Volume 2, Chapter 4 – An Unknown Secret

By the time everything had settled down, it was already past midnight.

For safety reasons, Anastasia ordered the refugees to maintain a fifteen-meter distance from the carriage. According to Anastasia, although these refugees had received Fia’s help, no one could be sure they wouldn’t sneak over to steal things in the night. To avoid bloodshed, maintaining a distance was necessary.

As for the night watch rotation, just as Fia had expected, Anastasia strongly opposed a shift system, insisting on standing guard for the entire night by herself. To this end, Anastasia even claimed that the Royal Guard had special magic and potions to eliminate fatigue, allowing them to perform guard duties day and night without rest.

But when Fia asked Anastasia to demonstrate, Anastasia stammered and was unwilling to be specific. The conclusion Fia ultimately drew was that those magics and potions could only resist fatigue, with effects similar to strong tea or coffee, and could not truly eliminate drowsiness.

Thus, in the end, Fia used a commanding tone to have Anastasia stand guard for the first half of the night, while she would take the second half.

After seeing Fia’s exceptionally serious expression, Anastasia finally had to soften her stance and reluctantly agree.

—That being said, Fia soon encountered the first trouble of her journey.

She couldn’t sleep.

The carriage was stuffy and hot, the floor serving as a bed was hard and uncomfortable, and the chirping of crickets and frogs from the nearby bushes, along with the calls of nocturnal birds in the forest, made it difficult for Fia, a “person from the future,” to fall asleep.

It would be better to stay up all night and then sleep in the carriage during the day.

It was a good opportunity to study the continent’s history tonight, and she could also explore some magical principles she hadn’t been able to figure out before.

As these thoughts surfaced in her mind, Fia’s attention was quickly drawn to something else.

To say “something” wasn’t quite right; to be precise, it was Liti.

Both Fia and Liti were lying in the carriage with the seats folded away. Seeking coolness, both had taken off their outer coats. Fia, at least, had maintained her modesty by changing into a thin nightdress, while Liti had stripped down to only her light purple cute underwear and the sticker on her Mana Surge.

Initially, this wasn’t a big deal. In Liti’s eyes, she was a trustworthy, blood-related older sister. Plus, Liti was still young, so sleeping undressed wasn’t strange; it actually fit the innocent nature of a child. So Fia paid it no mind, as long as she was careful not to look at Liti.

But what puzzled Fia was that, despite taking off her clothes for coolness, Liti had specifically not taken off her white over-the-knee socks. Theoretically, no one should sleep wearing over-the-knee socks, especially not in the hot summer.

Not only that, but Liti now turned over as if she didn’t feel the heat at all, lying on her side and hugging Fia like a stuffed doll, while draping one leg over Fia’s body. Objectively speaking, Liti, as the third princess of the Elf Kingdom, was as light as her young age suggested. Fia could barely feel her weight, and even with her leg on top of Fia, Fia felt no discomfort.

The problem, however, was that Liti’s actions were too intimate. Not only was she hugging her affectionately like a doll, but her soft thigh would also occasionally rub gently against her leg. The exquisite sensation of high-quality silk fabric brushing against her skin, and the childish scent wafting from Liti due to her sweating (a child, yet already using perfume) that tickled her nose—even if Fia only saw Liti as a cute little sister, it was hard to say she was completely unaffected.

It was too intimate.

Besides, Liti was a girl with a promising future, a charming face, and potential no less than the elf princess.

Once she grew a little older, she would be heart-stopping.

Fia couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

No, she was already heart-stopping now.

Especially with the slender arm wrapped around her neck, their slightly sweaty skin pressed together, the sticky feeling made Fia uncomfortable while also creating a charming atmosphere.

Fia’s body and expression stiffened in unison. She subconsciously rolled her eyes to look at Liti beside her.

As she had imagined, Liti’s eyes were closed, and she was sound asleep. She was sleeping so peacefully that her cute little mouth was slightly open unconsciously, revealing a corner of her pearly teeth under her cherry lips. Combined with her purple bangs, damp with sweat, her sleeping appearance made Fia reluctant to disturb her.

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Hugging your sister is fine, but this is a bit too much. Don’t you feel hot sleeping like this?

A sense of trouble arose in her heart, and Fia couldn’t help but complain internally.

Because Liti was hugging her, her arm was completely pressed against Liti’s chest, and she dared not move an inch. Usually, Liti wore a white dress, which hid her feminine features. But now that Liti had taken off her coat, her light purple, white-laced cute underwear highlighted her budding, still-tender chest. Under the moonlight shining through the window, Liti’s jade-like smooth skin and petite body—including her curled little toes—were fully revealed to Fia.

Even Liti’s normal breathing, the faint sound from her nose and the rise and fall of her chest, gave Fia a subtle sense of guilt.

If she didn’t know Liti was fast asleep, Fia would have suspected that Liti was deliberately seducing her.

Wait, that thought is strange.

Never mind that they were sisters, first of all, they were both female now. Moreover, Liti was an innocent, cute, and polite little sister. How could she do something as outrageous as seducing her older sister?

Perhaps the former elf princess was too strict, so when she met an easy-going sister like her, she could finally let go of her fear and become exceptionally close.

“Hah.”

Fia couldn’t help but sigh softly.

One thing at a time, she had to get up and study. Being held like this by Liti, she couldn’t sleep at all, let alone concentrate.

With this in mind, Fia wriggled her body like a snake, trying to escape from Liti’s embrace. However, Liti was using more strength than Fia had imagined. Although Fia could break free with force, that would surely wake Liti up.

Fia had no choice but to carefully pry Liti’s fingers open one by one, and then push away the leg Liti had draped over her—the silk-covered calf was so supple it made one want to give it a squeeze, a thought best kept buried in her heart forever.

What made Fia tilt her head was that as soon as her upper body left the floor, Liti leaned in again. This time, Liti didn’t hug Fia, but her leg remained stubbornly on Fia’s. After that, Liti reached out again and, in an unintentional-looking motion, grabbed a corner of Fia’s nightdress.

Is this child too attached to me?

Fia couldn’t help but think of a small animal abandoned by its mother.

But even so, she couldn’t let Liti continue to hold her.

In Liti’s eyes, she was a sister. However, in her own eyes, the attribute of “female” in Liti was slightly more prominent than “sister.” She had known Liti for less than a week. Even though she rationally knew Liti was her sister, her subconscious had not yet fully adapted to this fact. It would take time to adjust and get used to it.

Fia had to resort to the same trick, prying Liti’s hand open and pushing her leg down again.

Then, Liti’s slender calf, wrapped in white over-the-knee socks, reached over again.

…Something’s not right.

Fia frowned, her outstretched hand freezing in mid-air.

If the first time was a coincidence, and the second time was a coincidence, then the third time was bound to be suspicious.

Was Liti awake? But if she was awake, why would she hold her like that?

With this question in mind, Fia decided to play the waiting game. She remained seated, allowing Liti to rest her leg on her, holding her breath, and keeping her eyes on Liti’s face to observe her expression.

Although there were windows on both sides of the carriage, only the one on Fia’s side had the curtain drawn. The moonlight shone on Liti from behind Fia, revealing her unladylike sleeping posture.

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Looking at it this way, Liti’s body was indeed quite petite. The elf princess was only about 1.4 meters tall, and Liti was even shorter. The development of elves was too slow.

Thinking such thoughts, Fia remained perfectly still with amazing composure, quietly waiting for Liti’s reaction. If the Fia from a moment ago was the prey, then the her now was undoubtedly a top predator.

Five full minutes passed in silence, broken only by the chirping of crickets.

Then, the Liti in Fia’s eyes finally moved.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and Liti, as if peeking to see what Fia was doing, timidly and extremely carefully opened her eyes a little.

Their eyes met.

Fia’s face, backlit by the moon, was hidden in shadow. Her calm expression and seated posture made her seem cold and tall, so much so that Liti was too frightened to remember that she should immediately close her eyes and pretend to be asleep. Her body was as stiff as a rusty machine, her eyes awkwardly looking at the straight-faced Fia, her heart in her throat.

I’ve been discovered!

Liti cried out in her heart.

In order not to be discovered by Fia, she had patiently waited for a considerable amount of time before daring to open her eyes to see why Fia wasn’t moving. She had never expected her sister to be so patient, to have been observing her all along.

Panic and nervousness instantly flooded Liti’s mind; she had no idea what to do.

It wasn’t until Fia’s calm expression gradually relaxed, and she sighed with her right hand on her forehead, looking troubled.

“Liti, you were pretending to be asleep just now, weren’t you?”

“Uh… I… uh…” Her crashed brain finally rebooted. Liti timidly glanced to the side, her hands unconsciously twisting together. “I… I… I haven’t seen you in so long, sister, so I wanted to…”

“Look me in the eye when you speak.”

The commanding tone made Liti’s shoulders jolt. The authority her sister had built up over a long time made her dare not resist. The Fia at this moment reminded her of the cold and cool, taciturn yet captivating sister of the past. Almost subconsciously, Liti turned her creaking neck and looked up at Fia from below.

Fia’s usually beautiful, ruby-like eyes now gave Liti the impression that her innermost thoughts were seen through, that she was completely unable to lie.

It’s over.

There’s no room for retreat like this!

Liti couldn’t help but scream internally.

Fia’s gaze gave her a premonition that even if she told a half-truth, Fia would immediately see through it. The only path before her was to tell the truth.

How stupid of me to get carried away because I thought my sister had lost her memory!

Even without her memories, she is still the sister whose insight is terrifyingly sharp.

Damn it.

This is exactly why I’m so captivated by her. Like a butterfly caught in a spider’s web, no matter how much I struggle, I can’t break free. I am that butterfly, and my sister is the spider who weaves the web.

However, the current sister is much easier to talk to than before. Her expression is no longer the cold mask that always hid her inner thoughts. Even if I confess, I probably won’t be disliked? Based on my observations so far, the current sister seems to have a soft spot for the innocent and cute act of little girls. If I act cute afterwards, maybe I can get away with it?

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More importantly, the current sister’s personality is very cute and approachable. Plus, since she’s lost her memory and knows nothing about her surroundings, confessing might not only prevent me from being disliked but could also bring us closer—sharing a secret can make a person feel trusted.

Before she even told the truth, Liti’s furiously spinning mind was already considering the aftermath.

“Why aren’t you speaking?”

“Ugh.” Fia’s questioning sent another wave of panic through Liti. Maintaining her gaze on Fia, she bit her lip lightly, paused for a moment, and then, as if giving up, her body went limp, and she said bashfully, “I… I like you, sister… from… from a very young age…”

…???

A series of question marks appeared above Fia’s head.

Before Fia could ask what kind of “like” it was, Liti poured out the entire story on her own.

“I’ve been hiding a secret… Sister, actually… Actually, this isn’t my first time being born into this world. Before this, I had a life as a human.”

Could it be the same as me?

Fia was instantly interested.

An ordinary person would find Liti’s words bizarre, but she was different. When Liti introduced the Duke of Bart, she had said that the duke claimed to be “from another world.” At that time, Fia had guessed that she might not be the only one who had crossed over from another world.

Of course, to make this usually well-behaved but actually two-faced, scheming little sister confess, Fia maintained her outward calm.

“Continue.”

“O… okay…”

Kneeling carefully on the floor, Liti lowered her head like a child admitting a mistake and honestly recounted her past.

About two hundred years ago, Liti was born as a human in the Alfrieg Kingdom, south of the Bart Duchy. At that time, Liti was just a girl from a poor family, unable to receive an education and having to help with farm work every day. Although she was too young to plow the fields, she did things like weeding, gathering firewood, and milking cows almost every day.

At that time, Liti didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. Like a frog in a well, she knew little about the outside world and thus had no longing for it. She was content as long as she could eat and sleep well every day.

Until she was ten, when the lord discovered she had a talent for magic.

On the World Tree Continent, although anyone could learn magic, not everyone was suited for it. Those with magical talent were a minority. Such people were born with a higher affinity for mana, able to grasp magic quickly and reach higher levels faster. As long as the lord wasn’t a fool, they would recruit such talent, and Liti’s lord was one of them.

After that, Liti’s life changed dramatically. She realized that not everyone in the world had to do farm work; some people could do nothing and enjoy dinner falling from the sky.

All sorts of new and unseen things appeared before her one after another. And learning magic was the only way for Liti to reach a higher place. If she wanted a better life, she had to possess magical abilities stronger than anyone else.

With this realization, Liti began to study magic diligently. By the age of sixteen, she had reached the Second Tier. Among her peers, this was already a remarkable achievement, as most people were still at the Second Tier even in their thirties or forties.

However, just as Liti thought everything was heading in a good direction, war broke out in the territory.

Another human kingdom at the time raised an army to attack the Alfrieg Kingdom, and Liti’s territory happened to be on the border. Caught off guard, the city where Liti lived was quickly breached. The enemy soldiers who broke through the city began to burn, kill, and pillage everywhere. Men were killed directly, and women were violated before being killed. Although Liti and her companions held out in the lord’s castle for a few days, they were soon defeated under the relentless day-and-night assault.

Then, Liti witnessed the brutal scene of soldiers raping her companions and maids with lewd smiles. To avoid the same fate, she set herself on fire with magic and finally committed suicide by jumping into a well.

When she opened her eyes again, she found that she had become a baby, and an elf at that.

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With the memories of her previous life, Liti showed a higher learning ability than ordinary people and quickly mastered the elf language. However, influenced by her past life’s memories, she became afraid of men, even her own father, the Elf King. During her infancy, if the Elf King even got a little close to Liti, she would burst into tears. In contrast, she had no problem with females.

When she was a little older and could walk freely, Liti discovered the existence of her older sister, the Eldest Princess.

By then, Liti had adapted a little to men and wouldn’t start wailing the moment they approached. On one occasion, Liti overheard a conversation between the Elf King and the Prime Minister, in which the Elf King said he would marry Liti to the Prime Minister’s son in the future.

Liti was, of course, extremely opposed to this, but by then she was old enough to know that being born into a royal family meant that even if she objected to the marriage, it would be futile. The only path before her was to become queen. However, her sister was much more outstanding than her. Except for being taciturn, Fia surpassed Liti in every field. There was no way she could replace her sister, become the elf queen, and escape the fate of being married off.

However, she soon thought of another way.

Because of the Mana Surge and the Holy Tree, elves could reproduce even with the same sex. And there were no deformities in offspring due to inbreeding among the royal family. For example, the current Elf King and his queen were actually blood-related cousins. So, if Liti could find a way to win the favor of her deadpan sister, she might be able to change her future.

This led to the past incident where Liti tried to sit on the elf princess’s lap to win her affection, only to cause the princess to knock over a cup of water, wet her magic book, and get slapped across the face by the angry princess.

Normally, Liti should have felt despair at this point. And indeed, at first, she did. She thought the elf princess was a block of wood, unresponsive to the outside world, and that her life would be bleak with no chance of a comeback.

Until Anastasia was brought back from the Land of Exile by the elf princess.

Anastasia’s appearance made Liti realize that the elf princess was not so unreasonable. She might even be more emotional and care more about family ties than ordinary people, just unable to express it well.

So Liti’s hope was rekindled, and she approached the elf princess again.

This time, she decided to change her strategy, first quietly observing the princess’s preferences and then acting accordingly.

To Liti’s surprise, in the process of observing the elf princess from an adult’s perspective, she found the princess to be utterly adorable.

Putting aside her perfect appearance, whether it was her cold and dignified posture, her appearance when deep in thought, or her profound foresight in fending off enemies, all showed a maturity that didn’t match her age. Yet, the elf princess was indeed a child. This sense of contrast, coupled with her taciturn nature, lack of emotional expression, and unchanging facial expressions, deeply attracted Liti.

A mature yet delicate older sister—this feeling was irresistible to her, to the point that she forgot her original intention of getting close to the princess and became completely devoted to her exceptionally intelligent sister.

Unfortunately, due to her mistake in her youth, and perhaps because her “malicious intent” was detected by the elf princess, Liti was never treated seriously by the princess and was even actively alienated. So Liti never had a chance to deepen her relationship with the princess. After years of fruitless effort, Liti once again felt despair.

Until a few days ago, when Fia appeared before Liti, the stalemate was finally broken.

In the desperate situation where the prison was covered in chaos and darkborn, and all the paladins guarding her were dead, Liti had thought this life was about to end abruptly. However, the sister who had been unwilling to pay her any mind came to her rescue in her darkest hour. The apprehension and anxiety in her expression, and her petite figure as she broke down the door, made Liti’s heart pound and fascinated her. If a princess in distress should be saved by a prince, then Fia was the prince in Liti’s heart.

Despite losing her memory, her sister’s habits were largely the same as before. The way she looked when she was thinking, her calm expression—it all reminded Liti of the sister of the past. What was even more precious was that her sister no longer alienated her. She became energetic and willing to protect her, a situation Liti had never dared to imagine before.

Without a doubt, Fia losing her memory was a godsend for Liti. For someone like her, whose heart was completely set on her sister and who had, before she knew it, become addicted to her, now was the opportunity she must seize. She had to act cute and charming at this time to possibly win her sister’s heart.

Unfortunately, she found it too difficult to control her thoughts of getting close to Fia, so much so that when she finally got a chance to be alone and even sleep together, she accidentally revealed her true intentions.

And so, she was caught red-handed by Fia, who had been waiting for her.

After confessing everything, the kneeling Liti blushed, her hands nervously intertwined. She lowered her head and stammered.

“Th… that’s all…”

Translator Note

soo… legal? (˵ ¬ᴗ¬˵)   /bonk