Chapter 51
“You… you’re asking for money?”
The memory of their previous encounter hung heavily between them. It hadn’t been a friendly exchange; it had ended in physical conflict and looks of pure ice. Given how much time had passed, Lisian naturally assumed they were now committed adversaries.
“I’m completely wiped out,” Leon Frazier admitted, his tone leaving Lisian in a state of total shock.
The usual tension and cautious maneuvering that should have defined their reunion were instantly overshadowed by this confession.
“How are you… broke?” Lisian managed to ask, his confusion evident.
“This is the reason. Take a look.” Leon gestured toward his own face.
The evidence of medical treatment was impossible to miss. In fact, Lisian had noticed the moment Leon stepped inside. His cheek was buried under thick layers of gauze, and his entire head was wrapped in bandages so tightly it looked like he was suffering from a shattered jaw.
“Do you have any idea what’s on my face right now, Hyung?”
Lisian offered only a silent, questioning look.
“Let’s see… Wood Flu, Thousand Year Snow, and… there were several others.” Leon couldn’t recall the full list of nearly ten rare ingredients, but naming just a few was enough to stun his brother.
“Where… where did you get those?”
“Tulia Frazier delivered them.”
The name made Lisian let out a sharp, surprised laugh after a brief pause. While he had been avoiding Leon, he had actually spent a fair amount of time with Tulia. For some reason, the girl seemed to enjoy his company, frequently seeking him out to talk. He had worried his stuttering would make their conversations tedious for her, but she always met him with a bright expression.
Even at their very first meeting, she had smiled.
However, Lisian suspected she was hiding something behind that warmth. From the moment they were reunited, he sensed she was playing a game. He had watched her watching them, her eyes full of hidden motives and careful calculations. Everything she did felt like a performance.
Initially, he didn’t mind. Whether at the Academy or within the highest circles of society, he was used to being treated like a piece on a chessboard—even by his own kin. One more calculating sister didn’t make a difference to him.
But things had shifted rapidly over the last few days.
He had begun to see through her facade, recognizing a deep, desperate hunger for a family’s love. It dawned on him then just how long they had left her to fend for herself in isolation. Despite his own difficulties with speech, he had chosen to spend those days with her because he realized that her presence made him genuinely happy.
“It would be… good to… bring her to the Academy,” Lisian suggested.
Leon practically leaped out of his skin. “Hyung! You’ve fallen for it, haven’t you? You think she’s some innocent kid? Didn’t you hear a word I said?”
“What?”
“I told you I’m penniless! Those ingredients were astronomically expensive! The Grand Duke gave them to her personally, and they cost a fortune!”
Leon recounted how Tulia had arrived with a basket of supplies, leaving his own doctor in a state of total confusion. She hadn’t been subtle about it, either.
“She told me to pay up,” Leon complained. “She basically mugged me!”
His doctor had been too overwhelmed to argue, and Tulia hadn’t technically said anything false. While the rumors of their strained relationship were already common knowledge in the Grand Duchy, there was no reason to give people more ammunition by letting the twins’ personal feud go public. Weaknesses were meant to be buried.
He needed to heal, and his physician—who Leon suspected had been bribed by Tulia—insisted that these rare medicines were the only way to treat the injuries. Leon hadn’t realized that Tulia had already negotiated the entire ‘deal’ with the doctor beforehand. He never stood a chance.
“I can’t tell if that man works for me or if he’s her henchman,” Leon groaned, sighing deeply. He’d been forced to hand over every cent. “Seriously, she took everything. I need a loan, Hyung.”
Lisian began to stand up. “The hunting tournament… is coming up.”
“So?”
“Go kill a bear… and sell it.”
“Hyung, wait! I don’t even have enough to buy a meal until then! Tulia was ruthless. She didn’t leave me a single copper…”
A crisp chime echoed through the room. Having heard the bell, a servant immediately stepped inside.
“You summoned me, Master Lisian?”
“Leon is leaving. Show him out.”
“Certainly, sir.” The servant turned to Leon with a polite bow. “This way, Master Leon.”
“Hey! Hyung!”
“Lisian, look.” I gave his side a playful nudge.
“Yes, Tulia?” He looked up from his book, his pale green eyes focusing on me. I nodded toward the training grounds.
“Check out Leon’s face. Those medicines might have been pricey, but they worked wonders.”
Lisian followed my gaze to where Leon was swinging his sword. The dark, ugly bruising that had marred his cheek was almost entirely gone. Even seeing the progress daily, the speed of his recovery was impressive.
“You’re right. It was… a good sale,” Lisian said with a soft smirk.
“Exactly. I did him a favor,” I replied, feeling satisfied.
Leon seemed much less aggressive lately. Whether it was the lack of funds or the fact that I’d provided the cure, his usual thorniness had softened into a bit of a sulk.
I briefly wondered if keeping him broke was a better strategy than trying to win his affection, but I quickly dismissed the thought. Unlike me, he had the full financial backing of Marquis Aster Frazier. His high-end wardrobe and expensive weaponry were proof of the lifestyle his father provided for him.
It made me wonder why the Marquis was so stingy with Tulia. He was an incredibly powerful noble, yet he didn’t send her a single coin. I supposed it made sense—if he believed she was the product of his wife’s infidelity, love would be a hard thing to find.
I shrugged it off. In a few days, the free period for checking affection levels would reset. It had been a week, and my hopes of finding a hidden bond had mostly withered away. I was fairly certain Leon wasn’t the one, given the way he spoke to me.
So, who was the real lead?
My musing was cut short by a new voice. “Lisian, Tulia. Since when did you two become so close?”
“Uncle Lilius?”
I hadn’t noticed Viscount Lilius Frazier approaching. He gave us a warm smile.
“Go on, get yourselves ready. We have a visitor.”
“A guest?” I asked, blinking in surprise.
“Indeed,” Lilius said kindly. “It’s been quite some time since you last saw him. Your great uncle, Count Nigela Frazier, has arrived.”
