The Villainess Enjoys Her Seventh Life as a Free-Spirited Bride (hostage) in a Former Enemy Country

“If it were someone else’s call, His Royal Highness Arnold would have never been here. Even if he was forced to move as the Crown Prince, he wouldn’t have chosen to do so alone. He must have complied because the request was from none other than his brother.”

“Stop it. I don’t need those words.”

Theodore painfully squeezed out his voice.

“I don’t want to hope that I might be loved.”

“Your Highness…”

“There’s no way that man has been watching over me. How can someone who is ignored by his father be respected by his brother? But that’s fine.”

Theodore exhaled and then smiled.

“My brother saved me once, so I also wanted to help him one day… Although he probably doesn’t even remember that day.”

Then he turned around and looked out the railing.

“I’ll decide what use I have.”

“…?”

“I really should have done this a long time ago, instead of trying to do something nonsensical…I’m really an utter and complete failure.”

“What the…”

She was horrified.

She finally realized what Theodore was planning to do here. Theodore sat on the railing as if having fun and leaned outward.

“No, Your Highness!”

Rishe tried to rush towards him. But at that same moment, her vision swayed. Her legs were entangled and she fell down.

Huh, at this time?!

She struggled to stand up, but was totally weak. A splitting headache shook her skull like an alarm bell, taking her breath away.

Theodore looked down at Rishe, who had collapsed and looked satisfied.

“Thank you, sister-in-law. I was quite happy when you said you needed me.”

Even if she desperately reached out, it was impossible for her to reach Theodore, who was a few meters away.

“It’s useless!”

At the same time she practically shrieked and almost shouted…

A lone shadow rushed past Rishe.

That figure grabbed Theodore, whose eyes widened, by the arm, then forcibly dragged him back inside the railing.

Theodore gasped, recognizing the figure.

“Big Brother?!”

He looked up incredulously at Arnold, who saved him.

It was impossible for Rishe to see Arnold’s face, as his back was turned to her.

But the action he made the next moment shocked even Rishe.

Arnold seized Theodore, whom he’d brought down, by his collars, and slapped his cheek.

“–“

“What did you think you were doing?!”

For the first time, Rishe heard Arnold’s booming voice.

Theodore rubbed his cheek and looked up at his brother’s face, stunned.

“Because…”

Theodore choked.

“Because, there’s nothing I can do. This is the only way I can be useful to Brother. I am not of any value to you!”

“How stupid! What idiot would risk his life for a man who has never done a single brotherly thing in his life?”

Arnold’s voice was ice-cold.

Nevertheless, Rishe was convinced. Arnold’s decision to keep Theodore away was out of consideration for his brother.

“You don’t have to do that for me”

“…”

Theodore kept his mouth shut. Perhaps, he was about to give up communicating with his brother.

Rishe remembered him smiling mournfully and said earlier, “There’s no way my words can reach that man.”

Theodore’s resignation and Arnold’s shunning had been mounting to this moment.

“Your little brother’s choice might be a mistake…”

Rishe spoke as she struggled to get up.

Arnold slowly turned around. Rishe looked him in the eye, and appealed while battling a headache.

“But, his main purpose wasn’t. Your brother’s desire to help you, that in itself cannot be a foolish thought… Right? Your Highness Theodore?”

“!”

Theodore clenched his fists tightly when she called his name, gasping for breath.

“Sister-in-law is right.”

“What are you…”

Arnold returned his attention to Theodore, so Rishe couldn’t see his expression again.

Instead, she could see Theodore’s face clearly.

That somewhat lost look on his face previously was replaced with determination.

“I’d been wishing countless times to be Big Brother’s strength, to be of help. Anything I can do to help, I will do.”

His eyes, identical to his brother, looked straight at Arnold.

“You’re my only brother in the world and my idol.”

“…”

How did Arnold react?

Unable to peek at him, Rishe watched them as if in prayer.

Eventually, Arnold removed his hand from Theodore’s chest and slowly drew back.

“From now on, stop doing such unnecessary things.”

“…”

Theodore’s face contorted at those words, which seemed to push him away again.

Rishe’s chest also felt a slicing pain. But what Arnold added was totally unexpected.

“I told you. Don’t ever, ever put your life on the line again.”

At that moment, Theodore’s eyes almost popped out.

“Do you remember what happened then?”

Arnold answered his quivering question.

“Of course.”

“…”

Immediately, clear teardrops ran down from Theodore’s large eyes.

“I-I’m s-sorry.”

His voice quaverred.

Theodore bawled his eyes out and apologized repeatedly.

“I’m sorry, brother. I’m sorry, sister-in-law. Sorry…”

In front of his little brother, who was sobbing like a child, Arnold said in a quite worried voice.

“Okay, okay, don’t cry.”

“Wa, but…”

Seeing the two of them, Rishe breathed a sigh of relief.

Great. If he can still cry with a face like that, then he’ll be fine…

Theodore’s tear-stained face was that of a young child courageously trying to make peace.

In the end, Arnold stood up, and this time knelt in front of Rishe.

“Are you hurt?”

“You came, Your Highness.”

“It’s because you say some very strange things.”

Perhaps it was a warning that Theodore might be gone. It might have sounded like a threat, but to Rishe, it was half-serious.

“I’m glad you’ve made up.”

“…”

Arnold stood up silently and held out his right hand, fitted with a black glove, to Rishe.

Rishe smiled and took his hand. Then, for some reason, she felt as if a thread of tension was loosened.