Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 41

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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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Though I recognized it as a clever stratagem, Father had warned me that if I lavished endless praise upon the Crown Prince, he would become insufferably arrogant. Thus, I offered him counsel tempered with sincerity, even as I watched his shoulders rise with anticipation of commendation.
“It is a sound notion, Your Majesty, but if we merely defer problems that will inevitably explode later and resort only to temporary expedients, we risk the complete collapse of state governance.”
“…Then why don’t you, little pedant, offer something better?”
“Why should I devise such solutions? I am merely here to offer remonstrance. You are the King of this realm, not I. Should you transfer the throne to me, then perhaps I might exercise my mind more creatively.”
“Your entire family must suffer from a disease that kills you if you don’t say something irritating for even a moment, don’t you?”
Why do they keep dragging my family into this? In any case, following Father’s counsel, I had succeeded in preventing the King from taking flight with his half-baked scheme, so I steered the conversation back to the matter at hand.
“I support Your Majesty’s position. Does anyone object?”
As I raised my hand in agreement with the King’s opinion, the others began voicing their assent one by one. Once consensus was reached, the work would proceed with remarkable efficiency.
“I shall consult with the Astronomical Research Institute to obtain the date of the nearest solar eclipse. If we cannot find an exact match, a lunar eclipse will suffice.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to wait a bit longer for impact and conduct this on a solar eclipse day?”
“What if the Princess decides she wants to marry immediately? This matter must be resolved quickly.”
“What do you mean, ‘decides’—to a princess of the realm—”
“Then what would you call someone who receives a proposal from a stranger she met a day ago and insists on marrying him?”
To be honest, I was hardly one to speak, having decided to marry after seeing the Third Prince only five times, but my words proved effective in silencing the King.
“Then what of the Princess’s circumstances? We shall need to maintain distance between her and the Third Prince.”
“Indeed. We cannot artificially separate a man and woman.”
Duke Bienar and Duchess Noctram voiced their concerns while reviewing the progress report on Marius and Princess Grace’s romance that I had compiled, but that too would resolve itself if we accelerated negotiations with the Fourth Prince.
The Princess was not a woman blinded by love. Moreover, she was intelligent enough to understand if I told her that the Crown Prince would first consult with the Pope of the Empire regarding treatment for eye disease before returning. She would wait.
“It will be fine. The Princess is not as naive as you all believe. If someone with such a cunning, raccoon-like nature had true certainty about the Third Prince, would she have leaked detailed information to me? Hardly.”
“Little Rocksburg. Must you really say such things in front of that cunning, raccoon-like girl’s father?”
“I do not speak falsehoods, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, well done. Very well done indeed.”
So now the remaining question was whom to send as Crown Prince’s envoy. The most critical matter remained unresolved.
Whoever was sent to the Empire as envoy required sufficient rank and justification, and since the witch would arrive bearing the seeds of calamity, the envoy had to be female. Ideally, someone with the courage to negotiate with the Fourth Prince and seize the opportunity to meet the Pope.
As I voiced my concerns about personnel selection, everyone suddenly fixed their gaze upon me.
“Why are you all looking at me like that?”
“The Noctram faction supports sending Rosalite Rocksburg.”
“Why?”
“Why? Because among everyone here, the only one with a temperament as wicked as a demon hag is you, little one.”
“Simply because the witch was called such in the final chapter does not mean one must possess a demonic disposition.”
“So you do not deny having such a temperament…”
No, why are they pushing me like this? I’m a busy person!
As I protested that I had mountains of work ahead and would be working late nights, the representatives of each ducal house withdrew rings bearing their family seals and demanded their attendants bring stamp pads.
“Noctram shall dispatch elite guards to protect Young Lord Rocksburg. The duration shall extend until negotiations conclude and you return to the Kingdom.”
“Don’t worry about late nights. I’ll be on land for a while, so I’ll lend you my hardworking son.”
“Edanelli shall cover all expenses incurred during official duties.”
Why do you all work in such perfect harmony only when sending me away?
Without being asked, the three of them swiftly drafted the documents and stamped them with their seals before rising from their seats, declaring the meeting concluded and that they should head off to eat.
After receiving and reviewing the support and cooperation agreements from the three Duke’s Houses, His Majesty the King organized the papers, stood up, and then
“Let’s work out the schedule and details as we go.”
patted my shoulder twice before leaving the conference room.
So this was the railroading I’d only heard about in stories.

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Since what was done was done, I decided to join the others for a meal, and we walked through the corridor debating whether to eat at the palace or venture outside.
Well, since things had come to this, I might as well think of it as a trip to the Empire. I’d never once set foot beyond the sea by ship in my entire life, so foolishly, I found myself growing excited.
I’d need to prepare clothes for each day, and since it was an opportunity to taste Imperial cuisine, I should bring Aster as my escort.
“It’s not often we all gather like this. Why don’t we go to our territory? There’s a restaurant there with a view of the sea—the vista is absolutely stunning.”
I’d heard of the restaurant carved into the cliffs of Bienar Territory before. I’d been planning to make do with the palace, but since the Duke was offering to treat us, it seemed worthwhile to visit and see the sights.
Our territory had no tourist attractions to speak of besides the shopping district, so this could be instructive. If I established a landmark and arranged shops around it, tourists would readily open their purses.
With such thoughts, I hurried after the Royal Council attendees when I spotted the Crown Prince entering near the exit. He seemed to have an appointment with His Majesty and had timed his arrival perfectly as we were leaving the meeting, but he appeared startled—evidently, he hadn’t been informed of the emergency session.
“What brings everyone here?”
The Crown Prince stopped in his tracks and detained us.
It was certainly an unusual gathering, and I understood he wanted to ask how we’d come together, but Duke Bienar seemed to have other ideas. The woman in the slightly worn white uniform gently patted the Crown Prince’s shoulder in a soothing manner and spoke.
“You needn’t concern yourself with such matters. Don’t trouble yourself with state affairs—focus on your studies.”
The moment the Duke finished speaking, Theodore’s laughter deepened.
Ah, that was a sign of displeasure.
“Since you mention studies, I’ve also heard something from Her Majesty the Queen. Your Highness applies yourself with great diligence to learning. You’re truly a treasure destined to bear the nation’s burden.”
“One of Your Highness’s tutors was none other than one of our Edanelli people. According to him, Your Highness is exceptionally brilliant—teach him one thing, and he grasps ten.”
Beginning with Duchess Noctram and the Edanelli heir’s words, they lavished praise upon Theodore, calling him intelligent and admirable, while Duke Bienar eventually went so far as to ruffle his hair, remarking that the boy who’d wet the bed until age twelve had truly grown splendidly.
Theodore… wet the bed until age twelve…
“Please stop. I am no longer a child.”
“….”
“….”
“….”
My goodness, what was this? Time seemed to have stopped.
The three of them fell silent at the Crown Prince’s words, exchanging glances with expressions of realization. They’d clearly misspoken—calling a young man a child was bound to offend.
The three turned their eyes toward me, the one closest in age to His Highness, silently urging me to do something, but I had no real means of soothing Theodore’s feelings.
As Duke Bienar, Duchess Noctram, and Dorothy Edanelli subtly pushed me forward and positioned me before the Crown Prince, I resigned myself to the situation, crouched down briefly, and untied the lace pouch I’d fastened to my petticoat.
I’d prepared delicious candies to pull out whenever I felt irritated or troubled during meetings.
Holding lemon-flavored eye-shaped candies wrapped in pretty paper in my hand, I offered them to His Highness with gentle words. I rarely go out of my way to be nice to him, but since everyone was making such a fuss, I decided to make an effort, Inseok.
“Everyone is too much. It’s been how long since Your Highness came of age? When people grow older, they accumulate foolish habits—please have this candy and cheer up.”
Surely that was kind enough.
I triumphantly pressed the candy into Theodore’s hand, but he immediately knocked my hand away and threw the candy to the ground.
“You’re the worst of all.”
The Crown Prince stomped on the candy scattered across the floor, crushing it, then turned sharply and went his own way.
What a waste.
But the inside seems intact, so I should peel it carefully and share it with Jack Brown.
“Here, Jack Brown. Have half of this.”
“Yes, Miss.”
As Jack and I shared the candy, munching contentedly, Duke Bienar remarked that I’d chosen the person to send to the Empire quite well. I wasn’t entirely sure what he meant, but it sounded like praise, so I accepted it graciously.
I thanked Duke Bienar sincerely for the compliment, then linked my arm through Jack’s and headed toward the carriage, humming cheerfully. Since I’d cleared considerable time today, I planned to visit the Eastern Region’s Duchy, enjoy myself thoroughly, and investigate tourist attractions while I was there.

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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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