Volume 5 Chapter 2.2 (1/2)

Volume 5 Chapter 2 Part 2

Translator: Mar

Editor: Jacinta

What did that boy say right now? Did he just call that man a「brother」, or was it my imagination, maybe I heard something wrong? No, no, that was not the case. The distance between us is small and he spoke very clearly. I wasn’t wrong and I remembered exactly what the boy had said. However, it’s undeniable that such words said so suddenly were easy to believe.

Once again I examined Lucius’ face, and then my husband’s. Both were obviously exceedingly handsome. However, looking at their faces I couldn’t just finish on ‘handsome’. The difference in their hair color was adding to their effect. The man’s face gave the impression of harshness and was a little smug, while Lucius had soft and gentle features. Still, I had reached the conclusion that overall they resembled each other closely. It was as if somebody put a big mirror in front of that man and I am sure he thought of himself from a younger age. They were so much alike, I couldn’t believe it. And I slowly began to actually believe that they were brothers, just as Lucius had stated.

「Am I the one you’re calling a brother?」

His voice was flat and indifferent, so I couldn’t tell what he was really thinking. Even though his voice was so unwelcoming, the boy wasn’t frightened at all. Without any hesitation he said「Yes!」with a smile on his face. His androgynous features, so similar to that man’s, looked so fragile and delicate that I felt as if they might break with a single touch. But even though he looked sensitive, he had some nerve to be so bold and cheeky. Or maybe, as his voice indicated, he couldn’t help himself because of overwhelming joy and he simply didn’t have the capacity to notice the surroundings. As for the man opposite, just like his voice, his face was expressionless. But from this I understood, his heart was unusually disturbed. Perhaps he couldn’t believe it? Or maybe he didn’t want to believe? I was on the verge of asking him those questions, but I knew he wouldn’t respond, there was no doubt about that. Normally the man, being in such a big hall would say something like「You are very good at making jokes.」 and laugh scornfully. I was positive about that. Family for this man was something special. His respect and affection for my father-in-law and his clumsy love towards me – his world wasn’t big by any standard, but he held and protected this narrow world by himself. Even now it hasn’t changed. So when at that moment he didn’t immediately discard the boy who was about to trespass on his precious world, I began to wonder what might have been the meaning of that. Was it because of how similar their features were? Was it because they had the same colored eyes? Or was there something else, a more profound connection that he noticed?

A picture of the two men.

The people around had been watching us all this time, while talking in hushed voices. I understood their desire to look at those two beautiful figures standing together. I had a secured front-row view. But those beauties combined weren’t the reason for this attention. The one word uttered by Lucius,「Brother」, was more than enough of a reason for such focused attention.

Frankly I was at a loss of words. How rude of me, who came here as a wife of that man and is supposed to fully support him. Only then did I realize that in fact I too was trembling, just like the man. Completely disconnected from the commotion around me. Deep in my heart I smiled broadly, but what was I supposed to say? No, the boy had addressed that man. If I spoke in this situation, it might have been considered bad manners or I might have said something foolish and thoughtless, and judging from the man’s behavior I was expecting a friendly answer.

Where was his usual wicked tongue? Was being called a「 brother」so shocking to him? Indeed, he had not been called a brother ever, not even as a joke by Fernan, his actual brother-in-law. He never seemed to mind. But maybe he has always wanted a younger brother? No, that’s stupid. Aah, the trembling got worse and in this disorder I didn’t know what to do.

There stood the expressionless man, the smiling Lucius and myself, in bewilderment. At that moment a fourth person joined our group.

「The conversation got very interesting, didn’t it?」

It was a deep and reverberating baritone voice. When Lucius heard that voice he looked at the figure behind us and his smile broadened even more.

「Master Gabriel!」

「Lucius. I hope you are not being impolite to master Agedilius and the Lady?」

「Of course not.」