The Misunderstanding of the Century

[I told you I would yield if there was a “lady” you were accompanying.]

First Princess Sierra spoke, her effort to suppress her anger evident. I stared at her and broke into a broad, silly grin. Perhaps seeing her brother’s foolish smile, Sierra scowled. My big brother… no, here he is my only brother. Anyway, to maintain the dignity of an elder brother, I shut my mouth which had been hanging open. However, the corners of my lips wouldn’t stay down. Sierra, let out a deep sigh at the sight of her pathetic brother, then set her fork down.

[Your Majesty.]

Even without the memories of “Emperor Kaian,” I could tell that Sierra calling me “Your Majesty” instead of “Big Brother” meant she was in a foul mood. She was my little sister, whom I had practically raised since she was a nursing infant. I couldn’t actually carry her on my back because of my health, but I held her hand when she took her first steps and sometimes even held her bottle.

[Yes, Sierra.]

The image of her being so small she felt like she might break is still vivid. To think she grew up like this. Well, technically she didn’t grow up yet, I’m just being spoiled with the future. Regardless, she grew up so beautifully… I eventually couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

[My sister. You look truly beautiful today.]

[Your Majesty.]

Following Sierra’s call, a sharp screeching sound of cutlery scraping a plate echoed. Sierra bit her lip and glared at the source of the noise. Kallios… rather than slicing, he was bringing a piece of meat that looked like it had been torn by brute force to his mouth, tilting his head slightly. Sierra’s expression turned fierce.

[Why is that person at this table?]

I finally understood what it meant to spit out words. My Sierra is quite good at that. Avoiding her sharp gaze, I looked only at the plate in front of me and answered.

[You were the one who suggested we eat together.]

[That was!]

At a loss for words, Sierra picked up her fork again. Even though she had become a seventeen-year-old girl, she apparently hadn’t shed the habit of shredding her food when she was upset. I watched her cut and mash the veal steak as if she intended to turn it into powder, then quietly shut my mouth.

It was true that Sierra suggested eating together. That’s why she couldn’t say anything and was just bullying the steak. However, the reason she made that suggestion was me.

My brother Kallios had always been like a doll, but that was due to his excessively beautiful face and a personality that didn’t reveal emotional changes. But the Duke of Rotenmeyer was literally like a doll. It wasn’t that he didn’t show emotions; it felt like they didn’t exist at all. As if through his long years of suffering, the emotions that were already shallower than most had been whittled away to nothing.

I was so saddened by that I hugged him again and cried just a little bit—really, just a tiny bit—and that’s when Sierra burst in.

The sight of her brother and a man in black embracing… it must have been a shock. Of course, Kallios is my brother, and there’s nothing strange about brothers hugging, but Sierra doesn’t know that yet (?). Even so, you are a truly great Princess for not screaming and closing the door first so others wouldn’t see. You grew up well, my princess.

Anyway, both Sierra and I were startled. An awkward silence followed. And then…

– Dinner… shall we have dinner first, for now?

The intelligently grown Sierra had suggested.

[How is the food? Does it suit your palate?]

Kallios, who was chewing meat, looked at me. Seeming to check if the question was for him, he waited for my nod before answering after swallowing thoroughly.

[Yes.]

[Eat plenty and take your time.]

[Yes.]

Kallios tore into the meat again. Screeech, the blunt blade scraped the plate. The mask made it look uncomfortable for him to eat. My mouth felt bitter.

[Your Majesty.]

Sierra called me again.

[Yes?]

I replied, looking at my lovely Sierra.

One side is the bad ending, and the other is the good ending. The bad ending is Kallios, and the good ending is obviously Sierra.

My princess was pretty as a baby and at ten, but at seventeen, she was truly radiantly beautiful. Her golden hair, grown to her waist, was lush, and her sparkling pink eyes were so lovely I wanted to kiss them. Her cheeks, still retaining a bit of baby fat, were flushed, and her expressions, shifting with her mood, were vibrant. The ideal of a princess who grew up receiving plenty of love, which I had desired so much, was right before my eyes.

[You are being very strange today.]

She must have found it odd that her brother was fluctuating between being happy and being gloomy. But Sierra. This is truly unavoidable.

Sierra, let out another deep sigh, looking so cute and pretty that I wanted to pull her into a hug and stroke her hair. If it weren’t mealtime and if I didn’t have “Emperor Kaian’s” memories, I certainly would have.

The actions of Kaian remaining in the implanted memories showed he was a kind and gentle brother, but there was a clear line. Since Sierra turned five, he hadn’t even stroked her hair, let alone hugged her. Even with a body this strong. If it were me, I would have carried her on my back every day. People who have things never realize how precious they are. This won’t do. I must stroke her hair once the meal is over.

An attendant approached and placed a fresh veal steak in front of Kallios. Kallios silently began to eat that as well. Did those b*stards not even feed him properly? Our Kallios is so big. He’s not just a swordsman but a Sword Master, so he needs to eat a lot…

[Your Majesty.]

[Big Brother.]

I need to pull myself together. This time, both siblings called me together. After a fake cough, I moved the fork and knife I had only been holding. However, my resolve didn’t last long. I finished the meal very slowly, looking at Sierra after one bite of meat, and looking at Kallios after another.

The rain didn’t let up by the time the meal ended, so I gave Kallios a room. Sierra frowned when I told them to give him the best room, but she didn’t say anything. Kallios also followed the attendant to the room without a word.

[He is the Duke of Rotenmeyer, right?]

Sierra, who had been sitting quietly until the tea set was fully arranged, finally spoke. The well-grown Sierra was so pretty that I felt full just looking at her, but talking was even better, so I answered quickly.

[Yes. He is Duke Kallios Capre Rotenmeyer.]

Sierra let out a sigh that seemed like it would collapse the ground.

[What’s wrong?]

My princess didn’t answer and sighed once more. I set down my teacup and stood up. Not to sit across from her, but to sit right next to her.

As I pulled out the chair to sit, Sierra looked up at me. I looked back for a moment in a half-standing posture before quickly sitting down to face her.

[What is making my princess so troubled?]

[I am the First Princess, not a princess. Your Majesty.]

[Right. You are.]

Even her response is perfectly my princess. So this is what Sierra becomes when she grows up. She grows up this pretty and this refined. I tapped her healthy cheek with my index finger and then cupped it. Sierra was flustered by the action “Emperor Kaian” would never do, but she soon leaned her cheek against my hand with a sulky expression. I smiled as I brushed her lowered eyelids with my thumb.

[Her Imperial Highness, First Princess Sierra. What is making you so troubled that you sighed twice?]

[Big Brother is…]

Because Sierra, who was always sharp, was hesitating, I leaned my chin on my hand with an elbow on the table and asked, [Hmm?] Sierra soon raised her jewel-like eyes to look at me.

[Does Your Majesty find that person to your liking?]

Sierra, who was watching my reaction, began to speak calmly. It was about Kallios.

[It won’t be good.]

She said that despite him wearing a white mask that got in the way during meals, there wasn’t a soul who didn’t know about the brand on his face. I didn’t know. Looking through “Emperor Kaian’s” memories, it seems the brand is a rumor spread in social circles.

My mouth kept going dry, so I picked up the teacup several times. Sierra spoke calmly. Keeping someone with such a brand by one’s side would be a flaw. She was happy that someone caught the eye of her brother who had only ever worked, but she had no choice but to oppose it. She hated the thought of her respected brother becoming the subject of noble gossip…

[Huh?]

[If he is out of sight, he will be out of mind.]

Wait a minute. I think the focus is a bit off. Regardless of whether I was flustered or not, Sierra grabbed my hand with a desperate expression.

[Even if Big Brother’s heart is a sincere love, no one will think that way. Everyone will point fingers at an Emperor fallen for a man and his s*x s*ave.]

[…]

[You only met him for the first time today.]

[Wait, Sierra.]

[Just think of it as being momentarily tempted by that handsome face.]

Sierra lowered her head with an expression that said she was incredibly sorry for saying such things. I suppressed the urge to scream and forced a smile.

[Sierra.]

Just what on earth is this princess thinking regarding me and Kallios?

Even after nearly two hours of explanation, Sierra didn’t seem to have cleared her suspicion that I had fallen for (?) Kallios. The expression on her face as she looked at me right before returning to the Princess’s Palace said this:

[My poor big brother who has entered the stage of ‘denial of fandom.’]

No, that’s not it, Sierra! I wanted to grab the hem of her skirt and cling to her, but I couldn’t. An explanation given in a situation where the most important fact couldn’t be revealed lacked persuasiveness even to my own ears. Well, brotherly love is a type of love, so technically it is love. But still, what, huh? No, what!

I was lounging around, drained of energy, when the Head Chamberlain entered to escort me to the bedroom. I trudged like a defeated soldier into “today’s bedroom.”

Since the country was stable, there were almost no cases of assassins being sent to the Emperor, but as a precaution, the Emperor used twenty bedrooms alternately. This is a bit of trivial knowledge from “Emperor Kaian.” For the record, the person who decides today’s bedroom is the Head Chamberlain. That’s why the position was held by the person the Emperor could trust most, and Count Windberg was a person more than qualified to be considered the “most trusted.” She was “Emperor Kaian’s” wet nurse.

Seriously, Kallios and I aren’t in that kind of relationship! Despite my efforts to think of other things, the misunderstanding I received today popped back up. I kicked wildly in the bathtub. I said no! It’s not! No, let’s calm down. Since it’s not real, it’ll naturally clear up. I might wake up from this dream before then, and that would be good in its own way. But seriously, it’s not like that!

I’m going crazy. I brushed back my messy hair with wet hands. A mirror filling an entire wall came into view. Inside the mirror, blurry with steam, was a healthy and flushed “Emperor Kaian.” I brushed back a strand of hair stuck to my forehead and stared blankly.

Red hair and red eyes.

Usually, Imperial family members born with the “Dragon’s Blessing” had either red eyes or red hair, but not both. Kallios and Sierra were like that. Their eyes had a red tint, but their hair was blonde. Usually, it’s said they resemble their mother’s hair color.

But I had both. And a vivid vermillion color that resembled flames.

An Emperor with red eyes stabilized the country, and an Emperor with red hair made the country prosperous. It’s funny that the fate of the country is determined by hair and eye color, but that’s how it’s been so far. I messily disheveled my hair and then dived underwater. There was only one Emperor with both red eyes and red hair. Founding Emperor Kaian. Here, there are two. Kaian and Kaian.

I don’t know. I just want to finish the trial and get out. I stared at the bubbles bursting from my mouth with wide-open eyes. Just then, someone’s shadow was reflected on the wavering surface of the water.

I pulled my head out of the water. I couldn’t open my eyes because of the dripping water and hair. As I rubbed my face with my hands, I heard the sound of water. To be precise, it was the sound of someone stepping into my—Emperor Kaian’s—large bathtub and walking. I rubbed my eyes clear and checked.

[Who…]

The arm grabbing my chin had words carved into it with a knife: “The Shame of Rotenmeyer.”

The brand on the approaching face was red. I squeezed my eyes shut.

…It seems Sierra wasn’t the only one who misunderstood my actions.

Our lips touched.

Dammit.