Chapter 13 – Jade: My Nii-san (Part 1)
Jade: My Nii-san, Part 1
Novel Title: 嫌われ者の俺はやり直しの世界で義弟達にごまをする (As the Hated One, I Flatter My Stepbrothers in a World Where I Get a Second Chance)
Author：赤牙 (Akakiba)
Art：古澤エノ (Furusawa Eno)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: シャルル (Charles -MC), リエン (Lien -ML1) & ジェイド (Jade -ML2)
*Please read at freenovels.net, the original site of translation. TQ*
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“Remarriage…?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Mother called Lien and me to tell us that she would be marrying Marquis Wahlman in a month. We couldn’t hide our shock. Over the past year, it seemed like Mother had been seeing someone, but we never imagined it would be a marquis.
“He has a ten-year-old son. You two will have an older brother,” she said with a smile.
“An older brother…?”
“The house will be livelier than before. You’ve both endured so much since your father passed. But from now on, I think life will be a bit easier for us.”
Mother’s words were accompanied by a gentle pat on our heads. I glanced at Lien, who was clutching my sleeve tightly, his expression betraying the same unease I felt despite his brave smile.
We may have been nobility. But as mere viscounts, our lives weren’t particularly luxurious. After Father died, Mother worked tirelessly to ensure Lien and I were never in want.
Her remarriage to a marquis would likely bring us happiness.
But what about the marquis’s household? While the man marrying Mother might love her, what about his son?
In aristocratic circles, higher status often bred arrogance. If this new ‘family’ treated us poorly, I would have to protect Mother and Lien.
Watching Mother’s radiant expression, I clenched my fists, determined to shield them both.
Before I knew it, the month had flown by. Suppressing the anxiety threatening to crush me, we visited Marquis Wahlman’s estate. The mansion dwarfed our previous home, leaving Lien and me awestruck. Our apprehension grew as we held hands tightly and stepped out of the carriage.
At the entrance, two figures greeted us.
“Flor, you must be tired from the long journey. Jade, Lien, thank you for coming all this way,” said a black-haired man who approached us with open arms and a welcoming smile.
So, this was the man who would become our stepfather.
He seemed far more approachable than I had expected, easing some of my worries.
Then, I noticed another figure behind him—a pair of pale blue eyes watching us hesitantly.
His jet-black hair shone like silk, his skin was porcelain pale, and his light blue eyes shimmered delicately, full of fragility. I couldn’t look away.
This was to be our older brother, Charles.
The marquis ushered us inside, and introductions began.
When he introduced Charles, our new brother seemed strangely timid, his eyes wavering with anxiety.
Charles politely introduced himself, his voice soft and careful.
Charles Nii-san. This was to be our new older brother.
Contrary to my fears of an arrogant aristocrat, Charles seemed gentle and reserved. If anything, he appeared more nervous than we were. Suddenly, tears welled up in his large eyes, and he began to cry.
I didn’t know why, but watching his trembling shoulders and flowing tears filled me with an instinct to comfort him. Without thinking, I reached out and took his hand.
His hand was slightly larger than mine, warm yet trembling. Looking up at his tear-streaked face, I called out gently, “Charles Nii-san, are you okay?”
His large blue eyes widened in surprise before he broke into a trembling apology. “I… I’m so sorry…”
I didn’t understand why he apologized, but I squeezed his hand tightly to reassure him, hoping it might ease his sadness.
The others quickly joined in comforting Charles. He used the handkerchief Mother offered to wipe his tears, his eyes reddened from crying.
Looking at me with a faint smile, he whispered, “Thank you, Jade.”
I felt my heart race when Charles smiled softly, the corners of his eyes gently lowering.
When we first started living with Charles, his constant care and attention toward Lien and me puzzled us greatly.
“Is there anything you’re struggling with?”
“Do you know where your room is?”
“Is there any food you dislike?”
Charles, who asked us these kinds of questions every day to the point of overprotection, left us bewildered.
“Hey, Jade, why is Charles Nii-sama so kind to us?” Lien asked.
“I don’t know… I wonder why,” I replied.
Charles treated us like he was our personal caretaker, and Lien and I didn’t know how to respond. Even the servants gossiped about how Charles had been acting strangely since we arrived, with some speculating that the marquis’s eldest son was trying to win over the stepchildren.
But for me, this peculiar Charles wasn’t someone I disliked.
***
Two years had passed since Mother remarried.
“Jade, is there anything you’re struggling with?” Charles asked again today with his usual gentle smile.
Normally, I would reply, “Nothing in particular,” but… every time I did, Charles would look disappointed and walk away, and I started feeling bad about it.
―――Maybe there’s something…
I forced myself to think of something to ask for help with, and one idea came to mind.
“Um, I have some questions about my studies. Could you help me?”
“Of course. What part are you struggling with?”
Charles’s face lit up with a delighted smile. He followed me to my room, and after showing him my assignments, he crossed his arms and began to think.
“For this part… you can apply this formula here…”
Charles stared at the assignment intently, teaching me with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.
“Nii-san, is this correct?” I asked.
“Ah, yes, that’s it. You’re amazing, Jade.”
“Thank you, Charles Nii-san. Your explanation was very helpful.”
“No, no, I only gave a little advice; you figured it out on your own,” he replied, smiling shyly yet happily.
―――Ah… he really is such a kind person.
As I watched his smile, that thought warmed my heart.
From then on, whenever Charles asked if I needed help, I’d ask him to join me in working on my assignments.
Whenever we came across difficult problems, Charles would change expressions as he pondered deeply, and his reactions were so endearing. When we solved a problem, he would be even happier than I was.
“Jade, you’re incredible. Solving such hard problems like this is amazing.”
“No, I couldn’t have done it alone. It’s thanks to you, Charles Nii-san.”
“This is the result of your hard work,” he said, gently patting my head.
―――The result of my hard work…
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*GLOSSARY:
- Nii-san/Nii-sama/Onii-san = (Big/Elder) Brother
☝🏻I’ll be using these throughout my translation. Jade would call Charles ‘Nii-san’ while Lien would call him ‘Nii-sama’.
Next update: 2025.09.06
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Thank you translator-nim 🥰😘