The Way To Protect The Female Lead’S Older Brother [EN]: Chapter 143

Protecting the Heroine’s Older Brother – Episode 143

The moment I paused, Deon violently grabbed my neck. His massive hand tightened as if to snap it in an instant.

Without even blinking, I stared directly into his face.

His red eyes, swirling with a storm of emotions, seemed to shatter countless times before me.

Shortly after, a mocking sneer, directed at no one in particular, spread across his face.

“How amusing.”

Swish.

As the low murmur echoed in my ear, the grip that had been fiercely tightening around my neck weakened.

After Deon completely removed his hand, I raised my arm and slapped his cheek.

Smack!

Deon looked down at me with cold eyes that showed no change in temperature.

I said coldly to him, “I never gave you permission to touch me so carelessly.”

Deon and I exchanged sharp glances for a long moment.

I was the first to turn away.

Just like that day in Agritche when it was raining, I walked away from Deon without looking back.

I wished the rain pouring down around me would wash away everything in this place.

* * *

Cassis and Deon met.

I had considered the possibility, but hearing it from Deon’s own mouth still stirred me.

Of course, I believed Cassis would be safe even if he encountered Deon.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel a heaviness in my heart.

Fortunately, before my nerves could fray any further, Pedelian arrived at Yggdrasil.

The weather was clear, as if the torrential rain from the night before had been a dream.

I was on the terrace in my room, enjoying some time alone.

Aside from Jeremy’s visit, several guests had come, but I pretended not to be in and sent them all away.

In the meantime, I watched Pedelian’s procession enter Yggdrasil.

Only after confirming Cassis finally stepped down onto the ground did my heart completely relax.

Because I was deliberately out on the terrace where I could be easily seen, he seemed to have no trouble finding me.

We stared at each other for a while. It felt as if Cassis and I were standing face to face, very close.

Then, Cassis shook his head slightly at me. Seeing that, I frowned.

…I see.

Vertium did not accompany Pedelian’s procession.

Why? I was sure Dante would target Nix before entering Yggdrasil.

Could we have misjudged? Or was there another variable?

Inside Pedelian’s carriage, I saw something wrapped in a sack being carried. That must be Nix.

Besides that, I wanted to hear from Cassis about meeting Deon, but….

Now was not the time.

Cassis stood in the same spot, looking at me, until everyone from Pedelian entered the building and someone urged him on.

Feeling like he wouldn’t move until I disappeared from his sight, I eventually had no choice but to get up first.

And after some time, when I went back out to the terrace, Cassis was gone.

So I could rest assured.

* * *

After Pedelian entered Yggdrasil, the heads of each family were secretly summoned.

It was clearly because of Nix.

Jeremy didn’t seem too surprised because I had told him in advance, but he couldn’t avoid the shock.

As soon as he returned from the conference room, he came to my room and ranted with a crumpled face.

“What is that? I thought it was a doll, but it’s a real person. Moreover, she looks like you, which is so annoying. And that body is actually Asil’s corpse? That’s totally creepy… No… uh, that’s not what I mean…”

Jeremy paused, noticing my expression after pouring out his thoughts.

When Jeremy and I met and talked for the first time in a while yesterday, we also confided in each other about what had happened in the meantime.

However, I found it difficult to honestly say that I had stayed in Pedelian until now, so I told him that I had left Agritche and wandered around before entering Vertium and meeting Asil’s doll.

Then, Cassis, who happened to be visiting Vertium to inform them of the results of the Yggdrasil meeting, discovered Nix, Asil’s doll, and retrieved and kept him.

“Are you okay, Roxana?”

Jeremy finally asked me carefully.

“I’m fine. That’s not Asil.”

I answered calmly without hesitation.

According to Jeremy, there hasn’t been much discussion about Vertium yet, and for now, the heads of each family finished the discussion by confirming Nix’s existence today.

Nix is said to be trapped somewhere in Yggdrasil.

According to Jeremy, for some reason, he was listless and drooping as if he had lost his soul. After confirming through the poison butterfly I had planted in advance, I was puzzled because that was true.

Even when I last checked before leaving Pedelian, Nix was working hard to figure out my intentions no matter what.

Moreover, contrary to expectations, Vertium did not appear during the move, and in the end, unlike his expectations, the destination was Yggdrasil, not Vertium, so I thought he would be furious and ranting by now.

Since I am directly related to Nix, I will have a chance to see him in person soon.

The leaders promised to keep it a secret and left the meeting.

That was a natural conclusion.

Above all, Vertium has not yet arrived at Yggdrasil, and basically, the purpose of this gathering was a ‘social gathering.’

As such, if they started talking about Nix already, the atmosphere would only become chaotic, rather than fostering friendship between the families.

I also had to pay attention to more than just Nix at this social gathering, so I put those thoughts aside for a while and got up from my seat.

A more magnificent banquet than yesterday awaited me today.

Today, I headed there with Jeremy as well.

As yesterday, the people from each family spent their daytime separately without mixing with each other.

The scenery inside the banquet hall probably wouldn’t be much different either.

As expected, as soon as I entered the hall, I saw the people from each family grouped together like oil and water that don’t mix.

In particular, Agritche and Pedelian were radiating highly tense energy from opposite sides.

To be exact, Agritche was particularly severe.

Because everyone knew what happened last winter, the atmosphere inside the banquet hall was precarious, like walking on thin ice.

The people from other families were whispering to each other, watching Agritche and Pedelian.

If the heads of each family came forward, the situation would be a little different, but for now, they were just quietly observing.

“Jerem… No, Head!”

The expressions of the Agritche people brightened when they found Jeremy and me.

“Why are you so late…?”

This analogy is a bit much, but they welcomed us enthusiastically, like a child who found their mother while fighting with another child to take over the playground.

Deon was not among the Agritche group.

I turned my head and stared at Pedelian.

Cassis was already looking at me. Sylvia was also seen sparkling her eyes at me from the side.

I briefly lowered my gaze and looked around.

Then I took my hand out of Jeremy’s.

“Roxana?”

Jeremy looked at me questioningly. The people from Agritche next to him were the same.

I smiled at them.

“This Yggdrasil gathering is for friendship between the five families, so we must act accordingly.”

Then I turned away from my group.

The long hem of my dress wrapped around my ankles like a wave. The sound of my shoe heels hitting the marble floor echoed softly in the banquet hall.

Suddenly, the eyes of those who saw where I was heading widened. Gasps could be heard from everywhere.

But I only looked at the person in front of me and continued without hesitation.

“Cassis Pedelian.”

And finally, looking up at him, I called his name.

Cassis’s golden eyes, lit by the chandelier’s light, were shining more intensely than usual.

I slowly raised my arm and held out my hand in front of him.

And I asked haughtily, “Today, I will grant you the opportunity to take my hand.”

It was virtually an escort request.

At that moment, a wave of noise erupted in the banquet hall.

It was none other than Cassis Pedelian who directly attacked Agritche last winter.

It was retaliation for Agritche’s heinous act against him three years ago, and with that retaliation successful, the relationship between Agritche and Pedelian could be said to have reached its lowest point.

But everyone was astonished that I, belonging to Agritche, chose him first and requested an escort like this.

Moreover, my attitude was extremely confident, without even a hint of shrinking or hesitation.

But if I hadn’t moved, Cassis would have come to me first.

Even if it wasn’t because of my relationship with him, the Pedelian side wouldn’t want to continue this tense atmosphere forever.

However, since the image of Cassis asking me first and me accepting was not ideal, I became the one to move forward like this.

Now people were holding their breath and waiting for Cassis’s reaction.

Soon, Cassis, who was staring at me, raised his hand and politely wrapped it around mine.

Then, his low voice with a faint smile flowed into my ear.

“It is the greatest honor, Miss Roxana Agritche.”

Soon, hot lips were branded over the thin gloves covering the back of my hand.