Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 162

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

I hurried to find my seat, only to discover that someone had already claimed it.
“Then ride with us. You’re useless anyway.”
“What? Pardon?”
Glen stared at me in bewilderment before being led by Lucilucil into the carriage. Wait, hold on—you’re all leaving me out? What is this supposed to mean?
“Perhaps you should have cultivated a gentler disposition in your daily life.”
As if anyone had a gentler disposition than me! I was already bitter about not being able to ride in Prince Marius’s carriage, and since none of these fools would yield their seat to me, I ended up sitting on Aster’s lap all the way to the sea.
Generally, a carriage seats four, and since the Empire’s guards were driving instead of coachmen, I’d expected the natural courtesy of subordinates to offer me a place. Not a single one of them budged.
Throughout the journey, everyone insisted I was in the wrong, but what exactly had I done so terribly? Tried to send the anemone to Cerepia? Sold Jack without knowing it? No, when you’re living as the Duke’s heir, such things are bound to happen!
I insisted strongly that I’d simply handled each situation appropriately at the time, but everyone except Aster sighed and repeated that the Young Lady had made a mistake. These brats seemed to know only that one phrase.

◇ ◆ ◇

The sea! The hour was late, but it was the sea nonetheless!
I’d worried we might miss the scenery in the darkness, but the Queen of Rohil, a master of protocol, showed her brilliance, and we were able to fully enjoy the southern seas.
Our Rocksburg makes a grand show of things, but this Queen is no less impressive. Her private beach was lined with street lamps, and to ensure safe swimming, she’d installed crystal stones along the safety nets spread across the shallow waters, making the surface below shimmer with light.
Even at night, the emerald sea and coral reefs were clearly visible. Perhaps this was even more beautiful than the daytime view. Moreover, the island’s natural geothermal heat kept it warm even after sunset. If a volcanic island constantly radiates such warmth, one might worry about an eruption at any moment—but if it doesn’t happen now, that’s all that matters. If you worry about everything like that, you can’t enjoy tourism at all.
“The sea! Sand! A beach!”
I’d always thought Aster was rather dog-like, but she really was acting like one.
The girl bounded across the white sand like a unleashed large dog, then splashed into the water and began doing a dog paddle. She was having quite the time. Aster certainly was vigorous. I didn’t have the confidence to play like that.
“Well then, grab that one.”
“Understood.”
“One, two!”
But Jack Brown and Lucilucil approached me and did something strange. They each grabbed half of me, lifted me up, and dumped me into the seawater before quickly running away.
“You bastards!”
I’m going to kill those two!
I ordered Aster to catch the two of them, then threw Jack and Lucilucil into the sea one after another. Since I was thoroughly annoyed, I even grabbed both their heads and dunked them repeatedly in the saltwater for good measure. Luke and Prince Marius laughed from the white sand beach, holding their sides.
“Aster.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
“Bring my son and Prince Marius too.”
“Yes, Young Lady!”
Since we’re already ruined, we might as well all go down together.
I pushed Luke and Prince Marius into the water as well, then returned to shore confidently, cradled in Aster’s arms. Let the children play among themselves, while I enjoy some elegant wine with Glen.
I took Glen’s hand—he’d surely have more difficulty moving about on the sandy beach—wrapped myself in the blanket Violet provided, and ordered wine. My mouth was salty; I needed something sweet to drink.
“Prince Marius is soaked through from head to toe. Won’t you go check on him?”
“If you’re asking whether I’ll be allowed to go, would you let me?”
“Do I have the power to stop Rosalite?”
“I’m too frightened to even try to go.”
Look at this—the Crown Prince is already preparing that smile of his.
When I said I couldn’t go anywhere because I was afraid of my husband, the man smiled with satisfaction and poured me wine. Hmm, it seems I gave a good answer. Still, living in marriage has taught me to see at least a step ahead. Such rapid growth for Rosalite Rocksburg.
I inwardly congratulated myself and poured wine into Glen’s glass as well. Out of habit, I added a polite remark about looking forward to continued cooperation, and Glen made a gloomy expression, saying it felt like an office dinner, then sipped his drink.
Ha, well, forgive me. Old habits die hard, you know.
“Why are only you two starting first? Pour me a glass too.”
“Ah, well, when a married couple is setting the mood, perhaps you should pretend not to notice, sir.”
“Why should I?”
This man is absolutely insufferable. Truly detestable.
Moreover, the man went even further, wedging himself between Glen and me to sit down and grab a wine glass. When he asked Glen—still calling him a simpleton—to pour him a drink, I snatched the bottle away and poured it generously into Lucilucil’s glass.
“It’s overflowing! Stop!”
“Drink plenty, eat plenty, and leave quickly.”
“How dare you speak such curses to the dignified First Prince of the Great Largol Empire.”
“When did I curse you? I only said drink plenty and leave.”
“Do you think I don’t understand? That’s the same as telling me to die quickly.”
“Wow, truly the dignified First Prince of the Great Largol Empire. Your Aleine is excellent.”
“You woman!”
“What about you, man!”
When I locked hands with Lucilucil and engaged in an arm-wrestling match, Glen screamed for someone—anyone—to stop us, and both Prince Marius and Luke came running.
Luke thrust his arm between my armpit and pulled me away from Lucilucil, while Prince Marius grabbed Lucilucil’s shoulder to separate him, and perhaps due to the commotion, Lucilucil didn’t seem particularly displeased like before.
Earlier, even when Prince Marius merely touched him with his fingertips, he’d recoiled as if swatting a cockroach, but now he was cursing at me without apparent distress. The Third Prince seemed to notice this too, for the man smiled brightly with an expression I’d never seen before.
Ah… so when the Third Prince isn’t wearing his business smile, he laughs like this. What a sight to behold. Almost boyish, isn’t it?
Lucilucil was cursing at me when he realized the person pulling him away was his own brother, so he patted Prince Marius’s back repeatedly, though he didn’t seem truly upset. Now Prince Marius was laughing so hard he was nearly crying.
The man judged he couldn’t control his own tears, so he asked the Rohil attendants if they had fireworks toys and left with his guards.
I whispered a question to Luke, who was holding me firmly.
“Why is Prince Marius like that? What’s the relationship between those two?”
“According to my last update, their relationship isn’t bad, but it felt like Lucius was putting up a wall unilaterally.”
“Why?”
“Because Empress Aidemoc only doted on the Third Prince.”
Oh dear…
No matter how much you say some fingers hurt more than others, they’re both your sons—treat them fairly. I clicked my tongue and patted Luke’s hand on my shoulder.
“It hurts. Let go, son.”
“Yes, Rosalite.”
Hey, if I call you son, shouldn’t you call me mother in return? Surely that wasn’t the last time you called me mother when you were about to see Prince Marius before? You’ll keep calling me mother from now on, right? Am I sulking?
“F-fireworks, you say. That should be quite beautiful.”
My poor husband. He couldn’t bear this awkward silence.
I agreed with Glen to ease the situation and added that he shouldn’t expect the kind of fireworks from before. What we could prepare right away would be those long sticks with gunpowder attached and lit—they have a certain rustic charm, but if he expected something with money thrown at it lavishly and ended up disappointed, I’d feel terrible.
“Fireworks, you say. The kind that burst in the sky?”
“Yes, yes. I spent some money on that when I was dating Glen before. I think I spent about thirty thousand gold coins.”
“Money truly rots away with you.”
“If you’re jealous, defect. Aleine is waiting for Lucilucil.”
“Don’t follow suit. You should hurry up and send a reply regarding the Empress appointment.”
“Well, I’m not taking the Empress position.”
“Of course, I’ll keep sending official documents until you accept.”
“Do you have parchment to spare?”
“We conduct livestock farming on a far grander scale than that fingernail-sized Aleine.”
Ugh, he struck a nerve. With insufficient farmland, livestock farming naturally couldn’t flourish, and Aleine depended on imports for most of its food except seafood—a painful truth. Moreover, compared to the Empire, our territory was pathetically small.
To bring up the Mana Stone again and boast would be tantamount to admitting, just as Lucilucil had pointed out, that Aleine had nothing else to be proud of. So I pondered carefully.
Aleine must have something that surpasses the Empire. There has to be something, so stop looking so smug already—it’s irritating. Ugh, Lucilucil is so irritating.
“Say, I’ve actually wanted to ask since earlier….”
But then Glen poked his head between us and opened his mouth with a puzzled expression. The man tilted his head, asking what the conversation about the Empress appointment meant.
“What exactly is this about the Empress appointment? Why would you propose that to Rosalite….”
“….”
“….”
Um…, how am I supposed to explain this? Since Lucilucil brought it up, Lucilucil should take responsibility and handle it himself!
When I poked the man’s ribs, Lucilucil’s face went blank and he fell into deep contemplation. He’s usually so confident, so why is he silent now?
I don’t know. I clearly refused and have no way to explain it. It’s not my business? Figure it out yourself?
“Hahaha! Marius! I’ve been waiting for you!”
Hey! Explain before you go!
Lucilucil dumped everything on me and went to Marius with a wine glass in hand. Since Lucilucil greeted him so warmly, Marius seemed delighted and didn’t know what to do with himself.
Sigh…. What do I do?
“Rosalite…?”
Glen looked up at me with pleading eyes seeking an answer, and since I happened to be the child of someone whose mouth runs loose, I had no choice but to tell him the truth. What good would lying do here? According to Lucilucil, those official documents proposing the Empress appointment would keep arriving at the Mansion anyway.
I calmed Glen down as much as possible, then explained that it wasn’t a big deal—Lucilucil had simply conducted some headhunting, proposing that I consider becoming the next Empress.
Upon hearing this, the man blew a horn, drained his drink, and then cried terribly before collapsing into sleep. After assigning Jack to him and transferring him by carriage, when I returned, the fireworks display was winding down.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————