"No Marriage, Please! vs. Marry Me or Die: The Ultimate Love Showdown" - Episode 20

I was at the Adventurers’ Guild, as usual. I was thinking of going solo into a dungeon again today when my eyes met those of a man.

And then—though I wasn’t certain—it slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself.

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“Brother…?”

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Yes, it was Yuri—my older brother. But we weren’t particularly close. He was from the main family, and I… I was the child of a concubine.

I lived with my mother, just the two of us. But I never thought of our life as unhappy. I was fortunate to grow up surrounded by her love. Then one day, it was discovered that I had a natural aptitude for certain skills.
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“Eve.”

“Yes, Mother?”

“You have talent. As I suspected… bl00d really does tell.”

“…?”

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I didn’t understand what she meant back then. But she was talking about the bl00d of the Fiares family.

And so, to make use of my talents, I became an adventurer. Before I realized it, I had risen to the rank of A.

It was around that time that—I encountered my brother again.

He was taller than I remembered, and—well, it might sound impertinent to say, but—I was honestly surprised by how handsome he had become.

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“You’re an adventurer too, Brother?”

“Yeah. Still just starting out—F-rank.”

“I see. That so?”

“How about you, Eve?”

“I’m A-rank.”

“W-Wow…!”

“Yes.”

“…”

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He spoke to me, and I responded plainly. I knew it. I’ve always had trouble with communication. I couldn’t talk properly with my brother either. I wish we could’ve had a more enjoyable conversation, but…

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“If you’d like… want to form a party together?”
“No, thank you. I prefer to work alone. Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

“Ah… alright…”

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A sharp pain pierced my heart. I’m sorry, Brother. But I think… it’s better if you don’t get involved with someone like me. You probably only offered because I’m your half-sister. You were being kind, that’s all.

I was sure he’d be disappointed in me and wouldn’t speak to me again. It made me a little sad… but that’s just how it is.

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The next day, my brother spoke to me again. Reluctantly, I agreed to form a temporary party with him. But… I nearly died.

I was used to taking down Salamanders, but one of them was still alive. I reacted instinctively—but I knew I wouldn’t make it in time.

Then, a black spear pierced the Salamander straight through its skull.

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…What?

Impossible. My brother is supposed to be an F-rank adventurer. Could it be—someone impersonating him, targeting me? My mind immediately jumped to the worst-case scenario.

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“Who… are you?”

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I drew my rapier on him. And then—we fought.

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“Eve! Your favorite things are sweets, and you couldn’t sleep at night without your stuffed animal! And when you wet the bed, you tried so hard to hide it, but the maid always found out!”

“Wha—?!”

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No one should know that…! I never even told Mother…! My face flushed hot with embarrassment.

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“See?! Only the real me would know that! And there’s more where that came from—”

“Shut up, just SHUT UUUUUUUP!!”

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So… it really is Yuri. The realization settled over me like a calming breeze. He used to feel so cold and distant, but now… now he seemed softer somehow.

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After that, we had a meal together. Since I love sweets, I ordered a lot—and of course, my brother had to comment on it.

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“What’s the problem? I can eat what I want, can’t I?”

“No way. As your brother, I can’t ignore such a one-sided diet. Eat your meat and vegetables too.”

“…Fiiine.”

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I reluctantly gave in and added some meat and veggies to my plate. But hearing him say “as your brother”… it made me genuinely happy. Even if it was just words—something about the idea of being siblings felt special to me.

He then explained why he was hiding his true abilities and what his goals were.

So, we agreed to form a temporary party. Honestly, I was curious. Aside from Mother, he was the only family I had. I wanted to know—what kind of person was he?

It was the first time I’d ever been genuinely interested in someone.

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“Thanks. I’ll be counting on you starting tomorrow.”

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He extended his hand, his gaze unwavering. My heart gave a little jolt.

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“Ah… um… yes. I’m looking forward to it.”

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I shook his hand and gave a small nod. His hand—was surprisingly large.

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“Sigh… I’m home.”

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Back in our home. These days, Mother and I live in a fairly spacious apartment based in the royal capital.

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“Welcome back. You must be tired.”

“Yeah.”

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After changing clothes, I sat down to eat the meal Mother had prepared. Then, gathering my courage—I brought up my brother.

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“Mother.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Do you remember Yuri?”

“Lord Yuri? Of course I do. I looked after him for a short time. He was a very bright child.”

“He invited me to form a party with him. So, we’re adventuring together now.”

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Mother’s eyes widened in surprise.

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“I see… So, Lord Yuri became an adventurer.”

“Yeah. But… why would someone like him bother with someone like me?”

“Lord Yuri has always been a kind person. And even if you’re only half-siblings, you’re still family. This could be a wonderful opportunity for you to connect with him. I’d like to greet him someday myself, if the chance arises…”

“For now, I’ll try going on some adventures with him.”

“Yes. And remember—don’t do anything improper.”

“Okay.”

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And with that, we dropped the topic of my brother. Mother probably didn’t want to confront the past either. I had almost forgotten too… but now, I was beginning to truly accept that I carried the bl00d of the Fiares family.

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The next day at noon, we met up at the Adventurers’ Guild as agreed.

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“Good morning, Eve.”

“Good morning, Brother.”

“Today, I’d like to watch your fighting style a bit more closely.”

“Understood.”

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Just as we were about to head into the dungeon, a voice called out from behind.

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“Well well… You two seem awfully close.”

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A chill ran down my spine. I spun around—and there stood a woman with silver hair.

I hadn’t noticed her behind me? With my skills, I can usually sense any presence—monster or human—immediately. And yet, it was as if she’d always been there.

She smiled, but her eyes reflected something deep and unfathomable—like staring into an abyss.

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“I happened to be nearby, so I thought I’d say hello.”

“I see. Eve, this is Ria—she’s been working with me.”

“I’m Ria. It’s a pleasure.”

“H-Hello. I’m Eve. Pleased to meet you.”

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I bowed deeply, making sure not to be rude. Working with him…? If they’re in the same party, why were they acting separately? I had a lot of questions, but this wasn’t the time to ask.

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“Well then, I’ll be off. See you around.”

“Yeah.”

“Yes…”

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She walked off gracefully. I turned to my brother with the question already forming.

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“Um… what kind of relationship do you have with Ria?”

“Hm? She’s just a comrade, that’s all. We’re connected by circumstance.”

“I… see.”

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I had assumed she was his lover. Realizing she wasn’t, I let out a small sigh of relief. Huh? Why was I relieved? I couldn’t yet put this strange feeling in my chest into words.

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“Alright, let’s go, Eve.”

“Yes.”

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I followed after him. His back… looked broader than ever.

A deep, empty hole in my heart.

And in that hollow space—something new had begun to take root.