IBYSRHML | Chapter 14

#.14

“What’s your brother’s name? Tell me his name!”

The coachman with a terrifying expression shouted loudly.

I wanted to say my brother’s name, but I couldn’t.

The person I came to see wasn’t actually my brother but the Emperor of the Empire, Marius.

Even if I mentioned my brother, Andrea, the hotel front desk would probably tell me that no such person exists.

Caught between two impossible choices, I lowered my head and fidgeted with my fingers.

“This won’t do. Let’s go to your house. You said your sister is there.”

“Ah, no! I have to meet my brother!”

“Then tell me your brother’s name. Do you want to get scolded? Do you want to be taken to the police department?”

“Uh, um…”

Just as my mind was going completely blank, a dazzling carriage pulled up behind the one I had arrived in.

From a carriage adorned with the traditional patterns and colors of Trovancha, none other than Marius stepped out.

“Huh?”

It was certainly Marius, but his face looked strangely unfamiliar.

The person who used to grin mischievously and tease was nowhere to be seen—only a cold, commanding ruler stood before me like a block of ice.

For the first time, I truly realized he was the male lead of the original story and the ruthless Emperor.

“…Brother!”

While still held by the coachman, I shouted loudly at Marius.

I wanted to call out “Marius, sir!” but he was the Emperor.

Calling out the Emperor’s name recklessly in a crowded place could get me in big trouble. So, I impulsively called him “Brother.”

Marius, unaware I was calling him, strode toward the hotel with his long legs.

To get his attention, I jumped up and down, waving my hands.

“Brother! Liliana is here!”

When I even included my name, Marius finally turned his head urgently to look for me.

“Little one?”

The icy atmosphere vanished like a mirage, and the Marius I knew appeared.

He approached me with a puzzled look.

Taking advantage of the moment when the coachman’s grip loosened, I dashed to Marius and clung tightly to one of his legs.

His attendants were flustered and tried to pull me away, but Marius waved his hand, stopping them.

I heard the coachman gasp sharply behind me.

“Little one, why are you here?”

“I need to borrow some money!”

“Money? Why do you need money?”

“I took a carriage but didn’t have enough to pay…”

“Why did you take a carriage?”

“Ugh, I came to see you, Brother!”

At my words, Marius’s eyes filled with an odd expression, almost suspiciously so.

How could I explain this? His pride seemed to suppress his playful demeanor, but his slight nostril flare gave away his good mood—a strangely perverse expression.

Why did such a handsome face end up being used like this?

And how did someone with this personality end up as the male lead? Truly a mystery.

“Brother? Brother, huh?”

Marius mimicked my tone as the corners of his lips twitched.

His eyes were already half-closed, sparkling playfully.

In contrast, my pupils wavered violently.

To think I’d end up calling Marius “Brother.” This was my defeat. Sob…

“Yes, yes. Hurry up. Hurry and give me some money.”

“Alright. How much do you need?”

“Uh… five silver coins?”

At my response, Marius searched his pockets and looked down at me with a slightly troubled expression.

“What should I do? I only have one coin.”

“What! That won’t work!”

As I clamped my mouth shut and glanced back at the coachman, I suddenly heard chuckling from above.

When I quickly looked up, Marius was covering his mouth, laughing so hard his face turned red.

What? What’s so funny? What did he tease me about?

Confused and unsure of how to react, I watched as Marius tossed a gold coin to the coachman.

“This should be enough, right?”

“Of course, sir. Absolutely.”

A single gold coin was worth a hundred silver coins. My eldest sister taught me this recently.

In other words, Marius had lied about not having money while clearly being wealthy.

Realizing this late, I puffed up with anger and began pounding his thigh with my fists.

Each time my fists landed on his thigh, Marius chuckled teasingly.

“That doesn’t hurt at all. Little one, your fists are like beans. You’ll never be a hammer fist.”

“No, I am a hammer fist!”

“Sure, sure. Did you eat? Should we have a meal together with this gentleman?”

“I brought my own food. And I really am a hammer fist!”

“What did you bring?”

“Biscuits! They’re super tasty. I’m not sharing, though.”

“Really? That’s why you have bean fists. I’m going to eat steak, lemonade, fried shrimp, and for dessert, pumpkin chocolate. Doesn’t that sound delicious?”

“Uh… then I’ll take one bite. Just one bite, okay?”

I held up my thumb and index finger a tiny bit apart to indicate “just a little,” but Marius clutched his stomach, almost crying with laughter.

Why does he always laugh at everything I say?

Annoyed, I was about to show him my “hammer fist” again when I realized something.

Until now, I’d been clinging to his leg, but at some point, he had picked me up and was holding me!

Marius, the male lead who wouldn’t lose his wallet even with his eyes closed, had skillfully scooped me up without me noticing.

By the time I regained my senses, I was sitting next to him in a dining room.

He tied a bib around me and asked,

“So, why did you come to see ‘Brother’? Did you miss ‘Brother’?”

“No, I didn’t miss you. And you’re not my brother, anyway.”

“But you called me ‘Brother’ first.”

“That was just a joke.”

“Hahaha. Where did you learn to say such things? Max, did you hear that? Isn’t my little sister-in-law just adorable? She’s so cute I could die. I’ve been living lately just to see her.”

According to the newspaper article, the day the Emperor officially announced his visit to Trovancha, his attendants entered the country.

The man Marius called Max must have been one of the attendants who crossed over at that time.

“Huh?”

Now that I think about it, the reason I came to the hotel wasn’t to have a meal with Marius, but I completely forgot my original purpose after getting caught up with him.

I puffed my cheeks and glared at Marius with a pout.

“I’m not your little sister-in-law. You’re not even married to my sister.”

“I will be soon.”

“No, you won’t. Don’t do it. I’m against it.”

“Why are you against it? If you’re against it, I’ll be so sad I’ll cry.”

“Then cry! I’ll buy you chocolate to cheer you up! But you have to give up on my sister. Got it? It’s a promise!”

“Why don’t you like me?”

Even as he grumbled, Marius cut a piece of steak and popped it into my mouth.

I absentmindedly ate it and replied,

“Well… my unnie is too good for you. My big unnie is the prettiest, coolest, and strongest in the world.”

“I’m the most handsome, richest, and strongest in the world.”

When Marius answered so nonchalantly, I couldn’t help but gape at him.

Does becoming the Emperor make everyone this shameless?

Of course, Marius was handsome.

Someone like Marius wasn’t just handsome or not—it was more a matter of personal taste.

In other words, deciding who was the most handsome among the male leads was a matter of preference, not superiority.

So his claim of being the most handsome was ridiculous.

As for wealth… Well, being the Emperor, he probably did have the most money.

But strength? Obviously, Leopold was the strongest. Leopold was practically a human weapon.

“Do you even have a conscience, mister?”

I was so dumbfounded that I accidentally let my face turn serious.

Instead of laughing his usual loud laugh, Marius brought a small piece of meat to my lips.

“Say ah. Eat first, then talk.”

When I just stared at him, Marius tapped my lips with the meat.

Reluctantly, I took a big bite.

“But little one, you didn’t come here alone, did you? If you came with your sisters, there’s no way you’d be short on money. Where are they?”

“Huh? I came alone.”

At my answer, Marius paused for a moment before asking hesitantly,

“…You told your sisters before you left, right?”

Now it was my turn to stay silent.

Before leaving the house, I had planned to leave a note saying I was going to the playground in front of the house for a bit.

Wait… Did I leave it?

No matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t remember writing the note.

I must have forgotten because I was too focused on sneaking out. What should I do?!

As I remained silent, Marius’s face grew increasingly serious.

Meanwhile, I imagined my sisters panicking over my disappearance, and the thought made me shiver in the suddenly cold dining room.

I quickly pulled out Cookie from my bag and hugged it tightly.

Whenever life got tough or scary, rubbing my face against Cookie’s fluffy fur would bring me comfort.

“Cookie?”

Normally, just rubbing my face like this would calm my fear, but today Cookie’s magic wasn’t working.

“Cookie, I’m in trouble. Give me courage, please.”

Hurry up and use your magic, Cookie!

I started twisting Cookie’s ears to threaten it.

While I was occupied, Marius, sitting beside me, gave a stunned look and instructed his attendant.

“Prepare the carriage. Her disappearance must have caused chaos.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to send someone to inform them of the situation?”

“They won’t feel reassured until they see her face. It’s faster for me to take her back than to wait for them to come here.”

After the attendant left, Marius once again popped a piece of meat into my mouth and patted my back gently.

“It’s going to be okay. Really, it’s all going to be fine.”

It was the most unconvincing reassurance ever.