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Chapter 247: Rinella’s Destiny is Her Own (40)

"...Get your meaty buttocks away."

Ria appeared quite taken aback by the word I used. She sprang up from her seat but swiftly regained her composure.

It was inevitable that Ria, unsettled by my remark, would soon start picking on me.

"Th-then what about you, who was bewitched by your little sister\'s meaty buttocks?!"

"I have never been bewitched."

"Yes, you were! Back then, you avoided eye contact and blushed!"

"It was only because it was a difficult scene to watch."

"...Arrrghhhh!"

In the face of my flawless logic, Ria clutched her head with both hands and screamed.

I snorted and continued reading the documents.

Regardless of the circumstances, developing sexual desires for my sister was utterly unacceptable.

It was not merely about the honor of nobility, but a matter of human dignity.

Not to mention the peace of the Percus family.

However, ethics were futile against Ria, who was in a rage.

After simmering with rage for a while, she suddenly smiled as if she had an idea.

Then, almost immediately, a pleasant weight settled on my thighs.

Ria had just thrown herself into my arms.

Suddenly finding myself in close contact with my sister\'s body, I couldn\'t help but be surprised. I was about to reproach her.

"Ria, you...!"

"Oh, why are you like that?"

Intentionally, she shifted her hip to draw herself even closer to me, pressing her body against mine.

The scent of her feminine body left me feeling disoriented.

When I first saw her, she was just a little over ten years old. Now, this small girl had grown this much.

I couldn\'t suppress the bewildering emotions.

While I was lost in thought, Ria took it a step further, pressing her body firmly against my chest. I could feel the gentle pressure through the fabric.

With a mischievous snicker, she whispered sweetly.

"Didn\'t you say you weren\'t bewitched by your little sister? Were you lying?"

"...Of course, I\'m telling the truth. I won\'t harbor any feelings towards my little sister."

"Oh, really?"

At that, Ria slyly brushed her hip against my thigh, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes as an amusing idea seemed to come to her.

Her warm breath grazed my cheek.

It was a sign that Ria was about to speak.

Feeling tickled by her breath, I couldn\'t help but avert my gaze.

"...Then, do you want to make a bet with me, Oppa? Whether or not you are excited by this little sister of yours."

I could see desire flickering in Ria’s golden eyes as she made such an absurd proposal.

The nature of that emotion was likely a competitive spirit, so I tried to calm myself.

In the end, all I could do was let out a deep sigh, something I had done several times today.

"This is sexual harassment..."

Of course, Ria paid little attention to my sighs.

Instead, she giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck. It wouldn\'t be surprising if someone mistook her for a newlywed embracing her husband.

With an enchanting voice, she delivered the decisive blow.

"...If I win, tonight we\'re going to sleep together for the first time in a long while."

What a crazy girl.

I cursed inwardly and placed my hand on my forehead.

I regretted listening to her childish complaints about not being able to sleep recently.

Ria, who hadn\'t had a moment alone with me, was this dangerous.

She was someone who couldn\'t bear not having her older brother all to herself.

***My younger sister’s rebellion ended as quickly as it began when I finally smacked Ria on the forehead, unable to endure any longer.

"...Ouch!"

Tears welled up in Ria\'s eyes as she teased me with a triumphant attitude.

It was inevitable that her arms, once wrapped around my neck, would loosen as she reached up to soothe her throbbing forehead.

When Ria shot me a glare through teary eyes, I adopted a stern expression deliberately.

"Ria, even though we\'re family... a young woman of marriageable age shouldn\'t behave so recklessly."

Under my scolding, Ria instantly lost her spirit because I rarely scolded her genuinely.

That was why Ria was very fond of me.

I didn\'t really want to scold Ria either. However, occasionally, it was necessary to draw the line.

That was the essence of a proper sibling relationship.

However, even in her dispirited state, Ria couldn\'t resist a minor act of defiance.

"...I-I\'m not getting married."

"You can’t be sure about that yet, Ria... You\'ll understand once you see how your life unfolds."

When I spoke softly, Ria looked a bit down.

From her reaction, it seemed like she hadn\'t anticipated that I would actually scold her.

Unable to maintain my facade, I softened my expression and pulled Ria into a gentle embrace.

"Ria, I\'m sorry I haven\'t been able to pay attention to you since I returned home. But there\'s an urgent matter I must attend to... I promise to make it up to you."

"...Really?"

I patted Ria\'s back reassuringly.

Honestly, Ria\'s voluptuous chest pressing against me felt somewhat stifling. Nonetheless, I could endure it as her older brother.

If she were the Saintess, holding her so firmly would have been impossible.

A fleeting impure thought crossed my mind, but Ria had no way of knowing what I was thinking.

She was just cutely whining in my arms.

"Will you really do anything I ask?"

"Of course."

"Even sleeping together, too?"

"No, that\'s a bit... If our parents find out, we\'ll be in trouble."

It was easy for unmarried men and women of marriageable age to be misunderstood if they were alone in a bedroom together.

The last time I tried to soothe Ria and put her to sleep was about two years ago. I remember trying to rationalize it with the fact that she was still young.

However, now Ria was a young woman, about to enter the academy next year.

I was certain that if our parents found out, it wouldn\'t just end with a scolding.

Unaware of my good intentions, Ria pouted. She was clearly displeased.

"Then, get rid of all the other girls except me."

"How can I do that to our guests?"

"...Tch."

In the end, I spent more time than expected calming Ria down.

Fortunately, Ria was satisfied with going to the city alone with me.

Otherwise, it could have been dangerous if I had stayed any closer to Ria.

When Ria rubbed her buttocks against me, I instinctively sensed a crisis.

With that, I exhaled and left the reception room.

Now, it was time to visit Sir Reynold.

***Sir Reynold was staying at an inn.

Although it was a bit old, the owner made a great effort to maintain it. So, it could be considered the best among the few inns in the Percus territory.

However, the inn lacked the hospitality expected for guests like the Rinella family\'s Mage Corp.

I was particularly concerned about how the strict Sir Reynold was faring.

Considering that he was Senior Elsie’s uncle, Sir Reynold probably received all sorts of special treatment from the Rinella family.

Staying in an old inn in the countryside couldn\'t have been comfortable.

To address this, my father planned to send a few of the manor\'s servants, but Sir Reynold adamantly refused.

At that time, I thought Sir Reynold was clinging to his pride unnecessarily.

However, upon seeing Sir Reynold in the inn, I realized those worries were utterly unfounded.

Sir Reynold had even changed out of his dress uniform and was seated comfortably in the room. Although he had always been stern, I could tell that he appeared much more at ease.

In his room were several books and an old staff.

When I showed interest in the staff, Sir Reynold, as usual, explained in a voice that made it hard to discern his true thoughts.

"It\'s a staff I used when I worked as a mercenary."

"...A mercenary?"

My eyes widened unexpectedly at this revelation.

Sometimes, some low-ranking nobles did become mercenaries due to financial difficulties. However, choosing such a dangerous profession was unusual for a wealthy noble.

Sir Reynold nodded, seemingly expecting my reaction.

"It was some recklessness during my younger days... I truly despised the constraints of the family back then. After being made to break off the engagement with the woman I loved, I pursued freedom and left the family."

This seemingly stone-hearted man had once experienced love.

Moreover, if he, who seemed to value the family\'s rules, went so far as to leave the family, it must have been a rather passionate love.

Love stories were a popular subject across all ages.

I was no exception, eagerly anticipating the continuation of Sir Reynold\'s story with an intrigued gaze.

"It was good at first, I was happy... Maybe that\'s why, even now, a simple inn like this is more comfortable than a luxurious bedroom. However, the ties of blood are tougher than one might think."

"Because in the end, you returned to the family?"

In response to my question, Sir Reynold held back a wry smile.

It was the first genuine expression I had seen from him.

"...The day I went missing, my older brother searched for me everywhere. I mean, he was notorious for being strict and harsh, even as a child."

Sir Reynold seemed unable to overcome those emotions.

Given their strong bond, it made sense that his brother entrusted the Mage Corp to him. Additionally, Sir Reynold, who had once abandoned his family, had no reason to seek power.

Perhaps Count Rinella understood this; that was why he searched for his younger brother.

Because an individual who had reached the level of \'Archmage\' was undoubtedly powerful in their own right.

Of course, this was nothing more than speculation.

This wasn’t a matter I could debate as an outsider. However, I sensed that Sir Reynold\'s gaze was different when he looked at the staff.

It was a gaze filled with sorrow.

After staring at the staff for a while, Sir Reynold finally spoke bluntly.

"...So, what brings you here?"

I began reciting the lines I had prepared.

It mostly consisted of information gathered by Senior Nerris.

There had been similar disappearance cases ten years ago. Rumors akin to that time were circulating again, prompting me to investigate the truth by visiting the Yurdina family\'s military post.

When I recounted the part where I encountered Mitram, Sir Reynold marveled and nodded.

He then sighed softly.

"...You alone are better than the entire Rinella Mage Corp combined."

Most of it was Senior Nerris\'s work, so I felt a bit embarrassed.

After organizing his thoughts for a moment, Sir Reynold slowly began to speak.

"If that’s the case, of course, the Rinella family must cooperate as well. There is also His Imperial Majesty’s order. However, I have one question..."

It was a positive response.

Having achieved my goal, I clenched my fist in a discreet celebration. With the support of the Rinella family\'s Mage Corp, the hunt for the Dark Order would be much easier.

Feeling uplifted, I looked at Sir Reynold, indicating he could ask anything.

However, his next question was completely unexpected.

"...Do you have any intention of getting engaged to Elsie?"

My mind went blank.

It was a question that, depending on my answer, could alter the fate of Senior Elsie and myself.