Bonds and Bickering

[William's POV]

I couldn't help but marvel at how delicate and precious my little sister, Melissa, appeared.

Her cheeks were as soft as petals, and her cries, though somewhat piercing, only added to her charm. I gently touched her cheek, causing her to cry out in protest.

My older sister, Winifred, immediately scolded me. "Hey, can you stop that already! Can't you see she doesn't like to be touched?"

Winifred and I both turned our attention to Melissa, who was still crying softly in her cradle. The new maid, who had been assigned to care for Melissa, had stepped out of the room for a moment, leaving us in charge.

We were both curious about our baby sister, and despite Winifred's warning, I couldn't resist the urge to touch her soft cheeks.

As we stood beside the cradle, attempting to comfort Melissa, I couldn't resist teasing my sister about her earlier scolding.

"Hey, you also touched her beautiful little cheeks," I playfully quipped in response to her earlier admonishment. Winifred turned her gaze toward me, her tone still teasing but with a hint of seriousness underlying her words.

"You came from outside, right? So, you better not touch this delicate sister of ours with your dirty hands," she commented. Although I knew she was mostly joking, there was a touch of irritation in her words, and it bothered me.

"Sis! I already washed my hands even before we, Mother, and Father ate," I retorted, eager to defend myself.

"Huh? You? That's a miracle... you finally agreed to eat here," Winifred said, her tone still light but laced with surprise.

I unexpectedly stopped and gave her words some thought. It flashed to me that it was absolutely true that my choice of having dinner with our parents was nothing but a short of a miracle.

Even though I had usually avoided these family gatherings, I couldn't help but sense the gravity of the situation now. It appeared that my straightforward decision to sit down with them for dinner had much greater meaning for them than I had in the past.

The atmosphere in the room grew quiet and contemplative before Winifred finally broke the ice. "William," she began in a soft voice that was brimming with concern.

I responded with a soft "Huh?"

"Don't be too hard on yourself," she said, her words filled with understanding. "If you have a problem, we can talk about it together, you know. That's what you always say. So, as your older sister, it's my duty to say that to you."

"Sister..."

"Now, tell me, what is it?"

I took a deep breath and spoke,"There are so many enemies."

"I already know that," she replied calmly, "from the moment we were born, our family has had a lot of enemies."

"That's not what I mean," I clarified.

"Tell me in detail already," Winifred urged.

I leaned closer to her ear and whispered, "Well, you know... that guy will lead the ongoing investigation about little sister's death, the maid."

She responded with indifference, "Why do I care about that guy?"

"Well," I continued, "I care about it Sis,  because I don't want that guy to claim another victory because then Father will give him another treasure prize from us."

"Is that all? You're being selfish," she remarked.

"No, it's not just that," I confessed.

"It's just that... I-I don't like him because whenever I see him, I feel... weak."

She sighed and affectionately patted my head. 

''Many people possess both strength and weakness. However, William, there are many aspects of you that you have yet to fully comprehend. Nevertheless, you possess a power that no one can thwart''

I looked at her, surprised and touched by her words. "Now, are we good?"

I chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, hehe."

In the midst of our spirited argument, a new presence made its grand entrance. The Queen, adorned in elegant night-white sleepwear, appeared in the doorway. Her arrival was like a spell, silencing the room in an instant.

Her regal poise and maternal authority had roused her from her chambers, responding to her daughter's resonating voice.

My mother's eyes twinkled with warmth as she observed our lively exchange. "My dears," she said, her voice a soothing melody, "there's no need for such heated debates at this hour."

Winifred and I exchanged sheepish glances, our passionate disagreement deflated by our mother's presence.

She continued, her gentle smile embracing us, "Family is the most precious treasure we have, and the love we share is more valuable than any jewel in the kingdom. So, let's cherish each other and remember that, even in our disagreements, our hearts are forever connected."

With her wisdom, my mother diffused the tension, and she gave each of us a loving embrace. Then, with her grace, she ushered us back to our rooms, reminding us that it was time to rest.

We obeyed bidding goodnight to our mother. The Queen switched her focus to our youngest sibling, the infant, as Winifred and I went to our own chambers. She cooed soothingly, "And now, little one, it's time for a beautiful rest."

Her words carried a sense of comfort and love, and I couldn't help but smile as I headed to my room. Our family may have its disagreements, but moments like these reminded me of the bond that held us together.

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[Melissa's POV]

My eyelids felt heavy as if they were weighed down by blocks, but something forced me to open them. As my eyes opened, I found myself in a strange setting.

I was sitting on a log in the middle of a dark forest, with the only light coming from a crackling fire in front of me.

A wave of confusion and unease washed over me. "Where the heck am I?" I muttered to myself, trying to make sense of my surroundings. The forest seemed eerily quiet, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was not alone.

Suddenly, a voice pierced the silence.

"Good evening to you, Yujin." I turned toward the source of the voice and was met with a figure illuminated by the firelight.

At first, I thought it was Melissa, but something was different.

"It's me, your guardian angel," the figure explained. 

My heart raced as I realized I was in the presence of a celestial being, the one who had placed me in this foreign body.