The Heroine's Little Sister

Chapter 9: A unexpected change?

Not even a minute has passed after Errissa collapsed that a magic circle quickly appeared in the middle of the room before a figure popped out of it.

"Damn it! Hey! Wake up! Can you hear me?! Fudge! I told him to check up on her for a few minutes, and this happened?!" Aiden exclaims as he immediately carries the cold body of Errissa and gently placed her on top of the bed before tucking her with warm blankets.

He turns to ignite the fire of the fireplace before focusing his attention on healing all the wounds that Errissa has gotten.

"Fudge..! Who the eff did this?! That fudging Rowell will pay for this! I instructed him to keep an eye on this woman ---! Argh!" He continues to grumble as his eyes turn dark from the anger he is feeling.

He can't even comprehend why he is this angry and worried to see her like this when he should not have any care for her. But the moment he came back from the sudden meeting, the moment he set his eyes on the unconscious body of Errissa... his blood boil in anger.

He has never experienced this intense emotion even during the times that he encounters Lianne being humiliated or bullied by Errissa or her minions.

But this... this emotion he is feeling right now, he can't explain it.

"Mmm..." he flinches in surprise when Errissa suddenly shifts a bit before her breathing has stabilized.

He let out a sigh of relief as soon as Errissa's expression became more relaxed, and all her wounds have completely healed. He suddenly felt his energy being drained as soon as his adrenaline rush died out.

He slumps in the chair he is sitting on while still holding Errissa's right hand.

"...You are really so troublesome," he mutters as he stares at her sleeping face.

He managed to use almost all his energy from teleporting all the way from the magic tower located in the farthest of the capital, all the way to the rose palace. In addition, he also cast a barrier around the room to make sure no one would carelessly enter while he is healing her, which also withdrew quite a sum of his energy.

He can't believe he did all of this to someone he deeply hated. And yet, here he is, caring for that same person.

"I think I've gone insane..." he mutters as he stares at his hand that is still holding Errissa's.

The way his heart keeps beating faster and faster is only proof that he indeed has gone insane.

--

"---How could they?!"

Mhm...? What is happening?

"---calm down---... have----"

Why is it so noisy?

"--- we will take... --- "

What are they taking? I don't possess anything they can take from me.

"It's going to--- "

To where?

"I'm taking her. I can't leave her here anymore ----"

Who are they taking? Wait... I have no idea who are all these people.

I try to move my hand, but I can feel something warm is holding it. Whose warmth is this? It feels so relaxing...

"Tomorrow, I will personally escort her tomorrow,---"

Who are they talking about anyway? I can only hear bits of pieces from their conversation because they keep rising and lowering their tone. Just like now, they are now whispering to one another.

Out of curiosity and the fact that I am not that sleepy anymore, I slowly open my eyes while blinking away the remaining sleepiness. I felt the hand that was holding mine, flinch as they removed their hold on me.

Eh? Why did they withdraw it?

I turn to glance at the one sitting beside me and identify a red-faced Aiden glancing away from me, with a frown on his lips.

"..." What in the world happened to this guy?

"Errissa!" I flinch in surprise as someone suddenly jumps to hug me.

"O-ouch...!"

"O-oh! I'm sorry! Are you feeling better now?" I can detect the worry in Lianne's voice as she stares at me with her golden eyes brimming with worry.

"..." For some reason, I feel weird staring at her like this.

'You don't deserve her kindness!'

"Errissa?"

"...what happened?" I quietly mumble as I glance away from her.

*Bathump!* Bathump!*

"That... are you really alright? Aiden, is she really fine now?"

"...Yes, I have done everything I can so that she can recover," I heard Aiden answer after a minute of silence.

He usually answers her right away, but that wasn't the case this time. I wonder, why?

I glance at him, and he is staring directly at me. I feel my cheeks heated up as I look away from him.

Why am I blushing??

"Errissa," an unfamiliar voice called out to me that made me direct my attention to him.

Standing behind Lianne is a tall attractive man with an undeniably great posture. He has short silky black hair, sharp golden eyes, a pointed nose, and thin pink lips. He looks so much like me, but a more dignified man.

"Do you recognize me?" he asked the moment he recognize the confusion in my eyes.

"N-no... I don't," I answer as all eyes are on us.

Aiden, Lianne, and... uh, what is his name again? Since it's been a while since I last saw him, though I can't forget that handsome but cold face.

Oh! I remember! It's Silver!

"...I see. So this is what you meant by that letter, Lia." He said as he let out a sigh.

Letter? Wait, could this be... the older brother?

"Errissa, meet our older brother... Rubian Galvin Redmond. You can just call him Brother Rian for short," Lianne introduces him as she pulls him closer to the bed.

So this is really Errissa and Lianne's brother. He really looks so similar to Errissa, that would also mean that they both look like the Duke, who happens to possess black hair... according to Lianne. And the Duchess is supposed to have the red hairline has. So Lianne looks exactly like the Duchess then.

"Errissa?" Lianne called out to me when I only stare at them.

Am I supposed to be happy to see him? When I only encountered him today? But...

"I will be escorting you tomorrow back to our home. Therefore you can rest for today, Risa," he said as he takes a hold of my left hand.

His hand is larger than mine, and I can feel its warmth even though he is wearing gloves.

"Risa...?" I mutter as I stare at his hand.

"That is the nickname brother Rian gave you back when we were kids," Lianne who heard of it explains.

Risa is the nickname he gave her...? Would that mean that they are a bit closer than I initially thought? But then, how did Errissa turns like this? How did she become a Villainess that poisoned her sister?