Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 196

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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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Limping slightly, I hopped over and grabbed Nerva’s hand, pulling him away from the corner where he’d been searching for Aster. I couldn’t very well punch Four Spans, so this would have to suffice as my revenge.
“Now, now, Four Spans, don’t be upset. I’ve brought you a friend your own age—why don’t you two have some fun together?”
“What?! You think I’m a fool?! Where did you dig up this kid who looks like they just graduated kindergarten?!”
“You’ve been disrespectful from the start! I treated you as Aster’s superior, and yet you dare speak to this delicate young lady in such a manner…!”
I’d anticipated that a defeated foreign prince fleeing to our kingdom would likely never exchange greetings with us, given our mutual indifference. Yet somehow, I found myself mortified on their behalf.
What was I to do? I had to explain. But there was no avoiding it either. My heart ached. Truly.
“Though you appear somewhat different from the portrait we’re familiar with, this is Nerva Tianuus Largol, and he is four years your junior, Four Spans.”
“….”
“….”
“And this is the esteemed First Princess of the Alein Kingdom.”
“….”
“….”
The two of them glanced at me, then at each other, before releasing deep sighs and covering their faces with their hands. They seemed lost in thought—profound regret, no doubt. Perhaps they should stop deceiving people with portraits.
Grace was nearly identical to her portrait once she removed her glasses, so it wasn’t quite fraud, but Nerva… he’d overdone it far too much. The alterations were excessive. Who could possibly recognize him as the same person from that portrait?
“Ah… well, the real person is far… superior.”
“Yes… you appear quite… youthful.”
There—let them both reflect deeply and keep their mouths shut from now on. While they’re at it, they should watch their step too. If I got bored, I’d kick their shins until they screamed.
As the two awkwardly introduced themselves, the guest of honor finally emerged with Father’s hand, and when Mother appeared atop the marble staircase that she herself had personally renovated, the Conductor began playing gentle music. Throughout their descent into the Ballroom, applause and accolades never ceased.
Most of the praise centered on how a first-class administrator had returned and Rocksburg would prosper for the next twenty years, though occasionally I caught whispers admiring Mother’s beauty. Very occasionally.
“…!”
Moreover, something seemed off about John, who was abandoning the Princess to follow me around like a puppy. What was that dazed expression? He looked exactly like some innocent young man who’d reunited with his student-teacher crush years later as an adult, blushing as he reminisced about those wonderful days… somehow…
“….”
Wait! Now that I think about it, didn’t he say Mother was the most beautiful?! John, do you like our mother?!?
“Do you like our mother?!”
“Please lower your voice. Liking someone isn’t a crime.”
Why do you like a married woman, you fool?! Why of all people do you have to like the most hopeless target in the world?! Aren’t you going to get married?! Because you’re not, everyone below you isn’t either! No wonder you dressed up so extravagantly!
As I was slapping John’s back in exasperation and bewilderment, Father’s long speech concluded and the first dance of the ball commenced. True to Father’s taste, it opened with a tango, but I needed to find Glen instead of watching this…
“Sigh…”
I should have been searching for Glen, yet my eyes wouldn’t leave my parents. After twenty years apart, they moved in such perfect harmony. How enviable—look at that waist movement. Pure artistry. Finding a dance partner with such synchronicity is truly a blessing.
Now that I think about it, when the Imperial Court performed the tango in Largol, Lucilucil and I had moved in perfect unison as well. If we hadn’t been separated by nations, we could have danced together often. What a shame.
“Rosalite.”
Oh! Glen! I wasn’t thinking of another man, I assure you!
I felt my feet tingle nervously as I prepared to speak in a coquettish tone, turning to look at him.
How adorable.
Glen was wearing a ribbon—a blue velvet ribbon matching my dress. The young Duke looked absolutely precious with it. Somehow, I’d brought a tiara and a cheerful dress today, and now I understood—this household’s caretaker of children was making it obvious.
“Glen, you look absolutely charming today. Usually you’re like a hydrangea caught in the rain, but today you’re as cute as a forget-me-not.”
“N-no, please don’t tease me.”
“I’m not teasing. I’m simply stating what I observe.”
I dragged Glen to John and Jack, asking them if the Young Duke wasn’t looking particularly fresh and adorable today like forget-me-nots, and they both agreed wholeheartedly with me.
See? I was right.
“Please stop. Since Rosalite is your superior, Jack and John have no choice but to agree with you.”
“Is that so? Were you two just lying to humor me?”
“No? Glen really does look just like a forget-me-not, doesn’t he?”
“To be honest, I don’t even know what a forget-me-not is, but I agreed anyway.”
“Oh, you know—those flowers that are smaller than hydrangeas but so delicate and tightly clustered they’re adorable.”
“Ah, those. If I’m imagining the right flower, then Glen definitely resembles a forget-me-not.”
See? I was right!
As I laughed triumphantly with a smug grin, the Young Duke lowered his head and pulled me toward the center of the Dance Hall. The music flowed on, eventually becoming a waltz, and I made one final confirmation with Glen, who’d apparently prepared extensively for this day.
“If it becomes difficult midway, tell me anytime. There’s no one to blame you for it.”
“I’m fine. I’ve practiced a lot.”
Hmm, how admirable. So he practiced just to play with me despite his injured leg? Waltzing is far more demanding than it looks, you know. You have to maintain balance and everything.
Watching Glen toss his cane to Jack, I moved closer than usual and wrapped my arms firmly around his waist. This would deviate from proper form, but it would make things easier for Glen.
Father and Mother were still dancing their lethal waltz, while we took our clumsy steps together. Good, step back, lean your weight on me here—since he seemed to be following along well, I decided to show off a bit with a cross step, and Glen gripped my waist, grunting as he supported me.
His strained expression was so amusing that I giggled, prompting him to complain with an irritated face that I was always teasing him.
No, it’s not intentional. It’s just because he’s so adorable. So adorable. I never ordered the Young Duke to be born as such a cute creature. He became cute of his own accord, so he shouldn’t blame me.
Since I was already teasing him, I glanced around discreetly before leaning my face close to Glen’s ear. Making a soft kissing sound, I pressed my lips to his earlobe, and Glen startled, digging his nails into my shoulder.
And perhaps because Father and Mother happened to witness this display, they sent me a look that screamed disapproval. Does she want to live like that? How did she end up growing into such a person? Receiving their gaze laden with mixed emotions head-on, I dragged the frozen Young Duke—his nails still embedded in my waist and shoulder—toward the outer edge of the Dance Hall.
Jack had prepared a chair there in advance and was holding a fan to cool Glen down. I left Glen in Jack’s care and went to find a partner for the next dance.

Leon, my second dance partner, declared he would settle the grudge from back then and asked me for a swing dance. In truth, on the day I made my debut in high society, I’d known how to swing dance but had missed the opportunity while playing coy—and I could sense a deep resentment emanating from Leon over that lost chance.
But how long ago was that? And he was still holding onto it? Once a Rocksburg native holds a grudge, it lasts a lifetime. There’s no getting around it.
I spun in dizzying circles with Leon, occasionally launching into aerial turns as we commandeered the entire dance hall, then threw challenging and provocative gestures toward Mother and Father, who were still dancing. With Leon and me as a team, we might actually beat them in a dance battle. We were on the verge of turning it into a real competition when our mansion’s conductor suddenly cut the music short, preventing the battle from ever happening.
How sensitive he is about dance battles. He won’t allow his music to be used for something as trivial as a dance competition. Well, I suppose I have to understand the temperament of artists.
I sent Leon off with reluctance and took the hand of the young elf from Bienar. He immediately began cursing Duke Bienar and pleaded with me not to mention Father in front of him. Apparently, even though the Duke pretends otherwise, he’s extremely bothered by it, and lately he’s been suspecting that maybe he really did run away, which makes him deeply self-conscious about it. Well, I suppose all I can do is be more careful about it going forward.
After I released the Bienar Young Duke’s hand, Mother and Father continued dancing nonstop, and I grabbed Luke to dance a passionate jive with him.
I absolutely love this part where you step and then—ta-da!—throw your hands up!
Since I could improvise as much as I wanted with such an energetic dance, I went wild in front of Luke, and my one and only son frowned at the noise, grumbling and clattering, but then his attention shifted to the chain around my neck and the shackles on my wrists.
When I’d surveyed the banquet hall alone earlier, I’d noticed that the guests seemed to think this chain and shackles I was reluctantly wearing were accessories. Given that, wouldn’t it be wise to recruit precious metals dealers and goldsmiths ahead of time? Above all, wouldn’t this rose gold color be a hit? Trusting the vision of the Rocksburg Department Store’s president, I promised to provide full support to extract the alloy recipe from Jack and mass-produce it.
Once we start producing rose gold, let’s create a Rose Gold Day. “Give rose gold instead of roses to the person you love.” Kyaa, that catchphrase is killer—this is going to be a hit item, let’s go, go, go, we’re going to make a fortune.
As the song was ending, reluctant to let it go, I grabbed Luke’s shoulders, jumped up, and hugged him before spreading my arms wide with a flourish. Then Luke launched into his usual nagging.
“You’ll get hurt!”
Ugh, I keep telling you I won’t get hurt. When have you ever seen me get injured while dancing?
As Luke grumbled and set me down, I high-fived Mother and switched partners. So Father’s next, huh? I’d better not let my guard down.
“I shall endeavor to learn from you, Duke.”
“There isn’t much time left to learn. Enjoy yourself to the fullest.”
Whoa, what’s with that loaded comment? You’re not planning to retire the moment Mother comes back, are you? Right? You’re not going to abandon me in this hell and slip away on your own, are you?
As I panicked and fired off question after question, Father merely laughed mysteriously without giving me a straight answer. No way. You can’t go. Not for at least the next ten years. I’d rather you kill me!
As I spilled out whatever came to mind, Father apparently took offense at my last remark and massaged my ear while we danced, saying my heart would stop if I kept talking about dying like that.
Ah, I see. So when I mentioned dying, Father’s heart nearly stopped. In truth, when Father’s heart stopped, I thought mine stopped too. So wouldn’t it be fair to call it even?
Just as I was getting my mouth running again, Mother was already waiting beside me for her turn. Father indicated he would yield and handed my hand over to Mother, who excitedly kicked off her shoes and pulled me into a tight embrace.
“Can you dance the male part too?”
“Of course! During the six years I was seducing Eddie, there’s nothing I haven’t done!”
I see… yes, that’s quite impressive…
But I can’t breathe—please hold my waist gently. I’m going to die from suffocation!
Amused by me flailing about in her arms, Mother laughed heartily and spun me around in circles. Just as I was trying to persuade her to follow the proper steps so I could breathe, I heard a familiar gruff voice from the grand entrance of the dance hall—the Security Chief’s voice.

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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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