Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 100
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
I boarded the ship first with my hands clasped behind my back, and Aster and Jack followed in turn. As the vessel caught the wind and began to move, Aster and Jack excused themselves below deck, wishing me an enjoyable time. I stood at the stern of the moving ship, gazing back at Bienar Port.
“….”
“….”
How awkward.
I had no idea how to talk to Glen about anything other than work. I was breaking into a cold sweat when I heard Glen approaching. Since the ship’s inevitable swaying would test even my finest sailors’ balance, I extended my hand in concern. The Prince grasped it naturally and leaned his weight against me.
Why was it so effortless with him, yet I still felt embarrassed clinging to Aster?
“Is something the matter? You wanted to see me alone.”
Right—family service for my future comfortable administrative life. Though Jack had sworn me to secrecy about that. That clever Jack Brown somehow knew exactly what the Prince would ask, and he hadn’t gotten a single word wrong either.
“A date.”
“Pardon?”
“We’ve never gone out to enjoy ourselves together, have we?”
At my words, the Prince’s grip on my hand fidgeted. When Glen fidgeted and twisted his body like that, it was a good sign. Jack, you’re a genius. We should compile a book on family service and publish it later. This would definitely become a bestseller.
“It seems I showed my displeasure too openly before. For you to go to such lengths, Rosalite….”
That’s right—I’m desperately jingling keys right now because I’m afraid you’ll strike and run away.
Though my appeasement was transparent, Glen didn’t seem bothered and smiled shyly. How delightful when he smiled like that. Where did he learn that Crown Prince smile? It was positively chilling.
“Don’t be so disheartened. You’re the only person I wish to spend leisure time with.”
“Yet you summoned Luke Chatel every week—was that not leisure?”
Don’t touch that subject. Luke must dance exceptionally well. Do you know how much trouble I went through meeting him in secret from Father?
In any case, if I continued down this path, I’d lose ground entirely. I decided to change the subject. With that thought, I led Glen toward the table that should be fully prepared by now.
“Soon we’ll enter waters with calmer winds. Let’s have an elegant dinner while admiring the sea.”
“Just the two of us? What about Aster and Jack?”
“They’ll manage just fine on their own. Let’s focus on ourselves for once.”
I said this while seating Glen in a chair, then sat across from him. As expected, the sails lowered and the ship moved slowly with the current. Not long after, Jack Brown appeared, skillfully balancing food plates in both hands.
It seemed Jack had taken on serving duties due to the shortage of crew.
“Jack, what are you doing here?”
“Don’t mind me. Enjoy your time together.”
“But I can see you, so how can I not—”
“Come on, let’s eat!”
I clapped my hands to draw Glen’s attention, and Jack promptly vanished from the deck. I couldn’t afford to chat now—it was time for my secret weapon.
“Have some wine.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I look forward to working with you next year as well, Advisor.”
“…Is this not some kind of company dinner?”
Oops, old habits.
I was making excuses that this wasn’t my intention when a whistling sound came from the night sky, and a streak of fire traced across it. Soon after, it burst with a bang, scattering sparks that briefly illuminated the surroundings.
“This is….”
Heh heh heh. Perfect timing, my loyal household staff. As gold coins worth a hundred each rained down from the sky, the Prince forgot his sharp words and gazed at the fireworks.
It was such an uncommon spectacle that Glen’s eyes sparkled with delight, and soon his expression brightened considerably.
The first burst had been around one hundred fifty fireworks, and now, like dandelions blooming simultaneously, roughly a thousand gold coins’ worth were detonating in rapid succession.
This is all for you. I’m scattering a fortune across the heavens solely to bring you joy.
Whether Glen understood or not how my heart ached watching my slush fund evaporate in real time, he merely smiled and gazed skyward—but the moment the most expensive firework I’d purchased, a pink heart burst, exploded across the sky, his expression froze instantly.
“That’s excessive.”
“Why? That’s the most expensive one.”
“It was excessive.”
You were enjoying yourself just moments ago—why the sudden change?
As the second and third most expensive fireworks detonated in succession, Glen proceeded to lecture me about how much money I’d squandered.
Well, to be honest, it cost about as much as an auto-return doll Rosalite Rocksburg Mark Two Three C, but I had to keep my mouth shut. The Prince might stop lecturing and actually draw his sword from his cane to stab me.
As I kept changing the subject, fortunately Glen relented and stopped his nagging, following along with my conversation instead. The money was well spent. Compared to how Glen had been sulking these past few days, the atmosphere was far better now, and warmth permeated every word we exchanged.
Dinner was delicious, and after we each had a drink, we gained the generosity to laugh at each other’s unfunny jokes.
In fact, since there had been splashing sounds coming from the sea—*splash splash splash*—we linked arms and went to the railing, confirmed it was flying fish leaping, and then laughed so hard together that the world seemed to shake.
We nearly died laughing, so we were both hunched over the table catching our breath when Jack Brown, who had been pretending not to exist until now, arrived with dessert and asked if I was alright. But I was perfectly fine with no issues whatsoever.
More importantly, bring more wine. I have a secret vintage I’ve been saving for today.
“Ah, Prince. Show me that thing.”
“That thing, you say?”
“You know, that gift I gave you.”
Wait. What was that called again? The name suddenly escapes me.
Anyway, the outfit I’d gifted him was visible and clearly suited him well, but the item I’d had made at the jeweler’s with a pair of rubies—I couldn’t see where he’d hidden it. I suspected it must be tucked somewhere beneath his outer garments.
When I mentioned the ruby-studded item, Glen’s smile vanished and his eyes darted about. His face was already flushed from the alcohol—could it possibly get any redder? Mysterious Glen indeed.
“…H-here?”
“Is it too cold outside?”
“No, that’s not… it’s fine, but… this sort of thing should be… when we’re alone…”
…Are there other people here besides us?
As I looked around while saying this, Glen stood up with an expression like he might cry. Why was he being so adorable?
“It’s just… I’m normally not that kind of person, but… since Rosalite asked… since it’s in front of Rosalite…!”
Why on earth was the Prince acting like this? Did removing his outer garment require such tremendous resolve?
Glen hesitantly removed his suit jacket, then oddly unfastened his vest as well, lowering his trembling hands.
Why was he reaching for the buckle? Why was he undoing it? I hadn’t asked for a striptease—so why was he tantalizingly unfastening his trousers button by button? Not that I minded the view, but when Glen actually reached down to pull his pants off, I suddenly leaped from my chair and rushed toward him.
In my haste, the chair I’d been sitting in clattered loudly and rolled across the deck, and I barely managed to grab Glen’s hands and stop him from lowering his trousers.
“What on earth are you doing?!”
“But you asked me to, Rosalite…!”
“When did I?! Say something that makes sense!”
“But… you wanted to see… that thing…”
“No, I meant… yes, cufflinks! I asked to see the cufflinks—when did I ever ask you to take your pants off?!”
Ugh, the alcohol’s completely worn off now.
The moment I finally remembered the name of the decorative fastener and spoke it aloud, Glen’s frantic movements stopped, and his expression became bewildered.
“Cufflinks? But in the gift box you gave me, Rosalite… there was… the name…”
You don’t remember the name either? This is the problem with alcohol—it lowers your intelligence.
Once the man seemed to have calmed down, I released him. He gathered his discarded clothes with fumbling hands, leaned on his cane, and shuffled back into the cabin.
Not long after, Glen emerged, having buttoned himself back into his garments with meticulous care. The man couldn’t bring himself to meet my eyes—instead, he pressed something warm and tepid into my palm before taking his seat.
Glen said nothing. Watching him with his head bowed and shoulders hunched, I felt a twinge of… no, pity. Yet I had no leisure to concern myself with Glen either.
What in blazes was this lukewarm thing in my hand? What could it possibly be to retain such peculiar warmth? I lacked the courage to unfurl my fingers, but I couldn’t humiliate the prince further. So I slowly opened my eyes, which had been squeezed shut, and spread open what lay in my palm.
There was a cord of some kind.
It looked like a cord, or perhaps a belt, or… what is this? Why are there rubies set into it? Why is there lace trim? And such shamefully dark lace at that?
“…Are you perhaps trying to say this came packaged together with the clothes?”
“…”
The man didn’t speak, but he nodded repeatedly. I see. So this was sent as a gift instead of the cuffs. No wonder Violet had been giggling about her “sexy brain coffee” nonsense.
“…”
I held what I was gripping and stretched it out to examine it in the moonlight. A pair of rubies I’d purchased from the jeweler gleamed beautifully, and black lace fluttered delicately—it was a garter belt.
Hmm… a garter belt.
Ha. Yes. A garter belt.
“No! What I ordered were c-cuffs! Cuffs! Definitely not a garter belt!”
Cuffs and garter belts don’t share a single character! How on earth did Violet confuse the two?!
As I stammered through my excuses, Glen’s already-bowed head sank toward the table as if it might pierce straight through.
I’m going mad. What do I do? How do I salvage this atmosphere?
“And you! You too! Showing me that! That! What were you thinking?!”
“But…! Rosalite, you were the one who—!”
In my embarrassment, I lashed out at Glen, and the prince lifted his head to counter. His entire face had flushed crimson, blood rushing all the way to his ears, and tears were already glistening in his eyes. I surrendered at once and lowered my tail.
“You’re right. Yes. I ordered it. It’s my fault. Don’t cry.”
“Who… who is crying?”
You, Glen. You, you, you. I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything—just wipe your tears. I’m dying here too.
I stood up, paced around the deck once, and sat back down, racking my brain for something to say, but there was no magical topic that could smooth over this situation.
It was hopeless. Glen and I didn’t exchange another word, and once the cruise ended, the ship returned to Bienar Port.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————