Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 117

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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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My heart aches too, but what can I do? Without the multifunction device, the Duke might collapse from overwork.
I was thinking I’d console the child later and ask what gift to buy for the trip, when Violet reported that a welcome visitor had arrived.
“Young Mistress! Young Master has arrived!”
What brings my one and only son, Luke Rocksburg, to my office?
Delighted, I stood up to invite him in, and Luke entered carrying an armful of miscellaneous items and what looked like posters.
He said he had matters to discuss regarding the launch of the Beauty Contest merchandise business, and when I coaxed him to join us on vacation, he declined, saying he was too busy.
Luke Rocksburg, who makes a show of being the busiest person in the world, seemed intent on discussing only business before leaving, so I immediately deployed Asterion.
Asterion, the most persistent and annoying person in the world, clung to Luke and whined for thirty minutes until he extracted a promise that Luke would join us, then came to me asking for a high-five.
I was immensely proud of my wonderful brother Asterion, so I high-fived him, fist-bumped him, did a little celebratory chant, and then took a few quick-slow steps before composing myself.
If we’re going to the casino, we might as well bring some gambling funds. I opened the safe in my office with a click and pulled out a pouch of gold coins, but Luke and Glen rushed over and snatched it from me.
Luke scattered the coins across the desk, and Glen stacked them into three towers of ten coins each—but how did Luke, who isn’t even a sushi chef, manage to extract exactly thirty coins by weight alone?
“Besides, your finances haven’t been in good shape lately. Please take only this much to the casino.”
“That’s right. Rosalite tends to spend lavishly whenever you have the chance. It’s better to set limits from the start.”
Why do you two work so well together? More importantly, if we’re going gambling anyway, who’s supposed to gamble with thirty coins?
When I pouted in protest, they lectured me in perfect unison as if they’d rehearsed it.
“Thirty gold coins is one month’s living expenses for an average household in Rocksburg Territory. That’s hardly a small sum.”
“Regardless of whether the amount is large or small, Rosalite, you spend every coin you have. So it only makes sense to take less from the start.”
“But when did I ever spend everything I had…?”
“Six times.”
Luke, don’t glare like that. It’s frightening.
When I said it was frightening, Luke continued his endless nagging about how I should learn to fear money, so I covered my ears and said I understood.
It’s better to obey quietly than to be scolded by my son for appearances’ sake.
Deflated, I accepted the pouch containing only thirty gold coins, when Asterion caught my eye with a small gesture.
The clever little thing spread seven fingers, then made a tight fist and gave me a thumbs up. I checked to see if Luke and Glen had noticed, then carefully returned the thumbs up.
Thank goodness. It looks like Asterion will lend me seventy gold coins from his own pocket. With a hundred coins, I can enjoy gambling to a decent extent.
My mood improved, and I tied the pouch to my skirt’s decorative cord. Then Luke nagged again, saying that if I went to Edanelli carrying money so carelessly, I’d be pickpocketed in ten seconds.
I didn’t think he was like this, but the boy really does nag a lot.

◇ ◆ ◇

The morning of the reward vacation had dawned.
Everyone in my office couldn’t bear to waste even a moment of the holiday and began packing their belongings early in the morning, launching into a grand departure. We all gathered our personal luggage, secured our Casino Town VIP passes, Father had reserved the hotel, and I’d packed the gift for Dorothy’s coming-of-age ceremony.
Now all that remained was to enjoy ourselves for two nights and three days!
Excited, I boarded the first carriage and waited for departure, bouncing on my feet. Glen climbed in next, claiming the seat beside me, while Luke settled across from me. Meanwhile, Asterion came running from afar only to be caught by Jack and stuffed into the second carriage. I was growing accustomed to that sight.
“Rosalite. May I check your coin purse for a moment?”
“Huh? Why, why?”
Why was he suddenly saying such things?
My coin purse felt heavy enough to make my feet itch, so I leaned close to Glen for refuge, while Luke across from me urged me to hand it over quickly.
“The jingling sound when you were walking earlier didn’t match the sound of thirty gold coins. Please let me verify.”
Do you have supernatural hearing?
I was so astounded, amazed, and frankly unsettled by my son’s auditory prowess that I gripped Glen’s arm tightly. The truth was, I’d combined the money Leon had lent me with my own funds, divided it in half, placed one portion in my travel bag, and tied the other securely in my underskirt—so Luke’s observation was entirely correct.
My coin purse currently contained exactly fifty gold coins.
“That’s tied in my underskirt. If you want to retrieve it, you’d have to lift your mother’s skirt up—are you certain about that?”
“Yes.”
Show some restraint, will you? Even if I am your mother and you have absolutely no interest in women, how could you possibly suggest looking under a grown lady’s skirts?
As I expressed my alarm and pushed my skirt down firmly, my one and only husband, Glen, came to my defense. He calmed Luke with a laugh, then uttered words that made me wince.
“Perhaps you’ve brought a bit more than necessary. It seems to be around fifty gold coins, wouldn’t you say?”
What, do you have supernatural powers too?
My heart lurched at the mention of fifty gold coins, and apparently my reaction was so amusing that Glen covered his mouth and laughed quietly.
“I’ll let this pass for now, but Rosalite, you need to cultivate some self-restraint. Just like before—even if you didn’t hand over six hundred coins in a show of generosity, with proper coordination, a reasonable amount would suffice….”
“Listen here, coachman! Get moving! We’re all loaded up!”
I gestured to Aster, who was heading toward the second carriage, and had her sit beside Luke instead, then shut the carriage door and banged on the wall, ordering the driver to hurry.
I’d already grown tired of hearing about how the mine owner’s wealth given to Chatel and the dowry Luke would continue to earn through subsequent marriages after the Marchioness’s death would amount to only four hundred coins at maximum.
If I listened any longer, I wouldn’t be able to remain the affectionate mother I wanted to be. If he was so concerned about money, I’d chase him off to find Kaina Chatel and get his change back. I refused to follow Father’s example.
I pretended not to hear what Luke was saying and smoothly changed the subject. Fortunately, the boy had no intention of upsetting me—he sighed once and followed my lead, and we were able to travel to our destination together with cheerful chatter.
Since we were on vacation anyway, there was no point in letting the atmosphere turn sour.

The moment I stepped into Edaneli Territory, the atmosphere shifted so dramatically it was visible to the naked eye. I’d only visited a handful of times, but it never failed to strike me as a hardscrabble place.
The districts where ordinary citizens lived looked dreary and rough—as if brigands might leap out at any moment to ransack a carriage—yet separated by merely a single wall, the Luxury Residential District gleamed so brilliantly it made one’s eyes water.
Beautiful buildings, beautiful tree-lined streets, beautiful people in beautiful clothes. Truly, there was no word but “hardscrabble” to describe such a staggering wealth disparity!
No wonder crime festered in such neighborhoods and Vigilante Groups sprouted everywhere. Even carriages bearing the Duke’s seal weren’t safe from hardened criminals who’d attempt to rob them regardless.
Though the territory was wealthy, I found myself thinking it had plenty of problems to solve, and I was silently wishing Dorothy well in her upcoming inauguration as Duke when our carriage entered Casino Town.
Here unfolded a world of extravagance on an entirely different scale from the Luxury Residential District. Even in broad daylight, lights powered by magic stones flickered on and off in dazzling displays, fountains sprayed water in every color imaginable, and the central hotel—the grandest of them all—had gold leaf adorning its exterior so brilliantly it was blinding.
Wine and desserts lined the stalls for anyone holding a Casino Town free pass to enjoy… I’d need to keep a tight grip on Aster’s reins. The boy would devour every morsel of food here if I let him.
I was mentally noting to instruct Jack, Violet, and Lily to keep watch over Aster later, when Glen’s eyes widened as he gazed out the carriage window. He hadn’t realized the glittering gold-leafed hotel looming in the center was our destination, and when the carriage pulled up to the entrance, he grasped my hand firmly, his gaze alternating between the hotel and me.
“Surely not… is this where we’re staying…?”
“Of course.”
When people from Rocksburg took a group vacation, anything less than the finest wouldn’t do. Normally I’d have commandeered one of the Duke’s Residence’s annexes, but that was busy with inauguration preparations, so I’d secured a suite here instead. At my explanation, Glen made a peculiar sound.
“But you said we were in austerity measures, surely.”
“I may be broke, but the vacation allowance doesn’t come from the Duke’s pocket.”
I tilted my head in confusion, and my husband mirrored the gesture. We seemed to be talking past each other, both bewildered, when Luke—apparently understanding our entire exchange—carefully opened his mouth.
“Don’t be alarmed, Glen. Please listen carefully.”
“Y-yes…?”
“The money to bring me here and build the new department store building came entirely from Rosalite’s personal funds.”
“…Yes?”
“For reference, the six-region Largol Rodel is worth approximately fifty thousand platinum coins at current Aleine exchange rates, and Rosalite has investments and schemes in place such that she earns a hundred gold coins every half-day simply by breathing.”
“H-huh, f-fifty thousand… a hundred…!”
Glen… what interpretation had he been making of my claims about having money all this time…?
As I stared at him in disbelief, Glen’s shoulders sagged as he released my hand and let them droop. If I told him that his clothes and the accessories I’d bought him combined were worth a thousand gold coins, he’d faint on the spot.
Somehow, Luke was one thing, but even Glen had fixated on my vacation allowance as if I were destitute. The man had apparently interpreted my claim of being broke as the entire Duke’s House being broke… how pathetic.
In any case, the misunderstanding was cleared up, so I could simply enjoy the vacation without worry. Yes, consider it a blessing. Glen could finally relax and enjoy his time off, and I was doing some reflecting on my own behavior anyway.
What Luke had pointed out was, frankly, a fair criticism. Based on my track record, whenever I accumulated money I could spend, I spent it all without hesitation. This wasn’t limited to money either—I issued blank checks freely and depleted my mana reserves without stockpiling, so… I’d been in the wrong.
Damn it, I could almost hear William’s voice whispering in my ear again: “You were wrong, Young Lady.” I needed to go have fun, ignore it, and just go have fun.
I covered my ears and fled the carriage as if escaping William’s voice. After confirming the reservation name, I arrived at the suite first and surveyed the interior—eight bedrooms, three living areas, and furnishings of exceptional quality. I was thoroughly satisfied.

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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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