Ch.53Boy and Girl’s Pledge

The dazzling light source clung tightly to the center of the cloudy afternoon sky. Chester family’s mansion maintained its usual daily routine. With virtually no servants and its austere interior, the place gave off a desolate impression.

Inside this mansion, a boy wandered with his head hanging low.

Arnel Chester.

People in the world called him the oddball of the Chester family. A mutant who loved books more than blades. It wasn’t entirely wrong—he was an introverted child with many worries.

So Arnel Chester pondered. Standing anxiously in front of the door, he considered dozens of possible conversation starters.

There was one reason.

It was because of the girl who had suddenly appeared without notice the other day.

“Miren…”

Miren Justitia. The name of the most beautiful girl in the world. At least to Arnel, this was an undeniable truth.

Her white hair that rested on her shoulders and her gleaming golden eyes made one wonder if she might be a fairy of the moon. Whenever he was near her, all his rehearsed conversations would vanish, and he’d find himself speaking purely from his stream of consciousness.

‘Ugh…’

Arnel’s hands fidgeted in the air. Like desire and reason entangled in battle, he hesitated in front of the doorknob.

Should he open it? Or not?

In fact, since Miren’s arrival at the mansion, they hadn’t had a proper conversation. For some reason, she had been terribly frightened, and they didn’t pry. They simply left necessary meals in front of her door.

‘I wonder what happened to Miren…’

Marquess Justitia and Marquess Alteon. It was impossible to imagine what could frighten Miren, who received abundant love from both of them.

If she would at least talk to him, he could offer some comfort, but unfortunately, there was no sign of that happening.

He paced nervously around Miren’s room. She had grown up in the exceptionally wealthy Marquess Justitia’s manor. He worried whether she might be uncomfortable after moving to the modest Chester estate.

Just as Arnel was fidgeting anxiously, about to bite his fingernails—

A delicate voice from inside tickled his ears.

“Is that Arnel?”

“Miren?”

He doubted his ears, wondering if he had misheard. Soon, Miren gave him confirmation as he stood frozen as if time had stopped.

“Yes. Arnel, could you come in?”

“Of course!”

Arnel carefully opened the door. The doorknob felt like a matchstick tower that might collapse if handled incorrectly. Through the quietly opened door, he saw a haggard-looking Miren sitting on the bed covered with a blanket.

Even in that state, she looked pitiful and delicate, making Arnel’s cheeks turn as red as heated charcoal.

“I’m sorry, Arnel.”

That was the first thing she said upon meeting him. Arnel, flustered, waved his hands vigorously.

“What? No! Not at all! What could Miren possibly have done wrong?”

“Suddenly showing up and asking to stay without explanation, and then brazenly secluding myself while only receiving hospitality… everything.”

“That’s not true. Both I and Enella were just worried about you. The atmosphere was so serious when you came to our mansion.”

“Yes… I’m sorry. I’ve only been a burden to you and Enella. I’m really a bad person.”

“I told you that’s not true! We’re actually happy you came.”

“…Thank you. I think I’m feeling better now. Thanks to you, Arnel. Oh, and Enella too, of course.”

“That’s a relief.”

Arnel sighed with relief as he stroked his chest. Miren smiled broadly watching his reactions. His stiff movements, freezing like a statue, were amusing.

Along with her giggling, she found courage.

Thinking about it, she had been rude, arriving without notice and behaving improperly. Yet Arnel never once showed any sign of displeasure.

To such a friend… to Arnel, who was her first real friend…

Miren thought it might be time to reveal the truth.

“Arnel.”

“Yes?”

“You were curious, weren’t you? About why I came here.”

“…”

Arnel didn’t answer hastily. How could he not be curious? That day, Miren had been far from her right mind. But he didn’t want to hear it if it meant reviving her negative emotions.

Miren glimpsed kind consideration in Arnel’s hesitation. Finding it both divine and admirable, it became the driving force for her to open up.

“I came because I was scared. I wanted to run away.”

“Run away… from whom?”

“My sister. From my sister Irefi.”

“…What?”

Arnel unconsciously asked again foolishly. An unbelievable truth had slipped from her lips.

Miren’s crumpled expression couldn’t be categorized as a mere sibling quarrel.

After regulating her breathing once or twice, Miren’s confession continued.

“You might not believe this, but I can see the forms of souls. And my sister’s soul… it wasn’t like that before… but it became deformed into two. If I were to describe it in human terms, it’s like another head sprouting from the navel? I can’t express it well in words. I was so scared… it felt like she wasn’t the Irefi sister I knew anymore, so I impulsively lied about having an appointment with you. I felt like I would be trapped forever if I didn’t…”

Miren explained with rambling words and chaotic gestures. Even so, Arnel found it hard to understand. Miren knew this.

“…I guess this sounds like nonsense. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m sorry…”

At that moment, Arnel’s firm voice guided Miren’s damp gaze.

“I believe you.”

“What?”

“I believe you unconditionally. I absolutely believe you. Even if I couldn’t believe, I would still believe.”

“Arnel…?”

With a sound effect like “thump,” a warm sensation colored Miren’s delicate hand. It was the body heat of the boy her age who faced her with unwavering eyes.

Green eyes. Eyes with abundant vitality, as if they had captured a lush primeval forest. She was a bit surprised by the strong aspect she hadn’t noticed until now.

But Miren wasn’t the only one surprised by the unexpected situation.

“Uh, uhh…?”

“Arnel? What’s wrong?”

“No, Miren, you…”

Arnel’s astonished eyes were fixed on their joined hands. Miren urged his answer with a puzzled look. When there was still no response, a mischievous impulse grew in Miren’s heart.

The small sprouting mischief whispered a minor prank to her. And Miren didn’t resist the calling of her heart.

‘Take this…!’

She squeezed Arnel’s hand with all her might. With just this much strength, she might not even get Arnel’s attention, but at least she could divert it.

That’s what she thought, but a crack appeared in Miren’s expression in an instant.

“Ugh!”

“Arnel!”

The moment she squeezed his hand tightly, the boy’s groan burst out. Arnel’s pain traveled directly through his exhale.

“Are, are you okay!? I’m sorry! I didn’t know it would hurt…”

“Miren… mmm, I’m fine. But…”

Miren couldn’t help but be surprised by what Arnel said next.

“How can you be so strong?”

“What?”

It was an absurd claim. She had been lying like a corpse for 8 years and had only taken her first steps about 3 months ago. Moreover, she was clearly a 14-year-old girl physically.

That should have been the case, but Arnel looked at her with genuinely surprised eyes.

“Arnel… I’m sorry, but you need to exercise more.”

“No, Miren. Do you see that decoration over there?”

“Yes.”

On the drawer was a crudely gold-painted spear handle near her. It was quite large and could be intimidating. It seemed like a fitting decoration for the Duke Chester’s family.

“Could you grip it with the same strength you used on my hand?”

“I don’t know why, but okay.”

Miren’s hand slowly moved toward the spear handle. Finally, the moment she gripped it tightly as Arnel had said!

Crack-!

“…Huh?”

Whoosh!

Incredibly, the spear handle snapped like a long cookie and lost its balance. The spear handle, struggling after losing its body, was destined to fall. The only unpredictable thing was that the rushing spear handle happened to be heading toward Miren.

‘Ugh…!’

It was so sudden that she tightly closed her eyes, and the world went dark. Then came the sound of a blunt object hitting bone, followed by the metallic sound of it rolling on the ground.

Thud! Clang……

At the same time, she was puzzled. The pain that should have been raging wasn’t functioning properly.

When Miren gently opened her eyes, her vision was filled with a deep shadow. More precisely, it was the shadow cast by Arnel’s upper body in black clothes.

Arnel’s body had become a shield to protect Miren.

“Are you okay, Miren?”

“Y-yes.”

Miren responded in a daze.

It was hot. The cold season felt hot. She didn’t know why. It just was, for no apparent reason. To Miren, this place felt like an early summer forest.

‘Arnel is tall… even though we’re the same age physically.’

While she was vaguely talking to herself, Arnel, having confirmed Miren’s safety, returned to his place and sat properly.

Arnel pulled Miren’s consciousness from the mysterious afterglow she was immersed in.

“As you can see, Miren’s strength is extraordinary. Especially since it’s enough to make me, of all people, feel pain.”

“That can’t be…”

Numerous questions swirled in Miren’s mind. Her sister was a different kind of being blessed with absurdity, but she, as the younger sister, was different. She was really just an ordinary, fragile girl.

But once she experienced this cognitive dissonance, her thoughts ran in a different direction.

‘…Is that really true?’

Looking back, it was strange. She had been helplessly bedridden for 8 years. When she first woke up, she was just skin barely covering bones.

It seemed like just yesterday that her eyes were trembling as she opened them, but in just 2 months, she had regained her vitality and could run around.

No, actually even before that. It was from the time she ran away to avoid the grotesque porridge her sister had made. At that time, she thought she had somehow managed with a determination to die, but it was an unreasonable situation by common sense.

But what could she do? Unfortunately, those around her were her sister Irefi and brother Nepy. They were beings who had properly transcended the boundaries of humanity. In such overprotection, there was no opportunity to correct her subtly distorted common sense.

‘But before I fell asleep, I didn’t have this kind of strength… It’s as if someone’s power flowed into me…’

When her thoughts reached that point, Miren detected a strange sense of unity. That sense of unity settled like finding a perfectly matching keyhole, and by the time she recognized it, it had become extremely natural.

What surprised Miren even more was that the object connected by this sense of unity was incredibly specific.

“This can’t be…”

“Miren? What’s wrong, are you hurt?”

“No… no. I’m just not sure what’s happening…”

“Okay, tell me when you’re calm. I brought something for us to read together.”

“What is it? A book?”

“It’s a letter. Your brother and Marquess Alteon sent it by express mail.”

“From brother Nepy?! You should have told me that first!!!”

“Ah… aah, sorry…”

“…No. It’s my fault for staying depressed in the bedroom. Anyway, let’s see it quickly.”

Exchanging helpless apologies, Arnel took out an envelope stamped with the imperial seal. With a slightly tense expression, Arnel sought agreement in an anxious low voice.

“Is this okay…? For us to look at something stamped with the imperial seal…”

“You said it’s from the Viscount Chester and brother Nepy? If brother Nepy is the sender, it’s definitely okay. Even if it’s not okay, he’ll make it okay, right?”

“If you say so… alright then.”

Finally, the contents emerged from the envelope with the broken seal. What greeted the boy and girl with their heads close together was handwriting that clearly looked like Nepy’s poor penmanship.

They frowned as they deciphered it letter by letter.

And soon they looked at each other blankly, unable to hide their shock.

After the two spent all their energy denying reality for a while, Miren, who finally accepted the contents of the letter as the writer intended, made a tearful face.

But only for a moment. Miren shook her head vigorously and then stared at Arnel with determined eyes. Passionately grasping both of Arnel’s hands, Miren resolutely demanded.

“Take me to an open space right now! Do you have a training ground or something? And also, um, I need your help. It’s sudden, but… will you follow me?”

Arnel’s answer had no disbelief or hesitation.

“Yes!”

The boy made a promise. No matter what, he would be the girl’s strength.

And so, the genuine genius who had given up being a brilliant gem and concealed himself in the dirt once again found his radiance.

For his blood relative who had gone to the battlefield risking his life.

For the girl who had given him his first innocent feelings.

He made his own vow.

“I’ll definitely follow you. I’ll absolutely help you, Miren. I promise.”

“Great!”

There was a boy walking alongside a girl who had jumped off the bed with a hop.

They went outside to achieve their common goal.

“Sister Irefi… when you come back, I’ll really… really… be angry…”

The melancholic complaint that scattered painfully dampened the cloudy sky.