Abel, shocked by the news of Lehira’s trip to the Empire, asked again. Julios nodded as he gazed at his nephew, who looked just like Leticia.
“Yes, for the next week. She will go with me.”
“Why…?”
Seemingly bewildered, he bit his small lips tightly. His golden hair, bathed in light, shimmered as if it was glowing.
Unlike his sister, who still had chubby baby fat that made her look her age, Abel seemed much more mature.
He was also half a hand taller than his twin sister, always hearing Lehira’s complaints about it.
Though her constant whining could easily annoy him, he had never once lost his temper.
In fact, he cared for Lehira the most in the imperial city.
The saying “as if she would fly away if he blew, or fade if he touched” perfectly described how Abel treated Lehira.
At one time, many had worried about Abel’s maturity.
When the twins were young, the adults’ attention was mostly on Lehira.
Both children were precious and beloved, but unlike the calm and easy Abel, Lehira often caused problems because of her dreams.
Naturally, everyone’s concern centered on the young Lehira, who suffered greatly.
During that tumultuous time, Abel growing up healthy without causing any problems was a great comfort.
To the point that he even skipped the so-called “terrible twos” that most children go through.
“Lord Julios, I feel Abel has grown up too fast. Is it because we didn’t give him enough attention when he was younger?”
As time passed, however, they began to worry about how Abel needed so little attention.
His steadfast and unwavering demeanor, unusual for his age, made them fear it might be the result of adult pressure.
Once they realized this, the royal family paid just as much attention to Abel as they did to Lehira.
Julios, in particular, had a close relationship with Abel as his uncle and being of the same gender.
Having been entrusted by Leticia and Dietrian to watch over Abel for a long time, Julios had come to a conclusion.
Abel—this child was genuine.
He was naturally so gentle and upright.
It was as if the goddess had gifted Leticia and Dietrian a perfect child, without a single wrinkle in his character.
As he grew older, however, he often became pained by his concern for Lehira, who struggled from time to time.
This time was no different.
At Julios’s words, Abel, who had been nervously biting his lips, asked,
“Is it because of the dream again?”
“Probably.”
Julios nodded slightly.
Worry clouded Abel’s green eyes, which resembled the color of new leaves.
If he were that upset, one might expect him to throw a tantrum.
Yet, his nephew, who was mature beyond his years, never let his posture falter.
After a moment, seemingly trying to collect himself, Abel lowered his head and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice.
“Uncle, can I go with you as well? Lehira would feel much more at ease with me.”
“I’m sorry, but that won’t be possible.”
“…Why not?”
Julios, with a slightly troubled smile, shook his head. Abel’s composed eyes showed a hint of disappointment that he couldn’t fully hide.
Julios found it admirable that his young nephew could control his emotions so well, yet at the same time, he was grateful that Abel still showed signs of his youth.
Julios slowly knelt down, meeting Abel’s gaze. He gently placed a hand on Abel’s shoulder and spoke softly.
“Abel, why do you want to come along?”
“Because I’m Lehira’s brother.”
Because I’m her brother, I have to protect her, right? There was a faint stubbornness in those added words.
Julios almost felt like laughing. He saw a reflection of his younger self, who had once struggled to protect his own sibling.
‘Dietrian, that guy is truly blessed with his children.’
Julios smiled softly as he ruffled Abel’s golden hair.
“I understand how you feel, but this time, only Lehira and I will go. Because…”
“Because I am a prince of Genos, right?”
“Exactly. You and Lehira are part of the royal family of Genos. You two are the ones who must succeed the throne, so it’s too risky for both of you to travel together.”
“But if I go with you…”
“Even so, it won’t be allowed. If something happened to both of you, how could I ever face your parents?”
“Wait… Is this because of Lehira’s request? Did she say she wanted to go with just you?”
Julios chuckled awkwardly as he patted Abel’s head.
This child—who did he take after? Not only was he mature and composed, but he was also incredibly perceptive.
Abel’s long eyelashes quivered slightly. He was just as worried about his sister as he was hurt by the feeling of being cast aside by her.
But there was no changing it.
The most stubborn person in the imperial family, Lehira, had firmly decided that she would not go to the Empire with her brother.
“If I learn anything about Lehira’s dreams, I’ll make sure to tell you.”
Julios carefully embraced Abel, who had bowed his head. He could feel the child’s small shoulders trembling slightly in his arms. It pained him, but there was no other way.
This was Lehira’s wish.
In the end, this mature little boy who only thought of his sister would have no choice but to respect her decision.
* * *
Abel had loved books from a young age. Even without anyone telling him to, he immersed himself in reading. To the point where Leticia and Dietrian began to worry.
But unlike his parents, Abel found the world within books to be utterly delightful. Everything existed within those pages—truths about the world, secrets of the universe, even exciting stories.
The more he read, the more he fell in love with the world inside the books. He cherished the time he spent with words. Like a dry sponge soaking up water, he absorbed knowledge eagerly. He adored those moments intensely.
“Twin siblings share senses.”
One day, Abel came across a book about twins. He had known from a very young age that he and Lehira weren’t ordinary. Being twins was unusual in itself, but that wasn’t all.
From a long time ago, Abel and Lehira had shared everything. Abel’s earliest memory was of his sister peacefully sleeping beside him.
Even though he didn’t fully understand who she was, he watched over her as she slept, and kept watching.
Sometimes, his sister would open her eyes. Her thin eyelids would flutter slightly before slowly lifting.
Her deep black eyes would quietly gaze at him. In those moments, it felt as though he were being drawn into them. The reflection of himself in her eyes seemed to declare something to him.
This child will become.
A very, very important person to you.
Once Abel became aware of this, his gaze endlessly followed Lehira. Lehira was a child quite different from him in many ways. She was sensitive to stimuli, often laughing and crying easily. She would burst into laughter over things that seemed trivial to Abel.
Watching her, Abel grew curious.
What are you?
What are you thinking?
What does the world look like to you? Why do you react to everything with such liveliness?
At the same time, he found himself vicariously enjoying her exuberance.
His world was quiet. He felt little in response to stimuli. The adults described him as gentle, but it was simply due to his nature.
With everything feeling dull, there was no reason to cry or feel upset. Days just passed. He felt joy and happiness too. His heart was filled with love from the people around him.
But Lehira’s intense reactions to even the smallest things fascinated him. Simply watching her lifted his spirits.
“Abel, Lehira is your sister. You have to protect her. Can you do that?”
Because Lehira was so special, that phrase naturally became a guiding principle in his life.
Lehira is your sister.
You must protect her.
He still vividly remembered the day when he *felt* the meaning of those words.
My sister, the one I must protect, the only person I can lend my shoulder to.
The person who shone the brightest in his world was his sister.
And he had the right to protect that brilliance.
Being Lehira’s brother filled him with pride.
He stayed up all night without feeling tired, watching his sleeping sister.
When morning came, and his drowsy sister looked at him with a blank stare, he couldn’t help but smile.
“Brother…?”
“Are you awake?”
“Something soft…”
Lehira mumbled before pulling Abel into a hug with her short arms.
She fumbled along his rather slim back and then pouted in dissatisfaction.
She soon drifted back to sleep.
Very carefully, Abel reached for a pillow that had rolled nearby. He placed it between them so his sister could feel the softness and gently patted her back.
It was one of his most precious memories.
There were many others like it.
That’s why, when it was decided that Lehira and Julios would go to the Empire, Abel couldn’t help but worry and worry again.
What on earth was causing his beloved sister so much distress?
As much as he wanted to secretly follow the two of them, he knew he couldn’t.
Finally, the day came when the two would depart for the Empire.
Abel spent the entire night tossing and turning, unable to sleep because of his worries for Lehira.
Perhaps it was because he had been lost in thought until the break of dawn.
Suddenly, a thought struck him—he had done nothing for Lehira as her older brother.
He hadn’t even helped her with the struggles that had been tormenting her for so long.
Lehira is someone I should protect, as her brother. She is the person who shines the brightest in my world. I can’t let her go on such a long journey alone.
‘I have to go see Lehira.’
Until now, he hadn’t asked her anything, afraid that pushing her too hard would hurt her even more.
He had believed that waiting quietly by her side was what she needed.
But this time, it was different.
He slipped on his slippers and quietly walked over to her room, carefully stopping in front of her door. He raised his hand to knock, but just then, the door handle turned with a soft click.
Abel was momentarily surprised, but he quickly realized that Lehira had likely seen this moment with her gift from Gilead, and he calmly lowered his hand.
A moment later, the door opened slightly, and Lehira peeked her head out.
For some reason, though, she didn’t meet Abel’s eyes.
“What is it?”
Despite his resolve, Abel found himself at a loss for words right from the start.
No matter how mature he might be, he was still only eight years old, just a very young child.
His precious sister was putting up a wall between them, and he had no idea how to break through it.
When Abel said nothing, Lehira continued to avoid his gaze.
Watching her in silence, feeling at a loss, Abel suddenly blurted out,
“Lehira, you’re the most important person to me.”
Lehira flinched. Her dark eyes looked directly at Abel.
“I’m your brother. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.”
He didn’t know what he should say. He didn’t know what words would make Lehira feel better, or what might get her to share her dreams with him.
But Abel couldn’t just stand there. Not knowing the right answer, he could only speak from his heart.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but don’t ever forget that I’m here for you. Don’t worry alone.”
“Brother…”
“Can I come in?”
Abel asked cautiously. Lehira nodded slightly.
Slowly, Abel pushed the door open and wrapped his small arms around Lehira.
Lehira sniffled and buried her face into Abel’s shoulder.
Abel gently patted her back. Their shared warmth comforted each other.
“Whatever you do, I’ll support you. I’ll even pray for you. I’ll wish for all your dreams to come true in the Empire, whatever they may be.”
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