The Male Lead’s Younger Sister is Still Sad Today

Episode 18

As I scrutinized his expression, I was so startled that I quickly turned my head towards Mr. Henry. My mouth was full of cake, preventing me from speaking.

However, Mr. Henry let out a sigh and began to speak. “How much did you torment him to make the good lad submit a resignation letter? Still, Chase is quite a decent lad, isn’t he? He didn’t run away secretly like the others; he submitted a resignation letter diligently.”

“…!”

“Right, Chase. I almost forgot to mention. Servants have one-on-one meetings with His Grace before leaving their service. So, His Grace has been quite upset with you. There are so many who run away without even holding a meeting.”

It seemed like he knew why so many servants ran away.

“Please continue with the meeting. I’ll excuse myself now.”

Amid the frosty atmosphere, Mr. Henry left the room with a bright smile.

“…Resignation letter?”

The Duke looked at me and smiled brightly, just like Mr. Henry. Of course, a smile couldn’t change a person’s character.

Raiden unfastened his cufflinks and even removed a wristwatch more expensive than my entire worth.

He threw the wristwatch carelessly onto the table, creating a dull sound. It wasn’t a significant noise, but it startled me more than I expected.

His shirt swelled up tightly.

In the peculiar tension that surrounded me, I gulped down the cake that was still in my mouth.

“….”

“…Haha.”

With a forced chuckle in my uneasy heart, Raiden’s gaze on me became even more intense.

The silence was truly suffocating.

Apart from the occasional creaking of the chair as Raiden leaned back, there was no other sound. Of course, the ticking of the clock filled the space, but it was as if its absence would have been preferable.

Listening to the ticking sound, my mind felt strange. It seemed like time was passing more slowly.

…Is he angry?

Summoning up a little courage, I met Raiden’s gaze head-on. His ashen eyes were focused directly on me.

Could he have really realized that I’m a woman? If he thought that, it wouldn’t be surprising for my deceptive appearance.

I swallowed nervously without even realizing it. The sweet chocolate taste that I had been enjoying until a moment ago now had a bitter aftertaste. My throat felt dry, so I quickly picked up a water glass and drank, although I wasn’t really thirsty.

“A resignation letter…”

Raiden muttered again. Feeling the pressure, I quickly spoke up.

“I was going to explain, but Mr. Henry beat me to it.”

“…”

“Well, um… yes, that’s what happened.”

I knew I had more to say, but the piercing gaze of his ashen eyes made me forget everything I wanted to say. I raised my hands politely above my knees, feeling a dryness in my mouth.

However, Raiden soon broke into a grin and folded his hands over his knee. Despite my anxious appearance, he seemed remarkably relaxed.

But based on everything I had observed about Raiden’s character so far, this was definitely not a good sign.

Raiden laughed with a smiling face and began to wildly shoot a gun, overturning the table, and tossing a living human out of the window. The reason there were so many trees planted near the building was also due to this.

In fact, people fall from the sky in the aristocratic district. It’s quite fascinating, isn’t it?

Whether it was because I looked quite anxious or for some other reason, Raiden raised both of his hands dramatically and said, “Oh, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’m not here to scold you; I’m here to have a nice one-on-one meeting with you.”

“…”

“I’m just curious about what you’re not happy with. If I remember correctly, you were quite content with your job, weren’t you?”

Despite the friendly words, the Duke’s eyes, as he looked at me, glinted menacingly.

The moment I met his shining eyes, I had an instinctive feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong. Well, this was a survival instinct, after all.

“So, go ahead and speak your mind with those piercing eyes of yours.”

Despite his smiling face, his words were quite harsh, and there was a significant disconnect between his expression and what he was saying.

“I want to try some self-improvement with my brother.”

In a state of alarm, I quickly responded. Lately, my relationship with Raiden had improved, and I didn’t think I would be as frightened as before, but his words were quite unsettling.

Raiden’s eyebrows shot up upon hearing my words. His reaction didn’t seem to convey any ill intent, so I hurriedly added, “We’re still young.”

“Wait, …so, your brother also submitted a resignation letter?”

Raiden’s smiling face paused momentarily.

Did he think that Abel was staying in the aristocratic district, and I was the only one who had submitted a resignation letter? I found it a bit puzzling, but I answered truthfully, “Yes.”

“He didn’t just submit one by himself?”

“No, my brother also plans to leave the aristocratic district with me.”

“Did that guy tell Henry to have you both submit resignation letters? His and yours?”

Well, Abel did tell Henry to have me submit my resignation letter as well. I nodded in affirmation, and Raiden let out a wry laugh.

“Ha…”

Raiden brushed back his frustrating hair, then spoke with a condescending tone.

“Did he pester you into leaving with him? Blame me for this? All of a sudden like this?”

…As I listened to his words in silence, it didn’t seem like he had found out that I’m a woman. Of course, it wasn’t certain. Raiden might be pretending.

In that case, I needed to steer the conversation toward leaving the aristocratic district somehow.

“No… I didn’t say that.”

“You don’t understand the ways of the world.”

I’ve lived on the streets for quite a while, in case you haven’t noticed.

Sighing deeply, Raiden opened his mouth.

“Listen, listen carefully. Why do you think that guy wants to take you and leave the aristocratic district? It’s because there’s no one to protect you! He wants to have you completely under his control! You’re letting him tame you!”

Raiden, who had started the conversation relatively calmly, suddenly raised his voice and pounded the table with his fist. This sudden outburst made the dishes on the table rattle noisily.

Of course, Abel and I had been together since we were born, but wasn’t he taking this a bit too far?

In the midst of the cacophony that filled the room, I cautiously replied to his words.

“But I want to try self-improvement…”

“Do it here. You can do it here!”

Raiden interrupted me and yelled. I had never imagined that someone could be so obsessed with another person.

Is this his way of showing affection?

Nevertheless, no matter what, I had to leave the aristocratic district with Abel. Since Abel had already mentioned leaving the aristocratic district, I couldn’t miss this opportunity.

I quickly came up with an excuse.

“I made too many mistakes and caused trouble for others. I thought it would be better to leave rather than continue being a nuisance.”

“Why, considering how easily you’ve been enjoying your meals despite the mistakes you made.”

Even if things don’t add up, food can still be delicious. Just because things don’t add up doesn’t mean the food has to be bad.

Of course, I didn’t have the courage to say that, so I took another sip of water instead.

Deep in thought, Raiden eventually spoke up.

“In that case, just tell that guy to leave for self-improvement. I’ll consider it your probation period, so you can learn from Roel. If you still can’t manage it, then leave.”

I paused for a moment in response to his words.

“…Is that really okay?”

“Hmm?”

Well, wait a minute… But if it goes that way, couldn’t Abel use his salary from the aristocratic district to study what he really wants? Abel is as talented as Isis in magic, after all.

People are so cunning.

I had initially planned to leave the aristocratic district with Abel, but my mind suddenly changed when I thought that it might help Abel achieve what he wanted.

Living off our income from the café was actually quite challenging. Moreover, the cost of living and housing in the capital was high.

Imagining Abel being able to study what he wanted, a sense of happiness filled me.

Of course, there were still things I needed to check.

I carefully observed Raiden and cautiously ventured to speak.

“Um, Your Grace. So, what about the matter from that day…?”

Raiden, who was about to bring a teacup to his lips, paused for a moment.

I had wanted to test the waters to see if he had figured out that I was a woman because of that incident. But due to the embarrassment, I couldn’t bring myself to continue. I felt my face blushing deeply.

“Don’t mention it.”

As I stared at my own blushing face, I wondered what he interpreted it as. Raiden, with an astonished expression, quickly placed the teacup back on the table.

“Do you think I gossip about other people’s affairs like some trash?”

“No, not at all! Thank you!”

In response to Raiden’s expression that seemed to view me as a wretched scoundrel, I responded instinctively, almost as if I had a convulsion. I wasn’t sure what misunderstanding the nobleman had, but it was fortunate that it wasn’t the worst-case scenario I had in mind.

Raiden wiped his face with one hand and leaned back on the sofa.

“You need to go to your brother right away and tell him that the bastard is safe.”

“Now?”

Shouldn’t this kind of thing be discussed at night, setting the mood right? If I went to Abel, who was working, and told him this, it was likely that it would affect my work, and he might rush over to Raiden right away.

“Come on, look at this. You’re not going right away?”

Seeing me hesitate for a moment, Raiden sat up abruptly from the couch. As if he might get up from the sofa, I quickly got up from my seat.

“I’ll go right away and tell my brother.”

As if to say “you better,” Raiden waved his hand.

He seemed rather tired during our conversation.