He’s My Real Brother, Duke Chapter 104

 

He simply squinted at me, unconcerned. The Duke observed the two of us and turned to address my brother in a nonchalant tone.

 

“This is the first time I’ve seen you since the meeting.”

 

“We have been in fine shape, Your Excellency.”

 

The Duke nodded lightly, glanced at me again, then gestured toward Cassian.

 

“How about a handshake.”

 

He offered his hand first.

 

“What? You want one of my arms?”

 

My brother’s misjudgment caused the Duke’s veins to turn blue at his temples.

 

“I mean, let’s shake hands like a man.”

 

“What do you mean…”

 

The Duke took Cassian’s hand and shook it shamelessly up and down several times.

 

Then he turned to Astel, looking at her as if expecting praise.

 

“Astel, look. We’re going to be friends now.”

 

I thought that sounded a little too obvious…?

 

With a confused glance, I looked back and forth between the Duke and my brother.

 

But here was someone who looked even more puzzled than me: my brother, Lord Cassian Grey.

 

He looked quite dumbfounded and frustrated at being shaken, but then calmly regained his composure.

 

Then he replied poignantly, “I find your sudden change in demeanor quite puzzling, Your Excellency.”

 

At that, the Duke glared at him wordlessly.

 

At this rate, I thought sparks would fly between them. I, caught in the middle, waved my hand at them and said.

 

“Uh, maybe, just maybe, you two can get along, I guess.”

 

“Sure, Astel.”

 

“Huh…”

 

At my words, my brother threw his hands up in the air, a look of bewilderment on his face.

 

The Duke smiled, one corner of his mouth twitching upward, and roughly unclasped the hands that shook Cassian’s.

 

Then he tilted his head toward Cassian and whispered in a low voice.

 

His voice was too low for me to hear clearly.

 

“Astel told me to be your friend, so I will.”

 

“With all due respect, Your Excellency, you look like you want to kill me. Are you serious?”

 

The Duke shook his head and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his hand where it had touched Cassian’s.

 

And then he whispered gracefully, “Of course not.”

 

Worried that the cordial atmosphere would change, I laughed merrily.

 

“Come on, the three of us, let’s go in together, cozy up!”

 

My brother looked uncomfortable, but fortunately, even the Duke was receptive.

 

He’s the last person in the world to be described as ‘easygoing,’ but for once, he was beaming as he held my hand.

 

Behind me, I could hear the simultaneous exclamations of incredulity from Lord Mayer and my brother, but the Duke continued to dismiss the knights with a straight face, as if he was oblivious to the surrounding noise.

 

“Open the door.”

 

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

 

The two strongest knights and the Duke of Anais had gathered.

 

The gatekeepers, their legs trembling with respect and awe, hastily announced the Duke’s and my entrance.

 

“His Excellency, the Duke of Anais of the Northern Dukedom of Anais, and his partner and ward, enter.”

 

With that, the Duke and I strutted toward the center of the hall, followed by the Knight of Honor, Cassian.

 

Soon, we reached the center of the hall, with its gilded chandeliers, massive glass statues, and artworks worth billions.

 

Standing in front of me, nervous as I entered, was a beautiful young lady who was being proposed to by the Duke.

 

Beautifully wavy platinum or silken hair and eyes that sparkle with gold.

 

She was the polar opposite of innocent and seductive, and her beauty alone was overwhelming.

I lifted my chin and tried to look as confident as possible.

 

The Princess strode over to us, looking at me strangely intently.

 

“Welcome, Duke Anais.”

 

A gentle smile played at the corners of her mouth. 

 

It was a beautiful smile, and it took my breath away.

 

The Duke, who had been looking at the Princess as if she were a stone, said with an indifferent demeanor and a mild courtesy.

 

“I greet the Princess.”

 

Normally, I should have bowed to Her Majesty first, but as a commoner under imperial law, I was not allowed to speak directly to her. 

 

As I stood still on the sidelines, taking in the atmosphere, she spoke to me first.

 

“Ah, are you the young lady under the Duke’s sponsorship?”

 

The Duke spoke in a deep voice, stepping forward as if to protect me.

 

“Yes.”

 

Why did it feel like a warning when it was just a simple answer?

 

She saw the Duke’s crooked smile and smiled back, more resolutely than I expected.

 

It was a far cry from the way that smile had made me shiver.

 

“Very well, but I have something important to tell you. Before the banquet begins, His Majesty the Emperor would like to speak with the Duke in private for a few moments.”

 

“No.”

 

The Princess’s complexion paled at the adamant disobedience.

 

But the Duke replied meekly, “Perhaps it would be better if we spoke in the palace at a later date.”

 

Watching the Princess’s countenance fidget at the rudely obvious rejection, I cautiously squeezed the hand I held with the Duke.

 

“Take care, Your Excellency.”

 

Looking down at me for speaking out of politeness, he straightens the pearl lace trim that cascades down my shoulders and replies.

 

“This place is dangerous.”

 

He was adamant, but I had my own reasons for needing the Duke to leave my side. I rolled my eyes and thought hard about what I could say that would please the Duke.

 

“I think it would be wonderful to see the great Duke in the company of the Emperor, so… wouldn’t it?”

 

“But—”

 

I looked at the Duke, my eyes twinkling.

 

“That would be wonderful, my gosh.”

 

The Duke’s face furrowed in concern as he watched me, then he nodded in agreement.

 

“Then I’ll be right back, Astel, in five minutes after I’ve informed the Emperor.”

 

Though I had no idea how, he would be back in five minutes…

 

For a moment, Astel thought, ‘Thank goodness, I can talk to my brother now!’ Glancing in the direction of the man whom he’d treated as invisible until now, he addressed him.

 

“Lord Cassian Gray.”

 

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

 

“Come with me. You will stand in the doorway and guard me.”

 

“…I am your Excellency?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Although my brother frowned, he was powerless to defy the Duke.

 

The Princess looked embarrassed, but she held no real power and was in no position to speak ill of the Duke from her purely adopted position.

 

So the three of them—the Princess, the Duke, and my brother—left the banquet hall.

 

It was puzzling that they’d brought him along, and that the Emperor’s summons could be fulfilled in five minutes…

 

The strangest thing was the atmosphere here.

 

Everyone was looking at my brother and the Duke with a sidelong glance, pretending not to care.

 

Some seemed to be expecting a fight to break out, while others had a strange glint of eagerness in their eyes.

 

“The Princess and the Duke are indeed a match made in heaven, dear.”

 

“…What are you talking about? The issue in the capital these days is—”

 

“Ohhh!”

 

Despite being exposed to so much gossip, I persevered and struck up a conversation with Lord Mayer.

 

I noticed the blended wines on the table in the hall, as well as the simple cheese salami and finger foods, but I had no appetite.

 

‘Now I must tell him in detail what I do, and what my capabilities are.’

 

A puff of air swelled in my chest. With all the nobles in the room looking at me as if they weren’t, this was a clear opportunity.

 

I picked up the round, white, pre-made pill and popped it into the fondant in my wine glass.

 

“Lord Mayer, do you know what this is?”

 

“What?”

 

“It’s a hangover pill.”

 

He replied, his eyes widening, “Hangover cure?”

 

“Yes. It doesn’t change the taste of alcohol, but if you take it with wine, your head doesn’t hurt at all the next day.”

 

It was a stiff, half-awkward, half-explanatory tone, but it seemed to intrigue the nobles, who were fortunately paying attention to us. 

 

Over my gulping wine, I could hear them chattering.

 

“…Was she dealing with drugs?”

 

“Could that be illegal drugs? What did you say it was supposed to alleviate?”

 

“Didn’t they just say it frees you from death?”

 

…That’s not it!

 

I almost looked at them without realizing it. I feigned calm and took another sip of wine. As I casually sipped my wine and stared at Lord Mayer, I heard the chatter of the nobles again.

 

“Could it be that His Highness the Duke has taken notice of her abilities and taken her under his wing?”

 

“If so… perhaps it is a genius in the field of medicine?”

 

Maybe it was the image of the Duke as my guardian, but I seemed to be gaining a reputation for something a little strange…

 

According to my plan, it was enough to be known that I ‘dealt in medicines’ for now.

 

‘Before that, it was time for the Duke of Cornwall to appear.’

 

The Duke said he would be back in five minutes, so I was eager to run into him as soon as possible and find out what he was up to. Fortunately, the Duke of Cornwall didn’t keep me waiting long.

 

Soon, a middle-aged man appeared before me. 

 

His hair was matted, as if he hadn’t washed in a long time, and his tattered uniform, a decade-old style that looked like it had been hastily pieced together, was covered in dandruff.

 

He was staggering this way, glaring at me. Lord Mayer whispered to me perplexedly, in a low voice, ‘…Duke Cornwall…’ 

 

I wondered how many nobles would show up at a banquet hosted by the Emperor himself.

 

“…His Highness, the Duke of House of Cornwall. He’s been gone for over a decade…”

 

“Yes, it’s him.”

 

At last, the Duke of Cornwall, the big fish of the evening, was right under my nose, and the timing of his arrival was perfect for even the least discerning of us. He halted in front of me, the smell of wine wafting in the air.

 

“Your name?”

 

I flinched instinctively at the sight of his white hair and jet-black eyes that looked like they had doll eyeballs rather than human ones.

 

He tilted his head in a bloodcurdling fashion.

 

“Hmph, hmph…”

 

He muttered in rapid succession, wearing a strange, maddening expression. I stared at him calmly, even as the creepy hissing made all the nobles hold their breath.

 

That looks like fake madness, and I’m not really scared of you.

 

What scares me most, though, to think of my entire family being decapitated and blamed for something we haven’t even done.

 

“Astel, Your Excellency.”

 

I replied, straightening my back and glaring straight at him.