I Will Protect My Brother - Chapter 111

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 111
Through his avatar, the Lost Soul finally seized all the power he had long desired, sweeping away the Guardian Stars’ influence from Rahnar.
According to the original plan, he should have conducted a massive purge of the Transcendent Families by now.
He had made all preparations, fully expecting a bloodbath to sweep across the land soon enough.
Yet even after returning to Abuye, Kalien remained utterly absorbed in holding and devouring Rosien Wynyak, unable to focus on anything else.
These days, he had grown so possessive of their time together that he coldly banished the Lost Soul whenever he and Rosien Wynyak were alone.
【Aren’t you going to take your revenge? Yeljewa, Railo, Kirges, Whezel. Didn’t you decide to uproot them from Rahnar? Hm?】
“I did.”
【Then go to Rosien Wynyak at once and steal the Sacred Relic from her! Or at the very least, show some effort in trying to persuade her!】
You’re supposed to make her assimilate to your side, not the other way around!
To judge by appearances, the roles had completely reversed. His avatar had become a lovesick fool, utterly bereft of reason and judgment.
“Fine, fine.”
Kalien brushed away the tentacles clinging to his shoulder with an air of annoyance.
The will of the Broken Chaos grew sharp as a blade.
【You’re not actually ‘in love’ with her, are you?】
The question was asked, but it was no inquiry—a final confirmation.
Kalien’s eyes narrowed.
“What if I am?”
【Love is what fools do, Karga. Think of the humans you loved when you were still human.】
The Broken Chaos spoke urgently, and darkness engulfed Kalien’s vision.
Soon, a vision unfolded before his eyes—a scene from the Continental Conference he had attended centuries ago.
“Will you become the sword of Rahnar, Karga? That is the only way to protect the family you love.”
“…Yeljewa.”
“The disciples of Wynyak look only to you. I hope you will fulfill your duty as Family Head.”
“Yes, Wynyak is the sword of the Transcendent Families. A sword exists not to cut and pierce, but to protect. That was your pride, wasn’t it, Wynyak?”
【Have you truly forgotten how they shaped you and then abandoned you?】
The Lost Soul whispered wickedly. Kalien answered without hesitation.
“Of course I haven’t forgotten.”
How could I forget those who made me into this ‘less-than-human’ creature?
Just a few months ago, I wanted nothing more than to kill them all.
Had Rosien not awakened in me the nostalgia of when she was a decent human, Rahnar would be burning in flames every single day by now.
“Someone as beautiful as you couldn’t possibly be anything but human.”
Of course, her words were a lie. He was not human.
Yet within the nature of the non-human, a small fragment of humanity—like a black thorn lodged deep—lifted its head at her tender words.
After that, memories from his human days surfaced unbidden, seizing every opportunity.
Kalien stroked his chin, lost in fragmentary recollections of the past.
As the Lost Soul said, there was once a time when he loved this land dearly. That was why he accepted the proposal to sacrifice himself as Rahnar’s guardian.
“I do not offer myself as a weapon for Wynyak and the Transcendent Families alone. It is for all creatures dwelling in this land.”
“….”
“Therefore, even after this matter is resolved, do not attempt to wield me according to the will of the Transcendent Family Heads. I belong to Rahnar, not as your shield.”
Once, I threw myself entirely into the flames of terror for hundreds of millions of humans whose faces and names I would never know.
“Ah, a Lost Soul. Perhaps I…”
Kalien spoke in an oddly heightened voice.
Perhaps I never truly desired to consume humanity.
When cast aside by the world and imprisoned in the Deep Sea, I was certainly consumed by a rage that burned my eyes with fury, but then why didn’t I obliterate Rachnar when I clawed my way out of the abyss?
It wasn’t a matter of insufficient power. While I lacked the strength to annihilate Rachnar in a single blow, it wouldn’t have been impossible to eliminate the Transcendent Families one by one.
In truth, wasn’t my obsession with vengeance born precisely from the fact that I had ceased to be human?
Reversing that logic, perhaps a yearning to return to my original self had always dwelled in some corner of my heart.
That’s why I deliberately created a place to belong in Wynyak, why I despised the quiet nights because I hated becoming something other than human, and why I loathed the fearful gazes directed at me.
It seems I was right.
This too was among the emotions I had lost.
Longing—should I call it longing?
‘It could simply be a final desperate struggle.’
Of course, there was no way I could ever return to being the Wynyak Family Head whom everyone once admired, no matter what I did.
Yet because Rosien told me she would cherish and love me regardless of what form I took, I no longer thrashed against the discord between my two conflicting natures.
When I was with her, I didn’t need to agonize over my essence. Rosien drew me back from the vast ocean of emotions I had lost, back into the world of humanity.
So now, I had gone beyond merely not wanting to let her go—I could not let her go.
Kalien was deeply satisfied with his current life.
The desire to crush the Transcendent Families, even at the cost of earning Rosien’s hatred, had vanished. This present moment was absolutely perfect.
【Come now, hurry. Karga. Move.】
The tentacles pushed against Kalien’s back.
Kalien offered no resistance and headed toward the doorway. He wanted to see her.
The moment he opened the door, he found himself face to face with Rosien, who was just stepping inside. Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Brother?”
“Rosien…?”
“What are you doing at the door?”
Rosien embraced him with perfect naturalness.
The instant he felt her soft body settle against his, his heart raced as though it might burst.
Yet something about her was different from usual. Kalien touched the back of her head with an odd sense of awkwardness.
The long strands that always slipped through his fingers were gone.
“Your hair… it’s shorter?”
“Yeah. It was getting too messy, so I just cut it all off. How does it look?”
Rosien flipped her hair back with confidence.
The hair that once cascaded in waves to her waist had been cut away by more than half. Yet it still reached down to her chest.
Kalien found himself wistfully recalling the sensation of those soft strands that used to gently caress his body.
‘Though her back will look better now…’
Now there would be no need to gather her hair and sweep it over her shoulder or across her chest.
Wouldn’t her gracefully curved waist be more visible now?
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“Beautiful.”
Kalien buried his face in her hair and drew a deep breath.
“You’re beautiful no matter what you do.”
My body responded with honest eagerness at the mere thought of it.
I was aware that desire surging up at such random moments seemed a bit mad. Of course, that awareness ended there—no surrender, no reflection whatsoever.
‘Are all women naturally this soft and fragrant? It makes me want to keep touching.’
When Kalien lifted her up effortlessly, Rosien frantically pounded his shoulders with her fists.
“Kalian, it’s not even noon yet. People will think it’s strange.”
“Are there still people who would think that way?”
“‘Still’? You’re not going around threatening people, are you?”
“How could I? Why do you think so badly of me?”
Kalien cut off his complaint. He had merely subtly spread word through Lina that they would soon be engaged.
After being so thoughtful and kind about it, to be called threatening felt unfair.
“If you keep clinging to me like this at all hours, people will suspect you of being an Elixir. Stop it.”
“Ah….”
But he couldn’t refute this point.
In the end, instead of dragging Rosien to the bed, Kalien had to settle for sitting beside her on the sofa, merely fidgeting with her hand.
“How are the preparations for the conference going?”
“Well, it’s coming along. I’ve narrowed down all the agenda items for the conference. Since this will be conveyed not just to the Transcendent Families but to everyone in Rahnar, I’m writing it carefully.”
“I see.”
“You’re practically the main character in this conference, so listen with a bit more sincerity, would you?”
“I’m listening well. But am I still your older brother?”
“Of course you’re my older brother—what else would you be… Oh, when we arrive in Delpiam in a few days, we need to stop by Kirges first. I have something to do there.”
“Fine, do as you like. But I stopped being your older brother long ago. Don’t you want to call me something different?”
“Huh?”
Rosien, who had been flipping through documents filled with tiny writing, only lifted her eyes to glance at him.
“Call you something different?”
“Yes!”
Kalien’s eyes began to sparkle.
‘There are so many other sweet names besides older brother, aren’t there? Right?’
He called her by all sorts of pet names: my princess, my darling, my rose, my love, my treasure, my everything, my world, and so on.
Meanwhile, Rosien only ever called him by his name or older brother—she had conveniently erased from her memory the fact that she once persistently called him “soft rabbit.”
“What should I call you… ah?”
Rosien tilted her head. Her eyes widened as if she had suddenly realized something.
Kalien wore a triumphant smile.
‘Yes, exactly what you just thought of.’
I think something like “honey” would suit me perfectly.
Rosien slowly brought her hand toward his face.
She seemed about to touch him tenderly. Kalien couldn’t hide his smile as he lowered his head, bringing his face closer to hers.
But instead of caressing his cheek, her hand moved toward his jaw.
‘What?’
“Good boy, our puppy.”
Rosien broke into a radiant smile, her fingers beginning to tickle beneath Kalien’s chin.
“Don’t like ‘older brother’? Then how about I’m your younger sister instead?”
“…?”
“That’s right, I’m probably older anyway, so forget the formal address—let’s go with me as your older sister. Come on, call me ‘sister’!”
As Kalien fell silent, at a loss for words, Rosien giggled and pinched his cheek, stretching it playfully.
“Our baby wanted to act spoiled with his older sister, did he? But with that height and build, and the way you carry yourself around me—there’s nothing innocent about it. Never mind, that’s rejected.”
“Rosien, that’s….”
“Isn’t the nickname ‘Kalian’ enough for you?”
No, it was over. Drawing on countless experiences, Kalien quickly surrendered. He’d expected far too much from Rosien.
‘Her lack of awareness never improves with time. Though that’s precisely what makes her endearing.’
At least she no longer called him “rabbit”—that had been a nickname that wounded his pride in every conceivable way.
Just as Kalien gave up and let his shoulders slump in defeat,
Rosien spoke in a casual tone, her words sharp with mischief.
“Finish that ring soon and propose properly. Then I’ll let you call me whatever you want—’honey,’ ‘darling,’ whatever your heart desires.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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