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Seletina was unable to control her gushing tears. She struggled to keep them in check, but they sprang like a bubbling spring from behind her eyes.

Yet another tear escaped as her jewel-like eyes blinked.

Seletina’s emotions were raging inside her still-young body, completely disregarding Orthus’ aged mind.

Sadness.
Frustration.
Loneliness.

Seletina’s tears were refined by a plethora of emotions that impulsively rose up, twisting and turning in the depths of her heart.

Seletina ran back to her room, climbed into bed, and hid under the blanket. Sobbing, she buried her face in the pillow.

Seletina was attempting to accept the reality that Melia, her mother, had hit her.

＊

Knock, knock!

Seletina was pulled back into the present by the knocking on her door.

She just stood there in a stupor, staring at the ceiling, not thinking about anything.

Seletina’s tears had long dried up, and she was now quietly lying in her bed.

She had no idea how long she had been asleep, but given that it was already late at night, it appeared that some time had passed.

Seletina answered while raising her body, which she felt was heavy as if made of lead.

“Come in.”

Seletina was shocked to see her brother Yennis enter as the door opened. Yennis appeared a little more serious than normal, which surprised Seletina because he usually had a lighthearted and cheerful demeanor.

After making a few large strides over to the side of the bed, Yennis pulled out a plain chair and sat down.

“It was amazing,” Yennis stated while scratching his short, golden hair that resembled chestnut.
“Excuse me?”

It was amazing? What was?

“You were amazing. The way you let mother have it like that was just amazing. I was moved!”

Yennis said while laughing.

“I-I wouldn’t call it amazing…”
“I was wrong about you Seletina?”
“You were wrong about me?”
“I always considered you to be weak. You’d constantly be at mother’s beck and call, and you’d always rest because of your frail body.”
“……”
“I thought you were really weak because of this. But today you were different. You were strong and unbelievably cool. I wouldn’t have been able to talk back to mother like that.”

Yennis said, emphasizing how proud he was of his sister.

Seletina was completely stunned.

She never expected the carefree Yennis to have such a graceful side or to genuinely admire the courage of others.

“Seletina, is that what you said about becoming a knight true?”

Seletina gently nodded in response to Yennis’ query.

“It’s true,” she said.
“You absolutely want to become one?”
“I absolutely want to become one.”
“No matter the cost?”
“No matter the cost.”

Silence engulfed the siblings as Yennis’ amber eyes, which he had inherited from his father, and Seletina’s deep blue eyes, which she had inherited from her mother, met.

After confirming his sister’s intentions, Yenning grinned.

“Then we’ll go tomorrow,” he said.
“Go where?”
“You dummy. A knight cannot just wait around for his name to be made.”

Seletina could not understand what her brother was trying to say.

Does he plan to go visit Melia?

Was the first thing Seletina thought of, but she soon learned that her brother had other plans.

“We’re going to gain some merit. Meet me in the courtyard at six o’clock tomorrow morning. Don’t be late. And make sure no one sees you.”

Without hesitation, Yennis said. After that, perhaps feeling satisfied, he got up from the chair, leaving it by the bed, and took the same long strides toward the door as when he had first arrived.

“What?”

Seletina was in utter disbelief.

She couldn’t help feeling uneasy about this.

Then, as if after a storm, silence descended once more in the room.