The Way To Protect The Female Lead’S Older Brother [EN]: Chapter 212

Protecting the Heroine’s Older Brother – Episode 212

Side Story 3 of Protecting the Heroine’s Older Brother

“…Hey! Why do you keep throwing away the candy Ashil gave you?”

Turning around at the sound of someone calling from behind, I saw a blonde girl standing there.

Roxana, who had picked up the candy Deon had thrown away from the grass, frowned and then sighed deeply.

“It’s bad to throw away food carelessly. It’s even worse to throw away gifts from others.”

“…”

“Well, we’re good kids, so we shouldn’t do that, right?”

She was the real child, yet she spoke as if she were coaxing Deon.

So, what did he say in response?

He had an excellent memory, but he tended to quickly erase unnecessary things from his mind, so he already vaguely remembered what happened back then.

Then, Deon finally remembered what he had said at the time.

“Do I need a special reason to throw away trash?”

At that, the young girl’s red eyes widened as if she couldn’t believe she would hear such a thing.

Deon turned away from her gaze indifferently.

“You can have that stuff. I don’t need it.”

He remembered it because of Maria, but it was still a useless memory.

However, he did find it a bit odd.

Deon threw away the candy, and she got upset and questioned him, even though it wasn’t even hers. Does she like Ashil that much?

Deon, who had never felt such a sentiment in his life, couldn’t understand it.

“Ah! It would be even cuter if you wore this newly made bonnet. Should I make it white or yellow? Sana would look like a little chick if she wore it, right? Come here, Deon.”

Deon recalled the past for a moment, but then he was pushed by Maria’s nagging and erased the face that had come to mind.

* * *

The next day, I slipped out of the room alone.

My stomach had hurt again last night.

According to the servant, Mom had also suffered from a high fever all night.

Could it be because of that cake?

No one said anything, but I felt uneasy thinking about yesterday’s events.

But Mom only ate a very small piece of Ashil’s cake…

In the end, I decided to skip the education I was supposed to receive today, planning to go out without Mom knowing.

I thought I should check the kitchen where they make our food.

Mom was still sick in bed, and Maria happened to be visiting.

Still, I felt a little relieved that there was someone to take care of Mom.

But then, the scene I had seen in Maria’s room not long ago came to mind, and my body trembled.

Deon wearing a princess dress with a blank expression was enough to send shivers down my spine.

What’s even more horrifying is…

“Now, all I have to do is shorten the length to fit Sana! Hehehe, how adorable will she look wearing it? Okay, Deon. You can take it off now. This time, let’s try yours on. Sana is a cat, Ashil is a rabbit, and you’re a teddy bear. Someday, I’m going to talk to Sierra and make my dream come true by having a portrait of the three of you wearing these outfits…”

That dazzling princess dress with the cat ear cape was actually for me!

Only then did I realize what Maria meant by the doll play she had asked me to join.

Of course, I may look seven years old, but my mind is that of a perfectly sane adult woman.

And she’s trying to make me wear something like that? Moreover, she’s going to leave a portrait?

Isn’t that just a black history artifact [an embarrassing or shameful memory]?

The thought alone sent shivers down my spine.

On the one hand, I felt a little sorry for Deon, whom I had only thought of as mean.

How many times has he been subjected to such things that he has such a soulless expression?

If I get caught by that woman, I’ll end up the same way.

I decided that I should continue to avoid Maria as much as possible, and I tiptoed down the hallway.

After a while, I saw a wheeled cart that the servants were pulling around to collect laundry from each room.

There were several laundry bins on it.

I had noticed that when they passed through Zone 3 of the East Wing, where we were, the laundry bin was only half full.

That meant that the other half of the bin was empty.

While the servant went into a room, I silenced my footsteps and secretly climbed into one of the empty bins.

Closing the lid completely concealed me.

Perhaps because I was still young, there was plenty of space left even without crouching down too much.

Doleuleuk [onomatopoeia for the sound of wheels rolling].

After waiting a little while, I felt the wheels rolling.

I should get off around Zone 5 in case I get caught.

I heard that after going through all six zones of the East Wing, they go to the laundry room and kitchen.

Today, I was planning to sneak inside while looking for an opportunity.

Doleuleuleuk [onomatopoeia for the sound of wheels rolling].

The movement stopped for a moment, so it seemed like we were now in Zone 4.

My heart was pounding a little while I was in the laundry bin.

It was a bit of a childish thought, but I also found it a little fun, as if I were traveling to an unknown world.

After a while, we passed Zone 4 and arrived at Zone 5.

I quietly opened the lid of the laundry bin as before, got out, and quickly hid.

Doleuleuk [onomatopoeia for the sound of wheels rolling].

I heard the sound of the servant moving away behind me.

Since my final destination wasn’t here, I also secretly passed through the hallway and out the door of the building.

So, this is Zone 5. This is my first time coming here in person.

Even the air feels new.

Basseurak [onomatopoeia for rustling sound].

At that moment, I sensed someone nearby and quickly hid in the bushes.

Peeking through the leaves, I noticed a small figure wearing what looked like white pajamas.

After a while, the child turned his head, sniffing as if he had a cold. Only then could I see his face.

A young boy with black hair and blue eyes.

It was Jeremy.

He was my half-brother, one year younger than me, and I had only seen him occasionally during education hours.

I don’t only have one half-sibling, but I was somehow more concerned about Jeremy than the others.

I had overheard the servants whispering among themselves as they passed by in the distance that Jeremy’s mother was in a somewhat… unstable mental state.

So, Jeremy lives in Zone 5.

Jeremy was playing alone, dismembering a bug.

I frowned slightly as I watched from afar.

Ugh, bugs are gross.

I remember playing with earthworms, ants, and dragonflies without a care when I was young, but I don’t have such hobbies now.

Well, it seems that negative emotions such as disgust and fear tend to increase as you get older.

Sallang [onomatopoeia for a light rustling sound].

Then, Jeremy spotted a yellow butterfly flying nearby.

He abandoned the bug he was playing with and started chasing the butterfly.

And then…

Teolpudeok [onomatopoeia for a soft thud].

Jeremy, who had fallen hard, was still for a moment, then trembled and whimpered.

“Heueung…” [sound of whimpering].

Looking at his raised head, his nose and eyes were red as if he was about to burst into tears.

How could a six-year-old be alone without anyone to take care of him?

I fidgeted with my hands, hesitating.

Ah, this is really bothering me…

Basseurak [onomatopoeia for rustling sound]!

In the end, I stood up abruptly from behind the bushes where I had been crouching.

Jeremy flinched, as if he didn’t expect anyone else to be so close.

I looked around once and then quickly ran over and helped Jeremy up.

“It’s okay, don’t cry. You’re not bleeding.”

I dusted off his knees and palms, which were covered in dirt, and pretended to blow on the red spots.

“Okay, all the pain go away! It doesn’t hurt anymore, right?”

It seemed a bit rushed, but I’m busy right now.

Jeremy, whom I saw up close, looked even thinner and smaller than when I saw him from afar.

For some reason, he was staring at me with a dazed look, which made him look a bit foolish.

Isn’t he not getting proper care after all?

I felt uneasy, so I looked around to see if anyone was coming and quickly rummaged through my pockets to find a candy.

“Here, you eat this.”

I quickly put a candy in his small hand and then took out a handkerchief that I had as an emergency supply.

“Heung, hae” [childish pronunciation of ‘nose’].

Jeremy reflexively followed me and blew his nose into the handkerchief!

I wiped away the snot that was about to drip, and now I felt a little better.

“Now, go inside and ask them to put medicine on your scrapes. It’s a secret that you met me. Got it?”

I brushed Jeremy’s messy hair with my hand and then turned around.

I had to leave quickly because someone might come soon.

Joljoljol [onomatopoeia for the sound of someone following closely].

But the child, who seemed to be standing still for a moment, started following me.

“Don’t follow me.”

When I turned around, his steps stopped abruptly.

But that didn’t last long.

After a while, I felt him following me again.

“I told you not to follow me? Go that way.”

Jeremy didn’t understand me and just stood there blankly, staring at me.

Oh, geez.

In the end, I turned around and started running.

“…!”

Then, the child, startled, gasped and ran after me.

But I was much faster at running.

“Young Master Jeremy, it’s time for education.”

Then someone else appeared. It was a servant who had come to pick up Jeremy.

I hurriedly hid behind a tree. Fortunately, I had created enough distance, so they didn’t seem to notice me.

“No! I don’t wanna go!”

Jeremy struggled and thrashed.

But because he was such a small child, the servant easily picked Jeremy up and left.

After they had completely disappeared, I also stroked my chest and turned around.

Phew, I almost got caught.

By the way, I roughly dusted off the dirt, but there should still be signs that he fell, but they’re just taking him away like that without checking his condition.

It seemed like the people in Zone 5 were negligent in their duties.

I moved to the grassy field without getting close to the building.

As expected, there were people working near the building, so there was a risk of running into them like before.

But after a while, I realized that I was lost.

‘Huh? That’s strange.’

That building that is clearly visible not far away should be the building with the laundry room and kitchen, but no matter how much I walk, the distance doesn’t seem to be getting any shorter.

‘I think I accidentally entered the garden… I don’t know where the exit is.’

But somehow this place was different from the garden where I usually came for a walk with Mom and Ashil.

Somehow, this place is like a maze…

Cheolkeong [onomatopoeia for a heavy clanging sound]!

“…!”

Then, the moment I stepped on one spot, an unknown heavy sound rang in my ears.

An unknown sense of tension ran up my spine.

I held my breath for a moment and stood still.

What was that sound just now?

I focused my attention and listened, but there was no sound again. I gently stepped away from the spot, but it was the same.

Swuaaa [onomatopoeia for rustling sound].

Only the sound of grass and leaves swaying in the wind blowing from somewhere rustled in my ears.

But still, something felt strange. I couldn’t explain exactly what was strange in clear words, though.

Even the sound of the green waves rustling in the quiet surroundings felt strangely eerie.

‘I have to get out of here quickly.’

I moved my stiff body again.

Unconsciously, I stepped on the grass with a more cautious step than before and moved away.

I wanted to find the entrance to the garden as soon as possible.

A groundless, strange anxiety was growing like a snowball and seemed to be chasing my heels. So, from some point on, I was running without realizing it.

It was a kind of instinct.

Somehow, I felt that this place was hiding something much more dangerous and ominous than I vaguely sensed right now.

Swuaaa…![onomatopoeia for rustling sound]

Another chilling wind blew from behind.

Pushed by it, I ran without looking back, until I was completely out of breath.