Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Four: A Sudden Scramble
Mr. Ville slowly opens the faintly creaking door.
Beyond the thick honey-colored door, an interior surrounded by furnishings as refined as those in the hallway, if not more so, come into view. And at the far end of the room… the person who is likely the owner of this room is sitting there, but I cannot get a good look at what kind of person he is.
Everyone except Mr. Ville quietly bow their heads. I follow suit, bending at the waist while holding Gomamiso, who has become as docile as a "lamb," perhaps overwhelmed by the atmosphere… This posture is quite challenging for someone who once had a minor back sprain…! But I cannot be the only one with my head up while everyone else is bowing. I can read the room that much at least!
“Ah… please don’t be so formal. I’d like you to raise your heads. I’m grateful to you all for being with my brother.”
I felt like we had barely lowered our heads before we were told to raise them again, but maybe some time had passed… I think my sense of time was distorted by nerves. The same voice we heard through the door now spoke again, this time with a faint laugh.
The tense atmosphere relaxes, and from the faint rustling of clothes and the flow of air, I can tell that everyone has raised their heads. Not wanting to be left behind, I slowly raise my head too. Do I manage to avoid standing out by being the only one late?
The room that came into view again is not exactly opulent, but it has a calm atmosphere with royal blue as an accent color in various places. The furnishings and small items scattered around are probably of high quality, but I can’t really tell how valuable they are… I can tell they are well-crafted, though. And above all, beyond the reception table and sofas… The pressure emanating from the room’s owner sitting behind the imposing desk at the back of the room is… well, even to my amateur eyes, it is an extraordinary presence!
No, it’s not that Mr. Ville’s half-brother has a stern face or an imposing physique. This person, with long jet-black hair loosely tied back, has features more in line with Mr. Xenon’s. His face has the classic good looks of a handsome man, and he has a tall and well-proportioned physique. Moreover, he is smiling gently and softly… but there is something powerful about that smile.
“First… welcome back, Ville. There’s a lot I want to say, but let’s save that for later.”
“Ah… yeah… I’m… I’m home…”
“Really. We’ve been keeping tabs on your movements to some extent, but it seems things have gotten quite interesting.”
“Wha… since when…?!”
“I may not be as well-connected as Father, but my reach is fairly long too, Ville.”
The older brother smiled amiably, resting his elbows on the desk and placing his joined hands under his chin… a pose reminiscent of a certain commander with his mouth visible. Mr. Ville’s voice, facing him, was slightly… no, quite shaky. Whether from nervousness or awe towards his "big brother." Well, I suppose anyone would react that way if they found out they’d been under Big Brother’s surveillance without knowing.
…Ah, somehow… Mr. Ville’s back reminds me of my younger brother when we fight. He’d confront me, torn between "Sis is scary" and "Give me my snacks"…
As I gazed at the pitiful "little brother’s" back with sympathy, I suddenly met the red eyes behind the desk. They seemed slightly lighter in color compared to Mr. Ville’s, I think?
Those eyes, which had been softly smiling until now, narrowed especially gently, and then moved to look at everyone’s faces.
“Thank you so much for accompanying my mischievous little brother who suddenly ran away from home. It’s terrifying to think what reckless things he might have done without you all.”
“Hey, stop it! It’s hard for them to respond to that, whether with a yes or a no!”
“You say that, Ville, but I’ve been so worried that your recklessness might cause trouble for others…”
“Ah, geez! This is why I didn’t want to come back…!!!”
The older brother, maintaining his commander pose, looked our way and smiled.
Even the battle-hardened party members seem flustered, unsure of how to respond correctly to his words.
Naturally, I too was wondering how I should respond… and seeing his smile up close caused major damage to my heart! The smile of this handsome man, who could easily be called beautiful, had quite an impact even from across the desk…
As the older brother showed his composure, Mr. Ville held his head and let out an anguished cry.
Aaah… being played around like this by his older brother… I can see why he was reluctant to come. It’s kind of like… a son being teased in front of his visiting friends by his mom? The older brother’s teasing probably includes some element of punishment for Mr. Ville’s sudden departure, but it must be quite painful for the person being teased…
As I watched the brothers’ conversation that I couldn’t intervene in, the smile suddenly disappeared from the older brother’s face, who seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed the exchange with his long-absent brother.
“Well, jokes aside. I’ve been receiving various… information on my end as well.”
“…I thought the information would be gathered here, but I see it’s really true.”
“Would you like the information we’ve collected, Ville?”
“Huh? No… uh, what? Of course, I want it! Why do you think I came all the way to the capital!?”
With a thud, a large stack of papers was placed on the desk. Before I could wonder where he had produced them from, several scrolls and what looked like bound documents were piled up on the desk.
This must be the various information gathered by the older brother.
Mr. Ville, taken aback by these unexpected words, hesitates for a moment before a sheet of paper is thrust in front of him.
…I can’t read it, but something is definitely written on it.
“I don’t mind handing over the information. But before that, there’s a little job I’d like you to take care of, okay?”
The older brother tilted his head slightly, looking at Mr. Ville with his red lips curved into a smile. The party leader let out a low growl from his throat, then took the paper as if in resignation.
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