Sister-in-law of the Heroine in a Childcare Novel - Chapter 90

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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 90

He’d forced back an enemy he could barely defend against—driven them into a corner in a single stroke.
Had Titania and the others not been there, he might have killed the enemy on the spot or torn away their disguise.
Lisianthus had never resented it—the way Raymond always stood ahead of him, and he always stood in his shadow.
He knew his own limits. His brother was meant to bear the weight of leading their great house, and Lisianthus was his sword. Knowing what burden his brother carried, he felt no envy—only the desire to help.
He wanted to burn away the thorny road his brother would walk, to carve a path with his blade.
But when he saw Raymond—who had just saved Titania—hesitate for a moment. When he saw those trembling golden eyes, uncertain how to hold Titania in his arms. He’d found himself screaming without thinking.
‘Damn it, brother!’
Because I was weak.
‘Take Titania and go!’
Because his brother couldn’t leave this place with peace of mind. Because even with Titania’s life hanging by a thread, he couldn’t move without hesitation.
‘…Just hold on a little longer. Just a little longer, Lisianthus.’
For Raymond—always composed—to resort to begging him to endure.
‘Ha! Hold on? Never mind that, I’m about to finish it spectacularly, so hurry back!’
He’d spouted those confident words, but his gut burned like fire.
It was a sense of defeat he’d never felt in his entire life.
“…It was a stupid idea. I almost roasted you alive trying to burn some Magic Beast.”
Lisianthus clenched his palms—the ones Illian had healed, their burns now leaving no trace—so hard that his nails dug crescent marks into his skin.
“Come on. What’s stupid about that? If we’re going to die to those things anyway, at least we can go down swinging.”
Titania spoke with such lightness, shrugging her shoulders, that Lisianthus suddenly jerked his head up. His gaze met Titania’s clear eyes as she looked directly at him.
Her hair gleamed in the sunlight, each strand perfectly arranged. Her brow, pale and delicate, held an elegant composure. The faintest flush of pink bloomed across her cheeks as though someone had brushed rose petals there, and her green eyes—calm despite being someone who’d just been snatched from death’s jaws—
It was as if someone had carved a pond in his chest and released a little green fish into it. Each time their gazes met, the fish would dart and swim, sending ripples echoing deep into his heart.
Lisianthus let out a bewildered sound before he could stop himself.
“…No, what I mean is—I didn’t control my strength, so I could’ve burned you to death. I was weak.”
“If we’re going to split hairs like that, I was the one screaming ‘Look! Magic Beasts! This is insane!’ while swinging a sword around in the Imperial Palace, and I still nearly died like an idiot because I lost my grip on my blade.”
“You—you’ve never even formally trained in Swordsmanship…”
“And you’ve never formally studied under some master to learn how to control and wield Fire Power, have you? You figure it out on your own, the way we all do. That’s just how it is.”
“But that’s different from you! This is my responsibility—”
Lisianthus’s voice grew sharper with each word. Titania watched him and clicked her tongue. Then she reached out her right hand and grabbed his cheek, pulling hard. At first Lisianthus kept his mouth shut like a stubborn child, but when she pulled with undeniable force, he whimpered.
“…Ow, it hurts…”
If he’d known his words would come out so stupidly! Maybe he should’ve just kept his mouth shut! Lisianthus suddenly wanted to bite his own tongue in embarrassment.
But Titania simply extended her left hand as well, and now both cheeks were being pulled relentlessly in opposite directions.
“Listen here. Lord Lisianthus Agni El Castrain? You don’t practice controlling Fire Power, and you just play around swinging a sword carelessly, don’t you?”
“N…no.”
Lisianthus managed to push out a proper word despite his cheeks being stretched. Not that it gave him any sense of accomplishment. How could fingers so thin have such a grip? Why did it hurt so much? Ashamed of having his cheeks pinched like a child. But damn it, she did what she wanted, and he let her—what did he have to be proud of anyway? Such thoughts scattered through his mind as he struggled.
“So Titania found you incredibly annoying! Debi’s here anyway, and there are other people around, so you just tagged along thinking, ‘I’ll manage this spot half-heartedly and go play elsewhere,’ right?”
“…No…”
“Then you did your job. What’s the problem?”
Titania spoke so casually that Lisianthus felt a spark of frustration. Why did she keep treating her own life as so trivial and worthless? She was Royal Family! Wasn’t it true that knights who failed to properly protect a Royal Family Member would lose their heads for failing their duty?
“I still failed to protect you…! Aghhhh!”
But before he could fully voice his frustration, Titania cut him off with a scolding tone, as if she were a stern teacher.
“Is this the mouth that speaks such useless words?”
“Don’t pinch my lips!”
Startled by the sudden pinch to his lips, Lisianthus cried out in alarm.
“Your mouth, your mouth—take this, and this!”
“Hey, stop—I’m trying to have a serious conversation, you—bbbluuugh!”
Lisianthus found his mind reeling under the combined assault of cheek-pinching and lip-pinching for the very first time in his life.
Yes, it was truly the first time.
The Castrain family was not one that indulged in such intimate physical contact.
Things had loosened up somewhat since Bibi’s arrival, and everyone showered her with affectionate touches—but the dark-haired men among themselves? Not really! Perhaps when they were very young someone had patted them, but lips? Lips, of all things!
Titania watched the flustered Lisianthus and tsked before giving orders.
“Debi, seize this criminal’s arm.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“Barbara, grab that dimwitted digger’s waist!”
As Debi and Barbara approached without protest, Lisianthus stammered. Normally, Barbara would have at least made a show of objecting—’Perhaps we should preserve Lord Lisianthus’s dignity’—but she seized his waist without hesitation. Debi grabbed his forearm with an eye full of obvious delight, grinning from ear to ear.
Like a criminal being hauled away, Lisianthus fumbled for words.
“W-what are you—?!”
“The criminal shall be subjected to tickling and pinching!”
“Nooooooo!”
Titania moved with the nimble cruelty of a cat playing with a mouse, tickling and pinching Lisianthus’s sides mercilessly. His cheeks flushed crimson.
He wasn’t usually ticklish. He didn’t mind heat or cold much—that’s why he wandered about bare-chested—and he didn’t care for formal clothes, preferring to dress light and loose. When his father or brother would suggest, ‘Still, you should try to keep yourself presentable,’ he’d dismiss it with ‘This is fine.’
Just dress properly for the important occasions, that’s all. His clothes would get dirty and covered in ash from swinging a sword anyway. Comfort was best.
…That had been his thinking. But today, as Titania—with those fern-frond-like hands, so delicate he was amazed they didn’t snap—relentlessly pinched the bare skin inside his loosely-worn, gaping shirt, he felt something strange. He knew it was playful, but it made him so embarrassed, and the fact that he was so aware of it made him feel—so very—
‘…This is bad.’
Lisianthus suddenly felt afraid.
“Hmm. Good. So our criminal who pointlessly dug holes has learned his lesson, yes?”
As soon as Lisianthus quieted, Titania released him neatly and smiled wickedly as she reprimanded him.
“…Yes, yes. I… I was wrong. Titania.”
“Hmm. Really?”
“Yes, that’s right…”
“Are you truly reflecting?”
“I am…”
Left as limp as laundry beaten and rinsed by Titania’s onslaught, Lisianthus heard her declare triumphantly.
“Then as penance for your reflection, you shall bring me dessert! The fruit here was delicious! And ice cream too!”
“…Didn’t you say sweets were finished with chocolate earlier?”
“Ah, well, Barbara…”
Faced with Barbara’s sharp-eyed reproach, Titania suddenly became like a mouse before a cat, stammering.
“Just a little bit so it doesn’t upset my stomach? Just a little! The food and dessert here are really delicious, and I think I’d regret it if I left without trying more!”
“…Just a little then.”
“Barbara, you’re the best!”
Watching her celebrate as if she’d won the world from a mere bit of dessert, Lisianthus understood something.
Oh. I really do like her.
I’m in trouble.

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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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