TMKC 13

Chapter 13

“Too Many Burdens to Confess”

Dorothy’s hometown was a rural village where livestock outnumbered people.

Her mother ran a general store.

Her mother was exceptionally business-savvy.

Whenever people needed something, they would immediately head to her mother’s shop.

It truly seemed like nothing was missing from the store.

Dorothy wondered how her mother managed to gather all the items people wanted in such a small building, smaller than an ordinary house.

Her mother explained it to her like this:

“Sweetie, it’s not just about gathering the things people need. It’s about making them think these are things they absolutely must buy.”

She taught her how to package products so that people wouldn’t think they were overpriced, making them feel they were making a rational purchase.

“Always think from the customer’s perspective. Don’t forget that.”

From item placement to lighting, Dorothy learned everything about running a store from her mother. She absorbed it naturally from a very young age.

She never knew how her mother knew all these things.

“When you hold a sword, don’t hesitate. Drawing a sword means you’re holding it to protect something.”

Her mother taught Dorothy countless things.

“The ones you must protect include yourself. If you hesitate, you won’t be able to protect the people you care for—or even yourself.”

Even how to wield a sword.

“If you hesitate, you’ll die.”

Of course, Dorothy had zero talent for swordsmanship. Nevertheless, her mother was strong enough to clear out bandits in a single night.

“Does this look extraordinary to other people?”

Dorothy murmured quietly.

To her, it all felt natural, so she had never even realized she was exceptional. One thing was certain: these skills weren’t something a commoner could learn easily.

“But I still don’t really know how Mom lived…”

Unless her mother had read her a storybook, she had never shared her past. She wasn’t the type to dwell on the past anyway.

“I didn’t want my child to be unhappy just because I broke up with a man.”

Her mother raised Dorothy beautifully, in a way that left no sense of lacking.

“Sweetie, even if I die, your life isn’t over. Your life will never crumble.”

These were the words her terminally ill mother left her with a calm expression.

“Remember what I said? Just keep running.”

Because of this upbringing, Dorothy knew almost nothing about her father. Only now did she realize she didn’t even truly know her mother.

What kind of person had her mother been?

“What is all this…”

Rose was moved when Dorothy presented her with dessert.

“I can’t bring myself to eat this—it’s too nice.”

She was proud of Dorothy for always thinking of her and bringing dessert.

More than the dessert itself, what was sweeter was Dorothy’s thoughtfulness.

“Just enjoy it.”

Brandon, sprawled on the sofa, said casually:

“You could say I bought that dessert, really.”

“…I kind of guessed as much.”

Rose pressed her hand to her forehead.

“I was really feeling touched, so can you not ruin the moment?”

“Ah, my apologies. Enjoy it to your heart’s content.”

Brandon lay back on the sofa again.

Where had the charming gentleman who lit up the streets gone? To Rose, he now looked lazy and bored with life.

“Dragging Dorothy out all of a sudden—what were you thinking? Inventing an event that didn’t exist, going out alone with her late at night!”

“I told you before—I wanted to get closer.”

Brandon answered flatly.

“When a man and a woman—well, two people—spend time alone together, don’t they become friends?”

“But you deliberately created that time, didn’t you?”

“What difference does it make if it was deliberate? The important thing is that time alone happened.”

It felt like everyone around her was impossible to win an argument with.

Rose pressed her forehead to her hand again.

“Anyway!”

Recalling the earlier incident, Rose interrogated Brandon.

“What exactly did you say to Dorothy to ‘get closer’?”

Dorothy looked confused. Seeing her like that, Rose immediately lost her composure.

At that moment, she didn’t care if Brandon was her little brother or… cow dung.

“What did you say to the girl who’s always smiling? Can’t you tell me now?”

If Dorothy hadn’t intervened, Rose might have punched Brandon right in the face.

“Sis.”

“What?”

“If you think about it, you always eat with Dorothy, right?”

“Don’t change the subject, you brat.”

“I’m not changing the subject.”

He propped his chin on the sofa and spoke.

“Dorothy’s table manners are excellent. Her posture and the way she walks are neat, too.”

“Huh?”

“It’s like she was trained separately.”

Rose blinked.

“I was talking about that.”

With the topic completely shifting to Dorothy, Brandon sat up.

“Trained separately… Are you doubting Dorothy…!”

“I’m not doubting her, of course.”

“…”

“She doesn’t always act how I expect her to, which is why it’s interesting.”

What a tiresome thing to smile like you’ve experienced everything in life. That was just Brandon’s everyday demeanor.

“I won’t say more. It’s a secret between Dorothy and me.”

“…”

“You could call it professional ethics. A little secret can make a relationship closer.”

Perhaps that’s why Brandon always liked things stimulating and fun. He hadn’t been like that as a child.

Since the divorce of the previous duke and duchess, when the family had scattered and the relationship became strained, Brandon had gradually changed.

Which was worrying.

Even if he was annoying, he was still her brother.

She worried that his tendencies might ruin her own life.

“I mean… it’s just not like you.”

She also didn’t want Dorothy’s life to be affected.

What if she got hurt from being involved unnecessarily?

What if it created distance between him and Dorothy?

That’s why she didn’t entirely welcome Brandon’s interest in Dorothy.

“Not like me?”

“It’s rare for you to be so interested in a single person.”

So she wanted Brandon to naturally cut his interest in Dorothy.

“Well…”

Brandon made a small sound of acknowledgment at his sister’s words.

“It is rare… and inefficient.”

The mystery that was Dorothy was certainly interesting, but in the end, she was just a country girl.

It was a waste for a duke who supported a nation to spend time and effort on her.

The promise to find her father could be left to subordinates.

He didn’t need to personally get involved.

‘At first, I only asked her to help take my sister to the capital.’

But now, things had grown bigger than intended.

Recently, he didn’t even make an effort to take his sister—he was more concerned with finding Dorothy first when arriving in Sailbrums.

“Or maybe…”

Rose hesitated before speaking.

“Does he… like her?”

“Like her? Me?”

Brandon chuckled.

She was simply a woman he approached to help take his sister to the capital. He had never thought beyond that.

He didn’t even know what it meant to “like” someone.

“Of course not, sis.”

“Exactly. If you don’t like her, why waste time on her?”

Rose spoke more firmly than usual.

“You focus on your own work. You’re already busy enough.”

But Brandon didn’t notice the change in her tone.

“Hmm…”

He valued efficiency above all. Wasting time was bothersome.

“I guess I should stop.”

Brandon leaned on the sofa. Helping to find his father was enough of his role.

“Doing unnecessary things.”

Spending more time or goodwill could be unnecessary.

“Fine, do as you please.”

Brandon muttered, and Rose felt relieved.

“That actually works out well.”

Perhaps feeling too relieved, Rose excitedly said something unnecessary:

“Dorothy’s been talking about you a lot lately. This is perfect timing.”

She had no idea what kind of reaction that would trigger in Brandon.

“What?”

The expression of the brother who had just said he would stop changed instantly.

“You said she talked about me a lot? What did she say?”

“Huh?”

“Was it praise? Or the opposite?”

The brother’s presence was so overwhelming that Rose was taken aback.

“Well… that is…”

“Yes?”

This wasn’t what she wanted.

Rose murmured to herself, observing her brother.