As Lehira patted my back, Latil, as if waiting, burrowed into Lehira’s arms. Fearing she might be abandoned, she grabbed the hem of the clothes with her tiny hands and burst into tears, as if the carriage was leaving.
“Why, why are you doing this?”
Lehira, who had been so confident, was now flustered and didn’t know what to do.
Even as she steadily patted Latil’s back, her eyes shook violently with guilt.
‘Was I too harsh? Is that why she’s crying like this?’
The reason Lehira had been so mischievous toward Latil was because of a dream she had long ago.
It was the second prophetic dream she had after bringing Noel and Ahwin together.
At first glance, the dream seemed incredibly happy.
Because in the dream, she was clearly smiling brightly.
In the dream, Lehira saw herself as an adult.
In that dream, Lehira had long, flowing hair and was smiling while looking at a faintly glowing gray magic sphere. A small, sparkling crown was placed on top of her head.
「Brother, at this rate, I’ll forget what you look like. When on earth are you coming back to Genos? No matter how lovable Latil is, will you leave your only sister behind? If you keep this up, I’ll just go ahead and get married, you know?」
Hearing that, Lehira was shocked three times.
First, that Abel, whom she thought would always be with her, had left Genos.
Second, that Abel left because of someone named Latil.
And lastly.
Third, that her voice, chiding Abel, was so cheerful and filled with ease.
It was unbelievable.
In the world of the young Lehira, the most important thing was Genos and her family.
She loved them all as much as the sky and the earth, but if she had to choose just one person, she would pick Abel without hesitation.
Maybe it was because they were twins.
The two shared a sense of kinship that others couldn’t easily understand. It was like they were two halves of the same soul, the only ones in the world.
Naturally, Lehira loved that world of hers.
She had loved it even before she fully understood what the word “love” meant.
She always thought her world would be perfect.
But one day, it would shatter.
Because of someone named Latil.
After that, Lehira often had dreams of the future. There was nothing particularly special about them. Her life in those dreams was very peaceful. Everyone she cared about was happy.
So it should have been perfect.
But one thing was missing.
Abel.
Her brother was nowhere to be found.
Lehira waited and waited. She waited for Abel to appear in her dreams. She waited for Abel to return to her world. But no matter how earnestly she waited, her wish never came true.
In the dreams, she was happy but often missed her brother, who was in another country. Even knowing it was a dream, the sense of loss made her want to cry.
In the end, Lehira had no choice but to reach a conclusion.
Abel had left her.
Abel had disappeared from her world.
Because of that person, Latil.
In the dreams, Lehira could gather a few more pieces of information.
First, that Latil was a princess of the Holy Empire.
Second, that the emperor of Genos was not Abel but herself.
And third, that Latil was Banessa’s daughter.
The day she realized that third fact, Lehira began to hate Banessa more than anything in the world.
It was particularly infuriating that not long after having that dream, Banessa returned.
Seeing him smirking and saying, “Princess,” made Lehira’s blood boil. She wanted to punch him right in the nose with her tiny fist.
So she did.
「Waah!」
I hate you, I really do! Her tears that day fully captured her frustration and sadness.
Everyone around her was shocked to see her behave like that.
「Princess, what’s gotten into you? That’s Sir Banessa. He’s Her Majesty’s third wing…」
Hearing that only made her cry harder.
Banessa or whoever, I don’t care! Wing? So what?!
That person is a bad person. Because of him, Latil was born. And because of that, I’m going to lose Abel!
Unfortunately, she couldn’t say any of that.
Her sorrow was from knowing that she would be separated from Abel, and she wanted to change that future.
But as a Gilead, she instinctively knew.
You must not interfere with dreams carelessly.
Besides, the dreams she had weren’t even bad dreams. Though it was sad for Lehira personally, everyone in the dreams was happy.
Moreover, someone even said in the dream that thanks to the marriage between the Genos and the Holy Empire’s royals, a golden age had arrived. They wished that the good days would continue for a long time.
After seeing all of that, how could she disrupt the dream?
Even though she tried to strengthen her resolve, it wasn’t easy.
Lehira was still very young. Each time she imagined the day she would part from Abel, tears poured down. Abel was the most perfect brother in the world, which made it even harder.
And finally, Lehira met Latil in her dream.
In the dream, on a bright spring day, a woman with curly red hair tied to one side was walking slowly, holding a parasol.
She stopped near rows of white gravestones and turned around slowly. Her face was half-covered by the shadow of the parasol. Her red lips curved into a soft smile.
「Abel, it was here. This is where I first met Sister Riri.」
My heart sank with a thud.
「This is a very special place for me.」
It was, without a doubt, the most wretched dream.
I met that person? Me, meeting Latil? That annoying girl who took my brother away from me?
The day I had that dream, I hugged my pillow and cried my eyes out. No one knew I was crying because I kept my sobs quiet. Even though I tried not to be caught, the sorrow was overwhelming.
Why did only I have to suffer like this? Why, only me?
Regardless of her distress, the moment of decision was drawing closer with every second.
Now, as a Gilead, she had to make a choice.
Would she set aside her desires and act for everyone’s happiness, or would she ignore the dream to avoid losing Abel?
Lehira finally made her decision. She brought along Julios because she couldn’t bear to go alone.
“Hng, s-s-sister.”
Latil wouldn’t stop crying. Lehira was in utter panic. When she waited for Latil, she never imagined it would come to this.
She had only met Latil because it felt like solving a forced exam question.
“I-I, I’m not really, doing o-okay. Hng.”
“Ugh, seriously. I told you to stop crying.”
“Am I really, really, doing o-okay? Am I a good, hng, child?”
“Ugh, for real. Why are you doing this?”
Lehira’s eyes were red, and she was sniffling. She blinked hard to stop herself from crying, but the tears just kept coming.
It was absurd. Why on earth was she crying?
“Stop crying already. You’re such, a good kid. So stop digging a hole for yourself, and just stop crying, you dummy.”
Lehira hugged Latil while sobbing. In the end, Lehira was still just a child. She quickly synced with Latil’s emotions. When Latil cried, the sadness overwhelmed her too. Lehira thought, as tears the size of chicken poop dripped down her face.
This dummy. Why are you so dumb? I thought you were annoying, but why are you so dumb and cute?
“Hng.”
“Waaaah! Sister, why are you crying?”
“I don’t knooow. You’re the one crying!”
“Ung ung, sister.”
“Latil, ung ung. I’m sorry for getting mad earlier.”
“Hng, sister, you were mad?”
“If you didn’t notice, then it’s fine, you idiot. I told you to stop crying.”
“Ung ung.”
“I’ll buy you something delicious. Just stop crying. When you cry, it makes me so sad too.”
While the two little ones clung to each other, crying like the world was ending, Julios could do nothing but smile awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
‘What do I do?’
At first, Julios intended to wait until Lehira calmed Latil down. Even if it was a burden for his niece, there’s something to be learned through hardship.
Before arriving at the empire, Julios hadn’t known Lehira’s intentions. He had only sensed that it must have something to do with the imperial family.
But, as another Gilead, and someone who had once struggled against an unwanted future, he watched over his niece, ready to intervene when the time was right.
He couldn’t let Lehira make an irreversible choice like he once had.
However, after they arrived, an entirely unexpected situation unfolded. Thanks to that, Julios finally understood what Lehira’s dream had been about.
‘So Latil was Abel’s match.’
Lehira thought of herself as very mature, but in the end, a child is still a child. She had unknowingly left behind all sorts of clues. So, of course, it was clear.
‘That’s why she hated Banessa. And why she didn’t want to hear anything about a princess.’
Once he understood, many thoughts came to mind. He felt sorry for his niece, who had been suffering silently all this time, yet at the same time, she was so endearing that he wanted to pinch her cheeks. It was hard to believe how such an adorable little creature had come into the world.
“Uncle, Latil, she keeps crying. Hng.”
That adorable creature was now asking for his help. Hugging Latil tightly, Lehira was looking at him with a desperate gaze, as though Latil had already become precious to her. He found his niece admirable, and then some.
He thought to himself that having just one daughter like this would fulfill all his wishes. With that thought in mind, he carefully sat down next to the two children.
* * *
After Latil disappeared, the Holy Empire’s palace was thrown into chaos.
Upon hearing the news, Banessa rushed in, horrified. He began to tear through the palace like a whirlwind.
Up until that moment, Banessa had believed he would find Latil quickly.
But he was wrong.
His beloved daughter, a child so adorable he could hardly believe Latil was his. Despite always being cautious around her, Latil was more important to him than his own life.
Latil had completely disappeared!
Naturally, Banessa immediately ran to Callisto.
At that time, Callisto had exhausted his energy, having flown in from the Mage Tower the moment he heard that Lehira and Julios were coming. He was resting in a rocking chair when suddenly he was grabbed by the collar.
“Brother! Latil’s gone!”
Banessa, who was shaking him frantically, was met with a fierce scolding.
“Let go! Get your hands off me! Get lost! I said, get lost!”
“Brother!”
“Latil’s fine! Just wait patiently!”
“Then tell me where she is!”
“She wanted some time alone, so why are you making such a fuss? You know the spirits are protecting her!”
“I’m her father, of course I’m worried! I’ll just watch from afar, I promise! Really, I swear!”
“Ridiculous! You’ll just start trailing her again, two steps behind like before!”
“That was a mistake! I didn’t mean to do that, I swear!”
“How many times are you going to make that mistake? Damn it! Let go of my clothes! You’re going to tear them!”
By now, everyone was so accustomed to the bickering between the two that no one paid it any attention.
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