Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 112

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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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This was the true Rocksburg Beauty Pageant. Though I’d never witnessed one before, it proved remarkably fascinating—so much so that I was watching from a segway at close range when Aster suddenly rushed over and took position beside me.
All the participants wore contestant markers, so there was little danger to me, but precautions were necessary regardless. Glancing at the judges’ section, I noticed William was also keeping watch from behind Father and Glen.
Having decided to trust only Aster, I broadcast the situation in detail to the territory’s residents. Amid the chaos of the melee, I spotted someone who stood out—they knocked down their opponents single-handedly and surged to the front.
– Ah! That’s—! Asterion! My proud younger sibling, Asterion!
Even running with such effort, Asterion moved with grace and beauty!
The child charged forward, flaunting long, flowing silver hair, then let out a tremendous battle cry. Asterion’s voice was so powerful it would have reached the plaza where the territory’s residents gathered even without the radio broadcast. The child bellowed the following words while sprinting ahead.
“I am Rocksburg’s most beautiful woman!”
– ….
…How did this child end up like this?
I was racking my brain over where the upbringing went wrong this time when a beep sounded and Father’s line opened. Concerned about my pallid expression, Father adjusted the frequency so only I could hear, then spoke with a sorrowful tone.
– The strangest thing in this world is my younger sibling. Asterion is still manageable.
That’s hardly comforting.
But since it wasn’t entirely wrong, I offered a halfhearted word of encouragement, and Father thanked me while I told him to stay strong.
Right, my situation is better at least. Father has a blood sibling who pushed him into a reservoir, and he’s stuck living with Schrödinger’s Asterion on top of that. Plus, after twenty years of solitary confinement, his wife has that temperament and a wandering spirit to boot….
My, Father is truly pitiful.
I glanced back at Father briefly, then followed the leader. I mustn’t think of him as pitiful. If I did, Father would seize the moment and dump all his work on me.
“Sister!”
Hm? Why is this child coming back this way?
One of the locations where I’d placed the note boxes was a newly established landmark at Rocksburg Station Central Plaza—a bronze statue of Aster defeating a giant squid. Asterion had bounced up onto it, grabbed a note, and now extended a hand toward me.
It seemed Asterion wanted something I was carrying.
“Goodness!”
I was about to decide what to hand over when suddenly a massive scythe embedded itself with a thud into the pavement before me.
It was a familiar weapon. Jack Brown.
The man had somehow escaped the melee and now stood between Asterion and me.
“What are you doing, Jack Brown!”
“I can’t stand the sight of it!”
Oh, oh my…, aren’t you being too honest? Though I thought it harsh toward the young master’s sibling and tried to calm him, he insisted this was a ruleless competition and challenged us to a proper fight.
As Jack rushed forward, Asterion drew a weapon, and sparks flew between them.
Asterion wielded a one-handed sword with remarkable fluidity—Asterion’s technique, learned from my instruction, shone brilliantly and drove the opponent into a corner. But Jack Brown didn’t yield. Jack maximized his heavy weapon’s weight, trading flesh for bone. Asterion’s injuries mounted. What will you do, Asterion!
As I continued broadcasting while watching their fight, Asterion feinted a counterattack, then suddenly changed direction toward me. The child scooped me up, segway and all, and dashed toward the referee.
Mm, good judgment. You only need to win the competition—there’s no need to fight here.
“That’s cowardly, Young Master!”
“Rocksburg is always cowardly!”
That’s also true. Rocksburg has always been cowardly. Even if Asterion is Schrödinger’s Asterion, the child has grown up with proper Rocksburg values. What does bloodline matter? Asterion is my proud younger sibling. Yes, absolutely.
Deftly avoiding the still-fighting participants, Asterion reached the referee at the starting line, set me down gently, and confidently handed over a note.
The referee checked the note, looked at me, then handed out a warning card along with instructions to retrieve the item. Curious about what was being requested, I checked the note and found the word “National Treasure” written there.
Mm…, setting aside how strange it is that Asterion’s thoughts turned to me, I wondered what the organizers were thinking mixing in notes like this.

After that, Asterion brought the Rocksburg Duke forward as a national treasure, and we barely managed to pass the first gate. Father wasn’t the national treasure itself, but rather the Rocksburg-sealed ring that had been passed down through generations to the family head was recognized as one, allowing us to proceed.
The second gate that followed saw the number of participants decrease exponentially, with only ten people able to take the stage. The judges scored each participant’s beauty and sent only the top three to the third gate.
The selected individuals possessed striking beauty regardless of gender, which put Jack at a disadvantage. Asterion had no problems since the judges held up perfect ten-point signs whenever he simply walked across the stage, but the moment Jack appeared, the judges’ expressions turned decidedly unimpressed.
Hehe, this was precisely when I needed to step in. I couldn’t bear to watch my beloved escort be humiliated, so I handed Aster a pouch of gold coins and had her crawl beneath the judges’ table.
The woman inserted the money pouches to each judge in turn as I instructed, and the moment their gazes shifted toward me, I winked at them repeatedly.
The judges seemed to understand my intentions perfectly and immediately held up perfect ten-point signs, allowing Jack to safely advance to the third gate.
I’d done my part. Now that we’d reached the third gate, it didn’t matter who won. Whether Jack or Leon took the championship, either way someone from our household would be victorious—an extraordinarily honorable outcome.
The final gate of the Beauty Pageant was a test of the contestant’s intellect, so a brief intermission was held while the stage was being prepared.
I announced over the wireless that everyone should take a break and eat their packed lunches, and we’d reconvene later. The crowd murmured as they ate their meals, visited the restrooms, or took short walks.
The organizers, now with some breathing room, transported the people injured from being beaten in the first gate to the hospital. According to the organizers, this tournament was remarkably peaceful in that not a single death had occurred—all thanks to the Duke and the Young Duke gracing us with their presence.
Having observed closely from nearby, I knew the real reason no one died. Largely because Asterion and Jack Brown had reduced the surrounding people to near-death, there was no reason for them to actually cross into death itself.
Watching people with cracked skulls bleeding profusely being carried to the hospital sponsoring the tournament, I found myself thinking—well, at least they’re alive, though I wondered why they’d voluntarily come to suffer like this. I finally understood why Jack had criticized the Beauty Pageant as a fast-track suicide competition.
“Sister! I received a perfect ten-point score in the beauty category!”
Right, here you come again to brag and body-check me. Gulp, it worked last time, but I wonder if it’ll be okay this time. I dismounted from the Segway, entrusted it to Aster, and took the stance of a goalkeeper receiving a ball. I can do this! Rosalite, you can do this, Rosalite!
“I also received a perfect ten-point score.”
But before Asterion could execute his body-check, Jack Brown tripped the child’s leg. Leon seemed to stumble from Jack’s leg sweep, but he caught himself on the ground and executed one graceful rotation before landing perfectly.
The landing pose was so elegant that I gasped in admiration and applauded.
“Truly my younger brother. You never lose your grace no matter the situation.”
“I’m embarrassed. I’ve only learned by watching what you do, Sister.”
Oh, such a talented child, and humble too. Delighted by his response, I stroked Asterion’s head affectionately, and the child knelt before me, giggling happily. This kid really does love physical affection.
“How can your ten points be the same as hers, Jack Brown? You barely made it up here thanks to Sister’s bribe money.”
You shouldn’t say things like that even if you know them—Jack will get hurt. Since Asterion had stabbed a dagger into Jack’s tender heart while receiving my caresses, I grabbed the child’s wicked mouth and twisted it, scolding him thoroughly.
Without bribing the judges, how else would Jack have made it to the third gate? At least the bribe money got him a perfect ten. I’d been anxious that even with the money, he might not advance, and I went on and on about my worries. Jack looked at me with an incredibly cold gaze.
“Young Lady, you’re being too much.”
Why are you like this? Don’t cry. Whatever it is, it’s all my fault.
I hurried over to Jack and told him not to cry, stroking his back. He insisted that men don’t cry and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Though in society, that’s usually what they call crying.
“What does anyone else’s opinion matter? I like your face so much, Jack. That’s why I always tell you not to hide that handsome face. I’ve even said I’d sell you to a noblewoman before. What noblewoman would buy a child who isn’t handsome?”
“Is that supposed to be comforting?”
No, that’s not comfort—that’s a compliment! I really do like your face. I continued earnestly telling Jack how much I adored his face, and he took a step back, waving his hand at me and telling me to go away.
This kid doesn’t mind anything else, but he seems uncomfortable receiving compliments about his face.
“Jack Brown! You’re really handsome! I love your face!”
“Please stop, really!”
The man simply ran away.
Well, the third round should be starting soon anyway, so I should probably go.
I told Asterion to go prepare as well, lifted the child up, and brushed the dust from him. Though Asterion said he’d be back, he kept fidgeting in front of me, so I gave him a warm embrace to ease his nerves. The child laughed happily and said he’d win and bring honor to the family.
Yes, that’s right. Winning would certainly be glorious, but don’t be disappointed if you’re eliminated at the third gate. I’ll always love you.
As I said this and waved my hand, the child took excited steps toward the stage.

For the third round’s test of intellect, the format could only be a quiz. The three top finalists from the second round stood side by side on a prepared platform, and it appeared the system worked such that the moderator posed questions, and whoever answered the most correctly would become this year’s most beautiful woman of Rocksburg.
On stage, lined up from left to right were Asterion, Jack Brown, and an Unknown Woman, each confirming their answer placards….
Wait. It’s not that I don’t recognize that woman—I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before. Am I imagining things?
“Then, here is the first question!”
The quiz had begun. While Father handled the commentary for those gathered in the hall, I had to continue broadcasting for the Territory residents who had come out for this gathering in the plaza.
As I announced that the third round had started, cheers erupted from the plaza, and the moderator rattled off the question prepared for the beauties.
“A general knowledge question. This great figure made a significant contribution to preventing the circulation of counterfeit currency.”
Ah, the answer is Johannes Mueller, isn’t it? This great figure lamented that Aleine currency was vulnerable to counterfeiting, so he applied magical post-processing and even invented a device to detect counterfeit currency. He was a man of conscience and a scholar of his era who provided his technology to the Aleine Royal Family free of charge. He was also an outstanding mage produced by the Alein Magic Tower Branch.

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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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