"Can someone really get indigestion from soup? Are you actually sick or something? Why is your vomit that color?"

"......"

...That was probably because of the medicine.

I’d been too busy throwing up to notice.... But yeah, the color was kind of weird. Ugh. Just looking at it made it rise again.

"Hm."

"That’s disgusting, what are you doing?!"

It looked like Luman had dabbed a finger into my vomit and was examining it.

There was no way he could figure out much from something like that, but it still made my skin crawl! No, and it was gross! How could he touch it so casually?! Ugh....

The more I thought about it, the more annoyed I got.

What the hell is he doing, seriously! Why does he care about somebody else’s body so much?! If he somehow finds out what’s wrong with me... I’ll just fucking die. I’d rather die than make Brother worry.

I don’t know if Brother likes me as much as I do him—that is, as much as I love him.... But I know how painful it is to be separated. I don’t want him to learn what that kind of endless parting feels like!

I’ll just disappear.

"...Maybe he picked up some weird snack and ate it?"

"......"

"Oh! Is it because of that tea Ren likes to drink?"

I’d been tensed up, ready to lash out and even start a fight if I had to, but Lady Coco changed the subject. The glare she’d been aiming at me seemed to soften a little too.

"I spoke carelessly. I’ve heard some people just ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) have weak stomachs, you know? Looks like that’s the kind of constitution he has. Poor thing. He’ll have to be careful with food."

"...Seriously, why do you pick fights over every little thing? What did I do to you??"

"Why are you suddenly getting so defensive?? What’s wrong with saying it’s pitiful to have a weak constitution? If someone shows concern, shouldn’t you say thank you?"

"Did I ask you to?? Did I ask for your pity? Some stranger shows up and starts making comments about my body, and I’m supposed to be grateful? Don’t you have a serious personality problem?? Someone like you being a noble lady—it’s just because you got lucky and were born with the right blood—"

"What? Ha! Is that the way you always act? Is this because you’re the Hero’s little brother?"

A cruel smile spread across Lady Coco’s face.

"That’s enough! Ren! You stop too. What are you doing?"

"Ren! Why are you acting so rude?"

We’d both moved so close it looked like we were about to hit each other.

She was a little taller than me, and that seriously pissed me off.

"You really are ridiculous, running your mouth like this. Is it because you’re the Hero’s little brother that you strut around? Do you even understand that if a noble like me ordered it, the life of someone like you would be worth less than a fly’s? I guess you don’t know that, living buried out in the countryside like this!"

"Young lady! That’s too far!!"

Even Dell tried to stop her.

Displeasure showed plainly on Luman’s face as he listened to her.

But Temar said nothing.

Does Brother think that too??

His deep sigh felt like an anchor dropping straight down into the pit of my stomach with a heavy thunk. Sweat gathered at my fingertips.

...Even if she didn’t say it like that, my life really was no better than a fly’s. It wouldn’t be strange if I died any time.

"I’m a noble lady. If you’re the Hero’s little brother, then—"

"You really are a stupid noble lady."

My head was burning hot.

Why? Why is everyone always like this with me? I’ve never once thrown my weight around because my brother’s a Hero. Then why is it always the people who meet me who bring up Hero’s little brother first? What did I ever do? I only ever wanted to be my brother’s good little brother. I never wanted to be some Hero’s little brother. I hate it. I hate it.

"Did you just say that to me—"

"I called you a stupid noble lady. Are your ears bad too?"

"You...!"

The young lady pointed at me, trembling with rage.

Manners? What the hell are those.

Character? Mine already blew up, so what now?

You started this!

"Like you asked, I’m the Hero’s little brother, right? So why don’t you test whether you can kill the Hero’s little brother and still walk away just fine."

I said it while puffing myself up. I didn’t forget to curl my lips into the most obnoxious, mocking grin I could manage either.

Go ahead and kill me. It’s not like I’m afraid of death anyway.

Did she think someone like me—already as good as dead, someone living on borrowed time, someone who could die any day—would be scared of something as trivial as death?

The old apothecary had told me to go to the capital and get examined, but honestly, I didn’t even want to. I had no intention of doing it! What if word got around while we were looking for a physician, or what if Brother found out? I never wanted to see that stricken look on his face. If it was between that and letting him see me like that, it would be better if he just went off on his mission and forgot me forever.

"Try it. If you can."

I leaned my upper body toward her. I didn’t forget to crane my neck out too.

Come on, you stupid noble lady. The artery’s right here.

If you’ve got a knife, stab me!

But what came flying at me wasn’t a knife.

It was a huge palm covering more than half my face.

Smack.

A stinging pain cracked across my cheek.

My cheek trembled.

No way. Right?

I turned my head slowly to the side.

"...Brother?"

"Temar! What the hell are you doing? Are you insane?"

My cheek burned.

"I’m truly disappointed, Ren. Is this how you’ve been acting all this time? Always? In places where I wasn’t there? Is this... how I raised you?"

It looked like Temar was holding himself back from hitting me again. His hand curled into a fist as he rebuked me.

More than the throbbing pain in my cheek...

my heart hurt more.

Seeing the look of disappointment on his face hurt more.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I bit down on my lip. I could taste blood—whether my cheek had split or the lip I’d just bitten had.

When did you ever raise me?

You were never there.

You never taught me anything.

I, I....

I was always alone.

"As the Hero’s little brother, acting like this...! Was it like this in the village too? I’m asking you, Ren! Can’t you answer me?"

No! It wasn’t!

I’m telling you, I’ve never acted like this on purpose!

I was scared that if I tried to explain, it would sound too long—like I was just making excuses.

Brother, I did tell people I was proud of you sometimes. And then I got beaten for being annoying....

And there were times I said it just to scare the village kids when they tried to pick on me.

But I was never like this. Please believe me....

But if I opened my mouth, it felt like I’d burst into tears right then and there, so I couldn’t answer.

I couldn’t even shake my head.

Because Brother’s gaze felt like it was binding me in place. And if I looked away from that questioning look even for a second... I was too afraid of how he’d look at me after that.

Lady Coco looked flustered.

"I’m disappointed."

"Temar, calm down. What the hell are you doing?!"

Luman grabbed Temar’s hand and stepped in between us.

"Move, Luman. This is between the two of us."

"You haven’t forgotten there are other people traveling with us right now, have you?"

"Do you understand you’re humiliating Ren right now?" Luman whispered quietly.

But it didn’t look like Temar could hear him at all.

If Luman hadn’t grabbed him, Brother might’ve hit me again. Temar’s arm, still tight with force, was hanging in the air.

No. That’s not it. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"I’m sorry. This is my fault. I raised my little brother badly."

No, Brother. You didn’t raise me badly. You just weren’t there.

I swallowed my sob down with effort.

"...Fine. Just keep him under control from now on."

"......"

"Sir Dell should apologize too, shouldn’t he? Threatening someone’s life is unpleasant, no matter what."

"Yes. My apologies."

At Luman’s words, Dell apologized without hesitation.

I got an apology, but it didn’t make me feel any better at all.

It wasn’t even Lady Coco apologizing... and all I’d done was earn Brother’s disgust. And make my resentment toward him flare up again.

So was my personality really the problem?

Would it be better if I just never said anything at all?

Brother....

Brother only showed me his back.

"Temar. Then take Ren and go first. I’ll cover things on this side."

After a short silence, it was Luman who spoke.

"Sir Luman! You didn’t see what happened earlier. If Hero Temar hadn’t come when he did.... Protecting even one person takes a great deal of effort. I can’t manage it alone! I cannot allow even a single hair on the young lady’s head to be harmed!!"

"Luman, no. She is a noble lady of the kingdom. Ren offended her, so that means we have even more responsibility to escort her safely to the capital."

"And Ren’s life isn’t precious?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ren needs a physician. If he keeps traveling with the young lady, he could become a target too—or end up bedridden. Are you really asking because you don’t know that?"

"No. Ren will be fine."

"Temar!"

"She is a noble lady of the kingdom. You can’t handle this alone."

The more Luman defended me, the more miserable I felt.

Why was Brother so obsessed with being a Hero?

Could I ever understand how he felt?

Maybe Brother really wouldn’t care if I died.

As long as he could keep being a Hero....

Maybe it would be better if I died around here after all.

So Brother could become the perfect Hero.

"I’m fine."

I said it flatly.

All the emotions that had been storming through me earlier, I’d shoved them down deep into my stomach together with Brother’s sigh.

"Ren. You’re going to be stubborn too? Look at the condition you’re in. You need to see a physician as soon as possible. Ren, I’m not saying we should abandon the young lady or fight Temar. I’m saying we should move efficiently."

"Forget it! I’ll just drop out here, so stop wasting your strength."

"Young lady. Why are you saying this too?"

"If I’m going to stay in a group that’s already split apart, I’d rather survive alone."

"Lady Coco! Why are you doing this? Absolutely not."

Dell grabbed hold of her firmly.

This was a mess.

We’d split up, reunited, and now we were trying to split apart all over again.

It felt like it was all because of me.

Lady Coco looked at me too, like she was blaming me for everything.

The cold night air cooled the heat in my burning cheek, but it did nothing to cool the raw scratches in my heart. My insides stung and ached like they were on fire.

This is my fault.

I deserved to get hit, so I’m not even sad about that. Right. So there’s no reason to cry.