From My Stepsister Iris, With Love

Huh? What is she saying? She...she loves me?

No, no. No, Athena. Don't get tricked by her. She's playing with your emotions. She is definitely trying to trick you into thinking that she cares and break your heart afterwards. It's...a cruel tactic. How cunning. How...evil.

"You love me? You...you must be tricking me. Please, don't tell such obvious lies. I'm no fool."

"I'm not lying! Athena, my dear sister, I really, really love you. From the day we met."

Oh, for the love of these croissants, I'm begging you. Spare me from this. Don't break my heart any further. I can't take much more. I...just want to enjoy eating some good food one last time. I appreciate the quality bread you brought, but I do not believe your lies.

"Athena, I can see that it's hard for you to believe me...but can I take it that these tears show that you're enjoying the bread I've brought? It'll bring me some relief, at least."

I can feel the tears flowing down my cheeks. Darn it, I'm showing my weak side. She's...seeing my weak side. She's...going to exploit it, break me down bit by bit.

... Ugh, does it matter at this point? Nothing. Nothing matters. I'm dying in a few days, after all. Fine, I'll let you tell your lies. It sounds better than insults and mockery, anyway. I'll thank you for the bread, at least.

"T-thank you for the bread."

I looked at the way Iris looked at me. She smiled happily, full of relief.

"You're very welcome, Athena. Would you like some tea, too? It's one of your favourites, too."

I nod. Tea, huh? I was thinking about it just a few moments ago, so it's a welcome thing. Heck it all, might as well get everything I get, even if it's from her.

Iris brightened up even more as she noticed my nod. She immediately took out a clay pot from the basket she brought into the cell and poured some into the lid. She gave the liquid on it a light blow, cooling it quickly before giving it to me.

I took the lid from her and smelled the liquid. Oh, I know this. It's jasmine tea, one of my favourites. How did she know?

"How did you..."

"I've always heard you order the same thing during our academy's tea parties. I also confirmed it with the maids back in the mansion."

...why would you go so far for a lie? Or does she really... no, not yet. Not so fast. I'm not about to fall into her honey trap. Whew. That was too close.

"It's also the flavour of the precious tea cakes you offered me during our first tea party. Do you remember that?"

What? How do you know that? You never ate the tea cakes. Wait. Did you? Am I remembering it wrong? Am I delusional? It can't be. I would have noticed.

"I...I want to apologise for wasting those tea cakes, Athena. I didn't mean to..."

Oh, I was right. You didn't eat it. And what do you mean you didn't mean to? Tell me.

"What...what do you mean?"

I stare intensely into Iris's eyes, waiting for her answer.

"I...I'm actually...I'm actually allergic to tea cakes."

What. Now that's a stretch. Tea cakes are rare commodities, inaccessible to commoners. How do you even know you're allergic to tea cakes when you couldn't have possibly eaten one before? Ha. You are a liar, after all.

"I know what you're thinking, Athena. How do you even know you're allergic if you've never eaten it before?"

Whoa. She just read my mind.

"Actually, I did have them before. It's actually how Father even found me in the first place. Father visited the place I was working at and gave us tea cakes as a reward...then I fainted after taking a bite. Father rushed me to the healers, and Father happened to see my birthmark, which I also happened to have inherited from my late mother when the healers treated me."

Oh. My. I don't know whether that's a really elaborate lie or she's actually telling the truth. Giving tea cakes to commoners certainly does seem like something Father would do...and I never did ask how he found Iris in the first place.

"I know you probably don't trust me on this, so let me show you instead."

Iris suddenly started to pull off her upper clothing, very nearly exposing her breasts wide out in the cell.

"AHHHH! What are you doing?! There's men right outside there!"

I quickly gave Iris a hug out of instinct, and my hands frantically adjusted her clothes back on. As I do so, I hear the scumbags outside the cells clicking their tongues, softly hurling a few insults at me.

A sense of exasperation and frustration rose up within me, and I yelled at Iris. "Please, for your own sake, be more careful!"

I seriously can't believe her lack of common sense! I get that she was trying to show me something, probably the birthmark that she was talking about, but damn it all, check your surroundings before you do so!

"Hehe." Iris suddenly giggled softly, seemingly enjoying my panic.

"What? What is it? What's so funny?"

"A-Ah. No, it's nothing. It's just that it's been a while since you scolded and protected me like that."

Huh? I don't recall ever doing that. What is this woman talking about?

"You probably don't remember, do you? That's alright. I do remember, and that's all it matters."

Hey! Don't skip that part! When did I do this for you? I don't remember this at all!

"Athena... I—"

"HEY! TIME'S UP! GET OUT OF THERE!"

The guards outside shouted into the cell, they were seemingly fuming about something. Probably because I denied them a free view, I guess.

"Please, gentlemen, please give me more time! I need to—"

Without warning or any leeway, a few of the guards walked into the cell, and one of them approached me and kicked me to the ground, while another kicked the bucket that Iris brought in over, spilling over everything in it. The last two guards grabbed Iris by the arms and started dragging her out of the cell forcefully.

"Hey, let me go! I still have things to say to—"

"Shut it! Get out of here! You're not allowed to visit the prisoner again, either! Now scram!"

Geez, you guys didn't have to get violent with us! Damn scumbags, just because you missed looking at some breasts doesn't mean you have to get physical with us!

"Urgh! Let go of me! Athena! Athena! Can you still hear me?! I promise to get you out of there! I won't let you die! I won't allow it! I promise! I'll save—"

Before Iris could finish shouting whatever she was trying to say at the end, I heard the door slam shut, the echoes of metallic sounds drowning out the last of her voice.

I laid still on the ground while the two guards in my cell stomped on the food and things that fell out of the basket, and after they were done, they grabbed me by the arms, pulled me up, and gave me a smack on the face, sending me flying onto the ground once again.

I did nothing to resist the violence, as I lacked the energy and strength to do so.

"FUCKING BITCH! YOU SHOULD BE GLAD WE'RE FUCKING NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH YOU." One of the guards shouted angrily at me while the other spat at me and gave me another kick to the stomach.

"YOU BETTER WATCH YOURSELF!" They shouted at me once more before both of them walked out of the cell and shut the door tight.

A-Ah... That...really hurt. Those bastards...how could they do this to a lady...if it was a few years ago, I would had their heads on the platter...

I struggled to sit up and lie my back on the cold stone wall, letting the coldness on my back negate the pain in my stomach. I looked around the cell to see if there was anything to support me, but instead, I noticed something else.

Oh. The croissants. They're...ruined.

I looked at the ruined pieces on the ground, and I crawled towards one of the pieces and picked it up. As I did so, I recalled the look on Iris's face a few moments ago.

She...looked like she cared about me. Was...was all that real? Did I just have a dream or something?

I look out the cell towards the door, and I vaguely recall her last words before she was dragged out the door.

Was she...going to say she was going to save me? To get me out of here? Why would you do that for me?

As my thoughts floated in my head, the injury from the kick to my stomach started to hurt again, I immediately shut out all of my thoughts, I laid down on the ground, and my vision started to blur as my tears started flowing out of my eyes once more.

Have I been...really wrong? Did she really...love me?