It was definitely while passing through the sewers.
"Huh?"
The jewels I had carefully tucked into my bosom suddenly began to vibrate, emanating a strange heat.
Poof.
When I came to my senses, I was already sprawled on a soft bed.
"...Brother?"
"Sister?"
To be more precise, I had landed on top of the bed's original occupant. Jevella.
Something I had never even imagined. No, who in the world would imagine suddenly teleporting from crawling through sewers into a noble lady's bedroom?
Especially when I had mustered the resolve for a midnight escape.
Unable to accept the sudden change in circumstances, my thoughts froze. But my instincts, honed for survival, were diligently gathering information about my surroundings.
Snow-white hair that gleamed vividly even in the dark night. Likewise, her pale purple eyes were trembling faintly, and the nightgown clinging to her body was so thin it was slightly translucent.
Her slightly drooping eyes evoked the image of a gentle lamb, and the mole at the corner of her eye lent a poignant air.
Even with her dazed, flustered expression, her undeniable beauty shone through. Her appearance, reminiscent of a fragile flower, drew involuntary admiration despite the situation.
Is this what a true noble lady is like?
I felt a slight tension, a charm I hadn't noticed during meals when I was only pondering how to stack up dislike.
...And the fact that one of my hands was pressing down on one of her breasts made the closeness all too physical.
The softness and warmth filling my palm. Even overflowing between my fingers, unable to be fully contained—I swallowed hard.
I'm screwed.
My mind was still grinding gears, but I had perfectly grasped the situation. If I had to sum it up in one phrase...
I had become the illegitimate son who pounced on his new sister.
One of the most scandalous phrases from the dirty talk I'd heard in Calypso Territory. How lewd.
Just like me, Jevella seemed to be piecing it together, her face flushing red as she cautiously opened her mouth.
"Enoch. What am I supposed to make of this...?"
"I don't know what happened either, but it's not what you're thinking, sister."
"Hmmm. Then shouldn't you start by removing this hand first?"
Jevella calmly pointed to her breast, distorted by the shape of my hand.
Come to think of it, I was still like that.
It was a valid point, so I nodded and let my hand drop.
"Eut."
Perhaps from the slight brush during the motion, Jevella flinched.
For my part, I unconsciously twitched my hand as if chasing the lingering sensation on my palm but managed to stop myself.
In that awkward atmosphere and subtle silence, we fidgeted briefly. Jevella moved first.
She rose from the bed and reached for the nightstand right beside it. More precisely, the lighting magic tool placed on top.
Fwoosh—
Crimson light illuminated the surroundings. As the darkness receded, Jevella let out a short sigh of relief and spoke.
"I see. So there really is some circumstance behind this."
"That's what I said, sister."
"Then, will you tell me? Why you've come to your sister's room in the middle of the night."
"Well..."
"Don't tell me it's because you couldn't even wait a few months?"
A voice laced with faint wariness.
I understood. It was as if she'd been suddenly pounced on while sleeping soundly. Moreover, while we were siblings (not really) and fiancés... strictly speaking, we were still men and women who'd only met days ago.
Despite offering goodwill during meals, to be met with an unannounced midnight visit—what a lack of manners.
The best way would be to explain everything as it happened to clear the misunderstanding...
But that wouldn't be easy.
How do you even say you tried to flee in the night because you didn't want to become Patriarch, only to get teleported?
She wouldn't understand not wanting to become Grand Duke, nor choosing midnight escape for it, nor getting teleported after entering the sewers.
No, why was I teleported here of all places? What the hell were those jewels?
Even I'd find it full of holes if I tried explaining. If I were in Jevella's shoes, I'd think it was a joke and slap him once.
In this situation, how could I prove my innocence to Jevella...?
Wait. Do I even need to clear the misunderstanding?
Right now, I'm receiving inexplicable support within House Zahav.
Apparently, facing the Orc Warlord alone had quite the impact in the strength-worshipping south.
This was a real pickle. It was so ingrained that no ordinary event could overturn their impression of me.
That's why I chose midnight escape.
But it failed for unknown reasons. And with the absurd outcome of teleporting into Jevella's bedroom.
...Since it's come to this, why not make the most of the current situation?
Not that I'm actually going to do anything. The key is to become the guy who couldn't overcome his lust and pounced on his sister, as Jevella just suggested.
That would be a massive stain on Enoch Zahav's honor. Not enough to get me immediately expelled, but it should dispel the current atmosphere of applause just for breathing.
Above all, it would incur Jevella's resentment.
To Jevella, I'm her half-brother. Connected by blood, yet a guy who suddenly rolled in and swallowed up everything in the family.
Her sending goodwill to try to get along was appreciated but also awkward.
If that favor turned to antipathy, things would change.
Applause requires two palms to clap, after all.
If Jevella's resolve to oust me from the successor position strengthened, it might even reverse my half-abandoned situation.
...Of course, deliberately hurting someone who'd only seen my face a few times, called me brother, and tried to get closer feels a bit off.
Like repaying kindness with enmity.
But I have my own circumstances too. I have to do what needs doing. ...Gently, though.
Steeling myself, I grabbed Jevella's chin and roughly pulled her toward me, forcing her to face me.
With a smirk curling my lips, I brought my face close.
So close our breaths mingled. Her purple pupils filled my vision.
"You know it well, sister. I thought someone raised so delicately wouldn't know about this side of things."
Saying that, I shoved the hand gripping her chin hard.
Thud.
Due to the vast difference in strength, she couldn't even resist properly and fell back onto the bed.
I seized her reflexively rising arms one by one, crossing them and pinning them above her head.
Then, pressing my knees against both her thighs to immobilize her, I undid a few buttons of her top with my free hand. As if ready to strip it off anytime.
"There were various other reasons, but this feels pretty good too."
"..."
Startled by my sudden change? Jevella stared up at me, rigid and still.
I shifted more weight onto her body. Hurry and snap out of it, scream or something— that was the intent.
"You're a fine woman, sister. Pretty face, well-cared-for soft skin, and raised well-fed and rested, so it'd feel good groping all over."
"..."
Jevella just gazed at me silently.
"And as a noble lady, you're surely still pure, right? Hard to find that in Calypso Territory, so I'm looking forward to it."
"..."
Even at my more explicit words, Jevella stared steadily without reaction.
"Oh, right. Daughters of noble houses are like merchandise, aren't they? Sold off to good places to bolster the family."
"..."
Jevella still kept her lips firmly shut.
This was getting tricky if she didn't react soon.
"If I become Patriarch, you'll be mine to do with as I please. How about locked in this room forever? Oh, don't worry, I'll feed you on time."
I was forcing a sleazy grin when—
"Hehe."
Jevella suddenly let out a small laugh. Her first reaction after being frozen, leaving me stunned instead.
The corners of Jevella's eyes slowly curved. As if she'd seen something amusing.
"Enoch. Enoch Zahav. My one and only... no, my last remaining brother. Your sister has no idea why you'd tell such lies."
"What...?"
"If you truly intended that, you wouldn't be so leisurely prattling on."
A faint sneer played on Jevella's lips, unlike her usual demeanor. As if daring me to try.
"Unlike you, who just returned home, I know House Zahav well. If you were serious, you wouldn't give me time to babble. You wouldn't bind limbs—you'd go straight for the throat."
"..."
"Like this."
She took the hand that had gripped her chin moments ago and guided it to her own neck.
Her pale purple eyes, offering her throat herself, still held that poignant air.
But for some reason, tonight those eyes seemed deeper.
As if peering into an endless well.