He's My Real Brother, Duke

If Bell hadn’t peeked his head with sparkling eyes, I might have turned down his visit, too, feeling overwhelmed.

Bell pouted and said, “Can’t I, Astel?”

I saw the disappointment on Bell’s face, so I had no choice but to accept the meeting.

“Come on in.”

The Head of the Silver Fox family was the first to introduce himself as we sat across from each other in the room.

“I apologize for the late greeting. I am the Head of the Silver Fox Family, and my real name is Citer. Please feel free to call Citer.”

“Ah, yes. Lord Citer.”

I reached out my hand carefully to him. He took my hand without hesitation and spoke.

“As you know, Astel, our family pays back ten times as much grace.”

“Ah…”

“You saved my son’s life, so what would ten times be?”

After a brief handshake, he released my hand and smiled with a twinkle in his eye.

He was obviously a stiff man, but when he spoke with his fox-like eyes, the room seemed to light up around him.

“From now on, the Silver Fox Family would like to give you our full support.”

“Oh…”

“I heard that you sold hair growth agents at the Flea Market not long ago, and that you have a talent for poison and medicine.”

For a moment, Citer’s beaming smile froze me in my tracks.

“Do you have any thoughts of running a business?”

“A business?”

“Yes. If you do, there are many things I could help you with, since my family is related to magic objects.” 

I stiffened at the unthinkable suggestion and clasped my hands resting in my lap.

“Oh, I don’t have much interest in business or anything…” Astel answered.

“I see,” said Citer.

He stepped back a little more graciously than I expected.

“It’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped.”

I paused for a moment with a nod.

It was because I remembered a letter that came to my brother a while ago.

A letter from my brother, who apologized for not being able to give an allowance.

And the last time we met, his uniform was tattered and worn out.

“You were a beggar when you took revenge.”

He had the information, and he had the strength.

But he didn’t have the money.

‘I had some money, but revenge is expensive.’

To raise the money, my brother worked hard and live in poverty and squalor.

‘So, you’ll need a slush fund to support you.’

Being lost in thought, I looked at the two silver foxes in front of me.

“Still”

Of course, I hadn’t asked them for any favors yet, and I hadn’t come up with any great business ideas.

“We never know what’s going to happen, so I’ll think about it!”

I continued, and their faces warmed at my gratitude.

“Bell, you should greet her too,” said Citer.

“Thank you!”

Bell shouted as he trudged over to my seat after the brief greeting.

“My dad still likes me even though I’m not taking potions! Astel, did you cast a spell?”

Obviously, I had told him the story last time.

However, the boy, still sure, rolled his eyes as if he wanted to hear the answer again from my lips.

I shook my head and whispered in his ear.

“No, he always loved you, it’s just that somehow it came out.”

Bell’s eyes widened, he didn’t seem to understand.

I answered cheerfully, stroking Bell’s head.

“You’ll find out later,” said Astel as she straightened her back and looked back at Citer.

“I’ll see you all at ‘La bohème’ then.”

“Wait, before that!”

Bell took out two crumpled notes from his pocket.

“Take this.”

''...?''

I picked up the note from Bell and unfolded them.

(Wish coupon

Astel can make a wish to Bell!

Bell promised to give Astel a kiss, too! )

I tried not to burst into laughter after reading the note.

But the next note was even more spectacular.

(Bride to face with Bell's bride Astel.

I!m going to propose later  when ı become an adult!

You!ll have to wait. )

With a smile on my face, I folded the note and put it in my pocket.

“Do I have to wait until you’re an adult to propose?”

“Yes! Don’t get married and wait for me!”

“Bell, that’s rude.”

Citer gestured, but Bell shook his head.

“… That, but still!” 

“Yes, I’ll be waiting for you.”

Thinking that there was no one to marry anyway, I met Bell’s eyes and smiled brightly.

Inside the Duke’s castle was peaceful.

Of course, there was Bazel, who had a sinister plot in the middle, but he was caught safely, and Bell, the victim, was nursed back to health. 

The swordsmanship tournament ended perfectly with Meyer’s victory.

It’s time to prepare for the after-party of the swordsmanship competition.

All the maids and servants of the Duke’s castle were busy preparing for the party. 

Unlike the splendid interior in preparation for the party, the walls where the sinner’s head hung were cold and shabby.

And then, there was a man who struck fear into the hearts of the knights guarding the wall and destroyed it and permeated it like a ghost into the prison.

He laid his hand over the body of his dead comrade and touched his heart.

The swordsman, Bazel.

No, the name Bazel was a lie.

The heart of Yvor, once his friend, no longer beats.

''...''

And the medal artifact he always carried with him was confiscated.

The man swallowed hard.

What should I do when two are dead and only the last one remains?

In such a situation, I must contact ‘Him’.

A wry smile spread across the man’s cold face.

‘Maybe this is where it really begins.’

''...''

The man wiped the satisfied smile from his lips and stared at the door with blunt daylight.

‘You have commanded me to destroy this Duke’s castle.’

He could not bring down the Duke of Anais, but he believed he could cause enough division within the Duchy.

The plot to kill Ricardo and Bell was also part of that plan.

But they both survived.

The Jaguar family and the Silver Fox family did not fall apart.

It was strange.

There was definitely a plan that was carefully implemented and set up as if building a golden tower.

At some point, their plans crumbled like badly constructed blocks.

Then finally, the time came to head for the capital.

He had to leave his venerable master, who was conducting many experiments in the capital, for a while. 

Furthermore, He was about to slip through the moldy walls when he remembered the awl in his pocket.

But that’s when he was stopped.

“Who are you?”

A brown-haired man with a gruff demeanor and hands stuck in both pockets.

“Hey, you rat.”

''...''

His tone was sneering, but his expression was fierce.

The man drew the sharp sword and held it to the other’s neck.

“Stop right there.”

It was Cassian Gray.

I swear, it was a strange coincidence that Cassian Gray had caught the suspicious rat fleeing the Duke’s castle.

Worried about Astel, who took charge of his son, he took a long vacation.

However, he was not allowed to enter the Castle.

The rule was that Imperial knights were not allowed to enter the Duchy during the swordsmanship tournament.

Specifically, ‘Cassian Gray’ was not allowed to enter.

‘Why would you write such an official letter? Especially pointing to me? Isn’t this guy completely out of his mind…?’

(As knight, ı wish to attend the Duke!s swordsmanship tournament).

No matter how human you are, if it is for the purpose of education or experience as a knight, you were allowed to stay for about half a day and for an ultra-short period of time.

Even as a mere mortal, I was allowed to spend half a day or a very short stay at the Duke’s castle for the purpose of training or experience as a knight.

However...

(Cassian Gray - Prohibited)

‘Why not? Isn’t there a reason?’

Cassian was frustrated by the lack of information and felt a sense of unease that things were getting out of hand.

Nevertheless, he did not break through the guards of the Duke, which became tighter than the last time he came.

“Why have the guards suddenly become so ferocious?”

Inevitably, he had no choice but to wander around the walls and look for gaps.

Whenever he saw a suspicious man, he would simply slit his throat.

Fortunately, he had a few informants who were infrequent.

They even told Astel’s story to Cassian, who roamed the castle grounds.

A thief was caught during the sword competition, and Astel showed a great performance during the arrest, It was such an incredible story.

‘What the hell is going on here?’ Cassian thought.

When I was puzzled by such thoughts, I spotted a man on the walls who looked suspicious and gave off a dangerous atmosphere.

A man in daylight with an obvious ‘suspicious’ tag, and the smell of stale blood on his hands.

“Hey, rat.”

''...''

Cassian had been worried about Astel the whole time, and he’d been keeping a close eye on the castle with his telescope, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

‘Duke, you son of a b-

Cassian was one hundred percent certain that the Duke of Anais was trying to harm him.

From the way his eyes glared to the way they blinked, to the way his greedy eyes lusted after Astel, and his capricious temper.

So he assumed that the man had been sent by the Duke of Anais, who must have known he was hovering around the castle.

If there’s a problem…

The mouse, who’s believed to be the spy of the Duke, was behaving quite suspiciously.

In front of Cassian’s eyes, the rat was clearly sneaking out of the castle.

“What’s the awl for?”

There was something in the shape of an awl in the rat’s hand.

Even that was suspicious enough, and Cassian grabbed the creature by the back of the neck as it tried to flee.

But it was then…