A shallow breath slipped past Isaiah's lips, keeping his eyes on Tilly, Abel's other sister. Unlike Marsella's explosive temper, this one was too quiet and strange. It was as if the word weird was discovered to describe this lady.
<strong>'I still can't lower my guard,'</strong> he told himself, mentally nodding in agreement. <strong>'She's still a Grimsbanne. Until she was able to get him out of his slumber, I trust no one.'</strong>
Isaiah slowly gazed back at the coffin steps from the altar. His eyes fell on Abel and his jaw tightened. Even letting others touch him brings this unspeakable anxiety to his heart, knowing they could do whatever they want to Abel.
"Your Grace~!"
Just then, Sunny's voice echoed sweetly in the silent chapel. As Isaiah slowly gazed back, his eyes caught multiple figures walking behind the little girl running in the aisle.
"Your Grace! Sunny is back!" Sunny had this sweet and adorable grin, skipping her steps to where Isaiah stood.
Her steps slowed down as she noticed a familiar figure sitting on the first pew. Upon recognizing that bell tied around her long, white hair and that average shoulder, Sunny's expression brightened up.
"Tilly! You are here early~!" Sunny hastened her pace giddily.
"Sunny." A lazy and annoyed voice came from behind, making Isaiah shift his eyes to a young boy in his early teens. His hands were linked behind his silky silver hair, and his eyes were green with a red undertone. "Watch your steps. I don't want you complaining if you —"
"Ack!"
The young boy, Law, frowned as his silly little sister tripped just when he was telling her to watch her step. His calm steps didn't stop, though, watching his sister mumble while assisting herself up.
"Heh… the more I think about it, I am almost at the brink of believing karma exists." A young man spoke, and Isaiah also shifted his attention to the young man walking several steps from the young teen. The young man also had light hair, but in a much darker shade of ash, unlike Sunny, Law, and Tilly's hair color. "How can you trip on a smooth surface?"
The young boy glared at the young man, and the latter raised his hand to his shoulder level.
"What?" the young man's brows rose, treading carefully, and keeping his distance from the boy. "Am I not allowed to express my dissatisfaction? I barely ate because she kept shooting arrows in my direction, so obviously, I'd be bitter about it."
"The only bad thing she did is she cannot put a hole in your head," the boy spat out with a deep frown. "If it was me, an arrow would've plunged in your throat the moment you opened your mouth."
The young man grinned mischievously. "I doubt. You can probably graze me, though."
"You should've stayed behind."
"Oh, sorry. But that can't do. I'm stuck with your mother."
"This guy." Law, the young teen, stopped and faced the young man aggressively. "Big brother, can I punch him?"
Isaiah, who was watching and listening to this strange exchange unfold, moved his gaze to the other man, near the young man. The man had a towering figure with distinct, broad shoulders. He had this slightly long blonde hair and a pair of silver eyes. Obviously, this man didn't share the same features as the rest, but Isaiah could feel his natural authoritative aura.
"You two behave." The man with golden hair continued his careful steps until he reached the boy, planting his palm on the latter's head. "We have more things to settle ahead. Conserve your energy."
The boy frowned, glaring daggers at the young man. "Once this was over, I'll surely settle scores with you, Claude."
"Cla —" Claude, the young man, scoffed in disbelief. He darted his eyes on the man and the boy, Law, as the two resumed their steps towards the altar. "Oy, Law. How can you call him your big brother and call me by my name? I'm your cousin — your blood cousin!"
Claude's complaint drifted in the inbound breeze, clicking his tongue in irritation. "He's always the annoying one even when he was young," he grumbled irritably, stomping his feet to follow them
When the man, Rufus, and the young teen, Law, stopped, Claude's steps skidded to a halt. The latter arched his brow, watching Rufus squat down before Sunny.
"Are you alright, Young Miss?" asked Rufus while Sunny dusted off her knees.
Sunny raised her head and flashed him a big, sweet smile. "Yes, big brother! Sunny is alright!"
"I'm glad to hear that. Watch your steps next time, alright?"
"Sunny listens to big brother, so Sunny will be careful next time!" Her grin stretched even wider, not even casting her real big brother, Law, a glance. She then pivoted on her heel, skipping her steps once again while sweetly calling, "Tilly!"
"Till —" Sunny halted the moment she reached the first pew. Her steps were careful while approaching Tilly.
Tilly didn't react; she was just blinking ever so tenderly.
"Tilly fell asleep," said Sunny, looking back at Isaiah with her doe eyes. "Your Grace, did we make her wait for too long so she fell asleep?"
Isaiah, who was busy observing these people who succeeded in reaching the imperial palace, set his eyes in Sunny's direction. His gaze landed on the little girl's curious eyes, and then shifted to Tilly's side profile.
"She has her eyes open," he blurted out, unable to understand how Sunny thought Tilly was sleeping. <strong>'Does that mean she's really sleeping with her eyes open?'</strong>
"Sunny, don't confuse His Grace." Deep lines appeared on Isaiah's forehead, turning his attention to Law when the latter spoke.
Law flashed Isaiah a smile, revealing the small canine that gave him a mischievous look.
"Tilly thinks she's the greatest bluffer of all time. So Sunny sometimes backs her up to cause more confusion," explained Law to Isaiah with a brief chuckle. "But she's not sleeping. Though, you have to prepare yourself because Tilly might've misunderstood the time that it's just the two of you in this place. Just hope she didn't."
<strong>'Huh?'</strong>
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