The Villainess in the Romance Fantasy Is Strange - Chapter54

54. Determination (3)

I was speechless at the brother’s direct question.

That would be too. I myself don’t even know how I feel. What answer can I give you?

“… ….”

Without saying anything, he drool while worrying for a long time.

My older brother, who was watching me like that, asked with a solemn expression.

“Answer me, Cain. Did you come to love Leah von Eleves, whom you approached to take advantage of?”

I raised my head.

My older brother’s red eyes look like me.

“…… It’s not a use.”

I looked at my older brother with the meaning of saying the words correctly.

“My family used Lia, didn’t I?”

“Huh.”

The older brother twisted the corner of his mouth into a smile and said, ‘Look at this guy…… He looked at me with the gaze of ‘?’.

“You don’t want to claim that you are innocent, do you?”

“Innocence, maybe not so far… …. At least with my will, I didn’t do anything embarrassing in front of Leah.”

“For nearly 7 years, I stole information from the Eleves family for the Reinhardt family. It wasn’t my own will, so I’m not ashamed.”

The older brother muttered mockingly and nodded his head.

“Are you going to make that excuse in front of Ria von Eleves?”

It was a word that pierced the heart.

I licked my lips, then clenched my fist with my right hand.

“That rebellious look.”

With a relaxed look on his face, the older brother untied his legs and tilted his upper body.

“The reason why you, who have been following orders without a word, has changed enough to openly reveal it… …. After all, it must be because of Leah von Eleves.”

I made no reply.

However, not responding in this situation is tantamount to affirming it.

My older brother, who knows that fact, doesn’t seem to understand. He tilted his head and muttered.

“What the hell is she like, why are you going this far?”

“… ….”

“You, who was born as the third son of the Reinhardt family and grew up with no shortage, what on earth do you regret doing this to?”

My older brother, who was staring at me, opened his mouth and asked.

“Even if you sacrifice yourself for Leah von Eleves, even at the cost of your duties. Do you think that woman will notice that?”

“…… Older brother.”

“I mean, do you think he will marry you, considering you who unilaterally sacrificed himself for his sake?”

“No, I… ….”

“If you truly believe that sacrifice and dedication will always be rewarded. That is an illusion. Cain.”

Jinjeong Jieun hyung added one more word.

“If you try to dedicate your life for someone, you will usually end up being blown away. Isn’t it like that just by looking at my father without going far? Cain, remember. Father for his mother’s family…….”

“Brother.”

I thought that if I left it like this, there would be a big misunderstanding, so I cut my tongue. I even met my older brother’s eyes while talking in half, which I didn’t use well.

The older brother opened his eyes wide, as if he was somewhat surprised.

I sighed deeply and brought out the words I had stored inside.

“This is not just a sacrifice or a commitment.”

I pointed my finger at the pattern on my cheek that looked like a reverse clover had been cut exactly in half.

This is material proof that Lia and I share the curse of misfortune.

“Lea can’t do without me. More precisely.”

I tapped the pattern and muttered quietly.

“…… If I’m not by your side, Leah could die.”

* * *

I confided to my older brother a secret between me and Ria, which I never wanted to tell anyone else.

About 7 years ago. It starts with Lia receiving an accessory with a curse of misfortune as a gift from an unknown person. In order to curse, one person of the opposite s*x had to be by my side for 10 years. Somehow, that became me. And as proof of that, even the fact that a pattern symbolizing a curse was engraved on my cheek.

Hide the parts that can never be explained, such as how you figured out how to do it. After explaining in detail what can be said.

I don’t think even this would be enough. On the way here, a certain monster attacked me. He told me all about the fact that he had been trying to persuade me to join an organization called the church, and that he had taken Lia’s body hostage as a means of doing so.

“… ….”

Then the older brother looked down at the floor without saying anything.

For about 5 minutes, as if thinking hard about something. Occasionally, I touched her chin, letting out only her drool, which was meaningless. She raised her eyebrows, and finally rubbed her lips with her index finger and thumb. Soon he raised his head and looked at me.

“So, you mean Cain.”

As if he couldn’t believe it, the older brother brought out his words in a rather trembling voice.

“Ria von Eleves is suffering from the curse of misfortune, and in order to heal her, she must spend at least one hour with you every other day for the next three years.”

“Yes.”

“In addition to that, there is a suspicious organization coveting you. They sent an assassin there to try to appease you. When it seemed that the numbers were wrong, he took Lia von Eleves hostage and threatened her……. Is it?”

“Yes, I am.”

“…… Her.”

My brother let out a sigh and leaned his back on the back of the sofa.

“Cain, I’m asking just in case… …. You’re not lying to me in order to stay by Lia von Eleves’ side, are you?”

“No, no.”

“…… Under oath?”

“Yes, I swear on my honor and my life.”

From noble mtl dot com

As a nobleman, I probably couldn’t swear a greater oath than this.

Since he was born a noble, he knew that better than anyone else. Did he realize that what I said was the truth without a single lie? His speechless face pressed his brow tightly.

“Ummm… ….”

I was pressing down on my forehead with my middle finger and thumb, as if giving a massage. My brother suddenly glanced at me.

In those red eyes that seemed to be filled with anguish, there was also a feeble curiosity.

Looks like there’s something you want to ask me.

“Cain.”

“Yes.”

“If everything you said is true, are you simply doing this out of sympathy for Leah von Eleves?”

“Yes…… ?”

“The way you, Cain, made the decision to stay with Lia von Eleves while abandoning your duties.”

My brother straightened his posture and leaned his upper body.

“Is it because of pity for Lia von Eleves, who would have been an incurable guest if it had not been for your help?”

“No, not that.”

She answered immediately without thinking.

I didn’t help her out of pity for her.

“Hmm… …. Okay?”

As if trying to savor my answer, the older brother with a long tail nodded.

“Then, let’s make an assumption.”

“A family?”

“If only Leah von Eleves hadn’t suffered from the curse of doom. What would you have done if the suspicious organization you mentioned hadn’t threatened to hold Ria von Eleves hostage?”

“Yes? What is that…….”

“If you no longer need to stay with Leah von Eleves, then I ask you if you are willing to do your duty by accepting the marriage proposal offered by the family.”

“… ….”

Assuming IF doesn’t mean anything to what has already happened.

However, I was worried.

Like my older brother said, if Lia hadn’t suffered from the curse of misfortune. If only the assassins sent by her church hadn’t taken Leah hostage. What decision did I make

I thought about it for a long time, really thought about it for a long time…….

Tuk, he muttered.

“…… I do not know.”

“I don’t know, what does that mean?”

“As my older brother said, if Leah hadn’t suffered from the curse of misfortune, our relationship would have changed a lot. However, I am already very inclined towards Leah, so it is difficult to make a judgment based on that assumption.”

“Huh, is your mind tilted?”

I thought I gave a serious answer on my own, but the hyung laughs right off the bat.

“You’re starting to admit it honestly. So, is Leah von Eleves so good? Enough to abandon your duties and rebel against your older brother and family?”

“… ….”

It was about him that I just eloquently explained.

Did you not understand, or was he pretending not to understand?

The corners of his mouth are slightly raised, although it seems to be the latter.

I narrowed my eyes and looked at my brother.

“Didn’t I explain that it wasn’t for such a simple reason, brother?”

“Oh, you know. Know.”

His brother rested his elbow on the armrest of the sofa and put his hand on his chin and nodded.

“Good work, Cain.”

“Yes?”

This is another floating sound……. I thought so, but when I listened to what my older brother said, it wasn’t like that.

“Earl Macmillan, that man is a very terrible man for his daughter. If you didn’t help Leah von Eleves and you got into trouble, the aftermath…….”

My older brother, speechless, looked at me.

“As an escort knight, it must not have been a level that you could handle. One in a million It’s really rare, but maybe he would have turned his eyes hard and be hostile to the Reinhardt family, saying he would ask for responsibility as an escort. So leave everything It’s a good thing you’ve decided to help Leah von Eleves.”

“…… Ah.”

A thought came to my mind after hearing what he said. Everyone in the Eleves family knows that I, who had just been appointed as an escort knight, stuck by Lia’s side.

In that situation, if at all possible Leah had gone wrong. Wasn’t I the prime suspect for the culprit?

Perhaps, as my brother said, the blinded Earl Macmillan might have done something to me by claiming to find out the truth.

It is said that no words can express the anger and sorrow of parents who have lost a child.

“… ….”

That wouldn’t have happened under any circumstances, but the very fact that such a possibility was lurking made my pores clear.

For some reason, I felt a chill, and I massaged the back of my neck.

“Oh, that’s why it’s so strange to be in the world.”

“Yes?”

“Think about it. Cain thought it was a decision you made for Leah von Eleves. Didn’t that eventually turn around and become a decision for you and our family?”

“Ah… ….”

“I don’t believe in karma. Cain, looking at your actions……. Maybe, really, karma does exist.”

My older brother, who rarely muttered seriously, straightened up and sat down.

“Cain. No, my brother.”

“Yes, brother.”

“After hearing your story, I definitely made up my mind.”

My brother tapped the armrest of the sofa and said firmly.

“I won’t say anything, accept the marriage talk.”

“…… Older brother.”

I thought I was able to speak persuasively in my own way, but I wonder if it wasn’t enough.

I opened my mouth to say something.

However, my older brother spoke before me.

“Cain, who is your marriage partner?”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t intend to marry anyone… ….”

“I am Lia von Eleves, the daughter of the Eleves family.”

“…… Yes?”