I Became the Younger Brother of the Villainess

“Got it. I think I understand now.”

“Good. Take care of her. She’s a sweet girl,” my sister replied with a gentle smile.

“Don’t worry. So, when are you coming to my room today?”

The question was casual, completely normal between us. And yet, a moment of silence fell. Noticing the odd atmosphere, I glanced at my sister. She wore a stunned expression, as if someone had just struck the back of her head.

Even so, she still looked breathtakingly graceful.

“Oh… r-right. Since you have your own personal maid now… is it still okay for me to come by?” she asked hesitantly.

How adorable.

“Why wouldn’t it be? I love spending time with you every day. Unless you don’t feel the same?” I teased.

“It’s not like that! I… Fine. I’ll come by later,” she said, flustered.

Satisfied with her answer, I stood and left the dining room. Something about her quiet mumbling lingered in my mind, but I dismissed it. Daisy, following me with a similarly crimson face, murmured something along the lines of, “Master and the lady… in the same room…?”

Unable to focus on either of them, I decided to let it go.

Back in my room, I sat on the edge of my bed and beckoned Daisy to come closer.

As Daisy shuffled closer and sat beside me, her flustered expression, with even her ears turning red, was undeniably cute.

“Eek… M-Master…,” she stammered.

What sort of misunderstanding was she having? She squirmed slightly, muttering, “No… this isn’t right…” in a timid voice. It was amusing to see her react so nervously. Up close, her face had a dignified air—not quite on par with my sister, but still elegant. Yet her behavior was the complete opposite of composed.

Back in the dining room, when she had solemnly declared her readiness to dedicate everything to me, she’d seemed poised and resolute. So why the sudden change now?

Since I was having fun, I decided to tease her a little more.

Poke, poke. I tapped her cheek lightly, and her lips quivered as if she were about to burst into tears. She let out soft, breathy noises like “H-heh…” before abruptly snapping her eyes open, as if regaining her composure. But when I brushed her ear gently, she gasped, “Hiiiik,” and flinched again.

“M-Master…,” Daisy called out in a pleading voice.

I didn’t respond. It seemed she thought a maid—no, a possession—like herself couldn’t speak her mind unless her master permitted it. She pursed her lips tightly, remaining silent for a while before eventually calling out to me again, her voice tinged with desperation.

My finger trailed along her cheek, now flushed a deep red. Each time my touch lingered, she shivered faintly. When I moved to lightly brush her ear or trace the crimson skin of her neck, Daisy trembled even more under my hand. It had escalated to something that could only be described as playful teasing—or perhaps outright torment.

Why was this working so well? Then it hit me. Daisy wasn’t a fellow vampire, but a human. My passive charm had been affecting her the entire time.

Of course, my sister, being a high vampire like myself, could resist such passive allure effortlessly. Whether it was her or me, our shared status as high vampires seemed to render us immune to each other’s charms, so I’d nearly forgotten the effect was even active.

What should I do?

Luckily, the charm was at a low intensity—just enough to leave her flushed, like she’d had a drink or two. If I withdrew my hand and left her alone, she’d likely recover on her own. Probably.

Deciding it was best not to push things further, I removed my hand from her. That’s when Daisy’s delicate fingers wrapped tightly around my wrist.

Her teary, imploring gaze met mine.

So much for her earlier stoic attitude about not speaking without permission.

“M-Master… I’m sorry… but… just a little… more…”

I was at a loss. It wasn’t as though I had no desire—it was quite the opposite. My teasing had been laced with intent, but I’d limited myself to touching her cheek, ear, and collarbone at most. Nothing more.

Truthfully, part of me wanted to give in and take her right then and there. But now wasn’t the time. My priority was still winning over my sister. Although I’d managed to recover some of the affection I’d lost earlier, progress beyond that point had stalled. I needed something decisive to tip the scales in my favor.

Lately, I’d wondered if my sister might be starting to see me as a man. But if that were true, why would she assign another woman to me as a personal maid? It was a contradiction that left me with a lot to think about.

If I were the type to take Daisy and then discard her, that would be one thing. But I wasn’t some madman who’d dismiss a beautiful maid who had pledged herself to serve me forever.

There was also the matter of her connection to my past. For a heroine this tempting to go untouched? That would be absurd. Not taking her would make me no better than a eunuch.

I’d take her—eventually. It was only a matter of time.

The timing was just off. That’s all.

Still, with Daisy pleading so earnestly, it felt too cold-hearted to simply stop there.

Just a little. I’d indulge her a little bit—nothing more.

As long as my sister didn’t find out, it would be fine.

It was a predicament.

Daisy’s family, the Blackwoods, were once the margraves who guarded the empire’s northern borders. While the empire had since expanded its territory to encompass nearly the entire continent, leaving only the northern regions untouched, the Blackwoods had long relinquished their duty as border protectors. Yet, they never forgot the Cepeshu family, who had once shown them boundless generosity during their most difficult times.

The Blackwoods didn’t serve the imperial eagle but rather the ravens and bats of the Cepeshu family. While such loyalty might be deemed blasphemous by imperial standards, the Cepeshu’s aid during the harshest days on the frontier had left an indelible mark of gratitude on the Blackwoods.

As the Cepeshu rose to the rank of ducal family and became a symbol of harmony between humans and non-humans, the Blackwoods became fervent supporters. Their loyalty, along with their title of count, cemented the Cepeshu family’s position in the empire. The alliance between the two families only grew stronger over the generations.

“The Blackwoods belong entirely to the Cepeshu,” the head of the Blackwood family would often declare in front of their kin and retainers. This unyielding loyalty persisted through the generations, with every family head renewing the pledge.

Thus.

It was considered customary for the Blackwoods to send an eligible daughter to the Cepeshu estate every generation.

For Leticia, it was no different. It was simply something that “had to be done,” and so she accepted Daisy into the household without much thought.

It wasn’t until much later, when Leticia realized the potential consequences of introducing a new woman into the house, that she regretted her decision. By then, it was far too late to reverse it.

To make matters worse, the new arrival turned out to be the same girl her brother had once saved as a child.

Leticia was overwhelmed with a sense of foreboding.

As she walked aimlessly down the corridor, her shoulders slumped in defeat, an inexplicable unease began to gnaw at her.

What if someone steals my precious brother from me? The thought left her deeply unsettled. Even though he had regained some of his strength, his amnesia left him with a soft, endearing aura that tugged at people’s hearts—a mix of innocence and charm that was hard to resist.

And then there was that scent—that intoxicating, irresistible scent.

Leticia vividly recalled the day her brother lost control of his charm. Whether it was a slip in his ability to suppress it or a deliberate choice, his allure had radiated so intensely that it felt impossible to resist.

While she hadn’t been overwhelmed, it had taken a great deal of restraint to keep herself composed.

But Daisy was different. She was just a human, after all. If she were exposed to that scent, Leticia was certain of what would happen. Daisy would inevitably try to seduce him. She couldn’t allow that.

This is for my brother’s sake, not spying, Leticia rationalized to herself.

Even though it wasn’t yet time to visit him, she quietly justified her actions as she tiptoed toward his room.

Standing outside the door, she leaned in carefully and pressed her ear against it. Then, she listened.

Here’s the polished and proofread version of that excerpt:

“Hngh! Ugh, ahhn…! No, no, I c-can’t─, no, ngh… it feels… so good…!”

──Snap.

The sound of something breaking echoed faintly.

Leticia froze in place, her thoughts blank for a moment.