Ch.78Honest Conversation (5)

*Sniff, sniff.*

“Huu… uuu…”

Eshtiel’s crying lingered on her innocent face for quite some time.

Tesser, who was trying to comfort the disheveled girl without caring about the tears and snot staining his clothes, seemed somewhat different.

Meanwhile, Rahilt was keeping his distance, watching us cautiously, seemingly unable to bring himself to take Eshtiel away. He probably instinctively knew that leaving her with Tesser would be faster.

“Eshtiel… have you calmed down?”

“I don’t knowww.”

“What do you mean you don’t know?”

“I don’t know. If you and big sister don’t make up, I don’t know.”

“…”

Tesser pressed his lips tightly at Eshtiel’s declaration. With the mood and everything else completely ruined, it seemed incredibly awkward to extend a hand of reconciliation. And coincidentally, apologizing had become just as awkward for me too.

“… Tesser, why aren’t you answering?”

“I, well…”

“Huuu… *sniff*…”

“E-Eshtiel…!”

“Uuu… huu..!”

“Ugh.”

It was the moment when Eshtiel’s dam of tears was about to burst again. Tesser shouted loudly as if he couldn’t bear to see the library shake any longer.

“I’ll do it…!!!”

“Do what?”

“I’ll… I’ll make up with her.”

“Really?”

“Y-yes. Really.”

“Okay.”

Only after receiving a definite confirmation did Eshtiel nod her head vigorously. Having heard the declaration of reconciliation from nearby, I was looking at the two with an awkward feeling.

Would Tesser be the first to offer words of reconciliation? That would certainly be convenient, but it wouldn’t be right.

If we were to exchange greetings of reconciliation, I should be the one to offer first. Otherwise, Tesser would just be throwing empty words while being pushed by a child’s stubbornness.

“Tesser…”

Just as I took a step forward.

Suddenly, Eshtiel grabbed Tesser’s wrist and approached me.

“Oh…”

Led by those tiny hands, Tesser awkwardly closed the distance. When we were close enough to touch each other if we reached out, Eshtiel placed her hands on her hips with great dignity.

“Brother and sister, now you shake hands to make up. Then you forget all the bad things and become friends.”

“E-Eshtiel…”

“Tiel…”

Tesser and I both stared at Eshtiel in astonishment.

Seeing us hesitate like this, Eshtiel’s round eyes began to well up with moisture. Her plump, cute lips contracted in a sad curve as well.

“You won’t do it…? Uuu…”

“I will!”

“Of course we will!”

Tesser and I answered in turn.

Somehow bound by the direction of a 9-year-old child, we vaguely faced each other. It was still awkward, but since we had already decided to apologize, wasting time would be pointless.

Above all… strictly speaking, I couldn’t let Tesser, who had been hurt by my insensitivity, speak first.

“Tesser.”

“… Yes, sister.”

“As I said earlier… my apology was sincere. There’s no excuse for not paying attention to you earlier. It was my fault for not being mature enough or acting like a proper sister.”

“…”

“So if you’ll allow me, I’d like the chance to treat you as a proper sister. Of course… Tesser, only if you want that.”

Tesser remained silent for a while. He merely opened and closed his lips slightly or rolled his eyes around aimlessly. He seemed to feel a disconnect compared to my previous indifference.

Then, perhaps feeling uncomfortable with continuing to remain silent with several people standing around, Tesser opened his mouth after a moment.

“If… if… if everything you’re saying is sincere…”

Tesser steeled himself.

“I too, I also, as a proper family member… to treat you as my sister…”

Tesser’s words trailed off for a moment. He seemed to be pondering how to finish his sentence. Despite this moment of contemplation, Tesser soon made his point with determination.

“…… I will try.”

“… Yes. We should both try.”

Even now that the situation had been resolved, Tesser’s expression was still not good. Even though Eshtiel was forcing them to hold hands and shake…

Well, that’s natural. How could a person’s exterior flip with just a few words?

He would surely need time to sort out his feelings. And I would need time as well.

Later, we could slowly form an appropriate distance as siblings. Siblings who help each other in difficult times and share joys and sorrows… that’s how we should develop.

‘I wonder what it would have been like if I had a younger sibling or older sibling in my previous life.’

Perhaps Tesser could have ended his wasteful daily life earlier.

At this point, I’m curious about what kind of life the original Tesser lived.

Was ‘Seriniel’ a better sister than ‘Serin,’ and a better daughter too…?

“… Huh?”

At that moment, I blurted out my sense of discomfort aloud.

“Sister? What’s wrong?”

“Serin?”

Tesser and Eshtiel, who were standing nearby, stared at me blankly. Normally, I would have waved my hand dismissively saying it was just a random thought, but I had forgotten to respond appropriately to the question I had strangely ignored.

“Come to think of it…”

Why… had I never once been curious about it?

‘When I clearly exist like this… where did the original Seriniel go…?’

I am not a possessor. If I had to describe it precisely, I was a reincarnator.

There’s no doubt about it. I was aware of myself from inside my mother’s womb, and as soon as I was born as a baby, I recognized this world.

‘Then… what happened to the original Seriniel’s personality?’

Did it cease to exist? Or was she born as someone else instead?

In the worst case… she might be sleeping inside me.

‘I need to talk to Narin about this.’

◇

A café decorated in a spare space of the Academy.

Two famous figures from the Carnar Kingdom were sitting close together, enjoying a peaceful tea time.

“This is a bit disappointing.”

Luca commented while sipping the drink in his glass. Kanarin responded dryly.

“What is?”

“The subtle fruit flavor is really nice, but you know what would make it perfect? If you added some of that homemade tteokbokki you made for me.”

“What a taste.”

“Why? You made it for me… Wasn’t it meant to be delicious?”

“Well, yes…”

Kanarin, who had been indifferent, seemed slightly pleased by Luca’s compliment and pulled up the corners of her mouth slightly.

“I’m just surprised it suits your taste. Korean food being popular is a K-romance novel cliché, but seeing it in real life is interesting…”

It’s surprising that Luca, who looks like such a noble young man, has such hearty Korean-like taste. It’s amazing every time I see it.

Kanarin deliberately swallowed her words and cut herself off.

To this, Luca smiled brightly.

“I find it hard to agree with that opinion.”

“But it’s true, right? Is tteokbokki the only dish you like? From kimchi stew to samgyeopsal and meat noodles…”

“Whoa, that’s enough. I don’t want to be a prince drooling in front of everyone.”

“But it’s true! When you were little, your nose was always running and I had to wipe it, and at night we’d go to the bathroom together…”

“Seriously, that’s enough, Kanarin. I don’t want to be the prince who jumps off the roof of a foreign academy.”

“Pfft…”

Kanarin found Luca’s exaggerated reactions amusing.

‘My goodness…’

She wondered when he had turned into such a smooth talker. In the past, Luca used to be timid and fragile.

Does time really change people so much?

If so, she wished it had changed him a little less. The Luca of those days had a cute and innocent charm, but the current Luca was like a social butterfly.

To put it less kindly, he seemed a bit fake.

Having been far from popular in her previous life, she wasn’t sure if this was what being popular meant. But being handsome and frivolous probably did make one popular. Like those blonde, tanned playboys in adult fiction.

‘Serin… was probably popular too, right?’

Being popular is probably why she went after a man – Rahilt – so aggressively. Maybe in her previous life, she had gone after many men too.

Kanarin genuinely speculated this.

“… Ah.”

Kanarin, who had been following her stream of consciousness, suddenly brought the conversation back on track.

“By the way, what did you mean earlier when you said you found it hard to agree with my opinion? You’re always looking for Korean food whenever you get the chance.”

“Ah, that?”

Luca rested his chin on his hands, which had been stacked like a tower on the table. With their distance now closer, he smiled slyly.

“It’s not particularly about Korean food… I would have enjoyed anything you made for me more than any gourmet meal.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Hmm.”

“Kanarin?”

Luca was perplexed. After saying something like that, she should have shown some embarrassment, but Kanarin was instead looking at him with interest.

“Luca, you have surprisingly good taste. Well, that’s fine.”

“Huh? What is?”

“I’ve been wanting to try out a recipe, and I’ve just found the perfect test subject.”

“K-Kanarin…”

“What? Don’t tell me you’re going to take back your flattery now?”

“N-no way. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.”

“That’s good. I’m glad it wasn’t just empty flattery.”

“Ahaha.”

Luca was secretly anxious.

No matter how much he showed his affection, Kanarin always responded insensitively. Rather than putting up walls, it was as if she didn’t even realize she was surrounded by walls.

It was truly a difficult wall to break through.

‘When will Kanarin ever see me as more than a friend…’

He had been trying for so long, but there wasn’t even a spider’s web of hope yet.

How long had he been making this effort? If he had to pinpoint it, it would be when he truly solidified his feelings.

He still vividly remembered asking Kanarin directly after fully realizing his feelings.

[Kanarin, what’s your ideal type?]

[Hmm, someone fun?]

He had been constantly changing himself to live up to that brief answer from that day.

The fact that there was still no progress despite all this probably meant he still had a long way to go.

What could he do? It was a losing battle for the one in love.

Sometimes he realized that a person’s personality never truly changes.

No matter how much he pretended to be extroverted, fatigue built up inside. But even accepting that, he wanted to look good for Kanarin.

This was quite a severe case.

So Luca swallowed his rising sigh and muttered to himself.

“It’s perplexing…”

How nice would it be if he were obsessed with magic like Rahilt’s little one.

Just then, the sharp-eared Kanarin urged him on.

“What’s perplexing?”

“Just…”

You, it’s you.