CH 23

“If it’s Roystan, it’s more than likely he destroyed it. Didn’t he even turn this way earlier? I’m sure!”

Ethan stomped his feet as he said that.

I mumbled as I gazed at the broken bracelet.

“But there is no evidence. I can’t accuse him because there’s no evidence.”

Roystan was no fool either. He would have calculated all this.

“If I am too hasty, Roystan could come out with a false accusation that I’m blaming him after I accidentally broke it.”

At my words, Julian muttered with his eyes shining eerily.

“Don’t worry, little one. He couldn’t have gone far. I can drag him away and hit him a few times. Then he will come clean.”

“What?”

“That’s how I solved everything.”

“…Where?”

“At the butcher shop. Anyway, leave this to me, little one. It’s a cure for a bad guy. I’ll beat him until my crutches turn red.”

“Wow, that’s a real gangster’s solution…”

It was when Julian, ignoring my words, immediately turned to the place where Roystan had disappeared.

“No! Where are you going when you don’t know the right way? Going to the backyard… it’s wrong! He is probably not there!”

Ethan cut in hastily.

“Rosie only lives in the annex, and Julian doesn’t have any memories, so I guess you both don’t know. But when something doesn’t go his way, Uncle Murloc always drinks and causes chaos there!”

‘Well, if that’s true, he’ll definitely be drinking and messing around today.’

There were few days when things didn’t go according to his will, like today’s monthly meeting.

“That’s why on days like this, even the servants don’t come close to the backyard. That’s why Roystan probably didn’t go to the backyard!”

“Damn it, then which way did he go?”

At those words, Julian widened his eyes and looked around. Then, as if realizing something, he clenched his fists and shouted.

“By the way, Murloc… isn’t he the bad guy who hit Rosie earlier? Shouldn’t I go and knock him out?”

At that, Schulva cried, “Please, wake up! You’re 24-years-old!” and restrained Julian by the waist.

As for me, I smiled slowly and raised my head.

“No, Brother. Don’t stoop to the bully uncle’s level. You won’t be able to hit well anyway, you’re still injured. And let’s not bother to look for Roystan.”

“Huh? Why… all of a sudden?”

Julian stared blankly at me. Ethan’s expression showed he didn’t understand either.

With my eyes shining, I said,

“Thanks to you, Ethan, I thought of a very good move.”

I patted Ethan’s arm and continued with a smile.

“So Ethan, don’t blame yourself. Other people did wrong, and when that happens, you just have to pay them back several times over.”

“…Payback?”

“Yes.”

I nodded my head in confidence at Julian’s blank question.

“Breakfast tomorrow is going to be so much fun.”

´⛧ ⛧ ⛧ ´

The next morning.

I got ready early for breakfast.

I decided to move into the room my grandfather gave me, Flora, today.

So yesterday was the last night in the annex, and now I was going to leave.

“Did you sleep well?”

It was when I went out after dressing up.

I found Ethan sitting on a bench in front of the annex, reading a book.

“Huh? Ethan?”

As soon as Ethan found me, he started babbling.

“You can walk to the main building in 15 minutes. But you’re already out… does this mean that you will stop by Julian’s room and go with him?”

I blinked in bewilderment.

Ethan closed the thick magic book he was reading and stood up.

“Well, it’s more than expected, but I think it’ll be okay because it’s within the margin of error. Then shall we go to Julian’s room together?”

“Hmm…”

I asked, tilting my head.

“Are you coming with me? Why?”

“We’ve been on the same boat since yesterday.”

“Yes, but you came to the annex to go to the dining room together?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

Ethan replied, pushing up his glasses while holding the book by his side.

“Roystan won’t bother you if you’re with Julian. Julian is with you. So if I’m with you, Roystan won’t bother me.”

“…Isn’t it just a matter of being next to Brother Julian? Why are you including me?”

“Julian has severe emotional ups and downs and seems self-conscious. Judged to be still in adolescence. It’s better for me not to get involved with a young man with a stormy temper. My mind will be exhausted.”

“…….”

It was a bit sad that I couldn’t refute that statement.

“Anyway, wanting to be by your side is a rational conclusion.”

Ethan talked a lot more than I thought. He kept talking until we reached Julian’s residence.

“Absolutely not because you were the first person to take my side in this house. It’s not because you are cute. It’s not because your smile is lovely.”

“…….”

“It’s not because you didn’t look smart enough to devise a ploy. It’s not because I thought you couldn’t become an enemy. It’s not because the innocent way of screwing people over is fun.”

“…….”

“There is absolutely no such irrational and impulsive reason. I am not an emotional person.”

“…….”

“If I want to stay by your side, I have to get close. And the only right time to get close to you is now.”

“What?”

“If Julian ever finds his memory, he will not let me come next to you.”

“Hmm…”

“It’s obvious, there isn’t a need to think. He would go crazy and lie on the floor, shouting, ‘I’m the only brother of Rosie Rosie!’ This is the result of rational reasoning.”

Well, Ethan was a year older than me, so I would call him ‘Brother’. 

And when I thought about his words, the old Julian was still like that.

“Okay then.”

I nodded slowly.

“Please speak up at breakfast later.”

“Naturally. It happened because of me, so of course I have to step in too, right?”

Anyway, I ended up going to Julian’s room with Ethan.

And I had no choice but to move to the main building with Julian on crutches.

‘But why… Why am I in the middle?’

Julian was on the right, Ethan was on the left.

Even when I arrived at the dining room, they sat naturally on both sides of me as if protecting me.

I took a deep breath with a nervous heart.

The Noart family’s breakfast.

My first time attending as a member of the family.

‘I have to be strong.’

As if to show off the wealth of Count Noart, the dining room was gorgeous and luxurious, even the tableware.

My relatives were all dressed up from the morning, and all wore a terrifying expression.

Even Murloc, still reeking of alcohol, was sitting in his suit this early in the morning.

‘I’m sure we’ll be attacked a lot.’

These relatives knew how the old Julian had caught Grandfather’s eyes.

So there was no way I would look good in their eyes.

Their eyes must be fiery with the thought to step on the buds as soon as possible.

The eyes of my relatives, who pretended to be indifferent but glanced sideways at me and Julian, were unusual.

And when everyone arrived…

The door opened, and finally, Grandfather came in.

Truly, the real head of the family, making everyone flinch with his gigantic physique and eyes.

´⛧ ⛧ ⛧ ´

The atmosphere at breakfast was brutal.

“Felide, take responsibility and handle it. I will give you 3 months. After that, make up for it with your own resources.”

“Father!”

“And Monica, what is this report about? Explain yourself! Why did you do such a useless thing!”

Grandfather was terribly angry.

‘I understand that everyone was so crazy because they were blinded by 137 billion gold.’

After hearing all this, I could understand why Julian was nominated as the successor.

It was because my two maternal uncles and aunt were diligently messing with the house.

“If you can’t do it, don’t be greedy! If you don’t have the ability, don’t waste things! If you don’t have an eye for it, don’t touch politics!”

Grandfather shouted in anger. He was fuming.

“Restore it as quickly as possible, right before my eyes!”

Meanwhile, Murloc looked around carefully and asked.

“Father, but the seat of the successor… Julian doesn’t have the ability to hold that position right now.”

“For now, I will take on all the tasks that Julian was in charge of. Before he came, I was doing it.”

Grandfather replied coldly.

“Looking at the situation now, I can never leave it to the three of you! If you want recognition, show your ability!”

In that icy atmosphere, I diligently ate breakfast.

In the past, I thought that Julian gave all the delicious things in the world.

But it couldn’t compare to the food in the main building.

“This can only be eaten at breakfast.”

Ethan ate well too, muttering earnestly. He was probably feeling the same way.

“You must fill the enjoyment of taste to the fullest in this limited time.”

“…You talk so much, so why didn’t you say anything?”

“There was no one who would listen.”

“…….”

“I’m happy to have you at breakfast. This doesn’t stem from emotions. It is a very rational and logical result. Everyone has a need for communication.”

And Julian… 

“Wow, this is delicious. Yum… Money is really the best. Wow, awesome…”

With clumsy manners, he was scraping off even the sauce.