Chapter 158

Broken (5)

The spring sun fell obliquely from the snowy sky. A cream-colored quagmire reflected the golden light and entered the garden.

As soon as the carriage stopped, the window on the third floor of the marble mansion burst open.

“Sister!” Dandelion threw his upper body out the window and waved his hand with a bright smile like a flower in full bloom.

His shiny silver hair reflected the sunlight. There was no swelling or bruising on his pale skin.

Talin escorted Lily off the carriage.

“Sir Talin. I’d like the knights to empty the mansion. I would like to talk privately with my brother.”

“I’m sorry, but the lord…”

“Wait outside the mansion.” After resolutely giving an order, Lily entered the mansion.

As soon as she went up to the third floor and stepped on the threshold to the salon, Dandelion came to her. “Look at me, sister. I’m totally fine! Your husband…  The high priest sent by the lord helped me. Look at this.”

Seeing him up close, her younger brother truly had no blemishes on his face. Lily, who stood with her back to the closed door, blinked slowly.

“Vlad… sent a priest? When?”

“The day after my sister came to visit me? So it’s after you went to Cadis Jail…” Dandelion shut his mouth. He rolled his large green eyes to and fro as if impatient. “Sister, sit here. Since you were coming, I hastily prepared some food. You like desserts, don’t you?” Seated at the tea table, he glanced at the afternoon tea set filled with the three-tiered tray.

Lily didn’t even look at him.

Dandelion was unfamiliar with this heavy air. She was an older sister who generously praised him if he did something new. His mouth became bitter at her ominousness. “Sister, did you come here because you were worried about me?  If you had come a little later, I would have thought you had forgotten about me and would be sad. I almost freaked out. Hm?”

When there was no answer at this point, Dandelion grunted.

He felt that it was weirder. He continued, “Yes. Your skin improved too. It was rumored that the citizens think highly of you. I think this marriage went pretty well. People like you.”

“…”

He finally took a deep breath and rested his chin on the back of the chair. “Ah, sister. Say something! Why are you just sitting there!”

“It’s Rocus. Dandelion.”

“H-huh?” Dandelion bit his lower lip a beat later.

The older sister he knew was not someone who brought up sensitive topics so directly.

He thought she was going to beat around the bush while waiting for him to be ready. It had never happened before.

Lily, who had been staring at the tea table, slowly raised her heavy head to face her brother.

“Sister… W-why are you like that….” Dandelion momentarily stiffened. Goosebumps ran backwards down his spine.

His sister’s eyes were gloomy like a doctor who was judging an incurable disease. No matter how much Dandelion was ignoring it, he could not turn away from the desperate resignation that was lurking in it.

My sister gave up on something.

Her words parted her mouth and slipped out, “Rocus… He won’t be able to live.”

Dandelion’s heart also sank. His long eyelashes fluttered. He had a hard time understanding what he was hearing. He didn’t want to hear it. It was very different from what he had in mind.

“Nothing happened to Brother…”

Her blood-drenched lips trembled. What she had done to Rocus flashed vividly before her eyes.

He violated the ban and laid his hands on three citizens. Even he admitted it.

The guards even said that the intruder who threatened the lady was imprisoned. They even knew that he was her brother.

He was the oldest son so it was no big deal if he caused another trouble.

Unlike Tristan, he was family. Dandelion had thought their sister would take care of it…

Lily held her breath. The breath she exhaled was shaky. “He insulted the royal family. As much as that… No one can do anything about it.”

In front of the vassals, he insulted the lineage of the lord and emperor at the same time. Even a nobleman could have his limbs cut off while he was alive. It was such a serious felony.

Vlad didn’t share the punishment that Rocus would receive. That it was actually nice but Lily knew well.

“Therefore… There’s no way. Dandelion.” She couldn’t handle the reality she said on her own, so Lily closed her eyes.

Dandelion held his breath as if his soul had died. He began to let out a cracked voice like a cry, “Now… my brother… After mom… Is it my brother now?”

Lily only bowed her head at her misery. She had vowed to herself a few times.

Let’s not collapse.

This time she had to somehow keep herself up. It felt like she was blocking the dam splashing with the overflowing current with her bare hands. She endured the pain.