Chapter 76

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: A Reality Better Than Dreams
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Aileen slowly closed and opened her eyes. As if he hadn't expected an answer, Leone turned his gaze back to Cesare and continued speaking.

“I was even jealous when we were young. But later, I realized how meaningless even that was. A human can't possibly keep up with a god, can they?”

Leone smiled gently. His face was filled with pride for his one and only twin brother.

“I'm proud that Cesare is my brother.”

His whisper quickly scattered beyond the piano's melody. Aileen forced herself to tear her gaze from Leone and look back at Cesare.

But she could no longer focus completely on the performance. It was because she had glimpsed someone utterly familiar in Leone.

Her late mother had also had the same eyes as Leone. Her mother had regarded Cesare as her god and worshipped him.

The people of the empire also called him the God of War and revered him like a deity. Aileen, too, thought Cesare was as magnificent as a god.

But in the end, Cesare was human. Not a god.

Suddenly, a chill she couldn't explain ran down her spine. The moment Aileen quietly clutched her dress, the music stopped.

The piece wasn't over, but Cesare had stopped playing. He looked at Aileen with his red eyes.

Having asked him to play for her, Aileen, who had failed to focus on him, flinched like a student caught daydreaming in class.

Without a word, Cesare closed the piano lid and rose from his seat. Leone applauded, yet showed a look of disappointment.

“Why didn't you finish?”

Cesare, who had approached Leone and Aileen, answered in a composed voice.

“I have urgent business.”

Their only plan for later was to go home. Aileen, knowing what Cesare's answer implied, tried hard not to show any suspicious reaction—like blushing or flinching.

Cesare, who had been watching Aileen's efforts with a faint smile, soon turned to Leone. When their eyes met, Leone grinned. Cesare also smiled, but for some reason, he said nothing.

The brothers looked at each other in silence. The moment their gazes held grew longer. Just before a slight discomfort could settle in, Cesare's lips curved into a deep arc.

“Brother.”

he said, looking into the blue eyes.

“You should play next time.”

***

Aileen clutched the document envelope tightly in her hand as she got into the car. Until they left the imperial palace, Cesare said nothing to Aileen. He only held her hand, idly playing with her fingers.

Aileen sat quietly, having surrendered her hand to him. Then, she abruptly spoke first.

“His Majesty…”

She had started speaking on impulse but couldn't readily continue, choosing her next words carefully.

“He's very proud of you, Lord Cesare.”

To Cesare, this must have been an obvious statement. Countless people, as numerous as the stars, considered him their glory.

Aileen couldn't bring herself to say that Leone reminded her of her late mother. Besides, Cesare would know that far better than she did. They were twin brothers, after all.

“Leone is especially like that.”

After his short reply, Cesare gazed at Aileen for a moment before shifting his eyes outside.

“I see the orange tree.”

Indeed, the brick house and the orange tree in its garden were visible in the distance. Aileen quickly pressed her face against the car window to check on the tree.

Thankfully, the still-unripe oranges were hanging in clusters. Aileen, who had been anxiously worrying if someone had stolen them or damaged the tree, finally relaxed.

On second thought, who would dare trespass on the Grand Duchess of Erzet's family home? Cesare was the man who had publicly executed an orange thief before.

The people of the empire knew the Grand Duke of Erzet was not merciful. While they praised him as a hero, they also feared his cruelty. Cesare was not one to spare those who defied him.

Even if they were bound by blood…

Aileen erased the ominous thought and began to worry about more practical matters.

‘Come to think of it, what about dinner?’

There would be nothing left in the brick house. It didn't matter if she skipped a meal, but she couldn't let Cesare go hungry.

Lost in serious thought, Aileen was startled when she entered the house. A hot dinner was already set on the table. It seemed to have been prepared to be ready exactly when she and Cesare arrived, as steam was still rising from the food.

“What a shame we couldn't have sandwiches today.”

Teasing her naturally, Cesare took off his uniform jacket and draped it over a nearby chair. The action was also incredibly natural. Though Cesare had visited the brick house only a handful of times, he moved with the familiarity of someone who had lived there for years.

This was the second time she had eaten with him at the brick house. Just like before, spending such simple moments with him filled Aileen with an indescribably warm and fuzzy feeling.

She loved seeing him blend into the brick house. It felt like the newlywed life she had dreamed of, as if she were lost in an impossible fantasy. Trying to regain a sense of reality, Aileen sat across from him and mumbled a reply.

“If you want, I can go buy ingredients and make them for you now…”

Fortunately, Cesare just laughed and didn't actually ask her to make them. After the meal, the cleanup was graciously handled by His Excellency the Grand Duke. The reason given was that it was difficult for Aileen to move around while still in her dress.

Cesare skillfully carried the plates from the table to the kitchen and tidied up neatly. Aileen just hovered behind him, unsure of what to do.

She wanted to help with something, but he wouldn't let her move an inch. It was also true that she wouldn't be much help in her cumbersome dress.

Meanwhile, Cesare finished cleaning up and approached Aileen. With his shirtsleeves rolled up to his forearms, he brushed back his slightly disheveled hair and asked.

“Don't you need my help?”

When Aileen tilted her head slightly, Cesare, instead of answering, reached out and pulled a ribbon on her dress. A ribbon tying her sleeve came undone with a soft slide.

Aileen's lips parted. She had been thinking she needed to change, and as he implied, the dress was difficult to take off by herself.

But she didn't have the confidence to undress in front of Cesare. Even after spending nights with him, she still felt shy. Aileen hesitated before asking for help with only the most difficult part.

“If you could just untie the ribbon on the back…”

As she spoke in a whisper, he turned her around. Then, he immediately began to undo the complexly tied ribbon on her back.

The fingers that had pressed the piano keys now unraveled the ribbon's knot without hesitation. As the suffocatingly tight ribbon loosened, Aileen unknowingly drew in a breath.

Then she belatedly realized that her swelling chest above the loosened corset might look indecent. As she hunched her shoulders, a warm breath fell upon the nape of her bare neck.

A faint shiver ran through her at Cesare's low exhale. The moment she froze at the sensation of her fine hairs standing on end, she was pulled into an embrace.

“Ah…”

Aileen let out a small sound. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his lips to her neck. She squeezed her eyes shut as his lips toyed with the soft flesh.

Her body had spent the last few days heating up and cooling down, and had been thoroughly warmed even that morning. After just a few short kisses from Cesare on her neck, her entire body grew hot. The tingling in her lower abdomen and the throbbing ache between her legs were now almost familiar sensations.

Aileen gripped the forearm wrapped around her waist and twisted her shoulders. As she let out a small moan, he licked her outstretched neck and whispered.

“Aileen.”

His low voice was so captivating it sent a tingle down her spine. Aileen turned her head to the side to look at him. Cesare held Aileen tightly in his arms, trapping her, and called her name again.

“Aileen, Aileen…”

For some reason, hearing her name called over and over made her feel strange. Perhaps it was because his low voice was seeping deep into her eardrums.

His large hand slowly caressed her body. His fingers slipped between the loosened corset. He squeezed the soft flesh and spoke softly.

“I had a dream once.”

A dream. The word sounded strange coming from Cesare, who never spoke of such frivolous topics.

“You and I were here then, too. I thought it was a magnificent dream…”

Cesare paused for a moment and bit Aileen's neck. Only after leaving a clear mark did he continue.

“But nothing compares to reality.”