The Villainous Noble Son Wants to Capture His Stepsister! - Chapter 17

“I am Primelia, your sister from today onward. Take good care of me.”

“……”

“……”

Before my eyes was a scene identical to what I had once seen in a game CG. However, the girl before me was far more breathtaking and delicate than she had appeared in the game.

Her soft, cherry-colored hair was neatly trimmed at shoulder length. Her porcelain-white skin was smooth and flawless. Though her large, round eyes were supposed to be full of life, they were now cast downward.

I was overwhelmed with emotion. Three years had passed since my reincarnation, and I had worked tirelessly for this very moment. Just thinking about everything that led up to this point made my chest tighten with emotion.

But before anything else, let me just say this… You should’ve told me beforehand, you damn old man!!

That morning, after a light training session, I was reviewing documents in the study. After all, I am currently serving as the acting governor of the Wertheim Ducal Territory.

Ever since the orphanage incident a year ago, we had been purging corrupt officials, and nearly half of them either lost their jobs—or their heads. The previous governor had also been quite literally dismissed, so amidst the chaos, I ended up inheriting the position.

By the way, when I asked my parents to entrust me with the governor’s duties, they were so moved they nearly wept.

I know I was the one who suggested it, but… are you really okay with this? I’m still in my early teens, you know?

Well, considering they’re always in the royal capital, barely returning to the territory, they probably don’t care much about governance. As long as the money keeps flowing, they seem fine with letting me handle things. But eventually, I plan to cut them off.

So, as usual, I was handling my administrative duties with the help of Heliotrope when my father suddenly returned home. And with him was a stunning young girl—one I knew all too well.

I had been expecting this to happen around this time, sure.

But I never imagined he’d take in an adopted daughter without so much as a prior notice, nor did I think he’d just show up unannounced like this!

Communication. Coordination. Consultation. These things matter. …Then again, he’s the kind of man who spends every day indulging in parties instead of doing actual work. I should have known better than to expect any responsibility from him. This one’s on me for letting my guard down. Sigh…

End of Flashback.

A sudden and completely unexpected first meeting with my ultimate favorite character, and she’s even cuter than I imagined. My mind has gone completely blank. Whiter than any detergent commercial could ever claim.

Primelia, on the other hand, kept her gaze lowered, refusing to make eye contact with me. The atmosphere was unbearably awkward.

This isn’t good! As a former otaku and her newly appointed older brother, I have to do something about this awkward tension!

I had prepared for this moment by studying how to interact with girls properly. My mentor? The ever-reliable Sebastian. Honestly, that man’s past intrigues me to no end.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward. Kneeling before Primelia, I gently took her small right hand and wrapped it within both of mine. Her shoulders tensed in surprise, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Her hands are so tiny… And her blushing face is way too cute…! I nearly grinned at the sight but held myself back. The last thing I need is to get hauled away by the palace guards.

This is purely an affectionate gesture toward a younger relative! I am in no way, shape, or form a gentleman of the perverse variety! So, Heliotrope, would you please stop looking at me like I’m a cockroach scurrying across the kitchen floor?

I quickly composed myself and mustered the warmest smile I could manage.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Kraut von Wertheim. If you ever need help with anything, please don’t hesitate to ask. From today onward, we are siblings.”

At my words, Primelia looked up at me in surprise for a brief moment before immediately averting her gaze again.

“…Primelia,” she whispered, her voice as clear and delicate as a bell. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Pure. Wholesome. Perfection.

With our introductions completed (somehow), my father wasted no time in heading back to the royal capital. Sure, it was a short carriage ride away, but was he really not going to inspect the territory at all?

That left me, Heliotrope, and Primelia—who stood frozen in place, an anxious expression on her face.

I still had mountains of paperwork to deal with, but right now, my top priority was Primelia. Nothing could be more important! This is an unspoken law of the universe—more fundamental than the sun rising in the east!

“Heliotrope. Tell Sebastian to prepare a room for her and arrange a welcome feast. I’ll give her a tour of the mansion.”

“You still have unfinished administrative work.”

“None of it is urgent. Someone else can handle the governor’s duties, but no one else can be her brother.”

“You may think that sounded clever, but it was painfully corny.”

Oof. Harsh. After three years of working together, we had grown closer, but that only made her jabs sting even more. Truly, even the most beautiful roses have thorns. (Smug.)

“It was still corny.”

…Fine, I get it. I’m garbage.

“……”

I suddenly felt someone’s gaze and turned to find Primelia staring at me again, her eyes filled with surprise. When our eyes met, I gave her a friendly smile—only for her to immediately look away.

That hurt.

Wait a second… Unlike in the game, I haven’t done anything to antagonize her. And yet, her reaction toward me is this cold?

Now that I think about it, grabbing her hand out of nowhere was probably inappropriate, wasn’t it? I hadn’t thought much of it since she’s still only eleven, but… If I did the same thing in modern Japan, that would be a major incident. The emergency alarm on her keychain would be blaring.

And looking at it from another perspective, this world follows medieval fantasy customs. Even at this age, it’s not uncommon for noble children to already have fiancés… which means she’s a proper young lady.

Did I just… mess up? No—this was a complete and utter disaster!

A dark and gloomy climax right from the start. If my ultimate favorite character sees me as some kind of pervert on our very first meeting, I won’t be able to go on living!