Cinderella's Brother

While I was trembling and sobbing profusely, our aide was completely bewildered and didn’t know what to do. He belatedly found my blood-covered hands, and now he was clutching the back of his neck and on the verge of collapsing.

 

“No, you’re hurt, right? Oh my, how did you come to be like this, with such beautiful hands?”

 

“Huh… Huh… My… younger brother…”

 

“What? It’s okay, so please speak slowly. Don’t just stand there idly, go quickly and fetch the imperial palace’s priest, no, the priest!”

 

The attendant, who had been standing there frozen with a shocked look on his face, hurriedly left, and I raised my tear-filled eyes and looked up at the aide with even more sadness.

 

“Princess?”

 

“Ok… my younger brother…”

 

“Yes, yes, what did your younger brother do?”

 

“My younger brother…hehehehe… he behaves like this…there is no use in trying to stop him… kehehehehehe…”

 

“Did your younger brother make such a mess… and leave?”

 

I nodded my head in the face of the aide who was urging me cautiously. Then she covered her face with her hands again and burst into sobs.

 

“Ughhhhh…! What should I do now…! If your brother sees it…”

 

“Now, princess, don’t cry. It was your brother’s fault. It looks like you even hurt your hand trying to clean it up.”

 

“B-But… Your brother’s precious things, ugh! All the important documents… Ugh!”

 

“Oh my, is that why you’re crying because your heart hurts?”

 

When I peeked through my covered fingers, my aide was now looking at me with a unique look in his eyes, as if he was claiming that he was so amazing that he was going to die. Hehehe, I’m sorry, good-hearted man. But! This is the result of daily image management! Umhahaha! It was rewarding to follow her older brother in and out of the imperial palace and faithfully play the role of the innocent older brother and foolish younger sister…!

 

It was at that time that the attendant, who had rushed out earlier, rushed back in.

 

“We have brought you a priest! And the Prime Minister too! Oh, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince…!”

 

…That servant is also somewhat subtle. I can clearly feel the body of the aide who was gently patting my shoulder and comforting me becoming stiff. The three of you were probably still on that terrace, so it’s not strange that they came together. Everything goes as planned!

 

“What on earth is this…”

 

The venerable Prime Minister’s words faded vaguely as he strode into the office with the holy priest. I thought his sea-green eyes were filled with astonishment, but then they turned into a terrifyingly frozen look! Even the priest opened his eyes wide at the sight of precious documents literally lying on his desk, and Ryun, who had clearly followed along, frowned and let out a horrified cry.

 

“Eh? Master’s desk…! Who dared do this?! Ray, why are you crying?!”

 

There was silence for a moment. My brother, who was glaring at the desk that looked like the embodiment of hell with an eerily stiff face, slowly turned his head and looked at me. Wow, I feel like a knight facing an angry dragon with my bare body. I trembled even more than before and let out a sad cry.

 

“Khehehehehe, I’m sorry, brother… I’m sorry…”

 

“No, why did the princess… Prime Minister, let me explain. This is all my fault. As for how it happened…”

 

Well done, our brave aide! Kyakyakya! While I was clapping my hands hard and sobbing even more sadly, our aide spoke with even more fervor and solemnity. In other words, he said this.

 

“After I clearly told you not to touch the documents, while I went out to get some refreshments, Princess Levina made such a mess and ran away. As a result, Princess Ray even hurt her hand while trying to put it away, and furthermore, the precious documents ended up in that state. He is very heartbroken over this.”

 

The aide, who spoke passionately without even taking a breath, was breathing hard and the first to react was Ryun.

 

“Holy shit, that plan… he thought I was going to cause trouble! Why are you crying, you idiot?!”

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“I’m sorry, Master.”

 

Ryun immediately shut his mouth at his brother’s cold words, and I began to sob even more bitterly. The priest, who had an indescribable expression on his face, was about to approach me when my older brother, who had moved one step ahead, approached me, who was sitting on the floor crying. Then he sat down on the floor with one knee, held my injured hand with one hand, and looked into my eyes. As I was facing those blue eyes whose true intentions I could not tell, I felt a chill in my stomach for no reason. Hua, I thought I could trust and stretch myself at this point, but it seems that this is why I have terrible habits. I’m still not sure that my brother will completely believe what I say…

 

“Ray.”

 

“Nooo.”

 

“Ray, it’s okay. Just tell me exactly what happened.”

 

It was a surprisingly soft voice. I whimpered a little, then flinched and stuttered to open my mouth.

 

“Ugh… Levina… uhm… said she wanted to see her father… uhm… I don’t know where…”

 

“You came here because you didn’t know where he was?”

 

“Yeah… hehehe… then suddenly… sniffle… the aide told me not to touch it, and I also told him not to… kehehehe! I’m sorry, brother…”

 

Even if you don’t make any effort, tears come pouring out on their own. Are you too absorbed in acting? The moment I raised my head and looked up at my brother with a tear-filled face, another voice rang from the doorway.

 

“What the hell is going on?”

 

The owner of the frightened voice was none other than Levina. What amazing timing is this? Levina hesitated for a moment as he pushed through her door with such force and force that he entered. She seemed embarrassed to see her older brother, not her father, here, and the priest and the ferocious prince gathered here.

 

“Why… Oh my, what is all this? Why are you crying?”

 

There was another moment of silence. It was a silence on a slightly different level from the silence before. The first person to dip his hands into the waters before this storm was none other than our faithful aide.

 

“What is this? Nawon, I’m so amazed! Isn’t this exactly what the Lady did?!”

 

“W-what do you mean?! Why would I turn my father’s precious office into something like this?!”

 

It was at that time that Ryun, who was quietly looking at Levy and me, with her face turning bright red and shouting as if she was truly aggrieved, suddenly burst into laughter. As a result, he naturally took his eyes off Levina and looked at the majestic crown prince.

 

“Kikikick… Puhahaha! Oh, it’s funny. Your father’s office? This is the duke’s office? This girl is uniquely original, isn’t she? Fuhahahaha!”

 

“Um, Your Highness? What is that…”

 

“This is our master’s office! Hahahaha! Oh, I’m dying of laughter. I don’t know how many times it’s been this funny!”

 

At Ryun’s gesture, holding her stomach and laughing so hard that she was going to sleep, a dazed and awkward look briefly flashed across Levina’s face. It was a very fleeting moment, but that moment was enough. Levina’s eyes fell on me. I was sobbing even more pitifully, holding my hand and clinging to my brother who was as frozen as an ice statue.

 

“W-What is that… Oh, why am I doing this in my brother’s office or whose office it is?!”

 

“No, then would Princess Ray have said that?! You even hurt your hand trying to clean it up?”

 

“What is it? You’re quite rude, how should I know that?!”

 

“I know this because I have seen Princess Raymany times, but Princess Raywould never…”

 

“How dare you accuse me of such a ridiculous charge?!”

 

“No, then this is…”

 

“Stop!”

 

Her older brother, who seemed to have been just watching in silence, raised her body and shouted firmly, and Levi, who was shooting her with his eyes raised black, and the aide, who was shooting the same as me, clamped their mouths shut at the same time… Even then, the older brother issued an extremely cold stern command to the two people who were still glaring at each other.

 

“Kenus, as my aide, you must be careful in your words and actions. What kind of idiotic argument is this in front of His Majesty the Crown Prince?”

 

“I’m sorry, Prime Minister.”

 

“And Levina, as my sister, you must treat my assistant with the utmost courtesy. This is not our house, but the imperial palace. As the daughter of Duke Tidis, show the right attitude to His Majesty’s vassals.”

 

Levina’s face, which was glaring accusingly at the aide who was apologizing in a downcast tone, instantly turned to the color of dirt, and Ryun, who was still laughing to death alone, stopped laughing and looked at her older brother with an even more special look in his eyes. I started looking. As for our sacred priest, he was watching the scene in front of him with a light of interest in the mysterious gold. He hurriedly approached me.

 

“Now, princess, first put your hands…”

 

“Hmm… Hmm…”

 

While the priest was examining my wounds, my older brother let out a soft sigh and now stared at Levina with his blood-soaked eyes. Ah, I wonder if he even knows that if he stares at me like that without saying anything, the other person’s blood will run dry.

 

“Oh, brother… I feel so wronged. How could such a ridiculous insult…”

 

“So what you’re saying is that my aide, who has been faithfully assisting me for two years, did this?”

 

“Well, it’s not like that, my sister…”

 

Levina, who was stuttering pitifully, rolled her eyes and glared at me. At this, our status gangster, the Crown Prince, burst in and intervened.

 

“Look at this girl, who comes from a lowly background and is trying to blame the older sister who takes care of her? What’s with all this?!”

 

“Well, Your Highness! How can you say something like that? I feel so wronged! Brother, I just followed you here because I wanted to see you!”

 

“Ray said this is your father’s office?”

 

This has passed. of course. Because I never said that! Kyahahaha! I want to laugh, but I can’t, it’s driving me crazy. Let’s cry instead, let’s cry! A little more sad! A little more pathetic!

 

“Keuhehehehe… I just… I was waiting for you… I told you not to touch me, uhuhhehehehe…”

 

“Uh, when did you say that?!”

 

I threw out a bait and your bitch took a bite. Puhahaha! When I lifted my eyes and glanced at her, I saw that Levina was blinking her eyes, as if momentarily taken aback by what she said, and that everyone except her brother was staring at her with her mouth half-open.

 

“Wow… So you’re saying that’s true after all?!”

 

“No, Your Majesty, I mean, I’m not like that anyway! I feel so wronged…!”

 

“Why not! That’s what you are! I’m afraid you’ll get scolded for doing that, so I’m trying to blame him. Now! Hey aide, how long have you been staying here?”

 

“It’s just a moment, Your Highness. When I came back to pick up tea for the princesses, I found Princess Ray lying down alone and crying. You were crying so sadly that I really…”

 

“Isn’t that right? Above all, Ray is Secreta! Does it make sense for Secreta to lie?!”

 

Hehehe, that’s a statement that weighs heavily on my conscience, isn’t it? It’s a secret and I’m struggling desperately to survive! Sheesh. Ryun and his aide, who had been answering questions in such a friendly manner, now turned their heads side by side and looked at their brother. Huh, the bright eyes of both of them seem like they are really looking forward to something. Levi, who was white-faced and crying, was staring at me. Her older brother finally opened his mouth again. A blunt and dry voice comes out.

 

“Levina. If you made a mistake while playing, tell me honestly now.”

 

“But I…”

 

“However, if there is even the slightest lie in your claim, if you dare to tell a lie in front of the priest and the Crown Prince, no matter how much you are my family, I will not forgive you.”

 

Oooh! This is truly a statement that will send shivers down your spine! How can someone say such right things in such a cruel way? Levina, who was pale and blue and shaking her shoulders, glared at me from the corner of her eye again. If she could tear someone to death with just her eyes, I might have died a long time ago. At the same time I closed my eyes and pretended to shake, my brother raised his voice. Whoa whoa! I’m trembling.

 

“Levina de Tidis! If you dare to threaten your sister, know that you will regret it. Can’t you stop this nonsense and report this quickly?”

 

Levina, who had taken her eyes off me in shock, now lowered her head and bit her lip. She then answered. In other words, she answered the same question.

 

“I feel so wronged… Is everyone saying this because my mother came from a humble background? How can you do that… Ugh! It’s too much!”

 

…Oh yeah. It would be strange if you didn’t come out that way. But I don’t think that kind of method would work here, let alone at home. The sight of Levina covering her face with her hands and lifting her shoulders in a pitiful way clearly portrayed the appearance of a poor young girl who was unfairly bullied because of her background, but looking at her like that Her older brother’s eyes were so indifferent that they were extremely bleak.

 

“Don’t try to get off topic. Insulting you is insulting our family. I am not questioning your origins, but I am asking what on earth you were thinking when you did such a ridiculous thing.”

 

“Oh, brother!”

 

I was also surprised that my brother completely believed me and not Levina. Huh, brother, I’m sorry for keeping calling you a bastard. From now on, I’ll call you my heavenly brother! Even though it’s only three days. Sniff.

 

“You damaged documents signed by His Majesty the Emperor, despite the advice of my advisor. Furthermore, he tried to place the blame once again on the sister who was trying to take care of you despite what happened last time.”

 

“Oh brother, I…”

 

“Why on earth… why are you so anxious because you can’t cause trouble?!!”

 

I won. It’s my victory! Raise a toast!

 

A thunderbolt that struck out of nowhere made Levina turn blue and freeze, and everyone in the room flinched. Even Ryun was shocked. A flicker of awe flashes through her amber eyes. Oh my, that teacher is such an idiot. My older brother, who seemed to be alleviating the rising fever by pressing his forehead with his hand, now spoke in a much calmer tone. I would say it’s more eerie than calm.

 

“Priest.”

 

“Yes, Prime Minister?”

 

“Please take your highness with you.”

 

“All right.”

 

“Aide.”

 

“Yes, Prime Minister!”

 

My older brother looked at the aide who answered quickly as if he had been waiting, and gave an order that was extremely bleak.

 

“Bring the head maid.”

 

“Ugh! Yep, I understand!”

 

Head maid? Why the head maid? I was curious and tilted my head, but Ryun exclaimed in admiration as if it was truly amazing.

 

“Hahaha, that’s it, Master! Just tear off the legs of that incompetent, incompetent girl… All right, I’ll just leave.”

 

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