First of All, Let’s Hide My Younger Brother

1.
How our family will survive.

 

My younger brother, Franz, ran away from the academy.

 

Franz fortunately returned home, but the family tea time, which had been friendly, quickly turned into a serious atmosphere.

 

— It was no big deal.
I was homesick.
I missed Hertz, too…

 

Franz, who turned fifteen this year, acted calm as if nothing had happened.

 

But, he didn't make eye contact with any of the family members.

 

My mother smiled bitterly and tried to calm the chilly atmosphere.

 

— Yes, you've been away for a long time, so I'm sure you've been homesick, haven't you, dear?

 

However, Marquess Vesta's wrinkled forehead could not straighten.

 

— I don't know what happened, but it wasn't good for you to leave without permission like that.
Hurry up and go back to the bedroom.

 

Marquess Vesta, my father, said coldly.

 

At this moment, I was probably the only one who saw that Franz's eyes were shaking badly.

 

Franz barely squeezed his trembling chin and opened his mouth with difficulty.

 

— Father! I-I'll be back in a little while.
I-I was worried about Hertz's health, and since I'm at home, I'll do my chores…

 

My father's face, with a look as if he had no choice, was ridiculous.

 

— The cat is being looked after by the butler, so don't worry.
I'll send a messenger bird to Kratie Academy.

 

As if he had nothing more to say, my father rose from his seat.

 

— Oh, father! I'll just stay for a while….
Please…

 

Despite Franz's plea, my father turned away coolly.

 

And then I saw him.

 

Franz's wrists, thin as a twig, were hidden by the sleeves of Franz's uniform, who stood behind my father.

 

My brother's wrist was marked with blue bruises.

 

Franz noticed my gaze and quickly pulled down his sleeve to hide the wound.

 

My younger brother's hands were shaking.

 

If I keep quiet here, Franz will return to Kratier Academy.
And he'll be a knight as planned, but our family….

 

— Franz, would you like to take off your clothes for a moment?

I put down my cup of tea and said to my brother with the face of a friendly sister.

 

— Sis? Oh, why the clothes?

 

Franz took a step back, wrapping his arms around his chest.

 

I blinked at the servants waiting by the door, holding a cup of tea.
They approached Franz.

 

— Excuse us.
Young master.

 

After bowing their heads to Franz, they began to remove his Kratier Academy uniform.

 

— Take off his whole shirt too.

 

— Oh, no, don't do this!

 

Despite Franz's cries, the servants removed his uniform.

 

When the upper part of their son's body, which no longer covered him at all, was revealed, the Marchioness and the Marquess of Vesta were stunned.

 

It was because Franz's body was marked with scars and bruises all over.

 

There were some bruises that had occurred the day before, and some were bright red, some had turned purple and some had turned black due to accumulated dead blood.
It was the academy cadets themselves who had done it.

 

— Aaah, Franz!

 

My mother's screams echoed, but now was probably the time when Franz was most bullied at the academy.

 

My mother began to sob, shocked by her son's injuries.

 

— What are all these wounds, who were they!

 

The enraged Marquess de Vesta asked Franz.

 

— Come on, say whose family they are from!

 

But Franz shook his head and said nothing.

 

— How dared they do this to my son? I'll go to Kratier right now.

 

Franz knelt down and begged at Marquess Vesta's threat, gritting his teeth.

 

— Please-please don't do that, father.
I beg you.

 

At Franz's plea, my father's brow furrowed.

 

— You're really…
Why didn't you use [Shuette]? If you had used [Shuette], this would never have happened!

 

Franz bowed his head like a sinner and said nothing.

 

— Stop it, dear! To a child who has already been hurt…

 

My mother hugged Franz's slender body and wept.

 

The child who will be the heir of the Vesta family is being bullied by the same cadets at the academy.

 

My father sighed and began to smoke the cigarette he had left for a while.

 

Today at this moment, if it were not for me, the wounds on Franz's body would not have been revealed to our parents.

 

As if nothing had happened, Franz would have spent the night at home and returned to Kratier's academy to control his emotions.

 

At least that is the future as far as I know.
But, that shouldn't happen.

 

For Franz, for my family and for me, I seized the moment when the original story flowed and tried to intervene a second