Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 187

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

“The Royal Council can resolve your matters and attend later. Don’t make a fuss.”
“How can I not make a fuss about this? War, you say? A declaration of war from Largol? Those barbarians have even achieved continental unification?”
“Your safety matters more than Aleine’s fate.”
Father’s sophistry—that the nation’s wellbeing was less important than my safety when the Rocksburg heir was causing a suicide commotion—was met with nods of agreement from these people.
Yes, I understand. If Aleine were to fall, I’d be ready to flee first myself. So I can’t really complain, but…
“Pardon me, Duke. Aleine hasn’t fallen yet. You should attend the Royal Council.”
“If you’re so eager to go, attend as my representative. I’m busy seeking your counselor’s advice, revising ordinances, and consulting with magic specialists.”
Fine… then I suppose I’ll have to go alone. It seems I’m the only one here clinging to reason.
When I announced my intention to go to the Royal Palace, Violet and Lily left to prepare the carriage, and Jack naturally followed as my escort. On top of that, Leon and Glen, who were holding both my arms, insisted on accompanying me as well.
“I’ll go with you, Sister. More guardians are always better.”
“I shall accompany you as well.”
“Glen, you’d only be dead weight if you came along. Why don’t you just stay here?”
“Rosalite, you’re in an emotionally wounded state, aren’t you? It seems Leon’s absence would be better for your mental health.”
“What nonsense. Why would I be harmful to Sister’s mental health?”
“I didn’t say harmful, but it seems you’re feeling a bit defensive.”
“This beansprout, always poking and prodding.”
“If I’m a beansprout, then you’d be a mung bean sprout.”
Now you two don’t even care about my presence when you argue? Am I some kind of legally incompetent person within the Duchy as of today? Don’t you see me as someone with human rights?
“Enough. I’m taking both of you, so stop fighting.”
At least they listen when I speak. The two of them stopped their quarrel at my insistence and clung tightly to my arms, fidgeting. But surely I’m not actually going to the Royal Palace like this, am I? Bound up like a package? This looks ridiculous.
“Wait just a moment. I’ll fetch some beautiful binding rope for you.”
That’s not what I meant…
I’d meant they shouldn’t bind me at least while traveling to and from the Royal Palace, but Jack interpreted it his own way and returned with a beautiful rope woven from gold thread and shimmering silk. What is that? Why does he even have something like that? Did he make it himself?
“If you’re determined to go, take the materials Will has gathered. Laios probably won’t have detailed information since news from Largol is slow.”
That was welcome news to hear. How the situation in Largol was developing, and given that the declaration of war had just arrived, the invasion must have started long ago—I needed to know where they were attacking from. More information was always better. According to international law, starting a war required notifying the opposing nation first, but no one was foolish enough to declare war early and then slowly prepare for it.
Usually, by the time news arrived, preparations were complete and enemy boots were already treading on foreign soil. The quiet around the capital suggested they weren’t planning a direct assault on the royal capital and the territories of the Four Great Ducal Houses. And they certainly weren’t planning a naval battle—challenging Bienar at sea would only result in annihilation. They’d use ships merely as transport for soldiers and weapons, landing on the coast and advancing inland. The real question was where that landing would be.
I looked at where Father was pointing. There sat a recycling paper bin filled with scrap paper left over from the Printing Office.
“…You’re saying you wrote down something so important on scrap paper?”
“Scrap paper is sufficient. It’ll end up in Laios’s hands anyway.”
The King will be furious again.
In any case, I needed to check the materials before heading to the Conference Hall, so I had Leon flip through the pages. Though bound and inconvenienced by the lack of hand mobility, the people around me didn’t bat an eye and continued attending to me.
These heartless Rocksburg staff… I don’t care about others, but Glen, I’m truly disappointed in you. How can you see me bound so tightly and not even raise an objection? Rather, when Jack was binding me earlier, this man trembled with anxiety and demanded he tie me even more securely.
“This is…”
I was about to scold Glen, but after reviewing the detailed contents of the materials, I decided to let it go. This wasn’t the time for that.
The situation is spiraling into chaos. This is no time to resign myself to a peaceful death. Even if I must go, I need to preserve our beautiful land. How could I leave Leon and Glen in an Aleine colonized by Largol?
So there had been no news until now—somehow Lucilucil, who had rapidly secured popular support, ascended to the Crown Prince position with unprecedented speed, and the very first thing he did upon becoming Crown Prince was declare war on Aleine.
And this damned Lucilucil chose the Mithril Crystal Mining District in Aleine’s far south as his landing point. Ugh, this bastard is driving me insane. If he establishes a foothold there, we won’t be able to attack easily. Aleine’s vaunted mage corps will be rendered useless.
That’s because Mithril Crystal is a vital resource for our nation. Most nobles own a mine or two of their own, so there would be considerable backlash against indiscriminately unleashing magic in such places.
Just as it is, Rocksburg owns one large-scale Mithril Crystal Mining District and five smaller mines. And the direct and cadet lines of Edanelli, who control the majority of the mines, would raise hell and oppose the dispatch of mages.
Even if they fight to the death there, Alein gains nothing. Even if they win the war, an Alein stripped of resources would lack the means to reorganize their military and rebuild their mines. At this rate, they’ll just keep advancing northward. On top of that, we had to beg Largol not to destroy the mines on our way here.
I’m going to tell that Crown Prince Lucilucil to stop bragging about Mithril Crystal!
The more I thought about it, the more infuriated I became by Lucilucil’s brilliant scheming, his utterly ruthless cunning, and his deliberately provocative choice of landing site. Yet Father watched me shriek with satisfaction and even smiled faintly.
“If Lucilucil has become Crown Prince, then he must be that young man I saw the other night, yes? Quite sharp-minded. I like him. If you marry him, I’d readily hand over the Duke’s seat of Largol.”
“That joke is not amusing, Duke.”
“I wasn’t joking. If we’re backed into a corner, I’ll sell you off as Empress if I have to.”
So my safety matters more than Alein’s survival? Please don’t personally demonstrate the multifaceted nature and diverse temperament of humanity. Glen is getting all flustered again—what am I supposed to do?
“Don’t worry, Glen. I won’t be sold off as Empress. I’d rather die first.”
“Don’t say that! Even as a joke, how can you speak such words!”
And he takes it so seriously. What a sensitive young prince. As I teased Glen about his sensitivity and laughed heartily, the prince’s eyes welled up with tears and he grew flustered again. People began adding their own words, saying I was wrong.
Not this pattern again. Before the “Young Lady was wrong” parade starts, I need to escape quickly.
“Wait, just a moment, Rosalite!”
Why, are you jumping on the trend too with your “Young Lady was wrong”? When I asked this, the fluffy cotton candy creature shook her head vigorously and said something completely unexpected.
“Could I speak with Peter for a moment?”
“…?”
Peter? You mean… that rabbit still standing on two legs outside the window?
When I pointed to the horned rabbit, Lam expressed her desire to talk with Peter and explore the surroundings together.
“Well… sure… go ahead then. Jack, you’re fine with this?”
“Yes. Since it’s Miss Lam, there’s no risk of being swallowed. It’s fine.”
So it was settled. Once Jack and I gave our permission, the girl cheered and skipped out merrily.
Hmm… that girl seems to be living life happily. I made a good choice bringing her along. Even if her intelligence is a bit lower, working in the Printing Office is better than doing assassinations in some cramped room. It suits her temperament too.
“Young Master. The carriage is ready.”
“Very well.”
Then I’ll drag all the children to the Royal Palace. I had Leon and Glen distribute the documents, and bound in golden shimmering rope, I left Father’s Office. I’d grown so accustomed to this that it wasn’t particularly inconvenient anymore.
“I’ve been waiting. I’ve already heard the news.”
Huh?
I thought I’d head straight to the Royal Palace, but an unexpected person was waiting for me in the corridor. It was Capo, dressed in a full Princess gown unlike usual. And the parchment she held rolled up in one hand looked like a very important document.
“By news, do you mean Largol’s declaration of war?”
“Yes. Now we can finally make progress.”
Progress? What progress? What are you planning to do at the Royal Palace?
I pressed for details, but Capo just laughed heartily and said I’d understand when I saw it later. She said I’d be absolutely shocked, tapping my shoulder repeatedly… but I found this surprise she was hiding deeply unsettling.

◇ ◆ ◇

As I entered the Conference Hall guided by a Royal Palace attendant, all the key figures were already seated. The King, our somewhat lacking blonde-haired Crown Prince with his sparkling smile, Dorothy, and Duke Bienar. It seemed Noitram hadn’t arrived yet, likely due to the distance.
“We’ve been waiting! Young Duke of Rocksburg!”
“Hey! What do you mean arriving now, you little runt! Wasn’t Rocksburg supposed to chair the Emergency Royal Council?!”
How touching that he still remembered that. So you do possess some capacity for learning. As I rambled on in my emotional state, Duke Bienar began ranting that he’d kill that old fossil, while the Young Duke of Bienar, with his delicate elf-like features, cried out for his mother and tried to stop him.
That household is always like this, but it’s quite something.
“Say, is it just me who’s bothered by the fact that Little Fossil came here tied up with a rope? Am I the only strange one?”
“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. I was also thinking I’d gone mad.”
“Right? We’re normal, aren’t we?”
Ugh, look at those carefree blondies while Largol is invading. Still, I’ll give them credit for not showing up in their nightclothes. The night was getting late, and those two should have been heading to bed soon.
“Has Princess Natalie also arrived?”
“Yes. With a friendly nation in crisis, how could I remain idle?”
What is this Capo woman scheming? She definitely came here with ulterior motives…
Thinking I’d find out if I waited, I handed over the materials I’d brought to His Majesty. These were documents gathered by the subordinates of Will Brown, who fought on the frontlines of gossip in Rocksburg, a territory renowned as the pinnacle of scandal, rumor, politics, and gossip. They could be said to possess value worth more than gold.
“What is this? Rocksburg Territory Residents’ Great Guarantee Peace Insurance Gift Event Period? Get a Jack Brown bromide when you sign up now?”
“Ah, the back side, Your Majesty. The back side. That’s the back.”
“Who uses the back of a page when reporting to the King?! Do you take me for a fool? Rocksburg mocks the Alein Royal Family, you old fossils!”
“Please calm yourself! Is Rocksburg always like this?! Compose yourself, Your Majesty!”
Tsk, this household’s son has his own troubles. Our Crown Prince was sweating profusely as he tried to restrain the King, then glared at me. What, if you open your eyes like that, what will you do? Blow me away? Can Rocksburg abandon Alein and get blown away to Largol instead?
“Argh, just look at this!”
What is this?!

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