Chapter undefined89

89

Ah, delicious.

Indeed, big cities have excellent food.

The skewers were great, and the fruit sherbet was delightful.

Hehehe.

I could continue exploring good restaurants… huh?

Ding.

The clear sound of a silver spoon brought Liss back to her senses.

She blinked her dazed eyes a few times and felt the cold stare of the beautiful woman in front of her.

Of course, it was her sister-in-law, Regina.

Liss’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“Ah… um… where were we…?”

Liss mumbled incoherently.

“You were saying you wanted to continue exploring good restaurants…”

“No, no! That’s not it!”

Liss waved her arms frantically.

Her mind must have wandered, and she had muttered her thoughts out loud.

This was beyond embarrassing.

She wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it.

“Should I recommend some good restaurants?”

“No, it’s not that!”

Even though she knew it was a mistake, she couldn’t help but be annoyed by her teasing sister-in-law.

Her expression remained unchanged, which made it even more annoying.

People say there’s no one harder to deal with than a sister-in-law, but that seems to be wrong.

Because here, it’s the complete opposite…?

There’s no one harder to deal with than a sister-in-law!

“Um… well… can I trust what you’re saying, Sister-in-law? Because honestly, isn’t it strange? Saying my brother has no problems is like saying a dragon with no wings. It just doesn’t make sense!”

Liss decided to just speak her mind.

She had already embarrassed herself enough.

In fact, speaking like this might make the conversation flow better.

“Of course, you can trust me. After all, it’s coming from me.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I dislike making false statements based on personal feelings, whether it’s someone I like or dislike.”

People who say that usually let their personal feelings influence them more.

Liss had encountered many such people.

But.

There are always exceptions.

‘Look at those eyes…’

Eyes like a frozen lake, without a single ripple.

She didn’t sense even the slightest hesitation.

Someone with eyes like that couldn’t be lying.

She had known this about her sister-in-law when she arranged this meeting.

But still, about her idiot brother…

“Could there have been a favor or a deal involved?”

Liss regretted her words as soon as she said them.

It was an obviously rude question.

“No.”

A short answer.

Her voice and expression remained unchanged, so it was hard to tell if she was angry.

But it seemed like something she needed to apologize for, so Liss bowed her head and spoke.

“Um, I’m sorry for what I said earlier…”

“There was an apology.”

“Yes, I’m apologizing now…”

“From him.”

“…What?”

Realizing something was off, Liss looked up with wide eyes.

Regina kindly explained.

“He apologized. Said he was wrong.”

“What…?”

Liss’s eyes widened, and her mouth hung open in shock.

She was deeply shaken.

It was inevitable.

An apology.

That was the last word anyone would associate with Max.

From childhood to now, he had always been the same.

He would rather die than admit he was wrong and apologize.

That man.

And now, he apologized?

This was… this was…

Clearly…

“He’s gone mad… my brother has finally gone mad…”

“He seemed perfectly sane to me.”

“No… there’s no way…”

“But there is.”

“…”

“…”

“Sister-in-law.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Could you please slap me hard? I think it would bring me back to reality.”

Tap!

Regina extended her long fingers and lightly tapped Liss’s forehead.

Despite the light touch, Liss let out a cry of pain.

“Ah!”

Her forehead turned red instantly.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

But thanks to that, she was back to reality.

To the unchanged reality.

“Ah, this is reality.”

Liss’s expression turned serene.

She suddenly picked up the sherbet in front of her and started devouring it like a storm.

Crunch, crunch!

Gulp, gulp!

After finishing every last drop, she almost slammed the bowl down but caught herself, placing it gently after noticing her sister-in-law’s gaze.

Then she spoke.

“…I’m ready now. Please tell me everything.”

* * *

“Here we are.”

I said.

“It’s quite spacious.”

Godwin gave a brief assessment of the hideout.

He continued.

“Is it yours?”

“Of course.”

“You’re a landlord.”

“Pretty much.”

“Why attend the academy if you’re a landlord?”

“…Even the emperor’s daughter attends. Can’t a landlord?”

“The emperor’s daughter attends?”

“It’s famous. How do you not know?”

“I had no idea.”

“Well, now you do. Did you live in some remote village?”

“Hmm, pretty much. But what’s with that dog?”

He wasn’t cursing at a person. He was referring to an actual dog.

But calling my dog that was a bit annoying.

“Drop the ‘that dog’ part. It makes you sound low-class.”

“Dog.”

“…Fine, just like that.”

“So, what’s with the dog?”

“Recognized by a high elf as a fine dog, White.”

I shrugged as I spoke.

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“…”

This guy, he wasn’t just ostracized because he was a former executioner. He doesn’t seem to fit into society.

…But his skills are undeniable.

“Anyway, since we’re part of the same group, make sure to feed him well. The food is over there.”

I pointed to where the meat was.

At that moment.

“Beef…?”

Godwin’s expression was one of cultural shock.

It was written all over his face: “A dog eating beef? Really?”

How could he have the same reaction as Hiresia?

No, he looked even more shocked.

He seemed to be thinking, “Is there really a bourgeois household that feeds beef to their dog?”

“…Why attend the academy?”

His serious voice made it hard not to laugh.

The more I got to know him, the more he seemed like the village fool.

“You’re back, huh?”

Hearing the noise, Dan came out and widened his eyes at the sight of Godwin.

“You brought him with you?”

“I hired him.”

“Oh?”

“Let’s work well together from now on.”

“Haha, of course.”

Dan seemed pleased.

Even though he had almost lost his hand to Godwin’s trickery, he didn’t seem to hold a grudge.

It meant he accepted his defeat gracefully.

Dan was a big-hearted man.

“It’s reassuring to have someone strong here…”

Dan’s words were cut off mid-sentence.

Someone had hurriedly opened the front door and rushed in.

“Urgent news, my lord!”

The person who entered was Dolph.

Max’s long-time servant.

But what urgent news could there be?

I had only sent him to get something from the shady merchant in Central Plaza.

“Is there a problem with the item?”

“No, sir!”

“Then what?”

“I saw Miss Liss in Central Plaza!”

Hearing that, I tried to recall who Liss was.

But I couldn’t remember.

The name sounded familiar, though…

“Who’s Liss?”

Boom!

Dolph looked genuinely shocked.

He stammered.

“Ah, even so, she’s your younger sister…”

“Huh?”

Younger sister.

Hearing that, I finally remembered.

The girl who looked just like me when I first possessed this body.

I had forgotten because I was so focused on my academy life.

‘Behave yourself.’

‘Stop causing trouble.’

‘Stop wasting money.’

I remembered her giving the three-piece advice to her delinquent brother.

‘She’s normal.’

Even though it was a short meeting, I didn’t find anything strange about her.

So why is her appearance urgent news?

“Yes, she’s my sister. But why the fuss?”

“You should know better, my lord…”

Dolph’s eyes wavered.

But I needed to hear this.

“Just tell me.”

Dolph reluctantly began to explain.

“She ranks third on the list of people you least want to meet…”

Why is there even such a list?

It’s more surprising that a family member is on that list.

This is a messed-up family.

Anyway, Max is really something.

“Okay, okay. I get the picture.”

I stopped Dolph.

So my sister is in the Holy City?

I don’t know her exact purpose, but one thing is certain.

She’ll want to meet me.

“You said Central Plaza, right? Did she leave any message?”

“Well… I saw her from a distance and hurried back to report…”

“Hmm, I see.”

“Oh, by the way…”

“What?”

“She was with Miss Regina.”

“With Regina?”

I squinted my eyes and thought.

She went to see my fiancée before her brother?

Did she come to plead to avoid a breakup?

It would be a disgrace to the family, after all.

But something about that doesn’t feel right…

Well, I’ll find out when I meet her.

I thought as I spoke to Godwin.

“I have some business to attend to. We’ll discuss the details later.”

“No problem. But will there be food?”

“Haha, there’s plenty of meat. Eat as much as you want.”

To entertain Hiresia, who loves meat, we always have a stockpile of it at home.

We even bought a bunch of expensive ice stones to make a storage room.

“Alright, Dolph.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Let’s go.”

* * *

“Thank you, Sister-in-law.”

Liss bowed her head slightly.

“Not at all. I had a good time.”

“Me too.”

“Really?”

“Ugh… why are you like this, Sister-in-law…”

Liss looked at her with a flushed face, feeling that Regina was too much.

She hadn’t known her sister-in-law was like this.

She had thought Regina was always cold and serious, but that wasn’t the case.

‘…She’s a good person.’

She felt that her sister-in-law was too good for her idiot brother.

Someone like Regina would be a great asset to the family as the eldest son’s wife, but as a fellow woman, Liss honestly wanted to support the breakup.

However.

‘She said she’s continuing with it.’

It was one of the most incomprehensible things.

Even though her brother had made a shocking apology, could she really forgive him?

How big-hearted could she be?

No… was she just a very magnanimous person?

Either way, it was almost like a saint’s reincarnation.

Of course, Regina must have had her own thoughts, but Liss couldn’t understand it.

“Shall we get going?”

“Oh, yes.”

The two of them left the private room.

“I’ll pay.”

Regina said.

“What? No… since I asked for the meeting, I should…”

“The elder should always pay.”

“Ugh.”

Liss shrank under the aura of the impressive adult woman.

It was dazzling.

This is what an adult woman is like…

Regina paid smoothly and walked out with the same ease.

Liss followed her like a squirrel.

‘She’s so tall!’

Standing next to her made it very obvious.

Regina was in the high 180s.

In contrast, Liss was 158.

…She automatically felt small.

Liss decided she would never stand next to her sister-in-law in any setting.

The two of them stepped outside the building.

“Ah, you’re here.”

Sana greeted them with an ambiguous smile.

Liss quickly understood the meaning of that smile.

“Hey.”

A man who looked just like her was waving his hand.

“B-Brother…?”

Liss’s eyes widened.