PTMH 01

Chapter  01

This is the story of a brother who wouldn’t hesitate to risk his life to protect his younger sister—
and the younger sister who loves her brother and their ordinary, everyday life together.

A village with beautiful mountains, clear water, and generous people—the most peaceful village in the empire.
At the top of a hill carved from the mountain, there is a small cabin overgrown with ivy.
Although it looks like it could collapse at any moment, the inside is quite cozy. At least, that’s how it feels to us siblings who live there.

I am Hazel, the most diligent worker in the village.
My brother Felix is the village’s only troublemaker.
Twins in appearance, with ash-gray hair and yellow eyes—but completely opposite in behavior.

Unlike me, who worked hard all day, Felix (27 years old, unemployed) seems to have spent the entire day drinking.

“Hazel, why aren’t you asleep?”
He staggered, his alcohol-soaked body collapsing onto the wooden floor.
A strong smell of alcohol wafted toward me.
I frowned and stepped back.

“Ugh… the smell of alcohol. How much did you drink?”
“Just one drink. Only one drink.”
“Does that ‘one drink’ come in a bucket?”
“If you drink it without stopping, it counts as one drink.”
“What does that even mean?”
“Bark!”
“……”

I squeezed my eyes shut.
It wasn’t unusual for Felix to act like a dog, but today my head felt especially dizzy.
I smacked his broad back. Pointless, though—he’s big and solid, so only my hand hurts.

“Ugh, annoying.”
I glared at him sharply. He just grinned foolishly, oblivious.
No matter how much I scold him, he’s loyal to the extreme—like a dog wagging its tail for its owner.

“Hehe. My little sister is so pretty. Round, sparkling eyes, hair to fingertips… there’s nothing about you that isn’t beautiful.”
“Flattery won’t work. Don’t expect any allowance this week.”
“How can your voice be so pretty too? What if someone kidnaps you because you’re this cute?”
“They won’t.”

Because of my brother.
Who would dare marry the sister of the village’s most infamous troublemaker?

Hazel, 22, single.
All my friends are already married with children, while I feel destined to stay single forever.
All thanks to my brother.
Whether villagers or strangers, if I even speak to another man, my brother will glare and charge in to cause a scene.

“You better not look at Hazel like that. Or I’ll gouge your eyes out before I do.”
“Get out of my sister’s sight immediately. If you don’t leave before I count to three, I’ll bury you up to your neck in the monster’s territory.”

“Haah…”
A sigh escaped from deep within me.

My brother wasn’t always like this.
Surprisingly, in our childhood, Felix was a perfect older brother.
Our only family, my unwavering ally, my only support.
A hero who saved me every time I was in danger.
From the day our parents died 15 years ago, I had only him.

“Hazel, I will protect you no matter what. Trust me.”

The memory of that day remains vivid.
The choking smoke of black magic, people screaming and scattering everywhere.
I clutched my brother’s hand tightly and escaped the burning house.
Knights in black chased us. Felix carried me, running desperately.
But escaping them seemed impossible.

“Hazel, listen carefully. We have to go to Cromwell Castle. Just a little further—don’t look back, just run.”
“What about you?”
“I have to protect you. I’ll follow soon. Run, Hazel!”

He fought the black knights to protect me.
I ran in the direction he pointed, legs shaking, tears blurring my vision.
What if he dies?
What if he can’t find me?
Terrible thoughts filled my mind.
To help him find me, I dropped my belongings along the way:
A ribbon in my hair,
Frills and lace from my dress,
Even the ring on my finger.

I arrived at Cromwell Castle with nothing left.
Unfortunately, the castle people did not welcome me. They said my appearance was ominous.

“Gray hair and yellow eyes like a demon… nothing but bad luck.”
“A young black mage. Too dangerous to keep at the castle.”
“Let’s get rid of that demon child quickly. Or kill them.”

They pointed, cursed, and even threw stones at me whenever I appeared.
Just when I was about to lose consciousness from a stone attack, my brother appeared and saved me.

“Sorry, Hazel. You waited too long. I didn’t expect this to take so long. It’s my fault.”
“Brother… it hurts…”
“Hold on a little longer. Let’s go to Luden Village. Just hold on until we get there.”
“Will the villagers… not hate me?”
“Never. The people of Luden Village will never hate you.”

He carried my burning, exhausted body across steep mountains to a village at the western edge of the empire.
Fortunately, he was right.
The people of Luden Village didn’t hate me.
Even after seeing our gray hair and yellow eyes, they welcomed us warmly.

[They do not turn away those in need, nor abandon the weak.]

That was the belief and way of life of the villagers.
Thus, we became part of this poor but warm community.
My brother worked tirelessly to provide for me.
House chores and comforting me when I cried were also his responsibilities.
Yet he never complained.
His face always held a smile when looking at me.

‘As long as he has me, Hazel, nothing else matters.’

But the kind, devoted, reliable brother became the notorious troublemaker of the village as soon as he turned twenty.
I’d heard rumors that one in ten villagers becomes a drunk troublemaker—but I never thought it would be my brother.

“Sigh.”
I shot him a disapproving look. He grinned like a fool, smoothing the crease in my brow.

“Hazel, don’t sigh. Our princess will be incredibly rich one day. If you sigh, the luck will leave.”
“…Hah.”

What nonsense, this drunkard.
If only he could get his act together, we’d be one step closer to that future.
Ignoring his rambling, I turned away. He tugged my worn, tattered sleeve.
His voice, surprisingly serious for him, caught me.

“You won’t wear clothes like this. You’ll only wear beautiful new dresses like a princess.”
“……”
“Not live in a cabin like this, but a grand house like a palace. It’s almost time.”

I chuckled in disbelief.
I knew it was drunken nonsense, but today it sounded strangely specific.

“Stop talking nonsense and go to sleep.”
I pushed him onto the sofa, shaking my head.
He staggered but didn’t stop talking.

“Hazel, your life will only have a path of flowers from now on. Hardship is over, happiness begins. Trust me!”

Trust him?
I kicked his back with all my love and frustration. His massive body fell gracelessly onto the sofa.

“Phew…”

Felix may be a ridiculous, boastful drunkard, but I cannot hate him.
I have no one but him, and he has no one but me.
All I can do is wait for him to return to his original self.

Yet regardless of that hope—
“I will never marry a man like my brother.”

I reaffirm this every day.