“…What are you suggesting?”
“I’m speaking sincerely. You sent me the precious child Rodelo, so you’re truly a good brother.”
“Right now… Are you mocking me?”
“If that’s how it sounds, it means Duke Evan has been thoroughly fooled. I’m sincerely speaking.”
Looking at him shivering, I approached the children.
Riandro, who had been watching our story quite interestingly, resumed the interrupted music and gathered the nobles who had tried to escape.
As if showing that such incidents didn’t matter, as if it was just a very small episode, Lian seemed relaxed.
The children, who couldn’t adapt to such a situation, gradually adjusted.
“Mom, are you okay?”
Rodelo, who came rushing to me, examined me here and there in a hurry. Shasha and the other children were the same.
“How was it? Wasn’t it cool?”
“Yeah, Unnie! It was really, really cool!”
Shasha jumped around with a loud voice.
“But please don’t do dangerous things. Mom.”
“I won’t do it anymore. So, Rodelo, become stronger, and protect Mom. Stay by Mom’s side for a very, very long time. Okay?”
Only then did the child nod slowly.
“Yes……”
“Rodelo, are you okay?”
“Yes! I feel so refreshed. And I’m really happy, actually. Mom… Mom stood up for me, and I’m so grateful.”
“Empress Mama is truly amazing.”
“I think so too.”
Starting with Rodelo, each child added a word.
“Our Unnie. Hehe!”
Shasha shrugged her shoulders while looking at those children.
“Well, then let’s enjoy the party. Lian, or rather, Emperor, has set up a chocolate fountain over there. Let’s go and eat lots of chocolate.”
“Wow! A chocolate fountain. I haven’t had chocolate……!”
Shasha, who had been refrained from eating chocolate for a while because of the fear of cavities, rushed out without anyone telling her.
Rodelo, who had been wearing a mask, followed suit. Until this morning, or rather, until a while ago, Rodelo, who seemed uneasy somewhere, now looked much more childlike and comfortable.
Haven followed things children liked but still said she would go, and Merkin watched the children.
“Aren’t you going, Merkin?”
“No. I don’t like chocolate.”
“Really? Surprising.”
“Yes. The Great Witch kept giving me chocolates and snacks, saying that if children wanted to eat a lot, they should be given a lot……. So I’m a bit fed up.”
As if remembering that time, Merkin shook his head with a shudder.
“But still, Empress Mama, you were really cool just now. Rodelo… No, His Highness the Crown Prince was impressed. Some use him, and some try to protect him.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, yes.”
“Maybe… he misses Mom or something……”
I cautiously opened my mouth, thinking there might be a story I didn’t know or that Rodelo might be pretending to be okay only in front of me.
“Not at all. On the contrary, I don’t know why he’s doing that. I really wish he would disappear, he said. He seemed completely indifferent.”
“Then I’m relieved.”
“Don’t worry. His Highness the Crown Prince i
“Now the novel is over. Rodelo won’t suffer, and Shasha won’t be manipulated. This is not a novel anymore.”
Although it started as a novel, it ended as an endless world without a conclusion. Therefore, these children will now live their own lives.
“Thank you.”
“No.”
“Really, thank you.”
And changing the world wasn’t just my power alone. It was each person doing their best in their own place. But Merkin kept thanking me, making me feel embarrassed.
“Merkin.”
“Yes!”
“I have something curious to ask, is it okay?”
“Of course!”
The child raised his head, meeting my eyes. Although I initiated the conversation to overcome the awkwardness of the moment, I was genuinely curious.
“Merkin, did you see the magic that Rodelo had been hiding?”
The child nodded without showing surprise.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I thought everyone has something they want to hide. I thought the Crown Prince might also be like that.”
Somehow, I could feel Sehelus in the child. A deep consideration for others.
“Thank you.”
“Not at all.”
Looking back, asking Merkin might have been the easiest. If I had done that, would I have known everything sooner, and would Rodelo have awakened a little earlier?
Then I lowered my head.
“Should I have told you……?”
“No. It’s okay. Now is the right time.”
But that feeling came again. Trying to revive memories in Rodelo’s mind without us being in it would only add more wounds to the child’s heart.
Everything has its time, and now is the time.
“Is that so……?”
“Yes. So, Merkin, you can play with the children.”
“Ah……”
“It worries you when it’s in front of others? Even if you don’t like chocolate, you’ve always been with the children……. Were you afraid, fearing you might cause harm and kept away?”
It just felt like that. That Merkin was making himself an outcast. Afraid he might harm the three children.
As expected, my assumption seemed correct as Merkin awkwardly smiled.
“Well……”
“It’s okay. I told you. Status doesn’t matter. You can think about drifting apart later. Now just enjoy being with the children like a child.”
“Later……”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
