In my father's office, just me and my father left in this room.

We have the fainted Cecilia taken to her room, a maid will tend to her until she wakes up.

With no one else in the office, it was easier for us to be blunt with our discussion.

"Care to explain yourself?" My father said after a sigh.

He was looking out the window, as if he was looking at a distant hopeless future.

As a sidenote, it was late at night so he probably wasn't able to see much.

He slowly turned around, looked at me with disappointed eyes.

"Why were you walking around the mansion... naked...?" He asked.

"... ..."

Ah, yes, the incident I wish to put behind my mind.

To think I'd make such blunder.

The first memory I made with my new little sister was me approaching her in my birthday suit.

Well, I was in my underwear so I wasn't fully naked.

Still, it will definitely leave a bad first impression.

Judging from her reaction, I definitely scared the crap out of her.

I wouldn't even be surprised if she was traumatized by that.

What a disaster!!

The possibility of becoming a dependable older brother Cecilia can rely on has became zero!

Well, without saying, I did not have a habit to walk around in just my underwear so I have put on some fresh clothes before this discussion.

Though, this discussion was about a big problem earlier but there was something else in my mind.

"Dad, I have a more important thing to ask." I said, forcibly changing the topic.

My father was startled when I changed the topic.

I did not wait for his response, I asked:

"Would you die if I stab you in the head?"

"... ..."

For a brief moment, my father looked at me with a pitiful expression.

"Son, I've said this many times." He sighed. "Do not eat things from the floor. Did you upset your stomach? Or are you feeling sick elsewhere?"

"Alright, judging from your reaction, I could see you did not fully understand my question." I said. "Let me be more detailed. If I were to pick up a sword and stab your head with it, would that kill you?"

"Why are you asking me as if I'm some sort of immortal monster? Of course I'd die. I mean anyone would die if you stab them in the head with a sword."

I see, that was the answer I expected.

How about if I alter the question a bit?

"Then what if I use this stick..." I took out a branch I obtained from the garden. "And stab your head with it? Would you die?"

"... ..." My father sent me some hopeless cold stares.

"I'm just asking hypothetically, like if this small thing manages to get past your skull and punched a hole inside your brain..." I made a motion of stabbing with the branch. "Would you die?"

"Isn't this given? I'd die if that thing was to get into my head! Any normal person would die even from that!" Then he looked as if he just remembered something. "My apologies, maybe you won't."

"Hey, what do you mean by that? I felt like you were thinking of something rude."

"Nothing in particular you need to be concerned about." He sighed. "I'm more concerned as to why I'm being asked all sort of stupid questions by my foolish son..."

Then my father paused.

He looked back and forth between me and the branch in my hand.

"...wait a minute... Could it be, you are asking me all these questions because you... no way, don't tell me you..."

My father made an expression of sudden realization.

Immediately, he reached for the decorative sword hanged on the wall behind him.

He drew the sword out of its scabbard and pointed it at me.

"Are you asking me these questions because you wanted to kill me?!" My father exclaimed. His expression becomes wild as he continued, "You wanted to kill me so you could get your hands on the inheritance?! Is that it?! Hahaha, too bad for you!! I have already written a will to hand down my inheritance to Cecilia if I was to died of unnatural death!"

My father said all that with a very stern tone of voice, it seemed he was really prepared to fight me till his last breath.

He looks cool like this, though the shaking of his sword was a little letdown.

Well, it can't be helped, the combat ability of my father was next to non-existent.

For many generations, Blackthorn family have served the kingdom protecting its border without fail.

The family head of each generation have excellent combat ability, judgement and leadership.

My father was an odd one amongst them.

He may not have the combat ability like the previous heads, however, his true quality shines when he was behind the desk.

Management, fianace, marketing and public relations.

The Blackthorn territory had a significant improvement with his skills and was the reason why he had no problem inheriting the family.

Usually, if a noble family has no one fitting the criteria for inheriting the family, they would adopt a child from related family and raise the child to become the heir of the family.

It would have most likely gone down the same route if the previous head of our family was narrow-minded and only had mind set for heir with excellent combat abilities.

Luckily, my grandfather was open-minded in this regards, he does put the development of the territory as his priority.

Now thinking about inheritance.

My father had said something that I could not ignore.

"Dad, you said you've written a will to let Cecilia inherit the Blackthorn family." I stood up from the couch. "Does this mean Cecilia will be the heir of the Blackthorn family?"

I snapped the branch in my hand and looked at my father, his shoulders jumped.

The sword in his hands was shaking even more violently.

I slowly walked towards my father.

There were no signs of him attacking me.

"That little girl... who was just adopted into this family today...?" I walked past his sword, put my hands on his shoulders. "Is that the reason why you are adopting her?!"

"Eeeeek~!!"

My father let out a shriek and dropped his sword on the floor.

He seemed scared, he really should be.

I was angry.

If he has already planned to let his newly adopted daughter inherit the family over me then it only means one thing.

"If I'm correct..." I stared into his eyes. "Cecilia is your illegitimate child, right?"

"H-Huh?!" My father made a stupid noise.

Judging from his dumbfounded expression, my assumption was right.

I suppose he wanted to use the pretense of adopting Cecilia so she can be accepted into the family and also to hide the fact that my father has committed adultery.

I wished he could've come clean with this sooner. I'm happy to get a little sister whether we were blood-related or not.

Maybe he was hiding this fact because it wasn't something to be proud of if we have to consider the public image of a noble.

However, having an illegitimate child was rather a common thing among nobles.

While it's not widespread among the public but nobody would be suprised to hear about the news of some nobles having an illegitimate child or two.

While I do feel sorry for my mother but I don't really see the problem with my father's action.

At least now he's being responsible and was willing to take Cecilia into the family.

Though, what about her mother...

Just as I was pondering about it, it was my father's turn to grab onto my shoulders.

"Stupid son, what in the world are you talking about?" He said with an unbelievable expression.

"Huh, was I not clear enough?" I tilted my head. "You are adopting Cecilia only because she is your illeg-"

"Wrong!! And don't say it out loud, stupd!" My father quickly cover my mouth.

"... ..." I silently looked at him.

My father took a peek behind me.

Of course there was no one behind me, there were only the two of us clearly visible in the room.

My father sighed out of relief and put his hands down.

"Don't just go around and spread such dangerous assumptions!" My father said. "What if Bertha hears it?! I totally can't imagine what will happen to me if she were to take that as a fact."

"Oh? So I was wrong?"

"Of course you are! And way off the mark!!"

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

My father sighed once again before seating himself by his desk.

He leaned back against his chair, he seemed exhausted.

"I have told you didn't I?" My father said. "Cecilia came from a distant branch family."

"Yes, you did." I nodded. "Or at least I thought that was on the surface."

"Stupid, just forget all of your wild imaginations!" He exclaimed "I see, it can't be helped, I shall tell you everything about her and why I decided to adopt her."

Upon hearing that, I decided to make my way back to the couch and sat down.

"Alright then, if you are willing to talk about it I'm all ears." I made myself comfortable on the couch. "But please spare me the flashback, just be brief with whatever you say."

My father sent me a set of cold stares... I wonder how many times I've been given cold stares.

Then he seemingly to have given up retorting, he spoke about Cecilia.

In short.

My father happened to meet Cecilia by chance.

He was called over to a distant branch family related to Blackthorn and asked for advices to improve their territory. During his days there, he noticed a girl who was living at a shack separate from the mansion. Even though the girl lives on her own at the back of the mansion, she clearly wasn't one of the servants but she also wasn't treated like a child of the family.

My father found out the girl was being treated that way because she was born with natural black hair, which was different from the rest of her family.

To make matter worse, there was a superstition going around the territory that a child with black hair would bring misfortune.

It was also believed that if the child were to die or be abandoned then the child would bring a greater disaster to the whole family of the person she hated the most.

It seemed the girl has been treated poorly in that regards, she seemed to have closed her heart, my father was not able to properly converse with her.

Still, my kind-hearted father couldn't leave such a child alone in that state so he decided to bring her back.

As a sidenote, the distant branch family seemed more than happy to let my father adopt her.

They even gave him proof of their consent.

At least this could be used to show my father was not in any form of adultery.

Good for you dad!

"There you have it..." My father let out a long sigh. "Now, does this clear up all the misunderstandings you could possibly have?"

"Yes, indeed." I nodded. "At least my part of the misunderstanding."

"W-W-What do you mean?"

He sounds like he has guessed the meaning behind my words.

But he has some doubts.

In order to ease him of his doubt, I stood up from the couch.

"I appreciate the fact you saved me the time by being brief." I put my hands out as if I was presenting something. "But you might have to elaborate on the whole story if it gets to mom."

"H-Huh?!" My father seemed confused.

As if to answer his reaction, a figure began to fade in at the space next to me.

It was a blurry silhouette at first then it slowly becomes clearer until a refined figure of a woman in black dress was fully visible.

A woman with body proportions that could make other woman jealous stood there with a foldable fan in her hand.

"B-B-Bertha?!" My father shouted my mother's name as he shot up from his chair.

That's right, this beautiful woman who just showed up was my mother.

"... ..." My mother has her face hidden behind her fan, it was difficult to read her expression.

"B-Bertha!" My father quickly ran up to her. "Hang on, I can explain! I can explain everything!"

"...There's no need for you to explain anymore."

In response to my father, my mother replied in a cold tone of voice.

Hearing that, as if the world has ended for him, my father dropped to his knees.

It seemed as if he was about to cry.

Back then, when my father has told us about adopting Cecilia, my mother had told me her concern about the possibility of Cecilia being an illegitimate child.

Him saying Cecilia will be inheriting everything from the family had only added to her suspicion.

"That's right! I have the proof! I have the proof that Cecilia was adopted from another family!"

Just as my father was about get up, he was held down by my mother.

"...Like I said, there's no need." My mother said.

My father first looked at her and then at me.

His unconvinced expression seemed to be asking me what he should do.

No, don't look at me. This has nothing to do with me.

He sent me a set of disappointed stare.

Really, there wasn't anything for me to do, in the first place he seemed to have misunderstood the whole situation himself.

"... ..."

My mother leaned forward a little bit, then drew my father's head into her embrace.

"...Thank you, dear..." My mother's voice was shaky.

"H-Huh?!" My father still seemed confused.

"Thank you for bringing such a unfortunate child back so we can take care of her." She said as if she was about to cry. "I am glad I was able to marry such a kind-hearted man."

"O-Oh..."

My father was dumbstruck by the sudden attack from my mother.

Well, this outcome was also expected.

Even though Blackthorn family was known for their combat abilities but my father had none of that, and on top of that he was a coward when it comes to combat. Still, with his kind-heartedness, he was able to warm the heart of the one beauty known as the 'Ice Queen' in the noble social circle.

My father came out the victor amongst those nobles who had laughed at him.

"... ..."

Looking at them, I suppose this was the time I get out of the office.

If I was to judge the situation based on their Status Window, there was no need to stick around anymore.

Their current titles were Loving Husband and Loving Wife.

...There was no need to worry about sudden bloodbath or a call for divorce.

I closed the door behind me.

I was able to get the information I needed to know about Cecilia from the meeting with my father.

At least that's one thing out of the way.

However, there was something that has been pestering my mind.

That's right, I was able to check the Status Window of my parents... and of course I didn't miss the opportunity to use it on my little sister.

Villainess of the Story... huh...

On top of already being misfortunate enough to be mistreated in her original family, a title like this on a child as little as her...

Wait... a minute... I believe I still don't know how old she is...

I slammed opened the door of my father's office.

"Hey, dad! How old is Cecil-"

I witnessed my parents in the middle of making out.

They froze, they also saw me.

Yes, looks like I came in at the wrong time.

"... ...!!"

In an instant, my mother's face was flushed red.

Her figure faded into nothingness, and following that was the window shattering.

"Bertha!" My father shouted as he ran up to the window. "Bertha! Don't goooo~!!"

My father did not jump out of the window like my mother did, he doesn't have the ability to jump out of a 2nd-storey floor and land on the ground unscathed.

After a moment of staring out the window, my father turned and looked at me with hateful eyes.

I'm sorry, I guess...

But that's not the thing that matters right now, the thing I wanted to know was:

"So... how old is Cecilia?"

"She's 8..." My father sighed. "Why are you asking this... now... out of all the other times?"

"No particular reason." I shrugged my shoulders. "I just wanted to know."

My father fell on all four.

"For that?! Just for... that... you... YOU!!"

It seemed like my father was about to lose it, I believe it was my time to take my leave.

"Sorry for the interruption." I backed out as I closes the door. "Please do enjoy your time."

"IT'S TOO LATE FO-"

I closed the door.

I walked down the corridor, putting all that out of my mind.

Back to the topic at hand.

I've seen my sister's Status Window, and the Title field was what caught my attention.

Villainess of the Story... huh...

On top of already being misfortunate, a little girl at the age of 8 getting a title like this...

How unpleasant.

****

I dragged a chair through the corridor and stopped just outside Cecilia's room.

I reached for the door handle.

A hand grabbed onto my arm stopping me in action.

"What's the meaning of this?" I looked at the owner of the hand.

It was Sebastian, the old butler of our family and the head of all the servants in this mansion.

The wrinkles and white hair shows his age but his smile under his well maintained beard gives me the feel of a kind grandfather.

Even though he was smiling, his eyes definitely does not seemed like it.

"That would be my question, Young Master." He said with a small laugh. "It may be clear as day what you are trying to do. But let this old man hear what you have in mind."

"Isn't it obvious?" I replied. "I'm going to watch over my little sister as she sleeps."

I tried reaching for the handle once again but failed when Sebastian puts more force into his hand.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that." Sebastian said.

"Why?! Why are you stopping me from doing my responsibility as an older brother?"

"I've heard the reason why Young Mistress fainted... I suppose there was no need to remind you of it."

"Oh... that's..."

"Considering all the possible risks that could affect Young Mistress' mental health, as you know, was already in a bad state... I have determined it would be better if Young Master does not get close to Young Mistress at this moment."

"Oh, com'on!"

I swung my hand freeing myself from Sebastian's grasp.

He put his hands behind his back as he knew I won't be going for the handle immediately.

"That only happened because I had something else on my mind." I said as I rubbed my freed arm. "I don't have a hobby to run around naked. Don't say it as if I'd go jumping around in my little sister's room in just my underwear while enjoying the thrill of her being able to wake up at any moment."

"Oh, yes, you wouldn't." Sebastian nodded. "I firmly believe that Young Master would not do squats or push-ups right next to the Young Mistress in just his underwear."

Squats?! Push-ups?! In just my underwear?! What does this old man think I am? A freak?!

"Then?" I asked. "If you believe I wouldn't do those weird things then why are you stopping me?"

"My judgement was built upon the actions and behaviours the Young Master has taken up till now." Sebastian closed his eyes as if to reminisce the past. Then he opened his eyes. "And considering all the possibilities that involved the Young Master, I have come to the conclusion that it would be best for Young Mistress' mental health if Young Master was to do nothing."

"... ..."

Oh, really?! Was I that horrible for him to reach that conclusion?!

Thinking about what Sebastian just said, I quickly came up with an alternative solution.

"Alright then, how about this?" I said as I placed the chair next to the door. "It's fine as long as I don't enter the room, right?"

"I may not have a problem with this, Young Master." Sebastian replied. "But what is there to gain for you by doing this?"

"Stu~pid~" I sat on the chair and crossed my arms. "Of course there is nothing to gain by doing this and I'm not asking for anything as a return."

"Oh?" He made a sound of doubt.

For his response, I scoffed:

"It was my fault that Cecilia fainted in the first place. Me sitting here does absolutely nothing but I don't want to be doing nothing if I wanted to make it up to her. At least, as an older brother's responsibility, I'd like her to know that she is welcomed to the family."

Sebastian laughed.

It was a soft laugh that sounds like a kind old grandfather.

"Is that so?" Sebastian nodded, seemingly satisfied. "I suppose I should change my view towards Young Master."

"What's this? Now I'm really curious of how you see me before."

"There was no need to make such a scary face, Young Master." He laughed. "It's all in the past now."

"It was literally just a few seconds ago!!"

"Nitpicking small details is very disliked by women. Young Master, if you wish to become popular among women then I would suggest you change this behaviour for the good."

Sebastian words really hurts.

This old man really did it, he just had to step onto my landmine.

I stood up from my chair.

"Say that to me once more and I swea-"

But there was no one there.

It was just me and the chair behind me.

Tsk, disappearing just like that. What a sly old man.

It was a normal thing for Sebastian to appear and disappear like that. It was a mysterious skill unique to him, it was really useful to get around the mansion to manage all the tasks around the mansion.

Of course, the skill only remained a mystery until today thanks to the Status Window.

As a sidenote, Sebastian would walk normally in front of my father and my mother.

I suppose that was a show of respect to the heads of the family.

Regardless, all that were not as important as the matter in my hands as of now.

I sat down on the chair and crossed my arms.

There was nothing else I could do beside staring at the wall and wait for Cecilia to wake up.

I waited.......

.

.

.

I hear a small squeak coming from the door besides me.