He’s My Real Brother, Duke – Chapter 158

Author: Nikss

“I won’t hurt her,” said Knox.

The old woman’s mouth dropped open as she looked at the Duke’s stern demeanor. She was beyond dumbfounded.

‘Then what the hell?’

“…May I ask, for what reason did you summon me?”

The Duke’s expression grew grave. Embarrassment was also evident on the old woman’s face.

“I was wondering how I can get my lover’s family to give me permission to marry her, and what the odds are.”

At that moment, the old woman saw the gentle smile on the Duke’s lips.

So all of this was just for simple love advice? This man, the Duke of Anais, the so-called Devil of the War, was here for love advice?

‘No, he’s not, isn’t this the famous Duke of Anais?’

The old woman scanned the man’s appearance. Black hair, piercing eyes…

No matter how much she tried to doubt it, his appearance, the reason for the camp in the Fulun Mountains, the knights of the Duke’s family encamped around the camp…

It’s definitely the Duke of Anais.

“That, th-that’s… the approval for marriage… so…”

‘How to get permission from a lover’s family to marry’ was the old woman’s specialty.

But no matter how hard she thought about it, she couldn’t believe it. That the Duke of Anais would be her insignificant client…

The old woman’s stunned expression was the last thing on her face. The smile on the Duke’s lips slowly faded and finally disappeared.

“It seems that my lover’s family hates me.”

As soon as his words were out of his mouth, an eerie silence fell.

Of course, it’s frightening.

The old woman who was about to say… pinched her thigh hastily.

The Duke, who had been staring at her changing expression, continued seriously.

“I have done wrong, and I am doing penance, but…”

“Did you kill him, what wrong did you do…”

“I have never tried to kill him.”

Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t.

Slightly relieved, the old woman tilted her head slightly forward. After a moment’s hesitation, her mouth opened.

“I don’t know for sure, I guess.”

The old woman narrowed her eyes and muttered, “There are several good ways to convince a lover’s family, and I suppose you could try this first…”

Duke Anais listened intently to the words flowing from her mouth, his jaw clenched.

The old woman sputtered and spoke at length.

For the next ten minutes, he let her words sink in.

She was supposed to be an expert in matchmaking, and she seemed to be quite good at it.

At this rate, perhaps Cassian Vietry would come to understand his rude past behavior, and his dreaded infamy, and move on…

No, he doesn’t expect forgiveness.

All he asked for was the lifting of the hundred-meter ban.

There was a hint of hope in his expression as he listened to the old woman’s advice.

💫

Just then, Cassian stood in front of the manor house, bathed in brilliant sunlight.

Standing alongside Astel, his expression was one of bliss.

He would…

“This sprawling manor was given to us by the Emperor.”

Before Cassian’s eyes was a wide expanse of grass that, as of today, belonged to him.

It was a bit colder today, and a chill breeze brushed against his cheeks.

But who cares about the wind?

The sun was shining down on him. His heart swelled with the thought that his vengeance was finally coming to an end.

“I’m glad.”

“Congratulations, Count Vietry.”

With that, the Emperor’s delegate turned to him.

He was barely keeping himself alive with the medicine Cassian was sending him.

The Emperor tried to look good to him. Not only did he commission a major historical compilation to clear the stigma of the Count of Vietry, but he also officially bestowed Cassian with the title of Count.

He even granted him a manor and an estate that was beyond the scope of a Count.

The manor granted by the Emperor often came with a villa where he could travel for pleasure.

Cassian, quite proud of what he had been given, glanced at Astel, who stood beside him.

Her purple bonnet fluttered in the breeze, threatening to blow away.

Straightening her bonnet, he asked her affectionately, “How are you feeling, Astel?”

“Uh, um…?”

Astel, who had been staring blankly into space, turned to Cassian.

By the look on her face, she hadn’t even realized her bonnet was about to fly off.

“I suppose we could make it a sheep ranch… that would be nice.”

Cassian’s eyes widened at Astel’s belated reply, “Yes. I’ll put up a big stable there, as well. The cottage could use some work, too.”

The Emperor’s envoy, who had been listening to the two nobles in silence, interrupted.

“Oh, by the way. Oh, and…”

Astel and Cassian’s gazes met, and he lowered his voice as if he were about to reveal something important.

“Her Majesty wishes to give you a piece of imperial jewelry. A totem as precious as the one that has flown away this time.”

Whether it was to atone for past sins or because of the Emperor’s generosity, Count Vietry’s storeroom had accumulated a treasure trove of precious items.

But none of these riches were as treasured as the returning totem.

Yet the Empress has the decency to offer to give away a priceless imperial totem.

Cassian raised one corner of his mouth in response.

“That’s something to look forward to, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.”

Astel replied, smiling brightly. With her response, the conversation had shifted to Astel.

The envoy, who had been staring blankly at Astel’s beaming smile, suddenly began to blurt out.

“Now that you mention it, I just remembered something!”

“What?”

“Her Majesty inquired as to the status of Lady Vietry’s café, and she asked about it, but the doors were closed.”

Astel nodded slightly.

“Well, the café will reopen, I’m just a bit busy at the moment.”

Admiration flickered over the envoy’s expression.

It was true that a noblewoman running a business on her own tended to be a bit outrageous.

But Astel had never cared much for noble manners.

She’d had enough of their contempt long ago. The last thing she wanted was to be held back from doing something she wanted because of others.

We only live once, don’t we?

“I’ll invite the Empress to the reopening, I promise.”

She giggled playfully again as she looked at the Emperor’s envoy.

Cassian wrapped his arm around Astel’s shoulders and whispered, “Do whatever you want.”

‘Except meet the Duke.’

💫

After a stroll through the Emperor’s gardens, Cassian and Astel returned to Gray Manor.

Cassian was busy inspecting the repairs to Count Vietry’s mansion and preparing for the hunting tournament.

Astel was equally busy.

She was preparing the ladies’ tea party that would accompany the hunt.

Astel’s jaw clenched as she stared at the refreshments on the table.

Cassian leaned back wearily in his chair, having just finished organizing the money for the hunt.

Having been working for the past hour, it was time for some refreshment and a break.

Cassian glanced at Astel. She was as solemn as she had been an hour ago, gazing off into space. He’d seen her like that a lot lately.

‘What could she be thinking?’

Cassian spoke up, trying to lighten the mood.

“You’ll be ready for business after the tea party, won’t you, Astel?”

But Astel didn’t answer. He placed his index finger near Astel’s eye and wiggled it.

“Astel?”

“Huh, uh, why?”

She could tell by the way his eyes darted sideways, the way his throat cleared.

Something was nagging at Astel’s conscience right now.

He squinted and asked, interrogatively, but half-jokingly.

“What are you thinking about?”

Astel’s eyes fluttered, and she shook her head furiously several times in denial.

“No, it’s nothing, nothing, not at all.”

It was an overdone denial. But Astel seemed eager to change the subject.

Cassian rubbed his chin in disbelief.

The way she was pretending it was business as usual, when it wasn’t, was very suspicious.

“It’s more the people.”

“Why?”

Astel flicked at the gossip paper beside her teacup.

The pages were filled with stories about Rune, Cassian’s son.

“Oh, that one. What about that?”

Cassian had recently told the entire social circle about Rune. He’d hidden Rune away like an illegitimate child and never intended to raise him.

A baby would lower his price on the marriage market.

But since he intended to raise Rune to be the heir to the Count of Vietry, he saw no reason to tie himself down to an old-fashioned marriage.

On the contrary, it was a relief.

I would be able to easily throw off the burdensome shackles of the capital’s flower.

But…

“Your popularity has only increased since it was discovered that you have a son.”

Astel stared at him grimly.

Cassian buried his face in his hands and shook his head.

To his surprise, her words were true.

Whoever had done it, Cassian’s life story had suddenly been nicely wrapped up. His efforts to protect Rune had been wrapped up in a tale of woe and sold to the gossip.

The ladies pitied his hardscrabble life and felt compelled to bind up his wounds.

As a result, he was forced to become the flower of the capital.

‘Who the hell started this whole fable thing?’

Cassian rubbed his brow in annoyance and tilted his head.

“…Anyway, that doesn’t matter. More than that, why do you sound different?”

“Huh? Different?”

Cassian stared at Astel with a hawk-like gaze.

A knight’s instincts were sharp. He sensed that Astel was troubled by something quite important.

“What’s on your mind, Astel?”

Astel scratched her eyebrows and looked away.

A small voice burst out of her mouth, “No, I was just… I was at the café with the Duke. And then I remembered…”

There was a slight flicker of recognition in his eyes.

“Well, I thought the Duke might like a nice cup of tea.”

…I wonder if she still thinks of the Duke after all this time apart.

Cassian’s brow furrowed in disbelief.

It’s frustrating, but Astel seems to like him so much. If she likes him, he honestly doesn’t care about all the insults he’s been subjected to over the years…

…and she’s only 20 years old.

She’s never made friends her age, and she has a lot of things she wants to accomplish.

There’s so much I want to do, so much I want to experience, so much I want to provide as a supportive family member and older brother.

If Astel’s life as a commoner means that she’s going to be engaged to the infamous Duke…

Astel’s world would become too small, and that was my biggest fear.

Cassian muttered softly to himself, “… whatever you want.”

“Huh?”

Cassian blurted out, meeting Astel’s warm gaze.

“No one doesn’t like to have something made for them by someone as precious as you.”

Setting her teacup down on the table, Astel shook her head.

“But when I was younger, everyone mocked me as a beggar and hated me. Except for my brother and Knox.”

Her voice sounded innocent, as if it was natural for her to say that many people hated her.