Chapter 80 - The Girl Wants to Be M*rdered

〈 Chapter 80 〉 80: Embers * * * ** ─ Tap, tap. “Sia sister, let's hurry!” “Even if you don't rush me, it's not going to run away anywhere, Alice.” “Hehe, okay!” Perhaps it was due to the light snowfall yesterday. It wasn't a day where the sun was blazing due to a lack of clouds, nor was it a dark, overcast day from too many clouds. The sky had just the right amount of clouds and sunlight, a perfect balance that I loved. Under the soft and fluffy hues of the sky, I slowly stepped outside, matching the pace of the small hand guiding me. Tap, tap. As the sound of our footsteps echoed, I synchronized my body’s rhythm with it. I was careful with every step, afraid that my awkward stride might accidentally disturb her delicate frame. And behind me, ─ Crack! “Argh...! You, Sia...!!” “Princess Aris, have a safe trip~” “But why are you blaming this on me…” I felt a heated glare on the back of my head as I tried to leave the entrance. I had a good idea of who it was. Indeed, when I turned back reluctantly, I found Remi Akaia casting a jealous gaze my way. And beside her, Tessa was standing at the entrance, waving goodbye to Alice. I gave a wry smile, patting Alice's head once, and waved back lightly to those seeing us off. Jealous, are you? —....!! But apparently, even that seemed to be unpleasant for her. “…Let go. Tessa. That's a royal command. I can’t stand this.” “…I serve Tessilia.” They were swaying oddly for a send-off, indicating how fiercely they struggled with unseen forces. Thinking about Tessa holding back with one arm, and the distant sounds of a scuffle, I couldn’t imagine the fierce battle waging behind their backs. Tessa, you're working hard. I'll treat you to something nice later. Something cheap, maybe. —Crash!! “I want to go too!!” “…Goodness.” With the loud noise, I heard the sound of something breaking. In my eyes, the wood shavings, appearing like splinters from the impact, prominently fell from her hands. It was as if she was saying she would do the same to me, Remi Akaia pointed at the shavings and then at me, making a threatening gesture by slicing her thumb across her neck. Seeing that universal body language, I silently prayed to glimpse the sunlight tomorrow. How many times have I offered such a prayer? Well, nevertheless. “Have a safe trip, Remi sister!” “Y-yeah! Have a great time, Aris!” Before Alice, no room for negotiation. When Alice turned back to bid farewell, Remi Akaia’s face transformed into a loving smile of a saint, casting aside the previous expression. She cherishes her sister, but this princess really discriminates against people too much. Why she lashes out at me just because a sudden shift in weather yesterday kept them from visiting the garden remains a mystery. To describe the unfairness left my head shaking in disbelief. Truly, it's too much. Precisely forty-eight hours ago. In other words, two days ago. In the dormitory where I lived, there existed a person named Remi Akaia, who was ecstatic from the day before thinking about visiting the garden with her little sister for the first time in ages. But instead of a joyful and pleasurable time with her sister, what awaited her was, unfortunately, a slowly approaching mass of dark clouds. Before long, the sky became so dark that even stars couldn’t be seen. So the next morning arrived. In other words, the day before yesterday. The ill omen came true when the sky suddenly started pelting sleet from early morning. With such a downpour, there was nothing to do. A vote was taken, and the proposal to go to the flower garden was dismissed with one approval, one abstention, and two rejections. Bang, bang, bang. Three knocks. ‘I don’t want tooo! I’m going to play with Aris!’ ‘…It's okay, sister Remi. We can go next time.’ A perfect realization of democracy in the dark medieval days. Come to think of it. ‘…It feels like the child and the adult have swapped places, doesn’t it?’ ‘I think so too, a little.’ I’ll leave it to the imagination who voted for what. Although hint-wise, I’ll just say that one person, burdened with guilt, couldn't bring themselves to cast a no vote. Voting, after all, is meant to be anonymous. Democracy, that’s what it is. Anyway. Pointing at the densely clouded sky, saying it’s perfectly overcast and ideal for an outing, a whole lot of people had to be involved to stop her from heading out burning with hopeful ideas. Still, maintaining she could take Alice and go, it took a whole hour to quell her tantrum. She held on to the door until Alice finally comforted her by patting her head. Incidentally, today, the very next day. ‘Why on earth!?’ ‘Wow, you're lucky.’ On the morning it was my turn to go out with Alice, the clouds blanketing the sky lifted as if they had been a lie. ─ Tap, tap. “Yup~♪ Yup, yup~♬” “...........” After many twists and turns, we were finally able to embark on our walk. Alice hummed a tune, overjoyed at finally returning to the garden. For Alice, who had only glimpsed it from afar since reuniting with Remi Akaia, visiting the garden felt like her first real outing to see flowers in a month. “Hehe. Going to see the flowers~” “…Today, let’s enjoy it to the fullest, Alice.” What is it she so eagerly wants to see? Holding my left hand tightly with her right, Alice briskly moved her legs as she walked to the garden. Her excitement was just like any other child her age, looking forward to the destination. Yes. She was simply a child, thrilled to go where she wanted. Just the ability to visit a place she desired brought her immense joy. “Hmmm~♬” “…….” Perhaps because I was lost in such somber thoughts while watching her. From the opposite direction, the wind caught and made a long piece of fabric flutter in my sight. “…….” It swayed with the wind, Like an inflatable man on the street, loose and drooping was Alice's left sleeve. Within that sleeve, which seemed to need folding seven times to reveal bare skin, lay a wrist that had been severed, a consequence of misplaced trust. Beneath the cloth, unseen, were scars too cruel to show others, remnants from a moment of misguided choices driven by impulse. Yet, the bittersweet reality brought heavier sorrow. A small shift in circumstance, Would have meant nothing but a happy, ordinary future awaited the child. The flapping sleeve seemed to cast a curse from the past wounds, declaring that terms like normalcy and happiness could never grace her path. As if an unbreakable shackle encircled her ankle. I couldn’t avert my gaze from Alice’s soft, fleeting image. In a world where curses could be hurled by unknowns and poisons crafted to threaten life, where unorthodox magic was commonplace, Monstrous creatures roamed, summoned to bend swords barehanded. Yet, ironically, what she needed was a place where pretenses for happiness for this gentle, kind child simply did not exist. How long did those seemingly eternal seconds pass? Feeling a slight weight shift from Alice suddenly stopping, our steps ceased just before the garden. “Huh? Is something wrong, Sia sister?” “…No.” “Hmm… Are you sure? It doesn’t seem that way.” Did she notice my troubled heart? Alice, who had paused from leading our walk, looked up at me with concerned eyes. Her brilliant, aquamarine eyes held genuine worry, capturing the quite unmistakably troubled face of a woman. “…….” With a smile, Alice asked if nothing was really bothering me. She was so serene, it was hard to believe she was the same person who had been crying and screaming until a few days ago. Alice. You’re actually not okay, right? Alice. You’re actually enduring pain, aren't you? These thoughts swelled uncontrollably within my chest. But in the end, all I could offer were the same shallow words anyone else might say. “Nothing at all.” “…? Okay, sister.” Truly. Truly, nothing at all. I swallowed the words that reached my throat, all I could muster was that empty assurance, spoken without any true meaning. “Hehe. I'm looking forward to the garden.” “…Yeah.” “Really looking forward to it.” And thus, we concealed our true feelings from each other. Slowly, we stepped into the garden where the flowers awaited. ** “I must do it…!” The sound of a sword striking against stone echoed. “To save the one beside that dreadful monster, I must…!” The sound of someone steadying their wavering heart echoed. “It’s something only I can do…!” ─Thud. In the darkness, the sheen of a cold blade reflected the light of a small lantern. Within that murderous intent, there was a glimpse of wild, green hair.