Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 240

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

I woke to find Lucilucil playing with my hair. Whatever he was thinking, he’d divided my locks into countless strands, creating what could only be described as dreadlocks.
Though I’d unexpectedly ended up with this reggae-style hairdo, I couldn’t bear to undo such meticulous work, so I headed to my duties as is. Leon, upon seeing my appearance, complimented my hairstyle as refreshingly novel today. When I explained that Lucilucil had created this look, he immediately snatched the staff from young Glen and declared he’d be visiting the Private Soldier Training Ground.
Watching Glen panic as his staff vanished in an instant, Jack began clapping his hands together.
“Well, well! Outwitting two people at once. The young master has certainly grown considerably.”
Hmm… my Leon has indeed grown. It’s probably the first time he’s reached twenty-three years old so peacefully. Since the boy eats well without lacking anything and exercises diligently, he’s grown taller than at any point in his previous histories. Isn’t he nearly as tall as Jack now? He surpassed Glen’s height long ago.
“Um… Rosalite.”
“Yes?”
Ah, this was entertaining at first, but continuing it makes my scalp ache. Rather than undoing it, should I braid it once more?
“Here… must we not speak of Lucilucil?”
“Why?”
“Well… that is to say…”
Good heavens, what a spineless fellow. Lucilucil is now a member of the Duke’s Household, so how could we conduct business without mentioning his name? He’s my husband with his name officially registered in the Rocksburg House, the commander of the Rocksburg Private Military Unit, and holds the position equivalent to the Rocksburg Public Security Bureau Chief.
He’s become indispensable to both household and domain, yet refusing to speak his name while conducting business is essentially asking everyone to play a forfeit game.
At my lengthy speech, the Prince turned away with a sullen expression, and Jack tugged sharply on one of my oddly elongated hair strands.
It stung somewhat, but since I’d never worn such an unusual hairstyle before, Jack could hardly be blamed for his curiosity. I decided to overlook it with the magnanimity befitting my station and began today’s duties.
The document at the top of the pile was a report on how well Janet was adapting as a company commander and vice-commander of the Private Military Unit. This should be interesting reading. Most importantly, the author was none other than Lucilucil himself. My husband certainly has a way with written correspondence, and surprisingly, he possesses considerable literary talent.
“Doctor!”
Sigh… what is it this time? Ever since yesterday, whenever I try to settle down and accomplish something, this Papa of mine comes barging in.
I answered the Sage’s call without enthusiasm and asked what the matter was. Papa proceeded to make a fuss before spouting something utterly nonsensical.
“That’s the thing! I never expected him to do this! He’s the one! What do I do! Because he’s like this, everyone’s in agreement! Go meet him!”
First… perhaps drink a glass of cold water.
I summoned Lily to force Papa to consume cold water, then waited for the Sage to calm down from his coughing fit. After the man finished choking for some time, he pulled out a high-quality parchment and spread it across the guest table with a flourish.
“It’s Magnus! The most virtuous person in the Magic Tower, the only seventh-circle archmage living in Cerepia to pass a personality test, and when he loses his temper, he becomes the most terrifying person in the world—he was the leader of the alliance!”
Wow, what a remarkable epithet. I’d never heard such an unusual title before, and I found myself curious about just how terrifying he becomes when angered. Moreover, he was described as the most virtuous person in the Magic Tower.
Wanting to understand the circumstances, I asked Papa, but the Sage suddenly asked whether I knew of the Salt Desert’s existence in Cerepia.
“There’s a Salt Desert in Cerepia?”
Given the geography and climate, it shouldn’t exist, should it? And during my successor education, I studied world geography thoroughly, down to the smallest details, yet I had no recollection of it. There were no new reports either… which meant it had appeared suddenly in this cycle, and both Cerepia and the Magic Tower were hushing up the incident.
“Right. It was once a dark underworld where thieves, slave traders, and generally disreputable characters gathered. It’s also where Magnus purchased and freed Yuri, who had been enslaved.”
Now that I think about it, Yuri was indeed from Cerepia’s slave origins. In the previous cycle and the Minumsa BL, Leon had purchased her on a whim and freed her, after which she clung to him constantly. Hmm, it was a development I’d seen often enough in classic BL that I’d simply moved past it. It wasn’t a particularly unusual incident.
In any case, the notion that such an underworld had suddenly become a Salt Desert…
“Was this Magnus’s doing?”
“Yes. That good-natured fool completely lost his mind and went berserk after seeing what was done to Yuri. As a water-attribute mage, he drew all the moisture from the surrounding area, turning people and buildings alike into pillars of salt. What remained was nothing but a Salt Desert spanning 7,000 square meters.”
“Wow…”
So that’s why Magnus becomes the most terrifying person in the world when angered. The origin of his epithet was now perfectly clear.
“Anyway, when that fellow raised his banner, naturally the others rose up in succession! If someone as virtuous as him would rebel, how terrible must I have seemed!”
That’s strange. If they were rebelling against the new True Magic Tower Master, I’d have expected someone driven by greed and selfishness, yet this person is described as so genuinely kind? Is Papa perhaps mistaken about something?
“Listen! He’s the type who wouldn’t even get angry if someone ate all his chicken legs!”
“Pfft! What a saint you are!”
Chicken legs were off-limits, of course. But even setting that aside, Magnus’s history of being taken advantage of continued unabated. The man apparently didn’t get angry when someone stole only the strawberries from his cake, didn’t get angry when someone ate the single egg sitting atop his fried rice, and didn’t get angry even when someone picked out only the beef from a pot of stew he’d made.
“…How on earth does Papa know all of that?”
“Because I ate it.”
“…”
Wasn’t this just Papa harboring a grudge against Sage that he’d been nursing all this time?
In any case, this Magnus fellow had been a fellow disciple alongside Sage when he trained under Serena, and apparently he’d stuck with Serena through her incomprehensible senility or capriciousness—whichever it was—even as Sage deserted her. Since they’d known each other back then, he was aware of news from the Salt Desert and news about Yuri, but…listening to Papa’s account, they sounded like friends, so why did he sound reluctant?
“Before he comes down with firm resolve, he wants to meet and talk first. He says he’ll come if I choose the location.”
Well, it was fortunate—or perhaps unfortunate—that this seemed like someone we could actually communicate with. In any case, since my predecessor said Yuri was likely behind this, I couldn’t let my guard down.
“He probably doesn’t want civilian casualties beyond those involved either. To choose the battlefield itself, it would be best if the representatives met first. I’ll arrange a meeting place.”
“Good! And about Yuri, his star disciple…”
Ah, so Yuri became his disciple? Well, considering he’d rescued Yuri from slavery while turning the surrounding area into salt flats, it would be stranger if they didn’t stay together.
“He’s demanding the attendance of Rosalite Rocksburg and Asterion Rocksburg.”
“…Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you know, then?”
“Doctor, you’re hurting my feelings.”
You should be hurt, you should be. How am I supposed to devise countermeasures when you don’t even know anything?
I’d anticipated heavy bloodshed, but if the other side was willing to compromise, it was better to grant demands we could accommodate. I was confident we’d win if it came to blows, but it wasn’t as though my side would escape without casualties either. I’d intended from the start to stand alongside Sage, and Leon had the ability to fend for himself.
If I could arrange a venue for Sage and Magnus to speak, this condition was worth swallowing.
“Understood. I’ll accompany you.”
“Wait! Just a moment!”
I was about to consult with Father about choosing a location when Glen raised his hand abruptly.
“I’ll go too!”
What? Where exactly do you think you’re going?
“Hey now. What kind of place is that for you to follow me to?”

◇ ◆ ◇

Lunchtime arrived, and the situation only grew more complicated. Glen refused to abandon his determination to follow me, and upon hearing the news, Lucilucil insisted on joining us for the meal as well. To make matters worse, Janet clung to Lucilucil’s side like goldfish droppings, begging to accompany us and pleading that surely a commander wouldn’t venture forth without his captain.
Visually speaking, Janet resembled less goldfish droppings and more a goldfish itself—all vibrant, beautiful, and ethereal in appearance.
In any case, Father held firm in his own way, insisting that if everyone abandoned their posts, who would handle the work? He refused to budge. While I debated with him, I mindlessly accepted whatever food came to my lips, until my face went pale.
Father was eating the food Mother cut for him like a baby bird. Mother, delighted to see Father—usually so dignified in public—behaving so adorably, became flustered with excitement and ultimately swept him up into her arms, spiriting him away from the dining hall.
With heavy, labored breathing.
“Ah, so they have the Mansion all to themselves!”
Ugh, how infuriating! I’ll have to build a new Grand Dining Hall just to avoid running into those two!
Knowing full well what would happen next, my irritation boiled over and I hurled my spoon across the table. How could they be so shameless in broad daylight! They should show some consideration for others! Next opportunity, whether it’s Glen or Lucilucil, I’m dragging them onto the table for a proper display myself!
“P-please calm yourself. They’ve been separated for so long, we can only pretend not to notice….”
“That excuse works once or twice! It’s already been over a year!”
That man’s vigor never wanes! At this rate, I’ll be seeing a younger sibling at my age!
As I fumed and grumbled, Lucilucil soothed me by saying it would be wonderful to have more hands to help in the future.
Well… as long as the child born doesn’t have a temperament like Uncle Louis, I’d welcome the extra labor too. Leon’s already been a tremendous help with household matters.
“Rosalite! Count Crowley has arrived!”
What? At a time like this?
Violet and Lily came running to report despite being in the middle of their meal, and shortly after, a stern-looking old man entered the dining hall.
Haha, hahaha! This is Asterion at seventy years old, the curmudgeon version! From his silver hair and sharp eyes to every facial feature—completely identical! At this point, did Father know about Leon’s true origins and deliberately hide it? To keep from losing a valuable worker?
“Where is Edward?”
The stern-looking grandfather glanced at me once, then at Asterion, and asked for an adult, searching for Father.
“The Duke went out with the Duchess from early afternoon.”
“….”
“….”
“Went out to do what?”
“He went out with the Duchess, sir.”
“Don’t repeat yourself. You’re a grown woman.”
Hahaha! A real curmudgeon! An absolute curmudgeon! The grandfather scowled and made disapproving sounds while tapping his cane repeatedly, and I laughed, Lucilucil laughed, and Janet laughed too. Judging by Leon and Glen’s unchanged expressions, it seemed my sense of humor truly aligned with Lucilucil’s and Janet’s.
“Those Rocksburg people and their lack of manners.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————