I was Reincarnated as the Scum Older Brother of the Protagonist in a Romance Battle Game, But I don't want to Die, so I'll do my Best - Episode 37

〇 Hokkaido, Sapporo Suburbs, Kitano Family Main Residence, Reception Room

After my father informed me that the responsibility for the annulment of the engagement with the Miyashita family lay entirely with me, I fully acknowledged it since it was true… Then…

“The response from the Miyashita family hasn’t arrived yet, but the compensation payment has already been settled… Joji, do you understand what I’m implying?”

Once again, the gazes of all three people in the room focused on me.

“Yes. You’re saying that to make me take responsibility, I should pay this compensation fee myself, correct?”

“!?”

“………..”

My words surprised my mother, while Takashi’s expression remained unchanged…

“You catch on quick…”

“However, Father, you know full well I don’t have the means to pay. So, you’ve prepared several choices for me, haven’t you?”

The corner of my father’s mouth relaxed slightly. Though he didn’t show it on his face, he was interested in what I was saying.

“One option is to bring back dungeon items obtained from the forbidden zone and use them to cover the engagement annulment penalty… And the other is a significant debt owed by me… Meaning you could punish me over this matter anytime… Even playing the card of… expulsion from the Kitano family… That’s about it, right?”

Hearing my explanation, my mother covered her mouth with her hand, eyes wide in shock, and cast a clinging look towards my father, but he paid her no heed.

“I’m impressed… You anticipated my question to that extent based on our previous phone conversation and answered accordingly.”

I silently bowed my head to my father.

“However, I don’t understand. If you possess wisdom capable of such foresight, why didn’t you try to correct your behavior before the engagement was annulled?”

“As I mentioned on the phone earlier, the only explanation I can give is that I had an opportunity to reflect on myself.”

My mother showed a relieved expression at my father’s unexpectedly mild attitude towards me… However…

“Please wait, Father. There’s something I’d like to ask my brother here.”

Surprisingly, Takashi voiced an opinion…

As you know, Takashi was adopted into this family. It was due to my father’s scheme, having taken notice of Takashi’s genius-level potential.

Even though Joji, the biological son, existed, Takashi’s position as the adopted son was essentially that of a spare (a replacement).

That said, it wasn’t an unfortunate environment like you often hear about… The Kitano foster parents treated Takashi normally and regarded him as their son.

Therefore, Takashi held no resentment or grudges towards his foster parents; on the contrary, he was grateful they had taken him in and raised him.

But… Joji, the biological son and his stepbrother, was different…

Takashi, possessing talent and never shying from hard work, grew at a tremendous pace. Joji, displeased by this, began bullying Takashi where their parents couldn’t see.

Feeling an immense debt of gratitude to his foster parents for providing him a life beyond the ordinary and raising him like their own child, Takashi feared they would be saddened if they learned of Joji’s bullying. He endured it silently until he entered high school.

Even when they started attending high school in Tokyo, Father had intended for them to live together in the condo he purchased in the city. Naturally, Joji strongly opposed this.

Takashi, having endured Joji’s bullying until then, used respecting Joji’s opinion as a pretext to request living in the school dormitory, which was approved.

For such a Takashi to openly voice an opinion about Joji in front of his foster parents… To anyone who knows the game’s prologue and early story, it feels nothing but jarring.

“What is it, Takashi? If you have something to say, go ahead.”

Having received my father’s permission, Takashi turned directly towards me and fixed me with a sharp gaze.

“Then I shall ask. Brother, you stated earlier that to atone to Father for the compensation he paid for the broken engagement, you would challenge the forbidden zone test, reach its deepest part, retrieve an item, and present it as proof. Is that correct?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“And to that end, you made Amamiya-san, the overwhelmingly strongest second-year, your partner.”

“That’s certainly true. Is there a problem with that?”

BAM!!

“It’s a huge problem!! I hear you used forceful, coercive tactics to pressure Amamiya-san into cooperating, didn’t you?!”

(This guy too… You’re the protagonist, aren’t you? If you get swayed by trivial gossip like this, defeating the final boss is nothing but a pipe dream…)

“Joji, is that true? The Amamiya family has connections to the Imperial Household Agency, doesn’t it? They’re an old court family. Did you do something to their daughter? If it’s true, this goes far beyond just the trouble with the Miyashita annulment!”

Hearing Father’s words, my mother turned pale again and started trembling.

As for Takashi…

Takashi maintained his serious expression, glaring relentlessly at me… But that unpleasant feeling I had when I first entered this room… It was creeping up my spine again, making me shiver.

“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

I felt overwhelmed by the atmosphere and couldn’t form words properly… Was this the flow meant to trap me without letting me explain, keep me misunderstood, worsen my position, and ultimately lead me to the death flag…?

‘Joji, don’t let the pressure get to you! Pull yourself together!!’

Even Tora’s encouragement couldn’t help me draw breath properly to form words. Unpleasant sweat trickled down my back, dizziness washing over me from the discomfort and chills… This is bad… If this continues… Pikon!♪

At this absolute crisis moment, my phone chimed with a message notification.

With trembling hands, I pulled my smartphone from my pants pocket and checked the banner displayed on the lock screen.

《Mashiro: Forgot to say, Joji, call me every night before bed》

As expected, my top heroine…