Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 33

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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 man checked on my wellbeing, but I was far more concerned about the atmosphere in the Banquet Hall. After he’d spent all that money hosting this event, here I was brawling with the Imperial Prince, and the young master of the Rocksburg Ducal House was on his knees on the floor—the mood was bound to be ruined.
Just as I’d feared, the guests had witnessed the entire scuffle in the corner, and the festive warmth that had filled the hall moments before had evaporated, leaving only an uncomfortable silence.
I felt terrible toward Luke for the trouble my family had caused.
“Since I seem to have spoiled the party, I don’t need that compensation you mentioned earlier. Actually, I should be the one compensating you.”
“Not at all. On the contrary, I’m relieved it went this smoothly. You handled it beautifully.”
Luke, who had boldly promised to lift the Third Prince’s spirits, apparently intended to humor me as well—he leaned in close and whispered something in my ear.
His remark about how Marius was famous throughout the Empire for his looks being inversely proportional to his intelligence made me laugh, yet as someone who had once resolved to marry him, I felt a pang of bittersweet melancholy.
Well, not that it mattered much if he was handsome and well-built but we didn’t get along and couldn’t communicate properly.
“I have no intention of stirring up any more trouble, so go on. I’ll just stay here quietly in the corner and enjoy the view.”
Yes, since I was already here, I might as well get a good look at the Prince. Besides, he wasn’t wearing a low-cut shirt today, was he?
As I waved my hand dismissively, Luke bowed his head and moved toward the Third Prince.
Standing at a corner table and stealing glances at the Third Prince, I found myself wishing I had opera glasses and asked Jack if he had any, but the man simply shook his head while placing a palm-sized portion of salad on his buffet plate.
…How do you maintain that physique eating like that?

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Once the laughter had returned to the gathered guests, I quietly slipped between people to exchange pleasantries and gather intelligence on the Imperial Court’s movements.
Though I’d come here purely for entertainment, if I didn’t collect some tidbits to bring back to my father when Imperial citizens had gathered in one place, the Rocksburg name would lose face.
Come to think of it, the very fact that the Third Prince had permitted my attendance at a party ostensibly to comfort Imperial citizens working in the Alein Kingdom made me question whether he viewed me as a complete fool or simply lacked foresight—though considering the gathering was small-scale and no major Imperial figures were present, perhaps he’d had reason to allow it.
Clutching my aching stomach as I chatted with people, the only information I managed to glean was the tired old news that the Imperial succession remained postponed and the rivalry between the First and Fourth Princes was intense.
The curious part was a rumor that the Third Prince would soon receive good news. Good news? What could it be—had Marius finally fathered a child?
“Hey! Little Pedant!”
If Marius took on the title of married man, he’d become even more captivating—I was lost in admiration at the mere thought when a sharp voice cut through from somewhere.
Moreover, “Little Pedant”—if there was a young woman who knew the very first words His Majesty had ever spoken, it could only be the First Princess of this realm.
“I’m the one greeting you first again. Don’t you have the discernment to be aware of your surroundings?”
“What brings Your Highness, who is but four spans tall, to this place? I remain in awe of your beauty as always. Please accept my greeting.”
As I nodded and Jack Brown, standing beside me, bared his teeth at John Brown, who stood beside the Princess, Her Highness—whose spectacles were so thick her eyes were barely visible—tilted her head with an endearing gesture.
When she asked what “four spans” meant, I measured the distance from the top of the Princess’s head to the floor with my hand.
“One span, two spans, three spans, four spans.”
“….”
“Since the total is four spans, aren’t you the Four-Span Princess?”
“Here you go again, causing trouble the moment we meet!”
“Ow!”
The peanut, who stood barely four spans tall, kicked my shin, and I grabbed my leg and hopped in place. In my dress, hopping on one foot looked ridiculous, but seeing the Princess huffing indignantly made the pain vanish instantly.
“So what brings you here? It’s quite unusual to see you not drowning in alcohol.”
“I came as Marius’s partner.”
“….”
Today, I’ve truly heard every possible form of address.
First it was Leon, and now it’s Marius?
My head was beginning to throb, so I massaged my temples while addressing the Princess with as gentle a tone as I could manage.
“If I may ask, but… how exactly did you become so close with Marius?”
“My, must you really ask? You were always boasting about having a fiancé, but it seems it wasn’t a love match after all?”
The Princess fanned herself with a smug smile, looking rather like a freshman who’d just started dating her first boyfriend at university and had become insufferably cocky about it—which only filled me with dread.
“Um, forgive me, but I don’t think this is the case, but just to be sure… surely the rumor about good news coming soon for the Third Prince isn’t…?”
“Word travels fast, doesn’t it? How very like Rocksburg to be so interested in gossip.”
I felt something heavy crash down upon my head.
They’re dating? A royal marriage in the long term? Wait, why Marius of all people? You do realize this complicates things between the Empire and the Kingdom, don’t you, Your Highness?
If this were true, the preparations, the proceedings, the negotiations with the Empire, the compromises, the conflicts—there would be far too much to handle. The stages of planning flashed before my eyes like a panorama, and my organs twisted with stress. Confirming this wasn’t mere imagination, I sank to my knees on the floor.
“…Rosalite Rocksburg? What is this nonsense?”
My stomach’s in knots—don’t talk to me right now!
Gripping the floor, I felt cold sweat streaming down from intermittent cramps as I gasped for breath. Today had drained me mentally far too much. Fighting, fuming, scolding Leon, wandering around the party venue, chatting—I’d done too many exhausting things, the kind that would tire me out even on a good day.
“Miss, are you alright? Shall I escort you home?”
As I stared at the floor in distress, Jack suddenly spoke to me. When I lifted my head slightly to glance beside me, I saw the Third Prince of the Empire looking at me with worried eyes. It seemed Luke had cheered him up well after their quarrel earlier. The fact that he now had the emotional capacity to worry about me was proof of that.
In my dazed state, I waved my hand at Jack and had him crouch beside me. Understanding my quiet words, Jack stood up and solemnly conveyed my request to the Third Prince.
“My lady is not feeling well and must take her leave. Would the Third Prince be so kind as to gently carry her to the carriage?”
Good job, Jack Brown.
As I gave a subtle thumbs up, I felt soft, warm skin against my entire body. It must be Marius. Hehe, how delightful. Mustering what little strength I had, I lifted my hand and grabbed whatever soft part I could, squeezing gently.
It was plump and squishy.
I was happy.

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I woke up with a long sigh and saw the ceiling of my bedroom. Right—I’d gone to the party venue hosted by Luke Chatel and collapsed from menstrual cramps, only to be carried here. I felt apologetic toward Luke for the trouble, but since I’d ended up in the Third Prince’s arms and been transported by carriage in the end, I was rather satisfied with how things turned out.
Even now, the soft sensation seemed to linger in my palm.
“…?”
Wait, it actually still feels soft in my hand.
As I kneaded whatever was in my grasp, trying to discern what this softness was, I turned my head—only to find the Princess, looking decidedly displeased, pressing her hand into mine.
“Eek! What is this?!”
“You held my hand so tightly all this time that you wouldn’t even let me go home, and now you say such things?”
The moment I saw the four-span Princess’s face, I recoiled in horror and flung what I’d been holding away like a caterpillar. The woman’s expression grew even more irritated as she grabbed my cheek and pulled.
“I followed you because I was worried, and what? Menstrual cramps?”
“People can die from menstrual cramps. It’s a pain Your Highness, at four spans tall, wouldn’t yet understand.”
“Hey, I menstruate too, you know?!”
Your Highness, please stop hitting people. Let’s talk this through!
I wrapped my head in my arms, crouched down to protect my vital points, and fended off the Princess’s relentless barrage of blows. Even though she was only striking my back, my hands burned with pain that wouldn’t subside.
“Why does everyone in your family always say such disagreeable things? Is it hereditary?”
I had no answer, having never considered it before, so I kept my mouth shut—but a response came from elsewhere. Jack Brown, who had been silent until now, and John Brown, the Princess’s escort and eldest son of William Brown, spoke up in grave tones.
“From my experience, I’d say it is hereditary.”
“Having watched three generations up close, I also believe it’s hereditary.”
Whose side are you two on—mine or the Royal Family’s? As I looked between John and Jack in turn, I noticed Aster wasn’t present and asked after her whereabouts. Originally, Aster was supposed to skip her lessons today and attend classes, but she’d ditched that to follow Leon instead. Upon returning, she should normally be at my side with nothing else to do.
Leon was probably working in my stead right now, reflecting on his actions.
“Where’s Aster?”
Jack stepped forward to answer my question. The man removed his gas mask and spun it around, then feinted as if fumbling before tossing it to John Brown and casually opened his mouth.
My heart lurched, but fortunately John Brown seemed to have dodged Jack’s attack.
“Aster’s currently locked herself in the Underground Dungeon. She said she’d come out after reflecting on ignoring you today, working instead, and laying hands on Young Master Leon.”
“That girl’s peculiar—rigid in the strangest places.”
“Indeed. With that mindset, she shouldn’t be ransacking the kitchen in the middle of the night.”
“Don’t make a fuss about food.”
Poor thing. It’s not as though our household is so impoverished we can’t feed one Aster.
As I spoke in a soothing tone, Jack answered with a disgruntled huff, and John Brown threw a punch at him. Jack dodged by bending backward, but I was startled nonetheless.
Why is that family’s relationship between brothers so poor?
“By the way, four-span Grace.”
“Yes, four spans. Four spans. Why?”
Wait, why has she become so lenient? Sensing something amiss, I sat up abruptly in bed and looked at the Princess. She was still four spans tall, wearing high-prescription glasses that obscured her eyes, had long golden hair, and her hands were soft and small.
Nothing had changed since our first meeting, and with her small stature and tiny hands and feet, she still gave the impression of being a child.
“What happened with the Third Prince? You said it was good news?”
At my question, the four-span girl laughed with a “hoo hoo,” as if I’d asked a good question, then puffed out her barely-existent chest proudly and spoke with confidence. A sudden thought crossed my mind—surely the Third Prince’s chest was larger than the Princess’s.
“I received a proposal from Marius!”
“Why?”
“Why, you ask? It’s because I am a woman overflowing with charm, and he fell for me at first sight.”
“Come to your senses. Your Highness has no such charm.”
“You disagreeable thing, absolutely relentless in your disagreeableness!”
“Ahhhhh!”
The Princess had seized my hair and attempted to tear it out, forcing Jack Brown and John Brown to exert considerable effort in prying her away from 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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