Sex with My Sister Isn't a Crime in the Empire (1)
“If you still haven’t decided, I was thinking of assigning you a suitable woman from my side.”
“....”
I ran a simulation of Brother Ishtvan’s expected lines through my head.
They weren’t easy by any means, but…
I can do this. If it’s me!
Squeeze—!
I had come thoroughly prepared as well!
Just two hours. With two hours, I was confident I could convince Brother Ishtvan to the depths of his soul why he should abandon any thought of switching my partner!
—Huu.
I let out a long breath and opened my mouth.
“Thank you for your consideration, Brother… but I don’t believe that will be necessary.”
“Very well. I understand.”
“...?”
Completely against my iron resolve, Brother Ishtvan backed down with refreshing ease.
What is this?
The fact that he withdrew so cleanly actually made me suspicious.
He must have invested a considerable amount of time preparing those candidates, right?
And he was giving up on them this easily?
Is this a trap?
Given Brother Ishtvan’s personality, I didn’t think so, but I couldn’t help feeling wary.
“Hm… Rian, why are you making that face?”
Swoosh—
While I was lost in thought, Brother Ishtvan swept his hair back and asked.
“To be honest, I expected you to press me for more details. Like who my partner is, for instance.”
“Would you have preferred that?”
“Not exactly, but…”
“Hm…”
The corner of Brother Ishtvan’s mouth rose faintly.
It was a rare sight. Like our father, he was the type whose expression almost never changed.
“Rian, you’re the one who chose the woman. There’s a saying that seeing one tells you ten. The fact that you chose Topaz proves your eye for women is remarkably accurate.”
“...I’m surprised, Brother. I didn’t expect you to acknowledge Topaz as my woman.”
It really was unexpected.
I had assumed he would oppose it, citing the family’s reputation or the difference in status.
Of course, he had told me to treat her well, but… I thought that was only within the bounds of ‘employer and employee.’
“...Hm. There are times I wonder what exactly you think of me, Rian.”
“If I offended you, I apologize, Brother.”
“There’s no need to apologize since I wasn’t offended. It was a question born of pure curiosity.”
Swoosh—
Brother Ishtvan gazed out the window and continued.
“Both you and Topaz know how to exercise discretion, so there’s no need to oppose it. Setting status aside, Topaz is an excellent woman. She’s quick-witted, flawless in handling tasks, and above all, she doesn’t harbor unnecessary greed while staying by your side. Keep such a woman close. It will be best for both you and her.”
“....”
As expected, Brother Ishtvan was not an easy person.
On the surface it sounded like approval of Topaz, but… the meaning hidden behind it was crystal clear.
Keep the line.
If Topaz and I ever did something like ‘eloping out of love’?
Brother Ishtvan would have done everything in his power to catch us and tear us apart.
Conversely, as long as we kept the line like now, he would turn a blind eye.
It was Brother Ishtvan’s signature style of using both the carrot and the stick at once.
Tap—
“Besides, since your partner is already decided, forcing a change would go against basic manners, wouldn’t it?”
Even his final remark was an irrefutable, logical argument.
It was logical, yet… for some reason it felt unfair.
...Sigh. Well, it ended smoothly, so that’s good, right?
It felt like I had studied to death only for the exam to be canceled.
“...By the way, Brother, who are you attending the banquet with?”
“Me? I’m going alone, obviously.”
Brother Ishtvan’s tone suggested he couldn’t believe I even needed to ask.
“If the next head of Ludwig attends with the young lady of a specific family, it becomes a political statement in itself. There’s no need to invite unnecessary misunderstandings when nothing has been finalized yet.”
Shuffle— Shuffle—
Ishtvan continued speaking as he organized the pile of the young ladies’ personal files he had spread out earlier.
“The same will apply to Corelline. She’ll probably attend alone as well.”
“...You even know who Sister is attending with, Brother?”
“Corelline is still my little sister, isn’t she?”
Just because he didn’t see her as a rival didn’t mean he wasn’t keeping track of Corelline’s movements.
“Well, I think I heard Corelline say that if you came without a partner, she would attend with you… but since things have turned out this way, she’ll be going alone. Hm…”
Once again, the corner of his mouth rose.
If I were to translate the meaning… it was probably something like [Corelline, serves you right.]
—Ahahaha!! Wow~ There’s blood splattered everywhere!! I need to wash up quickly!
“...Hm. Perfect timing—Corelline is returning. The conversation is over, so you should head back now, Rian.”
Brother Ishtvan, frowning slightly, issued the order to leave.
If I stayed here, Corelline would come find me… and meeting her would be exhausting, so he was telling me to disappear quickly.
“Yes, then I’ll take my leave, Brother.”
“Go on.”
I rose from my seat and grabbed the door handle.
“One moment.”
Ishtvan’s voice rang out from behind me.
Tap— Tap—
When I turned my head, Ishtvan was holding a fountain pen and shaking it lightly.
“I received a precious gift from my little brother and failed to express my gratitude. Thank you, Rian. I will use it with care.”
“....”
Snort—
Seeing my brother genuinely pleased, a laugh slipped out of me before I could stop it.
“It was nothing. I’m glad you like it, Brother.”
“...Hm. Convey my thanks to Topaz as well.”
“Yes, I will. Brother.”
Click—! Step—! Step—!
As I left the study behind, I thought to myself.
...It went much cleaner than I expected.
Father, Corelline, and Brother Ishtvan.
I had gotten through all of them without any major issues.
Of course, it looked like Corelline was about to start her full-scale “take your sister’s side” sales pitch now, but… that was just the usual WWE match. All I had to do was grit my teeth and ignore it.
At the same time, in Kideon’s room at the Necroport Grand Ducal Estate.
“Uuuuuuu…”
Kideon, completely wrapped in her blanket, rolled around on top of the bed.
Roll—! Roll—! Roll—!
“Uuuu… ba, banquet… banquet… I have to… go to the banquet…”
The only word that kept spilling from Kideon’s lips was “banquet.”
Of course, it had been Kideon herself who said she wanted to be of help to Rian!
And she had been completely sincere at the time!
She had thought that if Rian was beside her, she could manage it!
But…
Crackle—!
—Oh my, is that the greatest necromancer genius in Necroport history?
—Ack! Lady Kideon! May I dare ask if I might have the honor of shaking your hand?
The more she imagined the endless stream of handshake requests flying at her from every direction, the more her confidence drained away.
“Hic… hiccup!… Uuuuuuu!!”
Thump—! Thump—! Thump—!
Curled up like a shrimp, Kideon’s heart pounded wildly.
If just imagining it was this bad, she seriously wondered if actually attending might kill her.
Yeah… let’s just… not go! Why would someone like me go to a banquet anyway!! I’m not supposed to go outside in the first place!! I’ll just… stay home and read…
Bang—!!
“No!! But I still have to goooo!!!”
Kideon kicked off the blanket and shouted.
If she stood Rian up…
Crackle—!
The author is disappointed in Kideon. Therefore, The Gloomy Young Lady Who Falls After 100 Days is canceled!
“Hic, hiccup!… N, no!”
Just the thought of never being able to read The Gloomy Young Lady Who Falls After 100 Days was enough to collapse Kideon’s entire world, and yet…
Crackle—!
Ah, thanks to Lady Kideon not coming, I got to be Rian-nim’s pa~rtner! Ohohohot!
In Kideon’s imagination, an unidentified woman linking arms with Rian laughed mockingly.
And if she saw another woman standing beside Rian?
“Uwaaaaa!!… N, no!… That can’t happen!!! It can’t!! R, Rian-nim is!! M, m, my partner!!”
Roll— Thud—!
After rolling around wrapped in the blanket again, Kideon fell off the bed.
“Owww!… It, it hurts…”
Rubbing her backside, Kideon looked at the calendar hanging on the wall.
[Rian-nim ♡]
“Aww… it’s, it’s really… not much time left.”
If she didn’t start preparing now, she wouldn’t make it in time for the banquet.
Well, if she left right away there was still some leeway, but…
Swoosh—
Kideon crawled out from under the blanket like a snake shedding its skin and stood in front of the mirror.
U, uuu… this… isn’t… it… right…
No matter what, she couldn’t attend the banquet looking like this.
So… what do I do… I need to get a d, dress fitted… h, hair done… and m, makeup…
Kideon spun around and around inside her room.
Plenty of things came to mind, but there wasn’t a single one she could do herself.
If she knew how to do any of those things, she wouldn’t have become a ‘socially phobic hikikomori’ in the first place!
“I, I guess… I have to ask… again…?”
In the end, she decided to seek out the maid who had helped dress her up the last time she visited Rian’s estate.
Yeah! A woman needs courage!! Once you’ve decided… it’s time to charge!! For R, Rian-nim!!
Click-clack—! Click-clack—!
Kideon headed toward the maids’ lounge.
“So anyway, have you tried that new bakery that opened in the market?”
“Oh, that place! I went too! The mint chocolate bread was…”
Click—! Whoosh—
The moment she opened the door, the noisy lounge fell completely silent and every gaze turned toward Kideon.
Ah… ugh… krr…
Of course they weren’t looking down on her or ignoring her; they were simply startled by their master’s sudden appearance, but… regardless of the reason, having everyone’s eyes on her at once turned Kideon’s mind completely white.
Im, impossible… as expected… im, impossible! Impossibleimpossibleimpossibleimpossible!!
Just as Kideon was about to reverse-charge back to her room—
“Oh my! Lady Kideon! What brings you all the way here? Ah! Could it be that you came looking for me?”
Patter-patter-patter—!
The familiar maid came running over with a bright smile.
...It wasn’t impossible?!