Pride and Sanctimony

Chapter 60 | Two Brothers

* * *

Feeling a little tired, Lexus laid down on the sofa with his hand falling over the side. His fingers instinctually sought out that familiar warmth, a movement that had become almost like a habit to him.

But no matter how he searched, he could not feel that small breath and soft fur that was usually always there.

Whenever he beckoned Goldie like this, the dog would push his head under his arm and fall asleep with him, and he’d end up drifting off with his hand still petting the soft fur of his head.

But with no one there, all he ended up petting was empty air.

Feeling something blocking the light as a shadow loomed over him, Lexus suddenly opened his eyes.

[Axion] “Hello, brother.”

[Lexus] “Hello, brother.”

He just knew it would be Axion. His mother was the type to contact him before visiting, and Elizabeth, who was still very childish and had yet to learn any manners, would’ve just barged in.

Axion was the only one who could cleanly move past all the servants and enter the door with such silence.

Looking down at the state of Lexus, Axion smirked.

[Axion] “At this rate, your body is going to start growing mold. Why don’t you get up from the sofa?”

Axion walked up to the sofa where Lexus was lying down, leaning against the armrest.

[Lexus] “Well, I don’t know. I’m just lazy. Do I have to get up?”

[Axion] “Let’s go ride our horses.”

[Lexus] “I have no intention of doing that.”

[Axion] “Get up.”

[Lexus] “I don’t want to.”

[Axion] “This is an order.”

Even if he ignored him now, it was clear his brother had something he wanted to say. With a heavy sigh, Lexus sat up, but even then, he didn’t even try to stand.

[Lexus] “What do you want?”

[Axion] “What happened to that dog you always had next to you?”

[Lexus] “His name is Goldie. Isn’t it about time you memorized his name?”

[Axion] “Well, I’m doing my best.”

[Lexus] “Your best, huh? And how many months has it been since you started ‘doing your best’?”

Lexus had this keen ability where he didn’t take in or get rid of any piece of information in his mind, useless or otherwise, and he was showing it off without any kind of hesitation right now.

[Axion] “Did you sell that dog? Is that why I haven’t seen it around here for a while? I didn’t realize you were in need of extra money, living in a palace like this.”

[Lexus] “Why do I get the feeling you just majorly insulted my character?”

[Axion] “So where did it go? Don’t tell me you really sold it.”

[Lexus] “His owner took him.”

[Axion] “His owner? That wasn’t you?”

[Lexus] “Nope. I was just taking care of him temporarily.”

[Axion] “Is it the person who’s been holding onto that ring for you?” (1)

[Lexus] “If you had any decent self-awareness, you wouldn’t be asking that kind of question.”

Lexus cut back with a quip, one sharply asking why his brother would ask that if he already knew the answer.

[Axion] “I have good enough self-awareness, but I also like to make sure of things.”

And hearing a cheeky answer meaning he wanted to hear a definite answer in response to his suspicions, Lexus heaved a heavy sigh.

[Lexus] “Fine. I’ll go outside.”

* * *

Following Axion outside, their horses had already been prepped, ready and waiting. They walked with a casual gait, their servants lingering far behind them.

Just before, Lexus had been lying listless by himself, but now that he was outside riding his horse, the cool breeze alone started to make him feel a little better.

[Axion] “What did you do all day?”

[Lexus] “Why ask when you already know?”

[Axion] “They tell me you’ve just been lying around for days on end and haven’t moved a muscle. Your life sounds very leisurely.”

[Lexus] “I can’t help the blood I was born with.”

[Axion] “So explain to me how I was born with the same blood and yet I’m so busy?”

[Lexus] “You aren’t a second born son.”

[Axion] “We all have our duties to fulfill, yourself included.”

[Lexus] “What sort of responsibilities does a second son even have by comparison?”

[Axion] “Why not get married, for starters?”

Axion threw out the idea so casually, like something like that would be so easy. Before he realized the indifferent nature of the question, Lexus nearly answered, Maybe I have plans for that and you just don’t know about it.

[Lexus] “What are you talking about?”

With a frown on his face, Lexus glanced at his brother.

[Axion] “Count Reston has made his search for a marriage agreement quite clear.”

[Lexus] “And?”

[Axion] “If you don’t plan on loving anyone, then I don’t think a political marriage would be such a bad idea.”

[Lexus] “He must have paid a pretty penny for you to bring this up. What was Count Reston famous for again? Did he promise to hand over the major farmland he owns and the ruby mine along with his precious daughter?”

Lexus was being sarcastic.

There were five major granaries within the Empire and within those, there were ten farmlands. Count Reston owned one of them. And if that were not enough, he even owned a major ruby mine that was rather famous. That was the reason why Prince Lexus even remembered Count Reston—because of the large assets he owned.

And so to think the Count would give up both the farm and the mine just for a marriage would be crazy. That would be tantamount to relinquishing eighty percent of the county’s income.

[Axion] “How did you know?”

The corners of the Axion’s lips twitched upward like he’d been caught red handed.

[Lexus] “Wow, that makes me feel so much better. Is this how stud horses feel? Should I be grateful I’m such an expensive person to buy?”

He laughed, speaking with a pleasant sounding voice, but Axion wasn’t foolish enough not to understand the clear disdain and sarcasm behind his words.

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[Axion] “It’s a political marriage without love. It would be for the best to take advantage of it.”

[Lexus] “Then why don’t you do it?”

[Axion] “They saw that picture of you, unfortunately.”

[Lexus] “And if it were you they saw instead, would you do it?”

[Axion] “I have no reason not to.”

Lexus could understand the rationale behind this being the right choice, but somehow, he didn’t like this at all.

[Lexus] “Even if you don’t have a problem with the idea, just thinking about it is giving me a headache. If you’re planning on spewing nothing but nonsense, then just leave me alone.”

[Axion] “What are your thoughts on this?”

[Lexus] “What kind of question is that? Obviously I hate the idea.”

[Axion] “I just thought you wouldn’t mind the idea of a profitable political marriage for yourself.”

Lexus thought the same, once upon a time. If he had no choice but to get married at one point or another, then clearly, he would make the most beneficial choice.

[Axion] “Anyway, there was something I was more curious to talk about. I’ve been hearing a lot about you exhibiting some suspicious behaviors.”

[Lexus] “What are you talking about?”

[Axion] “Why did you commission a ring? Who was the recipient of that dress you bought? I can hardly contain my curiosity.”

If Axion were to be honest, this was the intent of their conversation from the very beginning.

However, he knew if he came at Lexus too directly with these questions, he would likely get angry immediately, so he decided to soften the blow by throwing a massive bomb at him first. In essence, his true motive was this second topic of conversation, though he wouldn’t complain if Lexus were to accept his first offer.

[Axion] “Are you actually planning on getting married?”

[Lexus] “What the hell are you going on about?”

[Axion] “Well, if it’s not that, then why the ring?”

[Lexus] “I just wanted to let her know that I’m serious about her.”

[Axion] “Serious, you say? And what about her?”

With those kinds of words in the air, Axion could not help but wonder if the woman in question was the type to truly love Lexus, but something told him asking that kind of question too directly wouldn’t end well for him.

Besides, was this even the type of thing one could be rational about? It would only be natural not to think about whether or not she even liked him back because Lexus was the type to move forward without that kind of consideration.

However, in truth, this was something that made Lexus a little bit worried, so he responded with a sigh.

[Lexus] “I don’t know.”

[Axion] “What do you mean?”

Falling into a brief silence, it took Lexus a second before he could answer.

[Lexus] “…..She said she wanted to stop.”

[Axion] “Did you ever start something?”

Those words were like a spear, and Lexus couldn’t deny that he and Valentia had not seen enough of each other to say that something had even truly started.

[Lexus] “…….I thought we did.”

[Axion] “And what about this woman?”

[Lexus] “She said she’d think about it.”

[Axion] “Then, doesn’t this mean you’ve already been abandoned?”

His brother didn’t hesitate to take a jab at the very thing that was making him so anxious, and Lexus’ handsome face twisted into a frown.

Normally, he would’ve asked what made him think that, but the remark was so sudden that all he could do was get quiet. Now, he was being given no choice but to let this one slide because he thought if he said anything more, it would be like acknowledging his own fears.

As far as he knew, everything was fine at the Fall Banquet. Back then, it really felt like she held some kind of heart for him. He had no idea what was making her suddenly say she wanted to stop, and that just drove him even more crazy.

He thought maybe it was his slowness in properly defining their relationship that caused this incident, so he had the ring prepared, but with things going as they were, he wasn’t sure if she would accept it from him.

[Axion] “This is a surprise. You’re putting your heart into something you’re so unsure of.”

[Lexus] “Yeah, well, I’m surprised, too.”

And he also didn’t understand himself, unable to put an end to things when the woman he was concerned with was making him so confused.

But even if he were to go back in time, he couldn’t see himself agreeing with what Valentia wanted. He’d probably just end up saying something foolish, once again unable to do what he couldn’t the first time around.

[Axion] “Why did you have a ring made when there’s a chance the woman may refuse?”

[Lexus] “It’s important to show my sincerity.”

If he were the type of man who didn’t bother to prepare a ring because he was afraid he might be rejected, then it would only be right if she kicked him to the side.

[Axion] “I see. Sincerity. I understand. Then I’ll reject the offer for now.”

[Lexus] “What do you mean, for now?”

[Axion] “It wouldn’t hurt to keep the possibility open.”

[Lexus] “You’re talking about the daughter of Count Reston, aren’t you? Doesn’t she go to the Academy?”

[Axion] “So I’ve heard.”

[Lexus] “Then what kind of marriage would this even be, considering I can’t even remember what she looks like?”

[Axion] “Such is the nature of a political marriage. In any case, I have a lot of work I need to do, so you may return on your own.”

Like he was actually very busy, Axion quickly turned and disappeared.

But then he smiled to himself.

Lexus didn’t notice this, but this whole conversation was just Axion’s way of extending a little love advice to him. In all his years, he’d never imagined he would have this kind of talk with his brother of all people.

Though, he had to admit choosing himself as the one to give love advice was a little redundant, so it was doubtful Lexus gained anything from their conversation. Elizabeth read a lot of romance novels, so perhaps she would have been more useful in times like this rather than someone like Axion.

Axion was an extremely analytical and overly rational man, with neither his heart nor his body ever being moved by a person, and so he thought he and Lexus were the same.

Although he didn’t meet with women in that way, he still spent a lot of time with many different ladies, but gave his heart to none. His brother was a little extreme in his ways, but in the end, they were no different from each other.

They were men who could not truly love.

With their deficiencies being as they were, if another child were to be born in the Imperial family, it would probably be only after the youngest among them, Elizabeth, grew up and got married. For this pair of brothers, such a possibility did not exist for them.

[Axion] “But this is unexpected. It’s a bit surprising to know he might have a child first.”

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He clearly still didn’t understand his own feelings yet, but if he had fallen in love and was feeling affection for someone beyond a mere familial bond, then that was something worth celebrating.

* * *

T/N: (1) He’s talking about the ring Lexus is using as a sign to indicate a person was sent by him, not the ring he had commissioned.

astralmech t/c: Aspec Axion? ????

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