Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 222

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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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#Twenty-Three-Year-Old Rosalite

“Gasp!”
Good heavens, what on earth! I’d only closed my eyes for a moment before finding myself sprawled on the ground. Uncomfortable from the rocks and grass fragments, I jolted upright—only to discover a crowd of people surrounding me.
Leon was crying his eyes out, Papa was there, and Mother was sobbing so hard she nearly fainted before actually doing so.
And there was Aster, still pummeling the bloodied Jack Brown relentlessly.
“Young Lady?”
What is this? Wasn’t I about to be trampled by the elephant just moments ago? Did I lose consciousness like Mother? Let me see—the elephant isn’t moving, so it seems they defeated it without me.
Well, well, these people are managing quite well on their own now.
“Ah, Young Lady. Young Lady. Young Lady!”
Then Aster Brown suddenly burst into tears and rushed toward me. He carefully folded me into his arms and tried to dash off somewhere.
“Hey! Hey, you madman! Where are you taking the Doctor!”
“We cannot stay here! It is far too dangerous for the Young Lady! We must return to Rocksburg!”
“You madman! You madman, put her down first! We need to check the Doctor’s condition! Stop!”
What is happening? What is this? Why has everything descended into chaos—Papa clinging to Aster’s leg, everyone crying, Mother unconscious, and Jack covered in blood?
I pondered for a moment before recalling the most urgent matter at hand and shouted loudly.
“That’s right! Where did the Pope go! We must pursue him at once!”
As I thrashed about in Aster’s arms, he bit down hard on my head as if trying to devour it, while Sage suddenly rose and grabbed my ear, lifting me up.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
“You thoughtless fool! You survive death itself and that’s all you have to say!”
Sage wept. Papa, who had shown no sign of tears until moments before, finally relaxed and sobbed loudly.
What is this? Why? Looking at the situation, it seems I’ve done something wrong again. Why isn’t Jack Brown saying to me, “Young Lady, you were at fault”?
That realization struck me as the greatest terror of all.

◇ ◆ ◇

After everyone had cried themselves out, their eyes red and swollen, we gathered in a corner of the ruined Imperial Palace Garden. Peter held me protectively against his chest, with Elizabeth and Aster standing on either side, while Mother sat atop Peter, surveying our surroundings.
From Sage—the only one among us still maintaining composure—I learned what had transpired.
Apparently, I had lost some of my memories. When I was nearly crushed by the elephant monster, I defended myself with magic, my fourth circle shattered, and I somehow managed to cast a double spell.
Wait, I… had a fourth circle? That can’t be right. I tested it, and my mana capacity is only third circle. How is that possible? And what even is double casting?
What is that? How do you even do it?
“And this is something I didn’t want to mention, but I’m telling you so you don’t make the same mistake again. Doctor.”
“Yes.”
“A piece of iron decoration pierced straight through your chest.”
“Huh? But there’s no wound on me?”
“No, listen to me.”
“Yes.”
“You did that with your own magic.”
….
“You lowered your guard while maintaining a concentration spell. Do you understand? There’s a force called inertia in this world, involving speed and acceleration.”
“I understand. You don’t need to explain.”
So… I pierced my own chest through my own foolishness? I must have appeared dead to everyone, which is why they all cried. Asterion, unable to protect me, took a single blow from Aster. And Jack was beaten within an inch of his life.
That’s why Jack knelt there covered in blood, unable to say a single word to me.
Setting aside the fact that everyone wept and grieved, there were several strange aspects to all this. First, the chain around my neck was gone. This was the mark of being the next battery. Its absence meant… I could make two deductions.
First, I no longer needed to be a battery. Second, and far more hopeful, was the possibility that the contract binding me had been severed.
But that didn’t explain my current condition. Everyone was focused on the fact that I had been revived, but no matter how I thought about it, this was the result of Celin’s magic.
Reversing the time of everything—body and memory alike. This system was identical to the dark magic Celin used when she rewound time across the entire planet. Even if the reboot caused some malfunction and my body’s time reversed due to my death… wasn’t this far too fortunate and coincidental for me?
Perfectly timed, not reversing much time at all, only back to the moment before death? As if someone had deliberately used that magic to bestow this blessing upon me?
“Papa, could you search to see if any of Celin’s magic remains in me?”
“I already did. I felt a trace of it when your wounds healed, but after that, it disappeared completely.”
Well, isn’t that something.
“But anyway, that’s not what’s important right now.”
“Doctor. Please. Your safety is the most important thing. Can’t you see everyone is out of their minds with worry?”
I understand you’re concerned, but we have matters that need resolving.
Whether my chest was pierced or not, I’m alive and healthy now. For us to live peacefully going forward, we had to deal with the Pope.
“I understand that I died and came back to life. So let’s take care of what remains.”
“Doctor! Stop it!”
“Now that things have come to this, I won’t live as a citizen of the Largol Colony even if I die! I’m going to live well and enjoy myself until this body crumbles to dust!”
“What am I going to do with you, really…”
What do you mean what? You’re staying with me for life. We’re in the same boat. I’m not letting Papa go. Never, not for the rest of my life. With Serena gone, do you think I’d let this genius slip away? Not a chance.
“Aster, you stay by Prince Nerva’s side. The rest of us will pursue the Pope.”
“I refuse!”
“If you refuse, what will you do? It’s an order.”
When I spoke firmly, Aster’s eyes welled up with tears, and she vented her frustration by kicking Jack Brown. Jack, bleeding profusely, collapsed helplessly under her kick, then knelt down again.
This guy… must have been shocked terribly. The way he hasn’t said a word until now shows it.
“Keeping watch over the Prince and ensuring he stays in line is best done with you remaining. Consider this your punishment for the incident with the spare ribs.”
That cunning little brat—who knows what schemes he’s concocting while we’re away. Just because he’s on our side now doesn’t mean we can let our guard down completely. That man survived thirty years of warfare against Lucilucil. I must never forget that.
“….”
Wait, something felt off just now. What’s Lucilucil doing right now? Is he lying peacefully collapsed in the Crown Prince’s Palace?
“Elizabeth!”
I needed to check immediately.
As I called for Elizabeth, my beloved steed responded and knelt. Mother settled herself behind me without hesitation, and as she climbed up, wrapped her arms around me tightly, and scanned our surroundings with vigilance, Aster seemed to finally relax.
“I shall obey the Young Lady’s command.”
Of course. Keep a close watch on the Fourth Prince while I’m gone dealing with the Pope. I entrusted Aster with this task and led the others forward. We arrived at the Crown Prince’s Palace Garden not long after, only to find Lucilucil gone and unfamiliar figures sprawled across the ground.
They were imperial guards I hadn’t seen before. I shook them awake urgently and demanded to know Lucilucil’s whereabouts.
His Majesty Lucius Iddemoc Largol, the Crown Prince of the current Largol Empire and one of its most representative figures, had been kidnapped by masked individuals.
“Tch…. Symbolism.”
Damn it. That old woman said she’d see me next time. Was she planning to summon that elephant monster of a lower deity again? According to the information I’d extracted from the heretics at the Imperial Palace before, summoning a lower deity required either many lives or the sacrifice of someone symbolically significant and of high status.
If we assumed the Emperor was dead, then Lucilucil would be the finest material I could obtain right now.
“Papa!”
“Yes! What is it!”
“Where is that Summoning Temple!”
“I know it very well! I’ll guide you!”
No! Before that, we need to treat Jack first! He’s a bloody mess and can’t even move!
Following my suggestion, we decided to visit the Temple first. The moment we arrived, I scattered jewels across the floor, and the priests rushed out to treat us. Leon and Jack remained huddled in the corner, unable to utter a single word to me.

◇ ◆ ◇

Following Sage’s guidance, we arrived at a cavern in a desolate wasteland where the mountain peaks had melted away. Beyond that strange place where quartz jutted up here and there, the Heretical Sect had established their encampment.
It was fortunate. Summoning magic is affected by its environment and requires a special space like a Summoning Temple—that’s what Sage had explained to me, but I couldn’t shake my lingering doubts.
There was a possibility they’d abandoned this location near the Capital and moved to another Summoning Temple. After all, the squid and sea anemone creatures that had attacked us came from the ocean, so there must be branch locations.
The Pope’s grandmother being in a hurry in her own way had saved Lucilucil. I was grateful for that. Relieved, even. Since there was a possibility that Celin’s magic might have disappeared, I had no intention of letting go of anything in my grasp.
I sent Jack and Leon ahead to cut through the Heretical Sect’s priests as we advanced. Jack and Leon were the best. When it came to eliminating small fry, they were the most convenient in the world. So they were mine. Both of you should know you’ll never leave my side for the rest of your lives. I’ll suck you dry until the day you die. It doesn’t matter if you hate it. I’m Jack’s master, and Leon, I’m your older sister. When I give an order, you obey—what else can you do?
“Range designation, linked formula, release!”
And Papa is the best too! Papa is mine! The greatest mage in existence was on my side—I was thrilled. The Magic Tower would soon fall into my hands. I might not be able to match Sage’s output, but if I used the knowledge of the True Magic Tower, perhaps I could reach Sage’s level.
Hehe, hee, I was so excited. Once I resolved this matter, everything ahead would be thrilling.
After running for a while cradled in Mother’s arms, a wide open field appeared at the end of the cavern. In that strange space with its ceiling completely open, there was a terrain like lava in the center. But it wasn’t hot. Just something red was bubbling away.
And on the altar was the Pope’s grandmother I’d seen before, and Lucilucil, bound tightly with a flustered expression on his face. The man looked like he couldn’t comprehend why I existed in this place.
『Found you! Pope’s grandmother!』
『You’ve arrived already.』
Don’t pretend to be calm—you’re finished now! As I pointed accusingly at the grandmother, the woman showed signs of distress and gripped the ornamental sword in her hand tightly. What? Was she trying to stab Lucilucil with that? Anyway, how barbaric of Largol—why do they still cling to human sacrifice practices?!
『Even if Largol falls into my hands, it has nothing to do with the Young Lady, does it?』
No, what do you mean it has nothing to do with me? If you achieve theocracy, both Aleine and Cerepia will be finished.
The grandmother seemed intent on continuing the ritual as she raised her sword to stab Lucilucil in the neck. I couldn’t allow it. He couldn’t die. I had to stop the grandmother.
『Wait!』
I shouted loudly. And then I spoke.
『That one is mine! Don’t touch him!』

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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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