Lurick seemed taken aback by my outburst.
“Lou, that’s not what I meant……”
No, that’s exactly what you meant!
“Then why else would I need to go all the way to Babenberg Castle? The Grand Duke can visit the Imperial Palace anytime!”
“No……”
As I stomped my foot and stormed away from the table, Lurick chased after me and grabbed my wrist.
“I thought, I thought you had someone in mind for marriage.”
What is he talking about?
I looked up at him with teary eyes.
“What?”
“We haven’t seen each other for three years… I haven’t even seen you grow this much. I thought you were planning to leave as soon as you saw me.”
“……What?”
Lurick continued to explain.
“If it was the Grand Duke of Babenberg, even the Emperor would allow it, so I thought you must have gone to check out the place you would be living……”
Oh no, this is really bad, isn’t it?
Is it not obvious that I have to leave for somewhere soon?!
‘𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘢, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶?’
I desperately repeated the name of the female lead I had never met before and threw my arms around Lurick.
“Don’t be ridiculous, brother.”
You can’t lose control because of me!
“Is the Grand Duke the only one courting me? I haven’t decided on a marriage partner yet.”
Because I don’t even know who the father of my child is!
🔹🔹🔹
Although we had a brief black comedy moment, we were able to calm down and have breakfast together.
Perhaps it was the effect of the hug, but seeing Lurick’s stabilized appearance only deepened my worries.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥.’
Even in the midst of this, I couldn’t help but glance at the magic sword hanging at his waist.
Come to think of it, that sword was the root of all this.
So, what did I write again…?
……It was a rampage.
Lurick had lived half his life exposed to the influence of the magic sword, and he had finally lost his mind, unable to handle the accumulated magical power any longer.
The shocked Emperor belatedly tried to take the magic sword from him, but the sword clung to Lurick like a part of his body and wouldn’t budge.
Well, that was about it.
‘𝘞𝘢𝘪𝘵, 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘓𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦?’
I briefly entertained the thought while looking at the magic sword again, but quickly came to the conclusion that it was too dangerous.
‘𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳.’
I’m not the powerful female lead Helena, and if an ordinary person like me touched it, I would be toast.
Especially since I’m pregnant.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘢.’
While I was steeling my resolve, Lurick cautiously asked,
“Have you finished eating, Lou? Are you feeling…… better?”
“I’m feeling better.”
I deliberately spoke sullenly and got up from my seat.
Lurick hurriedly got up as well, and I subtly linked my arm with his.
“If you join me for tea time in my room, I think I might feel a little better.”
He chuckled.
“It’s no wonder they all fawn over you.”
I widened my eyes as if it were absurd.
“But none of them upset me like you do, brother.”
Lurick’s lips curved into a rare, gentle smile.
“Then no one can be invited to your tea time.”
“Exactly.”
We returned to my room, bantering like proper siblings.
As expected, Chilila had arrived first.
🔹🔹🔹
“Oh my.”
Chilila rose from her seat as we entered the room side by side.
“Second brother.”
She greeted Lurick with a bright smile and then glanced at me.
“Louise, I sent word that I would stop by after breakfast…… Didn’t you receive it?”
I blinked innocently.
I did receive it, Sister! I thought it would be nice to have tea time together since you were here at the annex, so I brought my brother along! We’re a little late because of that.”
Lurick must have thought this was an outrageous story.
As an apology, I squeezed his arm a little tighter, and he seemed to take it as a different kind of request.
Lurick greeted her with a somewhat awkward expression.
“It has been a long time since we have seen each other in private, Chilila.”