I Don’t Need Them Anymore — Abandoning the Family That Never Loved Me, I Find Happiness in a Neighboring Kingdom - Chapter 8

After sending my sister, who had been waiting in the hallway, back to her room, my brother looked at Nana with reproachful eyes.

“Why didn’t you report this?”

“Lady Edith asked me not to. I’m terribly sorry.”

Nana’s face turned sorrowful as she bowed her head.

“Nana isn’t at fault. It was my order.”

Perhaps having noticed this, when Lady Edith stood up, my brother gave a wry smile.

“Why did you do such a thing?”

“I thought it would make you happy.”

“You haven’t changed a bit.”

Seeing Lady Edith smile, my brother’s expression softened.

This was the first time I’d seen such a gentle expression on my brother’s face! My brother and Lady Edith must be close.

My brother would soon be eighteen, but currently he was seventeen like me – a handsome young man with long golden hair tied back in a single ponytail. Perhaps because of his almond-shaped eyes, he gave off a cold atmosphere similar to our mother. Since he was already quiet around family, it made him even harder to approach.

“I’m sorry for causing you trouble. I never imagined things would turn out like this.”

My brother, who had sat down beside me, pushed up his glasses and sighed before briefly explaining the situation.

It had been my brother’s arrangement to assign Nana to me. Having noticed the intentions of the Rofeus Kingdom side, my brother had suggested to our reluctant parents that we make Nana my maid, while asking Nana to serve as a bridge for secret communication with the royal family of Rofeus Kingdom.

From the Rofeus Kingdom’s perspective, since there were no particular disadvantages, they had gladly accepted.

My brother had thought that since Nana had no prejudice against me and had experienced hurt in the past herself, she would be able to empathize with my pain.

Indeed, Nana had saved my heart many times.

“Speaking of which, it seems you and Lady Edith are acquainted. When did you meet?”

“It was when I visited Rofeus Kingdom several times in father’s stead. I wanted to know what kind of person would be my sister’s partner.”

“So that’s why you became involved in national affairs.”

“Yes. That way, it wouldn’t be strange for me to go to Rofeus Kingdom. Father was always doting on my sister, so when I offered to go in his place, he happily entrusted it to me.”

Father does dote on my sister so much he’d never let anything hurt her.

“I thought you had no interest in me and that I didn’t matter to you. I’m truly sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s only natural you’d think that since I acted indifferent toward you.”

“Why was that?”

“I hate our parents. If I was kind to you, our parents would become bothersome, so I deliberately kept my distance.”

My brother continued with a sorrowful expression.

“I had heard from Nana that you were suffering. But it seemed Loin cared deeply for you, and I thought that once my sister married into Rofeus Kingdom, your treatment would change. My thinking was naive. I’ve truly done you a great disservice.”

Saying this, my brother apologized.

I didn’t feel like blaming him. After all, in the end, I came to understand that Loin didn’t love me and what kind of person my sister really was.

“Why do you hate your parents, Prince Rix?”

When Prince Edith, who had been silently listening, asked this, my brother gave a wry smile.

“Mother thinks she suffered because of Dahlia, but Dahlia did nothing wrong. I can’t understand mother’s feelings of blaming Dahlia. If she didn’t cheat, she should hate father for doubting her. As for father, I hate him because he’s a fool who couldn’t realize something obvious with a little thought.”

“What do you mean?”

Surprised by my brother’s blunt statement, I asked.

Father certainly wasn’t clever. I didn’t understand which incident my brother was referring to.

“If we were several years apart, that would be one thing, but you and I are only a year apart. He should know whether his wife could cheat or not.”

My brother answered in a cold voice.

“That’s true.”

Lady Edith agreed and continued.

“You can’t move around right after giving birth, and since she’s the Queen, someone would always be accompanying her. If she had gone on a long trip, that would be different, but there’s no basis for suspecting infidelity.”

“Exactly. Once I became aware, I checked with mother’s maids and attendants from that time, and father’s attendants too – they all said mother never left the castle. There were no men close to mother either. If father, who was closest to her, had believed in mother, it wouldn’t have become such a big issue.”

My brother sighed and patted my head.

“If my sister were to marry, I planned to demand father abdicate and send him to Rofeus Kingdom following my sister. I thought if our parents were gone, things would become easier for you too. After all, Loin truly cared for you, and you loved Loin.”

“Loin doesn’t care for me at all!”

When I denied this, my brother lowered his eyelids.

“I never thought he would do such things. I’m sorry it ended up hurting you. It won’t atone for anything, but Prince Edith isn’t a bad person. I think he’ll treat you well.”

My brother apologized, saying he had only been thinking of himself.

I might be called simple-minded, but just knowing I wasn’t hated made me happy enough that I told him I forgave him.

And at that moment, I realized something. I had forgotten that I could rely on others. There are people in this world suffering alone. But I had Nana, and I could have asked my brother for help.

Since they were trying to push my sister onto Prince Edith, both Nana and my brother had been trying to prioritize my happiness.

“I’m sorry, brother. It’s because I couldn’t hold onto Loin’s feelings.”

“Don’t apologize. When people are cornered, they can’t make proper judgments. It’s my fault for not realizing Loin’s true character.”

When my brother apologized, Nana also bowed her head.

“I should have advised you to consult Prince Rix. I’m terribly sorry.”

“I should have acted sooner too. I heard you were getting along well with your fiancé, so I thought you didn’t need my help. As a result, I cornered you. I’m truly sorry.”

Even Prince Edith ended up apologizing. From my perspective, neither my brother, nor Nana, nor Prince Edith were at fault.

“I’m also to blame for being indecisive all this time. Even if I couldn’t be like Nana, I needed the strength to talk back.”

After we all insisted the others weren’t to blame, we reached an agreement that what mattered was the future.

I want to become happier than my sister, and I want my sister and the others to regret that I couldn’t marry Prince Edith.

“We can discuss future plans after we leave here. Your parents don’t seem inclined to show their faces, so shall we depart now?”

“Please wait.”

My brother made a request to Prince Edith, who had stood up.

“Since you’re here anyway, would you meet my sister?”

“I don’t mind, but why?”

To Prince Edith, who looked puzzled, Nana answered with a smile in my brother’s stead.

“Please keep your hood up at first. Then, at the right moment, you can remove it.”

“Ah, I see.”

Prince Edith seemed to understand my brother and Nana’s plan, giving a wry smile and nodding.

…Could it be that my brother and the others are planning to have my sister meet Prince Edith?

What if, by doing this, Prince Edith falls for my sister?

Perhaps noticing my anxious expression, Lady Edith smiled.

“Don’t worry, I won’t become captivated by Princess Ramula.”

“…Yes.”

Prince Edith is someone I just met, but Nana and my brother trust him. I should believe it will be fine.

I don’t know what type of person my sister likes. But I think many people would find Lady Edith’s appearance appealing.

I wonder what reaction my sister will have when she sees Lady Edith. I feel a little… no, is it wrong for me to actually look forward to it?