Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 97

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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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All that remained were the overturned Chatel House carriages, a department store with every pane of glass shattered, and Molotov cocktails the labor union members had prepared just in case.
…Diana, that fool nearly caused a disaster thinking this was Beloche Territory. In Rocksburg Territory, arson against buildings is a capital offense.
“Then I’ll be expecting a gift. Martin Chatel.”
“It’s Milton Chatel!”
Poor fellow. If I say he’s Martin, then he’s Martin—that’s just how it is.
As a parting gesture, I landed two more quick strikes before returning to the picnic table. While I was bickering with Martin, my household children had apparently lost all interest in me; the barbecue was completely picked clean, and they were preparing to leave.
I’d only managed to eat one plate, but those stingy brats hadn’t saved me any, claiming lunchtime was over as they began heading back to the carriages.
While the servants folded up the makeshift table and Jack Brown yanked the chair I’d been sitting in from the ground and loaded it onto a carriage, Aster headed toward the supply wagon, apparently regretting the potatoes and corn she hadn’t finished.
And not long after, flames erupted.
The supply wagon caught fire.
When I demanded to know what she was doing and smacked her back, this foolish child offered the excuse that she’d only thrown the Molotov cocktail because she wanted the food to cook faster.
I cannot abide this.
I will surely die before my time because of Aster.
I tried to extinguish the flames with a bucket I’d hastily grabbed, but it was no use, and the Fire Department ultimately had to dispatch units. We managed to contain the fire, but unfortunately word of the incident reached Father’s ears.
I had to write ten reflection essays, and Aster was confined to the underground dungeon for four days. When I asked if I could just go to the dungeon instead, I had to write ten more reflection essays.
I wanted nothing more than to sleep the entire time I was locked away.

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“Argh! Finally done!”
I had finally filled twenty pages of my reflection essay. Throughout the entire ordeal, Father had imposed the condition that I couldn’t repeat the same vocabulary, which made me feel like my head was splitting open.
My command of the Kingdom’s language was being put to the test. I had never realized my vocabulary was this impoverished. To fill twenty pages, I had to suffer through nights with an Aleine dictionary clutched in my hands.
After writing the final sentence in medieval Aleine—an expression of apology—and placing my period, I stabbed my fountain pen into the desk, whereupon I heard words of encouragement and applause echoing from various corners.
It truly had been exhausting work. To write this, I had received help from Leon and Jack, even using modern slang that kids use these days, and consulted with Glen about the Hofen Territory dialect. Thank you for your hard work, Rosalite. Aster, you were utterly useless, but your suffering alongside me gave me strength.
Now I just had to submit this. Because I carelessly let a fire get out of control and accidentally revealed that I had turned the entire Chatel Corporation upside down, I had ended up doing work I didn’t need to do.
“Let’s go! Aster!”
“Yes, Young Lady!”
Without binding the reflection essay into a bundle or placing it in a file folder, I hastily organized it and prepared to throw it into Father’s office and leave. I had written the reflection essay as instructed, so now I had nothing to worry about. Whether he picked up the scattered pages and read them or not was his problem.
As I hummed cheerfully at the thought of scattering the bundle of reflection essays everywhere, surprisingly, good news came one after another. A royal carriage was arriving outside the window. Since Father still had no intention of going to the ballroom, I could leisurely stop by the entrance hall on my way to his office to receive an invitation.
With that thought, I was walking hand in hand with Aster, humming merrily, when Asterion suddenly sprang to his feet. For some reason, the boy dashed out of my office like the wind and continued running at full speed. He was running so fast that I could hear the sound of his footsteps all the way here.
“Wait….”
Could it be… No, surely not…!
“Aster! Let’s run too!”
“Yes, Young Lady!”
I threw my arms around Aster’s neck and jumped, and she gently caught me and dashed toward the entrance. The girl gave it her all, but the situation was already over.
Asterion Rocksburg had already received the Royal Ball invitation and finished saying goodbye to the attendants.
“You, you rascal!”
I had been betrayed. That thought alone circled in my head. Since I had never considered Asterion a rival until now, the back of my head couldn’t help but sting.
“Rocksburg. Adult. Already made social debut.”
My younger brother laughed softly and asserted that he had the right to attend the ballroom. Yes, certainly you have the qualifications to go there. You’re the Duke’s son, you’ve been an adult for a long time, and you’ve already made your social debut. But!
“You never cared about these things!”
“The Duke gave me a secret order.”
A secret order? What is that about? What scheme is Father up to? Is he retaliating because I couldn’t go last time? But Father forfeited that time anyway!
“He said I’m not to be allowed outside during the reflection period.”
“Wait, wasn’t that supposed to be settled by writing the reflection essay?!”
“He says he dislikes it when you go out because you overspend.”
“That’s! When you engage in social activities, you can’t help but! It’s unavoidable, isn’t it…!”
“He says it’s embarrassing every time you cause trouble and come back.”
The Duke caused the greatest disaster of his life and produced Asterion, so why does he only treat me this way!
Those words rose to my throat, but I couldn’t let them out in front of Leon, so I swallowed my outcry and tried to regain my composure.
There had to be a way. Even setting aside my own selfish desires, I couldn’t send Asterion to such a place alone. Who knew what kind of new disaster he would drag back this time.
As I was thinking for a while, Asterion said he had finished his business and would return to the office. At his considerate suggestion that I take my time visiting Father, I decided to stop at nothing, grabbed Leon’s arm, and halted his steps.
“Asterion.”
“Yes, Sister.”
“Don’t you need a partner?”
“….”
“I’m prepared to be your footstool.”
Yes, if you’ll just let me go with you, I’ll even kiss your shoes. I’m good at escorting too. I’ll become a wisp of baby’s breath to make you shine at the party.
As I laughed and linked my arm through his, Asterion showed a face that wasn’t entirely displeased. Hehe, what a foolish brother complex. Once we arrive at the party venue, I’ll tie him up, lock him in a back room, and enjoy myself alone.
“Then I have a condition.”
“A condition?”
“Only my sister and I will attend this banquet. No escorts are necessary. I’ll be there.”
“…uh, um?”
Wait, that’s not right. There’s no way I can tie Leon up and lock him in a back room by myself.
“You must not stray beyond five meters from me. You’ll need to follow my movements. I’ll handle all interactions with people. You don’t need to step forward at all.”
“Hmm, that’s a bit… I have my pride too…”
“If you don’t like it, I’ll go alone.”
“No! Wait a moment!”
I crossed my arms and held Asterion firmly, my mind racing. It wouldn’t look good for someone of my standing to attend the Royal Ball and shrink away like a criminal, but if my opponent was my younger brother, that was a different story.
Since it was Asterion, people could think I was yielding to my brother. Besides, as long as Leon didn’t roam the banquet hall dragging people around, we could give the impression of siblings coming together for a quiet, pleasant time.
Perfect. This was it. This was the only plan.
“Try to minimize conversation with others. Let’s just have fun together, the two of us.”
“Th-that’s exactly what I wanted!”
Such a foolish sister complex.
After reaching this agreement, I linked arms with Leon, burst into the Duke’s office, scattered my reflection essay across his desk, and fled.
There was a thrill and satisfaction to it, like ringing someone else’s doorbell and running away. As Leon and I held hands and laughed all the way back to my office, Glen asked what good fortune had befallen me, so I explained about scattering the reflection essay in Father’s office, and added that Leon and I would be attending the Royal Ball briefly that day, asking for his cooperation.
Then Glen suddenly smiled.
He made no sound. He simply curved his lips upward in a smirk.
I knew what that was. It was the same thing Theodore did frequently when he smiled. The Crown Prince Smile.
I was deeply curious how Glen had learned the Crown Prince Smile, but that wasn’t important right now.
I was terrified.
Glen using the Crown Prince Smile was absolutely terrifying. I’d never felt fear when Theodore did it—why was this different?
Wondering if I’d somehow offended him, I cautiously asked, but Glen said there was nothing wrong at all.
After that, Glen said nothing more and returned to his room to rest as soon as work was done. Since I also had someone I needed to see, I bolted from my office the moment work finished and headed to the Brown Estate.
After a brief greeting with Mrs. Brown, who was cooking stew for Aster with the Brown Estate’s permanent servants using what looked like a witch’s cauldron, I asked where Jack Brown was and was told he was holed up in his room as usual.
I thanked the lady and bounded up the staircase, knocking on Jack’s door. A voice from inside asked who it was.
“Want to build a snowman?”
Please come out. Come on, I’m in a hurry.
“What’s that? A password?”
It’s something only those who know understand. You don’t need to know.
Hearing my voice, Jack immediately opened the door, and I slipped inside, closing it behind me.
Despite it being a day off, Jack was dressed as neatly as always, holding what looked like tweezers and a carving knife in his hands. Wondering if he was working on his usual hobby of making miniatures, I glanced around the room and noticed the bedspread, blanket, and pillow on the bed were arranged with sharp, precise corners.
The books on the shelf were organized by height and material, and the furnishings were arranged by color in a gradient with not a single millimeter out of place. The window was open for ventilation, but the curtains were a flawless white without a speck of dust, and a pleasant fragrance drifted gently through the air.
“Do you have a mental disorder?”
“Why are you suddenly insulting me?”
No, I’m just shocked. Even our Crown Prince wouldn’t be this obsessively clean.
“At least bring some tea. Don’t you know basic hospitality when a guest arrives?”
“It’s strange hearing you say something like that, Miss.”
That’s what I should be saying. When you talk about common sense, it makes me feel strange too.
Opposing Jack’s opinion, I sat down in a chair at the table and stomped my feet on the floor, demanding he bring tea quickly. Since he was already moving, I told him to grab some pastries too. The man set down the things he’d been playing with and wiped his face. He seemed to be brooding over some kind of karmic burden born from this household, but it hardly seemed my concern.
The man said he didn’t keep tea in his room, so he brought a glass of milk and retrieved a tin can, opening it. Inside were butter pastries, and I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Haha! Grandmother, it’s grandmother!”
“Young Lady asked for pastries!”
Yes, I did say something like that. But what can I do when it’s funny?

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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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