My entire body was pounding as if it had turned into a heart. Rodrick gazed deeply at Diana’s slightly parted lips as she struggled to continue speaking.

“D-don’t ask such things…!”

Before she could even respond, he tried to kiss her.

Naturally, as Diana turned her head to accept the kiss, a terrifying sight appeared in her eyes.

Her slightly open pink eyes gradually widened, then suddenly bulged as if they would tear apart.

“Wait!”

Diana cried out softly and blocked Rodrick’s mouth with her hand. He raised his eyebrows irritably.

“Why.”

His low voice vibrated beneath her palm. Enduring the ticklish sensation, Diana brought her lips close to Rodrick’s ear.

“That person, isn’t he our family’s third eldest?”

It was a very small voice, almost a whisper. However, the sharp-sensed knights all heard it. The knights’ gazes naturally fixed on one man.

“Yes.”

“Why is the runaway third son here?”

He was a figure that only existed in memories. She thought she would never see him again since she couldn’t even meet him before her death.

After waking up in the wizard’s castle, she only thought about the eldest brother and sister who were the main characters of the story. She didn’t consider the third son at all.

He was also an extra character like her, and it seemed he would survive well on his own even if the family fell into ruin because of the crown prince. So she wasn’t contacting him separately.

“He followed me here.”

“What?”

Rodrick was not thrilled about Nathan accompanying him from the beginning.

Judging the mood of the castle through the messenger sent by the duke, he determined it would be better to reveal that she was a Beatus through Nathan.

If his name could not be a shield, it wouldn’t be bad to temporarily attach the runaway wolf to her. Although it bothered him that he couldn’t discuss it with her first.

“Why?”

Rodrick glanced at her complexion and answered.

“To see you.”

To see me? Nathan had such a strong wanderlust that he never came home even when called by family. That’s how much he hated the Beatus family. So did he come because this place isn’t Beatus territory?

How long had it been since she last saw her family member? Unlike Diana who hesitated due to the awkwardness despite the joy of reunion, Nathan approached without reserve.

“Diana Beatus. You little runt.”

Nathan was the same as ever. His behavior and way of speaking were just like when he was young. Seeing that familiar appearance, Diana’s tension eased as well.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Little brother?”

“Eek! What are you doing? Big brother Nathan!”

Nathan approached with a terrifying momentum, scooped up Diana’s waist, and lifted her away from Rodrick.

Nathan’s lack of personal boundaries instantly bridged the gap of the long years. They didn’t realize it, but the bond between siblings was deep enough to overcome time.

“What am I doing?! That’s what I should be asking! What the hell are you doing, acting so vulgar?!”

Oh no, my ears. Diana covered her ears at the loud roar that left them ringing. Has this big brother gone crazy? She didn’t understand why he was acting like this after meeting her again after so long.

“Put me down.”

Dangling awkwardly at his side, Diana tapped Nathan’s forearm.

Nathan didn’t budge an inch and accusingly pointed at Rodrick.

“Rodrick Schwartz! You damn bastard! How did you seduce my little sister?! This innocent child who didn’t even know men?! Huh? Trying to kiss a man?!”

What is he talking about? Diana looked at her biological brother with icy eyes.

Nathan’s accusatory finger trembled as he pointed.

Despite wandering battlefields for so long, he was still a pure man. He cursed a lot but never engaged in crude talk. He was a naive and innocent man, true to his nature.

His face was even redder than Diana’s, who had tried to kiss in front of many people.

“Why are you spouting nonsense after meeting again after so long, big brother?”

Nathan made a shocked face upon seeing the heartless Diana addressing her romance-less brother.

“I didn’t raise you to be like this.”

“Wasn’t it our eldest brother who raised me though?”

He had no retort. Damn it, Debir Beatus. He cursed out his innocent elder brother for no reason.

Sighing, Diana swept back her disheveled hair and sharply glanced at Nathan. Meeting again after so long and this brother is making her show her true colors.

In an ominous voice that she could only use with biological family, not others, she spoke.

“Put me down nicely while I’m still asking. I need to stick even closer to Rodrick.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I’ve become a body that can’t be separated from Rodrick?”

“Gasp. What… Don’t tell me. You’re pregnant?”

“What?!”

Startled, Nathan’s arm strength faltered and Diana fell forward. Rodrick caught her in an instant and pulled her into his embrace.

“Diana.”

He gently tucked her hair behind her ear and spoke softly.

“It’s noisy here. Shall we just make it a fait accompli?”

“No, are you crazy?!”

Seriously, these people. Diana glared at Rodrick and her brother with fire in her eyes.

It was an utter mess. Watching from afar, Felice let out a deep sigh.

It was ridiculous that the man known as the Red Wolf had his soul shaken by his little sister’s words, and the other man with frayed nerves due to insanity grinned impudently.

No one dared intervene between them. Felice reluctantly took the lead.

“Now, now, let’s not do this here and go inside, shall we?”

Diana, finally coming to her senses, looked around.

The servants standing in a line, the military horses unable to reach the stables, the knights unable to rest without their lord’s orders. Many people were unwillingly drawn into their situation.

“Rodrick, quickly dismiss the knights and come. I’ll go inside first with my brother.”

Rodrick frowned, displeased by her words about going in first. He raised a hand clad in a black leather glove.

With that single gesture, the knights instantly dispersed.

He handled the servants with a single glance at the head butler. Diana could only marvel at the scene unfolding without a word.

Better? As Rodrick looked down at her with such eyes, Diana let out a small laugh. Hehe.

This man. I can tell what you’re saying with just your expression. She found that cute.

“Yes, you did well.”

Nathan’s face soured seeing the couple flirting without regard for their surroundings.

Diana went inside first with Rodrick, leaving Nathan behind.

Nathan was grumbling that raising a little sister was utterly useless when Felice approached him with a smile.

“Welcome, Sir Nathan. I’ve heard a lot about you from my brother.”

The foolishly relaxed expression on Nathan’s face changed to be as sharp as a honed blade. Nathan appraisingly looked Felice up and down.

“Rodrick’s little brother?”

“Yes, I am Rodrick Schwartz’s younger brother, Felice Schwartz.”

The red eyes beneath the sharp features finished their assessment.

A smiling face is a mask, and he knows Nathan’s tendency to dislike family names. The muscle structure is well-developed, high-grade but below Rodrick’s level. More of a thinker than a fighter.

“Hmm, I don’t like weak ones though?”

“Pardon?”

“My little sister is the best.”

“Haha, of course sister-in-law is the best.”

“Hey, Rodrick’s little brother.”

With their difference in physique, Nathan wrapped an arm around Felice’s neck as if embracing his shoulders. It felt like the trained muscles were strangling his neck. Felice was flustered but supported him without staggering.

“Urk. Yes?”

“Shall we have an in-depth physical conversation about why my little sister is your sister-in-law?”

Physical conversation? It meant crossing swords, but Felice who misheard it as pressing bodies together was horrified.

“Pardon?!”

Nathan’s expression also turned strange. What is this guy thinking?

“Big brother Nathan?”

Flinch. Nathan’s body stiffened at the gentle voice of Diana coming from afar.

“Come quickly. Stop bothering innocent people?”

The women of the Beatus family are most dangerous when they speak kindly with a smile. Especially when using honorifics.

Like a wolf with its tail between its legs, Nathan readily obeyed Diana’s words.

Felice marveled again at the sight of Nathan being dragged away like a leashed animal.

As expected. Our sister-in-law! Like a beast tamer. What Rodrick showed earlier also made no sense in the first place. It seems she’s even captured Father?

Hehe. Laughing and averting his gaze, Felice’s eyes were coldly sunken.

His blue eyes were directed at the servants looking at Diana with eyes full of malice, unaware of their place.

Wiping the smoothly upturned corners of his mouth, Felice muttered.

“Why do clueless ones keep appearing?”

Sigh. I hope brother doesn’t hear about that. He’s already prevented them from leaving the castle. They shouldn’t go outside and spread unsavory rumors in the territory.

“Robert. Why do you keep making me repeat the same thing.”

“My apologies.”

The head butler standing by deeply bowed his head.

“The next time won’t end with just being fired. If anyone harms even a fingertip of sister-in-law, cut off their hands first. If anyone dirties her ears, cut off theirs.”

The head butler silently bowed his head again.

“Since when did our castle become a child’s play yard?”

It was clearly referring to Irene. He stayed still because the duke was tolerating it, but if she crosses the line, he will move personally.

She already crossed the line when entering his bedroom naked, but he let it slide because it was cute.

Felice drove Irene out with a smiling face without batting an eye.

He didn’t go into heat for just any woman, and his body didn’t stir at clumsy seduction.

The duke knew the truth but turned a blind eye to Irene’s actions because he wanted Felice to quickly have a child.

It was absurd. Treating him like a stud horse when the eldest son is alive and well. A cruel smile bloomed on Felice’s handsome face.

The thought of Rodrick dying didn’t even exist in his mind. Brother won’t die.

‘I can lift this family’s curse!’

That’s why he held his breath even more at Diana’s words. He didn’t intend to eavesdrop, but he couldn’t help overhearing.

Diana’s words about being able to save his brother sounded like salvation.

He felt he could do anything for her. He wouldn’t mind giving Rodrick the position of family head and Diana the status of duchess.

What is the position of family head? If she wants to go beyond the north and desires other territories, he’s willing to wage a territorial war to dedicate it to Diana. He was prepared to bring her anything she wanted.

“Always prepare the highest quality for sister-in-law’s belongings.”

“Understood.”

“Ah, right. What about our sister?”

“There has been no contact for the past few days.”

Felice briefly thought about his younger sister who married a year ago.

The Schwartz curse seemed to affect the family members except Felice.

Although Rodrick fully inherited the family’s insanity, it seemed to affect the sister as well, similar to their mother.

People thought stammering and a hideous face were part of the curse.

So Felice also thought his sister would live well after leaving the family to get married.

Even if that wasn’t the curse, it would be better than this family.

“No news is good news. No need to worry. Report to me if there’s any contact.”

Was no news really good news? He should have double-checked at least once. Felice will come to regret it like a proper sub-male lead, but that was still far off.

“Big brother, aren’t you going to pay respects to His Grace the Duke?”

“Huh, why should I?”

“Where are your manners? Did I teach you to be like that?”

Occupying the reception room of the guest quarters, Nathan was sitting on the sofa as if lying down. He was sprawled out as if it was his own home.

“Manners, my foot. Big brother is very tired.”

Nathan picked his ear, looking unapologetic. Oh my, this brat. He was the same then and now.

“We’re indebted to Noel and me. You’re still older than me, so as the representative of our family, you should at least pay your respects.”

Ahem. Nathan sat up straight, puffing out his chest.

“Right, I am your elder.”

He’s gloating about being 2 years older, really now. This guy was weak to flattery as always.

“But who’s Noel?”

“You don’t remember? Our family’s illegitimate child.”

“There was someone like that? That old man still had it in him. Leaving after being so sickly, but he had a child before dying?”

Come to think of it, the Duke of Beatus was bedridden until right before his death for a long time.

“Yeah, you wouldn’t know since you weren’t attached to the family, but a maid demanded money and then abandoned the child.”

She also didn’t remember the illegitimate child until she died and came back to life, so it was natural Nathan didn’t recall either.

But was her memory correct? Suddenly, doubts arose.