Chapter 20 (2/2)

When he made his request with thatabout how I’d acted like a whining child

Unable to look hih when I suddenly turned away

“Because I can’t even offer a single word of indulgence, I’m only ever strict to you and Johan”

“That’s not true”

He had already done plenty for me

I truly believed that, but his smile turned bitter

“It is At your age, you should still be allowed to sit on yourto be spoiled However, because of me, and our parents, you had to obediently hold in all of your worry, anger, and sorrow”

“……”

“You were there for Johan, but there was no one there for you You had no choice but to grow up in order to protect him Yet, when it came to yourself, you insisted you were fine and couldn’t even bring yourself to complain or rely on anyone else Not to me, nor to those around you”

“Brother…”

“Even though you are still a ten year old girl,” Chris said, patting my head

Unfamiliar with the act, the entleness of his voice and gaze made me feel like I was loved, and my eyes started to burn for some reason

“Brother…”

The lass breaking could be heard from far away

“…?!”

I bolted upright like I’d been shocked But, before I could get off the couch, I was stopped by his hand

“It’s fine,” Chris very calmly told me

He should have also known fro should have disturbed the peace, but the palace was beco noisy

“Wha-what…how is anything fine?!” I replied in outrage as the sound of several footsteps ran by It was obvious so on, what the hell was “fine”?

“Stay here It’s fine”

“……”

He lookedof doubt to be seen Only my reflection

“Rosé”

“Bro…ther…”

He pulledto keep the coently covered the ear that wasn’t pushed against his chest

I could no longer hear There was nothing else beyond the sound of my heart, and my brother’s

Right now, even while I was being protected within

It probably had so set into motion

Frooing the way he’d predicted it would

Meaning there would be no report co to him, and the Order had also expected this would happen

As the targets, Lutz and Theo had probably been informed as well

The only one who didn’t know, the only one kept in the dark…was me

Useless Rosemarie

“……”

I’d wanted to do so I could do

I had no power, but because I had the memories from my previous life, because I knehat could happen in the future, I’d thought I could do so by myself

Who was I kidding?

This was the response I got—protection by others

I was powerless

“Don’t cry”

The anguished sound of Chris’s voice reacheddown from my ear to wipe my tears

“Even if I push you to trust , in the end, I still let you cry I’m a hopeless brother to you”

“That’s not…true…”

It wasn’t his fault; it was mine

I only had to believe in others, but I didn’t even have the strength to do that I only had to place the entirety of my trust in others as the situation arose, but I couldn’t do that either It wasso indecisive

I want to becoer

Ier both filled me from the bottom of my heart