The Way To Protect The Female Lead’S Older Brother [EN]: Chapter 29

His touch on my skin, the way his eyes lingered on the bandage on my arm, felt consistently cold and invasive.

Deon’s gaze dropped to my exposed arm where the sleeve had slipped, then lifted to meet my eyes.

“A poison butterfly, is it?”

It was a probing look, as if he were confirming a suspicion.

The moment his low voice reached my ears, my heart skipped a beat.

Even knowing it was unlikely, I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d discovered the butterfly I’d sent to the western border.

“I thought I heard that not all of the eggs in the hatchery have hatched yet.”

But his words didn’t seem to be about that. His subsequent comment referred to the unhatched eggs in the hatchery.

When I didn’t respond, the pressure of his hand on the bandage increased. I felt his fingers digging into the skin beneath the cloth, likely reopening the wound.

That perverted bastard.

But I had no intention of giving Deon the satisfaction of seeing me in pain.

I refused to grant him the detestable sight of a frosty smile spreading across his handsome face.

I was grateful, at least, that I wasn’t one to wear my emotions on my sleeve.

“Let go.”

I muttered, stripping my voice of any emotion, and pulled my arm from his grip.

Deon released my arm more easily than I expected, as if he hadn’t just been deliberately probing my wound.

It felt unpleasant, as if he were doing me a favor by letting me go.

“When did you get back? You’ve been gone for a while on a mission.”

It was nice not having to see your face all this time.

Deon replied curtly to my question, which thinly veiled my true feelings.

“Just a little while ago.”

“Then you should go greet Father.”

Of course, even if he knew my true feelings, Deon wouldn’t betray any reaction. He’s always been that way.

“I heard Cassis Fedelian has become your plaything.”

A silent, unreadable gaze slid over me.

His expression was like a thick curtain, impossible to penetrate. It was difficult to even discern if there was any meaning behind his words.

Deon was always like that.

He was perpetually cold, and I never sensed even a flicker of humanity from him.

So, when I was young, I often wondered if there was anyone in this world who could elicit a genuine emotion from him.

“For someone who just returned, you’re remarkably well-informed.”

Seeing Deon in front of me like this, an uncontrollable wave of revulsion washed over me.

“I guess my plaything is quite the topic of conversation.”

“I’m just interested because it concerns you.”

I fell silent at his unexpected remark.

In the quiet hallway, our gazes locked without a word.

We both wore neutral expressions, but the undercurrent of the conversation was undeniably strange.

But neither the person who made the strange remark nor I, who heard it, betrayed any agitation as we faced each other.

Let me be clear: Deon’s interest in me is by no means romantic or friendly.

“What is it?”

I sneered coldly and muttered to myself.

“How boring.”

Deon didn’t stop me as I turned away, as if I had ceased to interest him.

A lingering gaze followed me from behind.

I felt it, but I didn’t look back, walking only forward.

* * *

Cassis unwrapped the bandage and examined the wound.

It wasn’t completely healed yet, of course, but it was progressing well, all things considered.

As time passed, his body was gradually regaining its strength. If he was careful not to aggravate the wound, he seemed likely to make a full recovery.

Still, he couldn’t remain idle, so he dedicated his spare time to training his body in the room.

Clunk.

Roxana entered the room at that moment.

It wasn’t her usual time to visit, so Cassis felt a flicker of surprise.

But Roxana, who opened the door and stepped inside, seemed somehow different.

Cassis started to call out to her, but stopped himself.

She stood with her back to the door, looking down and silent.

For some reason, Roxana’s clothes were damp.

Cassis caught a faint scent of grass emanating from Roxana and assumed it must be raining outside.

Then, something other than colorless rainwater flowing down Roxana’s left hand caught Cassis’s attention.

“Roxana.”

But she didn’t seem to hear him.

Looking closer, it seemed she was focused on something outside the door.

Cassis listened as well, trying to discern what Roxana was hearing, but he couldn’t detect any presence outside.

Cassis’s eyes narrowed slightly. Meanwhile, the pool of blood on the floor was steadily growing larger.

Finally, Cassis took a step towards Roxana. However, he couldn’t reach her as he had intended.

Clang.

The rope connected to his neck was pulled taut, and an unpleasant metallic sound echoed in the room.

The distance to the door was about seven steps. That was also the distance to the person standing in front of the door.

Roxana’s face looked even paler when viewed up close. Water was dripping from her wet hair.

But more concerning were the red bloodstains that had soaked her sleeves.

“Roxana.”

Was it because the distance was closer this time, or because Cassis’s voice was filled with more urgency?

When he called her name again, Roxana’s gaze finally shifted.

A drop of water flowed down her smooth, glass-like cheek, passed by her red lips, lingered briefly on her slender chin, and then fell.

Soon, their eyes met.

* * *

Without realizing it, I was listening intently to the sounds outside the door.

I wondered if Deon was still standing in the hallway, but there was no sound coming from outside.

Realistically, the place where Deon and I had been talking was some distance away from this room.

But even knowing that, the heightened senses focused on the outside of the door didn’t easily dissipate.

“Roxana.”

Perhaps if the low voice calling my name hadn’t echoed in my ears, I might have remained frozen there indefinitely.

The blurry vision, as if submerged in a fog, gradually cleared. Immediately after, I saw golden eyes staring directly at me.

“Cassis.”

Since when had he gotten so close?

I was so preoccupied with the outside of the door that I hadn’t even noticed Cassis approaching.

Now that I thought about it, I had unknowingly entered this room because of Deon. I had originally intended to return to my own room.

Then, I suddenly felt rainwater trickling down my face, so I raised my hand and wiped away the moisture.

My eyes felt a little dry, as if water had gotten into them. So, I blinked slowly a few times and rubbed my eyes with my hand.

Cassis stared at my face for a moment, then said,

“Let’s stop the bleeding first.”

Only then did I look down and check my arm.

Ah, the wound that I had hastily bandaged had burst open.

It was clearly because Deon had probed the wound with his hand a little while ago.

But to think that blood was flowing this freely. Deon, that damn bastard.

If I had raised my left hand instead of my right hand to wipe away the moisture, my face would have been covered in blood.

Besides, it seemed like my whole body had been tense without me knowing it since the moment I met Deon.

Only when I consciously checked my posture did the tension leave my shoulders.

I decided to follow Cassis’s suggestion. Perhaps because Deon’s lingering presence remained, I didn’t want to go outside right now.

I doubted it would happen, but if I opened the door now and Deon was standing there in the same spot, I would get goosebumps.

“I’ll get you something to wipe with, so wait.”

Cassis didn’t ask me any questions.

I couldn’t tell if it was consideration or indifference, but in reality, I didn’t care either way.