He’s My Real Brother, Duke Chapter 89

 

The Duke stiffened a little, then hugged me tenderly.

 

“I can’t help it.”

 

Then he nuzzled his lips against my ear. I mean… we shouldn’t have to kiss so often.

 

“Heehee, then later.” (Hehe, then see you later)

 

Rune scurried away on his floppy feet.

 

…What the heck, are you two really getting into this?

 

I somehow found myself in the Duke’s arms, trying to cool my reddened ears while blinking my eyes.

 

Thump, thump—

 

The more I burrowed into his arms, the faster my heartbeat quickened. I flicked my eyes up at him. I wasn’t the only one who was nervous about this situation.

 

He pressed his lips to my forehead and whispered low, “I have missed you today, Astel.”

 

A companion’s imprint.

 

…As if, this whole thing felt like a conversation between lovers. I kept my gaze down and didn’t answer. Because all of this was simply the imprint.

 

I’m a healer. I know that when an imprint ends, the emotions it generates dissipate. So I had to assume that my feelings, whether mine or the Duke’s, would eventually disappear.

 

It was better for my mental health.

 

🐾

 

Finally, I’m on my way to the capital, welcomed by everyone. I rode with the Duke and Rune in the first four-wheeled carriage of the procession. More than twenty wagons and carriages followed in our tracks. 

 

At the head of the long procession were the head maid, along with the heads of each house, their heirs, and the head of the Knight’s Order.

 

Ricardo, in particular, was looking at me with a handkerchief in his hand. Next to him, Bell stood as if he were the heir to the House of Jaguar.

 

I sat down in the cushioned chair of a large carriage and opened the window. The head maid stood directly in front of the window.

 

“Me too…”

 

The head maid’s eyes widened. I didn’t recognize her because she was always so blunt, but she must have warmed up to me.

 

“… I had applied because I wanted to leave for the capital, but they wouldn’t let me.”

 

“Head maid…”

 

…I wanted to respond, ‘Of course not, since you must attend the duchy, right?’

 

She looked so serious that I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

 

Once again, she spoke firmly, “Ricardo also volunteered, but I told him it was impossible, and then…”

 

Before she could finish, Ricardo, who had come to the carriage window, turned to me, his face flushed with anger.

 

“I decided to go to the capital to enjoy the feeling of traveling. Don’t worry, I’ll be there soon!”

 

If I told him I wasn’t too worried, he’d be… upset, right?

 

“Yes, I am worried, but please take it slow!”

 

“Slow?”

 

Bell and Ricardo exchanged glances as they came trotting over. I waved gently at them and thought to myself.

 

‘Will I see them in a month?’

 

I looked out the window of the carriage and saw many people, especially Lord Citer of the Silver Fox family, who had promised me his full support.

 

“I, too, will be traveling to the capital soon, and I will see you there.”

 

…He patted Bell on the shoulder and nodded.

 

“Yes!”

 

Citer gave a feral, fox-like grin as he stared at me through the carriage window. I found the silver-haired, red-eyed middle-aged man’s smirk quite tempting.

 

That was, of course, until I began to spend more time with the Duke every day, and grew to appreciate his eyes. Now I was a little more like a pine tree with an iron wall.

 

“I look forward to it! When we meet in the capital, we can talk about future business plans.”

 

I think I just sounded a little bit like an entrepreneur…

 

My chest puffed out in anticipation. Citer hesitated and was about to speak, but a voice beside me spoke first.

 

“I think it’s time for us to go.”

 

A cold voice, tying the knot in the moment of parting.

 

The Duke sat across from me, his gaze fixed on Citer, the Head of House Silver Fox. His eyes were so frosty, it was as if he was looking at a former enemy.

 

Of course, I knew that was the Duke’s usual expression, but it had been a long time since I had seen him, so I was a little scared. I wonder if he sensed my gaze because he quickly withdrew his gaze and smiled softly at me.

 

“Shall we go, Astel?”

 

…That was the silver fox family’s signature smirk. The change in demeanor was so quick that it caught me off guard.

 

“Let’s not forget that that expression was originally the Duke’s.

 

Feeling more alert, I nodded vigorously and stomped my foot.

 

“Yes, all right!”

 

As soon as I finished, the Duke gestured to the coachman outside. The carriage slowly set off with the sound of hooves, and while it wouldn’t be as fast as teleportation, the carriage was enchanted and would only take about half a day to reach the capital.

 

With a shiver of excitement, I recalled what Sally and Jenny had told me last night.

 

‘When you get to the capital, they say there are lots of parades!’

 

Excited by the words, Rune and I spent a few happy hours with the carriage windows open. I forgot about the kettle, cuddled up to Rune, and sang him lullabies.

 

One of the best parts of the day was setting up a small table in the center of the carriage and working on the puzzles the Duke had prepared for us. Beaming, I worked hard on the puzzle and patted my stiff shoulders.

 

“I’m almost done! I don’t do puzzles much these days, but here I am, doing it bravely!”

 

“That’s because Astel loves to do puzzles.”

 

I shook my head at the confident tone.

 

“How did you know I like puzzles?”

 

“…I just, uh, figured you would.”

 

There was an awkward pause, as if he was trying to spin something.

 

“Now, you’re about to be led off the beaten path, so relax.”

 

The Duke’s words bothered me, but I was also tired from being so focused on the puzzle.

 

Rune was already dozing off beside me, wrapped in a blanket as big as he was, when I finished speaking.

 

“Yeah, I really should probably get some sleep.”

I leaned my head against the window, hoping to drift off myself. The Duke’s piercing gaze was a little too intense for me to fall asleep.

 

…But my nervous system seems to have a pretty long attention span, and I quickly dozed off.

 

Thud, thud, thud. And my head, which had been banging against the wall of the carriage, finally settled down.

 

— ‘I’ll be sure to come back for you.’

 

I blinked and woke up to the sound of the voice again. I’d only been in the carriage for a few moments, but it was better than I thought.

 

‘Warret said he placed a device on the diary artifact, and now my memory is coming back in bits and pieces.’

 

Meanwhile, I realize that the Duke sitting across from me has disappeared.

 

He couldn’t have jumped from a moving carriage.

 

Blinking, I realized. It felt like I was leaning my head against something.

 

It’s a very strange feeling…

 

Then I realized what I was leaning on…

 

As I quickly tried to lift my head, I heard a gruff voice above me.

 

“You’re awake, Astel.”

 

Slightly turning my head, I looked up.

 

The Duke stared down at me, a look of satisfaction on his face like that of a well-fed beast.

 

“You could have stayed in that position.”

 

…Why does he look so disappointed? I thought as I hastily wiped the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand.

 

“I, I didn’t drool, did I?”

 

And now that I think about it, the Duke’s black uniform is soaking wet!

 

“Of course not.”

 

Unlike my panicked self, the Duke looked eerily calm. I looked at Rune sitting on his lap and was doubly appalled.

 

The child was sleeping soundly and nibbling at the Duke’s golden collar. The very definition of insolence, arrogance, and rudeness…

 

But the Duke, sitting with Rune on his lap like a lap blanket, lending me one shoulder, seemed unconcerned.

 

“If you are so doubtful.”

 

His fingertips grazed the corner of my mouth.

 

Today, he was a little warmer than I was, so his fingertips were hot against my lips.

 

“Let me see.”

 

His finger brushed my lips lightly. It was just hand-to-lip contact, but it felt like a kiss.

 

“No, you didn’t.”

 

My lips parted naturally from nervousness, and the tip of my tongue peeked out.

 

At that moment, his fingertips grazed my tongue.

 

“Tell me, Astel.”

 

I opened my lips cautiously, like someone mesmerized by something, and spoke.

 

“…Really, I didn’t drool?”

 

My breathing gets a little short, and every hair on my body stands on end.

 

“Yes.”

 

The Duke laughed softly and pulled his hand away. But the sensations in my body were still tense. His presence kept bothering me.

 

‘Change the subject, let’s change the subject!’

 

I glanced over at Rune, who was sleeping, clinging to the Duke’s body like a stuffed animal, or perhaps a blanket.

 

Snap out of it, Astel.

 

‘Now was not the time for you to succumb to the Duke’s temptations. From the strange bond between that little Rune and the rock-like Duke…’

 

I must do something about it, because they should not be attached like that, like one body, like thread and needle.

 

“I have something to tell you.”

 

The Duke, who had been watching me the whole time, nodded, “Yes.”

 

“I think Rune mistakes the Duke for his father, and I was hoping you could tell him that it isn’t…”

 

I trailed off as I met his deep, penetrating gaze.

 

“Oh, well… I hope you’ll cooperate.”

 

In truth, the Duke was rather blunt compared to me, an imprinter, for all the rumors he’d heard, so I figured if I spoke firmly enough, he’d listen.

 

When I looked at him intently, narrowing my eyes, the Duke smiled gently and chuckled. That’s the kind of sign that makes it easy to say, ‘I get it.’

 

Okay, that’s it!

 

“No.”