Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 136

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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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“It’s quite dark in here.”
Lucilucil, seated in the plushest chair of the theater’s premium balcony box—which contained merely two seats—was the first to voice this observation.
Hmm. In the Empire, theaters typically refer to open-air stages with the ceiling exposed, so this enclosed design might indeed feel unfamiliar.
“How am I supposed to see the stage properly like this?”
“Hmm. Hehe.”
Fine. Keep complaining—the shock will be all the greater when the truth is revealed.
“Why are you grinning like that? It’s unsettling.”
“Isn’t your phrasing a bit too direct?”
“I don’t like how you’re smiling. It puts me in a foul mood.”
Irritating.
When I grumbled at his elaborate way of saying “unsettling,” the man urged me to hurry with my explanation, insisting I wasn’t being cute at all.
Ugh, Lucilucil really is infuriating. So unsettling.
“If you’re dissatisfied with this date, I suppose I could demand a cushy position at the Duke’s Mansion as compensation.”
“Hehe, of course I’ll explain.”
I hastily rubbed my palms together and bowed obsequiously, at which the man burst into laughter again, clutching his belly. I’d noticed it before, but this fellow’s sense of humor was remarkably easy to trigger.
“What sort of nation is our Aleine? Isn’t it the world’s largest holder of Masujung Mines, and doesn’t it essentially monopolize the production of rechargeable Masujung?”
“True. During the conquest war half a century ago, we should have struck Aleine first.”
“With what means? Where in the world would the Largol navy—that ragtag assembly—have come from?”
“Well, if the previous Emperor had intended to strike Aleine, he would have reinforced the military.”
“That reckless fool who knew nothing but charging?”
“Are you picking a fight with me right now?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have a death wish?”
“No?”
“Then why are you being so cheeky?”
“Because it’s my home turf?”
Haha, this man’s about to throttle me.
The man clenched and unclenched his fist, so I decided to stop teasing him. Teasing Lucilucil was entertaining enough, but boasting about my territory would be equally delightful.
“Abundant resources mean that after meeting basic necessities, there’s surplus left over for entertainment and leisure.”
The moment I finished my explanation, a spotlight illuminated the stage, and soft lighting below revealed the orchestra as the performance began.
When I constructed this theater hall, I poured an enormous amount of Masujung and money into the staging and set design. The purpose was to provide the people of my territory with dazzling entertainment that would captivate their eyes, bringing them joy—and simultaneously, to divert their attention from the actual workings of my domain.
And by regularly staging propaganda performances that glorified the Rocksburg Ducal House, I intended to strengthen the loyalty of my beloved taxpayers. Today’s performance, too, was intimately connected to our House.
Culture is magnificent. Art is beautiful. When you package and present the Ducal House this way, people come to believe we are magnificent, extraordinary, and worthy of reverence.
“That’s quite the extravagant display of wealth.”
“Hmm, isn’t it?”
“The previous Emperor really should have struck Aleine.”
What good is regret now? In those days, we didn’t even have the technology to harness Masujung. That’s why we escaped the Empire’s grasp by simply crossing the sea—it was right before our eyes. There would have been nothing to gain from an expedition anyway.
“Let’s stop the chatter and focus on the play. My son will be appearing soon, won’t he?”
“…What?”
“My son. My sun. Don’t you know what Aleine means?”
“No, that’s not what I was asking about.”
Just close your mouth. The lead actor has already made his entrance.
After the opening orchestration ended and thunder rumbled with crashing sound effects, the actor playing Luke poked his face out from beneath the blanket.
I’d given hints to cast a child with hair as brilliantly red as Luke’s, but the young actor didn’t quite match him in appearance. Not that the child was unattractive—it’s just that our Luke is so angelically adorable that no one could quite measure up to him.
“Wait. You’re not telling me that tiny little kid is playing your son, are you?”
“Shh. Keep your voice down. The play has already started.”
“Then answer me.”
“Yes, he does. Though his appearance doesn’t quite match our Luke.”
The man made a choking sound again, then bit down on his coat and wept. What a busy person—laughing one moment, having a fit the next, then crying. Yet this man who seemed to enjoy life so thoroughly had written in his letters that everything was dull and tedious.
In any case, I already knew the play’s story well, but watching people perform and move through it gave me fresh emotions.
Luke, who lost his mother to the vile Kaina Chatel of the Largol Empire; Luke, entering the Chatel House and suffering all manner of mistreatment and torment; Luke, crossing over to Aleine and meeting the young Duke of Rocksburg for the first time; Luke, suddenly thrust into a political marriage and forced to leave Aleine; the parting scene between Luke and the young Duke of Rocksburg set against the backdrop of Bienar Port.
We’d reached the climax, and I’d already soaked my handkerchief with tears. I turned to observe Lucilucil’s reaction. Fortunately, the man seemed captivated by the play and was watching the stage intently. Unlike before, he wasn’t gnawing on his coat, and his brow was deeply furrowed as he immersed himself emotionally in the performance.
– Six Tones! Rosalite! Did you just say six tones!
“So Kaina Chatel has been acting all high and mighty lately—the culprit was here all along….”
He’s even analyzing the play. That’s excellent audience etiquette, and it makes me glad I permitted this performance.
When the chorus piece “Six Tone Sonata,” which the Culture Center’s Conductor had carefully composed, ended, the atmosphere on stage became warm and gentle. The Rocksburg family members all embraced Luke tenderly. They all recognized and respected him as the young Duke’s son, and they showed him love.
But Luke seemed unable to adapt to this Rocksburg environment.
Wait, hold on. If Luke’s verification went into this, then this scene must be based on truth—are you telling me Luke was actually wrestling with such unnecessary worries?
– I don’t deserve to be loved.
No, no Luke! Everyone loves you so much!
To express Luke’s inner turmoil, the stage suddenly darkened, with light pouring down only on Luke. My heart grew troubled watching the actor bear the weight of the world’s anguish, but fortunately another light switched on, and the actor playing the Duke of Rocksburg spoke the words I wanted to say.
– Luke. You’re not just deciding that on your own, are you?
Yes! That’s it! That’s your own thought alone! And why does a child need qualifications to be loved! Is there a national exam? A license!?
– I’m cowardly, weak, and afraid—I’ve never let anyone close to me.
– Including those very things, everyone loves the young master.
That’s right, the actor playing Jack Brown did well!
As the man in the gas mask recited his lines, the stage began to brighten. The actor playing Luke, who had been huddled down, stood up confidently and lifted his head.
– I don’t want to part with my mother, I want to be here…! I am Rocksburg!
Ugh, that’s right—how happy I was when I adopted you, Luke. You are Rocksburg!
– I am…, Luke Rocksberg!
Wahhhhh!
As the red-haired actor spoke with such hope, tears streamed down abundantly. Applause erupted. The supporting actors and extras all took the stage and offered their congratulations to Luke.
Congratulations, I congratulate you Luke, congratulations on coming to Rocksburg.
As I stood and applauded with overwhelming emotion, the audience rose one by one and clapped as well. The curtain fell, and the theater became a sea of tears.
After wiping away tears for a while, the house lights came up, and I could see Lucilucil sitting beside me. The man was hunched over, his face buried in his coat.
“What’s wrong, Lucilucil? Does your stomach hurt?”
“No, I just can’t decide whether I should cry or laugh.”
I think in such moments, one should simply cry.
I was about to say just that when I noticed Lucilucil’s eyes were already red. Well, there was no helping it—he’d already wept. Tear stains were plainly visible on his coat.
“Since I’ve already cried quite thoroughly on your behalf, you needn’t restrain yourself.”
But I shouldn’t point it out. When people hear sad stories or feel moved, they cry—and if I embarrassed him now, he might lose the ability to cry when he truly needed to later.
“Let’s go. I’ve cried so much, I really must wash my face.”
I helped the Crown Prince to his feet and led him out through the VIP corridor, where I discovered a donation box sitting in the hallway. Among all the fine decorative pieces lining the passage, a donation box seemed oddly out of place. As I drew closer, I found a message written in Luke Rocksberg’s own hand.

Your generosity would greatly aid Luke Rocksberg in repaying his debt of gratitude.

“….”
“….”
I’d told him countless times not to think of that debt as something he needed to repay, yet here he was again….
Still, I couldn’t simply walk past it, so I dropped a platinum coin I’d brought along into the box. At the metallic clink, Lucilucil’s movements quickened. The man felt inside his sleeve, then pulled out a bracelet and placed it in the donation box.
“You truly are magnanimous.”
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not worth much.”
Not worth much? I’d clearly seen diamonds studded all over that bracelet.
I gave the Crown Prince—who was quite skilled at false modesty—a few sharp jabs to his ribs and went off to find a dining establishment. Since I now knew Lucilucil had lost his sense of taste, there was a place I wanted to take him.
After a quick wash, I took Lucilucil to a modest public restaurant in the Edanelli Border Region. I’d discovered it while clearing out the slums this round, and remarkably, their menu was almost identical to Chinese cuisine!
Ever since I learned of this place, I’d secretly looked after it without the owner’s knowledge. Whenever I missed the flavors of home, I’d come here in disguise and quickly devour a bowl of jjajangmyeon before leaving. Unfortunately, they didn’t have jjamppong.
In any case, discovering this restaurant gave me a small hope. Perhaps if I searched through Aleine thoroughly enough, I might find a Korean restaurant.
When that day comes, I’ll simply empty a bowl of rice with a plate of kimchi, order some sundae and tteokbokki and eat heartily, then kidnap the chef and lock them in my house.
Ah, how wonderful. Just imagining it makes me happy.
“Why are you smirking again?”
“Because I’m happy.”
“From dating me?”
“What are you talking about?”
My happiness had absolutely nothing to do with dating the Crown Prince, so I genuinely tilted my head in confusion. The man’s expression darkened considerably. He reached toward my ear, clenched his fist, then said we should just sit down already.
“Why? Explain yourself. If you just tell me, I’ll understand perfectly.”
“No. You’ll never understand.”
“That’s too much.”
“Who’s the one being too much right now?”

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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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