The Way To Protect The Female Lead’S Older Brother [EN]: Chapter 110

Protecting the Heroine’s Older Brother – 110

* * *

“What a waste of time.”

Richel murmured quietly as he exited the meeting room.

Cassis, who was beside him, agreed.

This meeting was arranged to discuss ways to further strengthen the bond between the five families.

However, after spending a long time, the result was truly insignificant.

Jeremy Agriche was also leaving the meeting hall with a very displeased expression.

“Let’s go back.”

Richel clicked his tongue and said to Cassis.

Just then, Cassis noticed someone walking from the opposite side of the hallway.

Cassis recognized him at a glance as an envoy from Vertium. [Vertium is likely a prominent family or organization within the story’s world.]

Noel Vertium rarely attended family gatherings, but instead sent his subordinates to receive the meeting results whenever there was an important conference.

Cassis’s gaze momentarily met the man who bowed politely and passed by them.

Shortly after, Cassis stopped walking.

“I have a place to stop by, so I will proceed separately from here.”

At his words, Richel also stopped and looked back at Cassis.

A penetrating gaze lingered on Cassis’s face for a while.

After a moment, Richel finally looked away from Cassis and began to walk away again.

“Don’t be too late.”

“Yes.”

Richel did not ask Cassis for any further explanation, trusting his son’s judgment. He simply said that and left.

Cassis also turned and walked in a different direction. Isidore followed Cassis.

* * *

Soon after, the envoy from Vertium reappeared.

He was walking down the corridor, carefully carrying a sealed envelope with an insignia.

The moment the man stepped out of the corridor and onto the grass, Cassis appeared from behind a pillar and struck a vital point.

As with Orka, the man, attacked unexpectedly, let out a short scream and collapsed.

Cassis grabbed the man’s body as he fell forward.

“It seems I’m seeing people collapsing in the middle of the road quite often these days.”

Of course, both Orka and the envoy from Vertium in front of him had been knocked unconscious by Cassis.

“So many people in a state of mental and physical weakness; isn’t that something to worry about?”

However, Cassis spoke as if nothing had happened a moment ago, completely nonchalant.

“Mental and physical weakness… you say.”

Isidore retorted with a dubious expression at Cassis’s brazen words.

Still, Cassis did not budge.

“The envoy from Vertium must be tired from traveling a long distance. If he’s so exhausted that he’s lost consciousness, it would be better to let him rest.”

Isidore had already sensed Cassis’s intentions, so he simply resigned himself and chimed in.

“Yes, I think so too. But wouldn’t it be better to convey the important discussions that took place at Yggdrasil [Likely a significant location or institution] today to Vertium as soon as possible?”

“Then there’s no choice.”

Cassis nodded slightly at Isidore’s words, then rummaged through the unconscious man’s clothes and took out the sealed letter.

Then, as if he had no more business with the man, Cassis passed him on to Isidore.

Isidore picked up the man without complaint.

“We’ll go to Vertium instead.”

After saying that, Cassis took the lead.

Isidore handed over the envoy from Vertium to the Yggdrasil servants he encountered while walking.

They looked quite surprised and embarrassed by the sudden situation, having just come to see off the heads of other families.

Cassis and Isidore left Yggdrasil, leaving the flustered people behind.

Of course, their destination was Vertium.

* * *

The next day, Noel, who had made thorough preparations for his meeting with Roxana, was unable to see her after all.

“Wake up, Noel. The sun is already high in the sky.”

“Ugh.”

“Lady Roxana, whom Noel has been so eagerly anticipating to meet, is waiting in the drawing-room.”

“Snore…”

Despite Dante’s best efforts, Noel was still unable to wake up from his dream.

It was the aftermath of being so excited that Roxana was coming to Vertium that he had stayed up almost all night for several days.

Thanks to Nix’s persuasion, he had gone to bed early yesterday for once.

Noel, who was originally vulnerable to sleep deprivation, was still fast asleep, even smacking his lips.

“Noel. Noel?”

No matter how hard Dante tried to wake him, Noel’s eyes showed no sign of opening.

Eventually, a vein popped out on Dante’s forehead.

“Just wake up, you human!”

“Mumble…”

* * *

“That’s how I ended up coming.”

Thus, it was Nix who eventually entered the drawing-room where Roxana was.

Roxana stared at Nix, who was smiling softly, with cold eyes.

Of course, Dante was very displeased, but Nix volunteered to entertain Roxana himself.

At the same time, he said that he had received some instructions from Noel in advance, so it was okay.

Therefore, Dante had no choice but to let Nix inside.

Of course, if it were just Nix’s words, he would not have followed his wishes even if he was suspicious.

However, Dante was already aware that Nix’s role was quite important in this matter, as he had heard from Noel.

“I made a wasted trip. I have nothing to say to you.”

Of course, Roxana tried to get up from her seat without hesitation.

It was Nix’s voice that stopped her.

“Really? I thought I could talk to you comfortably because Noel wasn’t here.”

The red eyes, which had glanced away, focused on Nix’s face again. But Nix’s expression remained consistent.

“Does that mean you’ll be more honest than Noel Vertium?”

Eventually, a low voice leaked from Roxana’s slightly opened lips.

“Perhaps there are things that I can answer because it’s ‘me’.”

Nix smiled at Roxana. Roxana sat back in her chair and watched him silently.

Her eyes were still cold, but she did not reject Nix.

Nix accepted Roxana’s silence as tacit permission.

“I didn’t know what your taste was, so I prepared the best tea in Vertium.”

Nix personally served tea next to Roxana.

His movements were so natural that it seemed he was used to this kind of thing.

But his appearance was too elegant and dignified to regard his role in Vertium as a slave or servant.

Nix seemed relaxed, and there was no feeling of subservience in his attitude.

Roxana’s gaze lingered briefly on Nix’s right hand, which was placing a teacup on the table.

More precisely, her gaze was on the scar on the back of Nix’s hand.

“Do you perhaps like sweets? I hope you do.”

Following the teacups, various tea foods on the tray were placed on the table. There were especially many kinds of cakes that looked sweet just by looking at them.

“Try it. I made it myself, and I guarantee the taste.”

Roxana quietly looked down at what Nix had told her to try.

“You made this yourself?”

“Yeah. I happened to learn it while I was in Vertium.”

Then Nix sat down in the seat opposite Roxana.

“Originally, Noel should be in this seat, but the situation has become like this.”

Nix smiled as if to say, ‘So there’s no choice.’

There was something strange about his smile.

Unlike the other dolls of Vertium that Roxana had seen, Nix’s smiling face seemed as natural as a real person.

Perhaps it was because she was unconsciously retracing her memories and recalling Asil when she saw his face.

That’s why she might be having such absurd thoughts.

Roxana lifted the teacup in front of her and took a sip of the liquid inside.

Then she ruthlessly commented.

“A sugar cube tea with a sugar cube cake. Your taste is terrible.”

Nix widened his eyes as if Roxana’s words were unexpected.

“Really? I’m sorry. I somehow thought you would like sweets. I guess I was wrong.”

“I don’t know where that idea came from, but it’s ridiculous.”

“I guess so.”

At Nix’s words, Roxana silently tilted her teacup.

Certainly, there was something about the person in front of her that stirred a sense of nostalgia.

Even now, being with him like this suddenly reminded her of her childhood.

From a young age, the children of Agriche had to ingest poison to develop resistance according to family tradition. [Agriche is likely Roxana’s family, known for this dangerous tradition.]

For her young self, her mother and Asil would mix small amounts of poison into sweet cakes or honeyed drinks like this.

Seeing Nix now, she suddenly remembered that time.

A shallow sense of longing reflexively rose, but that was all.

She knew better than anyone that Asil was not here with her now.