LMTM 21

Chapter – 21

Weekend lunch.

Following my brother’s escort, I stepped into the restaurant. Excited at the thought of going out after so long, Rochester was dressed up more stylishly than usual. Since it was a dinner with our parents after quite some time, I was in a good mood as well.

The restaurant offered private rooms so families could dine together comfortably. It was a place Rochester had personally reserved.

“Well, what’s gotten into you? Doing something like this—family dining out? Rochester, are you finally growing up?”

Mother said with a surprised expression.

“Reina came up with the idea,”
Rochester replied curtly.

That bluntness—could you please direct at least half of it toward me?

“As expected of our Reina. You really are our precious daughter.”

Rochester handled the reservation, the preparations, and would no doubt take care of the bill as well, yet Father praised me. This must be the power of being the youngest daughter. The way Mother and Father looked at me was overflowing with affection.

They were treating Rochester as if he barely existed.

And Rochester seemed perfectly comfortable with that.

Sigh.

Smiling gently, I spoke to my parents.

“I just wanted us to go out together after so long. How was your visit to the territory?”

“The bridge had collapsed due to age. It should have been maintained properly beforehand, but the person in charge was negligent, so I issued disciplinary action. There won’t be a repeat.”

“That’s a relief…”

“They’ll rebuild the bridge, so you don’t need to worry too much.”

“Were there any injured?”

“There were, but none seriously. They’ll be able to return to daily life soon. As the lord, I provided sufficient compensation, so it shouldn’t become a major issue. Thank you for your concern, Reina. As for the one who’ll become the next lord…”

Father’s gaze shifted to Rochester, then back to me. His expression said I shouldn’t have seen that.

I smiled awkwardly. In Reina’s memories, Rochester had always been like this. He handled whatever duties were assigned to him flawlessly, but beyond that, he showed no interest at all. This time was no different. Well, perhaps because he wasn’t lord yet.

I continued a warm conversation with Mother and Father. Rochester joined in from time to time, but he wasn’t particularly affectionate. As always, Mother and I led most of the conversation. In the meantime, Rochester stayed busy cutting meat and food into bite-sized pieces and placing them onto my plate.

“Oppa, I’m not a child.”

I said through clenched teeth, but Rochester was unyielding.

“In my eyes—”

“Please, call a doctor and get your eyes checked. Mother, Father, please get him married.”

I pleaded earnestly.

“Huh?”

Mother’s eyes widened.

She was clearly startled by my sudden remark. No, Mother—after seeing this, do you really feel nothing? How long do I have to live under Rochester’s ironclad surveillance?

This felt like a good opportunity. I opened my mouth to appeal even more strongly to Mother.

“I think Oppa needs a good wife too. And I want to see my nephew. If the child takes after Oppa—”

That would be a problem.

What if the kid ends up having a sister complex like him?

Right—better if the child resembles my future sister-in-law.

“Anyway, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a cute baby? I’m confident I’d be a great aunt.”

“Well, that’s true. Rochester really is well past the age for marriage.”

My parents’ gazes turned toward Rochester. He crookedly smiled and set down his cutlery. That look—like a budding mastermind. Honestly, he already looks dark enough inside. Rochester stared at me and said,

“I’m not interested. Reina, you alone are more than enough for me.”

I’m not enough, Oppa.
“Mother, what do you think?”

“…That boy really needs to get some sense. Hoo. By the way, Reina, do you have anyone? I heard you’ve completely ended things with His Highness Prince Cesar.”

…Why is this bomb suddenly coming my way?

This wasn’t what I intended at all. One wrong move here and my secret dates would all be exposed. As if that weren’t enough, Rochester was now staring at me with keen interest.

Why are you looking at me like that? That’s scary.

I widened my eyes, tense. I absolutely couldn’t let this be discovered.

Father added,

“That’s right. Reina, you might be faster than sending that one off. We’re at an age where we want to see grandchildren. Isn’t there any young lord who’s caught your eye lately? The young duke of Heilbord, perhaps. You’ve been close with the Heilbord family’s eldest daughter recently, haven’t you?”

Why is the Heilbord young duke coming up here?

Still, at least Heyson wasn’t mentioned—what a relief. Just as the tension began to ease slightly—

“Matthias? Reina, surely not… you’re not involved with that guy, are you?”

Rochester’s eyes burned.

He launched into a full-blown lecture on why the young duke of Heilbord would make a terrible husband.

“Since ancient times, they say men who obsess over one thing aren’t family-oriented. Especially Matthias—he’s obsessed with the sword. Do you really think a man like that could love you more than his blade? He’d come home late every day because of training, and when there’s a mission, he’d be gone for months. Would you truly be happy married to someone like that? I don’t want to give my future nephew such an indifferent father.”

Rochester rattled on without pause. His gaze toward me remained gentle, but his words about the Heilbord young duke were merciless. And from marriage straight to nephews—this was like asking for ABC and getting XYZ instead. I looked at him with utter disbelief.

Ugh, I feel like I’m going to choke on my food.

“…If someone like that comes along, I’ll let you know. Oppa, stop exaggerating. Mother, please arrange a political marriage for him, I’m begging you.”

Seeing me completely fed up with him, Mother burst into laughter.

“I’ll think about it. Seriously.”

I’m being serious—so why are you taking this as a joke? Didn’t you hear what Rochester just said? What if I suffocate from stress and die like this?

Even then, Rochester brought another piece of meat to my lips.

“Open your mouth. The meat is really good.”

Prompted by him, I accepted the meat.

“…Cut some more. It’s good.”

If it’s good, you eat it.

“Right?”

Watching him cheerfully cut meat, I thought to myself—

I absolutely must not let Heyson be discovered.
Not yet. Definitely not yet.

* * *

For several days, Cesar remained in a foul mood.

Even his fellow knights avoided him. He’d always been cold, but never this openly hostile.

However, Heyson was different. He had no hesitation in provoking a bad-tempered Cesar. He firmly believed that Cesar, his cousin, would never harm him. Slipping an arm around Cesar’s shoulders, Heyson grinned brightly.

“What’s going on lately? Everyone avoids you like the plague. They told me to talk to you.”

“Who knows,”
Cesar replied, casting Heyson a cold glance.

The source of his plummeting mood was Heyson himself. Cesar had stationed people around him, yet gained nothing. Heyson used to go out often with fellow knights, but recently, aside from meeting Reina, he barely left at all. It should have been good news, yet somehow Cesar’s mood kept sinking lower—almost as if he were hoping for a fallout between Heyson and Reina.

It was a strange emotion, one even he couldn’t understand. Cesar spoke in a low voice.

“You seem to be in good spirits.”

“Actually, I’ve been seeing a young lady I feel very positively about. Next time, I’ll definitely introduce her to you. You’ll be the first to know.”

At those words, Cesar’s mood darkened even further.