15 Four Points to remember

"Brother, look here. Isn't this necklace beautiful?! Wait.... does it look good on me?."

"Mmm...this cake and tea is really delicious! Your highness, why don't you give it a try. It's wonderful!!."

"Master Felix, can you please teach me the spell which you casted this afternoon!? I've never seen an interesting thing like it, it was beautiful like a bead of pearl!!."

"Eh? Is your name Clara, the new caretaker of my step-sister? Hehehe, I hoped my step-sister didn't bother you during your stay here. Hmm...If you face any problems in the future then don't hesitate to ask my help, I'll be glad to help you anytime."

"Brother, hurry up! You promised to buy me the limited editions of the year. So don't you dare ask me to pay the bill, I'll not give you a single penny. Hmph...."

"Sebastian, I recently heard that you're recruiting youngsters for the 'Blue Flames Battalion'. Can I join? Pleeeeeease ..... I promise to hide my identity!."

Akari silently let out an exasperated sigh. How come she didn't know that the six-year-old villainess was actually a very talkative person? Although she paid less attention while playing the otome game, she vividly remembered the personality of the villainsss.

The adult version of the villainess could be akin to a snowflake. Cold yet unfairly beautiful than the heroine. The villainess always had a poker face, frightening everyone around her. Due to the lack of love and warmth, the villainess grew like a chilling Ice block. And this Ice block's heart immediately melted when she saw the handsome prince, her fiancé.

"Your highness, is there something on my face that attracts your eyes? Heh... Don't blame me for being rude, but I don't like your gaze."

Akari was slightly bewildered. She simply couldn't understand the game settings. Is it because of the age gaps that altered the personalities of the characters? Well...It might not be entirely wrong. As the saying goes: Time changes people.

It's not like she cared about the changes in the villainess, now her elder step-sister. Although she was curious about these changes, she didn't bother to look into it. She had a bigger problem in her hands.

According to the villainess memories in the game, the cannon fodder wicked step-sister died before reaching the age of six, which is one and half year ahead from her current age. There was not a single useful clue to deduce the death of the step-sister.

The villainess memories only included the scary pranks and unkind words from the step-sister, which is really not useful. If Akari couldn't find the cause of her death, then she would surely die for the second time which is really not a good option. Dying once was enough, dying for the second time was not a pleasant idea.

She didn't even know whether her body in her world was in a coma or buried underneath the earth. If she died here....

Akari felt her brain working more than usual, resulting in a headache.

Scrunching her brows, she let out a heavy sigh. Why is her life so messed up? All she wanted to do was eat and sleep 24/7, but her circumstances are pushing her tired body to its limit. If she didn't move these lazy bones now then she's dead meat after one and half year.

"Emma, are you tired?." Yes, I'm exhausted, can we go home and sleep?, Akari wouldn't say these words for sure, or that's what she thought. Since she was the one who insisted the Duke to let her visit the town, she couldn't return so soon. If she returned to the mansion now then all her efforts would be ruined.

But.... How can she keep up with this shopping spree group?! Do they even have a heart, how can they let a four-year-old child suffer with them?!

Akari inwardly soothed her burning emotions. Looking at her elder step-sister, she slightly nodded her small head, "mmm.... " She gently tucked her brother's pants with her fat hand, "brother, I want to go home."

Well, her little mouth is more honest than her struggling mind.

Slightly feeling guilty for ruining the shopping mood, she shook her head and suggested, "I'll wait for brother and sister to finish their shopping." Nicole couldn't help but chuckle, slightly surprising Ada.

Fondly rubbing his little sister's head, he smiled and said to Ada, "if Emma is tired then I think it's better to return. We've already bought the things which we required the most, so I'll let the servants bring the remaining items."

Ada slashed her step-sister millions of times in her heart. Reluctantly nodding, she looked at her step-sister and smiled, "alright, if that's what Emma wants then elder sister has no reason to object."

Akari felt a shiver down her spine. When she looked up, her elder step-sister had turned her back against her. Akari didn't understand. The little villainess seems to.... resent her.

Akari felt wronged. The previous scary pranks were not done by her, but the 'real soul.' She's just a lazy soul who entered the body due to some reasons. She didn't even remember what the 'original host' did before she came!.

Feeling the gloomy atmosphere around Emma, Nicole looked down his hand. Since his little sister was only four year old, the top of her head merely reached his thighs. Her long eyelashes were downcast, seeming to touch her chubby, rosy cheeks. Her tiny lips were pursed into a thin line, looking somewhat wronged.

Nicole was slightly distressed. Rubbing his little sister's head, he asked, "what happened? Are you tired of walking?." Akari inwardly rolled her eyes. She's not that weak, but she wouldn't let go of this chance.

She hummed in reply. As expected, Nicole bent down and gently took her in his arms, inciting more hatred in the villainess's heart. She coldly looked at her step-sister and said in a sarcastic manner, "I didn't know my step-sister was this weak, haven't even walked for three minutes but already been sweating buckets."

Although Clara kept a poker face, she couldn't help but furrow her brows. From the moment the young Miss met her little Miss, she could somewhat feel the abnormality in her behavior. Felix's expression under the hood couldn't be seen, but Clara was sure that he felt uncomfortable by the young Miss's remark.

Meanwhile, Nicole didn't take his sister's words seriously. He happily smiled and said, "Emma has a weak constitution body. So as her elder brother and sister, its our duty to take care of her when she's tired and weak."

Ada sweetly smiled and saluted, "hai!." Nicole chuckled and patted her head, earning a wide grin from the girl. The three siblings on the wide street were conspicuously different from the commoners, so passersby couldn't help but repeatedly glance at them.

The oldest child seems to be the cute yet poker face boy, followed by the lively and glowing girl beside, and the little child in the poker face boy's arms seems to be the youngest. They were surrounded by a purple mage, a maid, a sword master and a young commoner who's appearance looked more than average.

Prince Edward, who disguised himself as a commoner and was silently accompanying the group was rendered speechless. Fudge! Are these siblings ignoring my awesome existence?! Hey, I'm right beside you, you know!?

Ada suddenly felt an intense stare on her back. Glancing backward, she saw her fiancé grudgingly staring at her. Realizing her mistake, she sweetly smiled and suggested, "your highness, why don't I escort you to your palace?." Nicole glanced at the unattended prince and slightly nodded his head, "we'll head to the palace first." Edward inwardly snorted in anger, but he cheekily smiled and thanked the duo.

On the way to the palace, Ada and Nicole sat together at one side of the carriage while leaving the other for the prince. Akari unconsciously fell asleep without any warning, so Nicole suggested holding her until she woke up. Clara and Felix had to swallow their jealousy and lifelessly move on to the next carriage. Their behaviors amused the quiet sword master, Sebastian.

When the carriage reached the entrance of the palace, it was passed 6 in the evening. The journey from the Royal palace to the Elmstone mansion would probably take only an hour, so it wasn't a hindrance for the siblings.

After escorting the prince, the siblings travelled back to their mansion. Since Emma was deeply asleep without any signs of waking up, Ada decided to bring out the questions which were troubling her from the beginning.

"Brother, do you really believe that Esmeralda changed for good?."

Nicole stiffly nodded his head, "mmm...." Ada tightly pursed her lips and asked, "have you ever considered her actions? What if her innocent and naive expression was a facade to let our guard down? What if she suddenly retaliates against our family? Brother, if suddenly Esmeralda tries to ruin our family, what will you do?."

Nicole was silent. What if Emma's innocent and naive expression was a facade? What if it was all an act? What if Emma tries to harm the family? He had thought about these questions a thousand of times, but he couldn't find a clear answer. Although he was a ten-year-old boy without any knowledge of the world, he understood the nature of humans better than himself.

For the past 3 years, whenever he looked at her new step-sister, all he saw in her eyes were hatred, disgust and the thirst for revenge. The reason why he distanced from her was because of the dark mist surrounding her body, it appeared whenever she thought of doing something evil.

The dark mist slowly entered her heart and corrupted it, turning her wicked to the extreme. But he didn't expect it to disappear after the 'kidnapping incident.'

So he believed her change. Whenever he looked at her eyes, all he could see was boredom and faint curiosity whenever she found something new. It was quite unbelievable, but he wanted to believe.

He gently wiped the sweat on his little sister's forehead. Looking at her closed eyes and peaceful expression, his cold eyes softened like cotton candy. He didn't know what exactly happened to Esmeralda, no, he didn't want to know.

He wanted to live in the present, not in the past. Emma was now good, that's all it matters. If all her actions were a lie, then...

He looked at his sister, Ada, and said, "If Emma tries to harm the family, then I'll kill her with my own hands."

Akari, who was about to open her eyes: "....."

Ada was stunned, she didn't expect her brother to reply so bluntly. Nevertheless, she didn't think much about her brother's words, because Esmeralda was going to die after a year.

Nodding her head, she said in a low voice, "I hope you keep your words."

Nicole leaned back and thought about his decision. He hoped that day would never come where he had to see his little sister suffer. If he could, then he would always protect his family members. Be it Emma or Ada, he'll protect them both.

Ada couldn't completely trust her brother, for he was the one who betrayed her first. He ruthlessly rejected her plea for help, causing her to fall under the hands of bandits who almost defiled her innocence.

Remembering those memories brought both pain and hatred. She lowered her head, hiding the craze look on her face. She came back to get what was truly hers, and she's going to get it. Be it her revenge or the 'man', she's going to achieve both.

***

_Night_

Akari, who always slept like a log of wood wasn't able to fall asleep that night.

"I'll kill her with my own hands."

Her body involuntarily shivered when she recollected the cold words. Did the villainess's step-sister die in the hands of her step-brother?

Akari felt her scalds turning numb. A nuclear like bomb just dropped on her from out of nowhere. She had transmigrated into a bloody otome game where this 'little Miss' was hated by everyone.

Is this the moment where she should think like, 'wow! I've transmigrated into an otome game!! Wahahaha, I'm gonna rule this world with my genius brain!.'

Akari wanted to roll her eyes, so she did. She rolled her eyes.

From tonight onwards, she had to remember four important points.

1. She was the wicked step-sister of the villainess in [Elle est notre vie' (She's our life)] otome game.

2. Her elder step-sister, the villainess resents her 9/10.

3. Her elder step-brother, Nicole and the no.3 capture target of the otome game was a cold-blooded person who wouldn't hesitate to kill his own little sister.

4.(The most important) She's going to die before reaching the age of six.

-Her current age: 4 & half

-Remaining Lifespan: 1 year

-nearest date of death: ??

-Cause of death: ??

-Death location: ??

-Suspected characters: Nicole & Ada

How is she going to survive for one and half year!? T_T

No, she didn't even know whether she'll open her eyes tomorrow or not. What if the sweet villainess comes to kill her as revenge? Or the gentle brother who recently turned cold-blooded?

Akari wanted to cry, but her eyes were dry without an ounce of water. She wiggled on the wide bed without any signs of falling asleep.

Bored and full of energy (10/10), she suddenly sat up and decided to take a night stroll. Sliding out of the bed, she landed on the floor with uneasy feet.

Noiselessly tip toeing toward the large door like a kitten about to steal its first fish, she clutched the knob of the door and shakily twisted it. Opening the door of her room, she peeked her small head out.

Her round and grape-like eyes nervously looked around her surroundings. After confirming that there was not a single soul around, she quietly stepped out, closed the door and walked on the long, dark corridor.

The dark marble under her feet was cold and hard, sometimes sending a shiver from her bare feet to her muddled head. Her mind sometimes transmitted her signals to return and sleep.

Since she was wearing only sleeping pajamas, her body felt slightly cold, but she didn't bother to take care of it. Too lazy to walk back....

But-

The warm and comfy bed would surely warm her cold body, and the fluffy sheets and pillows would feel so good to touch and hug. It would be like hugging a heater on a very cold day. So warm.... And so comfortable.....

Akari turned around to return to her room.

But, eh? What's this?

Akari was confused.

'Where am I?.'