Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 128

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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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“Why did you fight? I’ve already heard the whole story from either Karl or Quill. Didn’t you have William attack me?”
As I rattled off my accusations, Father turned away to gaze out the window. Even from his profile, I could plainly see his lips protruding in displeasure. What on earth was bothering this man?
“…Haven’t you been visiting Sage whenever you have a moment lately?”
What was that supposed to mean?
I had clearly directed my question at Father, yet the answer came from William instead, leaving me so exasperated that I shot him a glare while he stammered and spoke on Father’s behalf.
“The Duke had made an appointment to meet you in the Dance Hall long ago, and since you never cross paths even during walks, I suspect he’s been quite lonely….”
“Does loneliness give you the right to attack someone!”
“Well, that’s true, but….”
This time Father shoots William a look. I’d suspected as much since he started blaming me whenever he was bored, but William truly was the type to say everything that exists and nothing that doesn’t….
To obey Father’s words despite knowing this was wrong—truly, the mark of a loyal subject.
“If you need a dance partner, there’s Luke besides me. And Leon would come running if you beckoned.”
“Luke is too busy and never comes home. And Leon is awkward.”
That, I understand.
Leon by himself was already somewhat off-putting in terms of personality and creepiness, so Father would find him quite uncomfortable. Now that I’d learned the backstory of Asterion’s birth, I could see it clearly. For Father to keep that Schrödinger’s Asterion in the Mansion, register him in the family registry, and continue living face-to-face with him all this time—he must have been suffering terribly.
Hmm, well, thinking about it, I understand well enough that I’m the only one he has to play with. And Father, come to think of it, his age, …he’s gradually entering his middle years.
There’s no helping it—I suppose I should open up to Father about this. I’d been keeping my magical abilities hidden as a precaution, but telling Father didn’t seem like it would be a detriment to me.
Once Father knew that I could protect myself, it would broaden the range of solutions available when problems arose.
“Area designation. Sparkle.”
I conjured a cascade of tiny lightbulbs before Father and opened my mouth. As the space brightened, Father’s brow furrowed deeply.
“I’m learning magic from that person. May I now use my leisure time freely?”
“….”
But Father’s frown seemed to stem from more than just the brightness of the bulbs. He whipped his head around to look at me, then raised his voice as if angry.
“You should have told me something like that!”
“I didn’t want to hear it from Asterion, who dismissed it as a one-night mistake!”
“I have my pride too! How could you expect me to broadcast the truth like that!”
That’s…! That’s true!
I was at a loss for words after speaking, but noticing that William seemed desperately eager to say something to me, I hastily opened my mouth.
“Yes, yes! I was wrong! I understand! I made a mistake! I’m sorry! Is that enough!”
As I shouted loudly, William flinched and then nodded.
Father continued to frown, but seeming to want to clarify the current situation, he asked me what level of proficiency I had achieved.
“How many circles?”
“Two circles.”
Generally, reaching the second circle takes anywhere from five to ten years. And breaking through the wall of the fourth circle is a matter of individual talent.
Knowing this already, Father’s lips produced a timeframe that only someone with understanding of circles could utter with such precision.
“So you’ve been hiding it for over five years.”
“You’ve been hiding where Asterion came from and Mother’s whereabouts for over twenty years, Father.”
“I had my reasons for that.”
“Well, these things happen when you live long enough.”
Father looked at me, his fingers twitching. He clearly wanted to throttle me.
A man who’d nearly died and just recovered certainly retained his strength. The tension in his grip made it clear that being seized by those hands would hurt tremendously, so I decided to clarify the facts.
“Duke, are you going to hit me?”
“No. When have I ever laid hands on you?”
“That’s not what I meant. I wanted to say that if you and I fought seriously, I would win.”
Father swiftly reached out and grabbed both my ears, yanking them hard. Ow! Ow ow ow! You said you wouldn’t hit me! You said you wouldn’t hit me!
“You said you wouldn’t lay hands on me!”
“It’s a massage! It improves blood circulation!”
Don’t lie to me, you greatest con artist of Aleine! If Father weren’t the Duke, wouldn’t he have over twenty fraud convictions by now?!
As I screamed and pulled away, Father grew dizzy, staggered, and collapsed onto the bed. Why would a man whose heart had stopped once get so excited? Ugh, even thinking about it now gives me cold sweats. I was so terrified back then.
“Rest well and recover. We’ll have a three-way meeting later. You’ll need your strength if we’re going to fight.”
“I have nothing to say to that man. Get out of my house immediately.”
“Duke, while serving as your acting representative, I’ve given this considerable thought.”
I took a deep breath and spoke from the heart. Looking back over everything that’s happened so far, there was one fact already proven.
“I believe my true aptitude lies with being a mage rather than the Rocksburg Duke. When Sage leaves, would it be possible for me to leave with him?”
“I will definitely attend the three-way meeting.”
Yes, please let’s resolve this through dialogue. Let’s find a compromise that satisfies everyone. We can do this. That distant ideal still awaits us—the Elysion Plains.
Excellent, truly excellent prose.
Inwardly praising myself, I bid Father to rest well and left the room. Then I quickly rushed to Sage’s Magic Research Institute.
Nothing else matters right now—I need to confirm that Sage is safe. Even if I’m a bit late to work, Glen and Brown are there, so the Duke’s Office will manage.
William didn’t follow me, apparently too concerned about Father, which gave me the opportunity to reach Sage.
I threw open the door searching for Papa, only to find Sage lying in bed, pressing his forehead and groaning.
“Papa! Are you alright!”
“Oh my, oh my, my daughter! I’m dying, oh my!”
What in the world—lying in bed like this? What’s happened? You’ve suffered so much, just look at how haggard your face is!
As I poured out my concerns and plopped down on Sage’s bed, massaging his shoulders, Sage let out groans of anguish and began his lament.
“I can’t live like this. How can I endure this sorrow because of that Duke—or whatever—some widowed bachelor with a tragic past! I must return to the Magic Tower!”
“Return? Daughter, why would you upset me like this! We haven’t even solved the chained sword problem yet, and you speak of leaving? I’ll give the Duke a proper scolding. What is the Magic Tower compared to here? Now you’re someone who can’t even eat properly without an attendant to serve you!”
“Even if my body is inconvenient, the Magic Tower is better—my heart can’t bear being here!”
“Don’t say such things, you upset me, Papa! No, my daughter has a house and money, so why would you speak of going to the Magic Tower!”
When he insisted that staying within the Duke’s Estate was uncomfortable, I offered to purchase all the land just beyond the Magic Research Institute’s walls and build him a new building there. Sage’s mood seemed to improve somewhat, and his expression became satisfied.
“Hehe, don’t waste money needlessly. The current place is already very spacious and nice.”
“No, I’ve always felt uneasy about housing Papa in this old building. As the Papa of the next Rocksburg Duke, shouldn’t you live in the finest house in the Duchy, living in comfort?”
“Hehe, that’s enough, that’s enough.”
I’m grateful Sage is an easy man. Unlike Father, he softened his heart remarkably quickly.
I grasped Sage’s waving hand firmly and took a deep breath. I would need a lot of air to recite the sentences I was about to deliver.
“I love you, I respect you, thank you for struggling to gently fight against William, a 7-Circle Archmage, and yet not a single casualty occurred—you are a legendary control genius. Divine control, god-tier control! Sage, you are simply a god! Sage God! I need to start a religion now! Sage is already divine!”
After unleashing this storm of praise, Sage straightened his shoulders and laughed heartily, while his disciples watching nearby stood and applauded, pouring out their admiration.
“Remarkable, Patron! I couldn’t say such things even if offered a fortune!”
“And you didn’t even look Master in the eye when you said it! If it were me, I’d be too offended to speak!”
Why do these disciples always run their mouths and invite punishment upon themselves?
But Master was no better—someone brought back from the brink of death, yet he resorted to magic to plunge his disciples into an abyss of agony simply because he’d heard some harsh words.
Wow, that actually looks quite effective for torture. Rather than unleashing a single bolt of lightning, he’s sending random voltages crackling down in intervals. The two disciples sprawled on the ground convulse like fish gasping for air outside water.
“Huff, huff… these wretched brats. And I call them my students.”
“Please, calm yourself. You’ll collapse again.”
Both Father and Papa really ought to develop the habit of controlling their anger in daily life. One should take care of one’s own body while venting frustration.
“Right, Rosalite—there was one thing I needed you to confirm.”
Confirm? I’d answered that if it was a three-way confrontation with Father to tear into each other and quarrel, we’d schedule it later. But Master said that wasn’t the matter and took my hand, issuing an instruction.
“Cast some magic. Anything.”
“Why?”
“Just cast it!”
Why are you shouting like that?
When I shrieked back, Master apologized and urged me to hurry and cast the magic. Well… if he insists, I’ll do it.
“Spark! Glimmer!”
I’ve been using this spell frequently today.
I cast the simplest lightning-attribute magic—conjuring a floating light—and waited for Master’s reaction. He grasped my hand firmly and closed his eyes as if taking my pulse, then suddenly furrowed his brow.
“Hmm… it really does seem to be you.”
“Seem to be me? What do you mean?”
“The chains in the basement. The sword embedded in them belonged to that masked woman, but the connected chains—no matter how I verify them—they’re yours.”
“I can’t create chains with that spell, though?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying! The attributes don’t match in the first place! But the mana is definitely yours!”
This is maddening—the more I investigate, the deeper the mystery becomes. The sword and chains weren’t a set? The chains are mine? How is that even possible? What magic creates chains in the first place? Well, a metal or earth-attribute mage could theoretically craft them with meticulous effort, but still…
“Perhaps I should examine the sword directly to be certain…”
“No. Not that. If we’re talking about a masked Dark Mage, Serena knows best. I’ve already sent for her. It would be better to wait until she arrives before touching or testing anything.”
“…”
Wait. If Master calls her “grandmother,” just how old is the True Magic Tower Master? And Papa is already over a hundred years old, so if he refers to someone as “grandmother”…

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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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