The Way To Protect The Female Lead’S Older Brother [EN]: Chapter 150

If Nix could sweat and cry, he would surely be drenched from head to toe, as if he had just emerged from water.

“If you are in a position to have your life spared, shouldn’t you engrave a more respectful mindset and attitude deep into your bones, you doll of Vertium?”

In the end, it was Nix’s attitude towards Roxana that displeased Cassis, leading to the current situation.

Of course, it wasn’t just that reason; Nix’s very existence irritated Cassis.

Nix was a target that aroused Cassis’s murderous intent, simply by being from Vertium.

Moreover, just like in the underground prison of Fedelian, his impudent way of speaking and acting towards Roxana was extremely annoying.

Cassis once again infused Nix with healing energy.

“Until now, I haven’t had the time to talk with you alone like this.”

However, sensing that this was not the end, Nix did not feel relieved; instead, he felt a chilling sensation all over his body.

“But unfortunately…”

A cold and calm voice, like the winter forest at dawn, pierced into Nix’s tense ears.

“You and I have plenty of time now.”

At that moment, Nix felt a chill run down his spine and gasped for breath between his trembling lips.

Once again, an icy coldness that pierced his skin seeped deep into his blood vessels, spreading poison within.

As Cassis said, the time that followed seemed endless, agonizingly long for Nix.

* * *

While the people of Yggdrasil were spending their time in their own ways, Ryuzak Gastor, the heir of the enemy family, did not stay quietly in his room but moved elsewhere.

Knock, knock.

“Mother, it’s Ryuzak.”

The place Ryuzak headed to was the room of Badrisa, the head of Gastor and his mother.

Soon, permission to enter was granted from within.

Ryuzak quietly opened the door and stepped inside.

Then, the sight that came into view made his eyes narrow slightly.

“You’re drinking too much, especially this early in the day.”

Ryuzak approached Badrisa and stopped her hand as she tilted the bottle.

“It’s okay. This isn’t what I’m drinking now; it’s an empty bottle from yesterday.”

A calm voice echoed in his ear, but Ryuzak did not budge.

Badrisa’s gaze shifted to her son’s face, which remained motionless.

In the end, she gave in to Ryuzak.

“Yes, you’re right. This is Yggdrasil, so I must be more careful with my behavior.”

Ryuzak bowed his head slightly once and then took the bottle from her hand, placing it on the table.

Several empty bottles already occupied the space on the table.

Badrisa was usually known for her exceptional self-control.

However, recently, she had been secretly drinking alone, lost in her worries.

“Now, even if I empty several bottles like this, I don’t get drunk at all. At first, I would get dizzy before even finishing half a bottle.”

Badrisa leaned back in her chair, watching Ryuzak sit down across from her.

Then, as if she had thought of something, a soft laugh escaped her lips.

“Oh, now that I think about it, alcohol and medicine are quite similar. Perhaps I shouldn’t be one to talk.”

But it was a cynicism that contained no pleasant emotion.

“They are not similar at all.”

Ryuzak firmly denied Badrisa’s words. Her gaze lingered on his face.

Badrisa had been gloomy for a while in Gastor, but since setting foot in Yggdrasil, she seemed even more unhappy.

Soon, Badrisa slowly closed and opened her eyes, letting out a low voice like a soliloquy.

“I never imagined that the day would come when I would need the hand of the black sheep, whom I despised so much in my life.”

Ryuzak knew what was tormenting her.

He stared at his mother’s self-deprecating face with a stern gaze.

Ryuzak had only recently learned the truth because Badrisa had been solely bearing the family’s secrets and keeping them strictly confidential.

“Mother, rather…”

‘Shouldn’t we abandon that person?’

But Ryuzak eventually couldn’t finish his sentence and closed his mouth again.

It was not something he could say to his mother, of all people.

“Ryuzak.”

Badrisa, who had been silently watching Ryuzak, opened her mouth.

“You resemble me the most among my children. So, it’s not difficult for me to guess what you’re feeling right now.”

Ryuzak felt relieved that his mother’s voice was as calm and steady as ever, but he had to taste bitterness at her following words.

“I feel sorry for burdening you with my shortcomings.”

“It’s not like that, Mother.”

“When you take this position later, don’t be like me.”

“……”

Ryuzak was at a loss for words.

Then, he picked up the bottle he had set aside earlier and poured alcohol into the glass in front of Badrisa.

“Didn’t you say I was drinking too much?”

“I think one glass is fine.”

Both of them still had stiff tones and expressions, but as they were familiar with each other, it was not difficult to guess each other’s inner thoughts.

Thus, the mother and son sat facing each other and emptied their glasses in turn.

Then, suddenly, noise poured in from outside the window, and when they moved their gaze, the sight of a flower garden with red flowers blooming came into view.

Come to think of it, wasn’t there a tea party outside?

Suddenly, the image of the Agrische siblings he had seen in the rose garden not long ago came to mind.

But because it was a meaningless memory, Ryuzak closed his eyes and erased the scene that seemed to be still vividly etched in his retina.

* * *

Duran, who belonged to the White Hyperion family, slowed his pace as he walked down the hallway and spotted someone.

“What, where are you going all dressed up like that? I didn’t hear any news that the banquet time was moved up?”

What came into Duran’s view was his fifth cousin, Jerome.

For some reason, he was heading somewhere, dressed up as if he were attending a banquet.

The man who found Duran also greeted him and approached him.

“I’m going to the garden.”

The garden was the place where the tea party was being held.

“Why there? You said you were too lazy to go earlier.”

“I heard Roxana Agrische is there now.”

Duran perked up his ears without realizing it at the name that pierced his eardrums.

“Want to come with me?”

At Jerome’s quick-witted invitation, Duran pretended to hesitate for a while before reluctantly accepting.

“Yeah, well. I don’t have anything to do right now anyway.”

But in fact, he also had a tempted heart.

That’s because it was Roxana Agrische, not just any other woman.

Duran first saw her at the Harmony Assembly two years ago.

The Agrische family is one of the most closed-off of the five families, so people who have not come of age do not participate in such gatherings.

So, Duran first saw Roxana Agrische when she had just come of age.

The memory of that time was still clearly etched in his mind as if it were just yesterday.

Roxana Agrische, holding the hand of her half-brother and entering the banquet hall where the chandelier lights were shining, was truly shocking.

That amazing beauty seemed to shatter the definition of all beauty in the world at once.

Duran was certain that everyone in that place at the time felt the same way.

“But why are you so dressed up? Don’t tell me you’re going to approach her and talk to her?”

“Of course, I want to talk to her. But the problem is that my mouth freezes as soon as our eyes meet.”

Indeed, there were countless men in Yggdrasil who couldn’t even bring themselves to talk to Roxana Agrische and were just circling around her, burning with longing.

It was partly because of her unrealistically beautiful appearance that captivated the viewer’s soul, but there was also a strange atmosphere about her that made it difficult to approach her.

Then, suddenly, the events of last night came to Duran’s mind.

Cassis Fedelian and Roxana Agrische, holding hands and crossing the hall together in the banquet hall.

Since first appearing in Yggdrasil, this was the first time Roxana Agrische had reached out and offered her hand to someone.

It could have looked like Agrische had bowed down first because it was a combination of Agrische and Fedelian, but no one who saw yesterday’s scene thought so.

Duran had heard some men jokingly and seriously say at the last Harmony Assembly that they would be willing to kneel before Roxana Agrische if they could kiss her lips even once.

At that time, he frowned and moved away, but deep down, he agreed with them.

“I thought the attendance rate would be low, but why is it so noisy inside?”

As Jerome said, the closer they got to the rose garden, the more vibrant noise emanated from within.

“It could be that more guys like you heard the news and came to loiter around.”

Then, suddenly, Duran added as if to himself.

“I wonder if the Blue Noble is here too.”

“I hope not. To be honest, I don’t want to be in the same space as guys like us because I feel like we’re being compared…”

Thud.

At that moment, something bumped into Duran’s shoulder as he stepped into the entrance of the garden.

“What?”

Duran frowned and turned his head.

The person who bumped into him was so tall that he had to crane his neck to look up and see his face.