I havenât noticed at the time I posted the chapter, but Scheat was actually featured on the color illustration of volume 3, check it out at .
Older Brotherâs follow-up 2
âOi, pull yourself togetherâ
Accompanying my heartbroken childhood friend, I went to this manâs room in the Magic Division headquarters.
After warning other magicians to not approach no matter what and entering the room, Will sat down on a chair in silence.
âIt mustâve been a great shock. Well, itâs natural if something like that is flauntedâ
As his head hung down in dejection, I patted Willâs shoulder and looked up at the clock.
Thereâs a few hours until the victory celebration party. Until then itâs necessary to recover Will a bit.
But, right?
â⊠Itâs impossibleâ
Spontaneously I looked at the heavens.
In reality, Willâs horribly depressed.
Still, itâs his duty to participate in the victory celebration party as the Magic Division Commander.
This guy would participate even if itâs impossible, but I canât say heâs in the normal state of mind.
At any rate.
I was honestly surprised my little sister didnât notice Will.
She could only see Freed that much.
But, she shouldnât flaunt it before his eyes.
Will was really damaged.
Unconsciously, I let out a sign at how my little sister dealt him the finishing blow.
â⊠Haaâ
â⊠I knew as wellâ
âWill?â
As I kept worriedly patting Will to soothe him, with his head still hung down he began spilling words little by little.
âI went to battlefield with His Highness, and had the opportunity to talk⊠His Highness thinks of Lidi seriously, I understood thereâs no gap for me to useâ
Willâs words reminded me these guys have been together for a month. I think.
Spending such time together, of course theyâd have plenty opportunities to talk.
âHis Highness thinks of Lidi earnestly. Surely Lidi will become happy. In that case, I had thought of supporting these two. Even if itâs painful now, I had wanted to one day watch over them with gentle feeling. But, I was only burying my feelings⊠I realized that unpleasant thing some time agoâ
âWillâŠâ
His fists were clenched to the point of growing pale. His teeth made grinding sound.
âWhy was it Lidi who His Highness fell in love with⊠Anybody else would be fine. If anybody else was the partner, Iâd cheer on His Highness from the bottom of my heart, why did it have to be her?â
I couldnât reply anything. Surely no matter what I said Will wouldnât be convinced.
âWomen were a dime a dozen. Even girls with family status appropriate for His Highness, I know marriage proposals were coming even from foreign countries. Why couldnât it be somebody among them! Why was Lidi chosen!â
Thatâs to say, unless something huge happened, my little sister would marry Freed without fail, itâs just that. Even without that thing before, theyâd invariably meet sooner or later. And when they metâŠ
âI understand! But, His Highness too! Even Lidi!! Didnât they hate it so much!! Thatâs why this marriage was unthinkable! Thatâs what I thought, and yet!â
Contrary to Willâs raised voice, I kept the composed tone.
âEven you knew it was a marriage between families. Their wishes didnât matter, it was their parents who decided itâ
âBut! They should have tried to avoid it!â
Still not wanting to admit it, Will petulantly shook his head.
I involuntarily smiled bitterly at Will whoâs acting like a spoiled child.
âThatâs right. Even so, it couldnât be helped they met by chance. They met, Freed lost his heart to Lidi, and Lidi and Freed will marry⊠In the end she acceptedâ
Thatâs the reality.
âButâ
As Will was still trying to say something, I feel bad for it, but Iâll deliver the final blow.
Thereâs the âKingâs Flowerâ. No matter what he says, my little sister will never become Willâs.
Besides, my little sisterâs feelings have already settled.
Even if he hates it, it must have been obvious looking at them a while ago.
âYou understand, right? Sheâs still not aware of it, but sheâs in love with Freed. That sheâs not aware yet makes me want to laugh thoughâ
ââŠâ
âEven though you understand Lidiâs feelings for Freed, you still wonât give up?â
Being told that Will sank into silence, but eventually he took a big breath.
â⊠Impossible. My reason knows giving them a blessing is right, but⊠I canât give up on her. Iâm sure Iâll always keep loving herâ
âI bet. You are a really stubborn guyâ
At Willâs reply, I laughed that rather itâs so like him.
Still, I know thatâs no good. I can see anguish on Willâs face.
Ah jeez, why are all my childhood friends so troublesome?
Irritated, I thrust out my finger.
âI got it. Will, if itâs like this always love Lidiâ
âAlex? What areâŠâ
Will looked at me questioning what Iâm saying.
But Iâm serious, Because, itâs the only thing left.
âYou canât give up on Lidi no matter what, right. Then, show it to the end. Thatâs also a pathâ
âBut, IâŠâ
Pardon me but I got a little irritated by Will hanging his head again.
I unintentionally clicked my tongue.
âYou truly are indecisive, Will. Answer clearly now! Can you give up on Lidi? How about it?â
âItâs impossibleâ
When I inquired, he immediately replied in a decisive tone.
See, after all itâs like that.
âRight? Then, you have no choice but to keep loving her, right. Even when she gets married, even when she gives birth to a child, even then. If the time comes when you canât, then youâll have given up on Lidi. Such a time will comeâ
Told so, Will shook his head with a perplexed face.
âI donât know when it will comeâ
âAinât that fine. Youâre too single-minded to give up. Then facing forward itâll be much better if you continue loving herâ
â⊠Is that fine?â
I nodded that it canât be helped at Will who timidly peeked at me.
âThat guy wouldnât tell you something like he resents you for falling in love in her⊠Like this, you wonât be able to agree to it yourself. Until you can, itâs fine to continue loving her. Anyhow, the other party hasnât noticed at all, even Freedâs attitude hasnât changedâ
⊠Probably.
When it comes to Lidi, I canât say for sure since he seems strangely narrow-minded about her.
Nevertheless, he doesnât treat Will unfairly. Freed is such a man. I trust him as much as I trust Will, moreover I have a high opinion of him. No matter what, heâs the future ruler.
âHis Highness wouldnât do that. Iâm aware of it myselfâ
Sure enough, Will objected to my words. Right? Then.
âIf so, thereâs no problem. Love her until it settles downâ
âAnd if it doesnât?â
Itâll be alright , I told the anxious Will.
âItâs fine since youâve loved her for a long time. I think you have curious tastes, but to each his own. You should do as you like. Whatever youâll choose from now on, I wonât deny youâ
âAlexâŠâ
At my words, tension finally left Willâs shoulders.
He smiled in self-deprecation.
â⊠In the end, thereâs no path but to love Lidiâ
âStupid. You are. Youâre saying it this lateâ
Told so, Will laughed with resignation.
Seeing his expression like he got over it somewhat, I was relieved that he probably made up his mind.
Iâve known from the start.
Thereâs no way this man can easily give up on my little sister.
Thatâs why, I thought itâll be fine for him to keep at it till the bitter end.
â⊠Certainly, itâs late. Thatâs right. Thereâs no other choice for me. Then thereâs nothing but to toughen up and keep loving herâ
âEven so, the fact you were given the cold shoulder remains unchangedâ
âAlexâ
When I jokingly pointed out, I was scowled at.
I shrugged my shoulders at such Will.
I repeated the same thing with pretty words.
âAfter all, itâs the truth. From now on itâll surely be painful. I too only recently realized, but their love canât be seen as anything other than mutual. When Lidi becomes conscious of it, you know theyâll be sticking together all day and night? Youâll be seeing it soon⊠Hey, are you really prepared?â
â⊠Alexâ
Facts are facts. As I lightly told him that on purpose, Willâs eyes dyed with anger.
But, I donât give a damn. Again I said what I think.
âI was surprised as well. Lidi unexpectedly also seems to be the type to not care about her surroundings. Right now, I wonder if sheâs flirting in his room to her heartâs contentâ
âAlex!â
I completely ignored him calling out my name in an irritated voice to control myself.
Without caring I continued.
âPerhaps, they wonât come to the victory celebration party? It will be said His Highnessâs and Princess Consortâs physical condition deteriorated, even though theyâll absolutely be doing itâ
âAlex!!â
Willâs voice got louder and louder.
But, Iâm not stopping. In the first place, I donât feel thereâs a need to stop.
âNo, you saw it, right? That mass of love marks. Freedâs libido is high. Theyâre already in such a relationship, and heâs alone with the girl he loves. Wouldnât it be strange if he didnât do anything? It wouldnât be strange if they were making out right now. Ah, I really wonder if theyâll come to the victory celebration party?â
As I threw the question at him, Will was glaring at me with his face flushed.
Aah, heâs got quite angry.
â⊠You, do you want to comfort me or rub salt into my woundsâ
My childhood friend was so angry he spoke in a rumbling voice, to which I lightly smiled and waved my hand.
âThereâs no way Iâm comforting you. Iâm simply teaching you the reality so you can face the futureâ
Being told so in a deliberately light voice, Will returned a desperate shout.
âItâs none of your business!â
âThat so? I think itâs importantâ
Told so with a laugh, Will sighed wearily.
âYou are⊠You are always like that when I want to thank you. If youâre dodging it like this, I wonât say anything. Wouldnât it be fine if you let me put it into words a little?â
âI wonder. Even if Iâm told that, I just didnât want to see you depressed and hesitantâŠ. I donât need thanksâ
âYouâŠâ
I faced Will for one last confirmation.
â⊠Will you appear at the victory celebration party?â
âYeahâ
Hearing Willâs reply said with a firm eyes and nod, I finally understood my role is over.
It was quite troublesome, but with this feeling he should get back on his feet.
I donât care about more. Heâs a grown man, he can manage it himself.
With an alright I looked up at the clock. Aah, itâs the time already.
âThen, Iâll drop by Glenn for a moment. See you laterâ
âOi, Alex!â
Will raised a hand and in a hurry tried to call out to me who tried leaving quickly, but I didnât give a damn.
As I said just now, it feels disgusting being thanked by that guy, in the first place I didnât come here for that.
I completely ignored Willâs voice, and to fulfill my considerably delayed promise, this time I headed towards the room Glenn is waiting in.