Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 106

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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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That was when I understood. Ah, this man would not die even if someone deliberately tried to kill him. He survived being caught between the First Prince and Fourth Prince, survived encounters with giant squid in the sea—there was nothing that could shake him.
Perhaps that realization made me lower my guard. I grew close to her despite knowing we would part. She was the only woman with whom I could feel truly safe. She was my first friend in life.
I did not want to leave. I wished to maintain this bond forever. We would occasionally quarrel over business matters, and I, being the desperate one, would always lose. Rosalite would then console me with a wry smile. I simply wanted this life to continue.
Of course, my wishes meant nothing to the Head of the House.
My position as Branch Director of Aleine was passed to Milton, the legitimate son, and I was arranged to marry a wealthy Marquess known for owning famous mines. A bastard with the Chatel name was merely a useful trading tool. It seemed I had been sold at a very high price, and the marriage preparations proceeded swiftly.
Unable to defy the Head’s orders and ashamed of being sold away like this, I had planned to leave Aleine without telling Rosalite the circumstances.
But she, for some reason, rushed to the harbor and cried out for me not to leave. She asked me to remain her friend, to stay in Aleine.
Part of me wanted to disembark immediately, but the world does not bend to my wishes. It would have been futile. I could not defy the Head’s orders.
I was merely someone who came when summoned and left when dismissed. What would I accomplish by getting off here? That great noblewoman seemed to favor me, but she would never commit to protecting me for life.
Acting impulsively would only harm myself. So I pretended not to hear Rosalite’s words and went into my cabin, throwing my belongings about.
No tears came. It would have been easier if I had wept. I merely felt suffocated, drank a glass of water, and sat blankly on the cabin bed. The ship was slowly pulling away from Aleine.

◇ ◆ ◇

Days after arriving at the Chatel Main House, I had barely eaten properly, yet no one seemed to care. My family, the servants—they all treated me as if I did not exist. I thought this was familiar, but somehow it felt strange.
Perhaps it was because I had spent so long in Aleine. The executives who had transferred there with me and once looked down on me had constantly opposed and ignored my opinions, but their attitudes changed once I built connections with the Rocksburg Ducal House.
In Aleine, I first learned that I was someone before whom these men would bow their heads. To conduct business in Rocksburg Territory, it was crucial to gain the favor of the Duke and his daughter. Because Rosalite favored me, I could meet her whenever I wished by simply scattering seventeen gold coins along the way, so the executives went to great lengths to curry my favor.
Thanks to Rosalite, I was able to spread my wings fully for the first time. I applied items I wanted to use to business ventures, invested in land, and even reached out to collaborate with the Rocksburg Ducal House—no one blocked my path. Those were the most joyful days of my time at Chatel.
But now I would become someone who could not even look at practical affairs.
My future role was to become a pretty gentleman ornament escorting the Marquess. Accordingly, if I became any thinner, it would look unsightly, so the servants would force food down my throat whether I liked it or not. Like a goose with fatty liver disease.
Before that happened, I decided to gain some weight in advance. As I stepped out of the Chatel Mansion thinking about where to find snacks, I noticed the servants bustling about. I called over one servant I had some familiarity with and asked what was happening. I learned that Milton Chatel had attempted to assassinate Asterion Rocksburg and had been captured.
As a result, the Chatel Corporation Alaine Branch’s operations came to a complete halt. Rosalite Rocksburg was demanding that I be handed over, so my marriage preparations were also suspended.
I could not understand how the situation was unfolding. I received orders to stand by from the Head, so I could only repeat the cycle of eating, sleeping, eating, and sleeping at the Main House.
Since I was a trading tool and my death would be problematic, no one tampered with my food, sparing me the trouble of leaving the mansion. But not knowing the situation across the sea was driving me to madness.
Reports from servants continued that both sides were coordinating their circumstances. One day passed, then two, then a month. Remarkably, it took half a year before the Head finally stirred.
The man came to find me directly and said he would take me in exchange for Milton.
I had suspected as much. If Rosalite wanted to have me and my marriage was suspended, there was only one possible answer.
Rosalite clearly intended to have me as her second husband. The thought of facing Glen made it impossible to swallow food. Throughout the speedboat ride to Aleine, my stomach churned so badly I could not eat a single piece of bread. When I arrived at the Rocksburg Mansion and walked toward Rosalite’s office, I clutched my stomach the entire way.
How was I supposed to serve as Rosalite’s second husband? Of course I liked Rosalite, but that was—ah, not in that way!
My stomach was in knots, my insides burned, and unable to face Glen, I kept my eyes on the floor as I walked. The servants of Rocksburg saw me and snickered.
A chill ran down my spine. Were they mocking me? Well, no matter how well the people of the Rocksburg Mansion got along with each other, being treated as a second choice was always like this.
I had avoided this fate, yet was I destined to end up like my mother after all?
No. I did not want to live that way. No matter how I thought about it, I was not a second choice. It was obvious that my objections would fall on deaf ears, but I decided to make one last stand.
I timidly raised my hand and asked if my own wishes did not matter. Rosalite looked at me with her usual smile and warm gaze.
“My. Was your first marriage something you chose because you wanted it?”
“The Duke’s daughter is right, Luke. I should be grateful that you bought me at such a high price.”
The Head grabbed my head and forced me to bow. This much was as usual. But even if it cost me my life, I had to say what came next.
I pretended not to notice Kaina Chatel pressing down on me and forced my head up with effort. Even hidden from Rosalite’s view, I could feel the fury radiating from the man’s grip as he yanked my hair.
“No, ma’am. I may have married as though I were being sold, but I certainly attached conditions. I said I would rather die than be a second wife.”
“Don’t worry about that. If you come to me now, you’ll be the first wife, no question.”
“Pardon?”
What did she just say?
First wife? Me, a first wife?!
Bewildered beyond measure, I asked Glen—who already held the position of first husband—what this meant, and he merely replied that he had no power to stop Rosalite.
Well, Glen certainly lacked the authority, but still—wasn’t he the one who married first? By that logic, he should be the first and I the second. Not that I’m saying I want to be the second wife, mind you!
“Understood. I’ll return the gold ingots received as rent and pay an additional six trillion Largol Empire currency as Luke’s ransom.”
“You certainly keep a considerable amount of foreign currency on hand.”
“We’re always prepared to flee first if Aleine falls.”
“The First Prince and Fourth Prince would be delighted to hear that. Shall I relay the message?”
Wait, six trillion?! Six trillion as my ransom?! Has Rosalite lost her mind?! What kind of person pays six trillion Largol Rodels to take on a second wife?! Six trillion—how much is that, anyway—gasp!
A quarter of Largol’s canal revenue!
The moment I heard the number six trillion, my breath caught. It made no sense. And to pay it in Largol currency, no less. Foreign currency reserves were crucial in international business! There’s no way Rosalite didn’t know that!
This is insane! Gasp, gasp! I have to stop this deal!
My breathing grew shallow from the shock, and then Rosalite called my name with such tenderness. At the sound of “Luke, dear,” my lips trembled, but then Rosalite said something utterly bizarre.
“Try calling me Mother.”
Pardon? Mother to whom?
Thinking I’d misheard, I glanced at Glen, and the man simply said, “Well… that’s how it’s become.”
No matter how much I breathed, I couldn’t catch my breath. Gasping in shallow breaths, I eventually ran out of air and lost consciousness.

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I stirred awake to find someone holding my hand—warm and gentle. As I shifted, trying to rouse myself, I heard words of concern.
“Are you awake? Are you cold? Should I add more wood to the fire?”
Don’t go.
As the woman tried to leave my side, I gripped her hand tightly, and a soft laugh escaped her—it sounded exactly like Rosalite’s laugh.
“….”
…Six million gold coins!
My eyes snapped open and I bolted upright. Rosalite, who had been sitting beside me, jumped in surprise. The woman remained perched on the edge of the bed, still holding my hand….
Wait. Why was the quilt I was wrapped in light sky blue with embroidered clouds and rainbows?
“What is this.”
“What do you mean?”
“This quilt.”
“Don’t you like the sky blue? Would you have preferred pink?”
No, that’s not the issue! That’s not what we need to discuss!
“Six million gold coins…! What I mean is, a son for…!”
“Calm yourself. Six million gold coins is a small price to gain you.”
“It’s not a small price!”
My stomach churned at the sheer extravagance. Six million gold coins. Six million gold coins just to bring me here! And what was this about calling her mother? Was she adopting me as her son? I’m twenty-eight years old! How can a twenty-eight-year-old man be legally adopted as the ward of a twenty-two-year-old? Is that even legal in the Kingdom?!
“Are you in your right mind, Rosalite?”
“Yes.”
“No! You are not in your right mind!”
What in the world was happening?
As I tore at my hair, unable to accept reality, Rosalite patted my back soothingly. Her tenderness was so overwhelming I felt like crying. Unfamiliar with this situation, I kept feeling dizzy.
“You’ll grow accustomed to it in time. Asterion had trouble adjusting at first too….”
“That’s a completely different situation! Completely different!”
Why in the world would a twenty-eight-year-old adult man need a collapsible crib rail on his bed? And why was the wall such a bright blue? The young adult literature collection on the bookshelf—I’ve already read all of those, so please return them. And there’s even a mobile hanging above the headboard….
“What is this mobile.”
“That? Jack showed off his handiwork with that one.”
“Does that man know your actual age?”
“Of course. You’re twenty-eight this year, aren’t you?”
Exactly. You understand. We’ve known each other for years now.
As I sat there sighing heavily in exasperation, Rosalite suggested we go to dinner. Today marked the occasion of my becoming her ward in the Rocksburg household, so the family would gather for a banquet together, she said.
This wasn’t a joke—she was serious. I was truly becoming Rosalite’s adopted son. I mean, it’s better than being her husband, but—no, this is driving me mad. I can’t even form the words.
“People who wanted to see you are here too, so don’t be nervous.”
As Rosalite patted my back and opened the door, familiar faces came into view.
At the head of the table sat the Rocksburg Duke, his expression tense, and to his left were William, who usually stood guard, a woman who was presumably Mrs. Brown, Jack Brown, and Aster Brown.
And to the right….
“Uncle! I’m here, here!”

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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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