I Don’t Trust My Twin Sister

I woke up in the morning and quickly went to the training ground where Ian was expected to be and opened the door. Sure enough, the image of him immersed in meditation with his shirt off and his eyes closed was impressive. It’s nice to keep your mouth shut like that.

 

I approached cautiously, touching the corner of my mouth as I thought my saliva would fall. Uh… living muscles. Lately, I’ve been thinking that looking at his muscles was quite stimulating. So I tried not to be aware of it as much as possible, but the superb view in front of him made me go by itself. Oh, what was I going to do? I can’t just touch him. Besides, I shouldn’t steal like a voyeur! I calmed myself down inside and called Ian quietly.

 

“Ian.”

 

Even though the voice wasn’t that loud, Ian slowly opened his eyes at my call. He looked at me and smiled. When I handed over his clothes hanging on the wall, Ian lightly put them on and stood up.

 

“What’s going on? From morning?”

 

His eyes slowly opened his mouth as he watched the area of his skin shrink as it was covered by his clothes.

 

“You suddenly disappeared yesterday because you had something urgent to do. I was curious about that, so I came here.”

 

He said ‘what happened yesterday?’ He muttered and tilted his head, then gave a slightly puzzled expression. He glanced at his hand, not my face. I wondered why he was looking at his hands, but I remembered what Patricia said yesterday and felt sorry.

 

“You were very hurt yesterday, right?”

 

“Uh… it hurts? What?”

 

“It’s the first time I’ve ever had a massage, so I don’t know how to do it, so I think I pinched it.”

 

Ian blinked his eyes and shook his head. But I was already convinced. Judging by Patricia’s reaction yesterday, Ian must have been hurt too. What’s the point of massaging your shoulders like that, with or without muscle? Even my muscles couldn’t defend myself from pinching. So I would have run away without looking back.

 

Last night, I received special massage training from Patricia. I wondered a little how she was so good at massages, but then it dawned on me that I had done a disservice to Ian.

 

“Sit there. I’ll do it again.”

 

“Now, wait… Lawrence?”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

She smiled and sat him back down, then went behind him, planted his knees on the ground, and put her hand on his shoulder. Despite the cool air, his body was hot. That’s interesting. Was it like this when you gain muscle? I had cold hands, so I liked his warmth, so I smiled and moved my hands.

 

“How is it? Is it good?”

 

“Oh, it’s good.”

 

I laughed out loud when he said it was good. Yesterday, he flinched at the slightest movement, but now I like the way he quietly receives my touch. It must mean that my skills have improved. Thinking that I had done well in the special training, I moved my hand diligently.

 

“I’m sorry about yesterday. I pinched you so hard I didn’t know it hurt…”

 

“It didn’t hurt.”

 

“It’s okay. I know everything, I hurt you. If you get hurt next time, tell me right away. That way I can know and fix it.”

 

“…Yes…”

 

His voice trembled a little. Oh well, I was hurt at first too. Thinking that Ian would do the same, and that he was merely holding back the pain, I moved my hand vigorously. Ian did well for an hour, but I felt like I was getting weaker and weaker.

 

“Hmm…”

 

I took a deep breath and tried not to lose my focus. Ian’s voice echoed as I applied a little more strength to my fingers, not wanting to give up after only 10 minutes had passed.

 

“If it’s hard, you can stop.”

 

“It’s okay. I can do more.”

 

He put his palms over the backs of my hands to lock them in, then turned his neck and glanced at me.

 

“Do more later. Let’s stop for now. It sounds difficult, but I don’t want to force it.”

 

I still want to do more, but it’s natural to give back as much as I’ve received, but somehow I felt uncomfortable because I only received it. However, thinking that it would not be cool if I made it hard, I nodded my head coolly and got up from my seat. But Ian was still sitting.

 

“Ian?”

 

Ian looked up at me with his body slightly bent and said with a rather troubled expression.

 

“Lawrence… can you do me one favor?”

 

“What do you want?”

 

“If you don’t mind, could you call the butler? I need to talk to him for a moment.”

 

“That’s when we went to eat together…”

 

“No, now would be better. Now, now.”

 

I looked at Ian’s face as he spat out the word now three times in a row. Why was he like that? I wanted to ask more, but I nodded slowly because he was speaking so strongly.

 

* * *

 

In the evening, I took the finished papers to the club and put them on the tray. Most of the paperwork that had been hecticly piled up had been neatly organized. I rubbed my chin thinking that at this speed, I could finish it by tomorrow and go back.

 

‘Go back…’

 

I stared blankly at the papers and blinked my eyes. About five days. I thought I stayed for quite a while. In the past, it was common to leave the castle due to contracts. I’ve never stayed more than a week in a month. When I was exhausted and tired, I tried to return to Ajstain Castle, but my tiredness only increased because of the work that remained there. As a result, my shelter was a mansion. The mansion on Forril Hill was a resting place. It was only there that I could feel all the memories of my grandfather and childhood. There were no people, so it was quiet, and thanks to that, I was able to take a rest. I left the castle duties to Butler Fiebel and received only important documents. That was my past life. However, at this age, it was rare for her to be absent from the castle or mansion for a week. I didn’t want to worry my grandfather, but the main reason was that I didn’t have anyone close to me. So, it was a bit strange and awkward to be tied up at someone else’s house. It’s all the more because the house is the house of someone who is interested in it.

 

“This is the last paperwork for today.”

 

While I was absentmindedly fiddling with the papers and organizing my thoughts, Ian approached and gently placed the papers on the tray. I opened my mouth to make a noise and laughed awkwardly. I didn’t want him to find out that I was lost in thought. Ian tilted his head and looked at me, then reached out his hand and gently lifted his flowing bangs. The touch of his fingertips brushing against his forehead and the smooth movement of his bangs felt somehow soft. Looking back, Ian smiled. His ruby-like eyes sparkled beautifully.

 

“Get a good rest tomorrow. The rest is not very important, so I can tell others to do it.”

 

Get some rest? Normally, I would have been happy to receive it, but not now. Taking a break meant, in other words, that there was no need to do business together anymore, or to look around like this. Moreover, it also meant that I wasn’t here and didn’t care if I went back, which made me feel strange. I was full of worries when I was forced to stay here due to Ian’s trickery, but in the meantime, it became more comfortable like my own home, and a bit of regret came over me. In the past, I had no regrets about not being able to see Ian. When I read the letters he sent, I thought he was cute and that he was doing well, but now I didn’t want to leave him.

 

Since when have I ever felt this way? After my parents passed away, I was not very affectionate with people. There were many people who tried to take advantage of me when I gave affection to them. However, when I came to my senses, it was very strange that I had a crush on Ian and received his favor kindly. Besides, I feel sad for some reason.

 

“What’s wrong, Lawrence?”

 

I lifted mys face slightly at the sound of a voice calling me, and I saw his worried expression. I felt a little bad, so I took a step back with a weak smile.

 

“No. Nothing.”

 

I didn’t know what’s not and what’s nothing, but I have nothing more to say, so I said it out of habit. Ian came as far as I had retreated. I was glad he came, but I had to back off. In front of me, Ersia said that she would marry him, but when I vaguely realized that I had a crush on him, it was not easy for me to reveal it. I rolled my tongue in my mouth and thought a little, then closed my eyes tightly and backed away.

 

“…easy.”

 

After bowing my head lightly, I turned around. I wasn’t ready to go back yet. I was aware of my own inadequacies. Let’s take a little more time and meet him. As I made that resolution and stepped forward to my room, there was a force that gently grabbed my wrist. When I stopped, the force pulled me slightly and turned my body without excessive force. I looked at his face as clearly as possible.

 

“Why is that?”

 

His voice was slightly cracked, but he wanted his face to be normal. I didn’t know if my wishes reached me or if Ian was overtly aware, but he looked at me with calm eyes and slowly opened his red lips.

 

“…Could you make time tomorrow?”

 

“Time?”

 

Suddenly what time… Ah.

 

“Is it because of the contact with the Pierrot Corps you mentioned last time?”

 

I could see his eyes twitching. Was I right? I had a good sense of it, so I got the hang of it right away. After answering that I knew it, I turned around again. His gaze landed behind my back as I unhesitatingly pulled his wrist out of his warm, wide hand and turned around again. Somehow I sighed. After dinner, after a simple meal, I returned to my room and put my hair in Patricia’s hands. As he was brushing her hair, he heard her say something funny. A smiling girl’s face was reflected in the mirror.

 

“Did you know that the former Grand Duke, Molind, worked hard to make a great statue when he was the head of the household?”

 

“A statue?”

 

It was the first time. Looking at her in bewilderment, Patricia opened her mouth with more enthusiasm, as if she knew it.

 

“It is said that Prince Paulind was famous for his love for his wife. Dricilla, that is to say, the former Grand Duchess, the mother of Grand Duke Berdian, was a very beautiful and cheerful person. I heard he made a statue of Dricilla in hopes that more people will remember her beauty.”

 

“Hoo…”

 

Did he? I knew very little about the former Grand Duke. All I knew was simple personal information.

 

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