I Will Protect My Brother - Chapter 30

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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 30
“Pardon? You’re saying you’ll take me away?”
I stopped mid-chew, my cheeks stuffed with muffin, and opened my eyes wide.
Kalien, still bearing that pallid complexion, twisted his expression in displeasure.
“Rosy… sending her to Delpiam every year? What are you talking about? Kirges.”
Nearly a fortnight had passed since the commotion erupted in the Imperial Capital’s harem. In that time, another informal Continental Conference had convened—one that ultimately determined the fate of the Wynack Family’s Sacred Relic, which had finally been recovered.
“You thieving bastards, dragging our family’s heirloom to the brink of rampage—and you have the audacity to speak!”
Thanks to Owen’s commanding presence as he drew his blade without hesitation, the conference had seemingly ended in Wynack’s victory…
But come morning, the heads of the four other Transcendent Families descended upon Whisel’s Separate Residence where Wynack was staying.
Kalien, Owen, and I—who had been enjoying a peaceful morning tea—were forced to receive these uninvited guests.
“The Wynack Family’s Sacred Relic must be viewed as fundamentally different from the Sacred Relics of Raylo or Yeljewa discovered thus far. It takes the form of a lethal weapon, does it not?”
The piercing gazes fixed upon me from across the table made me feel as though my face might develop holes. It was uncomfortable, though not quite enough to make me choke.
“You like chiffon cake, don’t you, big brother? Here.”
“Mm.”
A bite for you, a bite for me. The whipped cream melted delicately on my tongue.
Without fail, a sharp command fell.
“Silence and pay attention, little Wynack. And you, even littler Wynack!”
The one raising his voice was Dorian Raylo, the elderly physician.
“You shut your mouth, Raylo. How dare you raise your voice to my children!”
Owen irritably drove his knife into the table. With a splintering crack, a fissure split across its surface.
The Family Heads’ mouths snapped shut like clams.
I continued chewing my cake with indifference.
‘The momentum was good, but regrettably…’
A family that possessed a Sacred Relic would inevitably see its standing rise dramatically. Since Raylo had lost their Sacred Relic, their influence would wane while Wynack’s power would grow formidable.
That’s why they were so powerless now. The Transcendent Families and their members were extraordinarily sensitive to hierarchies of power.
Regina, exhaling a shallow sigh, began to speak.
“To continue our discussion, the Wynack Family’s Sacred Relic is more dangerous than any Sacred Relic known to us thus far. Based on ten years of research, the sword’s primary function is annihilation. Why else would its epithet be the Great Annihilation? How can we guarantee that Wynack, wielding such an absolute weapon, won’t harbor ulterior motives and turn against the other Transcendent Families?”
“Nonsense. Do I look that idle to you?”
“We are well aware of your integrity and the idleness proportional to it, Wynack. But that alone is insufficient assurance.”
“Then what do you propose?”
Owen sliced the walnut pie into bite-sized pieces while responding with indifference. The plate was placed directly before me.
“Stop dancing around the subject and state your terms plainly, Kirges. And the rest of you as well.”
“Send Rosien to Delpiam every other year.”
So this was the situation—the other four Transcendent Families had imposed special conditions, citing the extraordinary power latent within the Sacred Relic as justification.
‘But I never imagined they’d demand to take me away.’
Kalien, who had been sitting meekly with his mouth open like a chick receiving food from its mother, narrowed his eyes.
“Essentially, you’re using Rosy as a hostage, aren’t you? She’s not a locust—you expect her to travel between two nations every year? She’s a proper citizen of the Abuye Kingdom. Isn’t that right, Rosy?”
Kalien glanced at me urgently, as if asking for my support, showing not a trace of doubt that I would agree.
I held my fork in my mouth and fell into contemplation. Owen quickly noticed my hesitation.
“You decide, Rosien.”
“Is that acceptable?”
“Father!”
Only then did Kalien seem to grasp the gravity of the situation. Tears welled up in his eyes.
“Then I’ll go with you——!”
“Transcendent beings are, in principle, prohibited from leaving their designated territories. It’s explicitly stated in international law.”
Regina cut off Kalien’s words with sharp precision.
“Only this child is an exception, little Wynack. The taboo must be upheld.”
The sound of Kalien grinding his teeth echoed between his lips. Multiple gazes clashed intensely across the table.
Luize, who had been observing the situation, stepped forward.
“Of course, I understand your reluctance to separate a child who bears the name of Wynack Castle for an extended period. So I swear by the name of Whiszel’s Star, the ‘Lion of Negation’—I pledge that no harm shall befall this child during their stay in Delpiam, and that they shall be treated as an honored guest of Delpiam in all circumstances and situations.”
Luize’s gaze held an unwavering, rigid quality. Recalling how he had called out my name as “Rosien Wynyak” sent a chill down my spine.
‘Come to think of it, I never got the chance to ask how he recognized me before he lost consciousness.’
The memory manipulation spell I had cast on him seemed to be working well. From what I could gather, the other Transcendent Family Heads didn’t appear to know my true identity either.
‘If they did, my Master would have acknowledged it long ago. Yet he still cherished me regardless.’
In any case, since Luize had invoked the name of his Star, his guarantee of my safety was no mere falsehood.
“Kirges and the others are in agreement as well. But ultimately, the most important thing is the opinion of the person involved.”
Master Regina’s gaze turned back to me.
“What do you think, child? How do you feel about this?”
Beneath the table, I felt Kalien’s hand gripping mine tightly. He gazed down at me with desperate longing.
Don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, don’t go, don’t go.
His eyes seemed to plead with me in exactly those words.
“Well, I….”
Noticing how unusually cold Kalien’s body temperature was, I slowly opened my mouth.
* * *
Late in the afternoon, after the four mighty Transcendent beings had withdrawn like the receding tide.
The moment they departed, I went out to the garden in search of the rabbit who had fled without so much as a glance back at me.
“Where could my brother have gone?”
I knew exactly where Kalien would go. My soft, jellylike brother always retreated into the dense thickets whenever he sulked, or climbed high into the towering trees.
I parted the foliage in the corner of the garden and peered inside.
Kalien sat on a hanging swing, his arms wrapped around his knees in a tight curl. His back flinched at my presence, but he didn’t turn to face me—a clear sign his feelings were deeply hurt.
Just moments before, I had accepted the Transcendent Families’ demands.
“I’ll do it. I’ll alternate—one year in Abuye, then one year in Delpiam. But in exchange for overlooking this unreasonable overreach, you must agree to strengthen Wynack’s voice in the Continental Conference.”
It was a strategic move to ensure that Kalien, who would one day become the Family Head of Wynack, would never be taken advantage of.
I approached quietly and suddenly wrapped my arms around Kalien from behind.
“Are you sulking, brother?”
Instead of an answer, I heard the sound of him sniffling.
“Why are you crying?”
I turned Kalien’s shoulders toward me. His eyes were swollen and red from how much he had cried in such a short time.
Kalien asked miserably.
“Rosy. Are you really going to leave?”
“Well, I did say it like that, didn’t I?”
“Why? You promised you’d stay with me…!”
His eyes were thick with resentment and betrayal. Just days ago, I’d been determined to cling to Kalien’s side like glue until he came of age.
‘Once I saw that bastard Alpien holding my Planetarium, my eyes went wild and I stopped.’
Besides, the power of Kirges’ Guardian Star that I’d tasted briefly in the Holy Temple was devastatingly sweet. Since my rebirth, I’d never truly missed the sorcery I’d lost….
I wasn’t a contrarian by nature, yet here I was—yearning for Wynyak when in Kirges, and harboring lingering attachments to Kirges when in Wynyak.
Though eventually I’d planned to return anyway.
Before returning to Kirges as ‘Rosien’, I needed to understand the situation in Delpiam and within the Family.
As a bonus, I could reclaim my Planetarium from Alpien and uncover the real reason he’d killed me. Staying in Delpiam was a proposal with nothing to lose.
‘How do I package this to convince Kalien?’
While I pondered briefly, I heard the sound of teeth grinding from somewhere.
‘Hm?’
When I looked up, Kalien’s eyebrows were drooping miserably.
“Rosy, I’m in pain.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Look at this—I have a fever.”
Kalien took my hand and placed it on his forehead. His forehead was indeed burning hot.
‘In such a short time?’
As I tilted my head in confusion, Kalien asked urgently.
“You’re going to leave me like this?”
“Well, I’m not leaving right now anyway. I’m going back to Abuye with you first, and I’ll come back here again around this time next year.”
“That means you won’t be by my side next year.”
“I’ll be back in just a year—what’s the big deal?”
“It’s once every two years. Half of my life is being stolen by Kirges and Whiszel…!”
Kalien’s drooping eyebrows began to rise gradually. It seemed he was struggling to contain his overwhelming sorrow. He clenched his teeth and spoke.
“Say you won’t go, Rosy.”
“Kalien….”
“I’m hurting now, I’ll hurt next year, and I’ll hurt the year after too. When you leave, I might just suffer alone and die. I won’t even search for an Elixir….”
Pearl-like tears rolled down his pale cheeks. His grip on my forearm was tightening. It was desperate and urgent.
“I can’t live without you, but you’re fine without me?”

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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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