I Was Told, “I Can’t Leave the Territory Management to You, Brother-in-law!!”, So I Restarted My Adventurer Life in My Mother’s Homeland – Chapter 32

Chapter 32: The Relationship Between Two
  Eld glanced at Marie. Marie nodded and opened her mouth.
 
  “Yes, to tell you about that, first I’ll tell you about my background.”
 
  Marie began to talk about her past.
 
  About how she was born in the central capital in what is commonly called a lower-class family, a very poor family. About how they struggled to even find food to eat each day. About how she once almost died from extreme hunger and at that time, a person with white hair gave her an Olesia fruit. About how when she was five years old, her parents disappeared and she was taken in by her maternal grandmother. About how she received magic tool glasses from her grandmother that would make her high magic power and red hair and eyes appear clouded to others.
 
  About how she met Eld at the Central Academy, which they entered at the age of 15. About how he helped her when she was being harassed by male students, and at that time, he saw her red eyes through the glasses that were supposed to cloud them and innocently told her they were beautiful. About how after that, they somehow started spending time together.
 
  About how after graduation, she turned down other offers and became an adventurer with Eld. About how she found a magic sword with Eld and fought as a mercenary on the North Front Line. About how she received recognition for her achievements with a title. She also talked about how she regrets receiving that title. When she told that story, Eld could only smile wryly.
 
  About how she received a marriage proposal from Eld three years ago. However, the news of Eld’s parents’ death arrived, and because they were acting separately, she couldn’t give him an answer. About how she then went to see Eld and was hired as a maid to help him, who had become the lord. After that, Millenia and Jaylot also know about it.
 
  After graduation, there was no particular need to talk about it, but she wanted them to know about her as a person, to know about the person who would become their sister-in-law, so she spoke.
 
  “Marie…… Marie, don’t you like Onii-sama anymore? Aren’t you going to answer his proposal?”
 
  Millenia was looking into Marie’s eyes. Marie looked back at Millenia’s orange eyes. Pure eyes, very much like Eld’s. If she hadn’t received the proposal now, she wouldn’t have been able to look back at her like this.
 
  Marie shifted her gaze to her left hand. Millenia followed her gaze and saw the ring on Marie’s left hand.
 
  “And that ring, could it be……”
 
  Marie smiled when she was asked about the ring.
 
  “Yes. It’s an engagement ring from Eld.”
 
  “Oh my, that’s wonderful. So Marie, you’re our sister-in-law now, aren’t you?”
 
  Hearing that, Jaylot also nodded.
 
  “Yes. Marie-aneesama. Please don’t use honorifics with us from now on. Even though you’ve quit being the lord, you’re the fiancée of the head of the prestigious Faniaal family.”
 
  “That’s a good offer, but just so you know, the one who becomes the lord is the head of the family, so the current head is Sandrea.”
 
  Eld said to Jaylot while refilling the tea.
 
  “However, Eld-aniisama, Sandrea-neesama’s actions……”
 
  “Whatever the reason, I agreed to it. As long as I don’t object, the decision won’t change.”
 
  Hearing that, Jaylot made a dissatisfied face.
 
  “But then, the head of the direct line of the Faniaal family……”
 
  “It can’t be helped, can it? Rather, we’re the only ones among the Five Great Houses who still have a direct lineage.”
  The Five Great Houses are the families that founded the Lutodelein Kingdom together with the royal family. The other families besides the Faniaal family have had their bloodlines temporarily cut off during the civil war before and after the abolition of the aristocracy. Therefore, the Faniaal family has the most influence among the Five Great Houses.
 
  “Since it’s widely known that Sandrea isn’t a direct descendant, I think she’ll have a lot of trouble dealing with the Five Great Houses from now on. Since she understands that hardship too, I think it’s fine, isn’t it?”
 
  Eld’s smile had a slightly cold edge to it. Even though they were half-siblings, he had cared for his sister to some extent, and she had been subjected to what could be considered an unfounded disgrace, so there was no way he could be magnanimous.
 
  “The rest is up to Jaylot. To be honest, I don’t want him to take on the troublesome role of lord, but if Jaylot wants to do it, I won’t stop him, and I’ll cooperate as much as possible. I think it would be good for him to work elsewhere for a while after graduating from the academy.”
 
  Seeing his brother’s unusual expression, Jaylot was a little taken aback, but he regained his composure.
 
  “I understand. If Eld-aniisama says so, I’ll think about it a little more.”
 
  Eld smiled and patted Jaylot’s head. Partly because they were of the same gender, and partly because he felt that Jaylot was more thoughtful than himself, he had actually been considering handing over the lordship to Jaylot. However, he hadn’t said anything because if Jaylot did it out of a sense of duty, it might ruin his future. So he resolved once again to protect his still young brother. However, it was troublesome that he couldn’t leave this territory because of the Goddess’s contract.
 
  “Marie-oneesama, have you been serving Onii-sama at night?”
 
  Millenia’s sudden remark. Hearing that, the atmosphere froze.
 
  “H-Hey, Millenia…… where did you hear that word……”
 
  Eld asked, recoiling.
 
  “Oh, Onee-sama told me. She said Marie was a maid hired to serve Onii-sama at night.”
 
  Hearing that, Eld held his head in his hands.
 
  “By the way, Millenia…… do you understand what you’re saying……”
 
  “Of course. I’m old enough to enter the Central Academy next year. I understand that when a man invites a woman to his bedroom, it’s to make babies.”
 
  Millenia, a girl who could be described as cheerful and innocent. Perhaps because of that, he wasn’t sure whether he should be relieved or worried as an older brother that Millenia, whose academic performance was somewhat poor, understood those words. No, he couldn’t deny that her answer was probably a subtle misinterpretation.
 
  “In the three years I’ve been a maid, I’ve never gone to Eld’s bedroom at night.”
 
  Eld was impressed by her straightforward answer.
 
  “I think he was holding back because I didn’t give him a proper answer, and I myself have become timid about marriage……”
 
  To Eld, it sounded like she was still anxious. Not about marrying him. He knew that she had grown up watching her parents constantly fight, and she was anxious about whether she could live a normal life.
 
  When he looked at Millenia, she was pouting with her cheeks puffed out.
 
  “W-What’s wrong?”
 
  Marie asked hurriedly.
 
  “Jaylot just said I could stop using honorifics, but you haven’t stopped yet.”
 
  “Oh, I’m so…… I’m sorry.”
 
  “It’s unreasonable to expect you to stop immediately just because you were told to. Even Tohlight still uses -sama with me.”
 
  Eld said.
 
  “Hmm, is that so? But I think you were talking to Onii-sama normally.”
 
  “Because we’ve been informal for longer. It’s easier, right?”
 
  Hearing that, Marie nodded.
 
  “Is that so? More importantly, I understand why you’d be timid about marriage if Onii-sama is unreliable. Onii-sama is surprisingly clingy.”
 
  “Eh?”
 
  He was speechless at his younger sister’s unexpected statement.
 
  “That’s true. Especially with Eld-aniisama.”
 
  Jaylot continued.
 
  “Uh…… well……”
 
  Before he could ask what they meant, his younger siblings started talking about the situations they had seen their brother in. Eld also remembered them and shrank back.
 
  He felt pathetic as he realized that his family had been watching and understanding him more than he thought.