Benjamin laughed frivolously. Charlotte poured the wine into her throat.
Mother. Are you at peace after death?
There are no dead people here. It’s time to bury them in the ground and say goodbye.
“Are you drinking by your mother’s grave?”
“You taught me this, Benjamin.”
“Right. Alcohol is just alcohol.”
Benjamin took the wine bottle and checked the label.
“Did you raid Caesar Windsor’s fridge?”
“You can tell just by looking at the label?”
“I’ve stolen it a few times. Caesar once glared at me and locked it.”
“That must have hurt.”
“What can I do? Then I have to break the lock and eat it. It’s not one or two days since I’ve run wild like a madman.”
Benjamin giggled and chattered as if it was all old news, like a person reminiscing about long memories.
Is it a feeling of longing?
Benjamin stood behind Charlotte.
“It splashed on your hand.”
Then he touched Charlotte’s hand.
His fingertips, though used to holding a sword, were rough and solid.
“Even if we skip most of the engagement procedures, we have to take care of at least one properly.”
Benjamin overlapped his hand with Charlotte’s.
“What…?”
Only then did Benjamin take something out of his pocket. It looked like a jewelry box.
“Just keep your hand still. I’m filling the lock.”
It was a black box. A grey ribbon was wrapped around it, and when Benjamin pulled the string, the ribbon untied limply.
The jewelry box was small enough to fit in Charlotte’s palm.
When Benjamin opened the lid, a small ring came out.
It was a platinum ring studded with diamonds. Benjamin slipped the ring onto Charlotte’s slender ring finger.
“Is the engagement ceremony tomorrow?”
Benjamin softly muttered, holding Charlotte’s slender hand.
“Drive your presence into their heads.”
Benjamin’s eyes looking at Charlotte became sticky.
(This is a time divider.)
The engagement ceremony was held inside the palace.
The sick emperor lay in bed, and the royal family held a celebration party instead of most of the procedures.
“The Crown Prince is getting engaged, too.”
“How old is the Crown Prince? His marriageable age is already full. If only the Emperor hadn’t been bedridden with dementia, he would have welcomed the Crown Princess sooner, wouldn’t he?”
The nobles smiled outwardly but harbored different feelings inside.
‘My father is bedridden with dementia, and he doesn’t even blink an eye!’
As the old emperor fell ill, the power struggle within the royal family was reorganized.
Once this royal power struggle was over, dethroning the old emperor would be a matter of moments.
“Windsor people are coming.”
Benjamin soon smiled brightly.
“Char.”
It was someone’s nickname.
The doors of the banquet hall opened, and someone walked in.
The deep red hair dominated the entire field of view.
Windsor’s duke and the first tactician, and even the second son. They all sought the banquet hall.
And then, a strange woman walked in. Unfamiliar yet familiar.
Her deep red hair waved like waves below her waist.
Dark and red. Clear but infinitely deep.
Charlotte took a step.
All red.
The woman painted herself in red.
The nobles talked in unison.
“Is that the young lady? It’s horrendous.”
The main banquet began.
“She was originally the grace of Tuteya, right?”
“Shh, when was she abandoned?”
To be engaged to the crown prince as soon as she entered Windsor.
Now, the eyes of the nobles were all directed elsewhere.
“Duke Tuteya must be greatly shocked.”
Pyotr was frozen, still holding his champagne glass.
Charlotte glanced at her father like that and lost interest.
‘Do not linger in my path.’
Charlotte took a step, and the way opened.
“She is like my nausea.”
Leandro rarely showed emotion.
Of course, he kept his voice down so that foreigners could not hear, but the weight in his voice was heavy.
Leandro handed Charlotte’s hand to Benjamin.
“Charl. This way.”
The first dance began. Monotonous music flowed, and their appearance marked the beginning of the banquet.
The hem of the dress swayed magnificently.
Her deep red hair and dress were splendid, and her pale skin looked ghostly.
As the dress fluttered, the hem rippled, revealing a brilliant pattern.
The dance was over soon.
Benjamin embraced Charlotte’s waist with his arm and whispered.
“You must not fall ill tonight.”
Charlotte lightly slapped his shoulder.
“I have to talk with the neutral forces, will you wait here alone? Or shall I call the Windsor family?”
“I’ll wait, having a glass of whiskey.”
Benjamin left his seat, saying he would talk with the neutral forces.
“A glass of whiskey, please.”
The servant brought the whiskey.
The strong whiskey scent pricked his nose.
‘Drink moderately.’
Benjamin licked his lips and spoke.
He was smiling like a snake.
For some reason, the intoxication seemed to come on quickly.
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.”
