The Way To Protect The Female Lead’S Older Brother [EN]: Chapter 166

Loxana seemed to already know what would be discussed at the negotiation table between the two families.

It was top secret, but just like the Fedelian siblings, the Agriche siblings seemed to have a very close relationship, so it was understandable that Jeremy, as the head of the family, would discuss important matters with his sister.

However, even as he thought this, deep lines were etched on Ryuzak’s forehead.

Suddenly, Ryuzak realized that he had been quite concerned about this issue.

The intimate 모습 [Korean word meaning ‘appearance’ or ‘image’] of the siblings he had seen in the rose garden the other day remained a particularly strong afterimage for that reason.

He himself thought it was unexpected…….

The fact that Loxana Agriche knew about Gastor’s weaknesses made Ryuzak feel a subtle sense of shame.

“Come to think of it, isn’t Ms. Badrisa the first female head of Gastor? I think it’s really 멋진 [Korean word meaning ‘wonderful’ or ‘cool’].”

Then, Ryuzak’s thoughts were interrupted by Sylvia’s words.

As he pondered Sylvia’s words, his face softened noticeably.

“I think so too.”

Ryuzak and Sylvia were both feeling unexpectedly comfortable. Contrary to what they had initially thought, it was not uncomfortable to face each other and talk like this.

“Ryuzak, you resemble your mother more than your father, right? Both at the last Harmony Assembly and this time, I only saw Ms. Badrisa, but your appearance and personality seem quite similar.”

However, immediately after Sylvia’s question, the image of a person flashed through his mind, and Ryuzak’s eyes instantly turned cold.

“Yes. I don’t resemble my father.”

Sylvia paused at the unusually firm tone of his answer. Ryuzak saw this and tried hard to avoid her gaze.

Ryuzak’s father had not attended either the last Harmony Assembly or this social gathering.

Recalling the bloodshot eyes of Iji he had seen just before leaving Gastor, a faint discomfort and nausea seemed to seep out from within.

As if in reaction, the 모습 [Korean word meaning ‘appearance’ or ‘image’] of the siblings in the rose garden, as beautiful as a scene in a sacred painting, blurred into view.

Ryuzak felt as if he didn’t know where to direct these emotions, just as he had been agonizing alone since entering Yggdrasil.

It was clear to him that Agriche was evil, but the Agriche siblings he had secretly observed in Yggdrasil seemed like innocent beings far removed from sin.

They showed no suspicious behavior that would harm Gastor or any other family.

Rather, it was the other families that showed a threatening 모습 [Korean word meaning ‘appearance’ or ‘image’] to Agriche.

……Anyway.

Everything will be concluded in tomorrow’s meeting.

Ryuzak clenched his fist on his knee.

As Loxana Agriche said, Ryuzak would also be beside Badrisa at the meeting tomorrow.

* * *

Ryuzak walked down the hallway with Badrisa.

His gaze, slightly sunken, reached the back of his mother, who was walking ahead.

At the end of this road, a meeting with Agriche was prepared once again, following the last time.

“Ryuzak.”

Then, a calm voice came from the front.

“I’ve said it many times, but I only need to be at the negotiation table.”

Badrisa once again urged Ryuzak to reconsider his decision.

It was a calm voice, but it contained a strange sense of distance, almost like rejection.

Ryuzak recalled Loxana’s words and opened his lips.

“As the successor to my mother, I think I should also attend this meeting.”

Badrisa was silent for a moment.

“If your will is firm, I will not stop you any longer.”

In the end, she respected her son’s wishes.

They headed to the room where the meeting with Agriche was scheduled.

* * *

“You’ve arrived.”

“You were here first.”

Jeremy Agriche had arrived first.

He stood up from his seat when he saw Badrisa and Ryuzak entering the room. And after the two were seated, he sat back in his chair.

Like Loxana said, he didn’t seem to care about Ryuzak’s presence.

Perhaps a servant had been there a little while ago, as there were three teacups on the table with warm steam rising from them.

However, Jeremy was the only one who picked it up and brought it to his lips.

“Aren’t you going to have tea today? It smells very good.”

Despite his invitation, Badrisa and Ryuzak didn’t even flinch.

Seeing the two people sending only quiet gazes without moving, Jeremy tilted his head slightly.

Ryuzak’s mouth hardened at his added words.

“Agriche prepared this meeting today, but we didn’t put anything strange in the tea.”

Badrisa silently stared at the blue-haired young head of the family with eyes that seemed to have a cold glass barrier.

The only word she uttered was:

“Insolent.”

“I said it because Gastor might be wary. I wanted you to feel more at ease.”

Jeremy smiled faintly and put down the teacup he was holding.

Knowing where that 余裕 [Japanese word meaning ‘composure’ or ‘leeway’] came from, Badrisa felt her insides grow cold.

Last time too, Jeremy Agriche had provoked her with the same ambiguous attitude.

“I don’t like beating around the bush.”

A low voice cut across the table.

“I don’t really like wasting time inefficiently by taking unnecessary time either. Nevertheless, why do you think I only brought up stories that skirted around the core at the last meeting?”

To Badrisa’s question, Jeremy replied calmly.

“Weren’t you testing my reaction?”

“Of course, that’s not the only reason, but.”

However, Badrisa murmured with a cold smile on her lips, not knowing who she was directing it to.

“I just wanted to show off.”

Ryuzak flinched at the scathing tone. It seemed like he was feeling humiliated by Badrisa’s frank words.

A slight tremor appeared in his eyes, and the hand he had placed on his knee twitched with some will, but Ryuzak calmed the emotions that were beginning to swirl within him.

Badrisa did not soothe Ryuzak in advance.

It was Ryuzak who had decided to come to this place in the first place. If so, he had to endure whatever stories were being exchanged here entirely on his own.

“But I realized it once again after the last meeting. It’s Gastor, not Agriche, that is in need.”

So Badrisa only continued to speak silently to Jeremy, the negotiation partner of today.

But can this really be called a negotiation? From the beginning, the scales were clearly tilted to one side.

Badrisa’s eyelids lowered.

“So today I’ll ask directly. If you have any respect for Gastor, I believe you won’t take the same attitude as last time.”

She closed her eyes once and then opened them again, staring at the person sitting across from her with unwavering eyes.

Jeremy spoke to Badrisa with an impeccable and polite attitude.

“Of course, I always respect Gastor.”

However, the words she heard now felt like a kind of mockery to Badrisa.

She threw away any further pretense and asked directly.

“When did Agriche find out?”

“I first suspected it last winter.”

“How much do you know?”

“In Gastor…….”

Jeremy chose his words carefully without rushing.

“You have been purchasing large quantities of highly addictive drugs that are only bred and produced in Agriche.”

Silence settled like a thick fog.

Indeed, it was a bitter disgrace and stain on the life of the head, Badrisa, and on the history of Gastor.

Ryuzak’s jaw, which had been clenched tightly since earlier, tightened even more.

Jeremy glanced at him and then looked back at Badrisa and said.

“My brothers were in charge of that transaction last winter.”

To be exact, it was Fontain and Deon who carried out the drug trafficking at that time.

Jeremy had heard about the mission they were in charge of at the time, but he only learned from Loxana a while ago that it was related to Gastor in this way.

“Gastor thoroughly used aliases and agents.”

Badrisa’s eyes narrowed.

“Did Lant Agriche also know?”

“My father didn’t know.”

Jeremy shook his head.

“The brother who contracted directly with Gastor said that he happened to start a deal with a man he met at a gambling house in the neutral zone. He also didn’t know that the other party was Gastor.”