By Some Unbelievable Twist, I Became the Villainess’s Older Brother

“Ha. That little mind of yours works remarkably fast at times like these. Weren’t you afraid?”

“Of what?”

Clicking his tongue, Adelio shifted aside and lay comfortably on the bed. He sprawled beside Enoch, folded both hands beneath his head, and even crossed his legs, looking thoroughly at ease.

“Let me spell it out for you then. Has it occurred to you that the First Princess might kill you if she took offense?”

‘Of course it did.’

But Enoch could tell that she had no intention of killing him.

It was a kind of certainty. She had used the Crown Prince as an excuse to summon him in secret, but more importantly, she had even mentioned the Tyrant’s story from the history books and uttered the word ‘transmigrator’ directly to him.

Despite singling him out as a ‘transmigrator,’ she had done no more than mention it and move on. Whatever her goal might be, it meant she had no intention of killing him in the end.

Of course, that applied only for now. Enoch believed the First Princess could change her mind at any time.

He sighed quietly, straightened his rumpled clothes, and sat upright. Then, before Adelio could catch him, he swiftly climbed off the bed and sat on a nearby sofa.

Only then did he feel a little more comfortable and regain enough presence of mind to look around Adelio’s bedroom.

Enoch had considered Duke Laochenes’s mansion more than large enough. But today, he realized anew that there was always another sky beyond the one he knew.

Perhaps it was only natural. The Emperor must have prepared this townhouse for Adelio. Enoch himself had heard about the place several times before.

It had been built in haste when the Emperor was a child and illness left him with only a few months to live. The Saint had said the boy needed to take refuge outside the palace for a while if he was to be saved.

Many years later, when he became Emperor, he opened this townhouse to his half brother. He then proclaimed that only the Emperor himself and his young brother Adelio could stay here.

This time, he had gone so far as to allow Adelio the use of the entire townhouse throughout his stay in the capital. The Emperor plainly still regarded Adelio as someone quite special.

The two commanders at Adelio’s side, Haynes and Leo, had also been taught by trusted retainers whom the Emperor had carefully groomed.

‘That must be why people still believe the Grand Duke enjoys His Majesty’s favor.’

As Enoch looked around and exclaimed softly, Adelio suddenly gave a sly laugh. But the instant his eyes met Enoch’s, he assumed a dignified expression as though he had done nothing of the kind.

Enoch shot Adelio a sideways glare. Of course, even that was disrespectful… but Enoch had already learned that Adelio did not take issue with such things.

In truth, if one began examining the matter closely, there would be no end to it. Adelio Chezaser, the Grand Duke. He was the Emperor’s half-brother and, despite his youth, ranked highly even within the Imperial Family.

For that reason, there had been endless talk when he departed for the monster-infested west when he was barely older than ten. Some whispered that he had lost the Emperor’s trust. Others pitied him and said the child would not last long before dying there.

Yet he defied them all and survived. He even rendered distinguished service and spent many long years in the west.

The number of times Adelio had returned to the imperial capital in all those years could be counted on one hand. Rumors openly circulated that nothing short of an extraordinary event could make him leave the west.

Yet the Emperor had summoned him to the capital, even dispatching Marquis Presen, renowned throughout the Empire as a loyal and celebrated general, to the west in his place. It was unlike the Emperor, who always valued practicality.

Until now, Enoch had paid little attention to the matter because it did not particularly concern him. But circumstances had changed.

Adelio had begun taking an interest in him and clinging to him. And now even the First Princess was involved!