Ch.115Chapter 115. That’s Not Said in Anger, It’s Probably Your True Feelings

“····What!?”

“Didn’t you hear me? Seri Familia is refusing to sleep with me!!”

This bastard….

Who does he think he’s coming to rub salt in my wounds?

I’m already dying from work-related stress, and what!? He came to complain about his bedroom troubles?

I felt disgusted, but it seemed half successful.

I had connected him with Seri Familia to make Leonard suffer, and regardless of how it turned out, isn’t this guy struggling now?

Of course, I hadn’t expected him to be this desperate over bedroom matters.

“She might still be shy since you’re newlyweds, aren’t you?”

“What are you talking about? Seri Familia and I have already slept together! What is there to be shy about!?”

It seems Leonard believes he made history that night in Seri Familia’s bedroom.

I pressed my throbbing temples gently.

“Then since you’ve already slept together, wouldn’t it be better for you to be patient, brother?”

“Hah…. I was too embarrassed to say this, but I don’t remember anything about sleeping with Seri Familia!”

“Y-you don’t remember?”

I feigned shock as if I knew nothing, and Leonard poured out his frustrations with a reddened face.

“Yes!! Based on the circumstances, we clearly slept together, but for some reason, I can’t remember it!!”

“….You absolutely must not say such things to Father or Lady Seri Familia.”

“Of course I know that!!”

“But why are you in such a hurry, brother?”

“Think about it, how do you think I endured all this time in that prison-like place!? I endured that hellish time thinking I would sleep with Seri Familia after the wedding!!”

“….Haha, is that so?”

Leonard continued, spitting as he spoke.

“Yes, when I visited the Familia household after the wedding to pay my respects, she could refuse. After all, it was the place where we had that traumatic experience with both our fathers!”

“That’s right….?”

“But even after returning to our family home, she keeps refusing to sleep with me. The other day, when I tried to forcibly undress her….”

“When you tried to undress her….?”

Leonard’s eyes welled up with tears as his voice trailed off.

“She threatened to cut my wrist…. I know it was said in anger, but isn’t that too much!”

That wasn’t said in anger; it was probably sincere.

Has he still not figured out Seri Familia?

Well, someone as dull as Leonard probably wouldn’t realize what’s wrong until his limbs are cut off.

“Lady Seri Familia must be overwhelmed. The wedding was sudden, and it’s not the home she’s lived in all her life, so you should give her time to adjust.”

“….Is that so?”

“She’s become sensitive because you keep demanding intimacy in such a confusing situation.”

Leonard nods, wiping the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.

“Right, now that I think about it, I was being too hasty. Seri Familia might misunderstand that I married her just to have relations, right?”

“That’s right. I believe that waiting is also a form of consideration for your partner.”

“Wow…. I’m glad I shared my concerns with you. As expected of someone from the pleasure district, you really understand women’s hearts, don’t you?”

Yeah, thank you.

I’m also always grateful to you for not letting me feel even the slightest guilt.

I adjusted my posture with an artificial smile.

“More importantly, I find it interesting that you’ve gotten involved in the succession dispute?”

Leonard, who seemed to have forgotten his tears, burst into laughter with a triumphant posture.

As expected, I can’t bring myself to like this guy.

“Hahaha!! Our father has finally recognized my true worth! Remember what I told you back then?”

“What are you referring to?”

“I said I’d watch your back from now on, so don’t worry. If I become the head of the family? I’ll make sure you can frequent the pleasure district for the rest of your life.”

“….Well, that’s fine with me.”

Haha….

Would it be better for this guy to become the family head rather than the eldest whom I haven’t met yet?

He listens to me well and is easy to control.

Leonard’s eyes suddenly lit up as if he remembered something.

“Ah, right!! And Jason is dead, isn’t he?”

“Jason…?”

“That guy was completely insane? He doesn’t even deserve the Alphonse name.”

“Ah….yes, Father handled it personally.”

“Good riddance. How dare he think of recruiting Father’s subordinates? I always thought that guy was up to something.”

“Is that so?”

“And you were the one who exposed him, right? The carriage attack wasn’t assassins but knights recruited by Jason?”

I gave a bitter smile at the mention of the carriage attack.

“That’s right.”

“But why the expression?”

“I found out that among the knights who attacked the carriage, there was someone who was being threatened by Jason Alphonse using their family.”

“Don’t tell me you feel guilty? You almost died!”

“It does leave a bad taste. Those knights also made an unavoidable choice because of their families.”

“Well, I can understand your position.”

“By the way, are you alright, brother?”

Leonard blinked at my question.

“Why me?”

“Aren’t you now in a succession dispute with your eldest brother?”

“Do you think I’ve been afraid of my brothers all this time?”

“Then what were you afraid of?”

“I was only afraid that they received Father’s full support just because they were born before me.”

“Ah…. so now you have nothing to fear?”

Leonard laughs heartily, showing his uvula.

“Hahaha!! Of course, even if it’s Brother Evander Alphonse, he’ll have a hard time dealing with us!”

“….Us?”

“Yes. Me, Sister Miria, and you too.”

What is this madman trying to include me in?

I’ve already handed him the spoon; does he want me to feed him too?

Hiding my bewildered expression, I spoke.

“Have you already spoken with Sister Miria?”

“If you’re on my side, of course Sister Miria will follow, won’t she?”

“Just to avoid any misunderstandings, let me say in advance that I have no intention of getting involved in the succession battle at all.”

“I know, but Brother Evander won’t think that way, will he? After all, you’re the one who took down Jason.”

Come to think of it, as Leonard says, Evander Alphonse can’t help but be conscious of me.

Especially since there’s been quite a lot of talk among the people of the territory about Jason’s incident.

Evander and Jason must have been checking each other for years because of the succession dispute.

They must have been tearing at each other, going back and forth.

And then, an exiled guy accomplishes what he couldn’t in just a few days at the family home, so of course there would be talk.

He might have even faced criticism.

While the youngest uncovered and handled a brutal case, some people might have questioned the eldest’s abilities, wondering what he was doing during that time.

I sighed briefly and set a serious tone.

“Brother.”

“What, why so scary?”

“I still don’t know whether Brother Evander is a good person or a bad person.”

“Is that so…?”

“That’s why I can’t help you.”

Hearing my directness, Leonard clears his throat in embarrassment.

“Ahem! But if I become the head of the family, you won’t lose out, will you?”

Yes. That’s what I thought until just now.

But can people’s hearts really remain the same?

If he becomes the family head with my help, given Leonard’s personality, he won’t be able to ignore people’s gossip.

They’ll say things like he relied on his sister and brother’s power, or that he’s a family head in name only….

He’s the kind of person who could easily turn on me at any time.

Of course, I could discipline him each time, but I can’t live my whole life being bothered by such things.

“Has the eldest brother returned to the family?”

“He sent a letter saying he’ll return soon. Seeing that he already noticed Jason’s death, I bet he deliberately skipped my wedding!”

“He must have had his reasons.”

“What reasons? He’s been training so intensely to build his physique…. These days, smart people like me should become the family head rather than the eldest brother, to benefit the family!”

The guy who was sulking about not sleeping with Seri Familia seems to have raised his shoulders by 3cm now that the succession dispute is mentioned.

How much more arrogant would he become if he became the family head?

Seeing Leonard’s unsightly appearance, I subtly changed the subject.

“How is Mother?”

Leonard hesitates at the mention of Ellaria.

“I don’t know. After officially apologizing to the people of the territory, she hasn’t left her bedroom.”

“….I see.”

“Jason was always good to Mother. That’s probably why she’s taking it harder.”

“Since I’m in exile, I can’t pay much attention to her, so you should take good care of Mother, brother.”

“I will.”

Thud-!

Suddenly, Federicks bursts into the study without knocking.

Leonard startles and raises his voice.

“What do you think you’re—”

“Y-young master, something terrible has happened.”

I was also surprised by Federicks barging in, but I tried my best to hide my discomfort as I spoke.

“What is it?”

Then, Federicks, without even taking a breath, showed an urgent expression.

“L-Luna has gone mad!!!”