Chapter 146

Edwin still vividly remembered Yurina’s childhood.

A small girl appeared in the mansion filled with lively boys wreaking havoc all over.

Yurina, who resembled her mother, was lovable in every action.

Her chubby cheeks sucking on snacks, her short limbs flailing as she followed her older brothers, her bright smile whenever their eyes met…

Now she was grown up and no longer followed her brothers around like she used to, but he still had a pretty little sister who often takes time to have tea time.

He had been away for a long time attending the academy, and now that they had finally reunited, she was planning to leave the family and live independently.

Yurina was always his sister, no matter where or when, but being in the family’s embrace and getting married to start a family felt different.

‘But I can’t keep opposing it…’

What’s worse is the fact that he can’t keep doing this. He should be congratulating her if it’s really for Yurina’s sake…

With a heavy heart, Edwin let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes.

* * *

Although she lay down in bed to sleep, she couldn’t fall asleep. It was because of Edwin, who was likely still sitting outside her bedroom.

‘It’s really annoying.’

The last image of his face didn’t fade from her sight.

Since Yurina took Reynard’s side, he looked dejected as if the world had collapsed, didn’t say a word to her in his sulky mood, and eventually sulked like a big dog betrayed by its trusted owner.

Compared to the times when he would always smile, saying ‘our cute little sister’, it was quite distressing.

‘Even if he’s going to oppose it, he should go to sleep. Why is he enduring it?’

Yurina, who had been tossing and turning in bed, finally got up and went to Edwin. He was lying on the sofa with his eyes closed.

Although he was a big brother, who was definitely taller than her, why did he look so small today?

Edwin lifted his head as he felt Yurina’s presence. He looked as if he was about to smile involuntarily as their eyes met, but then he crossed his arms and turned his gaze away.

‘He’s not a child anymore.’

Children often show their sulky mood by avoiding eye contact with their mothers.

Seeing Edwin acting like a child, it seemed that he loved her as blindly as a baby follows its mother.

“Isn’t it dark?”

Only one candle was lit on the table right now. The room was so spacious that it was dark enough that Edwin’s figure was hardly visible.

Yurina brought extra candles over and transferred the flame, then sat next to him.

Edwin glanced at Yurina and turned his back to sit down. It was clear that he didn’t want to have a conversation with her at this time.

‘Really, he’s not even a kid.’

Yurina sighed deeply and rested her head on his back.

“Brother.”

Upon arriving at the mansion, she hadn’t been able to properly converse with Edwin due to the rush. Yurina decided to have an honest conversation with him now.

“Do you not like Reynard?”

“Of course!”

Edwin yelled out loudly.

“There’s nothing about him I like!”

Despite his brave words, he quickly quietened down while looking at Yurina’s face.

“Just to be clear, I don’t dislike him because he is a commoner or a child supported by our family.”

“Then?”

“I just don’t like him.”

“But you used to like him. You always seemed to enjoy your time in Dalian.”

“That was then, this is now! I wouldn’t have liked anyone you brought! There’s no man in the world that suits my taste!”

Edwin suddenly turned around. In doing so, Yurina stumbled, and he reflexively grabbed her arm.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry.”

With that apology, he clammed up like a shell. An awkward silence swirled between them.

Yurina waited for him to open his mouth, then went to the bedroom to get a blanket and covered his knees. Then Edwin put the blanket back around Yurina’s shoulders.

“Why did you come out if you were going to bed?”

“How can I sleep when you’re out here? If you’re worried about me, you should go to bed too. I’ll go in then.”

He didn’t reply. Yurina put one side of the blanket on her shoulder onto Edwin’s. Luckily, the blanket was big enough for the two to share.

“Doing this won’t change my mind. You know how stubborn I am.”

“I know. But…”

Edwin, who had been mumbling as if talking to himself, buried his face in his hands. His grumbling voice seeped through his fingers.

“Why are you in such a hurry to get married?”

From his words, it seemed like Yurina and Reynard were pushing the marriage quite hastily, but it wasn’t necessarily so. In case of strategic marriages intertwined with family interests, it was often carried out as soon as they became adults.

“Of course, it’s relatively quick for a love marriage. In the case of love marriages, people usually start dating after reaching adulthood and interacting with other families, so it’s common to get married about 1 or 2 years after reaching adulthood.

However, considering that Yurina debuted unusually early in the social world last spring, it couldn’t be said to be too fast.

“What’s so fast about it? If anything, it’s Riggs who is late. He’s 22 years old and still doesn’t have a fiancée. You guys are also on the later side.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Edwin closed his mouth for a moment and added reluctantly.

“Do you not like us?”

“What?”

Taken aback by his unexpected words, Yurina asked in surprise, her voice unintentionally rising.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Why is the conversation going that way?”

“Do you dislike this mansion so much that you want to get out as soon as possible?”

Ah, now she seemed to understand Edwin’s intention. So, he was worried that Yurina would distance herself from them by getting married.

In this vast land, where people communicate by letters, marriage and setting up a new family inevitably reduced interaction with the original family.

In cases where territories were far apart, it could be hard to see each other even once or twice a year.

‘Come to think of it, there were nobles who used marriage as an escape from their families.’

It’s a common theme in romance novels. The story of the heroine, who was oppressed by her naughty family and employees, making a contract marriage with the hero to escape from her hellish life.

In that sense, it was understandable why Edwin had such a misunderstanding, but it was a little unfair.

‘I never thought about that.’

Even if Reynard inherited his territory, Yurina and Reynard would spend most of their time in the capital. Since the only family they had were the people of Carthia, they would naturally visit the Carthia mansion frequently.

So, Yurina had never thought about distancing herself from her family after getting married. She hadn’t even considered that her brothers might be worrying about that.

“There’s no way. Even if I get married, I’ll often come to see you guys. This place is also my home.”

“Really?”

His voice, which had been gloomy just a moment ago, brightened a bit.

“Of course. Why do you think I would dislike you guys and not see you? Don’t tell me…”

Yurina narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.

“Were you planning not to see me after getting married? Is that why you thought that?”

She said it jokingly to lighten his mood, but Edwin seemed to take it seriously and jumped up.

“There’s no way!”

“Then it’s settled. Isn’t it??”

“But it still seems too fast. Why are you in such a hurry? You’re just becoming an adult. You’re just getting out of your family’s protection and starting to see a bigger world.”

Edwin continued his explanation in a gentle voice. Yurina listened silently, without interrupting him.

“I won’t say that if you socialize, you’ll find a better man than him because you seem determined. Honestly, I don’t think a better guy will appear.”

Despite saying he didn’t like it, it seemed he wasn’t actually that against Reynard.

“But it’s different to be in society as Yurina Carthia and to be in society as the Baroness. I’m not talking about the difference in status. Unlike Yurina Carthia, who can do whatever she wants with Carthia on her back, a Barons’ wife has a lot to think about as the leading lady of a house and a lot she shouldn’t do.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Why are you trying to do that already? If it has to be him, you can get engaged now and get married in 2 or 3 years.”

Why next spring? Yurina reminded herself of Reynard’s words.

Reynard, who wanted to become her family as soon as possible, even if it was just one day earlier. Knowing what family meant to him, she couldn’t refuse his proposal.

“Rey is alone.”

Yurina added in a calm voice.

“I have you guys, parents, even the people of Carthia mansion including Betsy. Everyone who can do anything for me. But Rey, he has no one.”

She recalled Reynard trying to act calm in front of his parents’ graves. She also recalled him silently crying in the kitchen filled with happy and sad memories.

Going further, she thought of young Tom who couldn’t fit in with peers and used to sit alone in the orphanage backyard.

Back then, only Yurina reached out to him, but now things were different.

In his hometown, there was Aunt Marie who cherished him like her own son, in the capital there was Dave who cared for his only disciple as a family, and in the Crohn Kingdom, there were friends who would rush into his affairs without fear.

They all truly cherished Reynard. But ironically, Reynard wasn’t their first priority.

Aunt Marie and Aiden had their own families who were more precious than Reynard, and Dave had the Carthia family he needed to obey first.

There were many who thought of Yurina first, but sadly, there was only one person in this world who thought of him first, Yurina.

So shouldn’t she be there for him?

Just as seven years ago, on that day.

“After receiving the title, Rey won’t be able to stay here in this mansion with our support anymore. He would have to stay alone in another strange mansion, and I didn’t want to leave him alone.”

Yurina tightly held Edwin’s big hand.

“So brother, shouldn’t we not consider it as me becoming independent, but as Rey becoming our family?”

There was no response. But Yurina wasn’t impatient. She thought Edwin needed time to accept this.

‘It’s too sudden.’

But she wasn’t worried. Edwin is her brother who cherishes and loves her more than his own life. Like there are no parents who lose to their children, he would ultimately take Yurina’s side.

Edwin raised his hand, lightly pinching Yurina’s two cheeks.

“Oh, you naughty girl.”

Although it was not a situation to laugh, Yurina couldn’t help but laugh at those words.

Edwin always affectionately referred to Yurina as our pretty sister, our cute little one, our youngest and so on. The fact that he was annoyed was evident from the unusual words he used.

“You said I was cute, now I am naughty?”

“You’re naughty because you don’t listen to your brother.”

This time, he pulled Yurina’s nose with his big hand that was with callused skin.

Yurina’s face turned a bit goofy, but instead of laughing, she looked as if she was about to cry any second. She had a tight-lipped expression and her chin was shivering.

Yurina pressed his chin with her fingers.

“Brother is the naughty one. What is this.”

Not knowing where the problem was in her words, he clenched his teeth to suppress the rising emotions.

“My cute sister.”

His teary voice suddenly stirred emotions.

When was it? When did the excessive affection of the brothers, who are foolish for their sister, start to feel gentle instead of strange or awkward?

“Are you happy?”

Despite the sudden question, Yurina was able to answer right away.

“Yes, I’m happy.”

“That’s all that matters.”

As he let go of Yurina’s nose, he murmured as if he was making a promise to himself.

“That’s all that matters.”

Then he wrapped a blanket around Yurina and stood up from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“To sleep. So you should go to sleep soon too.”

He left the room without looking back. Yurina sat there staring at the door where Edwin had left for a long time.