Chapter 198
Chapter 198
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 198
Chapter Title: A Brother's Pride and Tears
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Tasting the growth of my insolent little sister—who once had the audacity to call her sky-high big brother a "bat" or a "gloomy creep"—I finally understood why my older brother had bawled his eyes out at the sight of Lady Dorothy.
Seeing my little sister right there, showing such a mature side, filled me with a profound sense of accomplishment from all the occasional "physical therapy" I'd given her over the years. At the same time, it felt like a longtime friend was drifting away.
Watching the sister-and-brother-in-law duo, after finishing their chat with me, go around thanking everyone who'd attended the event... that swell of emotion doubled in my chest.
"Heh heh."
Well done, Hayes Elise Howard, the treasured jewel of the Hume family. Ride on the glory of your brothers and become a noble lady ruling high society just like Mother.
"Uh..."
No matter how I thought about it, calling Hayes a "noble lady" felt off somehow.
Hayes, you're probably not noble lady material, so just aim to be a proper wife.
I'll make sure you're at least set to live comfortably among barons and viscounts.
"......"
I'm getting ahead of myself with the worries.
She's such a social klutz she couldn't even date properly and had to ask an unemployed shut-in like me for advice.
I wonder if that tomboy can really act like a proper wife.
"Sigh..."
If she'd only inherited half of Mother's grace, I wouldn't have these worries. The sighs just keep coming.
"My, Young Master."
As I stood there with my arms crossed, glaring disapprovingly at Hayes, Emily let out a soft sigh and tugged lightly at my arm.
"What? Need something?"
"No."
Emily's finger pointed right at the tip of my nose.
"Your nose tip is red."
"Ha, what about it...?"
Thinking she was teasing me, I chuckled and touched the tip of my nose—sure enough, it was burning hot compared to the rest of my face.
"The ballroom's a bit stuffy."
"The sun's already set, though?"
"Heating must be cranked up nice and warm."
"Heating's warm, sure, but why are your eyes misty?"
"Dry air's making my eyes water."
"I've never seen you tear up from dry air in all the time I've known you."
"People change suddenly sometimes. This is one of those times."
"I see~"
Emily nodded as if she totally bought it, then shot a meaningful smile toward Hayes.
"Some baron said, 'No reason to cry unless it's your own parents.' Know who that might be?"
Damn, that cursed past William.
Why'd he have to say something so stupid to haunt me now?
You idiot...
"No idea what you're talking about. That's all nonsense—don't believe it."
"Really? He seemed like someone I could really trust."
"Who the heck is this guy? What a weirdo."
I stared at Emily pleadingly, but she gritted her teeth, avoided my gaze, and kept mumbling.
"......"
A sense of betrayal welled up.
Emily, who had a heart as vast as the plains... how did she turn into such a mean girl?
"Fine... I was the fool."
"Young Master, what do you mean? It wasn't you who said it, right?"
"...Shut up."
"Eek."
Only after I poked her cheek and lowered my voice did Emily stick out her tongue and finally zip it.
It was such a convincing excuse that I decided to let it slide.
"Wipe those tears quick. I'll keep it our secret."
"...Thanks."
With Emily's vast heart resuming operations after its brief strike, I hurriedly dabbed my face with a handkerchief.
"By the way, Young Master."
"What."
"Getting caught wiping tears by Miss Hayes isn't so bad, right?"
"What?"
I yanked the handkerchief away in a panic, but Hayes was already staring at me from afar, eyes wide round.
"...Emily."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Can I curse you out?"
"No way, but I could pat your back instead."
"Do that and I'll die of embarrassment for real."
"Um..."
Emily rolled her eyes wildly searching for some way to help, then awkwardly smiled and raised her clenched fists to chest level.
"Young Master, you got this!"
"Ha..."
I'm doomed.
Just like my brother crying in front of Lady Dorothy—years of teasing material locked in.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Thank goodness, Hayes didn't go blabbing to the family about my "adjusting the moisture in my eyes due to dry air."
She must've whispered it to her fiancé though, since he shot me a surprised look midway through. But husband and wife are one body, after all.
The left brain realizing something is just common sense for the right brain to know.
I'd expected her to run to Mother tattling or come bounding over asking, "Hey, you crying?" But holding it in like that? Shocking.
The moment I saw it, I had to admit one final fact I'd been denying to the end.
Hayes is a noble lady.
Her heart had matured to match her grown-up looks, evolving perfectly into a noble, pure, elegant woman who could embrace her flawed big brother.
But the unexpected ambush came not from Hayes, but elsewhere.
"Ah, Baron Howard, congrats on your little sister's engagement. I watched from afar—it was lovely how beautiful Miss Hayes looked."
"Huh? How'd you see that?"
"The witch connected us with a small bond, so I got an invite from Lord Hume of the borderlands."
"What?"
Of all people, I hadn't expected Father to invite Panny Lady to the engagement.
"You really went to the engagement party?"
"Of course. I even attended the banquet and exchanged brief thanks."
"Whoa! Then tell us about Young Master William's little sister's engagement!"
I'd clamped my mouth shut since there was no reason—or desire—to talk about the engagement party, but Panny Lady's words made everyone drop their work and zero in on her.
"Is it okay?"
"Doesn't matter to me. It's not a bad story."
Panny Lady eyed me cautiously, as if three people bringing it up first was burdensome.
I wasn't embarrassed to share my sister's story myself, just didn't want to be the one starting it. And even if I tried to stop it, Herbert Young Lord probably already knew from her...
"Permission granted, so everyone who wants to hear... oh, looks like you're all gathered already."
With the green light, all the staff—Elizabeth at my side excepted—sneaked over to Panny Lady.
Even Elin and Walter, who I'd figured wouldn't care about this stuff.
"How was it? Young Master William's been fussing over dresses for months—must've been super flashy, right?"
"It was quite the grand engagement. Hundreds showed up to celebrate, the dress was wedding-dress level glamour, and the banquet had endless delicacies lined up... To top that, you'd need the crown princess or Lady Elizabeth's engagement."
"Whoa... Comparing to royalty? We'd heard the William family's big, but not that big."
"Father and Mother went a bit all-out since she's the baby."
I hurriedly added that it wasn't ordinary scale, but their talk of royalty and crown princess made it worse.
"A bit?"
"That was just 'a bit'?"
"Whoa... High nobles can match royalty just by 'trying a bit'."
"Thought my dad was well-off, but he's a drop in the bucket."
"No, that's not what I—"
But my poor word choice only made their eyes sparkle more.
"So when's your engagement, Baron?"
"Yeah, sister's engaged now—time for big bro the baron to step up, no?"
"Ahem..."
I'd never expected engagement nagging from mere staff—not family—so I coughed awkwardly. They misinterpreted, turning eyes to Elizabeth.
"Ah... With that partner, can't be helped."
"Still, a hint on the timeline wouldn't hurt."
"She's too high-status; gotta tread carefully."
"Aha!"
And they nodded among themselves, convinced.
"No..."
It was absurd.
I hadn't said a word.
"Hey Panny, you were at the engagement—why didn't you say hi?"
"I meant to greet you at the banquet, but you were dabbing tears with a handkerchief right then. So I backed off quietly."
"For real?"
"Who was shedding what?"
"Oh..."
"......"
The staff stared at me in wonder.
Ha... Of the tiny few who saw my moisture adjustment, why'd it have to be Emily, Hayes, and Panny Lady...
"Never happened. Just wiping sweat."
"Baron, does your sweat come from your eyeballs?"
"Eyebrows. Eyebrows."
"No way—Emily and your sister saw it too."
"I said no!"
"William, quiet down. Emily, what's the truth?"
"Huh?"
As I started denying, Elizabeth—who'd ignored the engagement but perked up at my tears—clamped my mouth and grilled Emily.
Emily, hit by the splash after watching quietly, jumped, rolled her eyes frantically, then bowed her head deep and spoke.
"...I don't really know."
"That's tears."
"Definitely tears."
"Tears for sure."
"No! Stop ganging up, you jerks!"
"We get it—sad seeing your precious sister leave."
"What a devoted big brother."
"It'snotthat..."
I denied desperately, but couldn't hold off the staff's multi-front assault alone.
"Admit it, William—you love your sister."
"Causing all that fuss in the atelier, then denying it? Kinda pathetic."
With Elizabeth leading the tear-pile-on, resistance was futile.
In the end, I had to admit another fact I'd resisted.
"Hayes... is my very precious little sister..."
"Knew it."
"Right on cue."
Damn...