As You Wish
Sugar's cheeks, flushed red, resembled perfectly ripe fruit.
Her heterochromia eyes, already mysterious, took on the glow of the setting sun, becoming even more enigmatic.
In the midst of it all, her shy, flustered expression was adorable. She covered her own cheeks with both hands, unaware of how embarrassing her face must be.
Ryly's heart pounded as if it would burst. Seeing the usually arrogant Sugar so shy made him want to hug her again and again—
Aaaaaah—!
The boy, submerged in the sweet-sour sensation, was screaming inside his head as he flew into the sky.
Meanwhile, Sugar reached out her hand. Despite her small stature, she had decided to hug her kind and strong little brother first.
"Ryly."
A small voice shattered Ryly's reverie. As he looked up in a daze, Sugar flew at him with bullet-like speed and hugged him tightly.
Then, stroking his shining blonde hair, she repeatedly whispered how grateful she was for thinking of him, like a lullaby.
"Sugar..."
He didn't want to let go. He wanted to stay with this child forever, but it was a pity. Ryly called her name in response too.
The words he had been holding back came out. The genuine things he wanted to say, untainted by each other's circumstances and regrets.
"Thank you, Ryly... I... I said it after thinking about you in my own way. I'm sorry if I upset you. I won't judge you lightly."
"It's okay... I'm sorry for getting angry too. And, you don't have to worry about anything."
"Of course I'll worry about your body... but at least I won't worry about the things you hate."
"..."
-Thinking that you'll leave makes me lonely. You'll be really sad. But if I say this, you'll feel burdened, so I didn't say it on purpose. If my being here interferes with your freedom... I don't want that either.
Ryly just closed his mouth. He didn't know how precious he was to Sugar. Now that he knew.
He just spat out one word.
"... Wait for me."
"Yeah... I'll work hard here and get stronger. Let's definitely go to Stille together."
"Don't cause a commotion saying I'm not here."
"Don't get hurt."
"Don't get hurt either. Don't break the Holy City thinking you're learning magic."
"Without you, I can't use even that much magic..."
"..."
"Lonely."
"... I'm not like that."
"You'll be lonely too if you leave my side?"
"Why are you asking that for..."
Ryly gently combed Sugar's hair with his fingers and teased her.
Even while having that conversation, their heartbeats were audible. Thump-thump, the sounds overlapped as if they were one.
"I just want to hear it. Say it."
"... Lonely."
"Hehe..."
When Sugar smiled faintly, the laughter tickled. Ryly lowered his head.
Then a thought occurred to him.
Should I say this or not.
It's embarrassing, but no matter how he thought, he had to say it. This was important.
"Hey... I have something I want too. I wasn't going to say it originally."
"What?"
He swallowed and opened his mouth.
"Don't make a guy closer to me than you. No matter what position the other person is in..."
"What?"
No, it might not be important. Honestly, it doesn't matter, and I don't care.
But just, just, seeing it makes me angry somewhere.
Thinking about another guy talking to her when I'm not there makes my stomach boil.
That's all. Just that. No deeper emotion. Just, don't mess around with anyone. He muttered to himself.
Then, not understanding what he meant, Sugar tilted her head for a moment, then burst into laughter. She knew why he said that. The misunderstanding and jealousy were funny.
"Huh, hehe... Ryly... khehe..."
"What are you laughing at..."
"No, come here."
Even though he said come here, since they were already glued together, Ryly didn't need to approach. Sugar lifted her face slightly and brought her lips close to Ryly's ear.
The breath touched, and at the moment when a strangely pleasant sensation made his spine tingle.
Sugar whispered one word.
"Idiot."
Ian-ssi is a woman.
She hid the backword, and instead blew her breath.
Huu- huu- The warm, sweet-smelling wind tickled Ryly's ear.
As always, it had been tickling that heart. Like a revenge kiss from the boy earlier. Unconditionally, but gently.
"Ah, ugh."
No time to stop it. The warm breath entered the ear and scrambled the brain. The sweet affection flowing from that arrogant mouth dominated the body.
Suck, suck. The sound of lips rubbing. It's a pity that the moment when it touches the ear is being watched.
The soft, plump thing lightly brushed the earlobe, then—
Following the whisper 'ba-bo', haa–, hoo–
A sound of the tongue flicking the palate slightly. Deliberately closing and opening the lips, creating a wet friction sound.
Ryly's body trembled. He hugged Sugar, clenched his fists, and for a long time, he flinched. His mind was paralyzed, unable to do anything.
"Ryly."
"..."
"Ryly. Answer me."
"Why..."
He couldn't answer properly. She's constantly whispering in his ear.
"Call my name."
"Wha...?"
"Huh? Call my name."
"I'll give you what you want. So keep urging me to call. Ryly was struggling just to hold onto his reason."
"Su... gar..."
"Once more."
"Suuugar..."
"Good, well done. One more time."
"Sugar..."
Sugar, Sugar, Sugar—
In this situation, calling the name was even more embarrassing. Feeling like he was doing something he shouldn't. But since she was praising him, and he wanted to make her happy, he did as she said, and Sugar smiled satisfiedly.
"Perfect."
"Side."
"My most precious childhood friend. Don't worry. I'll follow as you wish."
As if engraving it, pressing her lips to the earlobe.
Words that were sweet but hurt the back of the neck.
And then, satisfied, she pulled away. Despite the blushing cheeks, there was a smug smile. It even looked refreshing.
Aah, Sugar. You are... you are really...
Looking at Sugar's relieved expression, Ryly bit his lip.
You really, see you later.
He wanted to grow big quickly. Blink once and age, grow bigger. This arrogant and scheming child...
"..."
He pressed down his feelings. Now it's embarrassing, no, no, it's just watching over her.
The girl who would boast when the initiative returns is annoying. She's weak to being pressed, really unbelievable.
So, enjoy this moment. Bold girl.
Sugar, who didn't know these thoughts of Ryly, just smiled.
Because they reconciled, the jealous boy was cute. She laughed lightly thinking she had properly set the rules today.
But then, recalling what touched her forehead, her expression softened.
Dazed, lips drooping.
It itched inside. He's just my little brother, why does my stomach feel weird? She thought such thoughts and closed her mouth.
Thinking she had spilled her inner thoughts, but this time, two kids hiding different inner thoughts.
Oh well, only laughter comes out.
At such a time.
"Hey, you bunch of shameless things! Stop messing around and come down!"
No matter how high the cathedral is, openly doing this on the roof is bound to be noticed. The laughter of the Holy Knights and priests who witnessed this behavior in passing burst out.
What kind of indecent act are they doing in the place where the Saint is sleeping? That was the justification. The ones who couldn't get lovers due to lack of boldness weren't shedding tears of blood.
Anyway, only now did the kids realize what they were doing in a public place. As if they had made a promise, they stood up and ran away hastily. Their voices saying 'It's not like that...!' were small.
"Come following me again?"
It had been about three days since that day.
As usual, eating breakfast while fooling around with friends, then priestesses came. The priestesses with faces veiled by veils. Direct subordinates of the Saintess.
What was the matter this time.
While pondering, they were pulled towards the tower as before. It was quite comfortable. Letting the flow take over after removing the power given to the body. It felt like forcibly taking them with magical power.
Unlike Sugar who had become somewhat familiar, Ryly muttered 'What the...?' and sighed.
Entering, this time unlike before, they went to a different room. A smaller door than the Saintess's grand room.
The door opened wide.
"Sugar!"
Short platinum blonde hair, purple eyes. The precious Tianzi. Such a person came out. Today it was Ian calling, not Ione.
"Hey... I heard everything! When sister went to buy gifts, you went with her, right?"
"Ah, yes."
"Why did you hide that! There, sister rejected what she said she would give you as a gift instead and had you deliver it directly..."
"That's right too."
"Sugar!"
Ian ran to Sugar and hugged her small body tightly.
Ryly, who was beside her, immediately glared with axe eyes.
"You're really amazing...! How did you persuade sister? The Saintess! How did you come up with that idea? No, first of all, thank you! Thanks to you, sister... sister..."
The words didn't continue. Ian hugged Sugar again.
Ryly's expression was dyed with shock.
"I thought it was better not to say it... but since I found out, there's nothing I can do."
Sugar smiled awkwardly. Then she slightly pulled away her body. 'Same-sex' friends, it's not a big deal to this extent. But she didn't like the childhood friend who didn't know this fact.
That's right, same-sex.
Sugar, who realized Ian's real gender, guessed why she was crossdressing.
The protective power inherited from mother to daughter. Female descendants are no different from the Holy City itself. They have no choice but to be bound for life.
In contrast, male descendants have no special power, so perhaps it's possible to go outside the Holy City depending on the situation.
That's why Ione probably made that resolution for her 'little sister'. For her freedom.
Raise the little sister as a boy.
And when she becomes an adult, send her outside the Holy City to get true freedom.
Until then, to not be discovered by others. She's still a child, there will be difficulties in conduct, so she locked her in the tower.
This is as far as Sugar's guess went. She didn't ask directly, so she didn't know the details. She just combined the prior knowledge with the current situation.
In the original work, this flow was the same, and it was thought that just before becoming an adult, Ian's patience exploded and she stole the holy relic.
There, there was no Sugar-like child.
Ione wouldn't have had a chance to give gifts to Ian, and Ian wouldn't have known her sister's feelings.
"I just thought you were a strange kid. You... you... really... I'm glad I became friends with you."
So now, perhaps it's not bad to expect a somewhat different future.
Like extending a hand to the boy who will become the black villain someday and changing fate.
While thinking vaguely, Ian asked for a handshake. Not really asking, but just grabbing it arbitrarily. Still, Sugar smiled faintly and responded.