Welcome to the Rose Mansion - Chapter 132
That’s right. Edgar Otis was a boy more beautiful than a freshly blooming June rose. His reddish-brown hair flowed softly like sunlight, tickling the hearts of those who looked at him, and his green eyes, like summer leaves, naturally brought a smile to one’s face.
It was said that not only girls but even boys from neighboring villages would loiter near the Otis estate just to catch a glimpse of that beauty. There was even a rumor that someone who had seen the most popular actress of the time claimed, 「 Her beauty pales in comparison to that of the youngest son of the Otis family 」.
With strikingly attractive features that captivated the eye and a birthday during the season when roses bloom, Edgar Otis was often called by the nickname 「 Rose 」.
Beautiful and kind-hearted, Edgar was loved by everyone. But his older brother, Neil Otis, did not look kindly upon him.
Just as the most beautiful flower withers the earliest, Edgar Otis was extremely frail from a young age. His parents were constantly anxious and bought all sorts of fine medicines for their youngest son.
Neil Otis always resented the cost of his brother’s treatments. He believed that if that money had been spent on supporting him instead, Otis could have achieved great wealth long ago.
This unfounded delusion led to resentment and hatred toward his younger brother. Edgar always accepted his older brother’s unreasonable anger with calmness.
As time went on, Edgar Otis grew more and more beautiful. It was said that rumors of his beauty spread as far as the capital.
Then, one day, a sudden accident caused the Otis brothers to lose both of their parents at the same time. After that, everything belonging to Otis fell into the hands of Neil Otis.
「 Finally, my time has come. No more cowardly father, no more clingy mother to stand in my way. Watch from the heavens, Father! See how your son will revive Otis! 」
Neil Otis confined his brother Edgar to the house and ran around, dabbling in business and investments. The only fortunate thing was that Edgar’s health had improved, and his minor illnesses had lessened.
The unfortunate part was that Neil Otis had no talent for making money. Every venture he touched quickly depleted Otis’s already limited assets.
The family, which wasn’t in good shape to begin with, gradually declined. They sold off small parcels of land, dismissed the servants, and eventually even had to let go of the manor.
On the day they moved into a small rented house with just two rooms, Neil threw a bottle at Edgar.
「 Damn it… It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for you, I could’ve lived a better life! 」
「 Brother, please stop and lie down. Drinking any more here will seriously harm your health. 」
「 Shut up! Damn it, you worthless brat. If only you were a girl, I could’ve at least sold you off to some rich old man. What’s the point of being beautiful? What good is a man’s beauty? 」
「 …… 」
「 You should be grateful. I kept the perverted old men who wanted you away… Because as an Otis man, if you disgrace yourself, it would lower my status too. I had no choice. 」
Perhaps being born a man was the greatest fortune of Edgar’s life. If he had been a woman, Neil Otis would have wasted no time in auctioning his younger sibling off as soon as their parents passed away.
But Edgar was a man, and Neil Otis wanted his younger brother, as a man of the Otis family, to enter a respectable marriage.
However, what noblewoman of marriageable age would want Edgar as a husband? Marriage to the Otis family brought no benefits whatsoever.
Moreover, Edgar was the second son, frail, and uneducated, without any means to earn a living.
In any case, Neil Otis drank heavily every day, taking out his accumulated stress on his brother. As always, Edgar offered no resistance.
It seemed Edgar harbored a sense of guilt towards his brother, Neil. In a way, it was inevitable. From a very young age, he had been indoctrinated with the belief that he was a worthless being who should be grateful for Neil’s tolerance.
The Otis family continued to decline further with time. Eventually, they were even evicted from the rented house.
The Otis brothers had no choice but to seek help from their distant relatives, the Sylvester County. I don’t need to explain how much this hurt Neil Otis’s pride.
「 I know the story of you two brothers. 」
The old madam of Sylvester alternated her gaze between Neil’s greedy face and Edgar’s, who, for some reason, seemed utterly intimidated.
「 And why should I help you? 」
Neil grimaced as if he had been insulted. The old madam found his behavior deeply displeasing.
On the other hand, she felt a sense of sympathy for the pitiful and beautiful boy who nervously watched his brother’s every move.
「 Fine. I can’t give you the investment you want, Neil Otis, but I will allow you to stay at the estate. In return, Edgar will occasionally keep me company. 」
Neil Otis twisted his lips in a sneer, showing his disdain for both his brother and the old madam. But the cold reality was that they had nowhere else to go.
Ultimately, Neil Otis reluctantly accepted the offer, pretending it was some sort of honor.
Yes, you might have guessed it already—the estate where the brothers took residence was none other than what is now known as Bertrand.
At that time, no one could have known that the old madam’s kindness would lead to the fateful 「 encounter 」.
Thus, the tragedy of Otis began its prelude.
