Chapter 172

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Episode 40 - Bloodline [2]

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Saturday morning.

The Academy had announced the trip to another continent for the final week of exams.

The continent we would be traveling to would be revealed on Monday, the same day as the trip.

As for me, I already knew which continent we would be going to, so there was nothing to be surprised about.

Ah, and regarding the advice Professor Rein had given yesterday, no cadet took it seriously, except for the main characters.

Clank!

Behind me, I closed the door to my room and headed down to the first floor of the dormitory building.

Shortly afterward, I arrived at the campus, walking toward the Academy’s exit.

Yesterday, I had received an answer that, in a way, just wouldn’t leave my mind.

For some reason, this time I felt more... anxious, nervous, or something like that.

Since it was Saturday and I usually went to the orphanage with Rinna on weekends, I normally felt... well, normal, so to speak.

But today was different; anyone would feel the same.

Who would have thought that those suspicions about having a sister and that, by "coincidence," you had been by her side for quite some time would turn out to be true?

And that you had even made a promise to her—who could believe that?

In its own way, it was quite a strange coincidence.

As I walked, I felt Liora move on top of my head. Then her voice reached my ears.

"Ah... Good morning, Dad."

Well, I’ve been teaching her the proper way to speak.

Liora was improving little by little and could now speak and understand certain things much better.

Of course, every now and then she would go blank, as if she had no idea what she was talking about.

"Good morning, Liora."

After my greeting, I heard her yawn, and shortly afterward, she sat down on top of my head.

"Liora, don’t you think you sleep too much?"

"Sleep too much...?"

"Yeah, at least enjoy the day, you know?"

Actually, it’s not that she’s particularly lazy; rather, light-attribute fairies like her, for some reason, are always heavy sleepers.

I found that out in one of Professor Melissa’s classes.

Regardless of their attribute, fairies can have different personalities. Liora is the lazy type, but at the same time, she isn’t.

She learns quite quickly, and when she’s awake, she’s fairly energetic.

"But I’m sleepy, Dad."

"Ah, that’s fine. It’s your nature, after all."

"Nature...?"

"I’ll explain what that means later."

"Okay, Dad."

By this point, I was already used to her calling me "Dad," even in front of any cadet who happened to pass by.

Not long afterward, I reached the Academy’s entrance. As usual, Rinna was there waiting.

When she saw me, she waved, and then she noticed Liora.

"Good morning, Adel, and good morning, Liora."

I nodded without saying anything, while Liora flapped her wings and flew around Rinna.

"Good morning, Mom."

After a brief greeting, we left the Academy and headed toward the orphanage.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel different than usual today.

’Mhm, now that I think about it, how should I interact with her...?’

---

After arriving at the orphanage and exchanging a few brief greetings with the children, the staff, and the director.

I went to the outer yard, where there was a small hill with a peach tree.

Sitting on the ground with her back resting against the peach tree, Astrid was reading a book in her hands.

Actually, it was a storybook; I had bought it for her not long ago.

Ever since the day I met her, I had brought her different kinds of gifts because I felt, in a way, guilty.

Guilty because I didn’t know whether I would truly be able to keep my promise until she stopped being a child and started to mature, or at least until she reached adolescence.

Because by then, a promise wouldn’t mean much anymore.

A promise is something important only to children, not to adults or those who are almost adults.

Clap! Clap!

My footsteps echoed softly, and Astrid put down her book. Then she turned her head and looked at me.

Instantly, a bright and cheerful smile appeared on her face, and she waved at me.

I waved back as I sat down beside her.

"I’m almost finished with the storybook you brought me last week."

"Ah, yeah, it looks like you’re learning to read pretty quickly."

"The Matriarch is strict about lessons. They’re so boring that they make me really sleepy, but I still pay attention."

"Mhm, at least you didn’t ignore my words."

By Matriarch, she was referring to the orphanage director. To the children, she was like a mother, but since she wasn’t actually their mother.

The orphanage director reminded the children to simply call her Matriarch.

If the children started thinking of her as their real mother, then it would become difficult for childless families to adopt them.

’Adopt...?’

Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.

’What if Astrid gets adopted?’

I mean, I recently found out she’s my sister, but...

Adopting her would make her something like a daughter, but she’s my sister, not my daughter.

’I guess proof would be required, like a blood test.’

However, other thoughts surfaced in my mind.

’But... should I tell her I’m her older brother, or maybe that wouldn’t be the most appropriate thing to do?’

I’m not sure what will happen to me in the future.

And if I end up dying while she knows that I’m her brother.

That would only leave her even more hurt; I couldn’t really imagine what would happen to her.

I thought about different possibilities. Then an idea came to mind.

’Maybe I should make her realize that I’m her brother by leaving clues.’

I wanted to make her suspicious of me, to make her think that I might be her brother.

The problem was how to plant that small seed of doubt in her heart.

’What exactly should I do...?’

While I was lost in thought, Astrid suddenly asked:

"Hello, are you there?"

"....."

Snapping out of my thoughts, I turned toward Astrid and said:

"Ah, sorry. I was thinking about a few things."

"A few things...?"

"Yeah, well... uh, you know about the Academy’s end-of-semester exams."

Astrid nodded.

"Yes."

"Well, that’s why I’ve been thinking a lot lately. Next week we’ll be traveling to another continent for the final week of exams."

Astrid narrowed her eyes and stared at me.

Although my words were convincing, my tone of voice made it seem as though I was actually thinking about something else.

’Don’t tell me she’s as perceptive as I am.’

If that were the case, she might start suspecting things other than what I actually want her to suspect.

And that was when I finally came up with an idea to make her suspicious of me.

I only had five seconds, but that should be enough.

"Uh, by the way, Rinna said that you and I look a lot alike, especially our eyes."

Golden eyes are extremely rare; both Astrid and I have golden eyes.

Of course, the only difference is that my pupils are semi-slitted, resembling a dragon’s pupils.

Astrid’s, however, were completely round. Still, I thought that perhaps my pupils were like that because of my Unique Trait.

"What does that have to do with anything all of a sudden?"

She looked at me as if she didn’t understand where the conversation was going.

She narrowed her eyes even more as her curiosity grew.

I scratched my head nervously, then said:

"Like I said, Rinna thinks we look so alike that she actually thought we were siblings, hahaha. What do you think?"

At my words, Astrid tilted her head slightly and smiled.

"If that were true, then I’d like you to be my older brother."

".....?"

I turned my head away. For some reason, I felt... embarrassed might be the right word.

Maybe because she was my real sister, unlike a certain annoying person who simply calls me ’older brother’ for no apparent reason.

Compared to Veronica, Astrid’s words were certainly different, carrying a completely different meaning.

All this time, I had felt alone in this world.

Even in my memories, I had spent most of my time alone.

I had no memories of ever having a family.

Perhaps, after learning that Astrid is truly my sister, I could say that I finally have a family.

"Ehm, you’re embarrassed."

Her words startled me.

"What? No, I’m not embarrassed. I’ve never been embarrassed. You’re mistaken."

"Then why are you denying it so strongly? That’s strange."

Astrid seemed to think about something before saying:

"But why did you suddenly bring up that we look alike?"

I turned toward her and pointed at the bandage covering my eyes.

"Because I want to know what you think if you see my eyes. What do you think of them?"

At my words, Astrid thought for a moment and nodded.

"Alright."

Then I lifted the bandage from my eyes and "looked" at Astrid.

She stared at me, and her eyes widened in surprise.

And just as the five seconds passed, I put the bandage back on.

After five seconds, the Eyes of the End would activate automatically.

"So, what do you think?"

I asked, and Astrid looked at me intently, as though countless thoughts were running through her mind.

Finally, after a few seconds, she said:

"I don’t think so."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"We don’t look alike."

"What? Why not?"

At my slightly raised voice, filled with disbelief and confusion, Astrid looked at me.

"Because I think you’re trying to make me believe something."

"....?"

How did she figure that out? No, that was just a coincidence, right?

"Ahem, then why do you say we don’t look alike?"

"That’s..."

Astrid seemed hesitant to tell me. However, after noticing that I genuinely wanted to know her answer, she finally responded:

"We actually do look alike. More than that, you look like a male version of me."

"Then why did you say that?"

"Because... you seem more handsome than I am."

"....?"

My mind reeled, clearly not having expected that kind of answer.

Me, more handsome than her?

Even though I can’t see her appearance the way everyone else can, I’m sure that if she looks exactly like me, then there shouldn’t be much difference when it comes to physical attractiveness, right?

’Ah, wait. I’m supposed to be older, and she’s still growing, so...’

"What are you talking about? You’re still a child, so naturally, once you grow up, you’ll be just as attractive as me, or even more so."

I said it sincerely, although coming from a blind person, it sounded a little strange.