Chapter 46: Shining Knight (4)

 

How much time had passed? Even a fleeting moment felt like an eternity to Keirsey.

 

Cayden and Ewin were sharing a warm hug, and the two hugged tighter here and there as if washing away past regrets.

 

Ewin’s arm kept stroking Cayden’s back up and down. That rude touch ignited a bigger fire in Keirsey’s heart.

 

For a moment, the vicious mind inside her said that she couldn’t understand the current situation.

 

Ewin was a commoner, how did she dare to hold Cayden?

 

Keirsey had never been territorial with her status, but at this moment, her heart suddenly jumped out.

 

But even with that thought, Keirsey’s body and mouth didn’t know how to move. Confused thoughts ran through her head, but she couldn’t figure out how to deal with the situation.

 

“Oppa! Oppa…!”

 

Ewin finally showed tears and dug deeper into Cayden’s arms. In the arms that she couldn’t get into, Ewin went deeper.

 

Now even those tears of Ewin looked like the tears of a crocodile. It looked like she was doing it because she knew Cayden was kind and would shower her with love.

 

Of course, Keirsey should have known that it wasn’t like that and that Ewin was also crying with emotion… but she didn’t want to hear the voice of that kind heart.

 

It just looked like now she hated Ewin.

 

She thought she had made a new friend before, but now she didn’t.

 

The two showed no sign of falling apart over time.

 

Keirsey began to feel nauseous.

 

Didn’t Ewin have common sense?

 

Even though Keirsey explained everything about her circumstances, Ewin didn’t know when to leave, and she kept being hugged.

 

Keirsey had endured so far for her, but Ewin didn't seem to know manners.

 

Eventually, Keirsey swallowed her saliva and moved her feet, grabbing Cayden's clothes from behind him and pulling them a couple of times.

 

“…ah.”

 

Cayden looked back at Keirsey. He had a face mixed with happiness, nostalgia, and many other emotions.

 

Keirsey gestured with her eyes that she wanted an explanation.

 

“…Keirsey. This is… Ewin. Before being adopted as a Pryster, she was my younger sister in the orphanage.”

 

Perhaps shocked, Cayden even forgot to use a respectful tone. It was something she was eagerly looking forward to, but she wasn’t as happy as she had imagined. The timing was more of an issue.

 

He said before coming to Prysters...

 

Why did she hate this feeling so much? Although she had known him for a longer period, it was as if she had lost in some part.

 

But Keirsey hid her dirty feelings. She forcibly raised the corners of her mouth and said with a smile.

 

“…Wow… that’s really strange. How could this be?”

 

“I know. Ewin, how are you here?”

 

Cayden’s gaze quickly left Keirsey and focused on Ewin. Accordingly, Keirsey also looked at Ewin.

 

Ewin was still in Cayden’s arms, hugging him tightly. Keirsey didn't know where she sold her manners.

 

Did she not know that she had to behave modestly when talking to people? Was it because she was a commoner?

 

In the end, Keirsey reached out to Ewin as well. She tapped her shoulder and said.

 

“…that…Ewin. I know you’re happy, but please get away from Oppa now.”

 

“How can you… I really…”

 

Ewin ignored Keirsey’s words.

 

Keirsey could feel her anger boiling more and more.

 

Then, Ewin fell away from him for a moment and looked up at him.

 

“Oppa… I never forgot you for a moment.”

 

“…Me too, Ewin.”

 

If Keirsey had to choose the more painful words out of the two, it was Cayden’s.

 

He said he never forgot Ewin.

 

Even though twins were there, did he always miss other siblings? Her heart was pounding hard again.

 

She didn’t know about the time when they were on good terms as usual and were full of confidence in his affection, but it was even more painful to hear those words now when they were a little distant like now.

 

It was as if he had met a real family. That affection was over the line.

 

“…how have you been doing?-”

 

Cayden said with an affectionate smile.

 

“-You’ve grown up beautifully, Ewin.”

 

“…..”

 

Keirsey secretly clenched both fists.

 

Why did it always have to hurt so much when his kind words were directed at other women?

 

“Oppa too. You’re so cool. I didn’t know we were going to meet here… By the way, the place where you were adopted was an aristocratic family…? And that too…the Pryster family…?”

 

“Yes. That’s how it happened.”

 

“So… Then… Keirsey-sama… a younger sister?”

 

Ewin glanced at Keirsey and asked.

 

Keirsey intervened immediately.

 

“Yes. That’s right, sister. I’ve known Oppa for 10 years.”

 

And gently pulled Cayden. The gap between Ewin and him slowly widened.

 

Keirsey squirmed under Cayden’s arm and gave him a gentle hug. And in that state, she gave Ewin a stinging glance.

 

Ewin looked at Keirsey like that, looked at Cayden, and asked carefully.

 

“…that…just a little sister…?”

 

Keirsey frowned at that question. What was the question of just being a little sister? Because it was a question with a hidden intention, she was offended.

 

Did the commoners dare to ask such questions to nobles?

 

“Yes. She’s my sister.”

 

Cayden gently placed a hand on Keirsey’s shoulder, which was glued to his side. Just as Keirsey was about to show off her intimacy with the gesture, Ewin muttered quietly.

 

“……..thank god.”

 

When she heard those words, her heart, which had been quiet like a sleeping volcano, fluctuated. It was so unbearable that she cried and felt dirty.

 

What did 'thank god' mean? Why did Ewin consider it lucky for Keirsey to be just a younger sister? She hoped that Ewin wasn’t having a high dream. For example, things like being his partner.

 

Keirsey clenched her teeth. There were dozens of words she wanted to spit out, but she instinctively knew that she shouldn’t.

 

So she turned around.

 

Clinging to his side, she looked up at Cayden and said.

 

“..Oppa. Let's talk about these things later. Aren’t you hungry right now?”

 

Ewin clapped at Keirsey’s words.

 

“Ah! Right!”

 

Then she went back to the pot where she had kept the sauce and started to stir. Keirsey looked coldly at Ewin who had returned to her place. If Ewin gave even the slightest sign to burn the sauce, Keirsey would be quite upset.

 

What’s the use of a worker who can’t do their job properly?

 

Perhaps because of the hostility towards Ewin, the heart that should have been surprised and happy by Cayden’s next words didn't as much as she had imagined.

 

“Keirsey! I think you should be done now!”

 

“Yes, got it. Oppa, go and sit down. You can see me from there too, so watch me work hard..?”

 

Cayden’s eyes were fixed on Ewin for a moment, looking at Keirsey again, he said.

 

“…ah… yes. Okay.”

 

“It’s so nice to talk to you, Oppa.”

 

“Right. I look forward to the food. It smells good. You made it all?”

 

Cayden’s laughter came out easily now. Perhaps because of Ewin, he was excited. Keirsey wasn’t happy about that, but she didn’t show it.

 

“Yes. It will be completed soon, so just wait a little longer.”

 

“I get it.”

 

And Cayden walked out of the kitchen, away from Keirsey, and took a seat in front of the table.

 

As soon as he sat down, he burst into laughter and immersed himself in some kind of imagination.

 

Keirsey looked at Cayden like that and approached Ewin, who was stirring the pot.

 

“….I’m surprised. ‘My’ Oppa knew Ewin already.”

 

“…I know, right. I didn’t know that Cayden Oppa was adopted by the Prysters…”

 

“It’s Cayden.”

 

Keirsey corrected Ewin while having a cute smile on her face.

 

“…..yes?”

 

To Ewin who was bewildered, Keirsey explained.

 

“Because he is a nobleman now.”

 

Calmly, she reminded Ewin of the obvious.

 

In her heart, she wanted to talk to Ewin coldly. Was she saying she could just call Cayden “Oppa” without any courtesy? Only Keirsey and Asena could address Cayden as Oppa.

 

Whatever happened in the past, it was in the past.

 

Ewin stuttered.

 

“Ah…that… it used to be…Cayden-”

 

“It’s been a while, Ewin. Now Oppa has a position. It’s been more than 10 years since Oppa became a nobleman. This is also for you. Could it be that there are commoners who call the sons of noble families Oppa…? If you get caught by people, it might be a bigger problem.”

 

“Ah… that… I guess.” Ewin nodded. “That… I’m sorry. I did not know that…thanks for letting me know.”

 

“You’re welcome. It’s okay.”

 

Keirsey smiled. She let out a small sigh in her mind. Gradually, it seemed to be necessary to separate Ewin like this.

 

But at that moment, Ewin opened her mouth again.

 

“Ah… that, Keirsey-sama?”

 

“…yes?”

 

“If that… is a problem in front of other nobles… can I just call him oppa in front of Keirsey-sama…?”

 

“……”

 

“Keirsey-sama is kind, so I’m asking you. You understand me.”

 

Keirsey had to suppress the rising anger once more. She looked at Cayden with a squint. Cayden was still in some kind of imagination, with his arms crossed.

 

Upon realizing that he wasn’t paying attention to this side, Keirsey spoke cold words to Ewin again.

 

“….No. There can be no exceptions.”

 

“……”

 

“If you want to treat Oppa like that, you have to do the same for me and other Prysters too, can you do it?”

 

“..Ah..! No… no.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Keirsey gently stroked Ewin’s hand. She was slowly guiding Ewin in the direction she wanted, hiding her inner feelings.

 

As she calmly comforted Ewin and pretended to be there for her, Keirsey grabbed her hand for a moment and looked down at her coldly.

 

And, as if showing a viper’s teeth, she suddenly asked about the thing that bothered her earlier.

 

“By the way, what did you mean by ‘thank god’ earlier?”

 

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