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Chapter 004
Too Many Karmic Burdens to Confess
“So, you didn’t come here because you were worried about me, but because you needed my vote for your family’s power, huh?”
For Dorothy, who was an only child, there had always been a vague longing for siblings—things like unwavering trust and strong bonds of affection.
‘I thought siblings would naturally stick together.’
But seeing Rose and Brandon made her realize that not all siblings were like that.
“Ahaha, it’s a bit sad if you misunderstand it that way.”
“Your words may sound sweet, but you think I don’t know your vile nature? That you’re selfish and don’t consider anyone else’s feelings. That’s why I dislike you.”
“I’m not particularly fond of you either, you know.”
Unlike Rose, who spoke with a voice full of emotion, Brandon sat slouched on the sofa, a mischievous smile on his face no matter what he said.
“So, you just plan to stay cooped up in Selbrums forever?”
“Yes! Until I die!”
“Do you think staying here until you die will erase your sister’s past or her pain?”
He replied with a gentle smile.
“Even if you stay here, no one will acknowledge how much she suffers. Nothing will change.”
“So what do you expect me to do about it?”
“Ha-ha, that part I don’t know.”
Dorothy felt like a shrimp caught in a whale fight. The vibrating tension in her ears made her uneasy.
From this sibling quarrel, Dorothy unexpectedly learned some new information.
Her next-door neighbor Rose was Miss Kaishner. And her younger brother Brandon—the famous Duke.
More importantly, Dorothy realized their biggest problem.
‘They’re completely broken in the way they communicate.’
It seemed they didn’t even know how to handle family interactions. Maybe they didn’t realize that being close means you have to be extra careful with your words.
It was a precarious conversation, like a screw was missing somewhere.
‘Rose is too emotional and tends to speak carelessly.’
Raising her voice right away inevitably upset the other person.
‘And the Duke’s polite speech doesn’t even sound polite.’
Because his behavior was so lighthearted, his constant smiles only rubbed Rose the wrong way.
So, an irritated Rose ended up saying everything that came to her mind, whether she truly meant it or not.
“I just… I wish you would disappear from my sight. Never to be seen again.”
She shouldn’t have said something like that.
Dorothy hesitated, wondering if she should step in, but Brandon remained nonchalant.
“If you wish, I’ll do that.”
It wasn’t that difficult for him to say.
Brandon’s indifferent words made Rose even more furious.
“Seriously, you just don’t get it! Don’t ever think you’ll appear in front of me again!”
In the end, Rose stormed out, ending the conversation.
Dorothy was left alone with Brandon.
“‘Disappear from my sight,’ huh… and now she’s gone herself.”
Although Brandon usually acted indifferent, perhaps the earlier conversation wasn’t easy for him either. He exhaled a deep breath and flopped onto the sofa.
He then looked over at Dorothy, who had sat a little distance away.
“Why are you sitting so far away, Miss?”
“I was afraid of catching your cold.”
“……?”
He seemed caught off guard by the unexpected reply and smiled faintly—more like a habitual gesture than amusement.
“It doesn’t really matter to me.”
“I was just worried about you.”
“I’m sorry you had to see something like that.”
Dorothy maintained her indifferent expression throughout, not even meeting his eyes.
“So, what about you? Do you think the same as your sister?”
Even after asking, Brandon didn’t seem particularly interested. Dorothy thought this might actually be his true nature.
“Well…”
But Dorothy decided to answer as sincerely as possible.
“I’d say the two of you just have different tendencies.”
“Different?”
“Yes. Of course, the Duke’s way isn’t wrong. He’s probably suggesting a realistic way to solve the problem.”
Brandon did seem to care about his sister in his own way. Though his way of speaking was completely off.
“But sometimes, what’s needed isn’t a solution, but comfort.”
Dorothy spoke with a hope that their sibling relationship could improve.
“Perhaps you, the Duke, could offer comfort first, instead of immediately trying to solve everything?”
Brandon blinked, seemingly flustered.
“Comfort?”
“Yes!”
“How do you even do that?”
“……”
At first, Brandon half-ignored Dorothy’s words. After all, solving the problem logically was usually better than offering mere comfort. Comfort wouldn’t really change anything.
‘Express sincerity…’
He scoffed.
He was more of a schemer than a sociable person, raised by someone else, focusing on survival rather than friendship or socializing. Love, sincerity, emotions—those were foreign concepts to him. He had learned basic manners, but interacting with people was tiresome.
Still, he decided to try Dorothy’s suggestion in some way.
“I’m sorry I didn’t acknowledge your sister’s pain until now.”
Without his usual smile.
“I should have considered that first, instead of just pushing forward blindly. That was wrong. I’m sorry.”
His words were clumsy, since comforting someone wasn’t something he had experience with.
Would this even work? He waited, half doubtful, for his sister’s response.
“…I’m sorry too.”
And the effect was immediate.
“I’m sorry I yelled at you. I know you were thinking things through too.”
Brandon felt, perhaps for the first time, the power of conversation.
“You know, what I said earlier wasn’t true.”
Rose spoke, avoiding his gaze.
“The things I said about wishing you’d disappear… that wasn’t true.”
“I know. I got a bit upset, though.”
“I won’t say that again. So, we’re making up, right?”
“Of course.”
It was a warm, pleasant moment.
Rose, caught up in the mood, tried to give her younger brother a light hug.
“Oh no, some things just can’t happen.”
“Uh… this is a bit—”
“That gave me goosebumps just now.”
The moment their skin slightly touched, they quickly separated, grimacing as if they had eaten something rotten.
Yet, seeing each other’s expressions made them chuckle softly.
“Let’s talk later.”
“Okay.”
Rose smiled faintly, promising to continue the conversation.
Brandon felt a strange new emotion.
‘It’s the first time we’ve had a conversation like this, just the two of us.’
The previous Duke and Duchess had divorced. When he was little, he thought he used to play house with his sister. But the family scattered, each fending for themselves.
He had heard that Rose left the convent years later. Of course, he had tried to bring her back, though she always started out by getting angry.
Anyway, now he realized he could narrow the gap with his sister simply through conversation. He had always lived in a world ruled by power. Peaceful problem-solving felt unfamiliar.
Their relationship with Rose had been twisted from the start.
‘Maybe things can change.’
Perhaps he could even bring Rose back to the convent. He immediately sought out Dorothy.
“You were helpful. Thanks to you.”
“That’s good to hear.”
He wasn’t sure if she would actually help, but he wanted to grasp even the slightest chance.
It had already been three years since Rose left the convent. He couldn’t let his sister disappear among the people forever. At least until her place remained, he had to return her. Time was short.
“So please, help me.”
“……Yes?”
He had been too busy surviving on his own to care about how Rose had been doing. He shouldn’t have neglected that.
“I can pay whatever you want. Whatever you wish for, I’ll grant it.”
Perhaps because he was so desperate, Brandon shed his usual smile entirely.
“Please help me safely bring my sister back to the convent.”
“But… I don’t even know how to help you.”
“Any method will do. You’re better at it than I am.”
Dorothy pondered, leaving Brandon with his bitter smile.
‘So he was genuinely concerned.’
He seemed like he never cared for others, but at least this was sincere.
“So please, I beg you.”
Just as Rose said, he wasn’t a hopeless person after all.
