CH 13

As if possessed by something, I couldn’t take my eyes off Adelio.

It was as if he had read my mind, I felt like I was about to burst into tears again when he picked out the answers I wanted to hear and said them.

“…Thank you. I’m very encouraged.”

My voice trembled slightly, but Adelio pretended not to notice and held out his hand.

“I’m glad I could encourage you.”

At his friendly smile, I also smiled a little.

“Don’t worry too much. I’m sure everything will be fine. Then, I’ll see you off before it gets late.”

I nodded my head which was full of emotion.

‘Adelio seems like a really nice person. How nice it would be to be friends with someone like this.’

Thinking so, I quickly shook my head from side to side.

‘It’s ridiculous to be friends with a wonderful person like Adelio. Don’t depend on his kindness too much, Daisy.’

Adelio was a paladin, so he treated me kindly as a believer.

I shouldn’t cross the line.

‘Next time, I have to show him my cool side instead of such a shameful side.’

I remembered his friendly behavior and promised to face him with a smile next time.

✲ ✲ ✲

“As expected, it’s scary to go in.”

Looking at the main gate, I somehow felt more pressure than yesterday.

Still, I felt that it was not right to avoid the decision I made on my own without putting it into action.

‘But what if they get angry?’

Even if that happened yesterday, wasn’t I a little too much today…

‘No, let’s face them.’

Even if they were angry with me, we might be able to solve it if we talked.

‘Adelio cheered for you, too. Yeah, let’s be brave, Daisy!’

Even if I couldn’t understand my sisters’ changed behavior, I had to do it as long as there was a reason to reconcile.

‘My sisters’ rebellion, the destruction of the family, and the destruction of the Empire are in my hands.’

It might be a daunting task for me as someone couldn’t do anything, but I was sure a small intervention could change the future.

‘All right, let’s go.’

I fired up my spirit and I tried to open the door.

“Daisy, are you coming in now?”

“Gasp!”

I would have if it weren’t for the voice from behind.

I turned my head slowly, covering my mouth in surprise.

I wasn’t sure when she had arrived but Liliana was standing behind me.

With the gorgeous garden in the background, her smile looked as beautiful as a flower.

She was so beautiful that I forgot my nervousness and looked at her with appreciation.

Liliana’s face slowly began to darken as I kept staring at her without saying anything.

“Ah, that happened in the morning, I was too indifferent.”

Liliana sighed uncharacteristically and lowered her head a little.

It was me who was rather frustrated with the expression on her face that looked like she had a lot of worries as if she had no idea what to do.

‘Oh, what should I do? How should I do this?”

I never thought my sister would feel apologetic for me, so my face turned white.

“Daisy, you were upset about what I said this morning, right?”

“What? N-No…”

“Being honest is okay.”

“I-I was a little hurt.”

At my reply, Liliana held my hand with an apologetic expression.

As I was surprised by the sudden warm body temperature, she continued to speak slowly.

“I listened to you and thought a lot about it. You might be surprised by how reckless I was trying to be close to you.”

She looked embarrassed when I nodded my head slightly

“People around me only give me favors, and I thought it was natural, so I didn’t think of your position. Daisy, it would be funny if I said this now, but….”

Liliana’s face had a glimpse of pathetic emotion.

She asked me with a sad smile.

“I want to be close to you. I want us to be good sisters who cherish each other.”

“So… Not with Viola, but with me?”

“It’s funny that I suddenly say this when I’ve turned down your request so far, but I mean it.”

Liliana erased her usual smile and said with a serious look.

“Why?”

I normally wouldn’t ask, but seeing her changed attitude made me curious.

“I want to know why.”

“Because.”

Liliana seemed a little hesitant, then replied with a slight smile.

“Actually, I wanted to get to know you since long ago.”

“What?”

She smiled softly as I uttered in a surprised tone.

“Because you’re such a sweet, nice, and cute little sister. So I am doing this because I thought I would regret it if I don’t try to get close to you now.”

“Regret?”

“Yeah. I don’t want to regret it. Viola too.”

Liliana said with a detached look as if she were looking elsewhere.

As I reflected on her words, my cheeks reddened at the casual compliments.

“You really mean it? Are you making fun of me or trying to bully me?”

“No.”

A different voice came from behind Liliana this time.

Viola, who arrived in front of the main gate after work, answered my question.

“Viola? When did you arrive? Give some warning next time.”

As if I wasn’t the only one surprised, Liliana grumbled, calming her startled heart.

However, Viola lightly skipped over Liliana’s words and continued her previous words.

“I didn’t mean to bother you.”

“But before, you said you didn’t want to be with me…”

“Because I thought we shouldn’t be close. But I was wrong.”

I tilted my head, not understanding Viola’s words, then found something in her hand.

In Viola’s hand was a box of limited edition cakes sold at a famous bakery downtown.

“Like you said, we don’t know anything about you. So, even if I tried to get close, I didn’t really know what to do.”

As my gaze turned to the box, Viola slid towards me and said.

“So I didn’t even know you hate grapefruit. I didn’t know you were forced to eat because of us.”

“What’s this?”

Even though I knew it, I asked again just in case.

“I asked Isabel. About what you particularly like.”

I was a little surprised that Viola, who was not very interested in desserts, personally visited Isabel for me and bought desserts herself.

“Daisy.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know much about you. I don’t know what you like or what you don’t like.”

Of course, there was no connection between us.

When I nodded, Viola smiled slightly and said.

“So I want to get to know you from now on.”

It was unlike Viole to sound so earnest yet anxious.

“I know we’ve been so indifferent, and we’ve done a lot of wrong to you. So I regret it, and I want to change it from now on.”

Liliana, who was standing next to Viola’s words, also nodded in agreement.

The two asked me at the same time with the most serious expression I’d ever seen.

“Can you please give us a chance to get to know you?”

“Would you mind giving us a chance to get to know you?”

At Liliana and Viola’s words, I barely caught my consciousness that almost flew away.

‘I can’t guarantee whether that dream is the future or not, but I don’t think it’s too late now.’

Yeah, it’s not too late.

It was funny how my worries went away bit by bit just like I wanted.

In a way, it looked like self-justification from the beginning to the end, but I thought this was the best right now.

‘Don’t be so impatient, Daisy. I’m starting with what I can do now.’

I organized my thoughts in determination.

There was only one thing I could do at this moment.

I would forget my sisters’ figures from before and trust the sisters who wanted to be close to me.

And I hoped that this moment would be the seed that changed the worst future.

“I was angry yesterday and today, but the truth is, I still want to be close to Sisters.”

I smiled broadly as I held the box of cakes Viola handed me.

“So let’s get along well from now on, Sisters.”

The two smiled happily like flowers in bloom, as if matching their names.

Yes, that’s enough.

✲ ✲ ✲

Tonight, unlike yesterday, I jumped into bed feeling excited because I had a good time with my sisters.

“If it stays like this, there won’t be any problem.”

My sisters continued to treat me kindly as if they intended to erase their old images from my mind.

Unlike the other siblings, it seemed we were getting to know each other carefully from the beginning, but I had an unknown confidence that this moment would continue.

“First of all, the Sisters weren’t angry with me. That alone is a big change.”

My sisters love me.

I hated it a little, but I still liked my sisters, so if we got along well in the future, I would be able to prevent their rebellion just as I first promised.

Smiling alone at the feeling of continuous joy, I remembered the face of Adelio, who gave me courage and confidence today.

“He’s a really nice guy.”

Perhaps because I had never received such sincere consolation and advice from others, I couldn’t hide my happy smile.

‘It is as Adelio said. It worked out just the way I wanted it.’

I murmured, rubbing my fuzzy eyes.

“The next time I visit the temple, I will go there with a smile.”

I was sure I would be able to meet him with a smile this time.

With a smile rising on my face, I couldn’t resist the drowsiness and soon fell into a sweet sleep.