Ch.45Shining Knight (3)

“….Actually, I had an older brother too.”

“…Really?”

“…Yes. I also…had a brother I loved very much…but he left me when I was 8 years old because he was adopted. He didn’t want to go, but apparently the people who took him started sponsoring the orphanage instead.”

“Ah….”

Kirsy unconsciously felt sympathy for her. She could relate. Just imagining Caden leaving her was painful enough. Had this girl Ewin experienced that kind of pain?

Ewin smiled awkwardly while fidgeting with her hands.

“Thanks to that, everyone at the orphanage was able to grow up well…but it still hurt my heart. There were many other older sisters and brothers at the orphanage, but no one could replace him.”

“……When you love someone, no one can take their place.”

“That’s right. That’s why I said I was envious… If I had grown up with my brother until now…would we have been as close as you and Kirsy?”

“….I’m sure you would have been, Ewin. Someone with a kind heart like yours wouldn’t have trouble getting along with anyone.”

Kirsy showed a more mature side of herself.

“….Thank you, Kirsy. I still miss him sometimes though. I wonder where he is doing well…? I hope he’s been as happy as I’ve been miserable since he left me.”

Kirsy was surprised by Ewin’s strength. She never expected this seemingly fragile young woman of the same age to have such resilience.

Without realizing it, Kirsy imagined herself in a similar situation with Caden. If he were to leave her, could she bless him like Ewin did? Could she wish for his happiness despite her own pain?

She couldn’t be sure. If he left her, forget about blessing him—she was confident she would curse any woman who took her place by his side.

She could hate that woman who stole her place for the rest of her life. It was just imagination, but if an opportunity for revenge ever came, she might take it without a moment’s hesitation.

Sometimes when confronted with such malicious thoughts, Kirsy was surprised, but she quickly grew accustomed to them. After all, they were her true feelings. Once she dropped her pretenses, she could accept these feelings.

“….You’re strong, Ewin.”

Kirsy said honestly.

“…You’re too kind.”

After that, the conversation died down. Given the subject matter, it wasn’t something they could discuss at length.

“Ah…! I think the sauce is almost ready!”

Ewin raised her voice, lifting the mood that had settled.

“Now we just need to boil the noodles and we’ll be done. For your first time, I think you’ve done really well.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Ewin. Thank you so much.”

The cheerful atmosphere continued. Kirsy smiled comfortably and asked Ewin:

“Oh, Ewin. Would it be okay if I finish this…in front of my brother?”

“Yes, of course. No problem at all.”

“..T-then since it’s almost time for our appointment…I’ll go get my brother.”

“Go ahead. I’ll keep stirring the sauce so it doesn’t burn.”

Kirsy was about to turn away when she hesitantly made a request.

“Ah…um…and when my brother comes…could you put in a good word for me? Tell him how hard I worked…”

Ewin smiled at how cute Kirsy was being, then answered with a bright expression.

“Yes, I will. I’ve seen exactly how hard you’ve worked, so I’ll tell him everything without missing a detail.”

Kirsy smiled and left the kitchen.

****

Kirsy’s face lit up when she saw Caden in the distance.

He was smiling at her too. Not the stern expression he usually wore, but one that seemed like he had returned to his old self.

It was starting to feel real that they would reconcile today.

Though it was strange to set a specific day for reconciliation, Kirsy didn’t mind. All that mattered was that they made up.

Kirsy threw herself forward to hug him.

But Caden raised his hand to stop her again.

She felt a bit disappointed, but she knew she was moving too fast.

Just as her mood was about to sink, Caden spoke.

“Not yet. If the food doesn’t taste good, I won’t forgive you.”

His playful voice rang out. Hearing his words, Kirsy felt her disappointment melt away.

It seemed he had finally softened his heart. That’s why he was teasing her like this.

Kirsy had hated the distance created by his formal speech. Feeling that emotional distance had been more painful than anything.

Of course, she disliked the formal speech itself too…but seeing him joke around like this, similar to how he used to be, made her feel they were close again.

So she could endure it to some extent. His formal speech no longer gave her that dark, sticky feeling like before.

“It will be delicious. I really worked hard. See my hands?”

Kirsy showed him both her hands.

Caden, thinking she might be hurt, frowned and quickly grabbed her hands.

Kirsy was slightly surprised by his action. If he had done this normally, she would have taken it for granted, but it had been so long that his concern made her happy.

She felt a bit embarrassed. Thanks to Ewin’s help, her hands weren’t badly hurt. There were only small cuts that you had to look closely to see. What she had wanted to show him was her wrinkled fingers from being in water.

“….Are you hurt?”

When Caden asked with a serious expression while examining her hands, Kirsy was about to answer but hesitated.

It was because he was holding her hands. It had been so long. She wanted to stay still until his warmth reached her heart.

But she couldn’t maintain such a long silence. Before Caden could think something was wrong, Kirsy finally answered.

“Ah…no..just that my fingers got wrinkly.”

“Oh.”

Caden chuckled and let go of her hands. Seeing his smile, Kirsy’s emotions were contagious, and she smiled too.

Afterward, Kirsy began leading him to the kitchen. She wanted to link arms with him, but since he hadn’t allowed physical contact yet, she had to be content with just being by his side.

Kirsy’s steps toward the kitchen were light.

Her heart was becoming lighter. Like removing burdens one by one, each step she took made the next one more cheerful.

By the time they reached the kitchen, she was about to break into a smile. She was excited about what he would say after tasting the food.

Just as she was about to open the wooden door to the kitchen, Caden called out to her.

“Lady Kirsy.”

He still maintained his formality, but Kirsy was happy just to be called by him and looked at him with a smiling face.

“….I’ve been acting childish lately, haven’t I?”

The moment she heard those words, Kirsy’s throat tightened.

She wondered how tears could well up so quickly again.

That’s how difficult it had been, and she was happy that he was signaling an end to it all. They were finally reconciling.

“….No, brother..it was my fault.”

“…It’s okay. We just need to do better from now on. I’m sorry for making you feel bad. As you know…I was just pretending, I never disliked you for a moment.”

“Hic…..”

Kirsy nodded. She was happy to hear this confirmation from his own lips. Tears of joy kept flowing. She was glad to let go of all her hurt from this moment on.

“…I’ll do better from now on too.”

Kirsy stretched out both hands. She wanted to hug him.

But Caden smiled and said:

“I told you. If the food doesn’t taste good, I won’t let you off.”

At his teasing, even the tearful Kirsy laughed again.

Caden seemed to be preparing for a clean ending. Rather than immediately reconciling midway, he appeared to have set a specific endpoint after which everything would be resolved.

So Kirsy had no choice but to follow his lead.

Wiping away her tears, she smiled and opened the kitchen door. A savory aroma wafted out.

“…Brother. I’ve almost finished preparing. I wanted to show you the final touches… I haven’t completed everything yet. Just watch me for a bit. I’ll show you how well I can do.”

“……..”

But from the moment the door opened, it was as if all sound in the world had disappeared.

Kirsy looked straight ahead. Ewin was staring at them with a blank expression.

It was different from the welcoming and polite greeting she had expected.

As Kirsy felt confused, Ewin’s expression contorted, and with a voice full of emotion, she asked:

“……Brother?”

“….Huh?”

Kirsy couldn’t believe her ears. But from behind, with a cool breeze, Caden passed by her.

Everything suddenly seemed to move in slow motion. Caden rushed forward, calling out.

‘Ewin.’

Even though she had never told him the name, he was already calling the kitchen girl.

Caden’s arms opened wide. Those arms that had remained closed despite Kirsy’s pleas for days, even until just before entering the kitchen.

And into that space, Ewin rushed.

The man and woman embraced fiercely. Ewin clutched his back tightly, while Caden held her waist and head firmly.

“Brother!!”

Ewin cried out.

In that moment, Kirsy felt as if her place had been stolen. The place of being his sister.

Because to her eyes, they blended together like a true family.

A word suddenly came to mind.

Orphan.

All the puzzle pieces were falling into place.

Kirsy felt her elated mood sinking back into a sticky mess along with this unbelievable scene.