He’s My Real Brother, Duke Chapter 108

 

“…I could never get any closer.”

 

“Incompetent and useless.”

 

The man stiffened, unable to meet the Duke of Cornwall’s flickering gaze.

 

“You will find out more at once, do you understand?”

 

As he spoke, he slapped his aide across the face with the viciousness of his hand. Paying no more attention than that to the lowly henchman who nearly sprawled on the floor, he turned his gaze back to the grave.

 

“Wait.”

 

His voice was sweet and gentle, not at all like the maniacal rampage he’d been.

 

“I will soon make the sacrifice you desire…”

 

The Duke of Cornwall rubbed lazily at the spectacle in his gaping mouth.

 

Whether Astel was related to House Vietry or not, it didn’t matter. Whatever stood opposite him, whatever it was, needed to be killed, as usual.

 

🐾

 

Having agreed to cooperate with the Silver Fox family, I arrived at Ethylt Street, a promising commercial street in the capital.

 

Worried that I might be scammed by my unusually wobbly face, I decided to accompany the Duke.

 

‘No evil man would dare to betray the Duke!’

 

…But when I looked around the streets of Ethylt, I realized that every building in the rows was empty. Not only were the buildings empty, but there was not a human being in sight.

 

I walked with the Duke through the ghost town, trying to figure out exactly where we should set up shop.

 

“How is it that there aren’t even… real estate agents here?”

 

“It’s quite dreary and desolate, I’d suggest somewhere else, it’s dangerous.”

 

I didn’t nod, but inwardly I agreed with him. It was true that the place looked somewhat slumlike, but there was a reason to start a business on this street.

 

“Hmm… but there’s something symbolic about Ethylt Street.”

 

” A symbolic, you mean?”

 

“Yes, I’m actually thinking of opening an ordinary dessert cafe…”

 

Of course, it was never going to be an ‘ordinary’ dessert. I’ll be working with the best pastry chefs the Duke has ever hired, and I’ll be using my special recipes and the tools of the Silver Fox family.

 

“This could be my dessert, too,” I said, pacing with an affectionate smile on my face.

 

“Actually, this used to be the capital’s famous dessert street, for the past hundred years.”

 

The Duke raised one eyebrow in question.

 

“Then why is there nothing here?”

 

“Well…”

 

As if to encourage my hesitation, the Duke gave my clasped hand a slight squeeze. Encouraged by his consideration, I smiled sheepishly and whispered, ‘The Duke did it for me before.’

 

“Since the Duke hired all those chocolatiers and dessert artisans for me before…”

 

I stretched out my right arm and gestured to the deserted café street.

 

“This street is empty, it’s ruined!”

 

The Duke stared at me, speechless and puzzled.

 

“That’s why I’m coming back, to revive it!”

 

I already have a lot of pastry chefs and chocolatiers, so it would certainly be a good topic of conversation to revive a street that has been ruined by its outflow of talent.

 

‘It’s a bit like Kim Sundal’s tactic of watering the Daedong River…!’

 

Anyway, it’s good for everyone!

 

I’m happy to make money, the people of the capital could eat delicious desserts again, and Ethylt Street could be revived!

 

Thinking that, I shook his hand slightly and smiled with a twinkle in my eye.

 

“Now, let’s pick a good place to sit, shall we?”

 

My voice echoed through the deserted streets. In the distance, the real estate agent I’d asked for earlier walked briskly toward us and stopped when he saw us.

 

“You’re… Miss Astel, if I’m not mistaken? I’m the realtor, Tholt.”

 

“Hello, Tholt.”

 

I greeted him cordially, but Tholt, overwhelmed by the Duke’s presence, clinked his front teeth together. I looked up at the Duke and whispered under my breath. 

 

“Smile,” I said, and the Duke’s expression relaxed a little more languidly and sweetly.

 

“Good to see you.”

 

Fortunately, the Duke seemed very pleased.

 

It seemed to come more naturally to him now.

 

Strangely, though, Tholt began to stutter even more, as if he were frightened.

 

“I apologize, sir. If I have done anything wrong, I apologize…”

 

Why does this real estate agent feel even more terrified than when the Duke glared at him with his murderous expression…?

 

Feeling like he might pee on the seat at any moment, I cut to the chase.

 

“I’m thinking of opening a shop on the Avenue Ethylt, and I’d like to take a look at the property.”

 

“Yeah, sure. So, if there’s a good place…”

 

He stammered, carefully choosing his words.

 

But I shook my head and whispered in his ear.

 

“No, I don’t need somewhere nice, I’d rather…”

 

“…What?”

 

Tholt’s complexion flickered with curiosity as I coyly trailed off. I smirked at him and replied.

 

“I was wondering why there’s a building here, and I wanted a place to take myself…”

 

A look of bewilderment crossed Tholt’s face as if he’d never heard of such a request, but he didn’t bother to explain.

 

I glared at him and emphasized again.

 

“It has to be a very, very bad place, so hidden that you can’t visit it without deliberately looking for it, and it has to be completed as quickly as possible.”

 

My sullen voice caused both Tholt’s and the Duke’s expressions to turn questioning at the same time.

 

But I couldn’t explain everything right now.

 

After all, once the building was sold and remodeled, everyone would soon know my intentions.

 

🐾

 

A week later.

 

A trio of curious-looking young noble ladies arrived in the crumbling streets of Ethylt.

 

They were members of the prestigious Chevalier’s Circle, a social organization that only the debutantes of the Countess and above could join.

 

Their purpose was clear.

 

To be the first to find a dessert café that had begun to spread through the social circles a few days earlier, but which no one had yet visited.

 

The three ambitious young ladies arrived and frowned when they saw the streets of Ethylt as empty as ever.

 

“You’re selling cakes again, what are you doing in this empty street?”

 

She asked, her curiosity piqued.

 

The shorter one, also looking exhausted, slumped her shoulders.

 

“I can see it now. I’m starting to think that this cafe is just a publicity stunt and nothing more.”

 

They sighed in unison.

 

The one, with the most determined look on her face, clenched her fist and shook it.

 

“But all the pastry chefs I thought were dead are gathered in that quaint café!”

 

“Yes, the ones who were taken to the Northern Duchy…!”

 

“Where the hell are they, in that cafe of that woman Astel!”

 

But after more than a dozen minutes of searching, the streets of Ethylt were completely deserted.

 

“What we heard, could it be a rumor?”

 

The three young ladies’ enthusiasm was considerably dampened.

 

Just as they were thinking about getting back in the carriage and heading home, they unexpectedly encountered a cute little fox.

 

The baby silver fox trotted down the street, showing off its gorgeous silver fur.

 

They stared at the fox, mesmerized.

 

Then the fox grinned at them, ears perked up.

 

“Come here!”

 

“Huh? Us?”

 

They blinked in surprise, wondering if it was a beast.

 

The baby silver fox bravely began his invitation.

 

“Come see our dessert cafe!”

 

The young ladies exchanged bewildered glances.

 

Then, as if to say, ‘What are you waiting for?’ the fox squeaked and nipped at their skirts.

 

The young girls clasped their hands in front of their chests and stomped their feet as they looked at the white and silver fox.

 

“It’s true… it’s a rare silver fox, beast!”

 

The excited noble ladies burst out laughing.

 

One of the less shy ones carefully touched the fox’s ear, and it purred.

 

“You have been chosen! I will take you to a wonderful dessert cafe!”

 

A baby silver fox takes you to the cafe himself!

 

It’s like a fairy tale.

 

And chosen…

 

The aristocrats of the capital city were no match for the cute little fox.

 

Many of them secretly longed for a beast.

 

It was a bit difficult to climb the stairs in a dress with a maid-in attendant, but the fox’s charms made it easy for them not to resent the situation.

 

Their eyes burned with a subtle foreboding.

 

The path was well-paved, but the whole way up was stairs.

 

We’d come a long way, and I had no intention of turning back. Besides, I had already bragged to my friends that I was going to check out this cafe!

 

I finally arrived at the fancy cafe with my heart set on it.

 

“What is that…”

 

Their bodies stiffened with surprise. 

 

The cafe had been built in a week, with top-notch pastry chefs hired by the Duke of Anais, and magic tools made by the Silver Fox Family.

 

“…What the hell is that?”

 

The first thing they saw was a large glass window.

 

It was quite unusual for a cake shop to have a glass front.

 

Moreover, the shelves in front of the window were filled with what they assumed to be cakes.

 

“You know, that’s… cake, right?”

 

“…I guess it is, but…”

 

The young ladies hesitated as they looked at the cakes in front of them, their eyes sparkling as if they had seen something new. The cakes at the cake stall were not the cakes they knew.

 

“What the…”

 

No, it didn’t look like a cake at all. It looked like…