THBO 32

Chapter 32

In truth, the expression “shoved her in” might be unfair from Alexis’s point of view.

Perhaps worried that she might get hurt, he had dropped her in quite carefully.

The force was so clearly playful that anyone could tell it was a joke.

So really, it was only that she had suddenly fallen into the water, felt irritated, and described it as being shoved in.

Thanks to magic regulating the water temperature, the hot spring was pleasantly cool yet comfortably warm.

It was cool enough to ward off the summer heat, yet mild enough that anyone entering wouldn’t be left shivering.

Cecilia wiped away the droplets running down from her chin.

As she brushed back her soaking-wet hair and glared at her younger brother standing loftily outside the spring, Alexis looked down at her with the same impassive expression.

No—impassive might not be quite right.

His gaze was calm, yet unmistakably not calm, as it roamed over the parts of her body exposed above the water.

It traced the area around her ear where her hair clung, her jawline still beaded with droplets, and the nape of her neck below, missing nothing.

And then—splash.

The man suddenly jumped in, sending up a spray of water, and Cecilia was struck in the face by the unexpected splash.

“You—!”

It felt like she had ground her teeth more times today than she had in the past year.

“Yes, Sister?”

The way he asked back, pretending ignorance, even sounded innocent.

Irritation surged, and she nearly snapped at him—despite knowing full well that he was deliberately trying to provoke her.

She took a deep breath and steadied her emotions.

She wasn’t some immature brat under twenty, and there was no reason to fall for such childish taunts.

She glanced toward the steps leading out of the spring.

“I’m getting out first.”

Instead of answering, Alexis tilted his head slightly.

She couldn’t tell whether it was agreement or refusal, but Cecilia slowly moved through the water toward the steps anyway.

Just as she was about to leave the spring—

An arm applied just enough force to wrap around her waist and toss her back toward the center of the pool.

Caught completely off guard, Cecilia let out a small scream and sank beneath the water with a gurgle.

“What is wrong with you?!”

The moment she surfaced, she protested fiercely.

“A childish prank?”

The man flashed a smile so bright it made the back of her head ache.

“You’re really going to keep this up?”

“Well, I feel like playing in the water with you right now, Sister.”

“I don’t.”

“That’s harsh. I never thought the magnanimous Imperial Princess would be so stingy with her one and only younger brother.”

“I told you not to be sarcastic!”

“I’m serious.”

Cecilia almost splashed water at him but stopped herself, remembering why he had twisted into this state in the first place.

‘Don’t get angry over most things. Let most things slide.’

Those were her own words.

She had said it herself—that she didn’t get angry over trivial matters.

So she clenched her teeth until her jaw ached and forced herself to endure it.

Half stubbornness, half pride.

She forced the corners of her lips up into the prettiest smile she could manage.

“So then. What exactly does my dear little brother want to do?”

“What do I want to do?”

Alexis lifted her up and threw her back into the water again.

It was obvious he was holding back—obvious that he was joking—but her mood still plunged.

Crude curses floated through her mind.

Cecilia bit her lip hard, holding back the words trying to burst out of her throat.

“Say it, Sister.”

“……”

“Please, try being honest.”

A wet finger pressed down on her lips.

Instead of yielding to the finger trying to pry them apart, she lifted blazing eyes and glared at his handsome face.

“How long are you going to keep this up?”

And she was thrown again.

This time she landed closer to the edge of the spring, and Cecilia seized the opportunity.

She tried to haul herself out of the water, but the man was faster.

He caught her waist and dragged her back down.

Gentle yet firm hands tried to turn her around.

She instinctively tried to shake him off, but before she knew it, she was trapped between his solid arms, facing his broad chest.

Pale skin showed through his white shirt, slowly wavering beneath the water.

Too close. Far too close.

She could see clearly how droplets formed, how they slid inward and disappeared.

Cecilia hurriedly averted her gaze.

More precisely, she jerked her eyes upward—only to catch sight of his prominent Adam’s apple beneath his sharp jawline.

‘Damn it.’

Trying desperately to get away, she realized his hands were braced on either side of her shoulders.

Suddenly, Alexis bent down.

As if to shut her off from the hot spring, from the garden, from the blue sky and the world itself.

Her entire field of vision—and every sense—was filled with Alexis.

His scent was unusually strong.

…Damn it.

Before she realized it, the man had grabbed a fistful of her hair.

Perhaps because his hand was so large, it felt like more than a quarter of her hair had been caught.

“Let go.”

“……”

“Please, will you let go?”

“Of what?”

At the slow, drawn-out question, an alarm bell rang in her head.

Cecilia slowly fluttered her wet lashes as Alexis asked again, just as slowly.

“What exactly should I let go of?”

The low, husky voice made her toes curl.

Overcome by an unbearable chill, Cecilia shoved her brother’s chest.

The man seemed to step back obediently—only to throw her back into the center of the spring the very next moment.

‘Damn it.’

This time, instead of rising up out of sheer stubbornness, she sank.

As she simply let herself drift down, watching the bubbles, Alexis grabbed her wrist and roughly hauled her back up.

Cecilia stopped her hand just in time, restraining herself from slapping the ruffian across the face.

‘Endure it, Cecil.’

She had to endure.

She had to socialize with him tomorrow.

She couldn’t exactly go around with a face clearly marked from being hit…

But instead of appreciating her restraint, Alexis seemed incredulous, rolling his eyes skyward and letting out a deep sigh.

“Wow… you’re really something.”

“What?”

Instead of answering—splash.

This time, there was a bit more force than before.

Before Cecilia could even wipe the water from her face after hastily lifting her upper body—

Without giving her a moment to recover, Alexis threw her back into the water again.

No sooner had she wiped her face than again.
No sooner had she stood on her feet than again.
No sooner had she lifted herself up than again.

Even when only her arm was above the surface, he pulled her out—

“Stop!”

And threw her back in again.

The relentless barrage left her dizzy.

This was no longer a joke. This was filled with genuine—

Her waist was yanked.

Thrown into a corner, Cecilia swam quickly toward the edge.

Clack—furious at the strong hand grabbing her ankle, she kicked out with her free foot, driving it into the man’s chest.

Perhaps caught off guard by her struggle, Alexis released her easily, but the very next moment she was trapped in his hot, solid arms.

The instant she roughly wiped the water from her eyes, a complicated expression filled her vision.

The violet eyes set in the middle of his handsome face were unfathomably deep.

‘Who do you think you are.’

Who do you think you are, wearing that expression.

Cecilia trembled violently before finally raising her hand.

Smack.

With a sharp sound, Alexis’s face snapped to the right.

Even as his cheek reddened and his lip split, he showed no reaction.

He remained silent, stiff—then slowly turned his head and offered his other cheek.

That attitude only infuriated her more.

She didn’t hold back.

With a second sharp smack, the damnably handsome face turned to the left this time.

Seeing his red lips grow even redder, Cecilia finally lowered her trembling hand.

A shallow chuckle was heard.

At last, he reacted, curling his lips into a smile.

“After being thrown twelve times, only two slaps… you’re ruthless.”

“Wouldn’t the one who throws someone twelve times just to get slapped twice be the more ruthless one?”

“……”

“Are you going to throw me into the water again?”

Instead of answering, Alexis wiped the water from her cheek.

As he stared deeply into her eyes, a hollow laugh escaped her.

“What—were you hoping I’d cry?”

“……”

“So you—”

Silence was as good as confirmation, and she nearly spewed every curse she knew at the damn bastard of a brother.

Cecilia scraped together the last of her reason and bit her lip just in time.

This time, the violet gaze was fixed on the lip she was biting hard.

Feeling like she might collapse if she stayed any longer, Cecilia steadied her breathing and finally stepped out of the water.

She never would have imagined that the feel of grass tickling her feet could feel so unfamiliar.

Or that she would be grateful for the sunlight warming her shoulders.

Her legs wobbled, and she nearly collapsed forward mid-step, but a solid arm stretched out from behind and wrapped around her waist to support her.

Hardly an arm she could feel grateful for, given its illustrious record.

Still tilted, she ground her teeth again. She felt like some little animal baring its teeth.

‘…Bravo.’

Forcing her mind to cool, she straightened her posture.

When she spun around, Alexis raised one eyebrow slightly.

“Did you have fun?”

“……”

“I really hope at least one of us did. Honestly. Because I didn’t enjoy it at all.”

“How did it come to that?”

It was just one question.

There was no trace of sympathy, not even a hint of regret.

Yet that single, indifferent question chilled her to the bone.

As if she’d been pierced by an arrow.

She couldn’t even curl her stiffened fingers.

Her lips moved on their own, but she didn’t even notice.

She only creaked her broken gaze toward her brother.

“Why do you live like that?”

Her thoughts cut off completely.

Humiliation washed her mind white, leaving no reason behind.

She stared blankly at the man—then lunged at him like a madwoman.

Though he must have anticipated the movement, Alexis didn’t dodge.

He caught her instead.

Even as they fell backward under the force, his hold didn’t loosen.

They rolled several times across the grass, and when they finally stopped, Cecilia was sprawled on top of him.

A large hand gently cradled the back of her head.

Smack—she slapped the hand away and slowly lifted her upper body.

The man beneath her still wore that impassive face…

Her trembling hand reached out and grabbed his collar.

“You should grab me by the collar, Sister.”

The madman gave an order.