He’s My Real Brother, Duke Chapter 153

With those words, the Duke of Anais sat back in his chair with all the sophistication of an aristocrat. 

 

Ropa muttered, looking dumbfounded, “No, this isn’t some kind of… Oh, wait, never mind, get on with it.”

 

Cassian’s expression twisted. He shuffled nervously through his papers and spoke up.

 

“But first, let’s deal with the rest of what’s left of the fallen.”

 

“I’ll take care of the remnants if that’s what you want, Lord Cassian Gray.”

 

Cassian smirked as he checked the filing cabinet labeled [House Oscar].

 

It looked like they were going to sweep it all up, but…

 

Still too much aggression.

 

Ten points out of a million.

 

Everyone watched the subtle tension between Cassian and the Duke of Anais with bated breath.

 

Only Cassian remained calm.

 

‘Time will tell if he cares about Astel or not.’

 

Of course, Cassian could see that Duke Anais and Astel seemed to be in love with each other.

 

But that’s what he didn’t like about it.

 

Love was a fickle emotion.

 

What would happen to Astel if the love of a man who lacked basic humanity waned?

 

Besides, Cassian’s understanding of the Duke of Anais’ character wasn’t just a lack of basic humanity.

 

He was a total piece of work.

 

Which made it all the more unbelievable. I know better than anyone what kind of nature lurks beneath that pretense.

 

I thought, ‘If I provoke him enough, his true nature will come out. A very aggressive and demanding kind of thing.’

 

Cassian’s jawline stiffened.

 

Except for the sound of him flipping through papers, the room was eerily silent.

 

The Duke maintained a languid silence, staring at Cassian through a clenched jaw, and the others were dumbfounded by the unexpected skit.

 

It was Cassian who broke the seemingly endless silence again.

 

He pointed to a section of paperwork and asked, “Has a date been set for the imperial banquet?”

 

“In honor of how well this case has turned out, the Imperial Palace is hosting a banquet in the near future. His Majesty the Emperor is in attendance.”

 

“A banquet in this time of war? Isn’t this wartime administration?”

 

Disgruntled murmurs erupted among the knights, but the Duke of Anais gently shushed them.

 

“No, it’s time to divide up the work, to give the falsely accused families their proper estates and possessions, and it’s only logical that we should have a grand feast to placate the ruffled feathers.”

 

The knight who’d been shouting wartime administration at the top of his lungs stiffened and took a step back.

 

“By the way, if we have to deal with the remnants of the abdicated state, do you think we’ll have time to attend the banquet?”

 

“Of course, we’re going, the Emperor invited us!”

 

Ropa cooed, sounding like a gorilla in delight.

 

Cassian narrowed his brow in thought.

 

Once he and Astel had passed through the palace’s ranks, their identities would naturally be proven.

 

Prove that they are members of House Vietry at the Imperial Banquet.

 

It was quite the picture Cassian had been hoping for.

 

‘We’d better make a splash at this upcoming banquet. For my sake, for Astel’s sake, and my late parents as well.’

 

Cassian, who had been listening to the exchange of words, spoke, “When exactly is the imperial banquet?”

 

“Alas, Lord Gray, the banquet is a week from now. Time is a bit tight, but the palace needs to keep the people in line.”

 

Cassian clicked his tongue and flipped through the documents for the party.

 

“It says family members are welcome to attend.”

 

“Yes, it does! Wait, you had a family?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The knights, including Ropa Shellind, who had assumed Cassian was an orphan, looked puzzled.

 

But Cassian smirked and ran a hand through his hair.

 

“I was hoping to introduce her soon.”

 

Astel and Cassian’s relationship, which only the Duke of Anais knew.

 

The Duke of Anais’s eager gaze tickled both his cheeks.

 

Cassian casually ignored his gaze.

 

That dirty, slimy gaze, along with the fact that he seemed to think the banquet was his chance to meet Astel…

 

The look of innocence on his face, like, ‘Oh, I don’t know anything.’ 

 

When I know full well that he’s a dirty person.

 

‘How can he wear that expression so casually when he’s the number one worst person in the world to use the word naive?’ 

 

Even the quick change of stance was abominable.

 

Cassian glared at the Duke of Anais again, his eyes burning.

 

But the Duke of Anais, despite Cassian’s scornful glare, smiled his best human smile.

 

Never before had the Duke ever done so…

 

It was a flattering smile, a desperate effort.

 

Cassian, of course, completely ignored his smile by simply shaking his head.

 

💫

 

“You have an invitation to the Imperial Palace Banquet, Astel!”

 

I was playing with Rune in the warm sunshine when my brother suddenly burst through the door.

 

Looking up at him, I asked nervously, “What? An invitation to the imperial banquet?”

 

I was completely out of my element.

 

He said he couldn’t reveal his blonde hair until he was officially recognized, so he dyed it a strawberry brown, which made him look a little ridiculous.

 

But hey, where’s a handsome face without one?

 

As I was examining his face, he suddenly roared at me, like he was shouting.

 

“What do you think, huh? Aren’t you glad!”

 

“After all, the imperial palace throws parties… often…”

 

I pause, looking at him with a casual expression.

 

He had a look on his face that said he was expecting something.

 

The moment I saw his expression, a lightning bolt of realization struck me.

 

“…You’re planning to reveal our family name at the imperial banquet.”

 

“Yes.”

 

I could see my brother’s reasoning. He meant to reveal our identity in front of everyone.

 

And I agreed with him. If we were going to make a grand return for our family, it would be best to do it in front of all the nobles.

 

I nodded in agreement, “When’s the party?”

 

“In a week.”

 

There was plenty of time to prepare.

 

I frowned at my brother and opened my mouth to speak.

 

A dress needs to be made, and I need to learn to dance for the event. 

 

But he beat me to it.

 

“So, Astel. I’ve moved the entire boutique.”

 

“Oh?”

 

After walking past me in a daze, he opened the curtain of the window.

 

I gazed casually toward the window.

 

My brother’s finger pointed to the carriage that lurched outside the window.

 

“I’ve got the dressmakers out there, and I’ve asked every lady I know, and I’ve picked the best ones, and I’ve paid them two months’ wages, but after…”

 

“…When did you ever do any of that, and anyway, your…”

 

I chuckled. Then my brother patted me on the shoulder and said.

 

“I’m going to dress you better than any other Duke’s daughter, you can expect that.”

 

I think I heard him whisper to himself, “I’ll do everything for you that I haven’t done before.”

 

But my thoughts had drifted beyond the ball gown.

 

‘I wonder if Knox will be there? It’s an imperial ball.’

 

The thought of him being there made me want to wear a prettier dress.

 

So far, I’d only shown him my healer’s uniform. Maybe he’d be surprised to see me after all these years.

 

‘I hope he comes.’

 

But why hasn’t he been written to me or come to see me in the last few days?

 

Surely he hasn’t forgotten me?

 

Possibly it’s because of my brother?

 

My vision was clouded with a strange anxiety.

 

“Astel, what are you thinking?”

 

He tilted his head, puzzled by my pause.

 

I shook my head briskly and laughed and said, “No, I’m thinking about what dresses will be fashionable.”

 

“That’s something this brother knows very well.”

 

“You’re the flower of the capital, aren’t you?”

 

He pouted his lips as if he hated the nickname.

 

“It’s just a charade… How naive you are.”

 

“…I don’t think so.”

 

Playing word games with my brother, I grinned broadly, trying to shake off the lingering doubts that had settled like dust in my mind.

 

Let’s not think about Knox anymore. I’d meet him soon enough anyway.

 

‘If he gets too busy and forgets about me, I can always make sure he remembers me again when we meet!’

 

💫

 

Of course, Knox hadn’t forgotten Astel.

 

No, forgetting wasn’t quite the right word.

 

He thought of her every minute, every second.

 

But he couldn’t face her, because Cassian stood in the way.

 

That day, after the political meeting adjourned, Cassian left with nothing but a cold breeze.

 

From then on, he never appeared in any of the meetings.

 

He traveled the countryside in the name of disposing of the remnants of the deposed Prince, never running into anyone.

 

It felt quite deliberate, but there was nothing Knox could do about it.

 

A strange sense of weariness enveloped his entire body.

 

‘You resent me more than I thought.’ 

 

Knox’s complexion turned a little paler as he remembered what he had done.

 

‘I… I wonder why.’

 

He wished he could go back in time before he’d grabbed Cassian’s throat.

 

I should have been as nice as I could then…

 

— ‘Get the hell out of here.’

 

His fist shuddered. Instead of saying that…

 

— ‘Brother, I’d like us to be on good terms for Astel.’

 

But better late than never.

 

For the past few days, Knox had been plagued by bizarre delusions that he shouldn’t have destroyed the Crown Prince’s regression totem.

 

‘If I had known this would happen, I should have left it behind and turned it back. It would have been so nice to turn it back…’

 

But the past was already irreversible.

 

It’s not that he hasn’t visited Astel in the meantime.

 

Despite being coldly turned away at political meetings, he has visited Astel’s mansion again and again, circling the neighborhood.

 

But each time he did, Cassian’s knights would rush in and block his path.

 

Sure, he could have pushed his way in through force or power.

 

…because he could not be hated anymore.

 

In a dignified manner, he pleaded with even the gatekeeper of the manor, a man of considerably lower rank than him.

 

— ‘I request a private audience with Lady Astel.:

 

— ‘Well… Lord Gray has told me to give you this note when His Excellency the Duke visits.’

 

Looking at the Duke of Anais, the servant carefully held out the note.

 

[Denied]

 

His eyes lit up as he realized the contents of the hastily scribbled note.

 

He felt a strange sense of foreboding.