Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 225

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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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We spent two consecutive days sprawled out from hangovers, resting in another nation’s Imperial Palace. Nerva certainly worked hard. As if purging the accumulated resentment of years past, with those delicate hands, he had Lucilucil beaten before dragging Jack away as a torture specialist. Afterward, he would undoubtedly exile Lucilucil and announce his death from torture complications. I’d learned of this plan beforehand.
Nerva smoothly framed Lucilucil by leveraging his own legitimacy, the Orthodox Church’s support, and my testimony. It was true that Lucilucil had taken the cane-sword my husband once used, but that he killed Marius was mere speculation. Yet now that Lucilucil had no voice to speak, everything Nerva uttered was accepted as fact.
He killed his twin brother to seize the throne and carelessly sparked a war, damaging diplomacy with Aleine. Having violated the bonds of blood, all the strange occurrences until now were nothing short of divine punishment. When we heaped everything upon Lucilucil—the proliferation of heretical sects, the Pope’s disappearance, the Emperor’s death, and countless other trifles—Lucilucil became the villain of the realm, and Nerva’s formal coronation plan solidified rapidly.
In the hall where the Senate and ministers gathered, he announced the withdrawal of Largol’s military forces and declared that henceforth Aleine and Largol would maintain cordial relations. He shook my hand and put on quite the business show. During Nerva’s reign, Largol wouldn’t attempt any preemptive moves.
Nerva’s imperial edict, conferring upon me the title of Emperor’s Envoy, departed Largol. Once it reached the Largol military commander stationed in Aleine, this pointless conflict would finally end.
I gathered the diplomatic documents Nerva sent to the Crown Prince and prepared to depart Largol. Lucilucil and Aster would likely arrive in Aleine in three months, but I didn’t want Lucilucil to feel uneasy arriving at Rocksburg alone, so I summoned several attendants and maidservants I’d noticed at the Crown Prince’s Palace.
After all, these were social outcasts with no interest in advancement—why not have them relocate to Rocksburg and care for Lucilucil? When I promised to pay them handsomely, Lien and Camille, who could speak Aleine fluently, eagerly volunteered to continue serving Lucilucil. The Chief Chamberlain said he’d wait a bit longer since His Majesty might still be alive. The Head Maidservant declined my offer, wishing to retire instead, and three palanquin bearers voluntarily signed up to come to Rocksburg.
It was fortunate. This man would lose his power and status overnight and become my subordinate, and amid such shock, having familiar faces around would be essential.
Once I returned to Aleine, I’d need to construct a Largol-style palace on the Rocksburg Estate grounds. This fellow had surprisingly delicate sensibilities, and I worried he might fall into homesickness. Bringing Lucilucil here was practically coercion, but I couldn’t bear to see him wither away without spirit.
Lucilucil’s charm lay in his arrogant nature and his talent for saying irritating things that infuriated people. I’d even prepared a gift to soothe my own feelings, and he wouldn’t lack for anything living at Rocksburg Mansion.
So now the remaining problem was…. This….
“….”
It was Aster, cheerfully humming while packing his bags. Aster, naturally, was unaware of the agreement I’d made with Nerva, so he packed his belongings thinking he was finally going home. His luggage consisted of aged beef, spices rarely used in Aleine, and dried fish….
“Aster.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry.”
“…Yes?”
Sorry. Truly sorry. Just endure for three months. Once you return safely, I’ll have my short ribs piled high as mountains waiting for you.
“Mother! Please!”
“I’m sorry! Youngest of William Brown!”
Mother moved with such speed that the eye could scarcely follow, positioning herself behind Aster and struck the back of his head with the sword’s scabbard. I was deeply concerned he might be dead, but given how extraordinarily sturdy Aster was, he merely lost consciousness. An ordinary person would have had their skull shattered by that single blow.
After carefully placing Aster on the bed, I wrote a document ordering him to remain in the Largol Imperial Palace for the next three months and affixed my seal. No matter how stubborn Aster was, he couldn’t disobey a contract bearing my seal.
I also gave Nerva advance notice. Since Lucilucil’s palace had many of my clothes, he could wear them and don a wig for a while to prevent Aster’s outbursts. Before the scent faded, I’d send a package from my Rocksburg, so there shouldn’t be major problems.
I gathered the diplomatic documents and Nerva’s handwritten apology and departed the Imperial Palace. Largol was utterly tedious. I’d been foolish to gallivant about as a diplomatic envoy, treating it like a vacation away from home. Entanglement with Largol only brought troublesome affairs. I’d have preferred to languish amid the paperwork in my office, drowning in coffee.
“….”
Wait a moment…. Now that I think about it, didn’t Father actively send me off on diplomatic missions without even considering fighting with me? Did he know it would be bothersome? He should have told me! He said we’d communicate! He said he’d communicate with me!
As I boarded the carriage heading toward the Lusilu Ship, I spoke to Mother. Having lived as Rosalite Rocksburg for decades, never had these words struck me so deeply.
“Mother.”
“Hmm? Rosie, why? Why are you calling for Mother? Oh my, did Rosie just call me Mother! Is there something you want? Should I bring you that Imperial Palace decoration we passed? It sparkled just like Rosie’s eyes, so beautifully. I can fetch it right away.”
“Edward Rocksburg is truly a bastard.”
“Oh Rosie, really! How sudden! That’s Eddie’s charm!”
Mother laughed heartily, embraced me, and cooed while twisting her body, saying if Eddie was a bastard, then Rosie must be a bastard’s child, finding it absolutely adorable.
That’s right…, well…. They’re perfectly matched. Perfectly matched. But now when I go home, will I have to watch the two of them smooching every day? I hate it. It’s dreadful. I really should reorganize the work assignments so our paths don’t overlap.
First, I need to get Ram Bart back. Whenever she’s bored, she goes to Father to help with work, and it’s endlessly troublesome having to call her back each time. If Father needs something, he should just pick up a copier himself—why does he keep stealing someone else’s copier to use?

After several days of traveling by carriage, we arrived at the Star-shaped Coastline, where the Saint Brilliant Lusilu Ship remained anchored. The crew of the Lusilu Ship—those damnable fools—had arbitrarily seized a village and established their garrison there, engaging in mock warfare with the Largol Military. They were absolutely delighted to have found entertainment during our absence.
I delivered compensation to the people of Largol who had lost their homes and village in an instant, and brought the captain of the Lusilu Ship to apologize to the commander of the Largol Military.
The Largol soldiers were in a deplorable state. They all bore injuries in various places—broken legs, broken arms—and their commander lay wrapped in bloodstained bandages around his head, lamenting his condition.
Because the coastline was star-shaped, the residents had evacuated, but since there were original inhabitants living there, I had only asked them to vacate the village promptly. Yet they fired cannons without hesitation.
I had nothing to say, so I grabbed the captain by the head and bowed repeatedly in apology. His resume listed him as being from Bienar, but it seems all he’s ever learned is piracy.
I settled on a six-month salary reduction for the crew and captain of the Lusilu Ship, and persuaded them by promising that I would personally request Nerva to commend those who fought for the village residents here. Only after barely stopping the conflict could we finally board the Saint Brilliant Lusilu Ship and set course for home.
After two days of sailing, we arrived at Bienar Port, where Rocksburg’s servants had been waiting for our arrival. They immediately informed us that the Lusilu Ship had entered the harbor and headed toward Rocksburg.
Thanks to that, the moment we arrived at the Rocksburg Mansion, we were welcomed by Father, Glen, Luke, and many others.
Having worked this hard, I could certainly entrust the minor administrative matters to Father. I handed over the various documents I’d received from Nerva to Father and took a breath. Then Ram Bart, her face radiant with joy, approached me and jumped into my arms.
“Rosalite! It’s gone! That thing!”
“That thing?”
“The rebooted one! Now this entire land is completely mine!”
Ah… I’d suspected as much since the day the chain around my neck disappeared. So even the evidence of the contract had vanished without a trace. Rather than surprise, relief flooded through me first. And then I thought of someone.
At a timing too coincidental to be mere chance—the person who had turned back time to just before my death. The chain that disappeared as if to announce that Celin’s magic, the curse of regression, was gone. The sword in the Annex Basement. Everything felt like the intention of someone trying to reassure me.
“Jack Brown. Bring me the finest liquor from the top shelf of my office cabinet. Two glasses will do.”
On a day like this, I had to pour the best spirits. At my command, Jack simply nodded silently and brought the bottle and glasses. On his way back, he cleared everyone from the area.
I sat down heavily at the center of the construction site, at the spot where the pale Excalibur had been planted, and filled a glass with liquor.
One glass was for me, and the other was for that person. The one who connected me as Number Zero, who appeared as a translucent figure and struck me. That person who looked exactly like me—who might have been Rosalite Rocksburg.
In truth, when she revealed herself in the form of a translucent ghost, I dimly understood. Rosalite Rocksburg had remained here all along. She had worked together to break Celin’s magic.
When I first became Rosalite, swept along knowing nothing. When I abandoned everything and chose only death. Thinking that she had been there with me all along made me feel both guilty and ashamed.
Father, Mother, Leon—she must have been precious to them as well. So she must have stubbornly watched over me even as she became the fuel for the contract.
When I struggled, gave up, despaired, and finally tried once more to continue living. She must have simply watched in silence. It must have been frustrating. There must have been a reason why she didn’t step forward, yet she had to observe me while her heart burned with impatience.
Perhaps it was trust in me, or in other words, I was the only one she could trust. So when she appeared and struck my head, I could understand that despite taking on great risks, she still had to discipline me.
It was truly funny and strange. Being struck by something translucent that looked exactly like me was an experience I would never have again. I laughed and drank the liquor, then refilled the glass.
Since you went to such lengths to make me understand, I could now accept it. The regression has ended. I can continue living for ten more years, twenty more years, and at the final moment, I will sleep peacefully.
“Sigh…”
I can die. The moment I repeated those words, hot tears flowed from my eyes. It’s over. Everything is over. I wept bitterly at that thought alone. I was grateful that no one was around. No, it was because no one was there that I could cry.
I didn’t even wipe my face, dirty with tears and mucus. I continued to cry, and only when I barely stopped did I empty the final glass.
“You’ve worked hard as well.”
Though I was alone, I spoke those words and rose from my seat. I picked up only the bottle and was about to leave the basement when suddenly I heard the sound of a glass clinking.
Startled, I turned around to find two empty glasses sitting side by side in the basement.
I bowed my head in gratitude and turned my steps toward those waiting for me.

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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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