Sister, Don’t Marry That Guy – Chapter 135

Chapter 135

‘What are you doing, you crazy Older Brother?’

I was startled and grabbed my Older Sister’s hand. Stefan, as if asking what was wrong, returned to his usual grumpy face and looked down at me askew.

“What’s with that expression?”

“I want to ask you that? Just grabbing her hand was enough. Why are you overreacting?”

“Overreacting? What? It was resolved faster, wasn’t it? Coming down like this in the capital is nothing.”

“It’s the manner that’s the problem, the manner!”

“Isn’t it okay to just carry her down like you do?”

“Hey, that’s because I’m your younger sister!”

So, this guy was saying he lowered my Older Sister down the same way he lowers me. And that too, without any personal feelings, just because it was faster and more convenient.

“I’m sorry, Older Sister. I’ll apologize on his behalf.”

“Why? I said there’s nothing that violates etiquette, right?”

“Older Brother, be quiet.”

“No, Young Lady. I was just a little surprised…”

My Older Sister fanned her slightly reddened face.

Fortunately, it seemed she was only surprised, as her face soon returned to its usual color.

And then, Rainante, who had returned from my errand, approached with the page who was guiding us…

‘What is this now?’

I thought Rainante’s expression wasn’t good as he looked at the page who was guiding us, but what do you know, when I followed the page to the end of the hallway, there was a very unwelcome face.

“Ahem.”

The moment he saw me, he frowned and coughed. I quickly lowered my head.

“The daughter of Blackwinter greets His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

“…The second of Blackwinter greets the small sun of the empire.”

Following me, Stefan and Veronica Older Sister also quickly bowed. Stefan, after looking at me for a moment, sent a gaze that seemed to ask, ‘Why is that guy here?’

I know, right? Why is he here?

It’s an imperial banquet, and that guy was also a contestant, so it’s not strange for him to be at the banquet.

But it’s strange that he’s standing like this at the entrance we’re going into.

And he’s standing there as if he was waiting for us.

Could it be that he came to retaliate because he lost to me?

I hardened my expression.

“The Second Young Master is a familiar face, but this one is a face I’m seeing for the first time.”

“Ah, I am…”

“She is my guest, Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

He’s a member of the Imperial Family. I can’t introduce her as Kyle’s prospective fiancée to such a person, as my Older Sister was about to.

It’s not confirmed yet, is it?

‘Uh-huh.’

How much am I working to make sure it doesn’t get confirmed!

“She is my closest friend. She was a friend who cheered me on during my advancement in the martial arts tournament, so I invited her to join me here today.”

“Is that so?”

I was worried that this guy might be smitten by my Older Sister’s beauty, but thankfully, he didn’t seem interested in her.

Phew, that’s a real relief.

Instead, he kept glancing at my face.

If I had to guess, it seems like he really came because he was upset about losing to me…

“It’s an honor that Your Royal Highness is also attending this event.”

“Yes, this body was also a participant. Why, do you have any complaints?”

“No? Of course not.”

That’s right. Look at that crooked attitude! This guy definitely came to pick a fight!

‘I can’t fight inside the Imperial Palace. Should I make a sparring appointment?’

I steeled myself, ready to spar with him if necessary today.

But Stefan’s expression was not at all reassuring.

Why is he like this again?

“Ahem, it seems that we happened to overlap in the passage we were entering. It’s not exactly a welcome face, though!”

“Ahahaha.”

I’m not happy to see you either, you know?

“By the way, looking at the numbers, it seems like it doesn’t match, does it?”

“Yes?”

“A combination of two women and one man. One side is left empty.”

I blinked.

What this guy said was probably referring to the fact that at banquets, men and women enter in pairs.

But what does that matter? This is just an informal banquet held in the middle of the martial arts tournament, isn’t it?

He must think it’s a formal banquet where people look for marriage partners, like usual.

While grumbling inwardly, I smiled brightly.

“Thanks to His Majesty’s gracious permission for us to participate comfortably, I simply entered with my family and friend.”

“But ignoring basic etiquette is also, ahem, not a good look. And it wouldn’t be good for your reputation either…”

“…My reputation?”

“Yes, this body will specially help you.”

What?

The next moment, when this Crown Prince reached out his hand, I would have unknowingly summoned magic if I hadn’t barely held myself back.

Because the only reason for this guy and me to use our hands was to beat each other up.

“I, I will be your partner!”

…Did this guy go crazy after losing the match?

Or is this some kind of high-level mockery?

I barely managed to keep my face composed and stop my bewilderment from showing.

Because otherwise, a string of profanities would have come out.

‘The calmest thing I could think of was “Your Royal Highness, are you perhaps crazy?”, so how much worse would the other things have been?’

But I couldn’t completely hide my bewilderment.

This Crown Prince seemed to have noticed the flustered look that crossed my face.

“What is it? You look flustered.”

Swordsmen, really.

Their reflexes are unnecessarily good. I quickly composed my expression.

“Ah, I apologize. It was such a surprising thing to hear… It’s because it was a proposal I hadn’t expected at all.”

“Well, I suppose that’s understandable. It’s because this body personally offered to be your partner.”

Seriously, hasn’t this guy’s puberty ended yet?

A guy who’s older than me is using the title ‘this body’.

He still hasn’t let go of the black dragon that supposedly dwells in his left hand at the age of 15.

This time, I had to try hard not to show my exasperation.

“I am very grateful for the proposal.”

“Of course. Then…”

“But I am very sorry, but I would like to ask you to withdraw that proposal.”

Are you kidding me? The moment I hold your hand and go in, I’ll be branded as a ‘woman who has something going on with the Crown Prince’ in the eyes of the nobles here. I might even become someone secretly engaged to this guy.

At least I haven’t forgotten that I’m the daughter of Blackwinter.

I don’t know what this guy is thinking.

‘Is he trying to throw dirt on my path?’

It wasn’t hard to understand this guy’s intentions. He’s a human who has been ruling his whole life.

So, how much would he resent me for defeating him?

“Huh, what, what did you say? A rejection? Are you rejecting me now?”

Since things have come to this, he’s either trying to ruin my reputation and get me ostracized in noble society, or he’s trying to control and manipulate me even if we really do get engaged.

What a pathetic human.

I didn’t show my thoughts and bowed politely.

“As a woman, and also as a noble loyal to this empire, it is an extremely honorable proposal, but I ask that you consider and reconsider what position I am participating in today.”

Hey, you may not know, but I’m here as a contestant. How do you think people will see me if I hold your hand? Huh?

Even though I was bowing, I could feel his gaze burning fiercely.

…It seems like I’ve touched this guy’s pride the wrong way. I swallowed hard inside.

‘If he tries to attack me here, I’ll have to freeze his feet through Ice…’

The Emperor should also be in the banquet hall, so he wouldn’t act recklessly. So…

“I also bow my head and ask you, Your Royal Highness. Moreover, my younger sister has a partner today.”

That’s when it happened. Stefan bowed his head next to me.

“…A partner? Who is it? Which bastard is it?”

Whether it was because his plan to mess with me didn’t work, I could hear the Crown Prince grinding his teeth.

“It’s me, Your Royal Highness.”

“What?”

“I asked my younger sister to be my partner. Because I care a lot about my younger sister.”

The Crown Prince’s face crumpled like a broken pot. I can’t see a mirror, but I’m probably making a similar face, aren’t I?

Stefan, what is this Older Brother thinking by saying this? No, does this guy even have any thoughts?

Confusion crossed the Crown Prince’s handsome face.

“The Blackwinter Young Lady is the Young Master’s partner? Then what is the Young Lady next to you?”

How rude to call a person ‘what’. I was about to speak up quickly. But Stefan was faster.

“The Snow White Young Lady here is also my partner, Your Royal Highness.”

At that moment, a cold air that I had never felt before swirled around.

I thought this Older Brother had really panicked and gone crazy.

What is he saying…?

“Huh? Young Master. Are you playing a joke on me right now?”

“No, I am not.”

Stefan simply answered calmly.

“I asked both my younger sister and the Snow White Young Lady here to be my partners. My younger sister is family, so it’s not strange, is it?”

“You made such a request at this informal banquet? Why?”

“Ah, it was my dream.”

I opened my mouth slightly, watching with the thought, ‘Let’s see how far he goes.’

“I wanted to walk around with two beautiful young ladies on my arms. I mean it sincerely.”

…Is this Older Brother really crazy? Was I the crazy one?

What nonsense is he spouting?

I felt dumbfounded at the crazy talk about wanting to walk around with flowers on both arms.