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[When did you learn healing magic?]

Kaeram asked me as I wiped my hands in the pouring rain.

“I just learned it along the way. Taking care of my own body is something I have to do.”

Doing this kind of thing, you never know when or where the shadow of death might strike.

Getting stabbed in the limbs, getting slashed across the back, these are all too common for assassins.

So waiting for a healer to come and treat my wounds, while I’m holding my injuries alone, isn’t that ridiculous?

If you’re contemplating stabbing someone else, you should always keep in mind that you could end up getting stabbed yourself.

It’s only natural to be prepared for that.

[Come to think of it, you have a lot of strange talents, don’t you?]

Is it just my imagination, or does that sound a bit sarcastic?

[So, what are you going to do now, after baring your face in front of your dear sister, with no plan in mind?]

“I don’t know.”

[……?]

Kaeram frowned as if she was puzzled.

[What? That’s your planless response?]

“In the end, my sister’s new future will only be meaningful if she decides it.”

I turned my head to look in my sister’s direction.

As she was frowning in contemplation, I could sense her troubled mind.

Having experienced so much in such a short time, it would surely be difficult to overcome it all quickly.

But being our older sister, it’s possible for her to act this way.

Right now, she’s not despairing or feeling defeated by the current situation.

Rather, she’s thinking.

As if strengthening her resolve, she lifted her head and bit her lip.

As I was approaching her naturally, she opened her mouth as if she had been waiting for me.

“You once told me. You wanted to carry on the family’s ideals as a descendant of the Vert family…”

“Yes, I did.”

“Do you still feel the same?”

There was no reason to lie at this point.

“I never had that desire from the start.”

My sister nodded in understanding.

“The reason I decided to carry on the family’s ideals wasn’t anything special. I just thought someone had to do it. I thought it should be me. And because it had to be me, I thought it was possible. I believed it was something for everyone.”

I know.

The shining armor my sister is wearing represents that determination.

“But now I feel like everything has become meaningless. I wonder if there’s any need for it anymore…”

“Why are you saying that?”

“You saw it too, didn’t you? Cecilia stabbed me…”

I affirmed with silence.

“Cecilia wasn’t just a knight protecting me, she was more than that. She understood my dream of becoming a knight of light the best and never hesitated to give advice. Sometimes, I even thought of her as more precious than family…”

My sister swallowed her breath, trying to suppress the emotions that were welling up once again.

“But that wasn’t the case. Regardless of reasons or intentions, Cecilia was never truly mine from the beginning. She was just someone who had a different purpose and was always by my side.”

Betrayal from someone you’ve trusted and relied on your whole life.

The shock from that is so devastating that it’s meaningless to even try to describe it.

I understand that emotion all too well.

“Aren’t you… feeling angry?”

“Anger? Well, even if I were to get angry, what’s the point? I was just ignorant about everything…”

I think to myself.

Ignorance isn’t a sin.

But trust born from ignorance can be extremely dangerous.

Strictly speaking, my sister isn’t at fault for what’s happened in the current situation.

But she’s probably blaming herself.

She’ll be blaming her own naive trust, believing that because Cecilia had been by her side all this time, she would continue to be there in the future.

That blind trust in herself as the one who should carry on the family’s ideals has led to today’s outcome.

“Cyan, you know something about the family or about Aschel, don’t you?”

Caught off guard, I couldn’t respond immediately.

“I saw it that day in the royal palace. You were very cautious of Aschel, someone you hardly ever saw. It was as if you understood his innermost thoughts…”

That’s why our sister is truly remarkable.

She has already sensed the truth to some extent, so there’s no point in denying it.

But…

“Someday… I’ll tell you everything.”

Now is not the right time.

Especially since revealing the true nature of that demon might put my sister in even more danger.

When the time is right, I’ll tell her everything.

“I see…”

There was a hint of disappointment in her voice.

“Then, could you at least tell me this?”

My sister’s absent-minded gaze regained its vigor.

“Can I consider you as the one I trust and rely on the most right now?”

I could answer that part immediately.

“Of course.”

“Okay, then that’s settled. It’s a bit embarrassing for me, as your older sister, to rely on my younger brother…”

As usual, my sister affectionately stroked my head.

“But Cyan, you don’t have to shoulder everything alone. Just as you’ve stayed by my side, there are countless people who will stay by yours too.”

It felt strange.

Unlike someone who might have considered my sacrifice as natural, my sister genuinely thanked me and felt sorry for me.

If my sister from my previous life hadn’t died and had continued to stay by my side, how different would my life have been?

The thought came to my mind, but I shook my head.

Ultimately, what matters is now.

It’s my duty to continue maintaining that smile on my sister’s face.

– Swoosh –

Through the bushes, I could sense the approach of the knights from the distant patrol.

They must be coming to check on my sister’s safety.

There might not be anything good to go back to, but when I looked into my sister’s eyes, I didn’t feel like straying from her path.

“Are you going back?”

“I should go. The problems I face should be resolved by me alone. That way, can’t you look at your face proudly?”

Though part of me wants to advise her not to go, I still want to respect my sister’s choice.

Just as I’m about to resign myself and put my mask back on, my sister grabbed my hand and spoke.

“Someday, you’ll tell me everything that’s on your mind. I’ll wait for that day, no matter how long it takes…”

“It won’t be long.”

With that, I turn away.

In that moment, I feel like I’ve washed away decades of guilt from my heart.

* * *

Cyan, who had always been seen as innocent and adorable, now presented a strange and unfamiliar sight to Alice.

Was this really the Cyan she knew?

Yet, the unmistakable touch that remained on her hand proved that she was indeed a member of her family.

Promised to reveal everything in due time, Alice focused on resolving the immediate problems she faced.

Soon, a few knights emerged from the bushes.

“Alice?!”

Clad in armor with the royal insignia, they were knights of the royal army.

“Are you alright? Are you injured?”

“Well, um, for now…”

The wounds inflicted by Cecilia had already been healed by Cyan’s magic.

Some of the knights, seeing the scattered corpses of the beasts, were astonished.

“Did you face these beasts alone?”

Although it wasn’t entirely true, she couldn’t admit otherwise.

Alice thought it would be better to remain cautious about revealing Cyan’s existence, so she nodded carefully.

“Well, it’s fortunate that we found you first, Alice! Perhaps the heavens are helping us!”

The knight’s reaction was a bit too exaggerated.

“W-What do you mean?”

Suspicion crept into Alice’s mind as she asked cautiously.

“If, by any chance, anything happens to Alice, we must contact them first and convey this message.”

“W-Who asked you to do that?”

“It’s Chief Kundel!”

As soon as she heard the name, Alice’s pupils shook violently.

The other knights were wary, keeping an eye out for any other knights who might approach.

“Now, listen carefully, Alice…”

The knight began to relay all the instructions she had been given in a restrained tone.

* * *

Nonchalantly wandering through the corridors, Aschel finally stopped in front of a door.

The entrance was heavily guarded by the knights of the royal army, and the situation seemed impossible to enter.

However, Aschel smiled genially and spoke casually.

“I’ve come to see Princess Violet…”

The knights hesitated in their response.

If it were anyone else, they would have refused firmly, but this was Aschel, the eldest son of Duke Vert.

One of the knights who had been eyeing him relented, and Aschel entered without any hesitation.

Inside, Princess Violet, with a somewhat haggard expression, was seated.

“I’m sorry. Aschel, I can’t bear to look at your face…”

Despite the princess’s self-reproach, Aschel remained silent.

“Have you come here to scold me? Then go ahead. I have no right to refute anything you say.”

“…It’s not your fault, Princess.”

Princess Violet finally burst into tears.

“I don’t even have the right to be a princess. As soon as I heard that the demonic monsters appeared, I instinctively ran away… And yet, I still caused trouble for everyone around me. How should I even face Duke Vert…”

The reason behind Princess Violet’s use of magic during the visit was simple: she was scared.

Fearful of the appearance of the monsters and in a hurry, she inadvertently tried to teleport away.

However, due to her panic, she ended up misplacing the coordinates and ended up somewhere completely different.

That’s right.

It was not an explanation, but an excuse.

Aschel suspected that the words coming from the princess’s mouth were far from the truth.

“Alice did that for me…”

“That’s enough.”

Aschel interrupted her, unable to listen any longer.

“How can you say that? Alice is Lord Aschel’s younger sister! You don’t even know what happened to your younger sister, who was surrounded by demonic beasts, so how can you be so calm?”

However, Aschel’s expression remained firm until the end.

“I told you, didn’t I? There’s no need for you to be any sadder than you already are because of Alice…”

“What do you mean by that?”

“A message came from the rear camp a while ago.”

For a moment, Princess Violet’s pupils subtly shook.

“They said Alice is alive.”

“…!”

The face of Princess Violet, who couldn’t smile or frown, froze strangely.