived myself.”

“That’s good.”

“Miss Regina. You don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

“Well… actually, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it? Please speak freely.”

“Um…”

Seeing Regina’s dark expression, he somehow had a premonition that she was going to say something terrible.

Leopold felt a chilling sensation on one side of his chest and brought up his own business first.

“Oh right. There’s a famous singer’s performance this weekend. I happened to get tickets, so would you like to go together—”

“I’m sorry.”

Regina, who had cut him off, ran her tongue across her lips. She confessed with a pained expression.

“Leo. I’ve thought about it carefully… I think we should stop here.”

“…Excuse me?”

Because what he heard wasn’t properly registering, Leopold felt as if time had stopped for a moment.

“Suddenly, what…”

“If our relationship deepens further, it might cause trouble for my sister.”

“Lady Edith and we have nothing to do with each other.”

“What if we break up? If we break up after becoming closer, there will be many uncomfortable situations.”

“We don’t have to break up, so why are you imagining negative things?”

His heart, consumed by anxiety, pounded violently. Fear traveled through his shoulders to his fingertips.

Regina’s breakup announcement was more terrible than the dangerous situation that had left a large scar on his face.

“Regina.”

Please don’t avoid my gaze and look at me.

But Regina only stared behind his back. Those eyes that wouldn’t look at him were frightening.

Regina opened her lips that had been hesitating.

“I…”

“Regina. Look at me. I know what you’re worried about, but you don’t need to think like that. I’ll try harder.”

To have to break up with someone who said he would try harder… Regina squeezed her eyes shut.

People with abilities were reluctant to explain their powers. Because there might be people who would abuse them.

But Regina had always been honest about her ability because it was so special.

That was her way of expressing her feelings, and she thought it was courtesy toward the other person.

But when she met eyes that contained only herself, for the first time she lost the courage to confess her ability.

It would be fine if he thought poorly of her alone. She didn’t want to be remembered as a ‘monster’ by a man who said he would try harder.

“Leo, you’re at marriageable age. You have a social position, so you can’t avoid it, but I have no intention of getting married.”

“You don’t have to. Marriage and such things.”

“Trobancha recognizes non-marriage, but I heard that in the Empire, especially nobles, marry and have children to pass on their inheritance. It would be more burdensome if you did that because of me.”

“What if I’m someone who doesn’t believe in marriage? I can just pass on the family and fortune to Edgar—”

“I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore.”

Regina, who had drawn a firm line, quickly left so he couldn’t hold her back.

Leopold stared at her retreating figure in a daze.

Please let all of this be a dream. He wished more earnestly than anyone.

* * *

“Edith. What should I do? I didn’t prepare a birthday gift for Edgar.”

I did my best every day to comfort Edgar, who had cried because of Marius, and played with him.

I tried to prevent Edgar and Marius from running into each other and worked hard to get revenge for him behind the scenes.

So whenever I encountered Marius, I crossed my arms and glared at him. Then Marius would say.

“Is it because I’m too handsome?”

I lost my fighting spirit.

Anyway, perhaps because I was paying so much attention, I would fall asleep as if fainting after dinner.

Because of that, I forgot to prepare a birthday gift.

“Is it okay to go to the party without a birthday gift?”

“Of course. What matters is the heart that sincerely congratulates, not the gift.”

“Heart? Hmm. How can I express my heart?”

“You’re friends. Give him a big hug and tell him congratulations.”

“We’re not friends. Edgar is my subordinate.”

“Edgar said Lilliana was his subordinate?”

“What? I even played marbles with him thinking he became my subordinate!”

From now on, I won’t play with Edgar! I should only play with him half as much as I used to!

Edith smiled gently while watching me panting heavily.

“All done.”

Even though there were maids who could do it, Edith personally combed my hair and put on a ribbon.

When I checked the mirror, I could see Edith smiling at me from behind.

When our eyes met in the mirror, I couldn’t help but grin.

I felt good wearing the fancy dress I used to wear in Trobancha when I was invited to important occasions with my sisters.

‘Good. I’ve made a big decision.’

I jumped up, picked up Cookie, and went to the banquet hall.

I easily found them because Leopold, who was a head taller than other people, was next to Edgar.

‘Why does he have that expression on his birthday?’

The kid had a gloomy expression beyond just being sulky. Anyone could see he looked like he was dragged out against his will.

If it were me, I would have been jumping with joy because gifts were piled up like a mountain.

Leopold next to him also looked very unwell.

I could understand what my sisters meant by dead fish eyes.

Just then, Edgar looked this way.

When I waved at Edgar, he came running with wide eyes.

Since it was a formal occasion, Edgar gave Liliana the greeting he had recently started omitting.

Then he spoke bluntly as usual.

“Your dress is really unusual.”

“Isn’t it pretty?”

The colorful pattern that was almost painful to look at was a style that Trobancha people liked.

When I spun around in place, my skirt fluttered.

After I finished spinning, Edgar was looking at me with a slightly dazed expression.

“Like a squirrel.”

“Hehe. I am pretty cute.”

“I meant like a squirrel that looks like a pumpkin.”

“What? You’re…”

I wanted to snap back that he was just a tall asparagus.

‘It’s his birthday, so I’ll hold back.’

Since I’m more mature than Edgar and also the leader, it’s right for me to show magnanimity.

“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and Lady Alicia Berchio are entering!”

At the sound that Edith was coming, I checked toward the entrance.

I hadn’t really noticed before, but seeing them from a distance, both Marius and Edith had tremendous presence.

Both were tall and had striking appearances.

Marius, being the male lead, was naturally dazzlingly handsome, and Edith was a beauty with a cool and refined appearance.

‘I, I want to be the female protagonist when I grow up too!’

If I can’t be the female protagonist, then at least the male protagonist… protagonists are all cool and smart people.

Then would Edgar become the protagonist’s subordinate?

I glanced at Edgar’s face.

He didn’t have the face to be a protagonist’s subordinate. At first glance, he had the looks to become a male protagonist when he grew up.

‘But there he goes looking at Marius with that expression again.’

For several days now, Edgar had been making a dark face whenever he saw Marius.

I couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be for him, and my heart ached.

When Marius gestured from the platform, the music stopped and all the invited nobles focused on the Emperor.

“Thank you all for coming to celebrate Edgar. No matter how much I have a state marriage ahead of me, I must still take care of my one and only younger brother’s birthday.”

Edgar, who was actually today’s party protagonist, wasn’t even paying attention to what Marius was saying and brought me a cookie instead.

He had just teased me about being a pumpkin and made me angry, so was he giving me trouble then medicine?

But looking closely, what Edgar gave me was a pumpkin cookie.

When I glared at him, Edgar stuck out his tongue and giggled.

“The state marriage between myself and Lady Berchio is scheduled for the 15th of next month. Details will be announced tomorrow morning, so I hope you enjoy yourselves today.”

When the wedding date was announced, the nobles stirred.

Some glanced at Edith, while others whispered among themselves and gestured toward me with their chins.

Marius, who came down from the platform, belatedly offered his congratulations to Edgar as if he had just realized.

“Oh right. Happy birthday. I sent your gift in advance, so you checked it, right?”

“Thank you for remembering my birthday, Your Majesty.”

“Why are you speaking formally? Talk comfortably. I don’t know why you’re angry at your brother, but cheer up already.”

Marius had just left Edgar alone, thinking he was sulking because he was avoiding him.

At the sight of Edgar biting his lower lip tightly, I found myself reading the mood.

Edgar spoke.

“Your Majesty is not my brother.”

“What do you mean by that? I’m your brother.”

“I’m sorry. I happened to overhear it. You telling Leo, ‘You handle your brother alone.'”

Though frozen in surprise, Marius offered no excuses.

He just gazed at his cousin with gloomily sunken eyes.

Edgar, with his mouth tightly shut, dragged me away as if trying to avoid Marius.

His tense grip told me that Edgar was deeply hurt.

I watched Edgar’s mood and carefully began to speak.

“Edgar, I…”

Just as I was about to say “I’m on your side,” a girl from somewhere asked.

“Are you the kid who came from Trobancha? I heard people from Trobancha eat people, is that true?”

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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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