Chapter 17 – Younger sibling needs an older sister (5)

 

“It stings….”

 

I murmured as I looked at my right arm dripping with blood.

 

Even though it was just a sparring match with unsharpened swords, the opponent wielding the sword was an expert who could cut down a tree with a branch, so minor wounds were unavoidable.

 

But, this time was different.

 

As I swung the sword following the flow of overflowing emotions, I was unable to display my original skills, and the sword swings became solely dependent on the physical strength of my body rather than skills.

 

However, the purpose of this sparring was not to improve skills in the first place.

 

It was to release all the emotions I had been carrying inside.

 

Since I only thought of that one thing, I didn’t care about the perfection of my swordsmanship. My father knew that, so he silently accepted the screeching floss and messy swords techniques.

 

As I began to pour out the emotions that had been festering inside me, it felt like I was finally letting go of the heavy rock that had been weighing down my chest.

 

If I had tried to unleash these emotions by swinging my sword alone, I would never have felt this sense of relief. After all, people want someone to listen to them when they released the lump inside them.

 

Crying out alone would only bring one down to the bottom of that emotional valley and provide no fundamental solution.

 

Even though it was a crude sword with no technique, the simple movements of the swordsman on top of the sword’s tip could easily deflect it.

 

Nevertheless, I swung the sword with my emotions once again.

 

After repeating this several times, the sword in my hand finally broke, unable to withstand the sharpness of my father’s swordsmanship that was embedded in his body.

 

A fragment of a broken sword brushes against my right arm and stuck into the ground.

 

A thin line of blood was drawn at the spot where the fragment of sword passed by, and blood began to flow out, but far from being painful, it was strangely refreshing.

 

A broken sword…

 

And blood dripping from my arm.

 

When I saw those two, I came to my senses again. I heard my father’s warm voice as I let go of the sword.

 

“Feeling a little less angry now?”

 

“yes…”

 

“I’m sorry. I was too short-sighted. It’s my fault for not paying attention to you and Alphonse because I thought you were too mature for your age. I should have approached you first. I’m sorry for being an immature father.”

 

I couldn’t find the words to answer my father. I was thinking the same thing for myself regarding Alphonse.

 

“It’s a bit like we rich people don’t talk to each other, do we?”

 

Of course, it wasn’t the same at first. When mother was around, even if there was a problem, we used to solve problems through conversation more than clashing swords.

 

It was after my mother passed away that our conversations lessened. The conversations between family members were always led by the mother.

 

I, who had memories of my previous life, grew up without much trouble, and Alphonse, unlike other children, grew up as a quiet and kind child. Maybe that was why we didn’t feel the need to talk anymore.

 

Because the distance between us was so close that we left each other alone, trusting one another.

 

“So, I’d also like to try talking a little now. Thank you, Father.”

 

As I release all the emotions that have been troubling me, I no longer harbor any hatred toward myself. All that filled my mind was the thought of becoming a better brother to my younger sibling.

 

I bowed my head to my father and left.

 

After leaving the training ground, I went straight back to my room and looked at myself in the full-length mirror next to the closet. My face, which had been hardened until just a moment ago, straightened out into a soft smile. However, the pure white sleeves were stained red from the blood flowing from my arm.

 

When I turned my head and looked out the window, the sky had already become dark, and only the moon and stars were illuminating the world.

 

At this hour, Ken and Maria has likely returned to their rooms, and the other attendants were likely preparing as well. It seemed I must handle things myself.

 

“Ah… It’s annoying… Where did I put the bandages and wound potion?”

 

It was a chronic disease that developed after I was reincarnated as a high-ranking aristocrat’s son.

 

For several years, the attendants had done most of the work for me, even things I could have done on my own. I had grown used to calling for them whenever I needed something.

 

It was scary to think that possession of only 5 years was suppressing 25 years of life as a commoner. Which was five times bigger than my current life.

 

I took off my coat, rolled up my bleeding sleeves, and walked around the room looking for the potion. But no matter how much I looked for it, I could find the bandages and wound potion.

 

Come to think of it, there wouldn’t be any of those in my room.

 

‘Ah, this is bad.’

 

‘Aaaaa!! Where can I get myself some bandages and potion!!’

 

‘No, this is just a little cut…’

 

‘But that’s still a problem!!!!’

 

I didn’t bother to prepare any potion for small wounds because everyone around me would fuss over me and cause a scene whenever I got even a minor injury. Besides, I didn’t get injured that often except for my showdowns with my father. And I always had my personal servants around to call for help.

 

A silver bell was placed on the desk in my room.

 

If I rang this bell, I could call the attendants regardless of the time of day, but I didn’t feel like ringing it right now. It was clear that news would reach Elena in nine out of ten times. Maybe if it were her, as soon as she heard the news, she would run straight to me.

 

It was only a minor wound, but I didn’t want to show her my injuries.

 

So, In the end, I had no choice but to go outside to find some potions. Knights need these things all the time, so I  was sure I could find them in any training ground’s warehouse.

 

“Damn it. Come to think of it, I was at the training ground until a while ago. I should have just grabbed a potion then instead of coming back here…”

 

It was a mistake to come back to my room without taking care of my injury first. What kind of fool forgets his own injury?

 

As I was about to leave the room, a smell wafted through the door. It was immediately clear what the smell was. It was the smell of the meat stew I usually enjoy. Apparently, since I couldn’t participate in the dinner tonight, it seemed that someone brought a meal to my room for me, who couldn’t eat.

 

Judging by the unfamiliar sound of the footsteps I heard, it seemed that it was not Ken or Maria. It seemed that they had already told the other attendants. Thanks to that, I thought I could get potion and bandages without much fuss.

 

– Kock. Kock…

 

“Come in.”

 

When I heard a short knock, I told the person outside to come in right away.

 

“Is tonight’s dinner meat stew? I could smell it from outside. But, sorry to bother you, could you get me some bandages and potion…”

 

First of all, I naturally tried to talk to the person who was entering so as not to panic when they saw the wound, but when I saw the face of the person who entered the room, I was embarrassed.

 

The one I thought was an attendant was Elena, whom I didn’t want to show myself in this state.

 

“Elena? Why is Elena here? Wait, hold on! Leave first…”

 

“Your arm…”

 

Looking at the wound on my arm, she murmured softly, and I remembered what had happened with her this morning. I remember her crying face when I just said let’s think about our engagement some more time. When she saw the wound on my arm, she didn’t know how to react, so she tried to hide it.

 

“Why, why did you get hurt like this? Could it be that your father…? I thought what your father said at dinner was just a joke, but really…”

 

“Eh, Elena? This is because I, I made a mistake. Stop! First, let’s calm down.”

 

Elena, apparently agitated by the sight of my wound, continued to mutter something while wiping the blood from my arm with a handkerchief. She then suddenly raised her head and left the room, saying that she would fetch the potion.

 

“No, You know where the potion is in my house?”

 

“Damian! I found it!!”

 

“Yes??”

 

Surprisingly, Elena brought the potion within minutes of leaving my room. She may have brought it personally, but the pattern engraved on the potion bottle was the crest of the workshop that signed an exclusive contract with Kraus here in Sarham, so there was no choice but to be more suspicious.

 

However, Elena, who brought the potion, was applying the potion to my wound as if nothing had happened.

 

When the red potion touched the wound, the blood flowing from the wound began to stop.  Even though this was a world of fantasy with magic, it wasn’t like the wound could be perfectly healed with just one potion.

 

Such things were more like miracles performed by priests who believe in the gods, and potions were more like items that help users recover, such as household medicines and fatigue-relieving pills. Still, it was amazing just that the blood stopped immediately or that it improved the natural recovery ability.

 

As if worried that the wound might get infected, she hung a ‘clean’ handkerchief on it, carefully tying the handkerchief around the wound. However, perhaps because we were so close, her soft breath touched my skin.

 

“Elena over there…”

 

Perhaps because she was concentrating, she couldn’t hear me. So I called her name again.

 

“Elena?”

 

“Yes? Damian, wait a minute. This is more than I thought uh…?!”

 

“You tied it too tight.”

 

She lifted her head at my response and took a step back, startled by my face that had come up to her nose. Her serious expression from just a moment ago turned into a flustered one in an instant, which naturally made the corners of my mouth twitch.

 

I loosened the knot that Elena had been tying diligently and offered my arm to her again.

 

“Could you tie it a bit more gently this time?”

 

“Eh…ah, yes.”

 

She started tying the knot on my arm again. This time, her touch was much softer than before, and her face, which had been stiff with effort, was now relaxed. After a moment, a butterfly made of her handkerchief was sitting on my arm.

 

“It’s pretty. Thank you, Elena. But why did you bring my meal…”

 

“That, that’s…”

 

I looked at the tray she had brought. One was a meat stew that seemed to be my meal, and the other was a dessert that didn’t suit my taste as I couldn’t eat sweet things. She should know by now that I couldn’t eat sweet things, so why did she prepare it?

 

I smiled mischievously and looked at her. Elena’s face turned even redder, as if she knew the meaning behind my smile. Her embarrassed expression had a charming quality that made me want to play a prank on her.

 

Without saying a word, I moved closer to her little by little.

 

Just like before, my face came close enough to touch her nose. The only difference this time was that although her face was very red, she didn’t run back like before. Instead, she seemed to be waiting for something.

 

When she closed her eyes, I stopped approaching. 

 

Instead…

 

-Poke

 

“Uh…?”

 

I poked her soft cheek with my finger. It was even softer than I had anticipated. Softer than Alphonse’s cheek.

 

Elena opened her eyes and looked at me with a confused expression, wondering what was happening. I smiled at her and said.

 

“I just wanted to touch it.”

 

For a moment, Elena looked dazed, but then she regained her senses and-

 

“Damiaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!”

 

-called my name with all her might.