134 - Side Story: Leonardo's Perspective - My Little Sister 7
I quietly repeated deep breaths. The thing that had been rolling at my feet was carried off somewhere by Yahachi while I was catching my breath.
...I had not intended to kill them.
I completely misjudged my strength. I chopped off an arm when I only meant to break a bone, and I crushed a chest when I meant to strike a pressure point. The tree falling at the end was truly unexpected. That was not part of the plan, but since the tree fell right on top of the kidnappers I had restrained and left lying there, those crushed beneath it were left in a state too gruesome to look at.
...Good thing it was night.
Since the area was wrapped in darkness, Tina, who had been rescued, should not have been able to see this carnage. If this had happened during the day, Tina would surely have been frightened by the pools of blood everywhere.
...Would she have been frightened of me?
I was the one who created this hellish scene. I was aware of that.
...No, maybe I am the one who is frightened.
I remembered the sight of Tina coming out of the carriage, led by Kalisa's hand. When Tina saw my face, her expression lit up and she tried to run over to me, but I noticed my outstretched hand reflecting the moonlight, and I stopped her, telling her not to come closer. It was true that my hands were dirty, but more than that, I was afraid of misjudging my strength again. That when I tried to stroke her soft hair as usual, I might crush Tina's small skull.
Even after she got on the carriage to return, Tina was looking for me. Kalisa and Ethelbert-sama were also riding with her, so I thought she would be fine, but I suppose the presence of a guardian made a difference. Occasionally she would peek her face through the small window and call out, "Leo, are you there?" It was adorable. The stares from Okin and Yahachi were harsh on me for not being able to respond.
When we passed through the city gate, Jemian was waiting. When the carriage stopped for me to report, Tina jumped out from inside.
"Leo, there you are!"
Pointing sharply at me, Tina puffed out her cheeks. She must be sulking because I never answered her the whole time she was in the carriage. Once she confirmed I was there, looking satisfied, Tina went back into the carriage. Since Tina had gotten back in, I sent her straight to the hotel. I stayed at the city gate since I had reports to make and the kidnappers to hand over.
When I finished my report and returned to the hotel, Tina was standing in the center of the entrance hall, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out. Her face was clearly unhappy, but when our eyes met, she said nothing, just turned on her heel and ran up the stairs. She was climbing the stairs roughly, as if irritated, but the carpet was well-made, so most of the sound was absorbed.
...I feel like her displeasure is gradually getting worse.
Was she still sulking? When I called out to Kalisa, who was chasing after Tina to check on her, she shot me a look as if I were garbage, then briefly replied that Tina could not afford to be kidnapped again, and went after her.
...I am her master, technically.
I feel like Kalisa's priorities are clearly skewed toward Tina.
When I chased after Tina up the stairs, Tina and Dietfried-sama were on the third-floor landing. I wondered when they had become friends, but Tina stubbornly denied it. She denied it, but Dietfried-sama still seemed to consider Tina a friend. Worried about Tina, he was clinging to her with all his might, his face looking like he was holding back tears.
...That kindness must be from Elvis-sama's bloodline.
With a "goodness" expression on her face, Tina patted Dietfried-sama's blonde hair as she soothed him. I was pretty sure Tina was a year younger, but this made it hard to tell who was older. Tina looked a bit troubled by Dietfried-sama, but when she noticed me reaching the top of the stairs, she gave me a glaring, resentful look.
...What? Her mood seemed to have improved, but there is still something...
After soothing Dietfried-sama and sending him to his room, I returned to our room at the same time as Tina. Before I could even speak to her, Tina rushed over to Kalisa, who was already tidying the room. She completely ignored me.
Feeling awkward, I escaped to the bathroom. I was worried about Tina's mood, but first I had to wash the bloodstains and grime off my body before I could properly hold Tina.
By the time I was washing my hair, Tina came into the bathroom. As always, she refuses when I invite her to bathe together, but apparently it is fine for her to come into the bath while I am already bathing. I do not understand Tina's standards of modesty.
"Look. Iridal cleaned them up for me."
Saying this, what Tina proudly showed me were the custom-made shoes ordered in Grenore. They were also the shoes that had been covered in ash and turned pitch black on the day she appeared at the Mandez Residence fireplace.
...Her favorite shoes being cleaned up fixed her mood?
As she approached saying she would wash my hair for me, Tina smelled nice. An appetite-inducing smell.
"Did you eat something?"
"It seems Cidur-san had prepared a late-night snack."
"I was hungry, so I just had the soup first," Tina said with a smile. The displeasure from earlier had completely vanished.
"Ethel-sama asked me if I would like to live in the capital."
While carefully washing my hair with her slender fingers, Tina told me about the conversation in the carriage. It seemed Ethelbert-sama had judged it would be better to protect Tina. The reason Tina was kidnapped this time was because "she is my little sister." Considering Tina's safety, it might be a natural offer.
"...What do you want to do, Tina?"
If she stays by my side, there might be people who try to kidnap her again like today. Of course, I intended to protect her as much as possible, and I could increase the number of guards. But still, Tina's safety and feelings came first. If Tina said she wanted to leave me and live safely in the capital, I could prepare a place for her there.
"Today, I abandoned you, Tina. The kidnappers took you hostage, but I did not agree to their demands."
Even if the same situation happened again, I would surely make the same judgment, I told her honestly. Even if my little sister was taken hostage, as a knight I could not make the wrong choice. I was aware that as a big brother, this was the worst thing I could say.
"I discussed that with Ethel-sama too."
Tina said she was actually relieved by my choice, which was practically abandoning her. She said she was glad I was someone capable of rational judgment.
"I do not really like moving my home around a lot, so Leo and the city of Grenore is fine."
Even if someone told her now to live in the capital, having to rebuild everything from friends on up was a hassle, she joked, and then lowered her voice. In a truly tiny voice, she added some words.
"...Being protected in the capital just means the person holding the hostage would be Ethel-sama, would it not?"
If that were the case, living in Grenore was the safest and most reassuring, she said as she rinsed the soap from my hair. She rinsed it carefully, many times, and each time her slender fingers stroked my head, feeling good.
"Speaking of which, Ethel-sama said there was something you gained from today as well, Leo. Did you gain anything?"
"Having my little sister used as bait without my permission, then getting kidnapped on top of that... it was a terrible day, but it is not like I gained nothing."
It was not something that would bring visible benefit to either Tina or me. But being able to show someone close to the royal family, a former king at that, that even if my precious little sister was taken hostage, I would not betray the country... as a knight serving the kingdom, that could be considered a considerable gain.
When I got out of the bath, Tina was waiting for me in high spirits. She said she had had the soup first, but let us eat sandwiches together. She took my hand and led me to the table where the meal was prepared, then suddenly stopped as if she had remembered something. When I looked down to see what was wrong, Tina looked up at me with her blue eyes.
"I forgot. Leo, put out your foot."
"My foot?"
Though puzzled, I stepped one foot forward as prompted. As Tina stared intently at my foot placed before her, I was struck by a familiar impact.
"...Guhff!?"
At the impact on my foot, I remembered that Tina had changed her shoes earlier. I thought she had just wanted to show off her freshly cleaned shoes, but Tina's aim had been this from the start. As a way of expressing her anger, Tina had occasionally kicked my foot with her custom-made shoes, reinforced at the toe.
"Leo, who had the scariest experience today?"
"...Tina did."
Faced with Tina's actions, which had shown no sign of anger until moments before, I found myself answering politely with "did." Somehow, I felt that the more polite her tone, the deeper Tina's anger was.
"Even a ten-year-old boy was so worried he hugged me and would not let go, but Leo, you are my guardian, so what is wrong with you!?"
As Tina began to get angry again, I finally understood her anger. Tina was not angry about being kidnapped because of me, or about me ignoring her in the carriage. She was angry because as her guardian, my actions had not been adequate in any respect.
"Tina, I am sorry I was late."
Saying this, I went down on one knee to bring my eyes level with hers. Carefully, so as not to crush her no matter what, I drew Tina's small head close and hugged her.
"I put you through a scary experience. I am glad you are safe."
"You are too slow. If you are my guardian, you should have hugged me before Diet did."
After striking my chest once with her small fist, Tina wrapped her arms around my neck. Being careful not to crush her as I held her tight, Tina buried her face in the hollow of my neck.
The kidnapping affair ends here...? It is about time to return to Grenore. I want to go home. I am going home.
I will fix typos and missing characters another day. I have fixed the typos and missing characters I found.
I will skip the update on the 15th.