"This is your new sister, Jonathan; say hello," a woman exclaid with a warm smile, gently urging her son forward.
Jonathan flinched and slowly approached the girl. She was his age, wore glasses, and bore a kind smile.
"I'm Shayna, pleased to et you, Jonathan!" She extended her hand with a bright smile.
Jonathan's somber eyes flickered as he observed Shayna's cheerfulness. Pity for her situation with his parents lingered in his gaze.
He was ten years old and his parents have been beating him for years. He was an unwanted child and they showed him that very well.
-Bam!
Suddenly, a man appeared and struck Jonathan's arm with a club.
Jonathan groaned, collapsing to his knees, clutching his bleeding arm. Tears welled up from the pain, but he bit his lip, determined not to cry—his parents disapproved of tears.
"Are you okay, Jonathan?" Shayna rushed to his side, concern etched on her face. She widened her eyes, casting an angry glance at her foster father. "Why did you—"
Before she could finish, a hard slap silenced her, sending her frail body colliding with the wall.
"You're new to our family, dear," the mother approached Shayna with a seemingly kind smile. "It'll take ti, but you'll get used to it. We're just expressing our love in our own way."
Shayna coughed blood, tearfully searching for her glasses.
"If you and your new brother behave well, we won't have to resort to hitting you, okay?" The mother asked, maintaining the façade of kindness.
"..."
"Answer her!"
"Hiii!" Shayna recoiled as her father raised his tone abruptly.
"I'll explain to her..." John stepped forward, nursing his broken arm, and positioned himself in front of Shayna.
"Oh?" The father narrowed his eyes at John's gaze. It was a cold glare. "You asked for it!" He raised his club again, but—
"N-No!" Shayna pulled John down and shielded him with her body, coughing blood in front of a shocked John.
"W-Why...?" He stamred, utterly shocked. He hadn't intervened to protect her, just to end the beating.
Shayna looked at him with a pale face, fear evident in her eyes. Despite her own terror, she managed a small smile. "I-I always wanted to have a brother... a f-family..."
Her warm tears fell onto Jonathan's face, and for the first ti in a long while, genuine tears of emotion escaped his eyes.
***
"John."
"..."
"Johnny."
"..."
"Siscon," I nudged John's shoulders as he stood daydreaming in front of the castle gates. The knights were awaiting our entry, but he seed lost in his thoughts.
John quickly snapped back and shot a glare.
Ignoring his reaction, I walked ahead. "I bet you were thinking about Alia again. If you miss her so much, just call her to join us."
A vein popped out on John's forehead. "Fuck off."
"That's the spirit you should show to whichever fucker King Charlie sent to 'control' us," I remarked with a smirk.
Led by so knights, we were ushered inside the castle. In contrast to the exam period, we now had access to the forbidden Wing reserved for the royals. The corridors were notably more ornate and opulent.
"Edward."
"Hm?" I glanced at John, who wore a downcast expression.
"You ntioned that Kleah was your friend from Earth, and she said that each of us had our lives controlled back on Earth, right?"
"Yeah," I nodded. I had shared with John most of the details linking my transmigration here.
"Then that person or persons might be the cause of all the deaths that happened to us, right?" He asked, echoing Gladys's words.
It was precisely what Gladys had suggested.
Ephera's death had been calculated, much like everything that had transpired for , John, and Eric. Both of them hadn't seed open to discussing their past lives, so I didn't press. I also kept certain personal matters to myself.
I didn't provide an answer, but John understood my implication.
He clenched his fists tightly.
There was nothing more to say.
Whether it was or him, we both harbored a profound hatred for the people responsible for the events that happened to us on Earth.
I couldn't understand why we had been chosen.
What was the common thread among , John, Eric, Gladys, and Leon?
No matter how much I pondered, I couldn't discern a connection.
Perhaps it's just . But then how am I related to John or Eric?
The most straightforward solution would be to ask them directly, but would they be forthcoming?
[]
'Right.'
"It's here." The knight's voice interrupted my thoughts as he opened the doors.
What awaited us was a small waiting room adorned with four luxurious red sofas.
The knights instructed us to wait, and we each took a seat.
"Why don't you sit next to , brother-in-law?" I suggested to John, who had chosen the sofa opposite .
"I don't want to," John replied.
I sighed at the rejection and stretched my arms. "If only Eric were here."
"He would have lectured you about his sister's well-being," John snorted.
Seed like he knew Eric quite well.
After all, they were both siscons.
[]
'I'm a proud siscon.'
I had three wonderful sisters I was proud of and would always cherish.
[]
"Right, Connor was a great big brother. It's a sha I wasn't able to speak with him..."
And the other one was my foster brother, Simon.
How on earth was he doing?
The last ti I saw him, he was heartbroken over Elona's death.
I told this idiot to reconcile with Elona, and she died before he could make ands.
After a little while, the opposite door opened, and two people erged.
"M-Mom?" I was surprised to see Mom there with a radiant smile. But when I saw the person behind her, my smile widened.
"A-Aunt Belle…"
"How are you, Edward?" Aunt Belle asked with that familiar, kind smile.
She approached and ruffled my hair. "You have grown up quite a bit, haven't you?"
It felt as though I hadn't seen her in a year.
I felt so guilty about Elona's death that I was even apprehensive about eting Aunt Belle again.
My lips quivered a little before I gently embraced her. "It's good to see you again, Aunt."
Aunt Belle smiled and patted my back. "Black hair doesn't really suit you, Edward," she said thoughtfully, holding her chin.
"It doesn't change the fact that I'm very handso. All the girls in this place are swooning over ," I replied with a proud smile.
"What did you expect from my son, Belle?" Mom also puffed out her chest proudly.
"Is she the one who's supposed to control us?" John asked, still seated on the sofa.
"Oh, John? You've grown up too!" Aunt Belle exclaid with a smile. "Here, a letter from your father," she added, tossing a letter to John, who caught it.
John seed surprised at first but then proceeded to read the letter.
"So, Aunt Belle, you're here to control us? Then it's going to be easy," I grinned, envisioning the prospect of outsmarting King Charlie.
Unfortunately, Aunt Belle shook her head. "No, I just accompanied him..."
The door opened again, and a man entered.
"It's good to see you, Edward Falkrona, and you as well, John Tarmias."
I narrowed my eyes, while John stood up slowly, glaring at the man.
He had the sa hazel eyes as Louisa but was entirely different from him.
The Chancellor of the Kingdom of Celeste and Louisa's uncle, Donald Trueheart.
"Are you kidding ..." My fists clenched just at the sight of this man's face.
He didn't shed a single tear at Louisa's death and didn't even attend her burial.
'She died because she was weak.'
That's what he had said to Ronald, Louisa's brother without even a shred of sympathy.
I despised that guy not just for what he did to Louisa, but also because he was truly dangerous. A manipulative individual who controlled King Charles like a puppet. Eric, who played the Third Ga, told to be very careful while dealing with him.
It wouldn't be a surprise if he was the one orchestrating orders when we were imprisoned.
He was very close to King Charles and the latter would always rely on Donald to advise him. Donald Trueheart was untouchable in Celesta.
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