Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 64

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

I had visited Luke Chatel’s Spaland recently and been deeply impressed, so I was planning to ask Luke to introduce me to the architect who designed it.
Whoever designed that Spaland would surely make my new office absolutely magnificent.
I wrote out the construction plans for my office relocation and other matters on letterhead, earnestly requested that Luke Chatel introduce me to the designer, and subtly slipped in a commemorative coin from the Rocksburg Bank that would be established soon.
Luke was clever enough that he could make a considerable fortune from this information alone. A bank bearing Rocksburg’s name was practically equivalent to a state bank. Among private enterprises with fluctuating credibility, the emergence of Rocksburg Bank would fundamentally reshape the market.
I didn’t mind defrauding people to make money myself, but I couldn’t tolerate those wretches defrauding my beloved subjects.
Hehehehe, those vicious loan sharks should consider themselves dead. I’d lure people in with bait products, then insert clauses allowing interest rates to be adjusted to market rates and squeeze them for everything they’re worth.
And when Luke makes a fortune, I’ll demand my cut.
Excited, I sent a letter to Luke and began sketching out the design direction I would demand from the contractor for my office. I was consulting with Aster and writing down requirements when I heard someone running outside, and Lily urgently reported to me.
“Young Master. Sage Oswald wishes to see you.”
“Rosalite! I’ve finished it! I’ve completed the auto-return system Rosalite Rocksburg Doll Mark Two!”
Ah. Sage Oswald wouldn’t mind barging through doors without regard for others’ reactions, so Lily’s urgency was understandable.
Of course, I found Papa’s temperament not at all disagreeable, so I sprang from my seat and greeted him warmly. The only thing Papa could have brought while announcing completion was one specific item.
The name is unnecessarily long, which bothers me somewhat, but with so little time remaining before meeting the Crown Prince, you’ve brought it at a most opportune moment.
“If it’s finished, is this it?”
“Yes! That’s the one! By the way, I spent all the money you gave me!”
“That’s of no concern! Rather, this is truly you, Sage Oswald! Your spending habits are as genius as your talents!”
“Kahahaha! Right?! Do you know how hard it was to spend all that money?!”
That sum was half a year’s salary for Aster, yet you managed to spend every last coin without a trace, you old fraud.
Being a former great noble, the very concept of frugality simply didn’t exist for him. That’s precisely why he was always struggling financially. His disciples must have it rough too.
“Anyway, look at this! Individual targeting! Minimum output!”
Sage Oswald suddenly manipulated mana, snapped his fingers to conjure a small bolt of lightning, and attacked the doll.
Then from the doll came
“Kiiieek. Kick. Kickkick”
an unpleasant sound as it absorbed the lightning.
Wait. Its mouth seemed to move slightly while absorbing… but isn’t that just too unsettling?
“See? I was troubled about how to provide emergency power, so I adjusted it toward energy drain. When it receives physical or magical attacks, it stores that energy and uses it as motive power to move.”
“Wow…”
That’s truly both genius and diabolical.
If by any chance the Crown Prince becomes displeased and kicks or strikes the doll, it would store that energy and move at night—that’s what he’s saying.
“Moreover, remember that fiber I made for your mass production last time? I applied liquid coating with that material as the base, so it’s waterproof and flame-resistant, and it floats even if submerged. If an accident occurs and it falls into the sea, this doll alone could serve as a life preserver.”
What? That’s actually really good? Should I make one for myself?
“It truly won’t burn?”
“It can withstand one attack from a second-circle flame mage.”
That’s actually incredibly good?!
Staring intently at the doll, reluctant to give it to the Crown Prince, I ultimately decided I shouldn’t keep it.
Something feels off about it. Should I say the doll carries a curse, or… anyway, something just felt wrong.
“In any case, thank you for your hard work. Would you care for some refreshments before you leave?”
“That sounds good.”
At my words, Sage nodded and settled himself firmly into the prime seat of the sofa, casting a glance toward my desk in the office. It seemed he was curious about the many unfamiliar items scattered there.
“What are all those things?”
“They are materials for the Crown Prince’s prospective matches, sir.”
“And what is that scribble?”
“A blueprint I drew myself.”
“….”
“….”
Papa’s expression had grown peculiar. Sage regarded me with the pitying gaze one might reserve for the truly unfortunate, his eyes darting about in search of somewhere—anywhere—to look before he carefully opened his mouth.
“…It’s quite a distinctive drawing.”
“Is it?”
“Indeed. Not everyone can excel at everything.”
What was wrong with it? It was easy to understand, and I’d explained it well enough.
Confident in my work, I asked Aster what she thought of my blueprint, and my knight guardian fell silent for a long moment before speaking in her usual measured tone.
“I believe it is a drawing that captures the young lady’s unique sensibilities quite beautifully.”
Wait. Was my blueprint really something that required Aster to search for diplomatic words?
Shocked into silence, blueprint still in hand, I watched as Sage procured fresh paper and picked up a pen.
“Let me help you a bit. Just tell me what you need. This is what Papa is for, after all.”
Please stop. That tender smile—the very picture of a father helping his daughter with summer homework.
I felt a twinge of humiliation, but it seemed unlikely that stubbornness would yield better results, so I accepted Papa’s assistance.
As Papa sketched out the designs with practiced strokes, Lily and Violet—who had been watching from the sidelines—released sighs of relief.
Ah, so they’d been anxious while I was drawing, hovering about uncertainly. Now I understood why Leon had insisted so stubbornly on doing the illustrations himself when we made the Duke’s Mansion guidebook.
Sigh.
Such unnecessarily kind people.
Why couldn’t they just say it if I couldn’t draw?
“That’s right, Rosalite. While we’re building the rabbit house, construct a storage building next to our laboratory.”
“A storage building, sir? The structure would be quite large—wouldn’t that alone be insufficient?”
“No, no, I need one with a large entrance built on flat ground. There’s something I need to do with it.”
A building with a spacious entrance that must be on the ground floor? That sounded less like a storage building and more like a garage. When I asked if Sage was planning to keep carriages or horses, he smiled brilliantly and proudly unveiled his plans.
“I’m thinking of building a four-wheel-drive vehicle powered by mana stones.”
Are you the Ferdinand Porsche of this realm?
While mana stones were used as a power source in various aspects of daily life, I never imagined we’d leap straight over steam engines to a four-wheel-drive vehicle powered by mana stones.
I couldn’t tell whether this man was pursuing the path of a lightning-attribute mage or simply that of an inventor, but there was only one thing I could offer Papa at this moment.
“I’ll register the patent and secure investment. Let’s commercialize it.”
“You have a keen eye for opportunity, as expected.”
“Once it’s complete, we’ll start with streetcar trials. With this, Rocksburg’s logistics and distribution will be on solid ground for the next hundred years.”
Hehe, once the streetcars are running successfully, I should tunnel a high-speed railway between east and west and rake in the tolls.
The eastern Bienar Duchy has a major harbor, and our territory has a grand shopping district and commercial zone—if we couldn’t make a fortune from this venture, we’d deserve to bury our noses in the dirt.
The initial construction costs would be substantial, but since this is also a project for the nation, I should squeeze a hefty investment from the Royal Family.
I’m excited. Should I bring this up when I go to endure the matchmaking lectures next time?
I’m so excited. What should I do? Every time I meet the Crown Prince, my heart races like this—I’m worried I’ll end up falling in love with him out of pure conditioned reflex.
“If this venture succeeds, Papa will be living off patent royalties alone. You should make a big profit and return to your research life.”
“Ahem, I’m so pleased with how well you scheme to earn money, Rosalite.”
“I’m merely riding on your coattails, Papa. This is all thanks to your brilliance, after all.”
“And I love how smoothly you flatter me too.”
Sage seemed absolutely delighted by the flying machine I’d given him, wrapping his face in his hands and contorting his body with glee.
The old codger looked anything but cute, yet I offered honeyed words about how adorable he was, then skillfully coaxed him into confirming that my name would be added as a co-patent holder before continuing with the blueprint designs.
Papa is weak to praise, so I’m absolutely thrilled.

◇ ◆ ◇

The day of the matchmaking proposal had arrived.
Having prepared myself in matchmaker fashion for this occasion, I draped myself in gold necklaces and gold ornaments, slipped jeweled rings onto all ten fingers, donned a wide-brimmed hat, and put on fashion glasses.
They were prescription-free gold-framed spectacles, and I’d even attached the decorative eyeglass chain, completing the matchmaker look perfectly.
Arriving at the Crown Prince dressed like this would surely convey my resolve to him.
Despite Father and William’s attempts to dissuade me, I maintained this fashion as I headed to the Royal Palace, and upon entering the location where the Crown Prince had asked to meet, I was once again reminded of just how unwelcome a presence I was.
The place he’d chosen was the front courtyard of the Crown Prince’s Palace.
Late autumn had set in with a chill, and as all the autumn leaves had fallen, the garden was utterly desolate with nothing to see, while a table sat forlornly in the middle of the yellowing, dying grass.
The refreshments were unremarkable, and the teacups were at best low-grade merchandise—hopefully not chipped.
You’re the only person in this entire world who treats Rosalite Rocksburg with such disdain, Your Highness.
“You’ve come.”
“I have.”
How could he smile so brightly while making it so obvious he wasn’t happy to see me?
I carefully examined the Crown Prince’s facial muscles—now almost mysteriously skilled at this—then got straight to business and placed the portraits on the table.
“Which one would you like to meet first?”
“Why are you doing this to me? And what is that getup?”
Why did this boy answer questions with questions?
I wanted to correct his speech habits first, but today I was a courteous matchmaker, so I simply pushed my glasses up and answered obediently.
“Rosalite Rocksburg, matchmaker edition.”
“Do the Duke’s heirs have so little to do?”
“Quite a lot, actually. Even today I dumped many tasks on the Duke and rushed here for Your Highness.”
“Then go do your work. And you keep bringing marriage talk only to me, but considering her age, wouldn’t Dorothy Edanelli, who’s thirty-five this year, be more pressing?”
Oh no. He had to bring that up. But Dorothy Edanelli’s succession issue was already settled.

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