STVWDTD Chapter 25

The Runaway Third Brother Returns

Her entire body pounded like it had transformed into a single heart. Rodrick watched intently as her lips parted slightly, unable to form words.

"Don't ask something like—!"

Before she could answer, he moved to kiss her.

Diana naturally turned her head to accept it, and then something terrifying entered her vision.

Pale pink eyes, barely open, grew wider and wider until they seemed ready to split apart.

"Wait!"

Diana let out a small cry and covered Rodrick's mouth with her hand. His eyebrows shot up irritably.

"Why."

His low voice vibrated against her palm. Enduring that ticklish sensation, Diana brought her mouth to Rodrick's ear.

"That's my third brother, right?"

Though whispered in the softest voice possible, the knights with their sharp senses heard everything. Their gazes naturally fixed on one man.

"Yes."

"Why is my runaway brother here?"

He was a figure who existed only in memories. She hadn't seen him even before dying, so she'd thought she'd never see him again.

After waking in the wizard's castle, she'd only thought about her eldest brother and sister—the main villain-level characters. She hadn't considered her third brother at all.

He was an extra like her, and even if the Crown Prince destroyed the family, he seemed like he'd survive just fine on his own. That's why she hadn't contacted him.

"He followed me."

"What?"

Rodrick hadn't welcomed Nathan's company from the start.

Through the messenger sent by the Duke, he'd assessed the castle's atmosphere and judged it would be better to use Nathan to reveal she was a Beatus.

If his name couldn't serve as a shield, temporarily attaching a wolf who'd left home wouldn't be bad either. Though it did bother him that he hadn't consulted with her about it.

"Why?"

Rodrick glanced at her complexion as he answered.

"To see you."

To see me? Nathan's wanderlust was so severe he'd never come home even when his family called. That's how much Nathan despised the Beatus family. Was that why he came? Because this place wasn't Beatus territory.

How long had it been since she'd seen family? Unlike her, who hesitated in awkwardness despite her gladness, Nathan approached without reserve.

"Diana Beatus. You useless little runt."

Nathan was the same as always. His actions and speech patterns were exactly as they'd been in childhood. That familiar sight relaxed Diana's tension too.

"It's been so long, hasn't it? Little sister?"

"Kyah! What are you doing?! Nathan!"

Nathan approached with a terrifying momentum, casually lifted Diana by the waist, and separated her from Rodrick.

Nathan's action, completely lacking any sense of distance, instantly bridged the gap of those long years. They didn't realize it, but the bond between siblings ran deep enough to overcome time.

"What am I doing?! That's what I should be saying! What the hell do you think you're doing, acting so—so shamelessly!"

Oh, my ears. She covered her ears at the roar loud enough to deafen. Has this brother lost his mind? She had no idea why he was like this after meeting for the first time in so long.

"Put me down."

Diana, dangling under his arm like a sack, tapped his forearm. Tap tap.

Nathan didn't budge, pointing accusingly at Rodrick while still holding her.

"Rodrick Schwartz, you damned bastard! How did you seduce my sister! An innocent girl! Huh? A runt who knew nothing about men! Huh? About to kiss a man?!"

What's he saying. She looked at her own brother with coolly narrowed eyes.

Nathan's pointing finger trembled.

Despite wandering all those battlefields, he was still an innocent man. Pure and simple—he'd swear in curses but never indulge in dirty talk. A completely natural, untouched-by-corruption man.

His face burned redder than Diana's, who'd been about to kiss in front of many people.

"Why are you spouting nonsense after meeting for the first time in forever, brother?"

Watching Diana be so cold to a brother who'd never even dated, Nathan's face showed shock.

"I didn't raise you to be like this."

"Our eldest brother raised me, not you."

No argument there. Damn Devir Beatus. He cursed his innocent brother for no reason.

Diana sighed. Huff. She swept her disheveled hair back and shot Nathan a sharp look. This brother's really testing my patience after so long.

She spoke in that ominous tone only possible with blood relatives—the kind she couldn't use with anyone else.

"Put me down while I'm asking nicely. I need to stay close to Rodrick."

"What? Why?"

"Because I've become unable to separate from Rodrick."

"Gasp. What... don't tell me. Pregnant?"

"WHAT?!"

In his shock, Nathan's grip loosened and Diana tilted forward, falling. Rodrick caught her instantly and pulled her into his arms.

"Diana."

Affectionately tucking her hair behind her ear, he murmured low.

"It's noisy. Should I just make it a done deal?"

"What, are you insane?!"

These people. Seriously. Diana's eyes blazed as she looked between Rodrick and her brother.

Complete chaos. Watching from a distance, Felice let out a deep sigh.

The fearsome reputation of the Red Wolf looking absurd—a man who seemed to have lost his soul to his sister's words, and the smooth smile of a man who'd been too sharp with madness to even hold a conversation.

No one dared insert themselves between them. Felice reluctantly took the lead.

"Now, now, everyone. Let's not do this here and go inside, shall we?"

Only then did Diana snap to attention and look around.

Servants standing in a line, horses unable to reach the stables, knights unable to rest without their lord's command. Many people were standing at attention because of them—punishment where there should be none.

"Rodrick, hurry and dismiss the knights. I'll go in first with my brother."

Rodrick's expression soured at the words go in first, and he raised his hand—the one wearing black leather gloves.

At just that gesture, the knights dispersed instantly.

A single glance to the head butler handled the servants too. Diana found the scene fascinating—everything accomplished without a single word.

See? When Rodrick looked down at her with that expression, Diana let out a soft laugh. Puhaha.

This man. She could tell what he was saying just from his expression. She found it cute.

"Yes, good job."

Nathan's face rotted with disgust watching the man and woman flirting without any care for the surrounding stares.

Diana abandoned Nathan and went inside first with Rodrick.

No point raising a sister—absolutely useless. Nathan was grumbling when Felice approached with a smile to look after the abandoned third brother.

"Welcome, Nathan. My brother has told me much about you."

Nathan's face, which had been stupidly relaxed, sharpened like a freshly honed blade. He assessed Felice from top to bottom like evaluating goods.

"Rodrick's little brother?"

"Yes, I am Felice Schwartz, younger brother of Rodrick Schwartz."

The red eyes beneath sharp brows finished their assessment.

That smiling face is a mask. Knows Nathan dislikes family names. Good muscle definition—advanced level, but below Rodrick. Uses his head more than his body.

"Hmm. I don't like clever bastards."

"Pardon?"

"My sister is the best."

"Haha, of course my sister-in-law is the best."

"Hey, Rodrick's brother."

Due to their size difference, when Nathan draped his arm around Felice's shoulders—really around his neck—the trained muscles felt like they were choking him. Felice was flustered but didn't waver, accepting the weight.

"Urk. Yes."

"Shall we have an in-depth physical conversation about why my sister is your sister-in-law?"

Physical conversation? It meant crossing swords, but Felice, who heard it as bodily contact, was horrified.

"What?!"

Nathan's expression turned equally strange. What is this bastard thinking?

"Nathan?"

Flinch. At Diana's gentle voice carrying from far away, Nathan's body stiffened.

"Hurry up. Don't bother innocent people."

When Beatus family women spoke sweetly with smiling faces, that's when they were most dangerous. Especially when using honorifics.

Like a wolf tucking its tail, Nathan quickly obeyed Diana's words.

Watching Nathan being led away like a leashed dog, Felice was impressed once again.

As expected. Our sister-in-law! Like a beast tamer. Even Rodrick's behavior had been impossible from the start. Seems she's captivated Father too.

Heh. Felice's eyes as he turned away with a smile had settled into something cold.

His blue eyes were fixed on the servants looking at Diana with malice-filled gazes.

Felice stroked his smoothly curved lips and muttered.

"Why do people who don't know their place keep appearing?"

Hah. Hopefully this won't reach my brother's ears. He'd already restricted them from leaving the castle. Couldn't have them spreading impure rumors outside in the territory.

"Robert. Why do you keep repeating the same mistakes?"

"My apologies."

The head butler waiting beside him bowed deeply.

"Next time won't end with dismissal. If anyone harms even a fingertip of my sister-in-law, cut off their hands first. If anyone dirties her ears, cut off their ears."

The head butler silently bowed again.

"I don't know when our castle became a playground for children."

It was clearly aimed at Irin. He'd left her alone because the Duke tolerated it, but if she crossed the line, he'd move directly.

She'd already crossed it when she entered his bedroom naked, but he'd been cute about it.

Felice had chased Irin out with a smile, without blinking an eye.

He wasn't aroused by just any woman, and clumsy seduction didn't stir his body.

The Duke knew the truth but overlooked Irin's actions because he wanted Felice to have children quickly.

Ridiculous. Treating him like a stud when the eldest son was alive and well. A cruel smile bloomed on Felice's handsome face.

The assumption that Rodrick would die didn't exist in his head. Brother won't die.

'I can remove this family's curse!'

That's why Diana's words made him hold his breath. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but he couldn't help hearing.

Diana's words that she could save his brother sounded like salvation.

He felt he could give her everything. Give his brother the position of family head and Diana the status of Duchess—that would be fine.

What was the position of family head? Beyond the North, if she wanted other regions, he could start territorial wars and offer them to Diana. If Diana wanted it, he was willing to lay anything at her feet.

"Sister-in-law's belongings are always to be top-grade."

"Understood."

"Ah, right. What about our sister?"

"There's been no contact for several days."

Felice briefly thought of his younger sister who'd married a year ago.

The Schwartz curse seemed directed at everyone except Felice.

Though Rodrick had inherited the family's madness completely, like how it affected Mother, their sister seemed affected too.

People thought the stutter and hideous face were part of the curse.

So Felice had thought his sister would live well once she left the family and married.

Even if it wasn't the curse, anywhere would be better than this family.

"No news is good news, they say. No need to worry. Report if she contacts us."

Was no news really good news? I should've checked more thoroughly. Felice would regret it like a proper sub-male lead, but that was still far in the future.

"Brother, aren't you going to greet His Grace the Duke?"

"Huh? Why should I?"

"What kind of rude behavior is that? Did I teach you to act like that?"

Nathan had claimed the guest room's sitting area completely, lounging on the sofa almost lying down. Sprawled out like it was his own home.

"Courtesy, my ass. This brother is very tired."

Nathan picked at his ear with an expression that said sue me. Ugh, that contrary bastard. He was the same then as now.

"You're indebted to me and Noel. You're still older than me, so as our family representative, you should at least greet them."

Ahem. Nathan straightened his back proudly and said.

"Right, I'm older than you."

Acting smug over being two years older. This human was always weak to flattery.

"But Noel? Who's that?"

"Don't remember? The bastard child at our house."

"There was one of those? That man had good ability. Went off so weakly, but managed to make a kid before dying?"

Come to think of it, Duke Beatus had been confined to his sickbed until just before death for a long time.

"Yeah. You weren't around the house, so you wouldn't know, but a maid demanded money and abandoned him."

She hadn't remembered the bastard child until after dying and coming back, so naturally Nathan wouldn't remember either.

But were her memories correct? Suddenly she felt doubtful.