Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 232

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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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The self-proclaimed maggots weren’t wearing their issued uniforms but rather some tattered burlap sacks. The seven mixed-gender Centurions bearing that rank insignia rolled left when Lucilucil commanded them to roll left, fell flat when he told them to fall, and barked when he ordered them to bark.
He claimed he was inspecting the soldiers, so why was he putting them through dog training? Curious, I narrowed my eyes and watched Lucilucil’s behavior, and he must have sensed my presence because he suddenly turned his head and looked at me.
“Oh, if it isn’t Rosalite.”
Who are you? You were wearing an expression like you carried all the world’s hatred just moments ago, so why are you suddenly smiling? Don’t flash that sunny grin at me—it’s unsettling.
“Salute to the Young Duke, sir!”
“Gasp! Salute!”
“Good day to you, sir!”
Why are you all acting like this? You weren’t like this before. We’ve greeted each other casually whenever we’ve crossed paths.
I nodded awkwardly, but Lucilucil seemed displeased even with that gesture and picked up another stone. He must have prepared that stone in advance. It keeps appearing.
“Can’t these maggots even synchronize their salutes properly!”
“We apologize! We apologize for being maggots!”
“We ugly maggots have caused displeasure to our human superior!”
“Please spare us!”
What kind of game are you playing with someone else’s soldiers?
Watching the Centurions trembling as they called themselves maggots, I felt a pang of sympathy. They were decent-hearted people despite their lack of presence, but they had such poor command presence and were so lenient with their subordinates that I’d never had to discipline them once, which made me wonder if there was something amiss…
“Excuse me, Lucilucil.”
“What is it, Rosalite?”
“It’s just… you don’t have some pent-up frustration or something that you’re taking out on the soldiers, do you?”
“What are you talking about?”
Well… yes. I understand perfectly that you genuinely regard our soldiers as maggots. Once I formally register you as my partner and we hold the wedding, they’ll become your soldiers too. But even so… shouldn’t the soldiers be properly clothed? They’re already rolling around left and right, and with nothing but flour sacks on them, they’ve developed scrapes all over their bodies.
I suggested that even if it wasn’t formal soldier attire, at least training uniforms should be prepared for them. Lucilucil laughed pleasantly and patted my shoulder.
“Hahaha, Rosalite. Clothes are for people to wear. Dogs and pigs don’t walk around in clothes, do they?”
“That’s right! We’re maggots inferior even to dogs and pigs!”
“Absolutely not, Young Duke, sir!”
“We are infinitely humbled by the noble words of the Young Duke, who shows concern even for maggots!”
Fine… if you’re all satisfied, that’s enough. If you truly can’t bear it, you can always report it to me or Father.
I decided to gather the Centurions later and quietly tell them to speak up if things got too difficult, then conveyed my purpose to Lucilucil. Managing soldiers is important work, but shouldn’t we be discussing what could be called the greatest event of our lives?
“Lucilucil, about our wedding…”
“Ah, we decided to hold it after the sandal season, didn’t we? Has the date already arrived?”
“The detailed arrangements will be discussed between the three of us—Glen and myself.”
“…”
Ah… this is exactly why I tried to postpone this conversation as long as possible. The thirty-five-year-old twice-divorced deposed Crown Prince who had been smiling brightly just moments before suddenly crumpled his expression and glared at me.
It’s frightening. Even at rest, your expression is so fierce that people mistake you for a pirate from the Largol Mountains, so I really wish you’d just smile constantly, every hour of every day.
“Why is Gazelle involved in our affair?”
“Well… Glen is my first husband and, since we haven’t filed a marriage report with Lucilucil, my only officially registered current husband, so when he insists he has the right to attend, it does seem reasonable…”
“I phrased my question poorly. Are you a person of such little authority that you can’t override one Gazelle’s wishes?”
Lucilucil, you truly are someone who speaks aggressively from the moment we first met until now, unchanged. Remarkable—that unwavering nature is something to be proud of.
“This isn’t a matter of authority. Marriage is a relationship where both parties should respect each other….”
“So I, as the second spouse, don’t deserve respect?”
“Oh dear. Why must you twist my words so? That’s not what I meant at all.”
“If that’s not what you meant, then how am I supposed to interpret Gazelle inserting himself into my personal affairs?”
He refuses to yield an inch—not a single inch. As I fumble about trying to placate Lucilucil, Jack suddenly interjects from his quiet corner.
“Stop pestering the lady in the middle. Let the parties involved reach an agreement themselves. After all, she’s already said she won’t lift a finger to help once she steps back.”
“This is absurd. You bring in two husbands and now you’re abandoning mediation entirely?”
“That’s right. This man has no conscience, no tact, and can barely string two words together unless it concerns work. That’s why I advised you—it’s better to run while you still have the chance.”
“Sigh…, how did my life become so tangled?”
“There’s more than one person in this place whose life got twisted like that, so you might as well prepare yourself for it.”
“What? More than one?”
“You’ll come to understand as time passes.”
What on earth are these two talking about? I stand there bewildered, mouth hanging open, when Jack points at me with his finger and clicks his tongue. Look at that stupid face, he grumbles—she probably doesn’t even understand what we’re saying—and Lucilucil sighs, covering his face with his hand.
“Fine. There’s no point talking to an idiot. I’ll settle this directly with my Gazelle.”
“A wise decision. Conversation only works between people who are actually people.”
Well…, I don’t understand the situation, but it seems things have worked out, which is a relief. I laugh nervously and pretend to comprehend, but Jack and Lucilucil furrow their brows and sigh once more. Why do these people have to be so exasperating?

The first marriage planning conference between Lucilucil and Rosalite drew far more participants than originally anticipated. First, Aster attended, unwilling to leave my side for even a moment. His presence is so constant I sometimes forget he’s there, but since a chair had to be brought for him, I couldn’t help but notice.
Aster’s wounds from Largol hadn’t yet healed. He would jolt awake in the middle of the night, muttering in Largol’s tongue. “Hello, pleased to meet you, thank you”—repeating these phrases while cold sweat beaded on his forehead. Glen and I lost sleep every night soothing him.
Jack wanted to attend, saying he was anxious about sending me alone to that battlefield, and somehow Leon ended up entering the conference hall as well. This little runt even brought a bottle of liquor in broad daylight, and when I warned him that drinking without food would ruin his stomach, he replied that there was plenty of food available, so it would be fine.
Did that mean he’d ordered food from the dining hall? Perhaps Violet or Lily would bring dishes later. If there are french fries on the menu, I should snag a few. Now that my morning sickness has passed, I’m craving something greasy and salty.
“Well then, now that everyone’s gathered, I’ll commence the first marriage planning conference between Lucilucil and Rosalite….”
“The wedding ceremony will be held next month in grand fashion—I’ve already reached an agreement with Rosalite on this. I’m deeply curious what your intentions are in raising objections, Gazelle.”
“In Alein noble society, unless it’s a wedding with a first spouse or husband, ceremonies with invited guests are unheard of. There is no precedent for this.”
“Then we’ll simply establish a precedent this time. If the Duke’s House of Rocksburg takes the lead, the rest will follow suit.”
“That’s precisely why creating a precedent is reckless. My late mother, the former Marquise of Diamante House, did not hold a ceremony even after my father’s passing.”
“That’s because your mother was never loved by her husband. Why should I bear the consequences of her misfortune?”
These two certainly have plenty to say to each other. Without even an opening declaration, I watch them volley back and forth, then lean close to Lucilucil and whisper in his ear, worried he might make a mistake.
It seems Lucilucil is barely restraining himself from cursing Glen’s mother right now, but that woman is to become Uncle Louis’s wife. Though Glen couldn’t be registered in the Diamante House and thus isn’t technically Uncle Louis’s son, he is my aunt-to-be’s son.
When I explain that cursing Glen’s mother is the same as cursing my future aunt, Lucilucil pouts and leans his body against mine.
“What kind of ridiculous family tree is that?”
“That’s just how noble society works.”
“No. My Largol wasn’t like that.”
“But Largol has far more people. Even when distant branches intermarry, the kinship is usually remote.”
“Your firstborn is fine, right? There’s no genetic disease coming through?”
“Glen is from Hofen, so there’s no concern.”
“You two, get closer! Step apart! We’re in a conference!”
Glen suddenly shouts, but Lucilucil glances at him with a smirk and grabs my waist. Then he plants kisses on my hair, forehead, nose, and lips, while Glen grips his cane so tightly his knuckles turn white.
“Th-this is shameless! The conference hasn’t even started! And this is a conference hall!”
“That Gazelle really loves his conference hall. I should try it in here sometime when we have a chance.”
“Rosalite! You should be the one to stop this!”
Huh? What do you mean? If Glen says so, then that’s how it is. Jack had mentioned something about this before, and when I tried to distance myself from Lucilucil, he held me firmly and chided Glen, saying it was vulgar and that he shouldn’t be jealous.
At those words, Leon burst into laughter. The little one sipped wine and tapped the conference table repeatedly, thoroughly amused.
“If you two don’t compromise, this meeting will never end. How about you each take a step back?”
“What’s there to compromise about whether we have a wedding or not? If he can’t stand the sight of me, he can just stop being my husband.”
“Why would I give up this position for anyone’s sake?”
“For mine.”
“Ugh!”
Is Glen going to collapse from high blood pressure? His neck veins were bulging. He was a child who flushed easily, but I’d never seen him turn red like this before. Worried, I tried to move closer, but Leon suddenly approached me.
The strange little one, who had drunk half a bottle of wine yet smelled more of fruit than alcohol, gently rubbed my belly and laughed with a hehe.
“Forget the wedding and all that—I just hope to see a child soon, Sister.”
“So you’re really looking forward to having a nephew or niece, aren’t you?”
“Of course. If it’s your child, they’d resemble us and be such an adorable silver-haired little one, wouldn’t they?”
Hmm… genetically speaking, that’s true, but something about the way you’re talking is odd. If the child resembles someone, wouldn’t they look like Glen? Why would they look like you?

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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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