touchnovel Chapter 25
Chapter 25
Chapter 25
“Rubetria.”
“Yes, Brother.”
“Why are you so...”
“...”
“Angry? Your tone and behavior are aggressive. It’s not like you.”
“Haha.”
It’s funny. I never raised my voice, I was just saying what I had to say.
It was bittersweet on the one hand to see Viego confused by the 180-degree change in me.
How did he want his only sister to grow up? How long did you want me to be a timid idiot who can’t even speak?
“You wanted a stupid sister who didn’t use her mouth. So I’ve just been obedient until now to fit in.”
“...”
“But after I almost died, I changed my mind. I’m going to live by saying what I have to say.”
Viego blinked slowly, staring blankly at me.
“I am well aware that Brother has only Lillia as your sister and you don’t care about me. But if you listen to her and come running to scold me like a child, it will be unpleasant, so please refrain from doing it in the future. You’re just a brother, not a father. I don’t want to be educated by you.”
“What the hell does that mean? What do you mean I don’t care? My sister is you, not Lillia.”
“Pfft.”
I looked back at Victor behind me, laughing openly.
“Did you hear that? I’m sure you’ll find it funny, too, right?”
Victor, who glanced at the air, tilted his lips and shrugged his shoulders.
Viego bit his lip after seeing the two younger siblings’ reactions.
After a long silence, he said.
“... I’m sorry if I’ve upset you by taking care of Lilly. But in my own way... I care about you too, Rubette.”
“Mm...”
“Every time I visit you to spend time with you, don’t you feel uncomfortable? So every time I go to you, I notice—”
“That’s right! I did!”
I smiled brightly and clapped my hand once.
“Every time you came to visit me, I purposely made you uncomfortable.”
Again, Viego wasn’t a bad brother.
He knows how to take care of his younger sister, who is confined to her room without ever going out because of her sluggish body.
So, squeezing his time, he often came to me, who didn’t have anyone to talk to.
“Why did you do that? Instead of the father, who only drinks alcohol all day long, the poor brother who is caught up in his work that 24 hours a days isn’t enough, endure his fatigue and come to take care of his younger sister. I’m sorry about that, but I wish you hadn’t.”
Rubette had been so kind.
A child who had never complained even though she missed her family.
A child who had endured abuse, believing that no matter how difficult her condition it was, it was not as difficult as her father, who was drenched in the pain of bereavement.
A child who had wanted to play with her brother, but had also wanted him to relax and close his eyes comfortably.
I wanted to let everyone know how hard Rubette, who had grown up too early, had been coping with the loneliness.
“I did it because I was thinking of you. So you don’t have to worry about me, saying I’m like a child even though I’m fifteen.”
I added with a smile.
“This older sister is much more mature than the little ones who tell on others because they’ve been beaten in the cheek, even though they deserved it.”
‘But what about Ruby... How long has she been suffering alone?’
His sister, who told his older brother all the things he couldn’t say, had changed like a different person while he hadn’t seen her.
How frustrated that timid child must be, enough to burst out like that.
He felt sorry for her, but honestly, Victor was very happy with the changed Rubette.
It was refreshing to see her stand against Viego, but what he liked more than that...
“By the way, Brother, you said you came to ask me a favor. What is it?”
“Oh! That... Um, before that, you, have you really given up on Kedrick—”
“Brother.”
“Uh, uh...”
“I’m sure you’ve felt it from the commotion you just saw, but I’m very annoyed at every situation where the fact that I’ve been following him since I was eight is attached like a tag.”
“Well, it seems so. Sorry for the misunderstanding.”
“So, in the future, please don’t even bring out Kedrick’s ‘K’ in front of me. I’ve definitely finished making up my mind.”
...was Rubette who was trembling just by talking about Kedrick.
Victor said excitedly, without hesitation.
“I am really happy. So, let’s have dinner outside tonight. I have a friend I want to introduce to you.”
In fact, the reason Victor stopped by the duke’s residence without contacting was to grant Lark’s request in exchange for losing in a mock match he had placed a bet on the other day.
“... Who is your friend?”
“Actually, it’s the crown prince. He wants to see you!”
However, Rubette...
“What? His Highness the Crown Prince wants to see me? What’s the reason?
“Huh? Th-The reason? No, well, it’s just that he’s close with me, um... to get acquainted with you, my younger sister...”
“Aah! Mm, I understand.”
...saw through Victor with a keen eye...
“I’m sorry, Brother. I’m losing weight, so let’s have dinner next time.”
...and immediately turned down the dinner offer.
“And you know what? Maybe it’s because I’ve been burned for 7 years, now I’m sick of Kedrick and all men. If I want to live a good life, I don’t have time to meet men like that.”
“... Yes?”
“Well, I’m just saying. Please tell His Highness the Crown Prince that we will meet next time when we have the chance.”
Did she notice that it wasn’t a plain dinner invitation, but with purpose?
Victor, who was stabbed by Rubette’s words, was forced to say yes and return.
“... Sir.”
“...”
“... Sir —tor.”
“...”
“Sir Victor!”
“Ah, that surprised me!”
Victor, who had been engulfed in thought, was startled and gasped like a bird that had been shot.
He looked ahead and saw Lark, with his chin resting in the gap between the piles of papers, raising his eyebrows.
“So, you couldn’t even talk to the princes because of a family quarrel?”