Chapter 21
Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook
“I have nothing to say.”
“Then why do you keep blocking my way?”
“I’m not blocking your way, I’m trying to get out of it, but our steps keep overlapping.”
After I spoke bluntly, Kedrick stopped. I stared straight at him.
‘I’m not the one who always blushed shyly every time we met, sweetheart.’
Kedrick, who was staring at my indifferent expression, said.
“Did you apologize to Lillia? Do you know how worried Lillia has been since you fell into the pond?”
“What did you say? Why should I apologize to Lillia when I was the one who fell into the pond?”
“You must have done it on purpose because I’m interested in Lillia. You feel upset, so you want her to feel bad.”
“What?”
My goodness. I’m speechless.
I said with a mocking smile.
“Hey, Kedrick. Aren’t you being too self-conscious? I’m sorry, but you’re not attractive enough to risk committing suicide for.”
“… What?”
Kedrick blinked quietly, then smirked.
“They said that you’ve become strange after you came back to life. I guess you must have decided to stand out in a completely different way. That’s a very childish way of doing it, just like you.”
“…?”
What do they say in situations like this? Ah. ‘When a person is too dumbfounded, they become speechless.’
“Pfft.”
Kedrick’s eyebrows sprang up as I burst into laughter out of pity for him rather than anger.
Well, if you have a good family and have a face like this, your nose must be raised high.
‘This older sister has lived a life where people who are better than you bother me to meet me only once, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, sweetheart.’
I, who was constantly on the phone because of the calls made by men who were wealthy, capable, and had perfect faces and bodies.
Among them were celebrities, social media stars, and the third generation rich people…
Men with ordinary specs couldn’t even give me their business cards, so of course my eyes are on the edge of the sky.
‘How dare this bastard— In the other world, he should be eating school lunch and be at the netcafe at this time!’
I shook my head and said.
“Mm, I don’t know… I was actually a little skeptical when I came out after taking a cold shower. I wondered if you were a good enough guy to follow for 7 years.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry to say this, but overall, you’re a bit lacking. You’re short, and your shoulders are…”
Sticking out my lips with a regretful expression, I moved my hands in front of Kedrick as if I were complimenting him.
“… A bit narrow, don’t you think?”
“What did you just say?”
“In fact, I can’t say you’re exceptionally handsome. Maybe because your family is good, so the correction effect of your flaws was a little big?”
Kedrick’s mouth opened slowly.
“In a nutshell, there’s nothing to look at from you except for your family. I’m not even behind you in that part, so I have no regrets. Your nose must have soared up high because I’ve been following you for a while.”
I added in a whisper, gently sticking my face in front of Kedrick.
“Now get a grip and face reality. If you want me to keep following you around without looking away, please exercise and grow your back a bit.”
“Ha…”
Angry at the unexpected insult, Kedrick burst into a ridiculing laugh.
“Y-You dare insult me like this? Then you’re fat, short, and unpopular…”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. You’ve been making fun of me because I’m fat, right?”
The original Rubette was hurt every time she was criticized for her appearance and couldn’t say anything.
‘Mm, I have nothing except high self-esteem, so I don’t feel hit at all~’
I added with a grin.
“And that’s why I did the same thing: giving you an evaluation of your appearance. Why? Can’t you stand that?”
Kedrick trembled as he looked at me teasing him resolutely.
“Go away.”
Kedrick gritted his teeth, gesturing to me, who had a sly smile on, to move out of his way.
He barely caught his breath and stepped down the stairs one step at a time angrily.
“Uh huh.”
It was then.
Kedrick’s and my shoulders brushed as we shared the narrow staircase. I lost my balance for a moment, and my stretched hands instinctively flailed.
‘I’m falling!’
And as expected, Kedrick did not use his chivalry to hold the lady.
“Uh, uh, uh…”
I was pushed back while trying to balance myself on the stairs with a my fine motor nerve.
“Argh!”
Kwadang—!
Unfortunately, I slipped on the third stair and fell on my behind.
‘Ouch, my butt hurts.’
I’m glad I didn’t go up many stairs. If I had slipped from a higher place, I would have broken my head.
I shook my head nervously, stroking my painful buttocks.
Kedrick, with his face full of laughter, was looking down at me.
“Ou, how dull are you that you can’t even control your own body, ha.”
“Oh, my, Kedrick? What’s going on?”
At that time, Lillia, who appeared late, was seen behind Kedrick.
Kedrick suppressed his laughter and turned to Lillia.
“Lillia, look at that ridiculous thing. She waddled and rolled down the stairs, unable to hold her body.”
“What? Pfft!”
Kedrick joked and Lillia laughed.
This is not the first time that those two are in sync. Dozens, no, hundreds of scenes remained in Rubette’s memory.
‘It’s annoying. It’s always dirty to feel ridiculed by little kids.’
Just as I was about to get up with my teeth clenched.
‘… Mm?’
The front door in the distant opened and someone was coming in.
That person naturally handed over his coat to the maid who was guarding the front door and entered…
‘What? Brother Victor?’
I hurriedly took my eyes off of Victor, my second brother, who had not yet found me, and turned my head.
‘Why did he come home at this time all of a sudden?’
My brain circuit turned quickly.
Victor Diollus. my second brother.
As the deputy commander of the Imperial Knights, he only returned home once or twice a year because he was living in a dormitory within the Imperial Palace.
He lived in the dormitory almost all his live when he was young and after getting married he got a private residence and became independent.
In other words, there were very few memories of Rubette’s 45-year life with Victor.
However.
‘He’s much better than my first brother.’
Although blunt, Victor was a hundred times better than the first Viego.
He didn’t particularly like the amiable Lillia, and he was an older brother who would always give Rubette a small gift when he came home, saying that she was still his sister.
‘Besides, he’s the target I’ve been waiting for!’
I had already planned to go see Victor to build a bridge with the crown prince.
And it happened that I fell off the stairs and fell on my butt.
This is God’s timing!
‘You guys should die for my acting, which won three awards for Best Actress, today.’
Looking up at Kedrick and Lillia, who were still chuckling, I slowly brought my lips together.
I looked like I was about to burst out crying, but forced myself to bear it. It’d be perfect with trembling eyelids and pouting lips.
“… It was a mistake, wasn’t it, Kedrick?”
As if he could hear my voice, I could feel Victor standing still in one side of my field of vision.
“What are you saying? You foolishly fall backwards on your own.”
“…”
I lowered my gaze and clenched my teeth, another dropped another drop of tears like chicken dung. Instantly, tears fell nonstop on the skirt of my dress.
[T/N: Tears like chicken dung is a Korean saying. The tears that accumulate into big teardrops which then falls are supposedly like droppings from a chicken’s… butt.]
“I… What did I do that is so wrong to you? Is it because I was mean a little while ago? But you’ve been so much worse…”
“What? Stop being so squeamish. You look ugly.”
“Do you hate me that much? Enough to push me down the stairs like this?”
“What are you saying?”
“Even if I’m wrong, Kedrick, are you okay?”
“Who are you blaming when you can’t control your dull body and fall down on your own? Besides, you know it well. Whatever happens to you, I don’t care. So please. Don’t flirt in front of me.”
Ooooh! Good job, Kedrick! Do more, more!
“Kedrick, keep your voice down.”
Lillia’s voice, which had an open smile, also helped. It seemed that she was satisfied with the way I was being squeezed around.
“You’re so mean. I really don’t know why you guys are doing this to me…”
As expected, as I slowly listened with a tearful face.
Victor, who had a frightening face, was striding towards me.
I pretended to have only found him now, and winced with wide-open eyes in astonishment.
“B-Brother?”
Victor, standing in front of me and holding onto the stair railing, turned around and stared at Kedrick and Lillia.
“What are you guys doing?”
[T/N: aaaaa I’m so glad the second brother is likeable]