Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 69

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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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Since Jean Brown said I lacked soul, I decided to try singing one of my favorite upbeat songs that I performed regularly. As I belted out the melody, Jean Brown stood up and applauded as if watching a grandchild’s talent show.
This could work. I didn’t know what soul meant, but if I could excite people, then I could say I’d moved their emotions. And moving emotions—that was precisely what inspiration meant.
My song was undoubtedly moving and must have contained soul. As I finished the final verse and glanced at Uncle Louis, the man with those lifeless eyes, who had been brooding, suddenly made a decisive gesture and struck the bell.
“Why again?!”
“I feel the soul, but your singing is being overwhelmed by the piano!”
What is this? Why are the judges being so picky! Do I really need such extraordinary vocal ability just to marry off?! Isn’t marriage difficult enough as it is?!
And Benjamin, don’t you dare puff out your chest proudly just because you’re frustrated with me!
Fine then. The national anthem. I had no choice but to sing the national anthem. With that, no one could nitpick about soul or anything else, and the simple melody wouldn’t be drowned out by the piano.
As I sang a tribute to our beautiful homeland, Uncle Louis’s face grew bored instantly, and he rang the bell before the song even ended.
Well, let me hear the reason for this rejection too.
“Rosalite, you keep singing in chest voice. Glen wouldn’t sing like that. You need to put strength in your diaphragm.”
Fine. I understood perfectly well that you had no intention of letting me pass.
I understood a hundred times over that he was trapped in the Marquis Territory and bored to death every day, and I was grateful for all the work he’d done handling tasks our household had pushed onto him. That’s why I’d indulged him until now, but this had to stop.
“Aster!”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
“You can destroy everything! I’ll take responsibility!”
“Yes, Young Lady!”
That was the most energetic I’d ever heard Aster’s voice. I’d brought him along for exactly this purpose, so why had I been holding back until now? It must have been because I wanted to take Glen away as peacefully as possible. If I angered these people, I had no idea what they might do to Glen.
But that would all be resolved once I returned to the Duchy and reinforced the confinement order.
“Stand back, Young Lady. It’s dangerous.”
Standing before the door with its massive lock, Aster activated his aura and took his stance. Pointing one hand at the door while effortlessly wielding a heavy longsword in the other, the woman charged toward the door with a mighty shout.
“Die, William Brown!”
…Wait, is your aura activation condition triggered by anger toward Father or something like that?
As Aster’s thrust struck the lock dead center, not only the lock but the thick wooden door was ground to sawdust and destroyed.
It was devastating power. The giant squid died in one hit from something like that.
“Let’s go up, Young Lady.”
“Yes, okay.”
I was so grateful that Aster was my guard knight. If he weren’t on my side, I would have been truly terrified.
Following Aster upward, the third floor was packed with ingredients and kitchen utensils. They probably intended to test my cooking skills here, and seeing there were two cutting tables, it seemed like someone was meant to compete against me. Which one of Uncle Louis and Benjamin was planning to cook anyway?
“Die, Jack Brown!”
So aura activation works with that too. Right. I understand. Aster’s aura just activates whenever he gets angry? It powers up through rage, that sort of thing? I’ve seen that development plenty of times.
Grabbing my skirt and running, the fourth floor had spinning wheels and knitting tools. If I’d obediently followed Uncle Louis’s instructions, I would have spent the entire month here. Smashing through and moving on was clearly the right answer.
“Glen! Are you there! It’s dangerous, so step back!”
Calling out to Glen from the entrance of the fifth floor, I had Aster smash through the door and entered.
Contrary to Diamante’s claim that it was cramped and filthy, the space was furnished reasonably like a proper living quarters, and there seemed to be plenty of food.
How did I judge it sufficient for living? Because Glen, with those lifeless eyes, was playing with his younger brother and munching on an apple.
“R-Rosalite…?”
With a soft thud, the apple Glen had been eating dropped onto the plush carpet below. So while I’ve been suffering through all this, you’ve been living a comfortable life here.
“Rosalite, how did you… come to be here?”
“I heard you were being held captive, so I came to rescue you.”
“Me? Really?”
What is this? Had this child been trapped here without any awareness of his situation?
When I explained how Diamante had orchestrated Glen’s arrival at this place and how he’d been locked in the Tower, prompting Jean Brown to rush to me with the news, Glen was startled and immediately defended his mother.
“No, Rosalite. You’ve misunderstood. Mother has been locking me in my room and leaving quite frequently for some time now.”
“…What?”
“Beyond that, she takes me out to crowded places and leaves me behind before returning home, or she forgets to serve me meals and throws them away, or she leaves me to guard the house while she goes out with Dylan.”
No. I was wrong—please, stop. Even Cinderella must have suffered less abuse than you.
Yet Glen seemed to find the situation not truly urgent, and he recounted the past day with enthusiasm, saying he’d enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with his younger brother and mother together.
Well… if you had fun, I suppose that’s what matters…
“Where is Diamante? You said she was with you.”
“Oh, Mother went toward the Water Fountain Area a while ago…”
For such shoddy construction, they certainly built this place well in many respects.
After instructing the others not to follow, I made my way to where the lady had fled, my expression hardening. Unlike Glen, the lady—who had been confined here for a day—looked disheveled, and she flinched the moment she spotted me.
“Oh, you’ve come, Rosalite?”
“I won’t waste words.”
If not for Glen, I would have no reason to protect this lady and her youngest son from Benjamin, nor to leave Jean Brown and my people here. She needed to engrave that truth upon her heart.
“If you trouble Glen or me even once more, you will die.”
“My, is that a threat? What if Glen hears about this?”
“Yes. Tell him. And then you will die.”
I exhaled deeply, turned away from the Marquise who still seemed to have much to say, and headed toward Benjamin and Uncle Louis. Now that I had secured Glen, there was nothing more to do here.
“Uncle Louis. Be prepared for the confinement order to be strengthened within the Mansion grounds. Benjamin, know that you won’t be leaving Marquis Territory. Jean, bring Glen down. I’m counting on you to continue watching the Marquis Residence.”
I needed to get Glen out of this den of would-be criminals as quickly as possible.
Uncle Louis and Benjamin chattered away behind me, but I ignored them entirely, had Aster bring the horses, and mounted Glen onto my steed first.
With him in front of me, I held him firmly with one arm, silently took the reins, and urged Elizabeth forward. Glen, who had been cautious until now, began to fidget in my embrace and finally spoke.
“Um, Rosalite… are you perhaps angry?”
“Yes.”
I was angry that you ignored my advice and came all this way under the pretense of visiting the sick. I was angry at his family for taking Glen hostage and playing with him as they pleased. And I was angry because I don’t know what to do with you—treated so poorly by them, yet still giggling and calling her mother.
You’re someone precious to both Father and me, yet you simply obey when others tell you to come and go from their homes. Who could be happy about that?
Though I had much I wanted to say, I had no way to express it, so I only frowned. Glen seemed to feel hurt and shrank back.
This won’t do. I’m venting my anger on Glen, which isn’t right. And if he keeps trying to pull away from me like that, he’ll fall from the horse again.
“Hold on tight. Don’t let go.”
I wrapped Glen’s arms around my shoulders, pulled his waist closer to me, and urged the horse forward.
Glen didn’t answer, but after fidgeting for a while, the boy finally leaned against me and nodded.
If only he would obey my instructions this well every time.
◇ ◆ ◇
Since everything was resolved faster than expected, we arrived at the Duke’s Mansion around sunset.
At this rate, I could report everything that happened at the Marquis Residence to Father over dinner and quickly strengthen the confinement order.
Nurturing my hatred toward those two more than ever, I ordered Aster to help Glen down from his horse and escort him to Glen’s Room.
After sending Glen away, I was about to head to the Dining Hall when I noticed someone I’d been seeing frequently standing at the Entrance Hall.
“Welcome home, Sister.”
Leon, who had been handling my duties in my absence, walked out as if he’d been waiting and greeted me. Whether he was still following the order I’d given him this afternoon to let only me see him, Asterion didn’t spare a glance at Aster or Glen before approaching me closely and stating his business.
“You haven’t given me today’s physical affection yet. I’ve been waiting for you to return.”
Ah, that’s right. I’d forgotten in my rush when I left.
Since we’d made the contract today, I couldn’t break my promise starting from today.
As a courtesy to Leon for handling my work so well, I brushed the dust from my clothes, then opened my arms to the obediently waiting Leon and gave him a warm embrace, patted his back, and even threw in a kiss on the cheek as a bonus.
Imagine stepping in as a substitute when needed for just this kind of reward—what a convenient fellow.
“…Rosalite?”
Oh? Haven’t you returned to your room yet?
Having fulfilled the contract terms, I was about to go find Father when I heard Glen’s disgruntled voice. The man, who had the audacity to point at me while alternating his gaze between Leon and me, expressed curiosity about what I’d just done, and Leon, ever prepared, thrust forward the contract he’d signed earlier and showed it to Glen.
“It’s compensation for working on Sister’s behalf. Do you have a problem with that?”
“…You’re saying you’ll do this every day?”
“Yes. And soon, Young Lord Glen, you’ll be working in the same office as me. I look forward to your guidance.”
Heh. Leon certainly has good manners.
Leon bowed at the waist and extended his hand prettily to offer a handshake, but strangely, Glen brushed that hand away and said he had something to think about before heading inside first.
Perhaps he’d gotten motion sickness from riding an unfamiliar horse.
“Why is he acting like that? Could he have gotten motion sickness from the ride?”
“Well… it seems like that might be the case.”
“I offered my hand in good faith, but being rejected like this hurts my feelings. Did I do something wrong to him?”
“No. There’s nothing you did wrong. Glen simply had many things on his mind today, so the situation wasn’t favorable. Think of it that way.”
When someone’s unwell and in a bad mood, even the kindest gestures won’t satisfy them.
I complimented Leon, who clung to me and linked his arm through mine, calling him cute and pretty, then went to find Father to ask him to strengthen Uncle Louis’s ban and to impose a new ban on Benjamin.
Father expressed his agreement initially and said he would consent once I brought a formal proposal later. And looking at Asterion, who was linking his arm through mine and resting his head against my shoulder, he spoke with a tone of unease.
“By the way, aren’t you two awfully close?”
“Are we?”
“No, Duke. This degree of closeness is normal between siblings.”
…Is that so?
From my experience, I’d never seen siblings like that, but if Leon said so, then it must be. There was no reason for this child to lie.
Father was also suspicious, but unable to find a reason why the other party would lie, he nodded and didn’t object to anything Leon did after that.
Leon came to the Dining Hall with me, sat beside me, ate his meal deliciously, and even coquetted, saying there was something he wanted for his upcoming birthday.
I didn’t know what it was, but if it was something he wanted this badly, it was only right to buy it for him. I told him to say anything, and Leon responded with a delighted expression, saying he’d bring me a list soon.
My wallet was going to take quite a hit on Leon’s birthday this time.

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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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