Chapter 25
Aria's face twisted. She clenched her lips tightly, bowed her head, and took a long time to steady her breathing before slowly lifting her head and wrapping her arms around my waist. In the end, without asking a single question.
"Welcome home safely."
Only Aria and I knew the weight of emotions packed into that simple exchange. Relief that I'd come back alive. Comfort that I hadn't died yet. Guilt for having to leave her alone. Loneliness from being left behind. Why do we always have to hurt like this?
The faint smile at the corners of her mouth was so sad that it made me smile sadly too.
"Alright! Time to eat! I was just about to anyway!"
Aria, who had buried her face in my chest and held her breath for so long, flashed a bright smile and turned toward the kitchen. Pretending not to notice her reddened eyes, I sat down at the small table.
"Auntie Maria from the bakery gave us tons of extras, so dinner's plentiful today."
Aria chattered on as she set the plates on the table. Cheap but hearty-looking bread and cream soup wafting a savory aroma. Thanks to the pile of cypress wood we'd chopped for winter, the house was nice and warm.
I nodded along enthusiastically as she scooped up soup and kept talking.
"Hmm. Lady Decardo of the marquisate is looking for a knight in a black mask."
"Wh—"
I spat out the soup I'd been eating. Staring at Aria in stunned disbelief, I gaped.
She loved reading and was busy with the newspaper even during meals.
"What... what did you say...?"
"Llewellyn Decardo. She put up a huge ad looking for someone."
Aria answered nonchalantly, then narrowed her eyes at me as I froze with my spoon to my nose, like she was probing for something.
Avoiding her sharp gaze, I stammered.
"Uh, read it in more detail."
"Hm. Nothing too tough. About a week ago, Lady Llewellyn Decardo of the countess family was out in the capital's streets when she nearly ran into trouble with a drunk. But a knight appeared out of nowhere and saved her. She's looking for the knight who rescued her and vanished, promising a huge reward if he shows up. She says he wore a black mask, used a disguised voice, was small in stature, and wielded black aura. Putting it together, that sounds just like the Black Calamity Mir, the mercenary king..."
"Cough, cough!"
It was unmistakably me. I coughed even though I hadn't really eaten much.
A slow smile bloomed on Aria's face as she watched me in bewilderment. It was the look of a predator spotting prey—the expression I knew all too well.
"Come to think of it, the street where the lady met the knight is right next to that café we went to last time. And the date matches too."
It was the face she made when hunting her target.
"R-Really...? That's... weird."
"Hmm? Weird?"
Aria propped her chin on her hand and tilted her head. She had a sharper sense than me—a Sword Master—when it comes to reading expressions and controlling the mood. Whenever she sensed something, she always had that meaningful air. The eyes of a predator all too familiar with hunting people through words and demeanor.
I nodded frantically, breaking into a cold sweat.
"If you say it's weird, sis, then it must be."
Aria shrugged with a strange glint in her eyes. She picked up her utensils casually, as if nothing had happened, which seemed like she'd let it slide this once—but I hoped to God she wouldn't.
"But sis."
Leaning forward slightly, Aria curved the corners of her eyes in a sly smile. It wasn't the "spring fairy" smile they always used to depict her in Fairy's Night, but something more like a siren's enchanting lure.
"I've always thought it, but you're so nice it's almost stupid."
Nice enough not to care just for me, but to look out for useless other things too.
Her soft whisper captured my ears. The raw, unfiltered side she rarely showed me. Honestly, it was so scary I nearly passed out.
After that strange mealtime ended, on my day off, I slumped onto the old sofa and sneakily picked up the newspaper Aria had been reading.
I don't even want to look at this.
I grimaced at the huge ad plastered on the bottom of the front page. As I grumbled irritably, a big headline on the front caught my eye.
'Atara Kingdom's Change of Throne.'
It was worth a close read, so I focused.
[This summer, Alessandro I, who had fully entered the battle for the throne, purged a large number of opposing nobles and ascended this autumn. Empire envoys attended his coronation. At the ceremony, Alessandro I announced, "There have been many mishaps until now, so for the time being, I will focus on stabilizing the nation." The Atara delegation will visit the Empire this spring...]
I skimmed every detail of the long article and let out a small sigh of relief. Nothing about Atara's ascension seemed different from the original story.
But... was the coronation this soon? It says he's a new king who hasn't been on the throne long.
I furrowed my brow and tilted my head. Alessandro was a mid-to-late story character, so his early actions weren't detailed much in the original. It felt oddly premature, but I turned my thoughts elsewhere.
This guy's a son-in-law candidate, huh.
I slowly licked my lips and grinned.
The reason I cared about Atara Kingdom was simple: Alessandro was Aria's man.
My little sister's amazing. She bagged all the big shots.
I felt inexplicably proud. Atara was one of the Empire's allies, close to the northern heretics and prone to frequent wars, so it boasted considerable military power.
Huge gem resources too—wealth and might in one.
After Chamberlain the Conqueror unified the continent, every nation and people knelt before the Empire—except Atara, which stood as an equal ally. Even now, it was called the Empire's brother nation, maintaining amicable ties.
Centuries later, a young, mighty king suddenly rose, seizing the throne with blood and steel.
Alessandro Leone de Atara.
Co-protagonist swordsman with Rainer.
The one who claimed the bloodied crown was a powerful Sword Expert on the verge of Sword Master, just like Rainer.
He slaughtered his siblings and purged most nobles to take the throne.
I recalled his infamy while listening to the peaceful crackle of the firewood.
If Rainer was the upright, rigid textbook knight, Alessandro was his opposite—a total madman with a sword.
A psycho who draws steel at the drop of a hat, but warm to my girl.
If he'd been rough with Aria, I'd have racked my brain to block their contact. But even a beast of a man like Alessandro turned into a tail-wagging puppy around her, so maybe candidate number one was fine to keep.
I peered closely at Alessandro's large photo in the paper. An impossibly mature face for 17. Short, softly waving snow-white hair and languid light green eyes half-lidded in boredom. Sharp, steadfast impression and an intimidating aura even in print.
A chillingly handsome face.
This level... yeah, he's worthy to show his face to Aria.
Young, rich, powerful, handsome. His in-story thug antics were a concern, but since he turned lamb-like for Aria, maybe a precarious pass.
But...
I scowled at the photo. An odd feeling crept in, like something shouldn't be here. My intuition flickered annoyingly.
Over the adult man's photo shimmered a mirage-like boy's face. A familiar déjà vu.
Rainer too... I felt this with Rainer, the only male lead I've met in person. Weird.
I pressed my narrowing brow. No way, I thought, yet someone kept overlapping with Alessandro's photo.
'Tell me! Why'd you save me?!'
Shh, sis. The boy who acted like a wounded kitten at first meeting. Only at parting did he blush and call me sis softly.
Soft brown hair, sparkling light green eyes.
...Wait.
I widened my eyes and compared the photo to my memory. Hair color different, but the eyes were similar.
...No. The vibe's totally different.
I shook my head to dispel the ridiculous notion. The boy I'd met had a scrappy, fluffy sheep vibe despite his wild-dog temper. Not some massive beast.
That kid... hope he's doing well.
I smiled bitterly and folded the paper. Thinking of him soured my mood; no more reading.
Anyway, who am I to worry? He's probably fine. Not the type to get scammed.
I smirked, recalling his feisty attitude.
Speaking of which, gotta prep for war too.
Thinking of Atara brought the looming disaster to mind, hardening my face. There was a reason I worried about the story twisting and ruining Aria.
The actual late story... was pretty bleak.
In the original's latter half, war erupted between the Empire and northern tribes. Kind-hearted Aria, unable to watch people die, went to the front as a healer despite pleas, growing more broken by the day amid the dying.
That ordeal wasn't too long, though.
I wanted her happy without even that short trial.
Can't stop the war.
Obviously, it wasn't something I could handle alone. It was the massive clash the long-oppressed northerners had prepared for ages.
But I can help.
A Sword Master could fell calamities with one sword and their lone self. With my aid, the war might end quicker.
Maybe before Aria could even get involved.
Time to prepare.
I glanced at Aria across from me. She'd dozed off in the armchair while reading. Her childlike sleeping face was so lovable that I forgot my worries and smiled softly.
I scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom. Late afternoon with the sun peeking. Outside the winter window, tiny snowflakes were settling.
"Sleep well, baby."
I tucked her in tightly under the thick blanket and kissed her round forehead. The slight furrow between her brows smoothed out beautifully.
Quietly closing the door, I pulled out the parchment stacked in the corner, sat at the table, and began scribbling intently.
It looked like a long night ahead.
A small groan pierced my ears, snapping my eyes open. Dead of night under a blanket of darkness. Outside, the world had turned pure white with snow. The flakes had grown to heavy clumps, piling deeper on the ground.
What was that?
Faint but clear. I sharpened my senses. The only presence in the house was Aria's. No one tripped my spread aura webs.
"Hnn..."
Then... only one source.
I slowly lifted my slumped body from the table and stuffed the parchment in my pocket. Grabbing the light magic tool on the table, my hand trembled.
Please.
Desperately hoping the flashing suspicion was wrong, I rushed to the house's single bedroom.
I flung the door open.
"Ah... pa..."
My whole body froze. As if someone had declared the world's end. Like facing an unstoppable disaster up close—thoughts halted, mind went blank.
Red blood staining the white bedsheet. Crimson at Aria's lips. Endless pained moans leaking from cracked, dry lips. Sweat pouring like rain. Fading heartbeat. Erratic breathing. Tears glistening at her eyes.
"...Aria!"
Aria was in critical condition.