‘She’s really scolding you, so just apologize and reflect, no questions asked.’
Elodie gave Zeno a pointed look.
Well, even if he hadn’t meant to say those things, it was true that he had been reckless.
What if the medicine Packer had given him had been an instant poison?
The chances were low, sure, but as a prince of Valkyrisen, he should be more careful in the future.
Sera seemed to think the same as she narrowed her eyes and pressed him further.
“If a physician hands you something, would you drink it, even if it were poison? Without verifying anything?”
“There’s no way I would—!”
Zeno snapped in frustration, only to immediately falter and meekly tack on:
“...sir.”
“Yes, I suggest you be more careful in the future. So that Elodie doesn’t suffer because of it.”
Sera's sharp reprimand would undoubtedly serve as good medicine for Zeno.
“I’ll be watching.”
Only after Sera finally left did Zeno let out a shaky breath, sweat trickling down his forehead as he scooted closer to Elodie.
“Hey, your mother is terrifying.”
Whose mother?!
Could he not just go around changing other people’s mothers as he pleased?
“And just where does Sera look like she has a kid my age?!”
Elodie yelled, exasperated.
“I mean, she looks our age, sure, but she talks exactly like a mom! Are you sure she didn’t raise you?”
Well... it was the kind of reaction a mother would have if their child came home after befriending some delinquent.
But if anything, it felt more like Elodie was the one raising Sera.
No, even if she had an actual child, she doubted she’d feel as protective over them as she did over Sera.
It was an indescribable bond.
Perhaps the term soulmate was the closest approximation.
And yet, lately, her other half had been so busy that they barely had any time together.
‘She said she’d come back stronger, but I think she’s already gotten strong enough.’
If she could silence the future mad dog Zeno without even raising her voice, then surely, she was strong enough now.
‘It’s time for you to stop getting stronger and come back to me already.’
For the first time, she felt like she understood how parents must feel when their child, not yet fully grown, suddenly insisted on independence.
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‘Wait... isn’t that me?’
Could this be how her mother and father felt about her?
Perhaps empathy truly did come from walking in someone else’s shoes.
But still, she wouldn’t hold Sera back.
If there was something Sera wanted to do, then she hoped she would experience everything she wished—without regrets.
“...But it’s really lonely without Sera.”
Elodie mumbled suddenly, looking dejected.
“What?”
Zeno raised an eyebrow, looking highly displeased.
“You’re lonely? When I’m right here?”
You?
Elodie turned her dark, lifeless gaze on Zeno before flatly replying:
“...And what exactly are you?”
Did he seriously think he could take Sera’s place?
Zeno, bristling at her words, took a deep breath and puffed out his chest.
“I am...!”
“......”
“I’m, I am...!”
And then he froze.
‘Just say you’re a friend.’
...Wait. Did this guy seriously not have a single friend?
That would explain why he always pestered her to play with him, despite their age gap.
Elodie, feeling a moment of sympathy, sighed and said:
“Alright, fine. You’re my friend.”
“What nonsense. You’re way younger than me! You think we’re equals?”
“Fine, fine. A close younger sibling, then.”
“......”
Zeno’s eyes flickered ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ slightly as he looked at the small girl patting his shoulder as if comforting him.
For a brief moment, his expression softened.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
But it was short-lived.
His sun-kissed cheeks, tanned from running around outside all day, flushed slightly as he mumbled:
“Younger sibling...”
He had an older brother, three years his senior, and a younger one—Karon.
But Karon was someone he barely spoke to, someone he had only ever been beaten by.
Yet Elodie...
She listened to what he said, forgave him even when he said harsh things, trusted him despite his antics, played with him, and... she was kind of cute, too.
Sneaking a few side glances at her, Zeno suddenly asked:
“...Will you be my little sister?”
How exactly did he go from a close younger sibling to my little sister?
She had no idea what kind of thought process led to that conclusion, but there was no real reason to refuse.
With a shrug, Elodie replied:
“Sure, why not.”
“...! You won’t regret this.”
You won’t be lonely—I’ll make sure of it!
But as Zeno eagerly dragged her outside, insisting they go run around and play, Elodie was already beginning to regret it.
***
Since their encounter at the underground interrogation chamber, Elodie had not seen Karon again.
Whenever he was healthy, he snuck around in secret, and whenever he was unwell, he locked himself away in the secluded palace.
‘So he must be bedridden right now.’
That meant she had to go immediately.
Without a second thought, Elodie made her way to the Serenity Palace.
Howlf looked at her with an expression that practically screamed, You’ve gotten so bold now, haven’t you? as if reprimanding her with his gaze.
“Howlf.”
“Yes.”
“You’re an accomplice too.”
“......”
“It’s too late to back out now.”
“Sigh...”
Howlf let out a deep, weary sigh and ran a hand down his face.
She wasn’t wrong.
The moment he had knowingly let her into the secluded palace without reporting it, he had become complicit.
And as the captain of the knights, he was fully aware of that fact.
“Just sit back and watch.”
Howlf scratched the back of his ear as he looked at Elodie, who was speaking as if he were some kind of petty thief.
“So, what you’re saying is... You’re doing all this because you want to heal the Third Prince.”
Of course.
There were plenty of complicated reasons layered on top of that, but at its core, her ultimate goal was healing.
“Do you even have a way to treat him?”
“......”
“Even the Holy Priest of Ratson couldn’t cure him.”
This wolf had a way of hitting right where it hurt.
Elodie fell silent, narrowing her eyes at the gray-furred knight.
“I need to examine his condition first. That’s the only way I can figure out how to treat him.”
Which was essentially an admission that she had no concrete plan yet.
“I understand that you won’t be in danger inside. And let’s assume that you do manage to find a cure.”
“Mm.”
“But do you really think His Highness will simply accept treatment?”
“Huh?”
Elodie, who had been eager to rush forward and fix everything, suddenly hesitated.
“The Third Prince has never once experienced an improvement in his condition. And then one day, some child appears out of nowhere and claims she can cure him? He’s not likely to believe that.”
Because he was speaking to a young child, Howlf softened his words as much as possible.
“In fact, he may even react aggressively. From what I’ve heard, he’s been sick since the moment he was born.”
Elodie already knew it wasn’t an infectious disease, but she stayed quiet.
She was curious to hear how the palace staff spoke about the Third Prince.
“Unless he’s bedridden, he always keeps his mouth and nose covered to avoid spreading the disease. That’s the only time he’s allowed outside.”
“But despite that, there are still people who openly shun him.”
Because many have died after contracting his supposed illness.
Howlf let out a deep sigh.
“The day His Highness first arrived in Valkyrisen... That day was a tragedy, but it was no one’s fault.”
“......”
“But every person who died after that... they were all people who ignored the warnings and stepped into this palace of their own accord.
His Highness simply stayed hidden inside, silent and motionless.
And yet, he was forced to watch intruders suffer and die right before his eyes.”