Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 11

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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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I matched Glen’s pace for a proper walk and returned to the office. After sorting through my workload to find documents suitable for a newcomer, I stacked them neatly on the reception table and provided Glen with pen, paper, and a sample of the standard report format used throughout the Duke’s House.
“So I just need to process these?”
As I handed over the work, Glen’s expression shifted to one of relief. Curious. Did he actually enjoy working? Should I give him more if he finishes quickly?
“My body was comfortable, but idling away every day made my heart uneasy. This is actually fortunate.”
So you’re the type who feels restless without work. Then this suits me perfectly too. Once you finish, I’ll give you more, so don’t worry.
“Organize the schedule so it’s visible at a glance, and arrange the household survey documents by year.”
Glen immediately understood and flipped through the papers, finding a long ruler. He was drawing lines with his pen—ah, he was going to organize it into a table. How resourceful. Certainly, a tabular layout is far easier to read than scattered text.
Restraining my expectations of Glen, I finished the remaining work. When Aster began stuffing food into my mouth, I decided it was time for a break. Was it already dinner time?
“I’ve finished, Young Mistress of Rocksburg.”
Oh, really?
Considering the time elapsed, his pace wasn’t particularly fast, but if he’d done the work properly, that was more than satisfactory. I still wondered why those household survey documents had come to me in the first place, but once he finished organizing the previous years, I could finally breathe easy on that matter. Now I only had to wait for this year’s household survey report to arrive.
“Let me see…”
The schedule organization was unremarkable—just Aster’s hastily written notes neatly arranged into a table. It was helpful enough, but the crucial household survey section…
“…!”
A human spreadsheet!
I suppressed my jaw from dropping and alternated my gaze between the numbers filling the table and Glen. Years were arranged horizontally, regions vertically, and the final row displayed the total population with thousand-mark commas in elegant alignment. Moreover, he’d even drawn a graph showing the population trend for my convenience.
“Glen, you immediately—!”
No, wait. Compose yourself, Rosalite. I need to verify the calculations first.
“Aster, the abacus!”
To quickly verify such extensive calculations, I reached for the abacus. As I clicked through last year’s population figures, I confirmed that the totals matched perfectly.
Now that I thought about it, Glen hadn’t even used an abacus, had he?
Truly a human spreadsheet!
“Violet! Take Glen’s measurements—clothing size and finger circumference!”
Elevating Glen’s status with my enthusiastic tone, I summoned my loyal seamstress maid Violet and issued my command. She responded with “As you wish, Young Mistress,” then dragged Glen away.
Bewildered, Glen asked me what was happening, but I was about to become extremely busy, so I didn’t answer. Instead, I called out to Aster for pen and paper. Glen limped along behind Violet the entire way, shooting me reproachful glances.
After watching Glen disappear into the small room, I threw myself into drafting the report for Father.
“Aster, put Glen’s table and the messy documents from before organizing into an envelope. Lily! Contact the designer we entrusted with Aster’s dress and bring the beautician contracted with the Duke’s House! I’m going to assign them to Glen!”
What kind of ring would be best? Let’s go with a gold band for now… Since it’s an engagement, even a small gemstone should suffice, right?
As everything was progressing so smoothly, I hummed contentedly before suddenly hesitating over which gemstone to set. Personally, I preferred diamonds, but Glen might find it burdensome, so perhaps I should ask him first.
The thought prompted me to rise and open the small room’s door. When I suddenly entered, Glen—wearing only undergarments with a measuring tape wrapped around his body—gaped at me. His face gradually flushed red as he awkwardly tried to cover himself.
“Glen, do you like diamonds?”
“Young Mistress, if you suddenly come in like this, I…”
“Do you like them or not? I’m asking you a question.”
“Diamonds, yes, I… do like them.”
Right, diamonds it is. I’ve never met anyone who dislikes diamonds.
Having settled my business, I committed to a diamond gold ring and even measured my own finger circumference. With this level of preparation, I’d at least observe proper etiquette.
I estimated when the ring would be ready and submitted a request to Father for a meeting. It was only natural, but I needed Father’s permission to proceed with this process.

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While I finished preparing my report for the Duke, Glen sent multiple requests to visit, all of which I rejected. After today’s work, I’d be seeing him daily whether I liked it or not—so why rush to meet him beforehand? Besides, I wanted to rest during this newfound week of freedom. I craved solitude during my leisure time.
During the respite he’d arranged for me, I’d lounged in bed with greasy fingers from french fries, turning pages of books and idling away the hours. I received the ring on schedule and arrived at Father’s office at the appointed time.
As I waited outside the office door for my companion to enter with me, Glen appeared, limping slightly, his polished appearance impeccable. Yet he seemed rather irritated about something.
“Young Mistress of Rocksburg, what is the meaning of this! I requested to see you several times, and you wouldn’t even acknowledge me…!”
“Do come in, my lord. You look quite well today.”
“Rosalite!”
Why was he shouting when I’d just complimented him?!
I frowned at his outburst. Despite his angry expression, the skilled beautician had done wonders—his entire countenance had brightened considerably.
His murky honey-colored hair gleamed with lustre, and with the ends trimmed and half swept back, he appeared far more refined. Whatever had been done, his hazel eyes now glistened with vitality, his skin radiated a healthy glow, and his nails were immaculately groomed.
He could stand beside anyone without shame. I’d definitely need to show the Crown Prince a thing or two later.
“I shall enter, Your Grace.”
As the clock struck three, I knocked and entered with Aster and Glen in tow.
Father, who had left the position of the Duke’s aide vacant, still appeared busy, but since I’d scheduled our appointment in advance, he set his work aside and turned his attention to me.
I had Aster hand over the document envelope and stated my purpose.
“What you’re reading was prepared by Lord Glen. I’ve also included a report detailing the matter.”
As Father flipped through the tables Glen had prepared, the wrinkles between his brows began to smooth away remarkably. I hadn’t seen Father look this pleased in quite some time. Lord William, standing beside him, also seemed to notice the change, offering a quiet “Congratulations.”
After Father finished reading the entire report—which requested the Royal Family to approve my engagement to Glen, his appointment as the Duke’s heir’s aide, the establishment of Uncle Louis as my guardian, and the restoration of the Hofen surname with a baronial title—he even broke into a faint smile.
“By the authority of the Duke of Rocksburg, I grant permission. There’s no need to involve Louis. I shall serve as your guardian.”
Father seemed genuinely delighted with my human spreadsheet.
In any case, with Father’s approval secured, there was nothing left to hesitate about. I knelt on one knee before Glen and opened the prepared ring box.
“Lord Glen, I ask that you court me with marriage as our intention.”
I presented my prepared words and proposed to Glen.
Witnessing this auspicious moment, Aster offered a soft round of applause.
Following Aster’s lead, Lord William also applauded.
Father nodded vigorously, his expression one of profound relief.
Glen cast his cane aside.

With a sharp crack, the cane clattered to the floor, its decorative top shattering and the handle splitting down the middle. It wouldn’t be of any use to him now. Was this some sort of protest demanding a new cane?
That’s right. Now that I thought about it, that object was the most essential thing to Glen, woven into the very fabric of his daily life. A ring and clothes were naturally things I should have prepared, and it would have been proper to at least provide a modest gift. Regardless of the fact that this courtship was premised on a sham marriage, this was still a proposal, wasn’t it? A proposal without a gift made no sense whatsoever.
I was in the wrong.
“I apologize, Glen. I should have purchased a gift, however humble, that would please you, but my thoughts didn’t extend that far…”
“That’s not the issue right now!”
That’s not the issue?
Then why is he acting like this?
As I tilted my head in confusion, Glen took a deep breath, unable to contain his frustration. This was strange. The ring was beautiful, Father had given his blessing, I would certainly treat him as my fiancé, and his salary as an advisor would be quite substantial—so why was he behaving this way?
“It’s because I’m insignificant compared to you. I’ve never been respected, never possessed what I wanted, never been given the right to choose. Even if my body is yours to do with as you please, you should have at least pretended to ask my opinion.”
Glen spoke at considerable length.
His opinion…
Glen’s opinion…
Wasn’t I asking for it right now?
Since I still didn’t understand, I decided to explain my position to Glen. I had done my best to think from his perspective, so I hoped he would consider mine as well.
“Whether you asked for your opinion beforehand or now, wouldn’t the result be the same? You yourself said you would accept any arrangement for the sake of your mother and sister. Even thinking about the future, this engagement would only benefit you, not harm you.”
“This isn’t about weighing gains and losses. I have feelings too, and I understand shame.”
With those words, Glen left the room. Without his cane, he had to support himself against the wall as he walked, so it would take him quite some time to reach his quarters.
I rose from my seat and brushed off my skirts. The ring really did turn out beautifully—I might as well try it on.
“Even if you’ve been rejected, Miss, don’t be discouraged.”
“He hasn’t rejected me yet. He didn’t say he disliked it.”
“I admire that unbreakable part of you, Miss.”
Yes. Thank you for the kind words, Aster.
Rising onto my tiptoes to gently ruffle Aster’s hair, touched by her attempt to cheer me up, I pondered what to do next. Should I refrain from pursuing this further today since he seemed upset? Or should I find him a beautiful new cane and attempt again?
“Go after him, Rosalite.”
As I was thinking through the next steps carefully, Father offered his opinion. Having already stamped my report with the seal of the Duke of Rocksburg, he continued speaking as he resumed his work.
“When you apologize with sincerity, people usually forgive you.”
“Is that from experience?”
“I spent nearly ten years apologizing before I got you back from your Maternal Grandmother’s House.”
I see. So it took Father around one hundred twenty apology letters for me to return from Maternal Grandmother’s House to Duke’s House. Why did he do such a thing in the first place? Why couldn’t he just let me play?
“Then I’ll follow your advice.”

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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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