Episode 88

Translator : Missme

Editor : Aru

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Not anymore. And you wont be in the future.

I was stiff like someone who had forgotten how to move.

Is it the sound of my heart thats ringing in my head? Then my heart might burst soon. The human heart could not be able to withstand this beating.

Ash continued, not letting go of my hand, whether or not she knew what I was thinking.

What about you?

Uh, eh?

Im still a younger brother to you?

A pleasant voice was unrealistically wrapped in my ears.

I hope not.

I closed my eyes and opened them.

But even after doing that, Ash in front of me didnt disappear. Everything was the same.

Its no illusion. Its also not in vain.

It was real.

No words came out. Even if it came out, it seemed that I would scream instead of a normal word.

I kept my mouth shut like some unfortunate princess with an unspeakable curse and soon shook my head.

Ash smiled at the moment I shook my head too hard.

It was a dazzling smile. I forgot everything else and lost my mind looking at his smiles.

Im relieved, I was wondering what to say if you say yes.

Well, I wont be your younger brother anyway.

then?

If its not my brother, then what?

My heartbeat is really crazy. The situation was too dreamy to feel real.

In the meantime, my hand which was still held by Ash seemed to be burning hot. Not to mention the back of my hand where his lips touched.

Soon Ash left my hand alone.

And he put my hair behind my ears with a calm touch that I couldnt feel any regret left.

I forgot how to move again and Ash whispered quietly in my ear like that.

Its very late at night. Take a little more rest today.

Ash left the room after his words.

But it wouldnt be my illusion that the hand that was handing over my hair before leaving, moved particularly slowly as if he hated to fall off.

After the door opened and closed again, Ive been sitting there like a rock for a while.

Soon after, I closed my mouth and fell on the bed.

.nonsense.

The word barely escaped through the gap in my mouth.

***

Sometimes reality is more like a dream than a dream itself. I thought now was the time.

I greeted the morning blankly.

It turned out that I woke up at the mansion in the middle of the night when dawn was approaching.

The reason why I felt the room was bright was because of the lighting.

After a few hours, the dawn broke from the outside the window. Of course, I didnt fall asleep until then. And of course, I couldnt sleep more.

Lady, are you all right?

Uh, uh?

Why are you so absent-minded? Is there something wrong with you?

Bessie, who brought water and a white towel, spoke anxiously.

I knew I was enchanted by her voice so I could wake up from my blank mind.

No, its okay.

Dont hide it, my lady. Then Ill be really angry.

Its really alright. Well, I guess Im a little half asleep. Thats all.

I took a towel from Bessie, turning around.

Then I dipped my hands in the lukewarm washbasin, and what happened a few hours ago suddenly occupied my head.

Oh, lady! Why have you slapped yourself all of a sudden? Why are you pinching yourself again!

No, its nothing.

Rubbed my tingling cheeks and quickly started washing my face.

At first, though, I thought it would have been better if it was cold water, but I didnt say it because Bessie would nag at me.

I recalled the last few hours, splashing water on my face.

All I did in the room until dawn was to shut my mouth and roll around on the bed like a madman to keep my scream from leaking. And then when I am exhausted, I stop, then roll again when my energy gets back.

I repeated it all night. If anyone had seen it, they would have really thought that theres something wrong with my mind.

But there was a reason why I had to.

I couldnt believe he would do that.

Honestly, its still like a dream.

When I asked Ash last night if I was still his sister, in fact, I didnt expect such an answer.

Its just, even though theres no blood in it, weve been together for a long time, so were like a family.

Even if Im not his sister, I think affection is similar since weve become familiar for a long time.

This was the hopeful answer I had drawn. And I thought Id be happy if it happened. Because he does not despise and hates me. I thought that alone would be enough relief and happiness for me.

Not anymore. And you wont be in the future.

Im still a younger brother to you?

I hope not.

The hand that was pouring water stopped.

My heart thumped. At the same time, my right hand was on edge. I wrapped the area carefully with my other hand.

Ash kissed the back of my hand.

Then he told me that I wasnt his sister anymore.

He even declared that he would not be my younger brother from now on.

I wouldnt not know what the words and actions meant after all. I couldnt help not knowing. How can I not know?

Its what Ive been hoping for dozens, no, hundreds of more times.

I laughed at myself because I was so greedy that I couldnt let go of my expectations.

So I couldnt help noticing, and as soon as I knew, I couldnt believe it. It was unbelievable.

Would this be the feeling of a persons hope which became a reality, who thought it was only a vain delusion?

I was happy but it didnt feel real. I was constantly puzzled.

It was all because of that that I was too mesmerized as if I had lost a screw.

I barely finished washing my face that seemed unlikely to end by dazed, and washed again.

Bessie didnt say much whether she believed in the excuse that my condition was again questionable that I was still half asleep.

Instead, she came up to me wiping the water after cleaning up the wash.

Lady.

Huh?

Bessie took my hand. A rather rough, but warm hand, perhaps because she had been working for a long time.

Bessie opened her mouth when I was feeling the warmth that was being transmitted.

Please make a promise. Youll never do that again.

..

Youll promise me, dont you?

Her eyes and voice made me speechless. Come to think of it, Bessie and many others were still awake until I woke up at that late hour.

What did she feel? Waiting for me to wake up in the middle of the night.

Somewhere in the corner of my heart, there was a guilty feeling raised up. So eventually I nodded.

And as if it was not enough, Bessy made me raise my hand and swore in place and twinkled the pinkie.

Bessi opened her eyes to my attitude at the time and then narrowed her gaze.

Why?

Youre not joking me, are you?

No, not like that.

Why would I be joking around at this time when I havent done anything right? My thoughtlessness wasnt that low.

I put my pinkie on it again with a solemn expression. Hard and tight.

I promise. I will never do that again. I wont leave the mansion that way, no matter what.

thats a promise.

Bessie loosened her pinkie, saying she would let it go this time soon. I stared at soft Bessie and asked.

Youre not gonna ask me again?

What?

Why I did it.

I was inwardly prepared to be grilled, I mean questioned.

At dawn, I was confused about how to explain it and how much it would be better to confide.

But Bessy didnt mention the subject again, contrary to what I thought.

In the end, I took it out first. Bessie sighed lightly.

I dont know. My lady must have had your own reasons.

Thats it?

Well, what if I cant move a step from here until you tell me everything? Well, frankly, I didnt mean to do that either.

Bessie took a towel from me and thoroughly wiped the water off my face.

You promised me you wouldnt do that again anyway. Thats enough. For me.

.

Of course Id listen if youd tell me now.

No, Ill do it later because its something I need to prepare my mind for.

Yes, then. Oh, if you think somethings wrong, dont skip it and tell me right away. This is a promise, too.

Okay.

Then Bessie said she would squeeze the chef out and make a nice breakfast and then left the room.

I stayed alone, blinked my eyes and laid back. The feel of the soft bed enveloped my back.

Ill have to say it.

Not just for one Bessie, but for everyone in the mansion.

Im not the blood of this family, although the butler and Bessie already know.

We, Ash and I may have a different relationship in the future.

I lay down, spreading some imagination, and then rolled the bed again.

Oh, Im going crazy. Heart. Please stay still.

Anyway, my heart couldnt calm down. What am I going to do if this is unreal?

Then, I rolled on the bed like that and suddenly a luggage bag placed near the bed caught my eye.

I stopped moving suddenly.

That luggage bag is

I didnt notice that it was here?

Did Ash bring it when he moved me?

Come to think of it, I didnt remember putting that suitcase out of my hand until just before I lost consciousness.

Ive been hugging Ash and limping Well, anyway Ive been hugging him.

I was thinking of it and soon jumped up. As soon as I saw the bag, I remembered something.

The enchanted cloth.