The Way To Protect The Female Lead’S Older Brother [EN]: Chapter 75

Protecting the Heroine’s Older Brother – Chapter 75

9. A New Encounter

Blinding sunlight poured down onto the frozen lake.

The transparent, shimmering dome of ice resembled an angel’s basin, finely sprinkled with stardust.

For fifteen days, Orca had been gazing at this scenery.

A silver fox fur shapka [a type of Russian fur hat] adorned his loosely braided, long, pale blue hair.

The fur coat he wore looked as if it had been fashioned directly from the glossy golden fur of a Silope, a magical creature.

Adorned with numerous bejeweled accessories, his appearance was strikingly flamboyant.

Yet, this attire, which could easily appear bizarre, suited him perfectly without a hint of awkwardness.

Orca’s own beauty was exceptionally refined.

Clink…….

The ornaments, swaying in the breeze, chimed against each other, producing a clear, bell-like sound.

Orca was quietly watching something with his silver-gray eyes, reminiscent of moonlight reflected on a winter lake.

Snowflakes landed on his long eyelashes, which cast a shadow like an awning. Yet, he didn’t even blink.

Orca of the Hyperion family, known as the White Magic Beast Tamer, was currently in a magical beast habitat located between the Frederica Highlands and Emerald Lake.

After a long wait, the magical beast Gyrote finally appeared before his eyes.

Clumps of black fur contrasted against the white snowscape.

Red eyes emitted a ghastly glow, as if stained with blood.

Bulging horns protruded high above its forehead.

Sharp fangs jutted out from its mouth, and its limbs were thick with bulging muscles.

“Beautiful…….”

Orca was almost in a trance, marveling at the sight.

He was currently hidden, using a spell to conceal his presence from the magical beasts.

Thus, he could admire their appearance without being detected by the Gyrotes.

As magical beasts that move in packs, nearly a hundred Gyrotes were gathered in front of the lake.

To see not just one, but a hundred of these magical beasts, which are difficult to find unless one ventures deep into the snow, right before his eyes.

Orca intended to capture and tame the king of the Gyrotes, the one with the most powerful strength.

However, this precious moment, earned after waiting patiently for fifteen days, deserved a bit of indulgence.

He wanted to savor the beautiful sight unfolding before him a little longer.

Swoosh!

“Huh?”

However, the leisurely moment did not last long.

Suddenly, his vision turned completely red.

A massive shadow loomed over the pristine scenery of the lake, which had been shining brilliantly white, as if an eclipse had occurred.

Orca blankly watched a swarm of butterflies that had appeared from nowhere sweep through the Gyrote herd.

Crack, crack!

A chilling sound, like bones being crushed, instantly engulfed the serene landscape.

“What is…….”

Orca’s mouth hung open in bewilderment.

He couldn’t comprehend what was happening before his eyes.

Flutter.

Soon after, the swarm of red butterflies soared into the air, casting a massive shadow over his vision as they had when they first appeared.

Only a pure white snowfield remained where they had vanished.

Not even a trace of blood was left, making Orca wonder for a moment if he had been dreaming.

“Wait, are you kidding me?”

Then, snapping back to his senses, a hollow laugh escaped his lips.

He had been lying in wait for fifteen days in this bitter cold, without even the warmth of a fire…….

But the herd of Gyrotes that he had finally discovered was devoured by a swarm of unidentified butterflies that had suddenly appeared.

Orca was greatly disappointed.

*But wait, it’s winter now. What butterflies? And what kind of butterflies eat magical beasts?*

At that moment, a realization flashed through his mind, and Orca jumped to his feet.

The snow piled on his body cascaded to the ground.

“Poison butterflies?!”

The red trail disappearing beyond the blue sky was etched into Orca’s wide eyes.

*Could there possibly be a habitat of poison butterflies in this area? He had already failed once before!*

If that were the case, then Gyrotes were no longer the main concern.

The swarm of red butterflies was flying towards the land of Pedelian.

Seeing that, Orca’s next destination was decided.

* * *

“Was that last night definitely a proposal?”

Olin stopped in his tracks, about to enter the tent where his colleagues were resting.

“Well, given the situation, it felt a bit different from that kind of thing…….”

“Different how? It was a blatant confession.”

“Yeah. Offering the rest of his life. Isn’t that basically asking to get married?”

“When you put it that way, it does sound right…….”

Normally, they wouldn’t have failed to notice the presence outside, but now they were half-dazed, reflecting on the events of the previous night.

“I knew it, the atmosphere was strange from the start.”

“I thought so. A captive? Our lord isn’t the type to do that.”

“She’s his benefactor, apparently. The person the young lord brought was so beautiful it made me doubt my eyes, but I was taken aback at first.”

“That’s true. I only saw her unconscious, but when I saw her regain consciousness and move yesterday, I wondered if it was a dream or reality…… um, I don’t know how to express this feeling.”

“I think I know what you mean. Well, we probably all feel the same way.”

Then, someone muttered as if passing by.

“But didn’t she say yesterday that she doesn’t have much time left?”

The silence that filled the tent felt heavy on their shoulders.

It was clear that they were each imagining the young lord’s tragic love story.

Olin decided to turn back and leave this place again.

If he went inside, they would surely ask Olin about the woman Cassis had brought, just like yesterday.

Just then, he felt someone approaching from behind. He flinched, wondering if it was Cassis, but fortunately, it was Isidor.

He went straight past Olin and entered the tent.

“Do you think you’re skylarks? Your noisy chatter can be heard outside.”

“Sir Winston!”

“Don’t act so unbecoming. This isn’t free time to spend idly gossiping.”

“Yes, sir. Sorry.”

Olin quietly turned away, hearing the sharply disciplined shouts.

It was a wise choice not to go inside after all.

Olin breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he almost got caught by Isidor, who was like a tiger, and got scolded along with them.

However, he could understand why his colleagues were gathering and whispering to each other like that.

Olin recalled the events of the past few days.

* * *

At first, he thought Cassis had brought back a corpse.

Even though he had sent Isidor ahead, Cassis hadn’t come out of Agrithe, and he was wondering if he should go back inside.

But Cassis, who appeared through the blizzard, was not alone.

The person in his arms was wrapped in a cloak, obscuring their face.

However, the sight of long golden hair fluttering over Cassis’s shoulder was vividly etched in his mind.

Cassis took the lead, ignoring the bewildered onlookers.

“We’re leaving.”

And so, they left Agrithe.

Then, they stopped briefly on the road for maintenance.

Clunk!

The tightly closed door of the carriage opened, and the person Cassis had brought emerged.

She seemed to have regained consciousness while Cassis was away.

From the outline of her body and the glimpses of her face between the fluttering hair, it was clear that she was a young woman.

However, she opened the carriage door and had barely taken her first step when she collapsed weakly to the ground.

With a thud, her slender form crumpled onto the snowfield.

The colleagues who witnessed it rushed over in surprise.

“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere…….”

The colleague who first touched Roxana’s body staggered the next moment.