Chapter 32 - The Mermaid Princess's Little Brother

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

If you’re able to provide me with the Raws of the Novels I need, you'll be the first person to receive my translation of them. You’ll also gain instant access to up to 30 advanced chapters for the novel of your choice.

For more details, you can check out the Raw Provider new page. 

The Bracelet of Gold〘3〙

 

 

Theo ran through the forest, his feet carrying him blindly wherever his legs would take him, his mind lost in a whirlwind of fear. Along the way, he realized he was heading away from the town, but it was too late to turn back. From behind him came a furious shout, "Stop! I'll kill you!"

 

(Help! Someone... please help!)

 

Though he had always trusted his legs, now they stumbled, refusing to move as swiftly as he wished. He tripped, fell, and scrambled to his feet, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he fled deeper into the woods, until he found himself standing at the edge of a river.

 

The water was shallow, no deeper than his knees, so without a second thought, Theo plunged into the stream, pushing through the current as fast as he could. The man, however, did not follow. Instead, he took to hurling stones at Theo's back.

 

One stone splashed down dangerously close to him, sending a shiver of cold terror up his spine. It was a large rock, nearly three times the size of his fist. If it had struck him, he would have surely perished. Glancing back in a panic, Theo saw the man lifting another stone, his face twisted in rage, screaming like a demon, "Die!"

 

"Stop right there! Do you want to be shot?"

 

A voice rang out unexpectedly from ahead, and Theo froze in the middle of the river. Clinging to a rock to steady himself, his gaze darted to the other side, where a young man with golden hair stood. In his hands, he held a rifle, and strapped to his side was a long sword. His noble bearing was unmistakable, and beside him stood a pure white horse.

 

"Tch... damn it!"

 

The red-haired man hesitated, shielding his face with his arm, before turning sharply on his heels. It was common knowledge that a commoner who dared challenge a noble could be shot on the spot without consequence. With a curse, the man fled, disappearing back into the forest.

 

"Are you all right? Can you make it over here?"

 

Theo turned his gaze toward the young man on the riverbank, who was watching him with concern. Even from a distance, Theo could see the bright emerald hue of his eyes, glowing with a mix of worry and kindness.

 

"Ugh..."

 

Though the river's deepest points only reached his thighs, and the current was gentle, Theo's legs refused to obey him. His body was overwhelmed with relief at the other man's retreat, leaving him trembling and weak.

 

"Hold on to that boulder and wait."

 

With a splash, the blond youth removed his boots and asked his horse to stay put before wading into the river. He cut through the water with ease, finally reaching Theo. Up close, the youth was even more striking, like a noble knight from the pages of a storybook.

 

"Are you all right? Take my hand..."

 

His long, pale hair, tied with a ribbon the same color as his eyes, shimmered in the sunlight that reflected off the water. His features were regal and graceful, his brows set in a way that gave him a noble air. But it was his smile—kind and without suspicion—that truly set him apart. Even Theo, who rarely paid attention to such things, realized how special he was.

 

"Ah... Thank you... My name is Theo..."

 

"I'm Siegfried, but you can call me Sig."

 

When Theo heard his name, he thought it fit him perfectly, but his heart was still racing too fast to respond as he normally would, with compliments or casual familiarity. He could hardly calm down, even after being saved.

 

"Your clothes are soaked, aren't they? You'll catch a cold. I have a large blanket. You can wrap yourself in it while your clothes dry."

 

Sig led Theo out of the water, supporting him gently by the shoulders, and fetched a blanket from his horse's saddle. Though it looked small at first, it was large enough to wrap completely around Theo. Feeling shy but reassured by the thick fabric covering him, Theo hesitated only a moment before removing his trousers and undergarments to dry them as Sig suggested.

 

It was the first time he'd done something like this in front of anyone other than his closest kin, and his nervousness showed. He couldn't simply hand his wet clothes over, so he wrung them out himself, shaking them vigorously before laying them over the warm river stones to dry. The stones, heated by the sun, felt like a skillet, and he knew his clothes would dry quickly.

 

"Master Sig, what about you? Won't you catch a cold?"

 

"Ah, don't worry about me. I'm rather resilient."

 

Sig smiled, patting his chest. Despite his fair complexion, even paler than Theo's, he seemed strong and hardy. He had the broad shoulders and firm build of someone well-trained in swordsmanship and firearms—a nobleman who had seen his share of rigorous training.

 

"Um... thank you for saving me. I..."

 

Sig's hand, resting gently on Theo's blanket-wrapped back, guided him to sit on the soft grass by the riverbank. Yet even in this calm, Theo's heart remained uneasy. His thoughts wandered back to the river, to the other shore, where memories of his encounter with the red-haired man haunted him—how his dignity had been violated, his brother cruelly insulted. He had struck the man with his foot, and then stones had been thrown at him in retaliation. The memory sent a shudder through his body.

 

"Are you frightened?" Sig asked softly. "I'm truly sorry that a child like you has had to sell his body just to survive. It must have been a dreadful ordeal."

 

"N-no, it's not like that," Theo stammered. "I'm not... selling myself. This... this bracelet belonged to my older brother, long ago."

 

Theo noticed Sig's gaze lingering on the bracelet around his ankle, and instinctively, he covered it with his hands. He wished he could tear it off and cast it into the river, but his fingers trembled too much to manage the task.

 

"I didn't know what my brother had to do back then to support us. But now, he has someone who loves him."

 

"Was it because of that man that you learned what your brother used to do?" Sig's question was gentle, though it stirred deep feelings in Theo. After a brief pause, Theo shook his head, his eyes earnest.

 

"It's not that... I just didn't know. My brother had to endure such awful things, and I never even realized."

 

Theo's mind drifted back to his childhood, to the sad smiles his brother would give as he left for work, returning late at night, weary and worn. As a child, Theo had always believed that work was simply difficult, though he never understood the nature of it. He only knew he was always hungry, and his brother—kind and selfless—would tell him to eat more, even though it left less for himself. Before Theo had truly understood, it had become the norm.

 

"I want to apologize to my brother... I do, but I can't. He would be happier not knowing that I've found out the truth. Apologizing would only burden him."

 

Tears welled up in Theo's eyes, and soon the blanket he clutched to his knees was damp with sorrow. As Sig's large hands gently stroked his shoulders and back, Theo found himself recalling his brother's expressions—the one from the past, burdened with pain, and the one now, free and happy. His brother had left behind the cruel life of a courtesan, removed his ankle bracelet, and found joy with Fernan. Theo did not want to tarnish that hard-earned happiness with his own guilt.

 

"Theo... you're a very good brother."

 

"I'm not," Theo replied, shaking his head. "I didn't know how my brother was making money... and all I did was cry to him that I was hungry. I talked only about myself."

 

"Don't cry... None of this is your fault," Sig said firmly. "It's the fault of this land, of the people in power who do nothing to help. You and your brother have done nothing wrong."

 

Theo felt Sig's strong arms pulling him close, and as he rested his head against Sig's chest, he could feel the press of his fingers, as though trying to ease Theo's burden through sheer will. As Sig's hand gently patted his head, Theo thought of the many moments his brother had soothed him the same way.

 

"I wish I could have been a younger brother as honest and kind as you, Theo... maybe things would have turned out differently."

 

"Do you have siblings, Master Sig?"

 

"Yes, I have two older brothers, but at home, my brothers are always at odds. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been better if I... the third one... didn't exist."

 

"That's not true!" Theo exclaimed, gripping Sig's hand with fervor. "If you hadn't been here today, I would have been lost."

 

"Theo..."

 

Sig looked so forlorn, prompting Theo to squeeze his hand tighter. The fear and trembling that had consumed him earlier had faded away, replaced with a deep desire to comfort this kind young man who had saved him.

 

"Without you, I might've been swept away by the river, or worse. I'm so grateful I met you here, Master Sig. Thank you."

 

With a heart full of gratitude, Theo leaned forward and kissed Sig gently on the cheek, then again on the other. The kisses were light, full of trust and appreciation. And then, with the same tenderness Sig had shown him earlier, Theo ran his fingers through Sig's golden hair, touching him with the softest of care. Sig's almond-shaped eyes, wide with surprise, shimmered like polished jade, the golden flecks in his irises catching the light of the fading sun.

 

(Master Sig's eyes... they're so beautiful...) Theo thought, mesmerized.

 

As he lingered in that enchanted moment, the blanket slipped from Theo's shoulders, revealing the loosened shirt beneath. Before he could react, Sig had gently pressed him down onto the soft grass, the sky now a bright blue canvas overhead. Sig's face loomed close, his expression unreadable.

Last Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter