Chapter 34: My Half-Sibling

However, Berkne’s expression and tone were somewhat stiff to describe as a pleasant moment of reunion.

“Mr. Berkne hasn’t aged at all. You’re exactly the same as you were in the old Imperial City.

“Miss grew up to be a beautiful lady.”

“If you don’t mind, could you give me a minute to tell me how you’ve been?”

There are relationships and stories that were not mentioned in the『The River Where the Sun Manoeuvres』. It was a completely unexpected past that Berkne was a man of the Imperial City. Berkne’s unique cold eyes turned to me, for a short time. For a moment, he bowed down again and made a polite refusal.

“It seems difficult now since I am serving his Excellency. If the opportunity arises, I will.”

“…Oh, I’m sorry. I caught a busy man. Get back to work.”

Without hesitation, Berkne turned his back and left the dining room. I looked at Azmaria’s bitter face and asked,

“If you don’t mind, Young lady. Would you like me to talk to you?”

If I was an ordinary maid, the noble lady would have sworn at me, However I am not an ordinary maid to her.

“That’s sweet, Susan.”

She didn’t reject me.

“I didn’t expect Mr. Berkne to work in Imperial City. Of course, I thought he was the vassal of Ingord.”

“He is a very capable man. When I was young, he welcomed me to the Imperial city to see Wilhelm……”

Azmaria seemed to be lost in her own memory. In the midst of memories that I can’t relate to at all. Although I was surprised by the name of Wilhelm, it was a natural combination considering that he was a man of Imperial City.

‘This place will never fall apart. At least as long as I hold my breath, it will be the most solid fortress in the Empire. No one’s going to be able to cross it. Not even the Emperor, of course, Wilhelm too.’

I couldn’t forget that strong voice from that time. Then Berkne was one of the Emperor’s limbs, or Wilhelm’s, that Richton took away to build his fortress. Once again, I realized what a dangerous man he is. How dare I provoke such a man without fear, it seems I have come to the end of the cliff.

“His Excellency is a great man. He came all the way here alone from the ground that no one had ever looked at.”

It was quite different from covering the words in front of Beatrice. It was a pleasure for me. I’ll be able to use it properly.

“That’s why you’ve come all the way here, ignoring my advice.”

Azmaria blinked several times with a troubled face.

“But, I couldn’t help it.”

The end of her voice was shaking slightly.

“It’s not that I don’t understand your advice. But when I think of Richton, his long-standing heart… Ah, oh my. I was talking nonsense”

The face of Azmaria shaking her head was full of sadness and regret. No significant impression was conveyed. I was not an emotional person to sympathize with. That’s why you’re the main character’s lover. I felt the sorrow of an epic character that a one-time supporting actor like me would not dare to encounter. Although the main character’s lovely fiancée has only a few days left before she falls into a supporting role.

***

Even in the late afternoon, the rain didn’t seem to stop. It’s not even summer, but looking up at the dark sky for two days felt like the rainy season had begun. Since it was difficult to go outside, members of the Knights of the Black Hawk always resided inside the mansion. Keane, who had spent more than half a day outside the mansion, also spent more time sitting quietly in front of the fireplace to dry off the water.

“If you have something to say, why don’t you say it? Don’t stare at people like that.”

Keane said, wiping the raindrops from his bangs. The soles of his boots were covered in undried mud. I stared blankly at it for about five seconds at most, but unlike what he looks like, he seems to have a sensitive sense.

“How do you know that? Do you have eyes on the back of your head?”

“An ardent gaze can be felt without eyes.”

Keane walked over and grabbed the kettle that was lying on the stove. Pour it into a cup with tea leaves as it is stirred and swallow. I was surprised that he didn’t burn the roof of his mouth.

“I heard that Mr. Berkne is a member of the Imperial Palace.”

He glanced out the window while holding the glass, then glanced at me.

“Ah. Guess what the cute lady must have said. Is it that surprising?”

At least it was now. Up until now, Imperial’s work had nothing to do with me. But to think that Berkne lived in the same castle with Wilhelm made me feel strange in many ways. Wilhelm is the protagonist of this world, but there is another side that I know—the victim behind it, is Agrane. It was natural for me to be interested in things related to Wilhelm.

“If you found out that I was the illegitimate child of a historic and venerable family, you would be shocked.”

I shook my head resolutely in laughter.

“No. It suits you.”

“Do you think it suits me? Maybe the part about being an illegitimate child?”

“Huh.”

Keane’s expression darkened. It is not uncommon for an illegitimate child of a noble family to be ordained a knight. Usually, they are appointed in the territory where they were born, but there were also many cases of fleeing to a distant place if they were hated by the family. Keane doesn’t appear to be of Ingord’s blood, so he’s probably closer to the latter than the former.

“Come to think of it…I had a younger sibling.”

It wasn’t a face full of memories, but Keane’s face when he said that was a little more delicate than usual. There was a calmness that was hard to see on his face, which had been busy with sarcasm.

“A half-sibling?”

“Yes.”

“Can you be friends with your half-sibling? Also from a family with a long history?”

“She was friendly. Yes, it was when I was young, so the face is dim. I wonder if she will remember me.”

It was a sad voice. With his gloomy eyes, he silently looked down at the teacup and asked.

“You?”

“Me?”

At first, I wanted to ask what it was, and later, even though I understood the meaning, I couldn’t open my mouth.

“I…”

Susan is alone, and to find out about Agrane Karold, I’ll have to search the Karold family tree.

So what about ‘Me’?

“It’s Beatrice Adenlogia Kayle, the 22nd princess of the Kayle Kingdom. Since I’m the 22nd princess, I must have had at least twenty-one siblings.”

Keane smiled as if it was ridiculous. What kind of family did I have before coming to 『River of the Sun』? My memory was fuzzy. No, rather than vaguely, it felt as if the memory had been completely erased as if it had not been there from the beginning.

‘Why?’

I fixed my gaze on the fireplace to hide my confused feelings. Keane kicked his tongue saying he knew it.

“You took the wrong path, Susan. A woman with a lot of secrets is unattractive.”

I grabbed my forehead with a headache and responded with a nonchalant voice.

“What are you talking about? A person who reveals everything, whether male or female, is unattractive.”

“That’s what you call tired taste. In other words, it’s the taste to buy and suffer.”

I couldn’t think of any more words to answer. Severe dizziness ensued. I wanted Keane to get out of here as soon as possible and disappear somewhere. I know this feeling. If the headache gets a little worse here, I’ll collapse like a doll with a broken string and lose my mind.

It felt like I was walking a dangerous tightrope. I did everything I could to divert my thoughts in a different direction. Think a little bit more, a little more useless and wasteful. When will the rain stop, when will all the leaves fall…..

“Hey.”

At that moment, I suddenly felt like air was flowing through the blocked breathing tube.

“Ah.”

I let out a breath I had been holding for a long time. Suddenly, Keane and I were facing each other.

“Tch, I thought you were looking a bit like a human being but it turns out like you are dieing again.”

Keane grabbed my chin in his hand and turned it around. His eyes and lips were strangely bitter.

“Put your hands away.”

“Is it poison? But Mr. Berkne didn’t look so bad. I wonder if you suffer more as your personality is dirty.”

As if he had heard what I said behind the back of his ear, Keane looked more carefully at my face as if to check. The gap between me and him, who had crouched down in front of my chair, was so close that I could even hear his breathing.

“Didn’t you hear? Or you can’t understand people because you’re a dog?”

Pfft. It was then that an unlucky laugh slipped out of Keane’s lips. I shook off Kean’s hand and turned my head at the sound heard from near the door. In front of the wide open door, Berkne was staring at us.

“Did I make a mistake?—Still, I have to say this. Be careful not to create feelings in the mind but not in the body. Blindness and deafness because of Ingord’s poison…..”

“Don’t be terrifying, Berkne. I still have my own eyes for women.”

With a serpent-like smile, Keane walked back to the window. I was about to spit at the back of his head.

“You sound stupid, Keane. Susan is one of the most beautiful women in the world.”

“A person’s face isn’t everything, right?”

Keane’s voice was openly annoyed. I smiled broadly at the irritated look on his face.

“I guess you admit that I am pretty”

“Did you hear me? That’s what makes people irked.”

“I know you two are closer than you think.”

It seems that Berkne also needed hot tea to cool off the damp chill at dinner with Keane. He asked, pouring the kettle into the upside-down teacup.

“Can you stay here other than in the kitchen, Susan?”

I shrugged lightly.

“Because Azmaria Will is a very compassionate woman to her employees. She hasn’t rang her bell to call her maid who is on her holiday.”

“Susan seems to know the young lady well.”

“She likes me very much.”

Berkne quietly looked into my eyes.

“You have changed, Susan.”