Sisters Who Truly Adore Their Older Brother

The twins' genuine love for their older brother ┏┓ Episode 4 · Sisters Who Truly Adore Their Older Brother ┗╋━━ ━━ ━━ ━━ ━━

It was March 1st at Eisenwald Castle. Sekhmet's invitation had been completely out of the blue and entirely one-sided. And for good reason—something dangerous was stirring across the continent, and to resolve it, she claimed Ludo had to become a teacher. It was such an absurd suggestion that a barrage of questions flew back and forth.

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Ludo left the room with a completely dazed expression.

"Haa..."

Left alone after ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his son staggered out with that vacant look, Gustav leaned back heavily against his headrest. To think that in all his years, he would receive recommendation letters from all three royal houses—and practically be strong-armed into accepting by the academy's principal herself.

"My head hurts. The world is full of talented people, so why does it have to be our son...?"

Just before Ludo had stood up earlier, Gustav had asked for the reason several times, but the answer he received was exactly the same as before.

No matter what he asked, she had simply brushed him off by saying his son's power was needed. He wanted to press further, but given her position, there was nothing he could do.

"You're really sending Oravoni away after hearing such nonsense?"

"—Die. Trash. Idiot. Shithead."

Gustav jumped at the sudden voices cutting in. He whipped his head toward the sound and saw his two daughters rising from the shadow beside the sofa, as if swimming up from its depths.

"You two—were you eavesdropping this whole time?!"

The owners of those voices were, of course, his beloved twin daughters.

Sabine von Eisenwald.

Line von Eisenwald.

The beautiful twin sisters that the Eisenwald family took such pride in. Normally they were endlessly adorable and loved by everyone, but the glint in their eyes right now was completely different from when they faced their older brother. If they usually sparkled like rubies, at this moment they burned with a rage that reminded one of fresh blood.

"Knowing full well what kind of feelings Line and I harbor for Oravoni, did you really think we wouldn't eavesdrop on something this important?"

"Dad, are you insane? What the hell are you doing to Oppa? Should I just kill you right here?"

While Sabine openly spat out her dissatisfaction, Line drove the point home with brutal directness. The two girls even had the audacity to hop onto their father's work desk and plant their bottoms on it.

"Girls, please reconsider. Ludo is your family—your older brother. We share the same blood. This is a forbidden relationship that can never be. Why can't you understand that?"

Yet he didn't raise his voice. As always, he spoke calmly and repeated the same explanation he'd given countless times before. Naturally, the twins pushed back.

"That's not true. Line and I looked up tons of legal precedents. Everything you said is a lie, Dad."

"Father. We've done our research. We didn't even have to look far—there are quite a few families within the Kingdom of Stalose that practice incest, you know?"

This was the twins' logic. Gustav refuted them again, saying they knew one thing but not the other.

"That only happens when they can't find suitable brides from outside the family, or when the bloodline is so valued that it's been prioritized for generations. What could a powerless family like ours possibly be trying to protect by circulating blood among ourselves? And that boy already has a terrible reputation both inside and outside the family. Just imagine the rumors if word got out that he took in his two younger sisters without even looking at other women. Your father would die of shame and anger."

This was partly for Ludo's sake, but the two precious gems simply puffed out their cheeks.

"Hmph!"

"Hmph indeed."

Though they responded cutely, what came next was anything but adorable.

"Oppa's reputation is already terrible anyway. Adding one or two more scandals won't make a difference at this point."

"Weren't we the ones who worked so hard to make sure he wouldn't take in any brides in the first place?"

They openly admitted to being the ones actively spreading their older brother's bad reputation, which was utterly insane.

"So it really was you two! No wonder such ridiculous rumors were circulating in a territory this small!"

"Unlike Oravoni, we have very wide social circles. Father took us to many parties, after all. Girls our age all have loose lips, so spreading a few rumors about Oravoni's terrible reputation was child's play."

"Yep, yep. We worked really hard. Line isn't much of a talker, but she tried her best~."

They high-fived each other like they were playing patty-cake and burst into giggles. Watching their foolish behavior, Gustav felt utterly drained.

"Brag about something worth bragging about. Because of that sabotage, our worthless son is still single with no wife. Even today! When I heard during the meeting with Lady Sekhmet that you two had drugged him again, I nearly lost my mind! It's a good thing Ludo doesn't know your true nature. What do you think would happen if he ever found out?!"

"Huh? What a silly thing to say. He's my Oravoni. Even if he gets angry at first, he'll eventually smile and forgive us, won't he?"

"Yep, yep. Oppa is waaay too nice~."

"Aaaargh!!"

Gripping his head and screaming about how on earth they had turned out this way, Gustav slammed his forehead against the desk in frustration. No matter how much of a scene he made, his daughters—whomever they took after—remained utterly merciless.

"Father. Stop trying to dodge the issue by crying and tell us why that woman and the royal houses want Oravoni."

"That's right. What's that woman's goal? What the hell is the Spinsters Class? Why is she taking our Oppa?"

Even as their father was throwing a fit, they paid it no mind and pressed for the main point. With a sorrowful expression, he finally lifted his head.

"Sigh... From what I hear, it's a class attended by distinguished guests from various countries. There are many problems related to romance, so they desperately need Ludo's help."

"That's exactly why I'm asking why it has to be Oravoni. You're giving romance-related problems to someone who's never even dated before? And putting him in charge of a class full of VIPs? Doesn't the selection process seem completely off?"

"Yep, yep! It's weird! So weird!"

The twins' questions were entirely reasonable. It was something Gustav himself had been curious about.

"If you really eavesdropped on the whole conversation, you should already know. Your father truly knows nothing. I asked several times why they chose Ludo, but she just laughed it off saying I'd find out soon enough."

"You're not lying, are you?"

"It's the truth. Your father is practically being half-coerced into sending Ludo, so there's nothing I can do."

"You're sending Oravoni off to another land just because some high-and-mighty person ordered it?"

"That brown-skinned woman from earlier. Is she really that powerful? She looked like nothing more than a—"

"Watch your tongue! Do you even know who she is?!"

Gustav explained.

"She is the living legend who ended the Great War that swept across the continent fifty years ago, and the very founder of Concordia Academy! She possesses such authority that even the royal houses wouldn't dare present their calling cards before her! Honestly, I was far more terrified when I met her than when I faced the people from the Stalose royal family!!"

"The Continental Cataclysmic Great War was over fifty years ago. There's no way the protagonist of those old stories could look that young. Isn't it possible she's an impostor?"

"Impostor! Impostor!"

"Don't say such foolish things. In my youth, after the Great War ended, I traveled across the continent with heroes from the academy, exterminating the monsters and villains that ran rampant in its aftermath. That was when I first met Lady Sekhmet. She belongs to the Long-lived Race, and she looks exactly as I remember her. She even remembered this old face of mine. How could I possibly doubt her?"

The Long-lived Race. A mysterious species said to live at least a thousand years. They were scattered across many lands, and in ancient times their longevity was so revered that they were treated almost like gods.

"I couldn't have mistaken someone who appeared in the old stories. And even if I had, the letter of recommendation is genuine. We cannot disobey a royal decree."

"Father!"

"Dad!"

"Gah, stop yelling!"

No matter how adorable his daughters were, if they crossed the line, he had to scold them. The same father who had been screaming earlier now tried to reclaim some dignity.

"You two are no longer children! You're fully grown adults! Stop questioning the family head's decisions! You must learn to accept reality and devote yourselves to the family!!"

When the twins tried to protest with another "But—", he cut them off.

"No buts! Look at the situation you're in right now! Look at what you've done! Because of you, the future of our family's eldest son, Ludo von Eisenwald, has been completely blocked! How do you plan to take responsibility for this?!"

"W-what are you talking about? Us blocking Oravoni's future?"

"Don't say weird things!"

"—Shut up and listen instead of making excuses, you foolish girls!!"

He unleashed the full force of his anger on his daughters, who were still perched on his desk and shoving at his shoulders. No matter how boldly they charged in, they were still girls and his daughters. Overwhelmed by their father's fury, the two fell silent and listened carefully.

"Once Ludo begins his teaching duties, he must remain at the academy for at least three years. By the time the mission ends and he returns, he'll be around thirty. Because you two selfishly ruined your brother's reputation, he'll still be single, alone in a foreign land! And if what Lady Sekhmet said is true, he might even die! In a situation like that, how is it that his own younger sisters are busy drugging his food and only thinking about blocking his path? Please, have some shame!!"

"Hic...?!"

"Uwaa..."

They finally seemed to feel some shame; their faces flushed bright red. Seeing his daughters like that, Gustav's anger subsided somewhat, drifting away like dust.

'Ha... If you were still alive, you wouldn't have raised them to be such spoiled brats.'

His gaze turned to the small framed picture reverently placed on the desk. Among the beautifully captured family photo, a beauty who looked exactly like the twins smiled back. She was Ludo's mother, who had passed away shortly after giving birth to the twins, and Gustav's one and only wife.

Standing before his wife's portrait, he didn't have the heart to get angry a second time. He muttered once more, as if admonishing them.

"I'll say it again. When Ludo finishes his mission and returns, he'll be close to thirty. Earlier she kept rambling about some Spinsters Class or whatever, but since Lady Sekhmet came in person, this cannot possibly be an easy mission. You must even consider the possibility that your older brother might not return alive."

"Ah, Father. Please!"

"Dad. Don't send our Oppa away. We hate that!"

"You two are also at the age where you should be getting married. I'll arrange some meetings for you, so find good men and start families of your own."

Sabine and Line had been hesitating, afraid their father would get angry again, but they couldn't hold back at those words. Their red eyes sharpened once more.

"We hate that! We absolutely hate it!"

"You think we'll obey an order like that?! We'd rather die!"

Screaming that they would rather die than be with any other man, they shouted childish insults like "You bald bastard! Just drop dead!" before turning their backs. Apparently terrified of being scolded a second time by Gustav, they said only what they wanted and fled.

To think that fully grown adults would behave like this— their future looked bleak.

"Actually, this might be for the best. They spread terrible rumors because they don't want their older brother to get married, they drug him so no one else can have him... Rather than leaving him in this dangerous situation with those two, it's far better to send him to the academy he's always dreamed of and let him spread his wings."

If he left them unsupervised in this dysfunctional household for even a few more days, he would inevitably witness his two daughters' bellies swelling one day. His precious daughters, whom he wouldn't trade for anything in the world, getting pregnant by their own brother...!

"...Ugh."

That alone could never be allowed. It must never happen. Gustav tried to lift his mood with positive thoughts.

"No, it's fine. Whatever the inside story is, it's true that he's caught the eye of the three royal houses. Reputation can be covered with achievements and honor. This mission will give him plenty of chances to make a name for himself, and Ludo's abilities aren't bad at all. Who knows? He might even obtain a beautiful partner through some unexpected twist."

There was no need to view this mission entirely negatively. He'd been worrying endlessly about his son anyway; this was a good opportunity to let him pursue natural encounters. With a bit of luck, he might even form a connection with a woman from some prestigious family.

'Ludo, I'm counting on you.'

Surprisingly, Gustav's expectations were not off the mark at all. In the future, Ludo would become entangled with many women, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but at this point there was no way to know that. More importantly, something dark stirred at his feet as a certain small problem crept toward his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠son.