The Heroine's Little Sister

Chapter 21 : Calmear Woods (Part 1)

"Are you calm now?" he asks as he hands me a bowl of soup.

"Y-yes, t-thank you for saving me earlier. And thank you for this," I answer as I hold the wooden bowl with both my hand.

The soup smells delicious, I didn't know someone like him is good at cooking. The one that has saved me from the ogre earlier is Silver. Yes, it's Silver Lukas Wandallyn, the grandson of the Archduke and one of the male leads. He is also one of the most hostile towards Errissa during my first time encountering them.

The sword that he wants to use to end the Villainess is the one that he used to save me. How ironic, right?

Right now, we are still inside the forest. He carried me all the way to where his tent is located. It turns out that he is camping nearby and that is when he heard my screams. I glance down only to notice my feet are full of blisters, wounds, and dried blood. With everything that is happening, I forgot that I was only wearing my nightgown from last night, and my slippers have already gone from all the running I did earlier.

"W-where are we?" I ask while glancing at the dark forest.

"You don't even know where you are and yet you are here on your own?" I can sense the sarcastic tone in his voice as he grabs his sword and starts cleaning it.

I look away from it, as the image of the dead ogre is still fresh from my mind.

Clear that image away brain... focus on this soup. The soup is delicious, focus on its brain.

"We are at Calmear wood... far away from the capital," he answers making me tilt my head in confusion.

Calmear woods? But wasn't that inside the territory of... Archduke Wandallyn?

"A-are we inside the Wandallyn's territory??" I exclaim in shock as I almost spilled the soup I was holding.

Silver's eyebrow raises a bit as he stared at me, his look is basically saying 'are you dumb?'

Ack!;;;

How am I supposed to know we are all the way to southern territory?? No wonder the climate feels a bit different than back in the capital. Usually, I would immediately shiver with cold the moment I step outside of the mansion, that is the reason why... why, b-brother.

He was supposed to be my brother... right?

"What's with the long face all of a sudden?" I heard Silver ask the moment I went quiet.

"I... I just feel like, there is no place for me anywhere... The place that was supposed to be my home, feels more uneasy than the prison I was thrown into before. And I am sure you will try to send me back to that place, right?" I respond as I lower my head.

All the memories I have created with them that were supposed to be my new beginning, all felt like a painful past to me now. I am all alone in this world, I even lost Sara and now I am here in front of someone eager to kill me.

"...Tsk!" I heard him exclaim in annoyance before he places the bowl down on the ground.

"What? Are you expecting them to treat you like a princess just like how they used to? After what you did? All the crimes that you have done? Are you serious? Ha!" the hatred in his voice is dripping like poison as he glares at me.

*Bathump! Bathump!*

My heart is racing as I grip the wooden bowl tight. All those things he is saying... the one that did all of that is not me.

"You dare to act close to the one you hate the most? The one, who, no matter what you did, forgive you, defend you and help you! And what did you do to repay her?! You poisoned her!" he yells as he pointed his finger at me.

*Bathump! Bathump!*

Stop...

Stop it!!

"And now you cling to her for your own safety! You vile woman! If I were his majesty, I would have already cut off your head and fed your body to these monsters!"

I let go of the wooden bowl, spilling all of its contents on the ground. Some of the hot soup has splashed on my bare feet.

My sight is once again blurry with tears as I clutch my chest. The pain is back once again, despite knowing that the person they hate is not me... but the villainess Errissa.

Yet... I can't help but feel the pain from being hated like this. I haven't done anything wrong, the moment I open my eyes I have been subjected to such hate.

"I-I didn't do it! I-it's not me!"

"Ha...! And now you are denying everything?! So you really planned all of this! You erase your memory to make everyone pity you, right?" he starts walking toward me while gripping his sword tightly.

The way the light of the fire hit the blade of the sword is making me shiver in fear. I can already see that sharp-bladed easily piercing through me.

"S-stop! G-go away!" I fumble from the log I was sitting on, making me fall to the ground.

"He won't hesitate to kill you..."

n-no...! This is..!

"But I have to endure all this hate I am feeling just because she kept on defending you! Just what did you do to make her side with you all the time!"

"This will be your end... Are you afraid to receive your death?"

These voices...! I hate it! I hate it! Make it go away!

I curl to my knees as I cover my ears with both my hand before shutting my eyes close.

"Such a shameless woman!"

"Vile woman!"

"Worthless rat!"

"Ha! Look at this trash! She still thought she's a noble waiting to be served!"

"A once spoiled princess now becomes lower than trash!"

"Don't take this the wrong way. We are only hurting you because you made a mistake. If you have eaten this properly, then you would not have to endure this pain!"

"Do you really think she cares about you? My lady is doing this because she has to. You are nothing to her but a burden."

I... I have nothing to do with them!

"Hic..!"

I am not that woman! I am not... I am not her...

I just... I just want to go home! I want to be with the people who care for me! I want to... I want to find my real family! The place where I truly belong! I...

I felt something snap inside of me.

"H-hey!"

I can see the surprised look in his eyes the moment I snatch away the sword from his hand.

"What are you planning on doing??" he raises his voice in panic as he gulps.

I fully know he is doing a panic expression on purpose to throw me off. Lianne has already told me how skilled he is in swordsmanship. So taking this sword away from me is a child's play for him.

Gripping the handle of the sword with both hands, with tears still streaming down my eyes... I took a deep breath to look at him.

"Y-you... hate me right?"