TYBMB 21

Chapter 21 – The Emperor’s Surprise Visit
2024.01.21.

After studying me closely, Johannes hesitantly opened his mouth.

“S-Sister? You seem… different from usual.”

Well, I had returned five years into the past, so it was no wonder he felt something was off.

From the way he was speaking, it was clear—the ‘sister’ he knew was the immature version of me from five years ago.

“You would usually scold me harshly whenever I was flustered like this…”

“Did I?”

“Yes, when you visited the estate and things weren’t perfectly prepared, you’d scold me for showing incompetence.”

“…That sounds like me.”

The old me was very strict with Johannes, my much younger brother.

If he was even slightly unprepared during my visits, I’d berate him, asking whether a noble couldn’t even properly host a guest.

Perhaps it was because of Father.

Father had harshly trained me, wanting to raise my powerful supernatural abilities into something useful for a knight, and I had accepted that as natural.

I believed that the more you loved someone, the more you had to push them to become perfect.

But was I happy having grown up like that?

Not at all.

Though I became a successful knight as Father wished, I—the person named Yulia—was not happy.

I ended up begging for love from the wrong man and was abandoned miserably.

…I didn’t want Johannes to end up like me.

So, I decided I would change and smiled gently at him.

“I won’t be like that anymore.”

“Sister…”

“You don’t have to show me a perfect image every time. It’s boring if people are perfect all the time, isn’t it?”

I reached out and playfully ruffled his hair.

He just stared at me blankly, as if he couldn’t believe what was happening.

Leaving him dazed, I walked over and sat down on the nearby sofa.

“Take your time finishing up. Let’s talk more after you’re done with your tasks.”

“Huh? Ah, yes!”

He finally snapped out of it and began quickly organizing his papers.

And for the first time, I waited for him patiently.

It felt… surprisingly good.

I still vividly remember when Johannes was a baby.

The way his tiny fingers wrapped tightly around mine…

That was the first time I ever felt something like love.

I wanted to protect him.

Even though our terrifying father had forced me to take over the family, I refused in the end.

Rather than taking the title of marquess for myself, I wanted to give it to my little brother.

Eventually, the family succession went as I wished, and I left to dedicate my life to hunting monsters.

Since then, I had been too busy—and also wanted him to grow strong on his own—so I never visited.

Even when he lost his beloved fiancée in an accident, I didn’t go to him.

I hoped he would overcome the sorrow and become stronger.

So, by the time I turned thirty, our relationship was hardly that of siblings—we were practically strangers.

But today, perhaps that could begin to change.

“You’re sure nothing’s wrong? You seem so different all of a sudden, I can’t help but worry.”

Johannes asked as he sat across from me, having finished organizing the papers.

I hesitated. Should I tell him I had died and come back?

After thinking it over, I decided not to.

It was too soon to share that. Our relationship still needed time to fully recover.

“Nothing’s wrong. I suppose my way of thinking just changed naturally with age.”

“Ah…”

“Anything new with you? Have you found a partner for the upcoming event?”

Actually, I already knew he was seeing someone.

Around this time in the previous timeline, he had introduced me to the young lady.

Even so, I pretended not to know and asked, and as expected, Johannes replied:

“Yes, I have someone I’ll be attending with. She’s wise and kind-hearted—”

“You don’t have to try and persuade me. If she’s someone you chose, I’m sure she’s a good person. Is it someone I know?”

“You may have met her once at last year’s Founding Day banquet. Lady Adelheit von Framberk, the third daughter of Viscount Framberk.”

Just as I thought, it was the same young lady as before the regression.

I calmly nodded at the expected name.

But unlike me, Johannes looked nervous.

He was probably worried I’d oppose his relationship with Adelheit.

After all, the Framberk family wasn’t especially prominent compared to ours.

But I had no intention of opposing.

“Lady Adelheit, huh? You should introduce her properly one day. There are a few things I’d like to advise her on.”

In the previous timeline, Johannes and Adelheit had dated and even gotten engaged.

But unfortunately, they never married—Adelheit died in a carriage accident.

Now, I knew exactly when and where that accident would occur.

So I could prevent it, as long as I guided her away from that place naturally.

Seeing that I approved so readily, Johannes looked quite surprised.

“S-Sister… You really have changed.”

“You’d better get used to it quickly. Otherwise, you’ll spend the whole day shocked.”

I teased lightly, and he laughed.

When the laughter died down, he asked:

“I heard you’ll be attending the event with His Majesty. How do you feel? You always wished to be his partner.”

“…”

“Sister?”

As he said, in the past, I had longed to be Hernant’s partner.

But despite that wish, Hernant had always chosen other ladies.

This time, I seemed to be aligning with the Commander, so he probably chose me to gain my favor.

His heart was likely elsewhere.

I no longer felt bitter about it.

Because I no longer had feelings for him either.

“I’m not exactly thrilled. About being the Emperor’s partner.”

“Huh…? But you used to—”

“I used to. I loved him. But now… I’m not sure. I’m just tired. It’s exhausting to hold onto feelings that will never be returned.”

Johannes’s face suddenly turned frighteningly cold.

He was always flustered around me, so this was the first time I saw such an expression.

He asked, face firm:

“Then why did you agree to be His Majesty’s partner? Don’t tell me… it’s for the reason I’m thinking of?”

“Yes, it’s as you’re thinking. I couldn’t refuse—he gave a royal command.”

As soon as I answered, he slammed his teacup down with a loud clack.

“If that’s true, I’ll formally lodge a complaint with the Imperial Family.”

“No, don’t. It’ll only cause unnecessary trouble.”

“But if you don’t even want this—!”

“Johannes.”

When I called his name, he finally calmed down and looked at me.

Facing his worried violet eyes, I spoke.

“I’m fine.”

“…”

“Really. I’m okay.”

If Johannes, as the head of House Schuenestern, filed an official complaint, Hernant would have no choice but to cancel my invitation.

Even the Emperor couldn’t ignore our family’s protest without proper cause.

But if he did that, Hernant would certainly retaliate.

He was not the kind of man to quietly accept having something he considered his taken away.

So this was something I had to handle.

I gave Johannes a firm look—a clear signal not to interfere.

He slowly sat back down from his half-risen position.

I thought the situation had finally calmed down.

That was until the butler knocked on the study door and called out to Johannes.

“Pardon me, sir. I apologize for the intrusion, but I bring urgent news.”

“What is it?”

“It’s… His Majesty has arrived. You must come out to greet him immediately.”