Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 197

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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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“Doctor, Doctor!”
Wait, isn’t that Sage’s voice? But why does he sound like he hasn’t eaten in days? Didn’t you all go to the True Magic Tower?
Startled, I glanced toward the entrance of the Dance Hall, where two Grand Mages in beggar’s rags were barely shuffling in, supporting themselves on wooden staffs.
“Doctor, Doctor!”
I felt the urge to answer him, and I wanted to rush over calling out “Papa” right then and there, but there was someone whose presence made me hesitate.
Mother. If I called Sage “Papa” in front of her right now, what kind of catastrophe would follow? I trembled at the thought. Imagining Mother glaring at me, practically radiating murderous intent, asking why I was calling Sage “Papa” when Father was standing right there—my knees buckled.
Yes, Father was easygoing, so I’d carelessly called Sage “Papa” before, but in front of Mother, even a daughter shrinks away.
“Sage?”
Surprisingly, Mother reacted first. She stopped dancing and turned to look at Sage, and the two Grand Mages in beggar’s rags immediately spotted Mother and made a fuss.
“Grandmother, isn’t that girl there your puppy?”
“Oh my puppy! My precious puppy!”
Serena Kim came rushing over cheerfully in her beggar’s rags. Mother switched into her usual mode of radiating lethal intent. It was terrifying, but since it wasn’t my fault, I wisely took a step back.
A glittering party venue, beautifully dressed people emanating fragrance, and two Grand Mages in beggar’s rags in their midst. This was an utterly unpleasant situation for Father as the host, so Mother’s fury was formidable.
“Grandmother. You keep enabling that mad woman, and do you know what kind of trouble our Rosie got into?”
Huh? So the reason wasn’t about Father, but about me? Well, I’d received all the hints but still failed to understand Serena and Celin properly, so I suppose it’s justified. But it seems excessive to be this angry… Still, if I butt in now, I might get caught in the crossfire, so I’d better stay quiet.
“No, you see, that matter with the child she bore. We knew the circumstances and were doing our best…”
“Quiet, Grandmother! This is all because of you, so what are you boasting about!”
Angry Mother was terrifying. So terrifying that a thousand people who had been chattering and laughing fell silent all at once.
Maria Rocksburg reached for the decorative sword hanging from her dress. I was genuinely worried she might stab Serena to death with it, but fortunately the situation didn’t escalate to the worst.
Mother’s dress skirts fluttered as she moved to Serena’s side in the blink of an eye, then swung the decorative sword—sheath and all—and struck Serena on the back of the head.
The sound of impact echoed through the silent Dance Hall. Even without stabbing, I was concerned whether Serena could survive such a blow. But seeing Sage quickly check if Serena was still breathing and then pat his chest in relief, it seemed he hadn’t taken her life after all.
And Sage did his absolute best to avoid getting hit himself.
“I was absolutely, always on Rosalite’s side!”
At Sage’s words, Mother glared at me. Well… Sage had done everything I asked of him, suffered all manner of indignities, and even sided with me as much as possible when we caught Celin.
I nodded in agreement with what Sage said, and Mother confirmed my answer before tying the decorative sword back to her dress hem. Then she took a wine glass from a servant and held it high, proclaiming:
“It seems vagrants saw the brilliant lights of the Duke’s Mansion and lost their way. The party shall continue!”
She certainly knew how to drink with flair. As servants dragged away the collapsed Serena and Sage, people finally relaxed and resumed enjoying the festivities.
I had no choice but to tell Sage what to do next as he was being dragged away. I was too aware of Mother’s presence.
“Wash up and change into proper clothes, then slip back in pretending to be one of the invited guests. I’ll inform the servants.”
“Doctor, Doctor, because of that grandmother, I really, ugh, truly!”
Yes, yes, I’ll listen to your complaints later. First, go wash and eat something. Goodness, you look like a complete beggar.
With the two beggars gone, music flowed through the party venue. Mother grabbed me and spun me around as if nothing had happened, and as I grew dizzy from spinning, I spotted Janet looking relieved.
This girl must have been quite worried about not being able to dance. I told her not to start with me, but to mingle with others first and meet up again later. I’d even introduced her to where the other young people were gathered.
Anyway, both Leon and Janet were shy with strangers and wouldn’t readily approach people they didn’t know. Our branch family children had terrible personalities, but once you talked to them, they were all kind—except for Uncle Louis’s children. Besides, they couldn’t even climb up to Rocksburg since we’d dumped all our household work on them and never lifted the travel ban.
Ugh, if I let Uncle Louis and Benjamin loose in a crowded party like this, what on earth would they do? Just imagining it was horrifying. By the next day, only half of the original guests might leave this Dance Hall with their bodies intact.
“Rosie, don’t worry about anything. Mother will take care of it all.”
Well, I wasn’t saying anything because I was scared. What exactly have you solved by taking it all on yourself? Alas, my fate. Chasing after Celin without a proper plan isn’t the right strategy, ma’am. Besides, that woman actually enjoyed it more the more Mother chased after her.
Playing in someone else’s palm for decades, and now you think you can solve this alone? How foolish. Good grief, my mother is such a simpleton.
As I sighed deeply while nestled in Mother’s embrace, she mistook it for pain and fussed over me, sweeping me up into her arms. She settled me in the seat right next to Glen, who was still dazed, told me to rest, and then twirled away to dance with Father again.
These people really have stamina. Impressive. Haven’t they been dancing non-stop for at least two hours now?
“Um… there…”
Finally, Glen has returned to his senses. When I asked in my most affectionate tone, the young man’s face flushed crimson, his mouth opened and closed soundlessly, and he bowed his head deeply. To display such variety in expression in such a brief moment—the Prince certainly was talented.
“I apologize. If my legs were not as they are…”
Ah, did he interpret my watching Mother and Father dance as envy? No, no, that’s a misunderstanding. Of course it’s fun when a married couple dances well together, but…
“You are perfect just as you are, Glen. If I were so obsessed with dancing, I would have married a professional dancer instead.”
“But you are not obsessed with dancing, are you?”
Is this Prince trying to tease me? When I narrowed my eyes at him, Glen laughed heartily, delighted that his joke had landed. How cheeky. You deserve a tickle attack.
I pressed my fingers precisely on the spots where the Prince was most ticklish, and soon he was gasping for mercy while Jack told me to stop being ridiculous.
When did I ever act ridiculous, you insolent Jack Brown? After squeezing tears from the gasping Glen, I turned my attention to Jack, wiggling my fingers menacingly. Jack desperately warned me to stay back, but then a cheerful female voice rang out.
“I’ve been waiting so long, Rosalite! It’s my turn!”
Oh right, I had promised to dance with Janet. I signaled Jack to settle this later, and he signaled back that there would be nothing to settle.
Whether there’s something to settle or not, we’ll find out later. You’re going to regret this after the party ends.
I took Janet’s hand and moved toward the center of the ballroom, waiting for the orchestra to begin. I was anticipating an upbeat piece, but instead a deep saxophone melody drifted out, creating a sultry atmosphere.
Wait, is this blues? Ugh, this girl was probably expecting an energetic dance time, but they picked a song with almost no movement.
“Hehe, hehehehe, hehehehehehe.”
What’s with this creepy laugh? I was about to call the Conductor to switch to something more upbeat like jazz, but Janet pulled me close and wouldn’t let go. And without any discussion, she began to move.
“Janet Edanelli.”
“Yes, Rosalite.”
“Your hand is too low.”
“It seems appropriate to me, Rosalite.”
“No, at least hold my waist. That’s my backside you’re grabbing.”
“I cannot distinguish between waist and backside, Rosalite.”
Hey, even if my body has no curves, there’s still a difference between waist and backside, isn’t there?! Just because your own body is shaped like a cola bottle doesn’t mean you can treat everyone else’s body as just head, chest, and belly!
I tried to pull Janet’s hand upward to show her where my waist was, but she stubbornly refused to move it, keeping her palm firmly planted on that line connecting waist to hip as if that were exactly where it belonged. The situation escalated until Leon came rushing out to the center of the ballroom.
“Hey, you crazy woman! Do you have any sense?! Let go! I said let go!”
“What are you saying?! This is exactly where it should be! I already received permission from Rosalite to be her dance partner for this song!”
That may be true, but I never gave you permission to touch my backside, you brat.
Because Janet stood her ground, the commotion grew, drawing Jack into the fray, and Glen came rushing to the center as well. Even after my husband intervened, Janet refused to yield, so Father finally appeared to admonish her.
“I shall report this matter to Duke Edanelli.”
“No, please no, Your Grace! Anything but that!”
“Your good behavior stickers will be cut in half again.”
“No!”
Does Father actually know what those good behavior stickers are? What on earth are they? Is that a system unique to Edanelli?
At Father’s command, the Duke’s Household soldiers moved into action. Janet, who had been holding her ground until now, crumbled at the mere mention of good behavior stickers and was abandoned among the children of our Rocksburg Branch Family.
Ah… putting her among our branch family children in this situation is not ideal. She’s going to be teased mercilessly. This will just spread bad rumors about the Rocksburg Branch Family again. Those kids are usually so well-behaved, but when it comes to teasing someone, they stake their lives on it.
“Sister, then in Janet’s place, I, who am safe and harmless, shall take over the dance.”
“Fine. Setting aside whether you’re truly safe and harmless, let’s just dance.”
After dancing with all the children who’d drawn waiting numbers, I roamed freely through the party venue. Initially, I’d made my rounds with Glen in tow, but seeing how exhausted the boy looked, I told him to rest and resumed searching for dance partners. That’s when I spotted him—a strikingly handsome middle-aged man, the likes of whom one rarely encountered in this era, striding boldly into the dance hall from across the room.
His hair, the color of pig bristles, was tied back in a tight knot, and half his body was covered in lightning-strike scars. Yet somehow, they harmonized with his handsome features so perfectly that they created the illusion of an intentional tattoo. And then there were those mysterious crimson eyes, as if declaring his connection to the Noitram branch family.
The arrival of this middle-aged man, more handsome than my own father, sent ripples through the party venue. Normally, regardless of his appearance, he’d blend into the background, but dressed like this? He was genuinely aristocratic in his handsomeness. If only he kept his mouth shut, women of all ages would lose their minds and rush toward him.
“Doooooctor! Doctor! I’ve slipped in just as promised!”

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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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