By Zephyria 
I don’t know what to say. Of course, I’m glad to see him. Of course, of course, I also feel guilty. Just as the Crown Prince, who was my adversary, became my Adrian who was no longer the Crown Prince……. Andrew Hamilton, whom I had tried to use for revenge but now had a slight sympathy for, was no longer just a character in a game.
‘I have hated and loathed you so much that I couldn’t stand you, who took a place in this mansion as my brother for the rest of my life.’
‘Did you behave yourself today without causing any trouble, my brother?’
‘At the same time, I have loved you irresistibly and passionately.’
‘Haha, when did that little baby grow up so much that it’s time for his Royal Wedding…. Even if you go to the Imperial Palace, don’t forget to contact home often.’
‘How is it. Did that answer your question?’
‘Noah, my beautiful brother.’
‘I’m asking you. Did that answer your question?’
‘Noah.’
His voice expressing intense affection as if declaring war on me and the voice of my kind older brother gently admonishing me confused my mind simultaneously.
Andrew Hamilton, an Alpha who loved me and tried to possess me and at the same time the brother I respected and admired, reached out to me with a firm expression as if trying to maintain his composure. It must have been his intention to remove Adrian’s body, which was heavily weighing me down.
Thwack!
However, instinctive unfamiliarity and confusion came first. Even though I knew very well that those elegant hands would not harm me, I unknowingly pushed his hand away sharply.
“Ah…….”
“……!”
His blue eyes were filled with a strange light, and I just sighed in dismay. I clearly saw the moment his eyes wavered. He was hurt. By my clear rejection.
But he doesn’t show it this time either. He stubbornly reaches out his arm again and lifts Adrian’s body as if supporting him. I felt lost. I can only sit there in a daze.
“…Escort His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The doctor will be on standby.”
“Yes, as you command. Um…, should I escort Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess, or rather, the youngest son of Hamilton, as well…….”
“No. I will take care of my brother myself, so just escort His Royal Highness out.”
While I was spacing out, Andrew diligently sorted out the situation. After the strong servants took Adrian away, only the two of us were left in the spacious reception room again.
“I’m, I’m sorry, I was too…, uh, sudden…….”
I came to my senses and blurted out whatever came to mind. It was to avoid giving him any more hurt, who must have been burning with worry for me, who he thought had been dead until now. He let out a big sigh. It was just a tired sigh with no sign of blaming me at all. But his sigh became a sharper blade than anything else, cutting off my words eerily.
“Don’t say you’re sorry.”
“…….”
“It’s enough that you came back. Really…. That’s enough…….”
His dry hands kept putting strength into and releasing from my back as if he wanted to hug me tightly. I pretended not to notice. I could willingly hug Adrian. I could even hug him first. It was the same with my older brother, who had been worried about me.
“Noah…….”
But, this person right now couldn’t just be my upright older brother. How should I treat Andrew Hamilton? To the one who chose to hate me rather than not even being able to freely love me as his brother……. That you are only my older brother to me, so please step back…. How can I say those words……?
Looking down at me, who was pretending not to notice his arms that wanted to hug me, he eventually smiled softly. It was a futile smile like a pile of dust that would scatter as it was if you blew on it.
“Is that so.”
“…….”
“You have come to truly love him.”
“…….”
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, so much that you can’t even tolerate me having you in my heart anymore.”
I couldn’t confidently nod my head to that question, but I didn’t deny it either. Andrew’s lips continued to draw an elegant curve. In a way that made everyone who saw it feel sad.
“It’s done. Didn’t I say it’s enough that you came back alive. It would be greedy to want more than this.”
He clenched his fist tightly, took a deep breath, and then grabbed my shoulder and lifted me up with a calm touch that showed no agitation.
“Let’s go back, Noah.”
“…Yes, brother.”
It was a perfectly drawn brotherly conversation.
* * *
Adrian, who had fallen into a deep sleep, woke up around the afternoon of the next day. Adrian’s subordinates, who had urgently procured a teleportation stone and arrived a few hours later, each let out a sigh of relief when they saw me unharmed and Adrian asleep. According to them, Adrian would occasionally faint when his body couldn’t handle it, sleep for a few hours, and then compulsively wake up again. It had been about two months since he had slept for more than three hours. That meant he hadn’t slept properly even once since I disappeared. I stopped them, who were about to bow down and thank me for coming back alive, and felt bitter inside. It was something I did to live in the North without arousing anyone’s suspicion…. I shouldn’t use this method again.
After Adrian regained consciousness, we began our journey to the capital. I, who had actually gone missing, was unharmed, but Adrian and Andrew were so worried about me that their physical strength and condition were about to hit rock bottom, so the group moved slowly.
It took almost fifteen days to get to the capital. Nicole, who used to be afraid of getting his head cut off and said he couldn’t ride in the same carriage as me, said that he would rather have his head cut off than be separated from me again this time, and stubbornly sat down in the carriage that Adrian and I were riding in.
Throughout the carriage ride, Adrian was restless and didn’t know what to do unless he was shoulder to shoulder with me. He would occasionally tremble with anxiety, wondering if this situation was a dream, with a dazed look in his eyes. Every time that happened, I would put my forehead to his and stroke his back slowly as if soothing a child. He would realize reality only after confirming my body temperature and weight.
We need to hurry the Royal Wedding, he said several times as if making a resolution. He said that as soon as he arrived in the capital, he would announce the Emperor’s death, hold the funeral, and then hold the coronation and wedding ceremony at once. I was about to achieve the feat of becoming Empress at once without going through the position of Crown Princess, the first in the long history of the Empire.
Adrian’s voice, drawing up blueprints that were so fresh and green that he would tear down the entire Empress Palace, which didn’t have very good memories, and rebuild it to my liking, gradually regained its former vitality. Sitting next to him, leaning my head on his broad shoulders and nodding obediently, everything felt peaceful. The future unfolding before me would be gentle and happy. There were times when I couldn’t bring myself to smile when Carlisle came to mind. But…….
“Hmm? Why, are you feeling stuffy?”
“…No, just. I think I’m just a little sleepy.”
“Hehehe. Yes. You’ve always been a sleepyhead. You’ve been like that since you were young.”
“……Since I was young?”
“Ah, I don’t know. It just feels that way.”
With a lifelong partner in front of me whom I could never betray even if I died, there could be no crossroads. I somehow tried to control my wavering heart.
One hopeful fact was that now that I had recalled all the exact details and conditions of the bet, God would no longer be able to use any means. That fraudulent ability that had been manipulating the people around me at will had not reappeared at all since Carlisle had awakened from his self-hypnosis. Even trying to manipulate Adrian was limited to inside the Great Temple, a place where his divine power was fully exerted.
Finally, this boring bet is coming to an end.
I was confident in my victory. The only problem was that my heart ached because there were so many sinners…, only that was the problem.
When we arrived in the capital, we headed straight to the Count’s residence. Adrian seemed to want to take me to the Imperial Palace no matter what, but he held back and let it go for now, thinking that he could make me his Empress in a month with an official union.
The mansion became a sea of tears once again the moment I got out of the carriage. Even the Count, who didn’t seem to have any genuine affection for me, couldn’t overcome his boiling passion and reddened his eyes. I felt strange. Even if a pet dog dies, people are sad, but it was hard to cynically brush it off, thinking that there must be some affection from raising it all this time. He too had truly cherished and loved me…, he was my real father.
The Countess, my mother, who had gone crazy after seeing my death and had difficulty recovering her complete soul even while turning back time……. She howled like a beast.
I crossed the threshold of the mansion with a moderate attitude that was neither too cold nor too emotional.
It was the same with Andrew. I don’t know how to treat my parents…. I was confused, but I decided to postpone that as homework for later. Now was not the time to fall into such confusion.
“Ah, you’ve finally returned. I don’t know how worried I was, brother.”
The guy I really had to deal with in this mansion was someone else.