“Huh?”
“If somebody who protected you—even for a short time—was found guilty of a crime, I don’t think you’d be able to cut him out of your life. Especially Hugh. You always liked him.”
“I wouldn’t quite say that…”
“But Sister…you’ve always known his name, Hugh Roberts. Nathan Holden, too.”
Well, that’s because they were both characters in the books…
“Well, that’s because…they were both Sirius’s most trusted knights. I know your bodyguard’s name, too: Randal.”
“That’s true…”
Alec nodded halfheartedly and sipped his milk tea, like he wasn’t entirely convinced.
Meanwhile—
“Come on, Alec, I’ve brought us some choux, too. Want to eat them?”
My favorite confectionary may be eba, but the pastry I wanted to hype up just as badly was choux! They were a spin on cream puffs from my world: fluffy, crisp pastries filled with buttercream! In Esfia, these were considered a royal confection, and I must say, I was quite happy that I got to eat my fill of these fine gems!
I must confess, ever since I started checking the side gate for Alec’s return, I had the castle head chef bake them every day! As such, I had choux for dessert every day.
“Yes…” Alec bashfully smiled. This time, his answer was sincere.
He took one, popped it into his mouth, and the first choux disappeared down Alec’s throat. Except, even though he was a fourteen-year-old boy—and eating choux with his bare hands, what’s more!—the way he oozed with dignity was just criminal!
I took a specialty eba myself. Milk tea and eba. In this case, the double sweetness harmonized beautifully.
“That eba…,” Alec murmured in sudden realization. “The castle chef didn’t make those.”
My little brother’s powers of perception were above average…but not even he was able to suss out where exactly they were from!
“They’re specialty eba. The chef at the Nightfellow villa made them.”
“Right… I remember you always cleared the platter…”
Sometimes Alec would join me when I visited the Nightfellow villa. When he saw how I scarfed them down, he politely offered me the rest of his! Of course, I couldn’t bring myself to take eba from a baby—but I didn’t want to hurt Alec’s sweet little feelings—so I remember splitting his eba with him.
“I’d love to hear what happened on your end while you were away from the castle, Alec. Of course, only what you’re allowed to disclose.”
Alec finished his second choux and fell into thought. “There really isn’t anything worth telling you…”
“Well, did you meet anyone new?”
“Did I meet anyone…?”
Hark! Dost I see a reaction?
“I did bump into the third prince of Valjean by coincidence.”
I almost spat out my milk tea, but I gulped it back down.
Close call!
Wait a minute, does he mean…
“Was it…Prince Yarsh, by any chance?”
As in, the prince who sent me a marriage request?
“Yes…?”
“What is he like?”
Alec frowned.
“…Difficult.”
One word. Huh? Um, you’re making me nervous, buddy! Based on the profile I was given, how would Alec’s contribution of “…Difficult.” fit in? But then again, gotta hand it to Alec, he gave me a good objective opinion.
“He’s apparently very inquisitive and enjoys traveling alone,” Alec elaborated. “He and Father correspond, so I presume they are friendly.”
He and Father correspond? Is that why I got the vibe that Father was steering me in his direction?
“But why are you asking me about him, Sister?”
Uhhhh… Funny story, Alec…
“I received a proposal from a Valjean prince…and it was Prince Yarsh.”
“…!”
Alec crushed the half-eaten choux to paste in his fist.
Wh-where’s a napkin?!
“Alec? Let’s toss that and wipe your—”
“No thanks, I’m fine.”
He popped the crushed choux into his mouth and licked the buttercream off his fingers. Right after, he wiped his hand with one of the napkins I had on the table.
“Alec…”
Um, that wasn’t very prince-like, was it, buddy? Then again, seeing the elegance with which he licked his fingers made me really question his genetics…! He looked like a work of art!
Er, anyway, as his big sister, I can’t let such rude behavior slide.
“I know it wasn’t very prince-like…but you had these choux made special for me. I couldn’t bear to throw them away. Besides, I crushed it myself, and it was still edible.”
The way his shoulders slumped as he strung the words together was just too stinking cute!
“Well, at least I’m the only other person here…” I conceded.
“That’s why I felt it was okay.”
“Oh, you…” I had to give in. “But, Alec, was it really that shocking?”
“Well…I don’t want you to have a political marriage.”
“Alec, have you forgotten? I have a lover.”
So the chances of a political marriage were as good as zero!
Except it’s a fake lover, okay? And there wasn’t even a hint of him until, like, a few days ago, okay? But now I can declare my fake love with pride! Thanks, Derek!
For a minute there, I really was caught between a rock and a hard place. I thought I’d have to ask Alec. But I couldn’t bear to lose face with Alec that way, and now that other part of my fragile ego is safe at last!
“Tomorrow is the day you’re introducing him to the family, right?” Alec murmured, his eyes downcast. But he quickly looked up and said, “This lover of yours… Who is he?”
That was the question I couldn’t answer after dinner that night. I evaded it, saying now wasn’t the time or place to discuss it—God, I wish I could go back to those innocent times.
But now I can answer this question.
“It’s Derek.”
Alec’s emerald-green eyes widened.
“Derek, you say…? As in, Derek Nightfellow?”
I smiled and nodded.
“Then…why weren’t you able to say so sooner?” Alec asked.
“Because it was Derek. He’s Sirius’s best friend. When you look at it that way…doesn’t it complicate things? That’s why we kept it secret.”
Even I was shocked by how convincing the lie was. In other words, this proved Derek really was the best option for the role!
“But couldn’t you have at least told me?” Alec’s eyes filled with hurt. And with that, my ego gauge shifted sharply from Saving Face to Coming Clean.
But, as they say, deceive your enemies by deceiving your friends first!
“Now it makes sense… That’s why Nightfellow eba are here. It’s also why I crossed paths with Derek earlier.”
AHHHHHHHHHHH, now Alec is sulking.
“Alec,” I called out to him. “I’m sorry I kept this from you.”
It was wrong of me to keep this a secret from Alec… I think I know what he’s feeling. It’s the same lonely pang I felt in my past life when my big sister got a boyfriend; a sort of jealousy—a fear that I would lose my sister to someone else.
Then again, the boy next door clearly had a crush on her since childhood and I was rooting for them to hook up, so I was also bitter that this new guy ruined my ship…
“But. Alec, just because I have a lover now, that doesn’t mean anything will change between us. You’re my precious baby brother.”
“Precious…baby brother…”
“That’s right. And have I changed at all while I was keeping this secret?”
“No…” Alec loosely shook his head.
“Even with Derek in my life, you hold a place in my heart that nobody could fill, Alec.”
“……Okay.” Then Alec finally smiled. “Sister…”
“What is it?”
“The junior ball was held in Paradise in the Sky, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Did you go to the Sky Chamber?”
Taken literally, the question wasn’t all that significant, but, to me, it was a very loaded question.
“No… I didn’t go there,” I lied. The Sky Chamber Alec referenced was the Sky Chamber everybody knew about. In reality, another Sky Chamber existed…and I visited both of them, but that information was classified. I couldn’t tell Alec.
Telling him I hadn’t gone to the Sky Chamber filled me with guilt. I mean, why wouldn’t it? Alec was so adamant that I not go there!
“All right—that’s good to hear,” he replied. “The Sky Chamber is not a good place,” Alec whispered anxiously, hanging his head.
Right after, the birdcage jostled loudly.
I looked over to see…the wreven was flapping violently?!
What?! It flew out of the cage?!
Oh no, the latch must’ve gotten loose—hey, stop flapping at Alec’s face! What’s the big deal, buddy?!
“No! Bad bird!”
It’s no use. He won’t listen to me! I can’t handle this…
“Klifford!” I yelled outside the room. “Catch the bird!”
Alec, who was shielding his face from the wreven attack with both arms, whispered something under his breath. He reached out with one hand—
But before he could touch the bird, Klifford grabbed the wreven’s neck from behind. He had entered the room completely undetected. Maybe because it was Klifford, the wreven went limp in his hand.
…Are you chill now, I hope?
Klifford smoothly turned and put the wreven back in his cage and latched it shut. An aftermath of feathers littered the room.
And a surprising silence fell. Alec…was frozen in a daze.
“Alec?” I approached him and he flinched, recoiling away from me.
“Uh…” The lone syllable spilled from his lips. “No, Sister. It’s not you. I was…”
I shook my head. “You did nothing wrong, Alec… I’ve been caring for a wounded wreven. I was warned the bird would be moody while it was in recovery. It was a failure on my part to not tell you.”
“You saved a wreven…—like—too—”
I wasn’t sure what Alec said. But he was on the verge of tears.
Keeping my distance from Alec, I asked, “Are you hurt?”
“No… I’m fine.”
But his expression betrayed his words. He looked unharmed physically, but mentally…
Alec spoke before I could. “Sister, I really must be tired from my journey. Sorry, but may I leave early?”
“Yes…”
No. I didn’t want him to leave one bit, but I felt such a strong wall of rejection from Alec that I couldn’t stop him.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Alec promised, forcing a smile.