When the Direction Doesn't Match
“But why were you running? What wrong did you commit that the Holy Knights were chasing you in a pack?”
Sugar had planned to quietly slip away after finishing her business, but curiosity got the better of her. She had followed the hooded child, so she might as well ask. She needed to know the reason for the pursuit.
“I… I didn’t do anything wrong. If I have to point out one thing, it’s probably being born this way…”
That was a heavy statement, and Sugar scratched her head. The thin, girlish voice belonged to a child who had clearly reached the point of emotional release.
“I want to escape this stifling city! But no one ever lets me… There are so many things I want to try outside. I was born this way because I wanted to, right?”
“…Can’t you ever leave?”
It wasn’t directed at Sugar. It was more like a cry to the world itself. If she accepted it, Sugar would have jumped around on the roof.
“That’s right! They all keep me locked up! They always say the same thing—‘You can’t go out, it’s dangerous outside!’ While they themselves roam around freely…”
“This is the safest place on this land. They’re doing it for your own good.”
“I don’t need that! I refuse to rot here for the rest of my life just because it’s supposedly safe! What kind of place is this? It’s not even a cage for birds… I’m a person too…”
“…”
“More than anything, I want to be free! I want to die outside, even if it means dying!”
His voice cracked with intensity, and just in time, the Holy Knights reached the top of the cathedral. One of them was someone Sugar recognized.
“Tianzi! You’re here!”
“Nova! Please, just a little longer! I’m begging you—give up on me…!”
“I will not give up on what I wish for you to give up on! Come on, let’s go!”
Nova laughed boisterously, easily scooping up the child. In the process, the hood slipped off, revealing the boy’s face.
Purple eyes. The descendant of the Saint’s blood. Yet the fact that he was called the Tianzi suggested he was not the Saintess. Given how he was treated, that was never likely.
Sugar quickly processed the situation.
“Hey! Little acorn!”
“Huh? Me?”
“Who else could it be! Consider today’s events erased! Of course, it’s a public secret, but still!”
At that moment, Nova, who had pointed at Sugar, dropped the boy to the floor without a second thought. The boy’s scream of “Uwaaaah—” was loud, but it didn’t seem serious.
Sheesh. What a tempestuous person.
Sugar, stunned, stood there blankly for a moment. The sun was beginning to set. She needed to find her friend and have dinner together.
As she descended, various thoughts crossed her mind. There were so many different kinds of people in this world.
The boy’s fierce cry still echoed in her ears.
More than anything, I want to be free! I want to die outside, even if it means dying!
From what she could tell, the boy was related to the Saintess. Only those with the Saint’s blood could have purple eyes in this world.
The Saint who had descended here a thousand years ago.
And the only daughter of that Saint. The land where she was buried became this Holy City, and the tears she shed caused the Saint’s remains to respond, granting the power to protect this land.
This power was passed down through the daughters she bore, and then through the daughters of those daughters, and so on. Because it was matrilineal inheritance, these female descendants were called Saintesses.
What about the male descendants? Usually, they would naturally be born as daughters, but there was a slim chance of a son. Those male children were called Tianzi.
It was a title carefully chosen to not overlap with the great ancestor. Due to bloodline characteristics, they possessed magical talent, but nothing beyond that.
At present, Ione was the Saintess of this era, guarding the Holy City.
But what about the Tianzi? That is, the male sibling of the Saintess?
Sugar tilted her head.
She remembered that in the original story, Ione had a younger sister. But it wasn’t a younger sister—it was a younger brother.
So she has two younger siblings?
At the time of the original story, the younger sister was causing a fuss as another Saintess, demanding independence and even stealing all the holy relics from the Holy City.
Was the gender different from the original story, or did she have two younger siblings?
Either way, if such a being were to leave this Holy City, they would face a terrible fate. There would be countless people who wanted to use the Saint’s blood.
Even the original protagonist wasn’t from an unusual bloodline, yet he got dragged into all sorts of events simply because he had been chosen by the Holy Staff.
The status of the Saint who had returned to the heavens long ago was so immense.
In such circumstances, to spout such nonsense was unacceptable.
If I had been an ordinary child without memories of my previous life, would I have been like that too?
She was in a similar situation. Because of her unique constitution that allowed her to adapt to the Dark God, she was targeted by heretics.
Of course, Sugar could leave if she wanted to, but she had decided not to for now. For herself, for the friends who cherished her, and for the world. She wanted to gather strength through effort before leaving.
That was her resolve.
“…”
Thoughts kept swirling after the recent events.
Sugar frowned and stood there for a long time, then shook her head vigorously.
Let’s go get dinner.
Was Ryly back? She headed straight to his room.
Of course, he wasn’t there.
“Where on earth did he go…”
She stepped out into the cathedral lobby and grabbed Peco, who was passing by. “Ah, I asked where the captain’s office was earlier. I wonder if the captain knows?”
She went to Cedric’s office, and the answer was, “Hmm. I wonder where he’s thinking?”
Anyway, she grumbled that the kids needed to be taken care of better and wandered around inside the cathedral.
…Maybe?
She checked the cafeteria, but he wasn’t there, so there was only one place left she hadn’t looked.
Sugar headed straight to her own room. She gently opened the door, and the bed was rumpled. Bingo.
She approached and lifted the blanket slightly, revealing blonde hair. He was sleeping soundly with his face buried in the pillow. He had fallen asleep on Sugar’s bed, in Sugar’s room. Look at this kid? She had never raised a boy who would casually climb onto a woman’s bed.
Or had she?
Either way, how should she tease him about this? While she was pondering, Ryly muttered “Sugar…” and tossed in his sleep.
Was he calling her name in his sleep?
This brat! This little rascal! Look at this!
How should she handle this adorable little brother? Sugar quietly curled her body beside the bed. It was a dance that would make anyone watching pity her, but since no one was around, it didn’t matter.
Just then, the boy’s eyes snapped open at the sound of movement.
“…”
“…”
They locked eyes perfectly.
Sugar, curled up on the bed. Ryly, waking up on Sugar’s bed.
Whose embarrassment was greater was a given.
Naturally, it was the one who had crawled into someone else’s bed without permission.
“Did you sleep well?”
“…”
“How was my bed…? Was it good?”
Sugar straightened up and delivered the line with a strange nuance.
It hit Ryly directly.
“Waaaaah—!!”
The effect was tremendous.
…
…
She picked up the friend who had thrown himself out the window and went to eat dinner.
Throughout the entire time, he hadn’t said a word. The friend kept his mouth shut except when eating.
It wasn’t like she had forced him in. He had done it himself—why was he acting like this?
Sugar clicked her tongue.
Still, she was the older sister. The result of today’s sibling ranking made her feel good, so she decided to just understand him.
If the older sister is too good, I have to understand the younger sibling.
“Ryly. I have something to say.”
“…”
She had eaten, so he should be calmed down by now. She wanted to share her resolve from today before it was too late.
So when they returned to the room, Ryly nodded with a troubled expression.
Then Sugar took a deep breath and awkwardly began to speak.
Her voice trembled a little, and it was embarrassing to voice the story she had been holding inside.
“…”
“Sugar?”
“Ah… I was thinking. You know, the story I heard from the adults earlier today.”
For someone like her now, it was the story that going outside was dangerous and that there were responsibilities in choices.
“After thinking about it in various ways… but no matter how much I think, I still want to go outside. I want to go to Stille with you.”
While looking into each other’s eyes, Ryly quietly nodded.
The most prestigious magic academy in the world.
Why aim so high? It was a kind of obsession and challenge—to try everything possible in this life.
Since she was going, she might as well go to a good place. Graduating from a prestigious university wasn’t the entirety of life, but it was something she could be proud of in front of others and herself.
She also wanted to escape the fate of living in fear of heretics for the rest of her life.
Or perhaps she simply wanted to directly experience the world that had been the background of the original story.
It was one goal with many intertwined wishes. If she could go there with this friend, it would be more enjoyable than she could imagine.
“So… I just wanted to tell you my aspirations. I’ll do my best to make it possible for us to go together. I’ll work hard until the time of enrollment, grow stronger, and not drag you down. You know I like magic training, right? So if you’re worried, don’t worry. I want to say that you don’t have to worry about me not being able to go.”
And then she smiled brightly.
“Will you watch over me from the side?”
It was a smile as bright as sunlight.
The way she spoke so boldly was dazzling. A little embarrassed, she let out a “Hehe” and laughed. It was a sight that was truly endearing…
But that light was, unfortunately, when the direction didn’t match.
The boy who had heard the story had a strange expression on his face.
“…”
“Ryly?”
“Ah… um.”
“You look pale. Are you okay?”
“…”
He just stayed silent.
For a long time, he only moved his lips.
Sugar’s heart grew cold at the obviously bad reaction. Of course she grumbled, but she had expected him to answer “I’ll do it.”
“Listen well.”
Finally, Ryly opened his mouth. He spoke firmly, as if he had made a decision, but the content was so unbearable to hear.
“That I can’t do. I won’t be leaving here for a while.”
“…What?”