Thank You For The Confinement, Grand Duke! - Chapter 62.1

“Welcome, brother!”

Elmare greeted his older brother with a warm smile on his face. Enfrise responded with a faint smile of his own.

“Elmare, I’m sorry for calling you so suddenly.”

“It’s no trouble at all.”

Elmare, masking his slight surprise, guided his older brother to a seat. Enfrise casually settled onto the sofa.

Though he had already heard about the changes, the transformation was still quite striking. Could it really be that women changed men this much?

Enfrise had always been sharp-edged.

A person who received no recognition from anyone. A person who was loved by no one. His narrow world consisted of just three people. The world of just two, into which Elmare had entered, was when he was six years old.

— Brother…!

He had met his second eldest brother countless times, but this was the first time meeting his eldest brother.

When Elmare was six, his eldest brother was already sixteen. All of the other elders and peers around Elmare showered him with love and affection. So, naturally, he had thought that his eldest brother would love him too.

But.

— ….

The first rejection he experienced was as sharp and painful as the shards of a cup he had accidentally broken. The golden eyes glared at him as if saying no words were needed.

He thought they were beautiful. He wanted them.

The first thing that had rejected him.

— Brother…! Brother…!

Everyone around him stopped him, saying that person wasn’t someone he should get close to.

Every time, Elmare had asked them.

— Why?

— That’s… something I can’t explain, but you mustn’t.

Despite the fact that they never gave a direct reason, it wasn’t long before Elmare stopped asking for one. There were more than enough places where he could hear the reasons without being told directly.

— Recently, it’s said that His Highness, the Third Prince Elmare, is constantly following His Highness Enfrise.

— Why would he be chasing after that blood thief?

— There’s no need to call him ‘His Highness.’ He should be living quietly, crawling on the ground, since the Emperor showed mercy and accepted him as royalty. What’s he so proud about?

— Did you hear? Not long ago, he nearly injured His Highness, Barca, to show off his sword skills.

— How dare he! The heir apparent, His Highness Barka?!

To Elmare, it wasn’t a big deal, so he followed Enfrise around to the point of annoyance.

— Take it easy. Stop following me around like I’m some sort of grand spectacle.

— Specle?

— I meant, don’t follow me around as if I’m some kind of odd thing.

What was he trying to explain? It would have been enough to just ignore him and move on.

— Brother is so kind. So kind, so kind.

When he was kind to someone, they praised him. They would say he was such a kind person and pat his head.

He wanted to give that same kindness in return.

His brother was so tall that even when he reached out, he could only touch his thighs. So, he patted his brother’s thigh and smiled.

What kind of face did his older brother have?

After that day, Enfrise stopped pushing Elmare away. Sometimes, he even taught him how to handle a sword. He even crafted a bow for Elmare, who was clumsy with a bow.

— You put too much strength in your left hand, making your grip crooked. If you do it this way, your accuracy will improve.

A kind brother.

The people around them surely didn’t know this side of his brother. If only they knew him properly.

But.

— Oh dear, I’m so sorry, Your Highness. I dared to be so rude.

He was startled by the mocking voice.

He was a man who frequently visited Elmare, bringing gifts and smiling. Yet, this man would purposely spill water on Enfrise and laugh.

— I heard rustling behind me and wondered if there were any thieves, so I couldn’t help but…

— It’s fine. I doubt your ability to detect thieves and princes would hold up well in the knight order.

His brother had a cold expression, with only the corners of his lips turning up in a smile.

— Be careful. That blind sword might end up cutting a comrade. Or it might point its tip at your own neck.

That was when he understood why his brother had pushed him away initially.

Elmare, who had only received love since he was a child, was unaware of the world that existed there. Even though he was the heir’s firstborn son, his eldest brother, who was treated worse than a garden bird, had to arm himself with thorns to protect himself.

It’s alright. If that’s the case, then I’ll stay by my brother’s side.

I decided to be on my brother’s side.

He thought so.

Even when Enfrise had to relinquish the position of crown prince under the late emperor’s decree, Elmare was enraged.