Chapter 274: Isaac and His Sister
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 274: Isaac and His Sister
Eve Ropenheim.
As she was my only living blood relative, I naturally felt a deep affection for her.
Now that the shackles of Baron Ropenheim were gone and the misunderstandings I hadn't even known existed were resolved, I wanted to look after my sister. She had suffered so much psychological trauma.
However… things didn’t always go as planned.
“Sis?”
“Isaac, I made a lunchbox for you. I worked on it for a long time. How is it?”
“It’s completely charred…”
Eve had approached me and handed me a lunchbox where every single morsel of food had been reduced to something resembling black coal.
“Hi, Isaac! What a coincidence, meeting you here!”
“Sis? You don’t usually go for morning runs, do you?”
“Oh, I do. Sometimes.”
“I’ve never seen you out here before…”
She began showing up at the crack of dawn in workout gear just to run alongside me.
“Isaac, can I eat with you?”
“I’m sorry. I thought I could at least hold your hand, but I guess I’m not ready yet… Maybe I was being too impatient.”
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable? I’m sorry, I must be hopeless…”
“I’ve been so happy lately. I don’t want to be apart from you anymore. If we grow distant again, I… I might end up hurting myself.”
“You didn’t avoid my greeting earlier, did you? You didn’t pretend not to see me, right? I was just overreacting, wasn’t I?”
It was as if the restraints holding Eve back had suddenly snapped, and now she was forcefully wedging herself into every corner of my daily life.
While she acted perfectly normal around others, she became a completely different person the moment she was with me.
Her obsession is spiraling…
It made sense, in a way.
The tragedy orchestrated by Baron Ropenheim hadn't just affected the original Isaac; it had defined Eve’s entire past.
She’d had to part on terrible terms with the brother she adored and say a sudden, careless goodbye to her beloved mother. Then, her brother had gone missing entirely.
The mental toll Eve had endured was beyond words. It explained why she was constantly weeping, apologizing, and drowning in regret over her past choices. Her mind was likely as fragile as shattered glass.
Now that the problems are resolved…
Realizing the value of something only after losing it was a common human experience.
So, I could understand why Eve, who had lived with an agonizing sense of loss, was now displaying such obsessive behavior. After finally reconnecting with her brother, she likely felt that if they grew distant again, it would be her fault, leading to immense stress.
But this is unexpected.
In the original game, ❰Magic Knight of Märchen❱, Eve Ropenheim was an NPC whose mind was completely broken. One day, she simply disappeared and was never heard from again.
A player could eventually find her diploma discarded somewhere on the map.
It suggested that after finally obtaining the diploma she had longed for, she had taken her own life. Her reason for living had vanished.
Compared to that, her living like this was a blessing.
However… if I simply showed her kindness, her obsession only intensified. I realized this when I once tried to brush a piece of lint off her clothes, and her reaction was so overwhelming it became frightening.
Honestly, it was becoming a burden.
Naturally, I was deeply troubled.
*
“Hehehe, is it a girl problem? It’s a girl problem, isn’t it?”
It was evening, and the sun was slowly dipping below the horizon.
Amy Holloway—a girl with short white hair tied with a black ribbon that looked like bunny ears—sat next to me at the academy’s outdoor dueling ground. She wore a bright, teasing grin.
I held a magic tool in my hand. One of the Düpfendorf soldiers I had summoned was resting nearby on the dueling ground. In front of the soldier, Ian Fairytale lay unconscious.
“Anyway, you’re surprisingly popular. You’ve got that ‘handsome geek’ vibe going on, you know? You have all the traits that drive girls crazy.”
“What do you mean, geek…?”
“Yeah, that thing you do with your glasses. Total nerd move. But since you’re handsome, it actually creates a synergistic effect.”
“Enough with the nonsense. Just give me a straight answer.”
“About the person obsessed with you?”
Since I was currently training Ian, I decided to share my concerns about Eve with Amy, who was in the same party as him. I figured I might as well get a second opinion since she was right there.
Though, if you count my previous life, I’m much older than her…
I had never dealt with someone like Eve before, so I wanted a fresh perspective.
I told her there was someone I wanted to treat well, but her attachment was so obsessive it was becoming a burden. Whenever I was kind, she became even more clingy, yet I still wanted to maintain a good relationship with her.
That was the gist of what I said. I didn’t mention it was Eve.
“Is this about Luce?”
“Of course not.”
“Oh-ho.”
Amy’s bunny-ear ribbons perked up.
“So, it’s not Luce. Isaac, you really shouldn’t lead girls on. You’re always giving off mixed signals, you know? That’s bad. Very bad. A total no-no! We hate it when other girls do that; we might even cut ties over it. You need to be more decisive in your relationships.”
“It’s not like that, you brat.”
Besides, my "mixed signals" weren't about leading people on. It was the groundwork for a harem.
I want to cherish everyone I care about.
She was completely misinterpreting my intentions.
“Really? Then tell me who it is. I need to know the nature of your relationship to give you proper advice.”
“It’s just family. We’re siblings.”
“Ahh, an older sister or a younger sister?”
“Older.”
“So she’s really clingy, huh? But hey, isn’t it funny? To think the powerful Ice Sovereign has the same worries as the rest of us. I thought you only worried about global catastrophes or threats to humanity.”
That’s fair… aside from Eve, most of my concerns are indeed world-ending threats.
“I’m not that different from anyone else here.”
“Sure, sure.”
Amy chuckled.
“In my opinion, family obsession isn't healthy. If it were me, I’d keep my distance. No, I’d flat-out avoid them. I’d tell them to leave me alone.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I got so sick of my overprotective brother… I don’t think anyone being that clingy is a good thing. It’s just a burden.”
“Even if it were your boyfriend?”
“Ian’s an exception, obviously. He’s the problem because he’s not clingy enough.”
Amy puffed out her cheeks in a pout.
Simply saying obsession was bad and suggesting I keep my distance felt too simplistic. It felt like I needed to explain my family history to get real advice… but I wasn't sure how Amy would react to all that.
“Oh, Ian’s up,” Amy said, glancing toward the dueling ground.
Ian Fairytale regained consciousness and struggled to his feet. He gripped his sword, preparing to spar with the Düpfendorf soldier who had been waiting patiently.
Thud!
“And he’s out again,” Amy remarked nonchalantly.
*
The sky had turned dark.
While training in a corner of the Butterfly Garden, the issue with Eve continued to weigh on my mind.
Maybe the best way was to accept Eve’s kindness to a point and firmly reject it when it went too far. But every time I turned her down, she looked so devastated—worrying that I hated her—that it tore me up inside.
I felt a mix of pity and guilt.
How am I supposed to handle this?
“Roooar!”
“Whoa! Dammit, you scared me…”
While lost in thought, a cute little roar sounded from behind me. For the first time in ages, I actually jumped.
Turning around, I saw Dorothy grinning mischievously. “Nihihi!”
I glared at her, narrowing my eyes.
“Ah, I’ve missed that reaction! I love it, so genuine!”
“Senior…”
“Caught you off guard for once? What’s on your mind that’s got you looking so gloomy?”
Dorothy leaned in playfully, interrogating me.
Come to think of it, there was no one else I could talk to as openly as Dorothy. She knew more of my secrets than anyone.
That’s right. Maybe I should ask her.
Amy’s advice to “avoid her” lingered in my mind. I worried about the psychological damage that would cause Eve, given her instability. I decided to see what Dorothy thought.
“Senior Dorothy.”
“Yeah?”
“What if I wanted to avoid you? How would you feel?”
“Huh…?”
Dorothy’s smile instantly vanished, her face turning pale.
*
Isaac and Dorothy sat side-by-side on the grass.
Isaac explained the same dilemma he had shared with Amy.
There’s someone I want to get along with, but she’s obsessed with me. If I’m kind, she gets worse. It’s a burden, but I don’t want our relationship to sour. What should I do?
It was a classic relationship problem.
“So that’s what it was…”
Dorothy let out a sigh of relief.
“Don’t just drop a question like that out of the blue, you idiot! I thought I’d done something horrible.”
“I’m sorry. I was just thinking about some advice a friend gave me earlier…”
“Anyway, someone’s obsessed with you, and kindness only makes it worse. But you don’t want to ruin the relationship…”
Dorothy closed her eyes and tapped her chin, adopting a look of deep contemplation.
Is this a girl problem…?!
Of course it was. Isaac wouldn't be losing sleep over a guy acting like that. Some girl had set her sights on Isaac, and because he was too nice, he couldn't shake her off.
The answer was obvious. He had to get rid of her.
“Tsk, tsk. You’re being way too indecisive.”
“What?”
“Listen closely, Isaac. You have to be firm. There are people like that, you know? The more you give in, the worse they get. If she keeps bothering you even though she knows you’re uncomfortable, she’s just being selfish—and probably a bit crazy. You need to cut her off. No exceptions. If she tries to climb the cliff you’re on, stomp on her fingers and let her fall. Even if she screams, cover your ears and ignore her. If someone is harming your peace of mind, cutting them out is the only right choice.”
“But won’t that person be devastated…?”
“That’s not your problem.”
Dorothy ranted with fierce conviction.
“I saw plenty of people like that back in the Adventurer’s Guild. You have to cut them loose. Why should you care about someone who only burdens you with their obsession? It’s not good for you, and it’s not good for them. It’s toxic! People like that bring absolutely nothing positive to your life!”
“Senior Dorothy… you’re much more cold-blooded than I thought.”
“Of course. I’m a sharp, sophisticated woman of the world.”
Dorothy puffed out her chest proudly.
Isaac rubbed his chin. Both Amy and Dorothy were in agreement. It seemed wise to follow the female perspective on this.
He made up his mind. He would distance himself from Eve. Hopefully, the space would help temper her obsessive tendencies.
“…I’ll do that then. It’s better to be firm.”
“A wise decision.”
Dorothy grinned, silently congratulating herself for eliminating a potential rival.
“I just hope my sister isn't too hurt by it.”
“Huh? Sister?”
“Yes, the one I mentioned before. The one who was manipulated by Baron Ropenheim.”
“I see…”
Dorothy’s smile slowly died.
Her breathing hitched.
Cold sweat began to pour down her face like a leaky faucet.
“Actually… cutting someone off just because they’re a little enthusiastic isn't something a human being should do.”
“…What?”
Dorothy tried to steady her trembling voice as she pivoted at high speed.
“I mean, isn’t it natural to wonder if your younger brother is eating well, or studying hard? To worry if he’s sad or having a hard time? It’s normal to show a little—or a lot—of affection to your sibling! It’s totally healthy! It would be insane to push away such a caring person! It would be the worst thing ever!”
“Didn’t you just say that kind of person is selfish… and that there are no exceptions? That we’d only end up harming each other…”
“There are no absolutes in this world! My experience is just one tiny perspective, it’s not something you should use as a manual…!”
“But you’ve lived through so many hardships since you were young. Wouldn’t your experience be incredibly useful…?”
“No! I’m just a speck of dust! My opinions are worthless!”
Dorothy’s ego did a complete 180 into total humility.
“Anyway!”
Dorothy grabbed Isaac’s shoulder, her eyes shaking.
“So what if she’s a little obsessed? Avoiding a thoughtful older sister who just cares about her brother is completely inhumane!”
“Older brother…?”
“I said older sister! Anyway, maybe she just can’t control her feelings because she’s so happy to be with you. Just trust your sister for now. Give her love. She’s your family, and she cares about you more than anyone. Everything will work out, I promise!”
Dorothy desperately spewed out words of encouragement, which actually moved Isaac.
“…”
Eve and Isaac had lived happily together before Baron Ropenheim ruined everything. That thought made Isaac decide that perhaps he should take the lead in caring for Eve and see how things developed.
“Yeah… I’ll do that. Thank you, Senior.”
“Yeah… good…”
Forcing a strained smile, Dorothy sat back down beside him.
*
The next morning.
In Orphin Hall, Third-Year Class B. While the students chatted amongst themselves, Eve Ropenheim was at her desk, pulling out her books for class.
Suddenly, her hands froze.
“…”
Thinking about how Isaac had seemed burdened by her lately made her heart ache.
Had she really been such a nuisance? But how was she supposed to keep her heart from racing whenever she looked at him?
Eve blinked back tears and tried to focus on her books.
At that moment, a second-year male student walked into the classroom.
The chatter died down instantly. The atmosphere in the room grew heavy. The third-years couldn't take their eyes off the intruder.
“Isn’t that Isaac?”
“The Ice Sovereign…?”
“Whoa, why is he here?”
“He’s so handsome…”
Eve’s ears perked up. She whipped her head around to see the sophomore who had entered.
A boy with silver-blue hair—Isaac—came into view. He was walking straight toward her.
Eve’s eyes went wide. Every student in the room was staring at the two of them.
“Isaac? Why are you here…?”
“No particular reason. I just wanted to see my sister.”
The third-years couldn't believe their ears.
Sister? Did he just say ‘Sister’?
The whisper rippled through the room.
Isaac reached out and neatly placed a drink and some chocolate on Eve’s desk.
What is happening?
Eve’s face was a mask of pure confusion.
“I was going to eat this, but I thought of you, so I brought it over.”
“Huh…?”
Isaac was being openly, intentionally kind. This was his new strategy. Since he wanted to get along with her anyway, he decided he would be the one to set the pace of the relationship. It felt much more natural this way.
“Enjoy.”
The third-years watched in stunned silence as Isaac turned and left.
Eve stared blankly at the snacks on her desk. Slowly, her brain began to process what had just happened.
“…!”
Eve covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes shimmering.
What is this? I’m so happy…!!
The ordinary snacks, available at any shop, seemed to radiate a divine light. It was a sight she had never imagined.
Eve looked like she might burst into tears of joy at any second.
She carefully placed the snacks Isaac had given her into an elegant box, intending to treasure them like a sacred family heirloom back in her dorm.