Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 165
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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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The massacre of the Zoraab Orthodox Church’s spiritual leaders was entirely the fault of Empress Aidemoc, who believed in the heretical sect. Because of her, the anemone monster was completed, and I became a martyr who risked death to stop my mother.
The scenario was flawless. I had circumstantial evidence and physical evidence. It was true that That Woman had sent assassins to eliminate me, and this was personally notarized by the Duke’s Daughter Rosalite, who lived far away in Aleine.
No matter how entangled my mother was with the heretical sect, the Zoraab Orthodox Church couldn’t ignore me, who had nearly died trying to stop my mother. I already controlled military authority, had the support of the Orthodox Church, and secretly allied with the heretical sect. There was no one left who could stand in my way.
All that remained was for me, backed by numerous influential figures in Largol, to be appointed Crown Prince, and in the process, bring Rosalite as the Crown Princess. That would be ideal.
And when the title of Crown Princess came to mind, a brilliant idea struck me. I couldn’t just keep the completed anemone monster locked away—I should release it toward Aleine. Since the heretical sect’s priests could control the anemone, if I sent Rosalite a letter feigning ignorance and claiming an emergency had occurred, everything would unfold smoothly.
That anemone monster was truly an unstoppable creature, so Rosalite would receive my letter and desperately ask for help. Then I would step in and deal with the anemone, and in exchange, I’d propose she become the Crown Princess.
Exquisite. The plan was absolutely perfect, and I was already wearing a victorious smile—but not long after, absurd news arrived.
The anemone monster had frozen in the waters between Aleine and Cerepia’s border. A tripartite conference was scheduled to resolve this, and Prince Marius would attend as the Empire’s representative.
….
Sigh… Yes, I admit it. I underestimated Rosalite far too much. I had momentarily forgotten that woman was an idiot beyond my imagination. There was no way she’d move according to my plans. I was far too arrogant. I’d disposed of my mother so smoothly that I’d forgotten my place.
And what mattered now was the fact that that big-breasted woman had specifically nominated me as an attendant to the conference representative. This was surely a sign I could expect a response to the official document I’d sent before.
I couldn’t sleep the night before the conference and stayed awake with open eyes. This was because I suffered from seasickness, and absolutely not because I was thrilled at the thought of meeting Rosalite, or because I wanted to show off the body I’d been diligently bulking up and expected her to drool over me.
It was seasickness, seasickness. I simply suffered all night from the swaying ship.
When I arrived at Rohil, I thought the woman would be waiting for me at the harbor. But she wasn’t. Rosalite completely ignored my greeting, threw me into the sea, then went looking for Marius and wept bitterly.
….
Why do all these fools like that empty-headed idiot so much?! Of course! I admit his body is impressive! But that’s all, isn’t it?! He’s a useless fool except for his broad chest!
After I fell into the sea and crawled onto the dock with all my strength, I got angry at Rosalite, but the woman paid me no mind and only screamed at Marius. Moreover, when we rode in the same carriage, even though both Marius and I changed clothes, these Rocksburg people stared only at Marius.
Was that the Luke from “Finding Mother Across Ten Thousand Miles”? Anyway, if that brat was adopted into Rocksburg, why does he act exactly like Rosalite? How can mother and son both drool over Marius like that? Is he actually her biological son? Is the son some kind of time traveler from the future, Rosalite’s biological son who came from the future?
But anyway, since both mother and son are focused on Marius, there was a silver lining. Rosalite’s Son, that cute brat, took Marius away and created time for Rosalite and me to be together. Goodness, how does he already know he’ll be my son in the future? He’s already being so filial. What a clever little thing.
When I entered the conference hall holding Rosalite’s hand, I finally met a person I’d been quite curious about—Rosalite’s Husband. He criticized me relentlessly, saying my body was frail and my muscles were old. I wondered how impressive Rosalite’s Husband would be, but out came some stick-thin doll that trembled.
….
How can she live with such a weakling and criticize me?! I’ve been bulking up! I’ve built muscle! And why doesn’t she compliment my expanded chest size?! She spends all her time scrutinizing men’s chests, so she must have noticed my chest got bigger!
But after exchanging a few words, I began to understand why Rosalite kept that stick-thin man around. That weakling was… actually… quite cute. He couldn’t talk back to me properly and just trembled, showing a gazelle-like quality that was rather endearing. Teasing him wasn’t boring at all.
I think it’s better not to close the Concubine Palace. If I take him as Rosalite’s official consort, I should give him a position befitting that status. Handing him the Concubine Palace would be good for my dignity too. I can give the “Finding Mother Across Ten Thousand Miles” protagonist my old Crown Prince’s Residence.
The reunion was different from my expectations, but in any case, my family plans were coming together nicely, and I felt quite pleased. Now my mother would be gone. Once I eliminated all those who stood in my way and brought Rosalite’s family into the Imperial Palace, the atmosphere of the Imperial Court would improve, and the nation would achieve peace and prosperity. Rosalite and I would be eternally praised in Largol’s histories.
With that in mind, I decided to build rapport with the future Empress’s consort. I ignored Rosalite and rode in the same carriage as the stick-thin man, pretending to be friendly, when I noticed the strange cane he carried.
Both Rosalite and her husband seemed to have a hobby of hiding weapons in their belongings. It was clear something was concealed inside, so I fiddled with it here and there, and when I carefully twisted the seam and pulled it out skillfully, a blade emerged. A cane sword, how antiquated. Still, the stick-thin one seemed like someone with common sense. After all, Rosalite and her son once threw theirs and had a terrifying experience.
I told the stick-thin man that since there was a use for it, he should give me the toy, but the man just trembled and repeated, “I don’t like it, I can’t, please don’t.”
He really was fun to tease. No wonder Rosalite married him. When he made a sad face saying he couldn’t walk without the cane, I suggested he could just hold Rosalite’s waist and walk, but the stick-thin man’s face turned red and he whined that he couldn’t do such a thing in front of others.
….
How do Rosalite and this stick-thin man manage their bedtime together? I’m quite curious about that. I wonder if he’d get upset if I asked to watch later.
Anyway, I couldn’t give up this toy, so I kept asking for it. The man eventually said he’d give me the spare he brought and asked me to give this one back. This stick-thin man was quite prepared. Usually people don’t carry spare canes, so when I questioned this, he explained that he’d suffered much at the hands of Rosalite’s Sibling and carried extra canes.
That… now I understand what the Rocksburg Duke said. That sibling was truly Empress material. Listening to the stick-thin man’s grievances, it seemed that sibling was orchestrating all the schemes happening in our concubine palace alone.
The stick-thin man looked different to me now. I thought he was just a trembling gazelle, but if he’d survived this long against that sibling, he must have some skill. Yes, I should entrust the Concubine Palace to this stick-thin man. There would surely be Dowager Empresses who wanted to remain in the Concubine Palace even after the current Emperor stepped down, and if I gave him the task of managing those women, he’d handle it well.
The good-for-nothing suddenly looked different. I thought he was just a trembling gazelle, but if he’s survived against that younger brother of his until now, he must have some skill after all. Yes, I should entrust the Concubine Palace to this good-for-nothing. Even when the current Emperor steps down, there will be Dowager Empresses who want to remain in the Concubine Palace, and it seemed he would handle managing those women well on his own.
After that, I went to the sea with the Rocksburg group and enjoyed a proper vacation for the first time in my life. In a way, it might have been the first time I’d ever relaxed and played without worry. There wasn’t anything particularly funny, yet I found myself laughing for no reason—that was also a first.
After spending plenty of time at the sea, I drank and played around in the lodging provided by Rohil, and when the eye patch became bothersome, I simply tore it off and threw it away. I was somewhat surprised that no one pointed it out.
Rosalite had been unfazed from the moment she first saw me, whether I wore the eye patch or showed my sunken eyes, so I figured that was just her nature. But I never expected that everyone except Rosalite would be equally unbothered by the scar on my eye. Even Marius flinches whenever I remove the patch occasionally.
Rosalite’s guard, her servants, her son—and of course that useless husband of hers. Since no one paid any attention to my right eye, I grew so twisted in my feelings that I pestered them for some acknowledgment. Then Rosalite called me annoying, poked the scar on my right eye, made a “ding-dong” sound, and ran away.
When I shouted that I’d grab her ear and wring it like wet laundry, that useless fellow grabbed my leg and clung to me crying, begging me not to torment his wife. In any case, Rocksburg was full of nothing but strange people.
After that… I don’t remember clearly, but Rosalite grabbed my hair and dragged me to sleep with her. When morning came, she sneezed repeatedly, and eventually collapsed in the conference hall with a raging fever.
I was startled and tried to lend her a priest, but Rosalite threatened me before collapsing, saying she’d kill me if I called a priest. Damn woman. Even when I worry about her, she makes a fuss.
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“Ah, Lucilucil. You’ve arrived.”
“….”
“…?”
“You useless fellow. You do know my name, right?”
“Yes. Aren’t you Lucius Iddemock of Largol?”
Hmm… Yes. So you’re from Rocksburg too, you useless fellow. You know it well indeed.
Out of spite, I grabbed that useless man’s ear and asked about Rosalite’s condition. After the Anemone Conference ended, the representatives from each nation returned to their respective countries due to pressing matters, but Rosalite’s family remained in the lodging prepared by Rohil.
I too should return to Largol soon, but before leaving, I thought I’d see her face at least once. In my heart, I’d like to take Rosalite and flee to the Empire, but that guard—Aster or whatever—looks so vicious that I don’t think I could even lay a hand on her.
“Rosalite is sleeping right now, so it would be impossible to have a conversation….”
“That’s fine. I’ll just take a quick look at her face. More importantly, about your spare toy.”
“Are you really taking it?”
“I don’t like jokes.”
That useless fellow sighed heavily. When did he stop trembling whenever our eyes met? Has he grown so accustomed that he’s no longer afraid?
“Why would you want something like this? You must have plenty of better weapons.”
“It looks cool.”
“I see….”
Tsk, you think I’m pathetic, don’t you?
As that useless fellow narrowed his eyes and looked at me pitifully, I reached out to massage his ear again, but he quickly said he’d fetch it and limped toward his room.
Since he said Aster was with Rosalite in her room, so I could just enter, I didn’t hesitate and opened the door to find the woman.
Rosalite lay in bed groaning, while the guard—a woman—glared at me with eyes that could kill. That guard is interesting. Yesterday she said she didn’t see any hostility and left me alone, but today she’s strangely wary of me. Does she see through my desire to take Rosalite and flee?
“You cannot take the Young Lady.”
“….”
Interesting. She really does read minds, doesn’t she? Is it some kind of wild instinct? Well, her actions have always been beast-like anyway.
“Don’t worry. I gave up because of you.”
Eventually she’ll come of her own accord anyway. I’ve grown sick of waiting, so waiting for the day Rosalite comes to Largol is simple enough.
“The Young Lady will not come of her own accord either.”
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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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