Chapter 27 - "Sisterly Rivalry"

Chapter 27 - "Sisterly Rivalry"

Suzu, after reaching the tower, observed her surroundings. There were no people inside, which she thought was likely due to the crowd outside, shouting. After a brief moment of thought, she dismissed it and immediately headed to the waiting room where participants in the trial would teleport in. Upon reaching the room, she saw two people talking. She initially wanted to ignore them, but when she recognized who it was, she frowned and shouted, "YOU, you bitch!"

Her shout, however, was unheard by Valeria, who was too focused on the surroundings. All the jewels around her began to light up, causing her to stand up in a rush. She knew someone was likely about to teleport back, and the thought made her nervous. Suzu also noticed this and frowned, her hope rising that Eira would be among those returning.

Her guess proved correct. The blinding lights intensified, then subsided after ten seconds, revealing a single person. Valeria, upon seeing the figure's features, staggered back in shock, thinking it was not Eira, but someone taller than her sister. Her legs went weak, and for a moment, she feared that Eira hadn't made it through.

Lleana, noticing the absence of the blinding light, grabbed Valeria's shoulder and whispered, "Valeria, hey, Valeria, are you listening? Your little sister is alive, she's alright. Look."

Valeria, still dazed, glanced toward Mira, who was holding Eira. Without hesitation, Valeria rushed forward, her face full of desperation. She reached out to grab Eira, but Mira swiftly dodged.

"Whoosh!"

Mira, slightly upset by the sudden movement, composed herself when she saw that it was Valeria. She erased any anger, recognizing that paying respects to her future in-law would be important should she eventually win Eira's heart.

Valeria, now regaining her composure, frowned and said, "Hey, what are you doing? Hand Eira to me."

Mira nodded and responded, "Okay, here. Take Eira with you. But sister Valeria, don't wake her. She's so tired from the trial that she fell asleep for the entire day. Please, don't make too much noise."

Mira's bold use of the term "sister" didn't seem to faze Valeria, who, seeing Mira's sincere demeanor, let go of her suspicions. Valeria retracted her earlier anger and walked closer to Mira. Carefully, she took Eira from her arms.

As she held her sister, Valeria was struck by how different Eira looked. Her body had grown slightly, and she appeared even more beautiful. The skin that once bore the marks of hardship now glowed with smoothness and vitality. Valeria stood frozen for a moment, mesmerized by how charming her sister had become.

Lleana, curiosity getting the better of her, also approached. Upon seeing Eira's changed appearance, she gasped, her eyes wide with awe. "Umm, Valeria, can I… can I touch Eira just a little?" she asked, her voice soft, her eyes practically sparkling with fascination.

Before Valeria could respond, an interruption came. Suzu, who had been quietly observing, frowned. She immediately shouted, her voice laced with mock outrage. "Hey, Valeria, you bitch! Do you dare make Eira disappear like that? Do you realize if I tell Mother that Eira was in the tower, you'll be in big trouble?"

Valeria stared at Suzu, who had appeared with her usual cunning expression. Valeria, suddenly aware of her guilt, felt a deep wave of shame. She began to feel the weight of her mistake and began pondering her actions, guilt settling in her heart.

Suzu, sensing the opening, intensified her words. "You bitch! You still dare to touch Eira with those sinful hands of yours? Give her to me, you irresponsible sister!"

Suzu walked closer, her tone increasingly cold and judgmental. Valeria, her expression filled with conflict, hesitated for a moment before nodding in reluctant agreement. She knew Suzu was right, she had been careless.

With a smug grin, Suzu extended her hands, eagerly accepting Eira. As she cradled the girl, a quiet laugh almost escaped her. It was rare to see Valeria so guilt-ridden, and Suzu took immense satisfaction in the moment.

Without another word, Suzu turned to leave, her voice dripping with mock disappointment. "Haaah, you better come up with a good excuse for Mother. She'll be coming to the capital soon for an important gathering with the royal family. Hahaha, be prepared."

As Suzu walked away, her laughter echoed faintly in the room. Valeria stood still, overwhelmed by guilt. Lleana, who had remained silent throughout, couldn't help but pity Valeria. She knew family matters could be ruthless, and this particular situation was one of the crueler examples. But there was nothing she could do to intervene.

Meanwhile, deep in her dream, Eira continued to observe herself from an outside perspective. She watched as her body moved and interacted with the people in the house, speaking as if everything were normal. "Argh, why can't I move my body? Why am I talking? Who is this? I'm sure it's me…"

She was confused, unable to understand why she was only an observer in this version of events. The scenes shifted again, and she found herself in a desolate landscape, the ground cracked, fire raging around destroyed houses. Eira felt a tightness in her chest, and for the first time in the dream, she felt emotions, her own tears were falling.

"Why am I crying?" she wondered, dumbfounded. The scene seemed to mirror the past, but something felt different this time. Her body, now dressed in torn clothes, reflected the severity of the destruction. Eira spoke again, but her voice came not from her own mouth, but from the body she was watching.

"Who is this?" she wondered, overwhelmed by the strange disconnection from herself. It felt as though she was trapped in another timeline, unable to influence her past actions, only observing.