The Sickly Youngest Member of the Villainous Family

***

 

“The current situation can be seen as a continuation of events that occurred a hundred years ago,” Hector explained.

 

The repercussions of Kaisa’s Curse being used to attack me were enormous. Even the neutral Akada and Halo have sided with us since then.

 

Meanwhile, the isolated Taylors were forced to accept our terms.

 

It was unavoidable because they belong to a family that committed heinous crimes a hundred years ago.

 

The problem is that the condition that Recardo demanded from the Taylors is that of a “hostage”.

 

Of course, it was referred to as “mutual exchange for peaceful interaction between the families” without using the term “hostage” directly, but everyone knew what it meant.

 

For the past five years, Chenoa Taylors had resisted with all sorts of excuses, but eventually he had to accept.

 

“Seems like you’re unable to concentrate today.” Hector, who used to tell me stories about ancient history, clicked his tongue as he chided me.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

The theory that a butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the Earth can cause a storm applies to this situation as well.

 

It’s a circumstance that didn’t exist in the original.

 

The use of Kaisa’s Curse to attack me had brought Evan Taylors to the Winchesters, a family of villains.

 

If something like this had happened in the original work, readers would have protested, calling it the “sweet potato segment”.

 

“Well, there are days like this too. Let’s stop here for today.”

 

At Hector’s declaration of ending the lesson, I closed the book.

 

“I guess you’re curious.”

 

And at Hector’s subsequent words, I flinched.

 

Hector raised the corner of his mouth and chuckled.

 

“You’ve always been interested in Evan Taylor from the beginning.”

 

I thought I didn’t show it, but it seems he noticed.

 

It’s inevitable that even if the story deviates from the original, Evan is the protagonist in the story. His whereabouts, personality, abilities… I can’t help but be curious about everything.

 

As I tightly sealed my lips, Hector added, “Beautiful flowers often have thorns or poison. Beyond the light, there are shadows darker than darkness. Remember that.”

 

He seemed to be cautioning me about my curiosity.

 

“Yes, Grandfather.”

 

As Hector looked at me, he muttered to himself, “It’s fortunate that Evan Taylor will come after Othello leaves. If that guy were here, there would be quite a commotion.”

 

With a puzzled expression, I asked Hector, “Where is Othello going?”

 

“The hostage deal is an exchange. As a pretext, it’s about taking care of each other’s sons and maintaining friendly relations between the families.”

 

My heart sank for a moment.

 

“A mutual exchange?”

 

“They will give us Evan Taylors, their heir, and we will give them Othello.”

 

If we had unilaterally demanded a hostage, Halo and Akada would not have easily sided with us. They also had to be wary of the imbalance of power.

 

By giving flesh and taking bones, Recardo demanded Evan.

 

If we have to exchange a son, the Taylors will give Evan, the one and only heir, and we will give Othello, not Jin, the heir.

 

I clenched my fist and stood up.

 

“What is the matter?” Hector raised an eyebrow and asked.

 

“It’s not right.”

 

“What?”

 

“It can’t be done. Othello…”

 

Even if there were strategic reasons, it’s not right to manipulate people like chess pieces…

 

~ Translations by Lurelia | Editing by Valpal | Read only at moonlightnovels.com ~

 

I got off the chair and took a step forward. Then I turned my head and spoke to Hector.

 

“I will ask Father to cancel it. Can’t you help me, Grandfather?”

 

Hector’s gaze wavered for a moment as I looked at him intently, but he immediately shook his head.

 

“Othello volunteered to go first.”

 

I was momentarily speechless at his words.

 

Othello… He said he would go to the Taylor Duchy?

 

He never said that to me. Just yesterday, he had been nonchalantly teasing me.

 

“He must have his own thoughts.”

 

“Grandfather, I… I will get going.”

 

Hector, who was staring at me, smirked and nodded.

 

The fraternal affection of a younger sibling thinking of her older brother seemed quite fictitious.

 

I left the library and headed towards Othello’s room. Now I knew the mansion’s paths like the back of my hand.

 

“Miss, I understand your feelings of resentment towards Young Master Othello, but…”

 

“Maya, did you know too?”

 

“Miss…”

 

Despite Maya’s attempts to stop me, I was determined to confront Othello. And as I reached his door, I suddenly hesitated.

 

Confront him… What am I going to…?

 

“…….”

 

Othello was my half-brother, the villain I once wanted to avoid. The strength drained from my tightly clenched fist.

 

Life here was more satisfying than I had initially expected, but the desire to avoid danger when thinking about the future remained.

 

Am I Winchester, or will I just live as Winchester? I still haven’t settled on an answer, so who am I to say…….

 

Click–

 

And at that moment, the door opened.

 

In the doorway stood Othello, decked out in his full regalia, staring down at me. A boy who had now grown to be more handsome and taller than Maya.

 

Othello’s eyebrows twitched. He reached out his hand to me, and I felt a cold touch on my cheek.

 

“…You…”

 

Othello’s lips trembled, and then a displeased voice escaped his throat.

 

“Why are you crying?”

 

I blinked. I felt him wipe my tears away and realized for the first time that I had been crying.

 

He stared into my watery eyes.

 

I quickly averted my gaze and said, “I was just…… just, crying.”

 

I recalled the moment when Othello pushed Permetis aside and rescued me. The moment when he expressed anger towards the maids for my sake. And the words he said as he lifted me onto the rock.

 

‘……Only I can bully you, little one.’

 

No matter what his predetermined fate is, no matter what the fate of the family may be, the natural bond that forms between people cannot be avoided.

 

I’ve bumped up against Othello enough times.

 

“Are you sad because I’m going to Taylors?”

 

“…….”

 

I didn’t answer. I wasn’t even sure if I felt sad.

 

“…….There have not been many people who have cried.”

 

Twisting his lips as I kept my mouth shut, he softly continued his commentary.

 

“You’re the second person to cry for me, little one.”

 

Today, Othello didn’t seem as mischievous as usual. Rather, he seemed somewhat pleased.

 

After a long silence, I finally spoke.

 

“……Are you really going?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“It’s dangerous. Can’t you just not go?”

 

“I think we have more to gain here than we would there. That guy, Evan Taylor, he’s the leak in our family. He’ll definitely be trying to find our weaknesses,” Othello said, tilting his head. “I’ve got a knack for that, too, and I’ll have to earn my…… father’s approval.”

 

“But…….”

 

“Sasha,” Othello called my name.

 

In his eyes, I could see my own, wavering.

 

“It won’t be long, so just make sure you grow up strong.”

 

“…….”

 

“I’ll see how much you’ve grown when I come back,” he added while poking my forehead.

 

Outside the window behind Othello, the sky was tinged with a reddish hue. Bathed in that warm sunlight, his pink hair looked especially vibrant today. Even his emerald-green irises appeared dark and reddish.

 

Before he withdrew his hand, he placed it on top of my head.

 

“And when we meet again…….” His eyes, looking down at me, seemed unusually lonely. “If you’re still small, you’ll get scolded.”

 

Othello, who wasn’t being mischievous, seemed unfamiliar. Almost awkward. For a long time, I silently stared at Othello before nodding my head.

 

* * *

 

~ Translations by Lurelia | Editing by Valpal | Read only at moonlightnovels.com ~

 

“Did you hear that Taylor’s hostage is coming this time, and that the servants and maids might be changing places?”

 

“I want the main building’s second floor!”

 

“Me too! Somewhere close to the young lady’s room!”

 

The young maids chatted animatedly.

 

“Arthur, we low-ranking servants don’t stand a chance. It used to be that everyone wanted a room that would catch the eye of the duke and young masters…… These days, the post nearest to the lady is the most competitive.”

 

The freckled maid shook her head with a sigh.

 

“No wonder. There’s no one like her among the young ladies. The other day, she made a work schedule for the guard captain.”

 

“What? What’s that?”

 

“Well, the captain of the guard wastes a day every month with the headache of organizing the guards’ work schedules. There are hundreds of guards in the house alone, and they have to be divided into nights and days.”

 

“That’s right. But it’s unavoidable.”

 

Once, due to a messed-up schedule, a guard worked for five days straight without rest and ended up dozing off during the day.

 

“But there’s a way to make it into numbers, so they don’t overlap and can be easily arranged however you want. It’s on a stone tablet, and it involves this thing called ‘maths’ that the young lady is learning.”

 

The other maids were amazed at her words.

 

“My goodness, using such advanced knowledge for us lower-class people.”

 

In the desolate environment of the Winchester Dukedom, the more Sasha grew up, the more prominent she became.

 

“…… Is it about her again?”

 

Recardo looked out the window as he listened to the servants.

 

The atmosphere of the mansion had changed in many ways, albeit subtly, compared to before Sasha was born.