Chapter 11

"It is an honor to meet you, Princess."

"I heard that you are a talented individual. I heard you are in charge of designing a hotel that will open soon... The Duke of Serpente must be pleased."

"I just have a laughable talent. But who are you looking for?"

"Well, my friend is waiting, but I got distracted by the dance for a while… It's been a while since I've been in a place like this, so I got excited."

"If you say it's been a while..."

"Well, you know, my mother is very ill. So…"

As her clear voice faded, tears welled up in her beautiful eyes.

I knew that Princess Parke's mother – or more precisely, her stepmother – had been bedridden for several months before I returned home. That she didn't have long to live.

It's just that, from what I knew, she was never a good mother to her stepdaughter, and she was such a notorious figure that rumors even circulated about her poisoning her husband.

Of course, rumors tend to exaggerate, and everyone has their own circumstances, but Adriana, who seemed genuinely sad, made me feel strange again.

"Oh my… She's still young. What could be wrong with her?"

"The doctors don't even know the exact name of the disease. She's also showing symptoms of pneumonia these days, so I'm not the only one worried. Hic…"

Pneumonia. In just those three syllables, dark emotions that had been dormant inside me surfaced. I tried to shake off the feeling and searched for a handkerchief. I wanted to comfort her.

"Did you make her cry?"

...Why does this question sound like something I'd expect from a Black Flame Dragon**?

(**another terminology some would refer to a chuunibyou)

As I stood speechless, a man with white hair and a refined appearance entered my field of vision.

His unusual pink eyes widened as he stared at her pretty face.

"Juan, it's not like that! I just..."

"Stay still. Hey, did you make my sister cry?"

Hmm… Is he the incurable siscon Prince? The one rumored to be Adriana's stepbrother?

"Juan, it's not like that! What kind of rudeness is this for showing up late to someone else's banquet?!"

"Let me go. If it's not like that, what the hell would it be?"

I found myself laughing for some reason as I watched the serious expressions of these two siblings. Our siscon Prince didn't seem to appreciate my carefree response.

"Looks like you believed in her pretty face and used it to your advantage, but it seems like she played a sloppy trick on you, Noona. Do you know who my Noona is? You dare…"

"Thank you for the compliment. The princess must be pleased."

"My lady, this woman is really…!"

"Juan! I'm sorry, my brother... Ahh!"

"Have you gone crazy because you wanted to die, kid?”

It was getting less intense until Lethias intervened, running like a storm from the dance floor. The problem was that it didn't end there.

Like the Duke of Flame and Fury, the main character of today's event, Lethias immediately grabbed Juan by the scruff of his neck and pulled him hard. Juan, in return, responded just as aggressively.

"That woman first made my sister…!"

"Whom do you think you're fooling, you little punk?!"

"Ha, I guess you can't see properly with your eyes like that?!"

"What? What did you just say, you frivolous illegitimate son?!"

"Juan!"

Adriana's face, half-screaming and crying out, was no longer white but bluish.

Others were no different. I tried to get closer to Lethias in this tense atmosphere, but someone quickly grabbed my arm. I turned around, and it was Valentina.

"Sasha, don't go near him, just stay here."

If it was someone else, I would have ignored their warning, but the expression on Valentina's face seemed unusual. Like… I felt like I had seen something like this before.

"If there's a fight like that..."

"Then if Sasha gets hurt, it'll be an even bigger problem. Because once the duke's eyes turn like that, he doesn't recognize anyone. And to make matters worse, he's drunk now-"

Thud! Crash!

Sure enough, Lethias lifted the white-haired Ducal Prince and threw him onto a table, which caused screams to erupt from all directions. And...

"Your Excellency!"

Our Chief Aide, attempting to stop Lethias somehow, found himself caught by his master's iron-like grip on the next moment.

Oh, you, bear-like punk, why are you taking out your anger on the poor aide!

"What the hell..."

"Y-your Excellency..."

"I told you not to stop me."

"B-but..."

"Aren't my words the same to you? Like back then?"

The sight of his azure eyes sparkling with a strange light sent a shudder down the spine of the audience. That's when...

As if I was possessed by something, I shook off Valentina's hand and stood in front of him.

"Stop it, Oppa! That person is Mr. Pavel!"

A ghastly glare of insanity was cast upon me.

Eventually, the grip on Mr. Pavel's neck slowly loosened. The poor aide staggered back, straightened his clothes, and looked at me like a puppy reunited with its owner after 10 years.

Someone let out a chuckle. It was none other than the sound of Juan lying on the table. Even so, it was amazing that he still had the guts and time to provoke.

No wonder that Lethias, who had turned towards me, immediately went towards him again.

At the same time, Juan jumped up and charged! Couldn't he just lie down for a while…! What the hell is wrong with him?!

"Juan!"

"Duke!"

Almost simultaneously, another scream erupted from all sides. Someone grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me away, and there was a loud thud.

Fortunately, this time it wasn't the sound of someone slamming into a table. It was just the sound of someone's head hitting a pillar.

"What are you doing?"

"…"

"Can you two get along well with each other? Like real kids do?"

There was a moment of silence. With his head pinned to the post and blocked from the neck down by Lethias's steel-like arms, Juan looked quite pitiful. Nevertheless, he stubbornly glared at Lethias.

Lethias, too, glared at his younger brother's hand, which was restraining him.

"Stop glaring. Both of you."

A sigh of relief seemed to be heard from somewhere. I didn't know what was reassuring about that, but to my surprise, neither of them growled anymore.

Instead, they just stared at each other, their gazes turning cold.

Benya looked at the pathetic figures of the two for a while, then finally released his grip. Shaking his hand, he frowned at his older brother.

"Are you drunk?"

"…"

"Are you drunk?"

"Just a little bit."

Lethias seemed a bit dazed. I wonder where the momentum from a while ago had gone. Then he fired back in a rage.

"That bastard is talking bullshit about Sasha!"

Juan, who had been adjusting his clothes, immediately showed a strong reaction to this strong accusation. He frowned and raised an eyebrow.

"Sasha? Wait, that woman..."

"It's all my fault, Prince."

Adriana, hurrying over, continued with a pale face and stammering.

"Sasha was just trying to comfort me, but my brother misunderstood, so... I don't know how to apologize to the duke, please forgive my brother for his rudeness."

"Ah, why is Noona apologizing?! I..."

"You stay still! Can't you be quiet for just one moment?! If you were going to act like this, why did you even come?!"

"N-Noona..."

Benya, passing by the quarreling siblings, approached me and grabbed my hand to make me look up. My eyes were wide open, and I felt a mix of complex emotions.

"Are you okay?"

Well, I'm alright. I don't mind some chuunibyou siscon scolding me a little. There are other issues bothering me, but... 

(**chuunibyou: or Chūnibyō is a Japanese colloquial term typically used to describe early teens who have grandiose delusions, who desperately want to stand out, and who have convinced themselves that they have hidden knowledge or secret powers. It is also known as 8-grade syndrome or "Black Flame Dragon," since most of those in anime or manhwa/manga who have this kinda act like they're the rare black flame dragon, lol.)

"I'm okay. Though, the young lady seemed very surprised when he went up like that."

Alfonsina, who almost witnessed her fiancé running away, was trembling with fear to the point that it was pitiful to see. Maybe the sound of his rough giggling sneer echoed in her ears.

"Now, young lady, come this way."

Valentina, who was next to me, quickly approached and skillfully grabbed Alfonsina by the shoulder, leading her out. Lethias followed, scratching his head.

"Uhm, I'm sorry, Benya. I think I misunderstood a bit... I didn't know that lady was “that” person. You know that I’m really not myself when it's about my Noona’s business."

Benya's gaze, which had been disapprovingly fixed on Lethias's back, slowly turned. A dark shade of contempt fell over his cool, sky-blue eyes.

"I'm pretty sure I told you at the end of our academy days to stop acting like that illegitimate child thing?"

Likewise, a dark shadow of disappointment fell over his pink eyes. It was a feeling of contempt.

With that, the noisy opening ceremony (?) came to an end. The hall, which had been as quiet as if it had been doused with cold water, quickly turned into a commotion as if it had never happened.

The orchestra started playing again, and people started talking, sipping drinks, tasting food, and walking around.

"Prince…"

"That's enough, Princess. Let's pretend that this didn't happen and move on."

Adriana hesitated for a moment as if she had something more to say, but then she gave me one look and turned away. More precisely, she held her brother's arm tightly and moved away.

"You come here."

"Oh, Noona –"

Our female lead must be pretty tired too. She's got such a guy who can't read the mood as her younger brother…

I think I know why Sasha in the novel couldn't handle those siblings. Lethias' love affair aside.

"Sasha."

"… Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

Didn't I already answer that question? His clasped hands trembled. Is he holding back his anger? I tilted my head to one side and smiled mischievously.

"What's not to be okay with? Where the hell did you even come from? Did you finally decide to show up?"

"I'm sorry. I was meeting someone for a while."

"Who are you meeting up with? Which house is this lady from?"

When I asked with a mischievous tone, his hardened expression relaxed slightly, and he had a faint smile.

"By any chance, what do you want to do if you found out which house this lady is from?"

"Then I have to show her the dark struggles of a woman blinded by jealousy."

"Then, should I play the role of someone just enjoying what's happening while folding my arms and then being abandoned by both of those women?"

"I remember it well. Isn't that a touching ending?"

It seemed as if the countless roleplays we had been doing to kill time somehow passed before our eyes.

Benya laughed faintly, shook his head, and raised our clasped hands to kiss the back of mine. He did it so quickly and naturally that I didn't even have time to panic.

"I'm sorry."

"… What? So suddenly?"

"I thought Hyung would keep his promise this time. So, I thought I could be a little late..."

"Promise?"

"That he decided not to drink. To be exact, he decided to stop drinking after you come back."

Such a promise has come and gone. I raised my hand and patted him on his arm. Oh, it's solid too. I don't know if I'll be a pervert because of this.

"Still, let it slide today. Because Prince Parke started it first. He insulted Oppa with his eyes."

"No matter what Prince Parke says, people will only think of him as the bastard. If that makes Hyung feel insulted, he's just contradicting himself."

Those words sounded quite cold. To the point of making me worry again. Are you blaming him? Are you blaming Lethias again for that time? Do you think it's all his fault?

"Benya… But it's not Oppa’s fault. At that time, Oppa, too, was so young. Everyone is weak when they are young. He lost two of his most precious things there, so how much guilt would he have felt..."

"Yeah, he lost two things when he was young. A fine eyeball and your friend."

It might have been because of my mood, but it felt quite significant that Benya referred to Estelle as my friend instead of calling her his younger sister.

The feeling of me getting a clue about this strange relationship between these brothers... However, before I could organize my thoughts, he walked as he held my hand.

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