Ch.76Honest Conversation (3)

Rahilt discovered the relaxed Tesser and Tiel but remained silent. Due to our close proximity, I couldn’t see Rahilt’s expression, making me the only anxious one here.

“Um, Rian…?”

When I called out to Rahilt, he moved slightly away from my back. Then, as if having made some decision, he spoke after a brief pause.

“Serin, I’ll approach quietly for a moment.”

“Hauh.”

“…Serin?”

“Ah, yes, okay…”

His deep, lowered voice hit my ear directly, making me feel light-headed and dizzy.

‘Wow… I’ve always felt this, but his voice tastes sweet. How can someone make you taste sound?’

It’s addictive. I wish Rahilt would stay close and whisper in my ear all day. ASMR has nothing on this. If Rahilt just breathed into my ear, I could reach enlightenment all day.

I was delighted to have one more reason why I should marry Rahilt.

“Let’s go.”

Before I could fully enjoy the lingering sensation of his sudden whisper, he moved toward Tesser and Tiel with silent footsteps. I followed, carefully placing my feet on the floor.

“…Ah.”

Soon Tesser let out a soft groan.

Even with muffled footsteps, our presence wasn’t completely undetectable. Especially today, when the library was unusually quiet, Tesser quickly noticed our approach.

Rahilt put his index finger to his lips when Tesser spotted us. Tesser faithfully followed the instruction, freezing in a stiff posture.

“Really… this child…”

When Rahilt finally approached, he let out a small laugh. He seemed rather deflated seeing his younger sister in such a ridiculous state.

Eshtiel was sprawled across the desk, fast asleep. She had her mouth wide open, even drooling.

Her carefree expression suggested she would sleep soundly even if someone carried her away. She must have become quite comfortable around Tesser to behave so freely.

“Eshtiel has been discourteous.”

“N-no, not at all…! Grand Du— I mean, Professor.”

Tesser flinched as if suddenly on high alert. The movement caused Eshtiel to stir slightly, turning to her side and using Tesser’s knee as a pillow while continuing to drool.

Rahilt apparently couldn’t leave it at that and repositioned Eshtiel before picking her up. He carried her in a princess hold.

Soon, with Rahilt’s hands supporting her, Eshtiel floated into the air and stretched her mouth into a wide smile.

“Heehee… flying… flying… Luca oppa is here… flying…”

Mumbling nonsense in her sleep, Eshtiel finally sensed something was off and half-opened her drowsy eyes to look around.

“What, Luca oppa… why are you here… flying…”

Then, upon meeting Rahilt’s blue eyes,

“Flying…… nope…”

She finally shook off the sleep-induced fantasy and faced reality.

“Mmm.”

Eshtiel looked around and exhaled ambiguously, somewhere between a sigh and an exclamation.

“Hmmmmmm.”

As Eshtiel became fully alert, she slowly opened her mouth.

“Tesser oppa, save me.”

“…Sorry, Eshtiel.”

“Heeng. Save me.”

“Who… should save whom, Eshtiel.”

“Hic.”

Eshtiel hiccupped at Rahilt’s chilling question.

“Student Eshtiel.”

“Mm.”

“Even during a festival, the library rules remain unchanged.”

“Hic, mm.”

“Getting on a desk with your shoes on and using someone else’s lap as a pillow is unacceptable misconduct.”

“……Yes…”

“If you understand, what should you do?”

“I’m sowwy…”

“Yes. And also to Tesser, who was forced to break the rules because of your request.”

When Rahilt pointed this out, Eshtiel bowed her head to Tesser while still being carried like a princess.

“I’m sowwy, Tesser oppa…”

“I-I’m fine…! I mean… um, well, I share some responsibility for not stopping her. Professor…”

“Hmm.”

Rahilt looked back and forth between Tesser and Eshtiel. He seemed somewhat impressed by Tesser defending Eshtiel.

“Sigh.”

Soon Rahilt, as if resigned, put Eshtiel down and properly seated her in a chair.

“…No candy for the next three days, Eshtiel.”

“Can’t be helped. It’s all my fault, Rahilt oppa.”

“Hmm…?”

Rahilt seemed suspicious of Eshtiel’s bold attitude, which lacked even minimal protest. But he appeared to let it go for now since there wasn’t much to argue about.

Then Rahilt finally turned his attention to me.

“Serin.”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry my mind was elsewhere. I wasn’t paying attention to your business.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. It’s fine, really.”

“But you were the one who suggested we find Tesser first. I acted impulsively after witnessing such a shocking scene.”

“Well.”

Rahilt took responsibility even for such trivial… matters that could hardly be called mistakes.

Come to think of it, he’d been consistent since we first met. He was lenient with others but strict with himself to the point of harshness. And I fell for him more and more, even when I didn’t know his face, because I liked this aspect of him.

Unlike me, he was transparent and good without needing to measure his inner thoughts.

I felt comfortable just being by his side. That’s why I believed he was the only one for me, whether he wore a mask for life or his features were somewhat free-spirited. After all, for a lifelong companion, the eternally brilliant inner self matters more than the fading exterior.

So, I had to hold onto him tightly.

Giving him solid trust was part of that duty.

Right now, through this conversation with Tesser.

“Sister… you were looking for me?”

Tesser narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. Yet there seemed to be a faint expectation in those thin eyes.

…Expectation.

Why?

That must be an overinterpretation. I dismissed my not-so-dull instinct.

“Yes, I asked to find you.”

“I-I see.”

It was surprisingly awkward after just one exchange. If Rahilt and Eshtiel weren’t here, I would have put up a wall and used a high-handed tone.

That would have been easier. I wondered how Tesser would think of me, who had long given up being a real sister to him.

‘I really am a terrible person…’

I was pushing him away first, with the mindset that I’d rather not be hated before I hated someone.

My dry upbringing was no excuse for such a mistake. And yet I melted so easily for Rahilt. How hypocritical of me.

“…”

“…”

Rahilt had said that family members are precious people who deserve understanding through effort.

I acknowledged that, but taking that first step was difficult. It was too awkward, and my past self was too shameless.

Just one sentence. Saying just one sentence in front of Rahilt and Eshtiel was overwhelmingly difficult.

“Tesser…”

“Yes, Sister.”

Tesser waited for my next words. Rahilt and Eshtiel also watched quietly.

I needed to put on a facade and act like a warm sister now.

But was even that too difficult?

My next words were so terrible that I wanted to take them back immediately.

“Tesser, do you want to be Emperor?”

“……Pardon?”

I urged the dumbfounded Tesser again.

“I said you should be Emperor.”

“That… I don’t… understand what you’re saying at all, Sister…”

Tesser hit the nail on the head.

From the moment I started the conversation wrong, even I became confused about what I was saying.

But somehow the conversation had to continue, and this suggestion was my main purpose for finding Tesser. So I moved my lips according to whatever my brain produced.

“I never really wanted the imperial crown.”

“…”

“I had just one thing I wanted to do, and I thought becoming Emperor would help. But unexpectedly, that goal was achieved midway. So now, being a candidate for the throne is just a burdensome shackle.”

“…Sister.”

“I’m tired of arguing with nobles, and I don’t want to stand out unnecessarily. Besides, it would be a nuisance for someone without ambition to take that position.”

“Sister.”

“We’ve both received education for the throne, so it wouldn’t make much difference who takes it. You seemed interested since you studied hard from a young age… what do you think?”

“……Sister…!”

“…”

My one-sided conversation only ended when Tesser raised his voice.

“…Ha.”

“Tesser?”

In that moment, I witnessed two behaviors from Tesser that I hadn’t seen in over a decade.

One was raising his voice at me. The other was openly sighing in front of me.

Those unfamiliar gestures helped me regain my clouded senses.

“I really… don’t know how to take this situation.”

Tesser gritted his teeth after finishing his sentence.

“Of all people, you… are saying this to me, Sister?”

“Why…”

I swallowed the “are you” before I could say it. Tesser looked straight into my eyes before I could speak again.

If my guess was correct, Tesser’s gaze resembled that of someone who had been betrayed.

“Sister… you’re really something. In front of such familiar faces…”

Tesser said.

“You can crush someone so miserably.”

That was Tesser’s honest emotion confronting me for the first time.