Countdown
New discoveries, new characters, hardships and trials. A villain named Akiten Duke has appeared on stage. That's all.
Even knowing that fact didn't change the stance I had to take.
Yeah, I've always been consistent. Spending my days happily playing around with Remi unni, repaying my parents' loving touches with affection of my own, and giving endlessly to Anna unni—even though it would end up as a one-way street. What I had to do remained unchanged. Forever. Until my soul rotted away—
Betrayal? Schemes? Backstabbing? I've been through so many I can't even count them anymore. A case like this? Honestly, it just feels sloppy and weak.
These days, seeing people like that doesn't even stir a thought. If anything, I feel a bit sorry for them? A fight only works if we're on the same level to begin with.
"Ugh... Anna unni's been so scary lately..."
"...She's probably stressed from all the studying. Come on! Let's just play by ourselves! I hear the first princess is gonna be queen or something. Hmph!"
After that, the snowball I'd been rolling over months started tumbling toward Remi too. The sisterly bond that should have been rock-solid began to crack, bit by bit. Even jokes she'd normally laugh off—she started snapping back sharply. Remi must be pissed about that.
Hm... Sorry about that.
The investigation results? It was Akiten Duke, alright. The one who gave Anna unni the black pearl earrings. And the one who cast the shamanism curse on them. A little digging, and I could sense the black energy leaking from those earrings, wrapping around her. Sure, you can't convict just on the gift alone, but above all, my intuition—trustworthy as a magic oracle—told me so.
Verdict: death penalty. Bang bang. And the one dying? Me.
"...Unni, did you finish your homework?"
"...Hic!?"
"...Haa..."
"I... I was gonna do it right after playing!"
Remi unni was always the same. Lounging around every day, wandering the flower garden with me to look at flowers, playing tag, munching snacks—repeat. So lazy... unni... You've been plumping up lately. Maybe I should just gobble you up. Nom.
"—Nom."
"Eeeek! A-Aris!!"
"Punishment for lying—nom."
"S-Sorreeeey!!!"
I gave her tummy a light nibble. Not hard enough to hurt. Like a kitten gently mouthing its owner's finger. Chattering? Or something like that. Can't quite remember.
She freaked out, wriggling away. Ticklish, I guess—her breathing got heavy, cheeks flushing red.
Oh? Weak spot found.
Great discovery. So I nibbled a few more times for good measure. Her reactions were perfect. Screaming for me to stop? No chance. Nom. One bite, two bites... Her wild thrashing threw us off balance, and we tumbled into the dirt, hugging it out in the flower garden.
"A-Aris!!"
"Heehee~ Catch me if you can~"
Da-da-da—I bolted, shaking her off at top speed. She chased after me, grinning ear to ear. Whoa, she's fast.
"H-Hey, unni! Countdown! The countdown!!"
"No such thing! When I catch you, you're done for!! We're bathing together today!!"
"—Eeeeeh!? No fair!!!"
She's dead serious today. If she catches me, I'm toast. With grim resolve, I dashed out the garden gate. She pursued.
For a kid, I was speedy, but her natural talent kept her right on my tail. Impressive. Wow. Is this what a real genius looks like? Add effort on top, and she'd be unstoppable.
Seeing her serious side sometimes made me wonder if I should've used Remi to stoke Anna unni's inferiority complex instead. Second princess, after all—if she really tried, she could build a faction and flip everything. Too late now, though.
"Waaah!!"
"S-Stop right there!!"
Ha, as if!
I grinned at Remi, whose speed was flagging from fatigue. Yeah right, like I'd stop just 'cause you say so. So naive, unni—
Thud.
"—Ow!"
"...!!"
Here I am.
Damn, collided.
My light, fragile body couldn't take the impact—I fell flat on my butt. The person I'd bumped into just stood there. Their shadow fell over me. To anyone watching, it'd look like I rounded the corner without looking and slammed right into them.
Well, I knew someone was coming. And who it was.
"......Aris."
"Anna unni! Long time no see—!"
Anna Akaia. My eldest sister. The first princess. She looked down at me on the ground.
She looked utterly exhausted. Shadows under her eyes, visibly worn down. Anna had started her heir training in earnest—skipping sleep, devoting herself to studies and martial arts to the point her health worried everyone. Probably why. We hadn't played much lately. I'd only glimpsed her studying from afar a few times. She'd changed so much. People really can transform in an instant.
"Anna unni, how've you been? Eating okay? Oh, right—yesterday I made a new flower crown, and—"
"—Aris."
"...Yeah?"
I thought I'd misheard. Her voice was that cold. Chilling me to the bone for a second. Whoa, almost fell for her right there. Raw fatigue and irritation—no hiding it. Like the weight of responsibility crushed her shoulders. A fool grinding away just to repay a burden that's only destroying her.
All she ever wanted was to live happily with her sisters, right? Anna—quiet, no aegyo—just wanted to live up to her baby sister's expectations. A father hailed as a wise king, a gentle ever-smiling mother, two adorable sisters. In that environment, she'd have grown into a fine queen to lead the kingdom.
What a shame.
"—If you have no business, leave. Aris."
"...U-Unni..?"
"No, I'll go. I still have a lot to do. See you."
She didn't glance back at me on the ground. Didn't offer a hand. Just turned and walked the way she'd come.
My scraped palm stung from the fall.
—Slurp.
"...Gulp."
I lifted my palm, licking the seeping blood. Tasted like plain water on my tongue. The only difference? A sticky lump in my throat.
Covering my mouth with my palm, I smiled.
"......Anna.. unni...? Why....?"
"......."
"Unni! Don't go...! Unni......!!"
"......."
I screamed. To halt those relentless steps somehow. To toss a final lifeline to the fool marching into hell. Even though I'd shaken her off first.
Her steps didn't stop. Just her trembling shoulders, proof she'd heard.
This accumulating guilt would crush her more. Wondering when it all went wrong? Because she lacked talent? Yet still dreamed of being a 'good king'? Probably imagining if she'd had Remi's gifts instead.
"Unni..! Sorry for bumping into you! So.. don't go... let's... let's play together.. Anna unni..."
"....We're too old for childish games."
With that icy parting advice, she turned her head and vanished from sight.
To break that incomplete ring of hatred, we must go back to the beginning—why did she so desperately crave to be a 'good king'? Because the warmth of family felt so good. She wanted to be like her parents. Cheers from cute sisters Aris and Remi. She wanted her family to thrive happily in a joyful kingdom. Repaying the happiness she'd known. That's why she wanted to be queen.
But now, it's too late.
"Don't go..... Anna unni...."
"Aris?! What happened! Why are you sitting there!?"
Remi spotted me wiping tears with my small hands and rushed over. I cried.
Today was such a joyful day. Isn't the day someone is born the happiest? And on that day, everyone cries as one. Tears for happy days. Yeah, I'm crying because I'm so happy.
"Aris.. There, there. All done!"
"Wah... Hngg...."
The fuse on the fireworks was lit. It'll burn slow, like a married deer's flashy tongue in rut. Can't wait. Probably won't sleep properly from now on. Staying up every night. The wait is killing me. I owe that duke who gave her the earrings a huge thank-you. Shortening the timeline like that.
Who knows when it'll happen. But one thing's certain—
This explosion? Yeah, it'll be truly beautiful.
"A hunting tournament, huh..."
"Well, it'll be a nice change of pace, won't it, dear? Anna seems so worn out lately."
"In that case..."