Chapter 72
‘Brother… killed someone.’
My mind went blank.
Until Blake brought me into a room I’d never seen before and set me down, I stayed completely frozen.
My heart was pounding like crazy.
“……”
“……”
Had he wiped the blood off already?
I could still smell blood… but aside from his hair being slightly messy, Oppa looked perfectly fine.
Blake stared straight at me. Maybe he was waiting for me to speak first.
There was no one here except him.
It felt like a barely-contained killing intent hovered right below my neck.
My throat felt constricted, like someone was choking me.
My face was probably pale and drained of blood, but Oppa only looked at me. Just stared.
‘A person died. The body disappeared instantly. And after all that time… Oppa came to me.’
It had just happened, yet it already felt like something from ages ago.
As I replayed the memory, Oppa suddenly lifted a hand, and I jolted.
He was still looking at me.
Maybe he was just thirsty; he lifted a cup and wet his lips.
“Don’t you think the duke is insane?”
“……?!”
I immediately looked around nervously, afraid someone might have overheard.
Even though I already knew no one else was here, it still startled me.
He didn’t even use honorifics when referring to Father—just called him the duke.
Watching me panic, Blake set down his cup elegantly.
“A heat-crazed mutt, that’s what he is… our new father.”
“That’s a bad word.”
My vision spun into a tangled mess.
I was so flustered I flailed my hands. Oppa caught the tips of my fingers.
Then he smiled.
A strange, faint smile—so beautiful it hurt to look at.
“Why? It’s not wrong.”
…He’s angry.
But I—I was fine.
Except for the part where I wasn’t sure anymore if Lady Bea Sirta was my real mother. Except for the part where that made me sad.
No, extremely sad.
Except for the part where someone suddenly died and it scared me, and except for the part where I was terrified Oppa might get hurt. Other than that, everything was fine.
‘…Which means nothing is fine.’
I tried pulling my hand away, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he intertwined his fingers with mine, holding tighter.
Even when the cup rolled across the table and spilled water everywhere, he didn’t care.
Suddenly I felt like a beast was staring me down, and my nape prickled.
Uncomfortable with the silence, I blurted out anything.
“They said she and the duke were in love.”
“Love? Ha… love, my ass.”
A flash of pure disgust crossed Oppa’s red eyes.
I’d never seen him this emotional before—especially concerning Father.
Because Oppa always obeyed the duke. Absolutely.
I wouldn’t tattle on him for speaking badly behind Father’s back, but killing someone he loved…
“What are you thinking.”
Oppa suddenly pulled my hand even harder, startling me.
My thoughts vanished.
All I saw was him filling my entire vision.
Water soaked into my sleeve where my elbow had touched the table, but Oppa kept staring, refusing to look away.
“I don’t want you to get hurt.”
I forced my brain to work enough to say that.
Blake looked like he’d snapped. Like some thin thread of reason had broken.
He was still angry.
He stared at me in silence, heavy and intense.
If he stared any harder, it felt like my face would burn through.
“……”
“……”
Why are you looking at me like that?
I didn’t have the courage to ask, so I just blinked.
Maybe if I stayed still long enough, his emotions would settle.
For a moment, I thought he ground his teeth.
Maybe I imagined it.
His expression looked the same. Then he pushed the table over with his free hand.
CRASH!
I flinched at the loud noise. Oppa grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his arms.
“I might die soon.”
“……?”
“Before dying, I should hug my little sister as much as I want.”
His sword, which surely had blood on it moments ago, brushed lightly against my skin. It didn’t cut me.
“I need to look more.”
“…Look at what?”
“Your face.”
He held me and looked straight at my face.
His earlier stare had already been overwhelming, but at this distance, it crushed my breath.
My ears burned.
It was embarrassing.
I normally don’t think about what I look like, but… maybe because Oppa is impossibly handsome, or because next to him I must look plain…
‘What if I look ugly?’
A stupid worry anyone would call pointless crossed my mind.
“Oppa. I… wear out.”
“Wear out? What wears out.”
“If you keep looking… I’ll wear out.”
“What wears out.”
He chuckled like I was being ridiculous, but I was being serious.
“You keep staring.”
“You don’t like it?”
“……”
I fell silent.
I only now realized Oppa was trying to communicate something through eye contact.
Books said the eyes cannot lie—they reveal a person’s truth and soul.
“Or did you want that woman to be your mother?”
“……”
I couldn’t answer.
“Answer. Did you want that?”
Slowly, I shook my head.
“…But killing people is bad. It’s wrong.”
“I’m a bad bastard.”
“……”
He said it so proudly I lost all words.
…What do I do?
I prayed to be given a family, but why did heaven send me dangerous men?
“H-However!”
Oppa frowned. I mustered courage and yelled:
“If you keep killing people like that, I… I won’t smile at you!”
Ah. I stuttered again.
Oppa made a bizarre face as he listened to me.
Did I mess up?
“And what will you do if you don’t smile?”
But he seemed to take it very seriously. I brightened a little.
“I’ll make this face.”
“…Show me.”
I tried making an angry face. Not sure how, but I puffed my lips, flapped my arms like wings, and furrowed my brows.
“That is a terrifying threat.”
“Right?”
Oops—I smiled again.
I quickly straightened my expression.
But the next moment, Oppa forced my lips upward with his fingers.
Just two fingers. With such brute strength my cheeks almost ripped.
“Uuugh—”
“Smile.”
“Nooo…”
“……”
His fingers left my face.
“Promise I won’t kill people.”
“I can’t promise. What if Michael betrays you someday and points a sword at you? Then I’d have no choice but to kill him in front of you.”
“……! Michael won’t betray me!”
“It was an example.”
He was cold.
And that example was cruel.
Just because Michael’s father was a traitor, doesn’t mean Michael would betray anyone. I wanted to defend him, but the atmosphere didn’t allow it.
Still, I sniffled and said:
“Other than stuff like that. Don’t kill people.”
“……”
He didn’t respond. Didn’t even pretend to listen.
He just stared, then placed a hand on my head and tousled it.
“A dog’s fur must be softer than your hair.”
“Don’t kill.”
“So now you think I’m easy? Where’s this bratty attitude coming from…”
“Don’t kill. Please?”
“……”
Oppa looked at me, then pulled a ball out from his coat.
Without expression, he threw it to the far corner of the room.
“If you fetch that ball in your mouth, I’ll grant your request.”
He clearly believed I wouldn’t do it.
Maybe I wouldn’t have either—if a spirit hadn’t suddenly appeared in midair.
<Fetch it, Adele!>
Ah, I need to fetch it.
I almost got offended, but spirits always think of my good first.
When I slipped out of Oppa’s arms onto the floor, Blake’s expression twisted faintly.
He hadn’t expected me to obey.
His fingertips flinched, but he didn’t stop me.
Like a little puppy, I crawled, picked up the ball in my mouth, and brought it to him. Oppa looked like he’d taken a punch.
“……”
I offered the ball in my mouth. He took it. It probably had some spit on it, but mission accomplished.
<Good job, Adele!>
Even the fire spirit praised me.
“You have to keep the promise.”
“…I sometimes wonder if you have pride or not.”
He was the one who told me to fetch it.
I felt a twinge of resentment, but he’d already spoken the promise aloud.
He rolled the ball slowly in his palm, looking down at me.
“……”
His gaze shifted. He was thinking—long and hard. Staring again like before.
Then Blake quietly smirked.
He tucked the ball back inside his coat and stood.
“Fine. I won’t kill.”
Thank goodness.
“Such a soft-hearted child.”
He ruffled my hair roughly as he passed.
I did not agree with that description.
“Why did you tell me to fetch it?”
<……>
The spirit spun in the air, refusing to answer.
Maybe it didn’t want to say. I didn’t ask again.
‘Spirits are my friends.’
My friends don’t lie.
It must have been for my sake. I rubbed my still-sore jaw and followed Oppa outside.
I didn’t know where I was.
Somewhere inside the duke’s castle, but it was huge and unfamiliar.
There wasn’t even a hallway—opening the door led straight to open fields.
A vast meadow.
I spotted Michael and Fabian.
And Madeline and Khan.
‘Why are my friends here?’
Ah—suddenly I remembered.
[A special class will be formed soon. Now that the facilities are complete, you’ll be able to take lessons at the ducal castle.]
Sarina said that once while reading me a storybook.
Was this the special class?
Besides Khan and Madeline, there were other children around our age—all wearing Academy uniforms.
But my eyes went to Oppa and Khan, who had just noticed each other.
“……Been a while, Crown Prince.”
“The young lady’s eyes are red… You didn’t make her cry, did you.”
Khan looked at me, then at Oppa.
Madeline trembled from afar. The atmosphere was tense.
But I swallowed hard.
Oppa told me last time—he’d make peace with Khan and hold hands tightly.
‘It’s Oppa’s turn to keep a promise!’
Maybe my determined gaze pierced his back, because Oppa stiffened slightly.
He held out his hand to Khan.
Khan frowned, but accepted the handshake like a gentleman.
The air crackled like sparks, but maybe that was just my imagination.
Oppa spoke first.
His imperial pronunciation was crisp and elegant.
“Let’s. get. along.”
“…Sure, let’s, Young Lord.”
“A reconciliation.”
“…Fine.”
As expected—Oppa was a man who kept his promises.
‘They made up.’
When I smiled brightly at Khan, he averted his gaze.
Oppa looked annoyed, but he didn’t release the handshake—actually squeezed even harder.
The watching special-class students had gone pale.
Then I finally realized something.
Oh. I’m so dumb. Why didn’t I notice sooner?
‘…Oppa just likes holding hands!’
Next time, I should hold his hand first.
I vowed to do my best.
