Chapter 9

Translated by Momo & edited by Mary

“You certainly are… Cecilia’s stepbrother.”

“It’s been a long time, Your Highness. This id– Cecil is my good friend, and he got acquainted with my sister through me.”

“Gil, why are you here?”

“I’ve been thinking about having lunch together for the first time in a while, so I went to your class to invite you but I heard that you were called out by His Highness first…”

The Duke’s adopted son, Gilbert is, of course, allowed to enter this salon. So after hearing the story, he came to follow up immediately.

Cecilia pulled Gil’s sleeve with teary eyes.

“Gil. Thank you.”

“Yeah, I bet you were scared after being called to this place so suddenly.”

Gill spoke in a different way than usual. When talking to his stepsister privately, he’s way more harsh and blunt, but in front of his “good friend”, he’s behaving as proper as a gentleman.

“Well, I guess that’s all right. That means that you have a connection with the Silvy family. But why did you have Cecilia’s handkerchief?”

With Gil’s interruption, he seemed to believe Cecil and Cecilia knew each other, but Oscar still didn’t stop the interrogation.

“Oh, that’s…”

“My sister lent it to him because Cecil and Sis have been very close friends for a long time.”

“She’s been absent from all social gatherings.”

“Your Highness is aware that my sister has fragile health. After I enrolled in the academy, I can hardly see her now. When we meet, it’s usually at home.”

Cecilia looked away as lies just easily flew t of her stepbrother’s mouth. This would never work out if she was left on her own.

“I’ve asked for a meeting several times, but I haven’t succeeded it once. Why can Cecil meet her?”

“It’s because she doesn’t trust Your Highness.”

CRACK– the sound of rocks splitting echoed around the room.

When she noticed, they were glaring at each other, and Cecilia, the main topic of the conversation, was completely left out.

“Huh. So Cecilia hates me?”

“Well, she doesn’t fancy you. It’s not really unreasonable, right? …As I have said many times, my sickly older sister isn’t suitable to become the queen. Isn’t that enough? Why haven’t you annulled your engagement yet?”

“That’s not something you can decide, Gilbert Silvy. The queen status is judged by her intelligence, her mercy, and her rank as an aristocrat. I can’t conclude that she’s not worthy just because she has a bit weak constitution.”

An invisible spark scattered between them and Cecilia’s face twisted into a weird smile again.

(Why are they fighting? And they seem to have fought over this same topic even before this happened…)

Unlike Cecilia, who rarely entered the social circles due to her “sickness”, Gilbert has been attending gatherings on various occasions, as the heir of the Silvy family, the next Duke.

They surely met during those times.

While she was thinking about that, the discussion between the two of them became intense.

“But I think mental and physical health is of paramount importance for the burden of bearing and nurturing the next king.”

“Rearing a child isn’t the only assignment of a queen… Gilbert, I’ve always wondered, but aren’t you a little too old to be this attached to your older sister? That’s right, I think they call it ‘sister complex’. ”

“Ain’t I better than Your Highness, who keeps dragging himself with memories from more than ten years ago. My sister and I are siblings, and Your Highness is an outsider. Isn’t it normal for me, as her brother, to worry about her? ”

“An outsider? …Cecilia and I are engaged!”

“Shouldn’t it be 'still’ engaged but not for long?”

“Even if you say you’re siblings, aren’t you just a stepbrother!”

“Unfortunately for Your Highness, it’s my greatest benefit being just a 'stepbrother’, there’s no disadvantage at all in not being blood-related.”

Without understanding a single thing that they were talking about, a troubled Cecilia looked at each of them alternately.

(For the time being, it seems like they were actually unexpectedly close!)

For the first time, Cecilia saw Gilbert talk like that and Oscar become emotional. Without any doubt, there is a sense of familiarity between those two’s interactions, it seems to be a usual exchange that only occurs between them.

(It’s just like a fighting buddy!)

And that was Cecilia’s conclusion. Something that one can’t understand even after considering for a long time is definitely a thing you don’t need to think deeply about.

“Well, yes. I haven’t seen her for more than ten years. So we can’t avoid it anymore, right?”

Oscar gives the handkerchief back to Cecilia, muttering recklessly.

However, the moment she tried to take it, her wrist is grabbed and her body was pulled towards Oscar.

“Hiiii!”

“Your Highness!”

Gilbert tried to stop it, but Oscar already took her hand.

Oscar talked to Cecilia in an intimidating low voice.

“Cecil”

“Y-yes! ”

“Have you recently met with Cecilia?”

“Well, y-yes…”

If you can count seeing yourself in the mirror, they basically meet every single day. Oscar twisted his expression at Cecilia’s vague nod.

“I need to ask you a favour.”

“Yes?”

“Somehow arrange a meeting with Cecilia for me!”

It was clearly an (absolutely terrible) order (not favour).