Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Lion's Feast (7)
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She thought that being special was a curse.
She thought that being unique was loneliness.
She thought that being the strongest was the worst.
She had thought that way since the moment she was born.
Non-human.
A being that shouldn't exist in this world.
The most famous prophet on the continent called her a "catastrophe."
Ariel Leonhart was a child burdened with such a fate.
The tragedy was that no one knew it better than she did herself.
When Ariel was first thrust into the world, everything was new to her.
She acted naturally, as one would.
She looked around diligently.
She tried to take in the world with her own two eyes and understand what it was.
That was when the maids entered.
"Ma'am, congratulations."
The maids checked on Ariel in place of the duchess, who had lost consciousness from exhaustion after giving birth.
Ariel didn't understand what the maids were saying.
She hadn't learned language yet, after all.
But somehow, she understood the content of their words with unnatural ease.
Ariel, who had been rolling her eyes around busily, soon realized something.
"Hey, did you see it?"
"Yeah. It didn't cry at all."
"How can a newborn not cry?"
There was no reason to cry.
No thought to cry.
So she didn't.
People called that "strange."
Yes, the first realization Ariel gained upon encountering the world was, "I am strange."
It was the same when a man and a boy entered shortly after.
"A monster has been born."
Ariel knew at a glance that the man was her father.
There was no evidence. If there was any basis, it was something close to "instinct."
It felt as if information was being given to her from another world, not this one.
And the man who seemed to be her father called her a monster.
So Ariel formed another judgment about herself.
"I am a monster."
A strange monster.
Then the boy behind him collapsed.
He seemed to be her older brother.
He said nothing specific about her, but there was no need to hear more.
Ariel had already sensed how she would be treated.
She was locked in solitary confinement.
A dim room where even sunlight didn't enter.
Ariel somehow knew that this was not something to do to a newborn.
But there was nothing she could do.
She was a strange monster.
So this treatment was only natural.
She stared blankly at the ceiling when someone opened the door and came in.
"Little sis, big bro's here."
Bright golden hair and clear blue eyes.
An appearance different from her own silver hair and gray eyes.
It was Ariel's older brother.
She stared at him silently.
She had already given up expecting a good reaction.
She just hoped this boy wouldn't scorn her.
Even the emotionally numb Ariel had no taste for hearing hurtful words.
But.
"You've had it rough, haven't you?"
The boy's words were different from the start.
"Don't worry too much first off. Even if Father hates you, I won't. I actually like you quite a bit. You're my little sister, after all?"
He was smiling.
Smiling at her.
The brother spoke to Ariel as casually as if she were a friend of ten years.
He didn't call her strange or a monster.
He just chattered on as if excited to have gained a little sister.
So Ariel felt as if some color was being added to her heart.
"Let's get along well, little sis."
His extended finger grasped hers.
A warmth so gentle and kind compared to her own.
Ariel's inner world had been white.
Her heart bleached like snow falling on a winter day.
Into it, her brother painted color.
After that, her brother—Kline Leonhart—continued to look after Ariel.
He visited the room regularly, even though the maids almost never came by order of the family head.
He fed her, dressed her, and bathed her.
"Don't talk with your mouth full. Hey, what? You don't like it 'cause it's not Mom's milk? Mom's not well, so give it up."
She wanted to speak.
She wanted to talk with her brother.
Just moving her lips with that wish made her think it was a bit much.
Come to think of it, where had Mother gone?
From what brother said, she seemed unwell.
"Get up and move already. I'm bored. You're not gonna play with me? That's too much. If you don't know gratitude like that, you'll get divine punishment."
No.
Brother, that's not it.
I want to play with you.
That's why I said it. Idiot.
Ariel wanted to smack Kline's mouth.
That cheeky mouth always made her happy, but sometimes it was really annoying.
By the time she could finally speak.
"Bwo... Bwo doesn't eat?"
Ariel always spoke whenever her brother came.
She racked her brains desperately to draw his attention.
But topics were few and far between.
It was only natural. She was so ignorant of this world.
The other world gave her all information but no common sense.
"To think my bro's not like this... tears are coming out."
"Lies. Bro doesn't cwy."
"It's tears of the heart, little sis."
Even trivial conversations were fun.
No, it wasn't just because they were fun.
No one else talked to Ariel.
Everyone was uncomfortable around her.
So Ariel might have been desperate, in a way.
She instinctively knew no one would like her but her brother.
"Everything okay lately? No one's being mean?"
"Yeah. No one comes. No one comes fwom the stawt."
Only her brother worried about her.
He always smiled brightly but sometimes seriously asked about her well-being.
Are you okay? Doing well? Nothing happened?
Ariel loved that so much.
Just hearing it made her happy.
She thought her life had worth just from knowing her brother cared.
"I'll play with you at least. How's that? Grateful?"
"Yeah. Thankth."
See?
Brother always took the initiative to look after me.
"But could you get off my lap a bit? Big bro's legs are going numb."
"Comfy. Wike bwo's wwap."
So Ariel acted cute.
She acted on instinct to please Kline.
In other words.
It was much like a child desperately struggling to survive.
She could walk and eat on her own now.
After that, Kline's visits became less frequent.
Because Ariel could now live on her own.
She understood that. She understood it with surprising ease.
But understanding was just intellectual.
Ariel couldn't accept it emotionally.
She just accepted it because she also understood she shouldn't throw a tantrum.
So Ariel often spied on Kline.
Brother swung his sword a lot.
She didn't know what was fun about swords.
To Ariel, every aspect of the weapon called a sword was visible as if within reach.
Brother had a natural talent for the sword beyond anyone else, but it was nothing compared to hers.
She was confident she could catch up to him in a single day if she trained the same way.
She just had no desire to.
A single word of conversation with brother was more enjoyable than swinging a sword all day.
So she watched from afar.
A distance she could never reach.
A distance where her presence would never be noticed.
In truth, if Ariel seriously hid her presence, no one in the mansion could detect her.
So Ariel climbed a tree to spy on Kline.
He was talking with a man named Alfred.
But the conversation was turning frightening.
"...I often feel she's not human. I hope you don't get unnecessarily involved, young master."
"No."
Ariel cried out inwardly without realizing it.
No. No. Who are you to decide?
Who are you to say that to brother? Why? He's getting along fine with me. I'm already content with this. I just want no one to take this small happiness away.
Why? Who are you to interfere with my brother?
The flames rising from her gut burned her mind white.
It was a startlingly refined killing intent.
The first time Ariel Leonhart ever thought, even a little, "I want to kill someone."
Just before that intent took form.
"Alfred. Never insult Ariel in front of me again. Even if it's you, I won't forgive it. Ariel is my precious little sister. Even if no one else acknowledges her."
"Ah."
That was enough.
The white flames enveloping Ariel's mind cleared in an instant.
Regaining her senses, Ariel stared blankly at Kline.
Brother denied it.
He rejected the one trying to sever their bond.
He said she was precious.
"......"
Ariel.
Was so happy from just that one sentence.
She mulled it over and over until she slipped and fell.
Thud!
"What was that?"
She heard her brother's voice.
In that moment, Ariel ran.
Why did she run?
She didn't want to let him know she'd heard.
The reason?
She didn't know the reason.
Ariel didn't yet know that the pounding in her chest was the reason.
It was because she was still too young to understand love.
And because no one had taught her what love was.