DIANE BENTINCK POV

I stood by the front door, bidding farewell to the guests. The clock showed that it was almost midnight. It was hard to believe we started this morning.

Well, we held two events on the same day so it wasn’t surprising.

“Diane!” I heard my brother’s voice and saw him approach me from down the stairs. When he arrived at the top, he pulled me into a hug.

“Ugh…You stink.” I pushed him away.

But he hugged me again while crying.

“M-My little sister is leaving the nest. Ah, just yesterday we were taking baths together and you always said that you want to marry me.”

“I don’t recall any of that happening. Get off of me, elder brother.” I stepped back after prying his arms away.

“Just let me have this moment!”

“Stop complaining like a child.” I looked towards a certain group that caught my eye. They were standing amongst the carriages that were departing. It was my father-in-law who was standing among a group of men and women.

“Where are you off to?” I asked my brother.

“We’re thinking of staying the night out and going hunting early tomorrow morning. Me and George haven’t hunted together in ten years.”

“Miss Eleanor and the others are leaving the kingdom tomorrow. The roads are dangerous these days, you know?” I looked at him disapprovingly.

Seriously. How could they act like a bunch of teenagers tonight?

“Ah, it’s fine. Brielle will be there. She knows martial arts. I taught her.” Speak of the devil. The person we were talking about approached us.

He smiled wryly while scratching his cheek.

“Sir George, she might be able to handle regular bandits, however, what worries me is the culprit that has been wiping out villages overnight. My father expects you to be at his office by tomorrow morning. The duke said that he’ll meet you there as well.”

I spoke with Kenia earlier and she confirmed that her father was ready to move immediately.

“Tch. It seems we can’t hang out for long, huh?” Sir George looked like he was about to cry.

“Is dad getting involved as well? The two of them are neighbouring lords, after all.”

I nodded at my brother’s question. “We were entrusted with the territory by the first head of the Luxembourg household. Our position of vassal of a duke family is on the line. The results will determine our competence. As vice captain of a Knight Order squadron, you have the biggest responsibility in this matter.”

“….” Sir George lowered his head with each word that I spouted.

“Geez, Diane. Calm down. You’re nagging him too much. We get it, okay?” My brother stepped between the two of us.

“I’m glad you do. Both duke Henry and my father trusts you very much. I am only reminding you of that.”

Sir Georg sighed. “Man, I didn’t know my daughter-in-law would be this feisty. Bless my poor son’s soul.”

“Hahahaha! You don’t know how feisty she can get, bro!” My brother nudged his side. “Clyde has his hands full with Diane and the young lady from the Luxembourg household!”

I rubbed my forehead. I had heard how short tempered and violent Arielle Luxembourg was. I didn’t get along with types like her. Humans who don’t think and only act with their muscles.

I learned from rumours that Arielle had never been exceptional at her academics so she failed a lot of classes. It was only when Clyde and miss Artoria had arrived at their manor that she improved.

This improvement wasn’t that big though. She left the academy for that very reason.

‘I wonder…How has she changed over these years?’

I had never met her before in my life but from what I heard, Clyde was quite fond of her.

“….”

“Something the matter, Diane?” My brother asked.

“…It’s nothing. Anyway, please remember my words. I am required to stay here in this manor until further notice. Please excuse me.”

The people who came today were gradually leaving the property.

I turned around after bowing respectfully to the two of them.

“Ah! Before I forget...” My brother stopped me when I was about to head back inside. He rummaged through his pockets and took out a small box.

“…?” My eyes widened. The box was familiar to me. “This is…”

My brother smiled. I could notice a dark shadow over his face as he looked at the box. “Give this to Clyde. This way there’s no need to buy another ring for your wedding.”

It was the ring his deceased fiancé was supposed to put on his finger the day they got married.

“…Why are you giving me this?” I took it with both hands.

“Well…hahaha…It’s better than selling it or throwing it away, right?” He flashed a grin and put his hand on my hand. He gently stroked it. I didn’t turn away like I always do when he touches me.

“I suppose…” I bowed again. “Thank you, elder brother. I will make sure sir Clyde treasures this.”

My brother muttered with a wry smile. “It’s just a ring, you know…”

“A-Anyway, we best get going. Right, buddy?” George put his hand around my brother’s shoulder.

“…Yeah.” My brother nodded softly and turned around. “Look after that kid, Diane.”

That was all he said before the two of them left.

I remained standing there as I watched his back. It was only for a brief moment but I could see the pain that still haunted him today.

He was the kind of person who hid everything behind his smile and goofy personality. He was an extrovert who could become friends with anyone.

The complete opposite of me.

“Oh, elder brother…” I looked at the ring. It was probably because this was the only thing that still reminded him of her.

Anyone could see that he was still hurt over that memory of her.

I always thought to myself: How does it feel to lose those precious to you?

“I might never really find out, huh?” I held my hand above my chest. My heart beat was normal. Even though the time to seal my engagement to Clyde had come, I didn’t feel anything like excitement or nervousness. That was how girls normally feel for the first time on their consummation night.

I just wanted this night to end.

I looked up and saw the moon illuminating the night sky with its ethereal glow. The capital was bathed in its brilliance.

‘Where is Clyde?’

◇◇◇

CLYDE ASTLEY POV

I walked around the garden since I was looking for my sister. I heard from my mother that Chloe wanted to show me something before they left.

She asked me to meet her at the pond behind the manor.

‘There she is.’

Chloe was busy humming a tune while solo dancing.

‘Is that the waltz?’

It seemed that she was trying to imitate the moves of the people who danced tonight.

I erased my footsteps using sound magic.

“~~~!”

Chloe continued singing with her eyes closed. Her beautiful brown hair fluttered in the air. Her pale soft skin glistened in the moon’s glow.

I snuck behind her and sat down. My mouth couldn’t stop curling upwards as I watched my cute little sister dance.

‘I was never even there to see her grow up…’

I had to leave the village when I was her age in order to prepare myself for the academy. How long had it been now?

‘Was it seven or eight years?’

I couldn’t really remember. My memory was terrible.

“You want to w-what?” Chloe suddenly stopped dancing and looked up at the sky. “Kyaah~!”

‘Is she imagining that someone’s there?’

Her face flushed red.

“O-Okay. But only because you’re my big brother!”

‘Hm?’

She stood on her toes and puckered out her lips.

‘Did I mishear those words?’

She kissed the imaginary person who was standing there.

‘Should I stop this…?’

“Ahem!” I emerged from behind the bushes.

“Kyaaah!?” Chloe jumped in surprise. Her face reddened even further when she saw me.

“Y-You’re here.”

I laughed dryly. “Y-Yeah. Anyway, what were you up to? I heard you talking to someone.”

I played dumb. Of course, I was still confused by what that was exactly.

“O-O-Oh! I was singing with the fishes!”

“I see. It was a beautiful tune.”

‘Yes. I must’ve been seeing things.’

I patted her head. She giggled.

“Oh, right! I wanted to show big brother something.” She grabbed my hand and led me over to the pond.

“What is it?” I asked.

‘I hope it’s not something lame. If it is then I have wasted my time.’

Of course, I wouldn’t say that to Chloe. She was just too cute and innocent. If I said something like that then she’d cry and call me mean.

“Okay! This should be good!” Chloe held her hands out in front of her.

“Hm?” I sensed the mana in the air gather around her palms. It was a small amount but I could still see it. It spiralled around her palms.

“Hng!!” Chloe was sweating so much even though the mana was so little.

‘I knew she was capable of magic but this is strange.’

By this age, she should’ve been able to use simple magic spells already.

‘Does she have a blockage in her core?’

I frowned.

“Chloe. Stop.”

“H-Huh? But I…” The mana disappeared when she was trying to talk to me. “Ah! No!”

I walked up to her. She looked up at me sadly.

“I wanted to show big brother how far I got…” She pouted.

“Chloe…”

“…!?”

I put my hand on her stomach.

“W-Wha…”

“Don’t be alarmed. I’m your big brother after all so don’t worry.” With a confident grin, I gave her a thumps up.

“O-okay.” She didn’t say anything further and only looked at me with a red face.

I felt around her mid-section for anything irregular using Spirit Sense.

No. Not there.

Not there either.

There!

I felt dark clusters of energy that was blocking multiple of her pores where mana usually entered a person’s core. It was affecting her overall mana output and interfering with her purification process.

‘What the…Why is this here?’

I used mana bending to move the energy away from her vital spots such as: her mana veins, channels and outer wall of her core.

‘There….’

“Eeeek!?” Chloe jumped back in surprise when she saw the dark gas-like energy. It was like miasma in colour but since it was of a different nature, that wasn’t entirely correct.

‘It feels like it’s full of malice.’

I used my own mana to force the energy to stay in the palm of my hand. After lifting my hand, I release the film of mana keeping it contained.

The gas exploded into the sky and darkened the shine of the moon. A rumble followed soon after.

I looked at my hand. It was trembling.

“That’s weird. This is the first time my mana is reacting to another energy.”

“B-Big brother?” Chloe grabbed my coat. “W-What was that?”

“Ah. Don’t worry anymore. Anyway, can you show me what you just did?”

“But…I’m no good at magic…I only managed to make a fire one time.”

I smiled and patted her head.

“If you’re still unconfident then use this.” I activated my spatial storage ring and took out a certain item.

It had a giant red gem and was modified using a branch of the World Tree. It was the latest edition to the Hermit Sage collection.

Redheart.

“Here.” I gave her Redheart×World Tree Branch. She scrunched her face due to the weight when it landed in her hands.

“This is big brother’s…” She looked at it in a daze as she rubbed the staff. A red light shone from the red gem. It was the gem I constructed on my own using the remains of Edna’s capsule. It wasn’t pretty but at least its effectiveness hadn’t lessened.

“Well? Why don’t you try it out?”

“Okay!” Chloe regained renewed vigour as she held the staff in front of her. “Humph! I am the great magic caster from the stars of the abyss! Chloe Thunderia!”

“…..”

‘Eh?’

“Hear me ‘O goddess of lightning and give me the power to scorch my enemies! Iyaah!”

A thunderclap shot out of the staff and hit the surface of the river. It was a long stream of purple lightning that cast a purple haze over the area.

The water was heating up by the second. The fishes went into a frenzy.

“Eek!” Chloe dropped the staff by mistake which made the spell disappear. “Hot!”

My eyes widened.

‘Isn’t that too much power for someone her age?’

Although I was a strange case as well, my magic was never that potent when I was her age. If anything, I could only manage beginner class magic on my first few attempts.

Why was she different?

“Did you see!? Did you!?” Chloe jumped up and down. “The princess of thunder struck this world so all should fear this one!”

“Ha…Hahaha. Yes, very well done. You’re such a natural. I’m so honoured to have such an amazing little sister! Any big brother would feel proud!”

Chloe giggled with a satisfied expression on her face.

“When did you learn this spell?”

“Mama taught me.”

‘This spell is usually only used for stunning. How was it that hers was so powerful?’

I thought as I looked at the surface of the pond. Multiple fish were drifting on the surface, dead.

“Big brother…” When we were heading back, Chloe spoke to me. She stopped and looked up at me. Her big green eyes glinted.

“Yeah?”

“Are you leaving again?” She held my hand tight.

“….” I silently looked at her expression. It was one of longing and sadness. Her eyes gave the same feeling.

I looked away and nodded.

“Yes. This is something I must do.”

Annette was our family. It was important that George and Eleanor face their demons.

“….Why?”

“Chloe…You wouldn’t understand.”

‘You wouldn’t understand why family is important. You’re just a child.’

Chloe bit her lips. She roughly shook away my hand and pouted. Her gaze went down to the ground before she looked back at me.

Her eyes were blank and lifeless.

“Stupid big brother…” Chloe turned around. I swear I could see a tear fall when she turned.

She ran back to the manor without looking back. All I saw was her long hair that fluttered with the wind.

I laughed softly.

“You’re right…Your big brother is really stupid.”