Chapter 105 - The Girl Wants to Be M*rdered

**Chapter 105: A Short Side Story – The Sapling** Thick foliage soothes the weary heart in the summer heat, and sturdy branches stretching horizontally are perfect for hanging a swing for children. The rugged trunk, cut and reshaped, becomes homes to dwell in and boats to sail, while its stump serves as a bench for weary travelers to rest. Such is the sacrifice of the tree, giving everything for mankind. And in doing so, it meets its noble end. Indeed, a truly enviable, meaningful death. I spoke, "──Grandfather. Could I have that sapling?" ".....Hmm? This one's going to take quite some time to grow, you know. Is that alright with you?" "Yes." That's enough for me. ─Tap, tap. "~♬" Tree. I let the sound of that word, pleasing as it rolled off my tongue, resonate for a moment. I felt a gentle energy in my mouth, an amalgamation of refreshing coolness and comforting warmth. Grandfather warned me that it would take a long time, but it didn't matter to me at all. No matter how many years it would take for the tree to grow, even if an unforeseen accident were to take my life before the end of its lifespan, my resolve would remain unchanged. For I had found the purpose of my life. From a person who coveted what was not hers, from someone repeating an empty life, I discovered meaning for the first time. This was something no one else could do. This was something only I could undertake. ─Swoosh. "Could I, one day, be like this tree?" Today, I discovered the path to true happiness. ** ** Tap, tap. The sound of footsteps echoed rhythmically from outside. Even just by listening, one could sense the elegance they conveyed. As I listened to the sound, imbued with suppressed excitement and thrill, I realized how much time had passed. Was it the start of a new day? Then it was time for me to begin my daily routine as well. ─Swoosh. "..........." I stretched quietly. Maybe because I had been sitting in the same position for hours, the sound of my joints loosening echoed one after another as I moved. Sitting on the wide windowsill prepared especially for me alone, I confirmed that my stiff body was sufficiently loosened and cautiously walked toward the door about to open. Jingle─── The bell attached to my ankle rang out a clear and pure sound. A few seconds later, the door opened. On the other side of the swiftly opening door stood a woman, her eyes blazing with intense fervor, looking down at me. She wore the regal attire symbolizing her status as the queen of the kingdom, exuding an aura of elegance. Reflected in her eyes, tinged with a faint redness, was the image of a young girl kneeling on the floor, looking up at her. In this world, the one person I could call my kin. My older sister. "──Have you been well, Aris?" "Yes. Anna-sister." Anna Acaia was standing before me. ** Anna held my hand and led me to the bed in the corner of the room. Though there were pillows set for two, Anna ignored them, gently laying me down on the bed and resting her head on my thighs. She extended her arms and hugged my waist tightly. Getting used to this now familiar touch, I stroked Anna's hair. Her soft hair felt akin to the texture of fine silk. Soft──, soft────. "........" "........" In the quiet room, the only sound was the quiet breathing of the two of us. The pillows, neglected and unused, were cold and untouched. After burying her face in my lap for some time, Anna eventually looked up at me with dazed eyes. While outside she was known as a ruthless ruler, even nicknamed the Queen of Steel, when it was just the two of us, Anna showed her girlish side, indulging in bouts of childishness. Sometimes, she would confide in me about the burdens of the day, and at other times, grumbled about the annoying people who kept clinging to her. Occasionally, when she was in a bad mood, she would nibble at me here and there. During such moments, her eyes sparkled with possessiveness and jealousy, as if declaring that she wouldn't allow anyone to take me away. It wasn't an easy task to soothe her mood, and thus it became a habit for me to predict Anna's mood by the sound of her footsteps. "......Hmm." "......." Seeing that she was silent, perhaps there was no major issue today. Taking care of her often felt like raising a grown-up child, and a soft smile naturally crept on my lips. Seeing my smile, Anna raised a hand and gently touched my face. Our faces, gazing at each other, blossomed with smiles. A day like any other, a repeated routine. An everyday ritual that had been ongoing since I was twelve until I turned fifteen, spanning three years. ** One could say it was a life akin to an observer. I neither wished to reveal anything particularly nor had anything I desired to obtain. I tried to live a quiet life as was expected of a girl my age. Of course, a few sharp-eyed people noticed that I was hiding something, but unwilling to devalue the efforts and talents of others, I simply chose to live a life cheering on my two older sisters without taking any action. Embracing and comforting Anna, who worked tirelessly into the night to meet others' expectations. Supporting Remi, who, despite her innate standing and talent, lived without recognition for her efforts, standing silently behind the scenes. Until I turned twelve, that life continued uninterrupted. And shortly after my twelfth birthday, an incident occurred. Anna had fallen under a curse cast by a greedy duke. Triggered by a trivial matter, Anna's anger, unfortunately, targeted Remi. At first, I believed the conflict wouldn't escalate into a significant issue. However, what I misjudged was the depth of the emotional rift between them, which was much greater than I imagined. Remi, who suddenly became the focus of Anna's irrational and unjust anger, had her own pent-up resentment explode, just like Anna. It takes only a minor shock to unseat a person's reason. And all of this was because of a misunderstanding involving me. They believed they had been robbed of me by the other. On a cold winter day, on ground covered in snow, Remi and Anna began a bloody dance with swords, on the razor's edge between a fight and murder. All I could do was sit on the ground in a daze and watch them. They say the grass always looks greener on the other side, and perhaps they had been jealous of each other from the beginning. When you look ahead, you can’t see what’s beneath your feet. To Remi, it must have seemed like I favored Anna more, and to Anna, like I favored Remi more. Arrows of jealousy aimed at one another. And regrettably, I failed to grasp that emotion. ───Thud! So, this was inevitable. "─Don't, don't fight.....!" "....Aris?!" I thrust myself between the clashing blades. While a sturdy tree can support many, someone as lacking and frail as I was only capable of saving just one. This was a disaster born of my greed, wanting to embrace both of them simultaneously. And a disaster like this demanded a natural price. Two sharp swords pierced deeply into my body. And there, I lost consciousness. ** What happened afterward, I am not entirely sure of. What I do know is that after that event, I could no longer see Remi, and I lived hidden in a secluded room in the palace, inaccessible to anyone but Anna, with a bell on my ankle. The only freedom left to me was gazing at the palace’s vista from the wide windowsill. Walking out on my own legs or inviting someone here was forbidden to me. What on earth happened outside? How are our parents doing? Where and what might Remi be doing these days? "........." When I closed my eyes, concerns about my other sister would cross my mind. But now, none of it mattered to me. Greed leads to punishment – a lesson engraved deep within my body. Yes. I mustn’t be greedy. "──Goodnight, Anna-sister." "....Yes. You too, Aris." A tree merely stands in place. Regardless of whether a storm rages from afar, or a wildfire starts. Regardless of whether someone cuts its trunk or peels its bark. If anyone needs its existence, if anyone desires its existence. ─Swoosh. "Have sweet dreams." It simply accepts all that is given and offers all it can. Another day. A day in the palace has come to an end. Tomorrow, and the day after that, another day will begin. A new day, exactly like today. *** The canary in a cage without bars. Why doesn’t the bird fly away? That’s because── "──It is already dead." Anna Route Sapling: A tree by a grave. END *** The short stories are unrelated to the main story. The short stories traverse a different world. Small differences, small mistakes, small changes, together they create a changed world. The next short story: Remi, Remi Acaia. All stories will conclude after the short stories end. ***