The Heroine's Little Sister

Chapter 4: Bonding in prison?

It's been two weeks since Lianne visited my cell for the first time, and she has been coming to visit me every single day without a miss ever since.

Not only the guard that was guarding during that time (one of the two who have battered me up) was transferred to a different post. I heard from Lianne since she is the one who requested it.

She has been delivering me food that she brought from supposedly notable restaurants or bakeries from the Capital. I don't know if that is genuine since I haven't seen a glimpse of the capital. But I can say that the food she has been providing for me is delicious, and yes, feeding since she prevents me from even grabbing the utensils so I can eat on my own. So instead, she has been feeding me by herself, in which I earned a cold glare from the whoever male leads she comes with her.

I have also found out more about them. The handsome Mage that has reluctantly healed all my wounds and has delivered me a change of clothes to earn more points from the Heroine, is the head of the magic tower.

His name is Aiden Meino (Ino) Caddel. Ino is the nickname Lianne had given to him back when they first greeted one another. I think he met her during the time he came to visit the academy after graduating from his studies in another kingdom.

I supposed he got instant love-struck from the moment he saw her face.

I heard that he was the youngest mage to become the head of the magic tower right after graduating. Although I'm sure it was because of his buff as one of the male leads.

I can't even deny that he is really handsome, with his fair skin much better than a lady, his long silky grey hair, and clear green eyes. The fact that he is also tall and has leaned muscles, and the way his abs can be seen through his fitted clothes is just!

It's a shame that he can only glare coldly at me.

Next is the one that almost killed me with his sword back during my first time meeting with them.

Silver Lukas Wandallyn, the grandson of the Archduke and the cousin of the Crown Prince, is, in addition, the current Captain of the imperial guard. Lianne said that he was exceptionally skilled in swordsmanship, that even the King also values his skills. Contrary to his name, he does not possess silvery hair, instead, he has short auburn hair with black eyes. Between him and Aiden, in comparison to heights, I think Aiden is only about five inches taller than Silver.

However, thanks to Lianne, the Crown Prince and Silver don't have bad blood with one another. It turns out that those two are childhood friends of Lianne during the time that she was sent to our mansion here in the capital thanks to the original Errissa.

Lianne said that the Duke preferred living in the countryside thanks to the Duchess' liking the peaceful life they had there. But ever since the Duchess went missing, the Duke decided to transfer her to the capital to earn more influence to find her faster.

Thus, he agreed to an arranged marriage with the royalty and chose Lianne to be the future crown princess. Obviously, Errissa did not like the idea and tried so hard to change the duke's mind and to win the crown prince.

The ending result... She failed miserably and earns herself lifetime imprisonment. Yes, you all read that right, yesterday I was sentenced to life imprisonment contrary to being hung to death or having my head chopped off... all because of the Heroine.

She knelt down in front of the Emperor himself and pleads to spare my life, clearly, the male leads did not like it one bit. Thus, they have been threatening me every time Lianne is not listening or distracted.

To be honest, the moment I heard what she did to spare my life, it made me think that she truly loves her sister even the way she was treated by her... Or she just wants to look good in front of everyone and be called an angel or a Saintess.

But...

"There! Your hair is pretty once again! Though I wish you could extend it a bit longer like mine, then I would braid it into a crown." Lianne exclaims once she finishes decorating my hair.

I let out a defeated sigh before I carefully stroke my hair. She has been braiding and decorating my hair while telling stories of our family or the memories I have forgotten. She did not even care whether she is just sitting on the dirty rags on the cold floor with me.

Though I can say that the male leads are definitely bothered by it. They tried to keep her from sitting down here, but she insists that she wants to sit by my side.

Though they have been observing my actions very keenly at first, now they just wait for Lianne outside my cell.

"Well... I'm sure my hair will grow soon. But, Lianne, how long do you plan on visiting me?" I ask the question that I'm certain the male leads want to ask too.

And I was right, I can recognize the way Aiden flinch after overhearing my question.

"Do... Do you want me not to visit you anymore?" Lianne asks with tears quickly gathering in the corner of her eyes.

Ugh... this is bad.

"N-no! That is not what I implied but! It's just... It's not like I have anyplace else to go, right? I will be over here until I grow old, so If you have any more important things to do... In that case, you need to do it first," I try to explain as I try calming her down by grasping her hand.

"B-but! I have nothing more important than you, my dear sister!"

Oh gosh, this girl! You are placing more red flags on me by doing this!

"But sister... As you said before, I-- I have done terrible deeds to you! I-- I don't know what to do if something harmful happened to you by being by my side," I said in an innocent voice as I lower my head.

Gosh...What can I do to make her stop coming here?

But... she is the only one who has shown me kindness and care. I wonder why they haven't gotten along before.

"Errissa! No matter what you have done before, it will not change the fact that we are sisters. And you don't have to worry! Once big brother comes home in two weeks! I'm sure he will help you lower your sentence! Or he can help you change your punishment! So wait until then, okay?" Lianne said as she pulls me into a hug.

She's so warm... This is the first warm feeling I have felt ever since coming here in this body.

I wonder... What would happen if I became her sister way before all those bad deeds have been done? Would I be able to experience a warm bond with her?

But... did she say, big brother?

"Big brother?" I ask her as I pull away from the hug.

I can see the disappointment from her eyes, the moment, the warmth we share disappears.

"Oh yes! I forgot to tell you about him, right? We have an older brother who is currently studying in the Kingdom of Crearis, together with Princess Stella. They have been studying there for about three years now. Oh! In fact, Aiden has been studying with them before, but he graduated earlier than them, right Ino?" She explains as she glances at Aiden who is leaning on the wall with his eyes close.

"Yes," he merely answers before revealing his left eye to observe me.

Ugh! I felt a shiver crawl down my spine!

"I...I don't know about that. I mean, he is aware of the things... I have done, right? Therefore, I won't get my hopes up that my situation would be more ideal once he arrives."

I don't understand why, but my heart is thumping painfully inside my chest right now. For all one knows it's because this body still recalls something that I'm not aware of?

Is the original Errissa close to him? Or their relationship is also the same way as her and Lianne?

"Errissa..." Lianne pulled me into a tight hug the moment she note the gloomy expression on my face.

I took a deep breath before wrapping my arms around her. I can feel a smile form on her lips from the top of my head before she places a kiss on it.

Can I... Accept this warmth as something genuine and not something that will promptly disappear?