MTMT 33

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Chapter 33 I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You

“Giscard, are you okay?”

After Emil passed by, Diana ran to Giscard. He was gasping for breath, so pained that saliva had gathered at the corners of his mouth.

How much, how much must it hurt? This restraint—it was such a terrifying thing.

Diana squeezed her eyes shut. The reason Emil hadn’t touched her was that he was her older brother. Not a good brother, but still, there was some bond between them. Emil had never directly harmed Diana.

It seemed like something similar had happened before. She couldn’t even remember the details. Emil had lost his temper at her for no reason, and Diana had defended her position. In response, Emil knocked over a vase beside her, breaking it.

He came to her, saying it was a mistake, and spoke to Diana, who was crying alone in her room.

“See, this makes things uncomfortable for both of us.”

“…….”

“I don’t like this when we fight.”

“Did we fight?”

She hadn’t even argued aggressively. She had only explained her side. Yet Emil comforted her, saying:

“I wasn’t feeling good either, Ann.”

“…….”

“When you suddenly said that, I think I lost my composure too.”

“…….”

“Let’s just be considerate of each other.”

Their disputes always ended with such reconciliations. But Diana thought it was a good ending. After that, Emil became a more affectionate older brother toward her.

She also thought it natural to adjust herself to an older brother who would lead the family. He could be terrifying when angry, but sometimes he was gentle. After all, he hadn’t hit her and wasn’t someone to fear. But Emil, now an adult, was not a good older brother.

If he were, he wouldn’t have left her alone in this mansion and fled. Whether Mirva was his mother or not, it was wrong for him to vent his anger at Diana just because of Mirva’s mistake or to scold Giscard.

So Diana herself had to confront her brother.

This was a warning.

She knew many of Emil’s secrets. She knew he had asked her to hide mail from the academy when he was a child, manipulating his grades. She knew he had taken some of the family’s wealth to deceive commoners.

If he pushed further, she would have no choice but to report other things to their father. With a composed expression, Diana spoke:

“Is this an academic warning? If it’s come to this, countless letters must have been sent before. Who neglected them?! Did you think Father wasn’t interested in education?”

Emil’s face turned red and blue with anger. Diana’s gaze was icy. He glared at her fiercely, but Diana wasn’t afraid at all.

“You’re right, Ann. Your brother really… truly brought shame to the family.”

The Duke’s voice sounded cold.

“But your brother must have had his reasons. And losing to a commoner—surely some plot was involved. He isn’t that weak, is he?”

“No, looking at his grades, your brother isn’t just bad at studying; his swordsmanship is garbage too. He can’t even reach average.”

Anger dripped from the Duke’s voice.

“I… I misjudged my son. This is why mothers are important.”

Anyone listening would think he blamed his late mother. Diana and Emil knew he was referring to Mirva. Emil’s face flushed bright red. Diana didn’t want a ‘comparison.’

“For now, study in the western dormitory.”

“F-Father!”

That was enough. The western dormitory was where parents placed their children for strict education. Emil, trapped there, was furious.

Knocking on Giscard’s door yielded no response. Diana opened it and found it was a servant’s room—a small chamber for attendants. She still thought it cramped. Giscard curled up on the tiny bed, asleep.

His now-grown body made the room feel even smaller. On the day Emil activated the restraint, Giscard had coughed continuously, suffering for a long time. Always dignified, even in his past life, he had never shown a weak side. Yet now, his face was flushed red, saliva dribbling. To make such a proud person a slave, such cruelty must have been necessary.

What emotions did he feel amid that pain?

Diana recalled the people of the Rodbrock Kingdom who had mocked her suffering—the queen, enslaved to the king, laughed at her torment.

We are no different from them now, she thought. Reaching out, Diana touched Giscard’s forehead. By tormenting me, I’ve come to understand your suffering.

She couldn’t remain idle.

Diana stroked Giscard’s forehead. The sweat-dotted skin was surprisingly warm. She checked; he didn’t have a fever. She continued for some time.

“I’m sorry.”

In both his past and current life, Giscard must have endured countless hardships. Especially in his past life, his treatment must have been harsher.

“I….”

Giscard opened his eyes. The sunlight reflected in his eyes, making him frown. Diana tried to withdraw her hand, but Giscard held her wrist. Her fingers still lightly touched his forehead.

“What are you saying?”

“You were awake?”

“I woke when you touched my forehead.”

Diana tried to pull back, but Giscard held firm. He lay there while she knelt beside him, stroking his forehead. Giscard looked directly at her.

“No need to apologize.”

“…….”

“It was my fault for trying to confront the master’s family while being a mere slave.”

Seeing Giscard say this, Diana bit her lip. She knew he didn’t truly feel that way. Why had he become so obedient, unlike in his past life? She lowered her gaze, speaking gloomily:

“I made your older brother pay.”

“…….”

“It may not compare to the humiliation you felt, but I did.”

Giscard’s eyes widened in shock. The grip on Diana’s wrist loosened, and he sprang up from the bed.

“What are you saying? You fought with my brother because of me?”

“…….”

“Because of a slave like me?”

He asked for confirmation, yet his eyes were bloodshot, somehow desperate, and urgent—like it was a matter of utmost importance. Diana nodded. Why? Even if one considers him a slave, anyone would be furious over this.

Giscard looked astonished at Diana, then held her limp hand. Compared to his thick-boned hand, hers was small and fragile.

He pressed her hand against his cheek, like a cat or dog. Diana was startled, but he pressed it earnestly, like a creature yearning for its master’s affection, whining.

So Diana couldn’t pull her hand away.

He felt the warmth of her hand for a long while, then murmured:

“This is why… I can’t take my eyes off you.”

His murmur was hard to understand, but Diana sensed the meaning. A faint shadow fell across his face, his violet eyes gleaming. Her heart pounded.

Once her leg healed, Diana began wandering the trading district under the pretext of looking at dresses. But she had another reason.

Find a sword master for Giscard.

Sir Liam said he could no longer teach Giscard. His skill had surpassed the teacher. Royal knights wouldn’t teach a mere slave; Diana turned her attention to mercenaries.

Money could accomplish anything with mercenaries.

While looking for dresses, she heard an intriguing rumor:

The Mercenary King, Barrot.

Barrot was here. He would become the Mercenary King later and was said to wield divine-level swordsmanship. Diana had to have him train Giscard before his fame skyrocketed.

She arrived at the Griffine Trading Company.

Unlike prominent guilds like Esilac or Harpy, Griffine had no major products. Barrot only accepted requests from the locals. In other words, Griffine sold labor, not goods.

“I want to see the most precious item you have.”

Diana stopped at the building. A mustached guard looked her over indifferently.

“Oh, miss, there’s nothing here you’d like.”

Even though the Duke’s knights had cautioned her, Diana frowned at the dismissive guard.

“How do you know what I’d like?”

“Of course, dolls or jewelry…”

Diana smirked, and the guard looked puzzled.

“To judge and neglect a potential customer… this place isn’t worth dealing with.”

She was annoyed. Even as a noble, she had come here for a reason. If the guards started like this, it was pathetic. The knights fumed.

“Let’s go, miss.”

“This place isn’t suitable for the Great Brienga.”

“Wait, Brien?! Miss, wait!”