The Way To Protect The Female Lead’S Older Brother [EN]: Chapter 8

Protecting the Heroine’s Older Brother – Episode 8

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It was a deep night, darkness clinging to the eaves.

“……So, there was no one?”

A small, whispering voice broke the silence that filled the room.

The curtain hanging in the window fluttered gently in the wind.

Moonlight streamed generously over the girl sitting by the window.

She was a girl of such unreal beauty that one might believe a god had breathed life into her.

Her hair, flowing softly to her waist, shimmered brilliantly even in the darkness, as if woven from starlight and dawn’s first light.

Her eyes, like red blood refined into jewels, held a captivating allure that could send shivers down anyone’s spine. Her delicate skin glowed with a pearly luminescence, bathed in the moonlight.

The girl’s presence, radiating even a noble aura, was breathtakingly beautiful, almost overwhelming.

“If you find those who seek him, find the one with the strongest power and the most unwavering devotion among them.”

Roxana issued a new command to her loyal servant. In response, the dark red butterfly perched on her finger fluttered its wings.

Soon, the butterfly left her hand, soared into the air, and disappeared out the window.

Roxana watched its receding form as it vanished into the darkness.

The east and south had yielded nothing. She hoped that someone would be searching for Cassis Pedelian along the western border.

If their paths diverged and contact was delayed, timing things correctly would become difficult.

Roxana sighed softly, thinking of the boy in the underground prison. A fleeting shadow of sorrow crossed her beautiful face, making her appear almost pitiable.

Her mind raced, considering the situation.

The commotion outside the door when Roxana was in the underground prison earlier had been caused by Charlotte, one of her half-siblings, who had come looking for him.

Charlotte had reportedly argued with the jailer, demanding to see the “new toy.”

The jailer proved more resolute than expected, refusing to open the door despite Charlotte’s tantrum. However, Roxana couldn’t be sure how long that would last.

“What should I do…….”

Roxana’s eyes darkened with concern.

Earlier, Cassis had obediently taken the medicine she offered, without her needing to resort to force.

Could it be that he was beginning to trust her, even a little?

Of course, it was clear that he was still far from meeting her expectations, but at least he seemed to believe she wouldn’t intentionally poison him.

Or perhaps he had simply resigned himself to the fact that resistance was futile; if he didn’t eat it willingly, she would simply knock him out and force-feed him.

Tap, tap. Roxana’s fingers lightly drummed against the window frame.

The monthly evaluation was scheduled before Cassis Pedelian’s arrival at Agriche.

Soon, it would be time for the Grand Banquet.

Roxana had once again secured her right to attend the Grand Banquet, maintaining her consistent second-place ranking.

Her father, Lant Agriche, would also be present.

It seemed a direct approach would be best this time.

3. How to Protect You

“Ugh.”

I frowned as I suddenly felt a metallic taste rising from my throat.

After a few coughs, I lowered my hand and saw that my pale skin was stained with red liquid.

It was a side effect of the poison I had been taking recently.

Still, I suppose it’s fortunate that it happened before I dressed for the Grand Banquet. If I had already been wearing my gown, I would have had to change.

I calmly observed the blood that had soaked my hands and clothes, then raised my head.

The beautiful girl reflected in the mirror wore a blank expression, as if a little blood was nothing out of the ordinary.

There was blood at the corner of her mouth, making her face appear paler than usual.

When I reached out, Emily, who stood nearby, handed me a handkerchief.

I used it to wipe the blood from my mouth.

Neither Emily nor I were particularly alarmed, as this wasn’t the first time I had experienced the poison’s side effects.

Knock knock.

“Roxana.”

At that moment, someone knocked on the door and called my name. It was my mother’s voice.

At my gesture, Emily opened the door. A beautiful woman with features similar to mine appeared in the doorway.

My mother, Sierra Colonie, still possessed a radiant beauty, seemingly untouched by time.

She hardly looked like the mother of a sixteen-year-old daughter.

If Ashil had lived, she would have had a twenty-year-old son; her unbelievable youthfulness was truly astonishing.

“Roxana, it’s been a while.”

“Yes, it has, Mother.”

Since a few years ago, we had been residing in separate buildings, so we rarely encountered each other, even by chance.

My mother, who had been approaching me, suddenly stopped and her eyes widened slightly.

“Why blood…… Are you hurt?”

I had wiped the blood from my mouth, but the red stains soaking my chest were still visible because I hadn’t changed my clothes yet.

“It’s nothing. What brings you here?”

I changed the subject, offering no explanation. I felt no need to confide in her about my condition.

When I didn’t answer, my mother didn’t press the issue.

“Today is the day of the Grand Banquet. I was worried you might be nervous, so I came to see you.”

“It’s not as if I’m attending the Grand Banquet for the first time, so why would I be nervous now?”

At my words, my mother looked at me with an unreadable expression.

Perhaps she was concerned that I might displease my father at the Grand Banquet and had come to check on me.

I was old enough to handle myself, but she still seemed worried.

From some point on, the distance between my mother and me had been steadily growing.

Still, when she looked at me with such mournful, pleading eyes, I felt a desire to grant her any wish.

I slowly parted my lips and said,

“It’s okay. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

My mother seemed relieved by my composed demeanor.

She let out a small breath and spoke.

“Yes, now you are a wonderful Agriche, too.”

I don’t know what kind of expression I wore at that moment.

My mother’s delicate body trembled slightly as she met my gaze. It made me realize that the intangible mask I had been wearing had momentarily slipped.

I smiled gently again, hoping to conceal any emotion she shouldn’t see.

“Yes, as you wished, Mother, I am now a wonderful Agriche.”

Perhaps such fragile beauty, so easily broken, is inherently heartbreaking and lovely.

The person who could only lock herself in her room and weep when my brother Ashil died unjustly.

And the person who would stand by and watch me be murdered, paralyzed by fear, even if it happened before her eyes.

“Would you like to rest a little longer? I need to prepare for the Grand Banquet, so I don’t think I can spend much time with you.”

“No, I think I’ll only be a hindrance if I stay.”

I spoke softly and turned back towards the mirror.

Sensing that I had no intention of prolonging the conversation, my mother nodded.

“Then take care.”

I didn’t try to stop her.

My mother hesitated for a moment before silently leaving the room.

After she left, Emily helped me prepare for the Grand Banquet.

I decorated and adorned myself almost obsessively, like a soldier arming themselves for battle without guns or knives, rather than attending a meal with my family.

The mirror reflected the image of a girl so dazzlingly beautiful that it was almost blinding.

When I slowly forced a smile onto my terribly expressionless face, vitality instantly bloomed on my beautiful face, which still sometimes felt foreign to me.

“Miss Roxana. It’s time.”

I left the room to head to the banquet hall.

The hallway was quiet. After staring at the hallway my mother had walked down for a moment, I turned and walked in the opposite direction.

I didn’t resent her for failing to protect Ashil and me. I didn’t hate her, either.

But I couldn’t embrace her as I once had.

That was all there was to it.