Volume 4, Chapter 30 – Tentative Feelings

It was late autumn, and the nights in Blossom were exceptionally dry and cold. Although the sky was illuminated by the golden glow of the Holy Tree, it provided no warmth. The evening wind was like an insidious ghost, slipping through collars and cuffs, chilling the skin.

Winter would be here soon.

If it were the snowy season, decorating the Holy Tree like a Christmas tree would surely be a beautiful sight.

With such thoughts in her mind, Fia, walking through the palace’s central courtyard, tightened her formal dress. She should probably change into something thicker, rather than continuing to wear this black dress with its backless design—it was simply too cold. If the temperature dropped any further, she would start getting goosebumps.

Being immune to fire did not mean she couldn’t feel hot and cold. And for some unknown reason, Fia had a natural aversion to the cold. Cold things always gave her the impression of “inescapable death,” “terror and stillness,” like a frozen planet devoid of life, which was unpleasant.

“Hah…”

Breathing softly into her cupped hands, Fia rubbed her exposed shoulders. Dressed only in a black formal dress and black stockings, she was completely unaware that, with her black hair and pointed ears, she looked like a fairy wandering through the night.

“I’ve already had Colita send people to look for a place for the witches to live. The only thing left to do is to investigate the Holy Tree, is it… The gods…”

The word “god” was incredibly foreign to Fia. She was both looking forward to meeting one and nervous about it. The existence of a god meant that there truly was an omniscient and omnipotent being like God in the world, which contradicted the principles she believed in. Of course, this contradiction was not so great as to make her lose sleep. Her anticipation still outweighed her worry.

“Oh, right, I still haven’t contacted Erin Slate. Now—”

Just as she lifted her head, Fia suddenly paused. Not everyone was like her, able to stay up all night and not be sleepy during the day. Ten o’clock at night was, by all means, too late. To visit at this hour would, one, disturb Erin’s rest, and two, could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. After all, elves did not distinguish between genders in matters of love, and Erin was a great beauty. It would surely set tongues wagging.

Realizing this, Fia suddenly felt a warmth on her shoulder. She subconsciously turned her head. What came into view was Anastasia in her maid’s uniform. She had draped a cloak with silver fur over Fia’s shoulders, her lively azure eyes filled with concern, like a real older sister.

“It’s already ten o’clock at night. Why is Your Highness still walking alone in the courtyard? Even for a walk, you should wear more clothes. What if you catch a cold?”

“If I catch a cold, I’ll have you take care of me, Anastasia.”

Tightening the cloak Anastasia had draped over her, Fia answered playfully. Perhaps Anastasia had warmed it with [Drying] magic before bringing it, as it had a very obvious warmth. The warm, fur-lined leather against her cold skin made all the pores in her body relax.

A hint of reproach appeared in Anastasia’s expression.

“Of course I will take care of you, Your Highness. But it’s better for you not to catch a cold in the first place. That feeling is very unpleasant.”

Rеad oո ΚatRеaⅾіոgCafe

“I, on the other hand, think that if I could have you take care of me, a cold would be nothing at all.”

“What silly things you’re saying.”

Watching Anastasia’s helpless sigh, Fia couldn’t help but be reminded of scenes in some visual novels where, after the protagonist gets sick, the sister who had been indifferent to him suddenly starts to care for him. This contrast and change was enough to instantly turn one’s dislike for the sister into shouts of “Ooh, this is too good!”

Of course, Anastasia had never been indifferent to her. From the very beginning, she had been a gentle and tolerant older sister.

If Anastasia weren’t her sister, but someone unrelated by blood, it might have been difficult for her to control herself.

…What am I thinking?

Just as Fia was reflecting on herself, Anastasia, who had been silent for a moment, said abruptly.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Thank you? For what?”

Her gaze lowered, the troubled Anastasia lightly bit her lip.

“For my sake, you were willing to duel Godley and General Greyan. If not for you, I would surely have been exiled by now—no, I would have been executed. It was all my fault, yet in the end, you were the one who had to bear it.”

So that’s what it was about.

Fia was suddenly enlightened.

“You have an irreplaceable place in my heart, Anastasia. This is what I should do. I would be very sad if you were to leave me. Now it’s for the best. You are no longer the captain of the Imperial Guard and can focus on being with me—ah, becoming the captain of the guard wasn’t your dream, was it?”

If it had been Anastasia’s dream, then she had done a terrible thing.

“Not at all. It is my duty to be by your side. I only sought the position of captain, with your support, to prove that I was worthy of being by your side.”

“That’s good.”

Fia breathed a sigh of relief.

Rеaⅾ oո KαtReαⅾiոɡCafе

“Irreplaceable again…”

Not missing Anastasia’s murmur, Fia stopped and tilted her head.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah,” Anastasia snapped back to her senses, a faint blush appearing on her beautiful, moonlit face. She said shyly, “I was just thinking, Your Highness said ‘irreplaceable’ again… May I ask what this ‘irreplaceable’ means…”

This was too embarrassing.

Feeling her cheeks grow hot, Anastasia lowered her head slightly, hiding her expression in the darkness of the night.

“It means just that, irreplaceable. If not for you, I would not be standing here. You are like a sister to me—no, that’s not right. A mother? But it’s not the same feeling as with Mother Yulisha.”

Fia pressed an index finger to her chin and began to think. If she had to say, Anastasia was more like a savior to her, pulling her out of the quagmire of confusion she had been in. However, that answer was too embarrassing to say out loud.

Although it wasn’t the answer she had been hoping for, Anastasia couldn’t help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

“Hehehe, a mother? So I’m like a mother to you, Your Highness? I’m less than thirty years older than you.”

“What? I’m not joking. You’re gentle and tolerant, Anastasia. You really do have the feeling of a mother,” Fia said, using her hand to measure the height above her head. “See? You’re this much taller than me.”

“Even so, you can only call me ‘older sister’.”

Older sister?

Fia was a little surprised. It was hard to imagine such a joke coming from Anastasia’s mouth.

It was probably because of the decision she had made that morning. The current Anastasia was more natural than before. The old Anastasia would never have so casually said she was her older sister.

Anastasia had changed too. Her efforts had not been in vain.

Realizing this, Fia’s mood lightened.

Rеаԁ οn KαtRеαdіոɡСаfе

“Mmm… you are indeed my older sister. But it feels a little different from the traditional sense. Hah, it’s hard to describe what I feel in my heart. In short, it’s irreplaceable. I can’t be without you, Anastasia.”

To say “I can’t be without you” in front of Anastasia was extremely embarrassing, but perhaps it was because of the night, or perhaps the emotions were just right, Fia felt that she had to say it here.

“Then how do I compare to that silver-haired human young lady?… My apologies, Your Highness. I have forgotten her name again.”

“Ah, that can’t be helped.” Fia waved her hand lightly, indicating that it was fine.

“Compared to Claire… you and Claire each have your own strengths? If Claire were to hear this, she might get angry, but you are indeed as important as she is. There is no difference in importance.”

“As important…” Anastasia repeated in a low voice, then looked up and asked, “Then between me and that young lady named Claire, who has more of a ‘womanly’ feeling?”

A “womanly” feeling?

Not understanding why Anastasia was asking this question, Fia looked at her face. However, her usually easy-to-read eyes were now exceptionally deep. Even Fia couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

She had no choice but to turn around and continue walking as she thought seriously.

“Well… it’s hard to compare. They each have their own merits?”

Claire had more of a girlfriend-like quality, reserved and captivating. Anastasia was more like an older sister, a tolerant and honey-sweet safe harbor. It was hard to say who had more of a “womanly” feeling—it should be said that both were very charming, just in different ways.

After answering, Fia turned around.

“What’s wrong, Anastasia? Why ask such a question all of a sudden?”

“Nothing.” Placing her right hand on her chest, Anastasia smiled gently. “I was just curious. I didn’t expect to have such a high place in your heart, Your Highness. I, who was saved by you, a worthless little dog.”

“You are not to belittle yourself like that.”

Fia stood on her tiptoes and placed an index finger on Anastasia’s lips. Her ruby-like eyes showed a hint of anger, and her fine brows furrowed.

“If you were not important to me, how could I have gone to such lengths?”

Reаԁ оո КаtRеαdiոgСafе

Anastasia was momentarily stunned.

…So captivating.

She had no idea how endearing she was.

Looking at the delicate, angry face of Fia in her field of vision, a heat surged in Anastasia’s heart. If it weren’t forbidden, she would have wanted to open her mouth slightly and take Fia’s finger into her mouth.

For such a cute person to be both her younger sister and her master, the feeling of being so close yet so far was a kind of torture. Yet even this torture was something she couldn’t break away from. Just watching from afar was enough to make her happy all day. Who knows how many people in the palace envied her position.

She was being a little too greedy, daring to think of touching her.

“You’re very strange tonight, Anastasia, with that dazed look.”

“…I was just thinking how cute you are right now, Your Highness. It makes me want to hug you.”

Normally, she would never dare to say such a thing. But now, in a joking tone, Dofilia probably wouldn’t take it seriously, although it was indeed what she was feeling in her heart.

“No, no, let’s not do that.”

As if afraid, Fia quickly withdrew her hand and took a small step back from Anastasia. There were other maids in the palace. If they saw her being hugged by Anastasia like a child, it would be so embarrassing she could just crawl into a hole.

Fia didn’t know that her action had caused a deep sense of loss to rise in Anastasia’s heart. However, she did not show it. She smiled and replied.

“Then would Your Highness like to go back and take a bath? There are no plans for tomorrow anyway. It’s fine to stay in the bath until midnight.”

“Mmm…”

A hot bath was indeed very tempting, so much so that Fia couldn’t help but hesitate.

But just at that moment, a demonic young woman in a black gauze dress with her green hair tied into twin tails slowly appeared in the garden. Seeing Fia in her cloak and Anastasia following closely behind her, this mature woman, like a demon queen, tilted her head in surprise.

“Oh my… am I interrupting something?”