THE REBORN LADY IS LOVED BY HER FOSTER BROTHER: THE SCARIEST VILLAIN

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Chapter 184: Impossible

“That woman... laid her hands on you?”

The aura of pure, intense rage radiating from Gérard was powerful enough to make anyone cower in fear.

The object of his fury wasn't Ortansia, but Marguerite.

Even knowing that, Ortansia couldn't stop her body from trembling violently.

“A-A-Ah, well! Brother! It was really light! Just a light slap, truly...!”

Perhaps because that illusionary world had dissolved, the wounds on Ortansia's body had vanished without a trace before she even realized it.

If she were to add something like “Actually, she hit me with a whip,” Gérard might just march off to slice the devil to pieces all over again.

Knowing that would be disastrous, Ortansia frantically tried to cover it up.

“Is that the truth...?”

“It’s true! Look! There aren't even any scars left!!”

As Ortansia made her desperate plea, Gérard spat out his words in utter disgust.

“And the version of me in that world just left you in a state like that?”

“...I was the one who kept quiet. Even though Lord Gérard checked up on me time and time again.”

She hadn't wanted to destroy the happiness of the Duke of Vérité's household in that world.

...In the end, though, it seemed it had all been nothing more than an imaginary illusion.

“And so, Lord Gérard...”

Saying that much, the words caught in Ortansia's throat.

How on earth was she supposed to put it into words?

How could she say: “Because we weren't brother and sister in that world, Lord Gérard fell in love with me and proposed”?

Lowering her head, Ortansia tried to escape the piercing gaze Gérard was directing at her.

From directly above, his voice rained down upon her.

“Why are you hesitating so much? It’s not as if something occurred that you cannot bring yourself to tell me, is it?”

“That’s true, but... well, how should I put it...”

...She was terrified.

Terrified that by speaking of what happened in that world, the bond she had worked so hard to build with Gérard would crumble away.

After finally managing to become his "family," she feared he might look at her again with those cold, distant eyes he used for complete strangers.

“...What I’m about to say might make you feel uncomfortable, Brother. You might even come to hate me.”

Ortansia spoke in a voice so faint it threatened to fade away entirely.

At that moment, Gérard’s eyes widened in sheer surprise.

“I... would hate you?”

“It’s... something so difficult to say aloud... Eek!”

Before she could finish, her head was suddenly pulled forward, making her let out a startled cry.

Gérard had drawn her head straight into his chest, holding her close.

“Brother...?”

“...Listen to me, and listen carefully.”

Held tightly against him, she couldn't raise her face to look at him.

Yet even without seeing his expression, the absolute gravity in his tone was crystal clear.

“No matter what happened in that world... there is no possibility in existence that I could ever hate you.”

Gérard declared it without a shred of hesitation.

The moment she heard those words, Ortansia's eyes went wide.

A wave of shock, followed by an overwhelming surge of joy, crashed through her chest.

‘Brother...!’

His words felt like a gentle touch, coaxing open the tightly coiled doubts in her heart.

‘I can believe him.’

He made her feel that everything would truly be all right.

After all, just as he had promised, he had come to rescue her.

“...I understand.”

As Ortansia uttered those words, the strength in Gérard’s arms loosened slightly.

Raising her face, she looked straight into his eyes.

“...What I’m about to tell you is strictly about the Lord Gérard created by the devil. I know full well that he is a completely different person from you, Brother.”

Just to be safe, Ortansia made sure to emphasize the point.

Then, gathering her courage, she opened her mouth to speak.

“In that world, Lord Gérard and I were not brother and sister. And so... Lord Gérard fell in love with me.”

The real Gérard remained silent.

Knowing she couldn't falter now, Ortansia pressed on.

“I think it was more out of sympathy or a desire to protect me than anything else. But seeing how harshly Lady Marguerite treated me, Lord Gérard... as a way to save me... proposed to me...”

By the end, her voice had dwindled to an almost imperceptible whisper.

Lacking the courage to look at Gérard any longer, Ortansia dropped her head.

Gérard said nothing. ...The silence was terrifyingly absolute.

“Th-That’s all... Right after that, you came to rescue me, Brother... and that’s how we ended up here...”

Though she blurted it out like an excuse, words once spoken could not be swallowed back down.

‘Wh-What should I do...? Brother said he would never hate me, but hearing something like this in person must still be revolting…’

There was nothing she could do about it now.

“I’m sorry, Brother... Hearing something like that about someone like me... it must make you feel sick.”

Unable to lift her head, Ortansia offered her apology.

However, the words that fell from above were entirely unexpected.

“Who said anything of the sort?”

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