༺ Eyes of a Dragon and the Human Heart (31) ༻
Lupine Rinella disliked Ian Percus.
For starters, despite being a lower noble, Ian had dared to physically assault him. Although he had brought it upon himself, that, in itself, was reason enough for him to harbor such feelings.
He had never imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that someone would show so much interest in an illegitimate child, even if she was a Yurdina.
No, if he were to be honest, that wasn’t exactly the reason. He simply didn’t expect anyone to confront him even if they were interested in her since the majority of those involved in her harassment were high-rank nobles rather than lower nobles.
As for himself, while he didn’t belong to one of the empire’s top five noble families, he was still a member of the prestigious Rinella family known for their domineering magical talents.
It went without saying for commoners, but even lower nobles found it difficult to interfere in the matters of higher-ranking nobles. While not impossible, many tended to avoid doing so due to fear of causing friction between their families.
As such, he had always enjoyed abusing his status.
The famous ‘Elsie Rinella’ was his sister, and due to her presence, even upper nobles of similar standing hesitated to butt in, and he rarely faced repercussions for bullying others.
Thus, he grew complacent.
So, when Ian’s fist shattered his nose and sent him soaring into the air, he felt as if he was dreaming.
It seemed unbelievable.
Yet, the reality was harsh, and he abandoned any notion of resisting. He simply brooded over the humiliation he suffered.
Ian Percus was a lunatic—a madman.
No one wished to provoke a ticking timebomb, especially when there was little to gain for the risk involved.
Lupine believed that there was nothing good in getting tangled with Ian. With no means to control the madman’s violent tendencies, ignoring him looked to be the best option.
That was when his sister, Elsie Rinella, intervened.
Always strong and ambitious, she had instilled fear among the Rinella siblings with her sheer determination. He believed that if it was her, she could defeat Ian.
However, Elsie suffered a miserable defeat at his hands, and the aftermath was too much for him to witness.
The proud Elsie he had always held in high esteem had vanished only to be replaced with Ian’s loyal dog in the form of his sister.
He had nearly fainted when he saw her fawning over Ian, acting all cute and servile while going, ‘Master, Master’. To make matters worse, she even lashed out at him, her beloved younger brother, to appease her master’s anger.
Lupine felt as if his heart was being torn to shreds.
What pained him even more was that Elsie’s feelings towards the man weren’t solely of submission.
Those sweet, subtle glances as she looked at Ian dreamily—He had seen them numerous times before.
It was a gaze only a woman who was deeply in love could have.
Yet, Ian treated his lovely and adorable sister with indifference. In fact, he seemed troubled, as if he was struggling to push her away.
And witnessing such a scene, Lupine’s eyes widened and bulged to the point where his blood vessels seemed to snap audibly.
That was when Lupine decided to take revenge.
His sister, whom he deeply respected, was not such a woman to be pitifully clinging to such a man. It was one thing if it were Ian clinging onto her, but their current wretched relationship couldn’t be allowed to continue.
Although he hadn’t dated much and wasn’t well-versed in romantic matters, he believed he knew enough.
Love was ultimately nothing more than an extension of politics.
Once the power dynamics in the relationship were established, they were bound to have a lasting impact not only during courtship but also after marriage. It was why he couldn’t allow the current situation to go on.
The thought of his esteemed sister living while having to constantly be mindful of Ian and his mood even after marriage was unbearable.
That was why he was currently making an effort and giving her a long lecture.
“…So, you see, sister, you shouldn’t be submissive from the start, okay? Otherwise, the guy will just think he already has you in his palm, take you for granted and lose interest.”
They were currently at a teahouse on the central street, and despite Lupine’s explanation, Elsie didn’t offer any suitable response.
Instead, she feigned a cough with blushed cheeks as her eyes swam all over the place.
The lovely girl averted her gaze before cautiously opening her lips.
“B-But, to talk about marriage already…”
-Bang!
“No, it’s necessary.”
Lupine’s palm struck the table, his blue eyes filled with unwavering determination.
Elsie stared at her younger brother with a hint of surprise as it was the first time she had seen her younger brother like that.
His face bore a grim expression.
“Do you not remember the rumors that spread after that bastard humiliated you last time? Our family is already searching for a fiancé for you before it becomes too late! Why should you have to suffer like this…?”
His body quivered, and his voice became full of bitterness with every word. It was a reflection of how painfully and deeply the memories of that day were etched into his very being.
It was also the day the humiliating nickname ‘Piss Baby’ began following her around.
Initially, the mere mention of ‘piss’ would send her into a fit of rage, but now, her reaction had died down.
After a sip of her drink, she spoke as if she was only stating the obvious.
“Well, that’s just the consequence of daring to oppose Master without knowing my place. Looking back, he was so merciful…”
-Bang!
Lupine’s palm slammed down on the tabletop once more.
Elsie, who was momentarily lost in her thoughts of Ian, shifted her gaze back towards her younger brother while wearing a slightly irritated expression.
However, he was already too worked up and soon began to passionately argue his point.
“Sister, your life was ruined because of that bastard! There’s only one way to make up for that! You have to take control of his life as well… How’s that? Isn’t it logical?!”
“…Uh, yeah. Sure.”
Although she thought something was amiss, she deliberately chose not to point it out and ignored it.
Lupine didn’t seem to be in a state to listen to her anyway. Moreover, she felt somewhat proud of her younger brother for standing up so fervently for his beliefs.
As much as he admired her, he had always been timid and dispirited around her. It seemed to be a remnant of the time when he was still powerless, and it pained her every time she saw him like that. However, right now, not only did he seem excited, but it was to the point where he was overflowing with enthusiasm.
But more than anything, she wasn’t exactly averse to his proposition.
With the straw resting against her lips, Elsie allowed her imagination to run wild.
A married life with her master…
She wanted to wake up earlier than her husband in the mornings to put on light makeup.
She had no intention of slacking in her appearance just because she was married.
Then, once she was ready, she would wake Ian with a gentle kiss on the cheek. And occasionally, on the days she snuggled back into the blankets with a playful whine, he would pull her into his arms with a small smile.
Ah, how blissful would it be if she could nestle up in his sturdy and warm embrace?
But that wasn’t all.
Her master would surely shower her with the rewards she yearned for.
Caressing her head was a given, and they would probably even have children.
How many they would have, she didn’t know. She simply wished to have as many as Ian desired.
And she would raise each and every one of them with unwavering love.
Elsie had some unpleasant memories from her childhood, and perhaps because of that, she always thought that she would shower her children with love if she ever had any.
Fortunately for her, as lower nobility, the Percus family likely wouldn’t be as strict on child-rearing as higher nobility.
As for her Rinella family, it was simply a matter of giving up the household to any one of her siblings.
Living a quiet life within the Percus territory with Ian by her side didn’t seem so bad.
“You need to change your strategy, sister! The more you submit, the less appealing you become…”
“…I want it.”
Even as Lupine rambled on, none of his words registered in her ears as she remained lost in her daydream.
Her expression had long since become loose and relaxed, and her eyes were already gazing off into the distance, absorbed in her fantasies.
“Haaa…..”
Occasionally letting out a dreamy sigh, Elsie reaffirmed her decision.
“I want to do it. Getting married.”
Lupine momentarily stiffened at Elsie’s abrupt response, but a devious smile soon crept up his face.
It was finally the start of his revenge.
The moment Ian tied the knot with his sister was the moment he would experience a living hell.
If he ever had nieces or nephews, Lupine intended to cherish them, and once they were old enough to understand, he planned to reveal the truth.
‘There was a time long ago when your dad brutally hit your uncle… He hit me so hard that my nose almost broke.’
Then, they would look at their dad in shock. Just imagining what kind of expression Ian would have filled him with uncontainable anticipation.
Of course, since building up trust with their guardian during early childhood was important, this plan required meticulous consideration.
Thus, the Rinella siblings smiled together, each engrossed in their own fantasies.
Elsie was still lost in her blissful daydream while Lupine was picturing the moment his cruel revenge would come to fruition.
It was a classic example of seeing the same scene yet feeling different emotions.
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