“You can make that much sacrifice for your younger sibling, can’t you?”

Because of what was just said, Silian couldn’t immediately refute those words.

“Why are you afraid when you’re about to do it?”

“No, it’s not that I’m afraid…”

“Then try it once. Trust me.”

With this, everything from the past made sense. It felt like a piece of the puzzle that seemed impossible to solve was perfectly fitting in.

“…What am I supposed to trust? It could be dangerous. Of course, if I do it, it won’t be that dangerous, but…”

“If you’re really worried, it’s okay to do it after we find the sacred relic.”

“…Is that so.”

“You still don’t believe my assumption, do you? That divinity calls upon divine power. So it’s fine to do it a little later. The sacred relic, the real sacred relic, will appear soon.”

It won’t take long. Because it didn’t take long in the past either. So it didn’t matter if Silian moved after confirming the sacred relic.

“…Is it true?”

“Hm?”

“Is it really true that there’s a way to wake up my younger sibling? You really know about that too?”

“Everything is an assumption. But that assumption will prove to be exactly right.”

If not for this, there’s no way Silian would have regarded the Empire’s temple and the High Priest as such benefactors.

One might think it’s because of the heart contract, but Silian’s following of the High Priest went beyond that level.

Also, the fact that the High Priest didn’t say a word to the Emperor about that part was evidence that proved this.

Until now, even when accepting the royalty of the Salmon Kingdom, the High Priest had asked and reported to the Emperor several times.

Such a person suddenly didn’t make any report to the Emperor.

‘The High Priest… only then realized it. That he no longer needed the Emperor’s help.’

The reason why the High Priest was so cautious of the Emperor was because the temple was in a precarious position. The Emperor who had to maintain the temple for his own benefit. That’s how their interests aligned.

But the strong card of the Salmon royalty and the sacred relic they found gave the High Priest perfect power to no longer be wary of the Emperor.

“…Still, I’m uneasy.”

“Silian.”

“Yeah.”

“Have you seen me before?”

“What do you mean? If you’re asking if I’ve seen you other than at the orphanage, of course not.”

“But didn’t I know too much about you? Suspiciously so?”

Silian fell silent.

“You suspected I might be related to Salmon, didn’t you?”

“You know well.”

“But I was someone unrelated, just someone who knew too much about you all.”

“That’s still a mystery to me.”

“I can’t tell you the answer to that mystery, but what I say will definitely help. We made a heart contract, didn’t we? I won’t tell you to do it right away. But try, even if just a little bit. I… I want Pepe to open her eyes.”

“Because it’s beneficial to you?”

Silian’s expression and behavior became utterly crooked.

“No. I wasn’t happy. My childhood was unhappy. Even if not as much as yours, I wasn’t loved by my family either. Yet I craved love from my family. I wanted even a bit of attention.”

“…”

“For me, my elder sister and father were all such people.”

“Are we competing to see who’s more miserable?”

“No. Pepe has you. An elder brother who protects her even at the cost of sacrificing everything. Family. So I want Pepe to see. That your world wasn’t such a hell. That even if the past was difficult, you have someone who will give you love. That’s why. That’s why I want her to wake up as soon as possible and escape from hell.”

Sesenia forced a smile.

“…You’re really making me do it.”

“If you don’t believe it, you don’t have to do it. But that’s just how I feel.”

“…”

“You know. If I had an elder brother like Silian, if I had just one family member who loved me… I often think it would have been really nice.”

At that moment, Sesenia bit her lip hard.

‘I really can’t live. Why am I saying such things… getting swept up in the mood…’

In this life, she tried not to show her emotions. She always tried to remain strong and unyielding.

More solid than in the past. So she tried not to get hurt in any case. But her nature hadn’t changed.

Sesenia opened her heart only to her own people.

She spoke her feelings honestly. Not knowing how deeply it affected them, Sesenia was busy blaming herself again today. For saying this and that again.

“Sesenia Bestel.”

“Uh, yes?”

“If I hadn’t trusted you, I wouldn’t have made it this far. If I hadn’t gotten on that carriage back then, I would have been dragged to my country and lost my younger sibling. It’s funny that I’m scared now, when back then I thought I could do anything as long as I lived.”

Sesenia’s red eyes, redder than blood and more brilliant than precious rubies, sparkled.

“Thank you for freeing a coward from being a coward.”

Silian patted Sesenia’s head.

“Was I helpful?”

“Yeah. I’ll tell the temple what you said. And what you did… I’ll try it too. Because I trust you.”

That was the end. Perhaps embarrassed by his own words, Silian suddenly transformed into a puppy form and hopped away, disappearing beyond the terrace.

**

The next morning.

Elzere finally collapsed.

“Ah, Lady Elzere has collapsed!”

“Did she not hit her head when she fell?”

“Oh my. You guessed exactly right. They say she fell head first and her head is swollen.”

“Is there no bleeding?”

“No.”

Lizbeth rolled her eyes as she watched Sesenia speak without any change in emotion.

“That’s strange.”

“Pardon…?”

“I thought there would be blood. As expected…”

As expected, it must have been an act.

‘Elzere values her body too much.’

She must have been afraid to fall too hard like in the past. It became very clear that Elzere had faked her fall both in the past and now.

The expression of the Duke, who would have heard this news before anyone else, was also imaginable.

“But they say the Duke isn’t going to her.”

“Really? That’s quite satisfying and well-deserved. Then shall we go see Father?”

“What? But if he’s not even going to see Lady Elzere, will he see you?”

Even though she knew, hearing such words from Lizbeth’s mouth made Sesenia feel uncomfortable somewhere in her chest.

If Lizbeth, who cares for her more than anyone and wants her to do well, speaks like this, Sesenia’s position in the family was obvious.

Wounds don’t stop hurting just because you know about them.

Even if you know, every time you realize it, it hurts like salt being poured on. It was the same now.

Why should she be hated like this when she’s not an adopted child, nor a troublemaker? But there’s no reason for hatred.

It’s just that those who express that hatred are selfish. Deciding to think that way, Sesenia responded to Lizbeth’s words with an indifferent expression.

“Then he’ll see me properly. Let’s go quickly.”

We should fan the flames properly in a burning house. Sesenia headed towards the Duke’s office with a brighter expression than ever. As expected, Elzere’s maids were lined up in front of the door.

“Your Grace. The young lady is seriously injured. So please, wouldn’t it be better to take a look at least once?”

“She hit her forehead… they say there might be aftereffects.”

Their voices filled the corridor. Yet there was no movement from inside, as if no one was there.

Sesenia stood in front of the door, passing by Elzere’s maids.

“Isn’t Father here?”

“Ah. Lady Sesenia. His Grace the Duke is inside.”

It seemed the Duke had made quite a firm decision. Sesenia quietly looked at the door and then met eyes with the servant.

“Then could you let him know? That Sesenia is here.”

“Please wait a moment!”

Perhaps having been quite troubled by Elzere’s maids, the servant hurriedly went inside. It didn’t take long to get an answer.

“Lady Sesenia, there’s an order for you to come in.”

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing.”

Worried that Elzere’s maids might try to enter, the servants guarding the Duke’s door blocked them with their entire bodies.

But they couldn’t block their mouths.

Towards the very small gap prepared for Sesenia to enter, Elzere’s maids earnestly appealed for themselves.

“Your Grace. Lady Elzere…!”

But Sesenia closed the door with a thud before that voice could be heard. Thanks to this, the maid who was whining with her mouth against the door had to hastily step back.

“Hah… you’ve come, Sesenia.”

“Yes. It’s noisy outside.”

“It’s all because of Elzere. Hah… lately Elzere has been causing a lot of trouble. She used to be a child who never caused any trouble… I thought she was growing up well… It seems the mental maturity that should have come during the growth process didn’t happen.”

Now seeming to have come to his senses, the Duke let out his complaints. But Sesenia’s expression hardened.

‘No, it’s because she takes after you exactly. Selfish humans.’

Perhaps sensing that Sesenia’s expression wasn’t good, the Duke stopped complaining and looked at her.

“Sigh. So why did you come?”

“I thought you might have a lot on your mind, Father.”

“Huh huh. Only Sesenia. I didn’t see how kind and considerate you were. Overshadowed by your elder sister… As if bewitched by something. I only looked for your elder sister.”

As if regretting belatedly, he continued rambling.

It was ridiculous to see him acting like this now. What he did wouldn’t disappear just because he acted like this, and it didn’t seem like he was sincerely apologizing either.

Nevertheless, Sesenia forced a smile.

“Is that so? Well, it does seem like you’ve changed recently, Father.”

“That’s right, that’s right. You’ve seemed different lately. You weren’t like this at all in the past, but now… I keep being drawn to you. The thought that I should treat you well overwhelms me instinctively. To a frightening degree.”

“Pardon…?”

“As if God is guiding us on this path.”