Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 91

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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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I couldn’t hold back any longer. I wrenched my hand from the Crown Prince’s grasp and pressed my palm against the wall, fighting the vertigo that still made the world spin.
“What… what kind of woman does this!”
Who exactly is speaking right now? Who has the right?
I was the victim here, yet he alone played the wounded party, hurling insults at me—calling me the worst of the worst—before attempting to leave.
Under normal circumstances, I would have let him go gracefully. But I had a favor to ask. I’d promised my beloved horse, Elizabeth, countless times that I would arrange a meeting with the Crown Prince. I couldn’t break that promise.
If he refused, I’d simply march into the Crown Prince’s Palace with Elizabeth later. But that was a problem for another time.
“Wait. If you have a moment, would you spare some time later? There’s someone who wishes to meet you.”
“Tell them to follow proper procedures and visit formally.”
“They’re forbidden from doing so.”
“How would I know.”
“I happen to know an excellent construction contractor who specializes in antimicrobial waterproofing to prevent mold on walls.”
“What does that have to do with me!”
The Crown Prince spat out his words irritably, slammed the Guest Room door shut, and stalked away with heavy footsteps.
I knew he would return, so I decided to wait exactly thirty seconds. One, two, three, four, five.
As I counted slowly to twenty-five in my mind, I heard footsteps again from outside. Unlike his aggressive departure moments before, Theodore opened the door quietly and approached me with measured steps, wearing his usual gentle Crown Prince smile as he spoke in a honeyed tone.
“You’re telling the truth about this, aren’t you?”
“Why would I lie? I even had him completely renovate my Office.”
“Rocksburg is covering the costs?”
“If you bring the necessary documents, Rocksburg Bank will be happy to provide loan consultation.”
“Don’t be so petty when you have plenty.”
“My plenty comes from being careful.”
He glared at me, then spread his right hand wide and proposed a compromise after a long pause. It wasn’t wise to be stubborn, but wasn’t this surrender too easy?
“How about we split it fifty-fifty? Since the Second Prince ended up living there, we both bear responsibility. Let’s make it clean—five to five.”
“Since my partner is you, I’ll lend it to you interest-free, considering our long friendship.”
“How can a sovereign and subject do such a thing? What royal family borrows money from their subject?”
“For a recent example, ten years ago, His Majesty the King borrowed all the construction funds from Duke Rocksburg to build the current Crown Prince’s Palace.”
“That family has always been remarkably capable.”
“You’re too kind.”
The truth was, His Majesty still hadn’t repaid that debt, but I wouldn’t mention it. No need to encourage bad habits.
For me, simply putting the Crown Prince in my debt was worth every coin spent. After all, he was such a good-hearted fellow, always thinking of his younger brother. The construction costs weren’t even that significant from my perspective.
“Then I’ll see you later. Do get married this year.”
“Is marriage the only thing you ever talk to me about?”
“Whether it’s a son or daughter, I don’t care. Just have one child. We’ll raise them well together.”
“You already have the heart of a queen mother.”
“Queen mother? I’ll live long enough to be a queen grandmother too, and then I’ll die.”
And while we’re on the subject, when I have children, I absolutely won’t raise them like you. I’ll raise them to be good, obedient, hardworking, without afternoon naps, and with sound body and mind—the kind who don’t scrub their hands raw just because a woman’s lips brushed theirs.
As I let slip a hint of my secret ambitions, the Crown Prince’s lips trembled as if he’d witnessed something horrifying, and he backed away from me.
“Who said I’d make you Queen? How infuriating.”
“It’s merely a figure of speech, Your Highness. Surely you understand metaphor?”
I’d heard this same line from Jack before, and it had wounded me deeply. So I’d shared it with him as well, but the man—whether he genuinely didn’t understand metaphor or simply despised it—merely shot me a look of disdain before stalking out of the room.
Perhaps he’d been thrust into Crown Prince studies so hastily that he’d never had time to cultivate refinement in literature or advanced Aleine. I’d have to send him a complete collection of classical masterpieces along with the construction funds later.
Aleine had so much wonderful literature to offer. This is precisely why rushing one’s education is folly. Look at the Four-span Princess—she’d received a proper Former Crown Princess education from childhood, step by step, and her refinement was impeccable as a result.
If only she hadn’t been so fond of drinking, I wouldn’t have needed to hound Theodore about producing royal heirs. Those eyes of his. Ugh, those infernal eyes.
“My goodness, we need to set a time to meet. You can’t just leave before we’ve arranged it.”
I hurried after him and secured a promise to meet again after the banquet. The man had been so reluctant about meeting alone with a woman like me, but eventually agreed to see me right after our final dance. I prepared accordingly.

Aster was eating with admirable dedication, and I couldn’t find any suitable dance partners, so I borrowed John Brown from the Four-span Princess—he was currently attending to her hangover—and danced with him for a while.
The boy had spent so long in the Royal Palace that he knew the steps well and danced beautifully. The only drawback was that since the Princess no longer attended balls, his dance repertoire was frozen at the level of five years ago. But I enjoyed retro styles anyway, so he made for pleasant company.
Still, it would have been perfect if Luke had been here. Is he busy today?
“How much longer must I dance, Young Lady?”
This wretch—I was finally having fun after so long, and he couldn’t even humor me properly.
After I’d kept John dancing for a solid hour, he grew weary and began making excuses about Princess Grace needing his attention. As if—that woman was passed out from her hangover. When I’d checked on her earlier, he’d just stood there staring blankly at her.
“Until this night ends.”
“Ask Aster instead.”
“How can I call away someone who’s eating?”
“Am I the sort of person you can work without feeding?”
“You’re fuel-efficient anyway. And your master gave permission.”
“You were the one singing loudly and causing a scene beside someone who was ill.”
Then perhaps she shouldn’t have gotten drunk and collapsed in the first place. Who told her to drink?
I pretended not to hear and laughed breezily, continuing my steps. John Brown took my hand and spun me round and round and round in place. It was dizzying, but bearable.
“Do you really think I’ll let you go like this?”
“Do you know why Aster follows you so faithfully?”
“What scheme are you cooking up now?”
Since neither approach was working, was he trying to sow discord between Aster and me? But Aster would never speak ill of me, and I trusted him completely, so there was no point in responding.
Whatever John said, I would pretend not to hear and keep dancing.
“On the day you were born, marbled beef appeared on the Brown Family dinner table.”
“….”
“The Duke likely distributed gifts to his staff to celebrate your birth. That boy tasted marbled beef for the first time then and wept, later composing a poem about it. Would you like to hear it?”
“…Stop.”
“‘Beautiful as a flower, thus you are the flower of beef.'”
“Stop!”
Enough. Just stop.
I decided I couldn’t bear to hear another word, so I released John. As I gave his chest a sharp push with my palm, the foolish dog smiled with satisfaction and bowed his head respectfully.
“Next time we meet, I’ll come with Princess Grace. Farewell.”
Yes. Go. Go find your master.
After sending him off, I felt my energy drain away and headed toward the outer edges of the Ballroom. The Crown Prince needed to find a bride, so I couldn’t waste his time. Aster still seemed to be eating. And if I went near the other princes, they’d all want to dance with me. As for Duke Edanelli—if only he were here shirking his duties, I could at least have some fun sparring with him. But he wasn’t here either. What a shame.
“If only Duke Edanelli would come out to slack off, I could at least try to compete with him, but even he’s not here. This is frustrating.”
I felt sorry for interrupting Aster’s meal, but there was no helping it. Since there was still time before the banquet would conclude, I couldn’t help but feel it was a waste.
“My goodness. Rosalite?”
While searching for Aster, an unfamiliar woman called out to me. It wasn’t unusual for someone I didn’t know to recognize me, but since she was clearly from the Edanelli Clan, I felt somewhat embarrassed not to know her name.
Dusky skin, crimson hair, and those voluminous curls that looked like Dorothy had been stamped directly onto her face. Despite appearing to be from a line quite close to the main branch, I couldn’t recall her at all—it was mortifying.
“You know me?”
“Do you perhaps lack a dance partner? Just wait a moment! I’ve been waiting for this day alone!”
The woman, contrary to her mature appearance, made a fuss with fluttering arms and urged me to stay put. Well, well, she was cute, but what was she planning to do while making me wait?
“Rosalite!”
As I waited as the woman had asked, a woman in borrowed servant’s clothes came rushing out from the corridor leading to the Rest Room.
Having stripped away all her elaborate adornments and dressed in comfortable clothes and shoes, the woman extended her hand to me with a beaming smile.
“Well, I appreciate it, but if you do this, the meaning of your coming here…”
“It’s fine! Let’s go!”
The woman pulled me to the center of the Ballroom and began dancing while leading. At first I felt uncertain, but it didn’t take long before I realized she danced the male part remarkably well.
“How is it that you dance the male part so skillfully? You’re quite an unusual woman.”
“Well, I practiced. Didn’t I say I’ve been waiting for this day alone?”
So if she’d been waiting for this day alone, why would she have reason to practice the male part?
She must have come as a candidate bride for the Crown Prince, and I felt sorry for spending time on me, and also sorry that I still couldn’t recall her name, so I rambled on. The woman then wrapped her arm around my waist and pulled me close, bringing her face near.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m asking for your time, Rosalite.”
Oh my, what is this? Please don’t do this—I’m a married woman, oh my.
As I spoke exaggeratedly and patted the woman’s shoulder repeatedly, she smiled knowingly and continued dancing.
Anyway, a married woman, hehe, a married woman. Though it was through contract, I’ve become a married woman—truly, the world is worth living long to see.
As the music changed, we danced enthusiastically in different styles, and before long, I’d made the rounds of all the bride candidates, and the Crown Prince was approaching to request the final dance. I decided to make this my last one and then go fetch Elizabeth.
With that thought, I thanked the Edanelli woman who had danced with me, and she said it was nothing before pushing me toward the Crown Prince.
“The evening air is still pleasant. Take your time and enjoy yourself.”
Huh?
Feeling a strange sense of déjà vu at her words, I opened my eyes wide, and the woman laughed mischievously while making a gesture of draping something over my shoulders.
Wait, could it be—what? You little rascal, could it really be that one from back then?!
“Since I received the shawl, it’s mine now. I won’t return it.”
So that snub-nosed girl from back then has grown this much?!

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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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