Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 77

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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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“By the way.”
I decided to ask something that had been nagging at me since earlier. Now that the person in question wasn’t around, there was no need to hold back.
“Why does the Imperial Princess act alone?”
“How should I know?”
“What about the Maidservants who were supposed to be at her side all night?”
“I’m not close with that sibling.”
“Then why did you come here?”
“I came as a porter, didn’t I?”
“Out of boredom?”
“Out of boredom.”
What utter nonsense.
Unable to voice this thought aloud, I pressed my lips together and chose my words carefully. Dealing with the Crown Prince’s antics was infinitely preferable to serving someone like this.
Theodore, may you live ten thousand years.
“I don’t know what scheme you’re plotting, but if it runs counter to the interests of the Alein Kingdom, I will cling to you relentlessly.”
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of acting just yet.”
“Just yet?”
“Just yet.”
How reassuring.
Watching Lucius work, I realized that living long must be tedious. Yes, once I fulfill Leon’s wish, I should commit suicide quickly. I’ve done it several times now—it’s not difficult at all. Once I’m gone, what does it matter what becomes of the Alein Kingdom or Rocksburg House? I found myself praying earnestly that Asterion would grow up and develop noble aspirations.
As I was lost in these thoughts, a familiar scream echoed from afar—a man’s voice, shaped into something like a shriek, one I remembered hearing around dawn today.
It was a male voice, formed into a cry of “kyaaaah,” and I had a memory of hearing it this morning.
“Young Lady, Young Lady, Young Lady, Young Lady, Young Lady!”
What commotion was this now?
Unlike Aster, this child knew how to maintain propriety, yet he burst through the door so violently that I was about to scold him—but to my surprise, Jack’s hand was gripping Aster’s hand tightly, so I couldn’t say anything.
How had these two ended up holding hands so affectionately?
“Young Lady! It’s appeared!”
“What has?”
“That thing from last night!”
Aster, gripping Jack’s hand firmly, nodded vigorously in agreement with his words.
I had a suspicion about what this was, but I asked anyway.
“Aster.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
“Do you also dislike ghosts?”
“Yes!”
So that was it.
What on earth happened in the childhood of you Brown Family siblings?
“Since you’ll be bored anyway, will you come?”
Since everyone was making such a fuss about a ghost appearing, I figured I should investigate. Extending my hand to Lucius as well, he pouted and stubbornly crossed his arms, countering my suggestion.
“You make it sound like I’m some idle aristocrat with nothing to do all day.”
“Weren’t you?”
“That’s a fair point.”
He was being difficult despite clearly intending to go anyway.
As if he’d never hesitated at all, his expression brightened. He grasped my outstretched hand and pulled himself up, then dashed toward the location where the ghost had supposedly been spotted.
Every time I think about it, this man must be genuinely, incredibly bored.

◇ ◆ ◇

“It’s in there! In there!”
Jack led us to a room located along a lengthy corridor that connected to the Central Garden.
Strange thumping sounds were coming from inside, so Jack and Aster had panicked, shut the door, and barricaded it with tables, sofas, large flower pots, and various other furniture to prevent whatever was inside from escaping—then they’d rushed straight to me.
Since I couldn’t fathom why they’d come all the way here at breakfast time, I asked them about it. The two exchanged glances before each tattled on the other to me.
“This fool dropped his sirloin on the floor and ran away.”
“Aster here eats like he hasn’t had food in three days—face buried in the plate! It’s so revolting I can’t stand it anymore. Young Lady, please teach him some proper table manners.”
“You shouldn’t drop food on the floor.”
Especially not Aster’s favorite cut of meat.
I gave Jack a sharp flick on the forehead and assigned Aster table manner lessons during his off-duty hours from escort duties.
After we’d alternated between laughing and growing serious, I ordered the two busy children to clear away the barricade. They swiftly lifted the massive objects and cleared the corridor.
“I thought they were just amusing kids, but they’re quite strong.”
“Well, they’re merely strong. Both are actually quite competent as escorts.”
“I already knew that from one of them—I’ve witnessed his skills firsthand—but…”
Jack’s face showed shock at Lucius’s comment that he’d assumed Jack was a civil official of Rocksburg House based on his frail appearance. Perhaps I should stop letting him nibble on grass scraps and ensure he eats properly.
When we return, I’ll buy plenty of meat and force-feed him if necessary.
“Step aside. I’ll investigate.”
I’d intended to enter alone and examine the interior, but once I stepped in, Lucius followed, and the two who’d led the way also entered. Jack and Aster, left outside, apparently thought their protector had abandoned them and rushed in after us.
Why would they insist on coming along while trembling like that?
“Young Lady, do you see anything?”
“Young Lady, it’s on your left! The partition on the left—kyaaaah!”
I wondered why they were being so dramatic until lightning flashed outside, casting a large shadow across the room’s interior.
Aster’s sudden scream seemed odd, and something felt off about the shadow’s shape. Thinking it over, the humanoid silhouette cast on the wall was one, two, three, four, five…
One more than the number of people currently gathered here.
“Kyaaaaaaah! Kyah!”
“Screeeech! Eek! Eeeek!”
“Be quiet! All of you!”
Once I’d silenced the two, I recalled the shadow that had briefly illuminated the wall and moved my feet accordingly.
Let’s see—the lightning came from that direction, so if the light travels this way, the object would be…
Thump, thump.
Right here.
Something small was moving beneath the decorative table, and the moment I reached down to grab it, Jack and Aster both let out piercing screams again.
Why on earth was I suddenly remembering those old days when I’d catch cockroaches instead of family members in the house?
“What is that?”
Since Jack and Aster were covering their eyes, blocking their ears, and screaming, the only one who gave me a proper reaction to what dangled from my hand was Lucius.
This is… it’s… how do I even explain this…?
“…It’s the Auto-Return System Rosalite Rocksburg Mark Two.”
“Auto-Return… what?”
“The Auto-Return System Rosalite Rocksburg Mark Two.”
Now I finally understood what had happened at dawn.
As I shook the water from the doll that had been soaked in the rain and combed through its hair, it shed its seaweed-like appearance and revealed its pretty face once more.
So Theodore had left for the island to attend the meeting and hadn’t thought to bring the doll along. Since this doll was designed to automatically move and return to his side whenever separated from him, it must have crossed the castle gates and traversed the sea to reach us here.
The tapping at the window at dawn was because I’d ordered the doors locked tight—both the windows and the entrance were sealed, so the doll couldn’t open them on its own and had to knock. When I opened the entrance, the doll slipped inside quickly, which must have frightened Jack.
…Isn’t this thing incredibly impressive? It crossed the sea all by itself?
“Somehow the doll looks a lot like you.”
“That’s precisely why it’s called Rosalite Rocksburg Mark Two.”
Feeling proud of the doll and hoping it would continue working hard, I was channeling mana near where the crystal core should be in the doll’s battery when Lucius suddenly looked back and forth between the doll and me, then spoke as if he’d figured something out.
“I thought you only sold bread, but you sell dolls too?”
“No, I don’t.”
And it’s been ages since I quit the bread business—why is he still going on about bread?
I’d actually wanted to continue that business venture, but it got criticized for encouraging gambling, and since people were just throwing away the bread and keeping only the seals, it was blamed for creating a sense of despair about wealth inequality. Most importantly, an internal informant reported that I was committing probability fraud, so the King himself shut down my business.
I don’t know who the informant was, but if I ever find out, they’re dead.
“The story behind this is quite long, but to put it simply.”
“Simply?”
“Theodore sent me the crust of a loaf of bread as a wedding gift, and I was so furious that I sent him Rosalite Rocksburg Mark Two in return—a doll that will never leave his side, whether he’s sleeping or working, so he’ll always think of me.”
“My goodness…”
If you keep pestering me like this, I’ll send you Mark Three, understand?
With that silent resolve, Mark Two finished charging and began wriggling, eager to move somewhere.
I assured Jack and Aster—who were still covering their eyes and ears—that it wasn’t a ghost and showed them Mark Two, and only then did they relax and take the doll from me.
“Oh my, was this that doll from before?”
“Young Lady, but…”
But what? Now that you know it’s not a ghost, there shouldn’t be any problem, right?
Even as I said that, Aster found something odd and suddenly yanked Mark Two’s hair, revealing something dark and matted.
“This hair color—it’s different from yours, Young Lady.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
…Now that I think about it, the hair did look pitch black like seaweed when it was all tangled up earlier.
Thinking about it that way, I looked at my hands that had combed the doll’s hair, and sure enough, black strands were tangled between my fingers.
“Young Lady, the decorative table isn’t touching the wall—what exactly did this doll hit?”
W-w-w-what did it hit indeed?
I alternated my gaze between the black hair in my hand and beneath the table, then carefully knelt down to peer underneath.
The darkness obscured the interior, but the smell of water and a strange, fishy stench assaulted my nostrils.
A deafening crack.
Lightning struck once more. This bolt seemed to have descended close to the ground, for beyond the thunder came a sound like the very air itself was being torn asunder.
In that instant, the room flooded with brilliant light.
Because of it, I could see clearly beneath the dark table.
There were eyes.
My gaze locked with those of an unknown woman.
The woman, her eyes wide and glassy, her entire body drenched in black hair, stared directly at me.
Her neck was twisted backward at an unnatural angle.
Protruding vertebrae gleamed pale white along her throat, and her body was contorted in a grotesque, impossible shape.
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
I screamed with all my might, then leaped up and threw myself into Aster’s arms.

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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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