Chapter 131

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 131

Chapter Title: Brotherly Rivalries

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I hesitated for a moment after calling Yohan.

Elizabeth Nodelli's vibe was off.

The girl had been gazing at Yohan with a dreamy, hazy look on her face, but when she turned to me, it was like she'd been struck by lightning.

"What's going on?"

Yohan glanced sideways as he spoke. The instant his eyes landed on her, Elizabeth's face flushed tomato red.

This... It felt just like that.

The way the ladies in the hall had been eyeing Yohan. Shy, lovesick, hearts fluttering helplessly.

Time to confirm.

"Well, Lady Nodelli keeps telling me she's gra..."

She flinched and froze solid before I could even finish.

"Grateful?"

"...thankful to me."

"Why would she be thankful to you?"

"No idea. Anyway, Brother."

"Yes."

"That noble lady was talking about engagements earlier. Are you getting a fiancée too, Brother?"

"No."

Elizabeth's face lit up like the sun.

Bingo.

She was totally smitten with Yohan. From what happened earlier, she clearly had no idea he was my brother—the scion of House Duvered.

Of course not. Elizabeth had only started attending social events a year or two ago. Back then, Yohan had been buried in work at the academy. And even on the rare occasions he visited the capital—like beans in a drought—he never showed up at parties fit for young nobles.

Do tastes run in the family?

They said Princess Ingrid used to chase after Dad before they married, and now here was her daughter, head over heels for the son who took after Dad the most.

And that was...

Perfect for me!

I flashed the slyest grin—in my mind only.

"There's something else, Brother."

"Yes."

"If someone calls me an orphan..."

Elizabeth flinched again.

"...or a stain..."

She twisted the hem of her skirt, her face draining white.

"...or a disgrace to the nobility..."

She reached out toward me, then yanked her hand back, utterly at a loss.

"...then she can't become your new sister, right?"

"Absolutely not."

At Yohan's reply, thunder seemed to crash somewhere—boom!!

I smirked inwardly at Elizabeth, who looked like she'd taken a lightning bolt straight to the crown of her head.

"Who said that to you?"

"Hypothetically. Just if someone said something like that."

"If they do, you tell me right away."

"Yes."

I gave a crisp bow to the rigid Elizabeth. "Then." And off I went back to the party hall.

About an hour later, as the sun dipped low, I rose with him.

"Such a shame."

"Let's meet again soon, my lady."

"Safe travels home."

The young ladies and lords gave us an enthusiastic send-off. That's when Elizabeth hurried over. "Um, excuse me—!"

I turned, and she fidgeted before finally blurting it out.

"N-never mind."

"All right."

"......"

Elizabeth's face crumpled like she was about to cry.

Duvered mansion.

After dinner, I sat with the family, a big sheet of paper in front of me, pen in hand.

Ishak peeked at my homework. "Why use ancient script?"

"Aunt assigned it."

"Why? That stuff was trendy before we were born."

Henri, fixing my wrong answers, chimed in. "It's still used now and then among the older crowd. A young child like Leblain using it will come off as thoughtful. Nobody hates a kid putting in the effort to keep a conversation going."

Ishak propped his chin on his hand and muttered, "What a hassle."

So speech is deele...

I wrote carefully, but my childish joints weren't as nimble as an adult's yet. The letters came out crooked.

Unlike my wild scribbles at five, they were legible now... but still.

Kid hands.

I scowled at the clumsy handwriting, wrinkling my nose, and pulled out a fresh sheet.

"Why? You're done."

"The handwriting's ugly."

"Who cares? Readable's good enough."

"Aunt said at the party she likes neat handwriting."

So if I put in the work this time, I'd look even cuter.

You can't slack off after winning someone over. Aunt always said even hooked fish need steady feeding to build lasting ties.

And I was a cunning kid who knew how to forge those ties.

"Right, Brother Yohan?"

He nodded.

We're bonding today!

I bobbed my head proudly when an ominous voice cut in from the side.

"Brother Yohan?"

"O-ra-beo-ni?"

Henri and Ishak, one on each side.

Dad's eyes widened slightly. Aunt Javeline let out a thin chuckle.

"Why's big bro 'orabeoni'?"

"He is orabeoni."

Not like a sister.

I blinked in confusion. Ishak scowled fiercely.

"Orabeoni... Haven't heard that from the kid."

Aunt Javeline shrugged and turned a page in her book. "No need. Plenty of siblings in the empire skip those terms. It's outdated."

True enough. The empire had terms for brothers and sisters, but fussing over "unni" and "oppa" was mostly for commoners.

Nobles earned titles, which naturally shifted things. And even siblings' statuses could diverge with age, so kids usually dropped the nicknames altogether.

Aunt calls Dad "Your Grace."

Henri's eyes narrowed a touch. "But nicknames prove closeness. Why else would Marchioness Nodelli still call His Imperial Majesty 'orabeoni' in public?"

"Exactly! Loving siblings use 'em!"

Yeah, fair.

I nodded casually. Henri and Ishak's stares started to smolder.

So intimidating...

Already deluged with stares at the party like a rainstorm, I clutched my pen and paper and sneaked to my feet.

Once Leblain left, Theodor and Javeline rose too.

Henri and Ishak glared daggers at Yohan, who sipped his tea without a care.

"Why."

"What'd you do to the kid?"

"Nothing."

"Then why only to you...!"

Right then, Yohan's adjutant approached.

"Young Lord, the report on Lady Nodelli is complete."

"Let's see it."

Yohan set down his cup and stood. Pausing at the door, he glanced back at his brothers.

"Leblain likes me best."

[Wonder why our nicknames differ? Kid prefers me!]

His brothers shook with fury at the whirlwind they'd sown, while Yohan crooked his lips in a smirk and sauntered out.

Ishak gnashed his teeth.

Why were all his brothers so infuriating? The only adorable one in this house was that one kid.

"Why like big bro more?"

Because she knows how to eat carrots?

Sick of him always pinching her tiny fidgeting hands?

Hates being called "kid"?!

Ishak shot Henri a sulky look. Henri, uncharacteristically grim, didn't reply.

Henri's head was a mess too. His idiot brother might be fixating on carrots, but he had genuinely screwed up.

Shouldn't have said nobody truly saw an adopted kid as family.

He wanted to strangle that prickly younger self, terrified of Leblain burrowing into his heart.

"...She doesn't hate us, though."

Leblain was black-and-white on likes and dislikes. Hate? She kept her distance.

But right now, undeniable—Yohan was winning among the brothers.

"Ishak."

"Team up?"

"Yeah."

The second war over Leblain had begun.

At that moment, Leblain was...

"Why are my ears so itchy?"

"Your ears are itchy?! Doctor! Doctor!!"

The maids' over-the-top fussing had her tearing up.

At the mothers' tea party, I'd made up my mind.

Got these handsome brothers? Time to milk 'em!

I wasn't some pure kid just admiring their looks. I was the vile sort who squeezed every drop of use from everything.

"Butler."

"Yes, Little One."

"Invite the daughters of families owning abandoned mines. Start with the ones Nodelli's after."

"Many aren't based in the capital. Will they even come here? Nodelli's probably already cracking down, so the family heads will play it safe. Even without that, they'll tug-of-war with us to drive up prices."

"Tell them my brothers will be there."

"......Pardon?"

In my past life as a beggar, I'd seen it. When a minstrel famed across the continent for his beauty visited the capital, local nobles swarmed like feral dogs.

Fan hearts sometimes trumped family loyalty.

Tell the ladies my brothers would attend? They'd scale the walls to get in.

Of course, some parents will eye a Duvered in-law match too.

"So, a party at the mansion?"

"Pretty much. Capital nobles hate us renting a salon for provincials."

"I'll inform the master, then."

"Yep!"

The clock showed Dad would be home any minute.

I headed to the courtyard to greet him. But something was wrong.

Why all the commotion?

A crowd had gathered. Even doctors from the clinic were flooding in through the open doors.

What happened... blood. Blood smell.

It thickened the lower I went. Dread crept up my spine.

I shoved through the throng.

"Daddy...!!"