Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 32
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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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“Sister! You should be lying in bed with menstrual cramps, yet here you are!”
At Leon’s cry, several nobles of standing and the Rocksburg Duchy’s major merchants from the capital retreated, gauging my reaction. Not a flicker crossed my face—clearly, word of my menstrual pain had already spread throughout this entire venue.
“Jack, seize Luke over there. He’s trying to slip away unnoticed.”
“Right away.”
I gathered the suspects of today’s incident and dragged them to a corner of the party venue. Taking the fan Jack handed me, I gripped it firmly, then struck Leon and Aster on the head in turn with sharp taps.
“Attending this party was my decision. I never gave permission for either of you to come in my stead, did I?”
“But—!”
“Don’t you dare talk back to me, you little brat.”
Aster seemed to realize he’d misjudged the situation, keeping his mouth firmly shut with his head bowed. Leon, however, clearly had much to say. When I tapped his head once more with the fan as he offered excuses about doing it for my sake, he winced and rubbed his aching head pitifully.
How could someone now taller than me be so adorable?
“Luke Chatel.”
Fearing I’d burst into laughter if I looked at Leon any longer, I turned my attention to Luke instead.
“Didn’t I keep my promise and bring you to the Royal Family’s banquet?”
“Well, naturally I went to attend to Lady Rosalite…”
“So my promise meant so little to you.”
Even a verbal promise was a contract. With witnesses present, this constituted a breach of agreement. I demanded whether he was prepared to accept the consequences, and Luke defended himself with an aggrieved tone.
“Since Lord Aster said he would attend the party in place of the ailing Lady Rosalite, I had to follow suit. What power do I possess to refuse?”
“You didn’t even consult me first? Then you’ve been viewing Leon as your superior, not me?”
“That’s quite a leap. I merely wished to avoid causing you trouble…”
“If you understood your station, you’d know you’re in no position to complain about inconvenience.”
I folded the fan and pressed it firmly against Luke’s chest. Only then did he offer a proper apology and mention he would provide separate compensation for the breach of contract.
“My thinking was shallow. I hastily assumed that since you were bedridden with menstrual cramps, you wouldn’t be in a state to dance at the party.”
“Is a party venue only for dancing? If people heard that, they’d think I was possessed by a dance demon.”
“…Wasn’t it?”
“Goodness.”
How long had I been angry with him, and he was already being cheeky?
Though the compensation lacked specificity, which displeased me, I had ultimately attended the party, so I decided to let it pass gracefully. I tapped Luke lightly with the fan in a gentler manner and turned toward Leon.
Now that matters were settled, it was time to send Leon home.
“Since that’s done, Leon, you head home at once and help the Duke.”
“But… how could I abandon my ailing sister and return alone? Of course I’ll help with work even if it means staying up all night. At the very least, let me stay by your side until the party ends…”
“Are you defying my orders right now?”
No matter how much I adore you, overstepping boundaries is unacceptable. I couldn’t suppress my displeasure and glared at Leon. The boy flinched in alarm, took a step back, and bowed deeply.
“I apologize, sister. I meant no disrespect to your command. I’ll return at once.”
Good. Now I can finally see the Third Prince without worry.
I gestured for Aster and Leon to withdraw, and as I turned to search for Marius, remarkably, the Third Prince had come to this most remote corner of the venue.
Every time I see him, those magnificent breasts never cease to astound me.
Today he wore such a scandalously revealing outfit that his upper chest was partially exposed, displaying every curve. Unable to find anywhere safe to look, I settled on fixing my gaze at his lower chest as I offered my greeting.
But her lower chest is equally devastating.
Wait, is that even possible? Does a lower chest usually swell like that?
“Forgive my intrusion, Miss Rosalite. I wasn’t intentionally eavesdropping, but since I was observing Aster, I happened to overhear your conversation….”
Hold on. Why are you watching our Leon? More importantly—did you just call him Aster? When did those two become so close?
I lifted my head in bewilderment and alarm to face the Third Prince, but the man either lacked perception or was simply dim-witted, completely ignoring my obvious displeasure as he spoke with a gentle expression.
“Since you’ve already come to the party, wouldn’t it be better to enjoy it together?”
Don’t they teach in the Largol Empire that one shouldn’t meddle in others’ family affairs? Come to think of it, the Third Prince probably never had that kind of sense to begin with?
I reflected on my past self from the eleventh loop—the one who, distracted by his chest, buttocks, and thighs, saw his face only five times before accepting his marriage proposal on the spot—and after a moment of self-recrimination, I composed myself and answered Marius.
Even as my anger rose to the tips of my hair, the sight of that chest filled me with happiness.
“Your words make sense, but Leon has duties at home. Since he abandoned them to come here, it’s naturally become a problem. Besides, I’m the one representing the Rocksburg Ducal House at this party. That’s what the invitation list states.”
“However….”
However? What do you mean however? Is parting with Leon really so unbearable? How did this boy manage to bewitch someone in just a few hours?!
“Um….”
Since neither Marius nor I showed any sign of backing down, Leon stepped between us. As he squeezed my hand to comfort me, Marius’s gaze toward him seemed to radiate warmth.
“I’ll simply return. Please, both of you, calm yourselves.”
Setting aside the matter of his bewitching charm in such a short time, Leon was still a minor. Why was he looking at someone else’s minor child with such a lukewarm gaze? No matter how magnificent his chest and buttocks were, this was deeply unpleasant.
Feeling an odd unease, I pulled Leon’s hand toward me, and the Third Prince stepped closer, matching my movement.
“Leon, I’ve felt this since our first greeting, but you truly have a kind heart.”
What did you just say? Leon? Wasn’t Aster enough without adding Leon?
It was strange enough that the Third Prince called someone from another house whom he’d just met “Leon,” but the way he was looking at me was far from ordinary.
This was, as if….
He were glaring at a wicked stepmother refusing to send Cinderella to the ball.
“Leon, you must work hard helping the Rocksburg Ducal House at such a young age. Would it be acceptable if I visited the estate sometime in the future?”
Was the Third Prince of the Largol Empire truly this foolish, or was he deliberately making a fool of me? Despite the young master of the Rocksburg Ducal House standing right beside me, he was asking Leon for permission—an act of disrespect toward me.
Had he truly cast me as Cinderella’s wicked stepsister?
Though I was furious, I felt pity for Luke, the party’s host, who was anxiously worried about a disaster. Moreover, since the Prince was generously displaying his magnificent physique in revealing attire, his cleavage fully visible in service to us, I decided to swallow my anger in gratitude for this generosity.
As I fanned myself with my fan, cooling only the heat in my head, Luke seemed to relax as well. But the real catastrophe came from our own Aster.
“Oh, you’re always welcome! Your Highness!”
The fan snapped. I wondered where the sound came from, only to realize it was the fan in my hand breaking.
My goodness, I didn’t even realize it. I must have broken the fan without thinking. Rosalite Rocksburg certainly does have quite the grip strength.
“Aster. To say you welcome a distinguished guest from the Largol Empire at any time—people might think you’re the master of the Rocksburg Ducal House.”
At this point, there was no way to smooth this over gracefully.
If we were to assign blame, Marius bore greater responsibility for leading Leon to give such an answer, but since he was literally a distinguished guest from the Largol Empire, I couldn’t very well hold him accountable.
Perhaps sensing my dilemma, just as everyone fell silent, Aster was the first to act.
Aster grabbed Leon’s shoulders and pressed him down to his knees, forcing an apology from his lips. Thanks to this, Leon was able to speak with a trembling voice the moment his hands touched the floor.
“I sincerely apologize, Sister. I spoke out of turn without knowing my place. P-please forgive me!”
As Leon sniffled and begged for forgiveness, Marius feigned an angry expression and tried to help him up. As if that child would budge from the floor after planting himself there like that.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I won’t get up until Sister forgives me.”
“This is too much, Miss Rosalite! Make Leon get up at once!”
Oh my, our Prince. Do you think this is the Largol Empire?
My anger had reached such absurd heights that I found myself laughing instead. Without a fan to hide behind, I covered my mouth with my free hand and giggled softly. Why should I, a noblewoman of the Alein Kingdom, obey the commands of a prince of the Largol Empire? I hadn’t realized it until now, but this man was utterly ridiculous.
“I’ve heard as much. While Leon may not be the heir to the Ducal House, he is the eldest son of the family and certainly possesses sufficient authority to receive me.”
“Did Prince Marius come to this country for leisure? You arrived as a diplomatic envoy. You are a distinguished guest of the Alein Kingdom. Asterion may be the sole son of the Rocksburg Ducal House, but he is not in a position to host a prince of the empire who has come on state business.”
I earnestly beseeched him to recognize the differences in our cultures and to respect the protocols of the Kingdom. In response, the stocky prince clenched his fists and glared at me.
Oh my. Was he about to strike me?
“Asterion, that’s enough. There are eyes watching, so stand up.”
“Leon. Please rise. I will see you out.”
Don’t meddle with another family’s child.
As the Third Prince attempted to drag Leon away, I quickly signaled Aster, who stepped in front of the prince, seized Leon, and hurried him along.
The Third Prince’s gaze upon me was unmistakably that of Cinderella’s wicked stepmother.
“Leon is a matter our household will handle ourselves, so please, Prince Marius, do enjoy the party.”
“I never imagined the young lady of Rocksburg to be so obstinate.”
“The obstinate people of Rocksburg hold Prince Marius in sincere esteem—please know that much.”
As I curtsied, gathering the hem of my dress, the man threw a tantrum and spun around sharply. Watching him stomp away into the distance, a single thought consumed me: any hope of cordial relations with the stocky prince in this cycle had evaporated.
I felt as though I might cry from the injustice of it all.
“…Are you all right?”
How could I have forgotten Luke Chatel?
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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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