I Will Protect My Brother - Chapter 2

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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 2
What puzzled me was that Kalian Wynack’s father, Owen, the Family Head of Winyak, seemed unaware of how serious this situation truly was.
“Father, I don’t think I can manage without Rosy. Her swordsmanship is quite exceptional—wouldn’t it be wise to accept her as a disciple of Winyak?”
“What on earth are you thinking, Kalian? How could you possibly—”
“Look, I cut my arm again during sword practice today. Lost quite a bit of blood. If Rosy had been sparring with me, I wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”
“Have you lost your mind overnight?”
“Ah, now my head is starting to ache as well…”
“Why don’t you spar with your old man instead, you reckless fool!”
After some commotion, Owen ultimately accepted Kalian’s request and brought me within the walls of Winyak.
In truth, he likely saw that I was too valuable to waste merely as his son’s companion.
A scrawny child with barely any muscle, yet wielding a greatsword as naturally as an extension of my own body.
‘Of course it’s natural—I received a secret blessing from the stars.’
Beyond that, I possessed extraordinary strength. I could lift five sacks of grain simultaneously, and hoist a well-built adult man as easily as pulling up a turnip.
‘That too is the power of the stars.’
Technically cheating, a shortcut really, and perhaps not entirely proper—but yes.
It’s acceptable because my purpose is noble: to save the lamb.
Thus I passed through Winyak’s disciple selection examination at lightning speed, and confidently claimed the protection of both Wynack Castle and Guardian Castle.
From that day forward, Kalian kept me at his side constantly, under the guise of being his attendant knight and younger sister.
“I’m so glad you’re here—it keeps me from feeling lonely. It makes me feel secure too… *cough*. Thank you for staying beside someone as pathetic as me. *cough*…”
“If you’re trying to brainwash me into lifelong loyalty with all this pitiful act, you can forget it. I’m not that naive…”
“Rosy, are you crying?”
“Shut up, it’s because you’re always sick!”
Kalian suffered from the side effects that typically afflicted those blessed by the stars—a burning fever—and fell ill periodically, unable to overcome it.
This hopelessly sickly, beautiful boy… why were my eyes growing wet?
“Fine then, big brother will live happily. I’ll shield you from all the hardships of this world…”
From that moment on, Kalian Wynack and I became one. His enemies were my enemies.
I had fallen into the grasp of this innocent lamb.
And so, as the devoted servant, protective knight, and unofficial younger sister to this somewhat lacking beautiful boy, three years passed.
Back to the present.
I was now twelve years old.
‘My boy destined to become the tyrant’s concubine? This is absurd!’
It seemed an enormous crisis was descending upon Winyak.
I hurled the cookie box aside and grabbed Kalian by the collar.
“Kalian. Did you smile sweetly at the Emperor?”
“What do you take me for, Rosy?”
“I told you not to even lift your head in front of that man! You can’t smile so beautifully like you just did!”
“Am I beautiful, Rosy?”
This hopeless person—that’s not what matters right now!
Yet Kalian persisted, clinging to me as though nothing else mattered.
“Am I beautiful? Hmm? How much?”
He sat so close that he practically shoved his face into mine, and even that gesture was seductive enough to draw a sigh from my lips.
The man was practically broadcasting pheromones wherever he went.
I stretched both his cheeks and spoke with cutting sarcasm.
“Kalian Wynack. You’re about to be sold off to the Imperial Palace, and you’re laughing? At this rate, you could vanish from the world without a trace, and no one would even know!”
Kalian laughed awkwardly as if embarrassed and avoided my gaze. I examined him thoroughly.
His eyes, which seemed languidly half-lidded, were always curved like crescents, and the combination of platinum blonde hair and crimson irises sparkled with a brilliance that drew sighs.
His jawline was sharp and well-defined without any hint of weakness, and as he entered adolescence, it had gradually taken on masculine contours. Recently, he’d also shot up in height.
Yet he was still better described as beautiful rather than handsome—a lovely youth.
Especially when he lowered his eyes like this, his expression took on a poignant quality.
I exhaled a helpless sigh.
‘Damn it. Even if you looked at him backwards, he’s exactly the Emperor’s type.’
There’s a saying that circulates throughout both Delpiam and Abuye.
Beauty brings misfortune.
My older brother’s fate seemed anything but ordinary.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.
No, there’s still hope. The most important thing is what Kalian said in response to the Emperor’s invitation to spend the festival night together.
“So, Kali. What did you tell the Emperor?”
“I said it would be an honor to spend time with His Majesty.”
What? For a moment, I doubted my own ears.
The little lamb drove the nail in with a bright, innocent smile.
“I told him I’d be delighted to prepare myself and look forward to it.”
“Oh my God.”
Am I the only one who finds this strange?
Anyone would find this strange, right? Right now?!
“Did I… did I say something wrong?”
Only one person—the very one who’d uttered those dangerously suggestive words—failed to grasp the gravity of the situation.
“…You basically went to a tyrant and wagged your tail saying ‘come catch me.'”
“Oh, is that what it means? But the atmosphere didn’t seem particularly dangerous.”
Looking at Kalian’s innocent red eyes, I felt the helplessness wash over me again.
The atmosphere wasn’t dangerous?
Of course it wouldn’t seem dangerous to someone with flowers blooming in his head—everything in the world probably looked pink to him!
This was the same person who’d nearly vouched for a con artist under our family name because he pitied their tragic backstory.
‘Is he planning to lure him in with candy, and once he comes of age, devour him whole? And drag him into a harem at that…!’
The future awaiting Kalian materialized vividly before my eyes.
“Young Wynack, I find you quite appealing. But what do you think of me?”
“It would be an honor if you would choose me, Your Majesty.”
“Hehe, what an adorable thing. Shall we start with a proper date then?”
Once I started imagining, the thoughts spiraled endlessly, and at the very end of that multiplication of scenarios dangled a bright red scab.
‘…Oh. My. God.’
I forced myself to stop thinking before I could conjure anything worse.
I have no desire to cast our precious natural treasure as the protagonist of such vulgar fantasies.
I don’t even want to explain it to Kalian Wynack in words…!
I slapped my own cheeks repeatedly as punishment for my impure imagination.
“Get a hold of yourself, Rosy!”
“R-Rosy?”
“I’m sorry, brother!”
“Huh? No, you don’t need to apologize.”
Seeing his innocent eyes only deepened my sense of guilt.
Whenever I stood before Kalian Wynack, I often felt like I’d become a thoroughly corrupted creature. Just like now.
But there was something I needed to confirm. I carefully opened my mouth.
“Kalian Wynack. I was just thinking… you don’t happen to have particularly broad tastes, do you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Come to think of it, brother, you even turned down Aselli Princess’s proposal of marriage.”
From what I’d observed so far, I’d never witnessed Kalian Wynack blushing at the sight of any man.
Yet it was equally strange how he showed absolutely no interest in the subtle glances and advances of young women.
A boy of sixteen, no matter how ascetic, would find it difficult not to spare a glance at girls his own age—yet he showed no signs of this whatsoever….
I steeled myself and looked directly at Kalian Wynack.
I deliberately softened my words rather than ask outright, “Kalian Wynack, are you gay?”—it seemed like it might cloud his pure state of mind.
“I wouldn’t mind at all if you had a different identity than others. Don’t worry and tell me—is it that you have no interest in women?”
“Hmm, I’m not entirely sure what you mean, Rosy.”
Kalian Wynack smiled softly and playfully pushed my forehead with his index finger.
“I turned down Aselli Princess’s proposal because I have no intention of becoming engaged yet. I want to spend the most time with you.”
“So that means if you find another woman you like in the future, you could date her?”
….
Kalian Wynack simply stared at me for a moment without answering.
Then, as if a thought had crossed his mind, his eyes narrowed and his crimson irises darkened as they gazed downward.
“Would you like it if I got married soon, Rosy?”
In that instant, I felt an ominous presence emanating from somewhere.
The gentle spring breeze that had been drifting through the open window suddenly turned cold as if it were a lie.
‘Wait, what was that just now….’
But the moment I flinched, the sense of discord vanished without a trace.
In its place, Kalian Wynack’s expression had become subtly chilling. The lovely curve of his lips remained, but his eyes no longer smiled.
“Is that so? Would you prefer if I became engaged to Aselli Princess? If I became a live-in son-in-law and left for the Royal Palace?”

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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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