I Don’t Trust My Twin Sister

“Yes, I threatened you. If I find you guilty or inflict similar damage on you, there will be bloodshed in the imperial family.”

 

“Huh?! What nonsense!”

 

“Yeah, that’s ridiculous. I guess you have prepared well? Even if someone else had been the judge, based on the evidence alone, your innocence would have been clear. However, even after I explained it to him, he said he felt uneasy and threatened me beyond my expectations. I have never seen such an ignorant person in the 30 years I have been in this position.”

 

“…”

 

It was beyond embarrassing and even absurd. When I looked at Ian, he scratched his cheek and grinned.

 

“It just happened to be like that.”

 

I don’t think it happened by chance, but is it true?

 

“Anyway, it’s hard to deal with an ignorant guy like that. I’m dealing with it because it’s you. If it were me, I would have thrown it away a long time ago. I heard there is something bothering you. If you’re going to be so restless and bothersome, I told you to get married quickly and keep her by your side, so you talk a lot about what’s going on… Didn’t you say you’ll return the favor later?”

 

“Ha! How can I repay a favor? Don’t stab me in the back.”

 

“I’m not hitting it. I’m not hitting it.”

 

The sight of him biting with an embarrassed face was so cute that I burst out laughing. I imagined what he was thinking and what he was doing. He was restless, he was worried about me, the fact that he was there for me made me feel good. I thought that since he knew about this incident and told me about it, he would naturally have taken some action. And I thought the measure was to ask Duke Safeldrick to take care of me. I was grateful for that alone. The fact that there was someone in the imperial palace protecting me made me feel at ease. But beyond that, I was worried that Ian might have moved on his own and done something truly absurd. How will he react if I make a mistake? I could hear what the crown prince said, but it was clear that it touched my heart.

 

“How will you react if that person dies? Will you blame me? Or will you curse me? Or will you regret your own actions for not listening to me at that time? Huh? I guess it’ll be one way.”

 

Those words were enough to make my heart flutter. Words that I had never thought about, or rather, I had thought about but tried to ignore.

 

“Or, if I bring that guy in and hold a knife to his throat and tell him to listen to me, then he will obey me. How can I get the ability to hear what I say?”

 

Just thinking about it makes me feel uncomfortable right away. I felt like if someone were to make unreasonable demands on me over Ian’s life, I would give in to any demands. Even if it’s Beralt that I hate the most, then does Ian also have the same thoughts as me? He made it clear that he didn’t mind arrows being fired at him, but not others. But it was heard. The arrow fired at Ian was also important. Just as he hurts when I get hurt, I hurt when he gets hurt. So I hope he is happy. Just as I find my happiness in myself, I hope that he too finds his happiness in others. and…

 

“Shall we go back?”

 

I held Ian’s grumbling hand. Ian, who was pouting, turns his head towards me and smiles. The smile made him feel good and warmed his heart. I laughed too. If we were to find each other’s happiness in that way, then our happiness was a happiness we had to create and find. It didn’t matter even if the process of finding happiness was complicated, difficult, and thorny.

 

“Is that so?”

 

Because the process of finding happiness itself is happiness.

 

* * *

 

Prince Deoreden, who returned to his office, kicked the bowing knight in the stomach. Even though he was kicked in the abdomen with a heavy sound, the driver silently lowered his head without a single groan. The Crown Prince, who kicked the knight without changing his expression, looked down at him with a frown and turned his head. Beralt, the person who sat on the chair and did not even turn her head even when the owner came, stood up with a frown on his face.

 

“Are you here?”

 

“…Beralt.”

 

Deoreden looked at him blankly and walked slowly. He was the main culprit who ruined today’s work and the man who had just been mentioned by Laurencea as someone who could cut his own throat. Beralt had a relaxed expression on his face, as if he was aware of this or not. He didn’t seem to know that he had done something wrong. The crown prince approached him, rolled his eyes, looked at his face, and then slowly opened his mouth.

 

“As you said, he was quite arrogant.”

 

It was not a criticism or reprimand towards him. Deoreden grinned and walked past Beralt, sitting down in his office chair and leaning back. He haughtily crossed his legs, clasped his hands over them, and pulled the corner of his mouth.

 

“You looked me in the eye and said some sassy things. The courage is extraordinary, but it is reckless.”

 

“Did I tell you? If she had been able to convince me with words, she wouldn’t have come here in the first place.” 

 

Beralt also leisurely came over and sat opposite him.

 

“Besides, I find it very annoying that they interfere with our work in any way. If we leave it alone, there is a high probability that it will become an obstacle.”

 

“I thought it was just a local nobleman, but it turned out he had a tiger on his back.”

 

At his words, Beralt took a deep breath and then chuckled.

 

“Isn’t this a toothless tiger that will collapse soon anyway?”

 

A tiger whose teeth will fall out. Deoreden closed his eyes as he repeated those words lowly. Just now, the two arrogant masters of the family, who were saying things they couldn’t say to themselves, were laughing. Even though he was the next emperor of the empire, he could not resist the masters of the two families. Realizing that the imperial authority had collapsed, his fists gained strength again.

 

“I don’t know why our ancestors rely on those guys so much. If the imperial authority were strengthened and all power was united in the center, this wouldn’t have happened.”

 

“Thanks to that, I was able to gather new nobles, so I think there are surprisingly good things about it.”

 

Deoredan looked at Beralt, who was smiling at her, and then smiled. It might have felt strange to be sitting across from her and smiling with the man who had given her life for her just moments ago, but their conversation was casual, as if they knew each other.

 

“What do you think?”

 

“Which part are you talking about?”

 

“Those two guys, or is one a bitch?”

 

Beralt nodded as she lifted her chin arrogantly.

 

“You’ll find out in a little while anyway.”

 

“How much preparation is left?”

 

“I think we can start tomorrow.”

 

“It’s okay to spend a little more time, so it would be nice to handle it perfectly.”

 

The bored expression on the crown prince’s face seemed drowsy. Beralt looked at him quietly and slowly opened his mouth.

 

“It looks like His Majesty the Emperor will be stepping down from the throne soon. His health problems are worsening.

 

“I guess so. I’m old too.”

 

Deoreden seemed unimpressed as he talked about his father. There was no trace of humanity in him, who only thought about losses and profits without changing his expression. Deoreden lowered his eyes slightly and raised his gaze as if he was contemplating something.

 

“If I ascend to the throne like this, the pressure from both duke families will eventually become more severe. It’s okay since I’m not under direct pressure right now, but if I directly participate in political affairs, it will probably be difficult to build a new power.”

“It would be nice if His Majesty could hold out a little longer, but if not, we will have to hurry as 

much as possible.”

 

“Well, it’s important to hurry. It will increase the authority of the throne I will ascend. But do you know what inspires me more than that?”

 

Beralt shrugged his shoulders as he saw Deoreden moistening his lips with his tongue and smiling. Deoreden turned his gaze to look out his window and narrowed his eyes.

 

“I’m curious to see how the two people who are so close to each other will react in the near future.”

 

“Human instincts come out when their lives are at stake. Wouldn’t it be fun to see that?”

 

Deoreden glanced at Beralt and leaned against the armrest with a grin. As he tilted his body and raised his upper body, his voice resonated deeply in his throat.

 

“I’m looking forward to it, that kind of thing.”

 

“I will try my best to make you happier.”

 

He looked at Beralt, who was bending down, and smiled lowly and sinisterly. We always wear a mask of fake laughter towards people around us, but there is no need to do that to each other. Even if this incident was heard, Deoreden would not have abandoned Beralt. For the two of them, this incident was nothing more than a throwaway. It’s okay if it works, it’s not, but the purpose was clear. It’s about showing Ian and Lawrence what kind of situation they can create. Even a little bit of fume could burrow into that area and cause a deep wound. Even trivial evidence could be brought to trial like this time, as if it were a serious crime, with just the crown prince’s signature.

 

“Anyway, it’s fascinating.”

 

The crown prince rested his chin and tilted his upper body, letting out a mocking laugh. Beralt slightly raised his eyebrows and asked what I was curious about. The crown prince looked at him with a relaxed tone.

 

“Have you not been very interested in other people’s stories? You make fun of them by saying they are them and I am me, but why are you reacting so sensitively to Lawrence’s name?”

 

Beralt closed his mouth. When he heard from the Crown Prince the story he had heard from Duke Safeldrick not long ago, he felt a pang of confusion in his heart. Why? Beralt had asked himself that question countless times. Lawrence, a cocky and unlikable woman, was once the heir to the family she had been targeting, so she was a little offended. He then got the idea that if he used her twin sister, he could devour her family, so he moved closer. There was definitely a time when she liked Beralt.  She opened her heart, as evidenced by her invitation to her own mansion. But at some point, she completely turned around. That’s why Lawrence’s presence felt so important to him. At her coming of age ceremony, she, who he thought could be held in his own hands, showed off her beautiful figure and danced with Grand Duke Berdian, whom people admired. Next there was a kiss. He tried to think it was no big deal, but he was angry and anxious. Even though he tried to ignore it and turned his body, he responded to the name Lawrence heard from somewhere.

 

‘Let’s ignore her, Lawrence is nothing to me.’

 

He promised himself, but he knew. That his own greed, his greed and all he desires want her. He couldn’t hand her over to someone else what had been in his hands. Whatever it was.

 

“Hmm, I was thinking about it.”

 

Beralt lifted his head from her thoughts. The crown prince was smiling sinisterly.

 

“What if this thing goes well? Would you like to receive Lawrence as a present?”

 

“…Are you talking about a gift?”

 

Receiving Lawrence as a gift? Beralt replied with a smile and a satisfied look on his face as he remembered her becoming his own.

 

“It’s okay.”

 

The Crown Prince giggled, stretched his upper body, and soon closed his eyes.

 

“I wonder how those two will react.

 

“You will find out soon.”

 

The two people’s meaningful laughter pierced the air along with an unexpected conversation.

 

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Translator Note:

Today you will have double release <3