Chapter 19
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How to Survive as the Villain's Younger Sister Episode 19 Why had he been trapped with me? As I pondered this question, I made my way out of the confined space, when suddenly my body was yanked backward with tremendous force. The door slammed shut with a resounding bang right behind him. The Young Boy had managed to escape outside, but I found myself imprisoned once more.
"Where do you think you're running to!"
Dreiny seized the back of my neck and shouted. I was discarded onto the floor like a discarded doll.
"So you were deliberately interfering with me all along? Exposing the forged letter, elevating Alexis to the position of head of house, driving out all the pawns I had planted!"
"Did you finally figure it out? You fool!"
"You, you bastard...! I was going to let you go peacefully!"
Dreiny drew a dagger from his bosom. He was about to stab me. Yet this time, it didn't frighten me as much as before. 'My limbs are free now, so I should try something.' I attempted to summon my inventory. At that very moment. Crash! The window shattered with a violent burst of sound. Through the opening, someone leaped in with the swift, elegant grace of a swan. A blade of icy silver light was leveled against Dreiny's thick neck.
"How dare you."
A low, familiar voice resonated through the air. I looked up in disbelief at the beautiful woman with auburn hair.
"Oh, Sister..."
It was Alexis. She glanced down at me briefly. Heat rose to my cheeks from the joy of seeing her, and tears began to well up in my eyes, yet I remained unharmed. In Alexis's blue eyes, a flicker of relief seemed to pass. She tightened her grip on the sword and fixed her gaze upon Dreiny.
"You dare abduct a direct descendant of Parkision?"
"Ah, Alexis... no, Your Grace the Duke! I was merely... ugh!"
The flustered Dreiny let out a scream. The blade had bitten slightly into his neck. Blood bloomed crimson.
"Do you know how much human blood has stained this blade? It seems one more will be added today."
"!"
A voice dripping with murderous intent. 'Alexis is speaking of what happened in her past life.' In the original story, she took her revenge and stained her blade with so much blood. The original 'Cyrilia' died at that moment too. My fingertips grew cold. I was terrified myself, but Dreiny Volgo, who had the sword pointed directly at him, trembled violently and even lost control of his bladder. Alexis was about to swing her blade.
"Your Excellency!"
Just then the door shattered, and Dain and Maran burst in. They came with other knights. At that, Alexis seemed to regain her composure and sheathed her sword.
"He is not worthy of Your Excellency's blade."
Dain spoke.
"I know. Restrain Dreiny Volgo and lock him away. We shall proceed through proper channels for his execution."
Alexis said so and turned to leave. Then she suddenly stopped and looked down at me, crumpled on the ground.
"Get up."
Her tone was piercingly cold. 'Sister's angry.' I whimpered in fear and tried to rise, but collapsed back down again. My legs had gone numb from being bound for so long. Alexis's eyes grew even colder. I trembled as I tried to stand, but fell repeatedly. Alexis sighed.
"I, I can get up...ah!"
Just as I was about to fall again, Alexis lifted me up effortlessly. For a moment, I was bewildered by the sensation of flying through the air. But as soon as my eyes met Alexis's, I was so startled that my body trembled violently.
"The servants found you missing."
"...."
"I thought you'd be playing in the dirt in the Wasteland, but shamefully, you were kidnapped instead."
"...."
"Fortunately, there was a witness."
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
I clasped my hands together and begged. Alexis rarely paid attention to matters that didn't interest her. Even if her own blood relative had been kidnapped, she would have simply sent a subordinate. The fact that she came here personally meant— 'She's angry that I left the mansion without permission.' And foolishly, I'd gotten myself kidnapped on top of it. I stared fixedly at the sword held in her hand. It was her cherished blade that she had used when subjugating monsters in the original story. 'One day, that blade might cut me down as well.' My body trembled uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry. I won't go outside without permission anymore. I won't cause trouble. I won't get kidnapped again."
As I begged desperately, Alexis gazed down at me in silence.
"Sigh...."
Then, releasing a deep breath, she cast her sword to the ground. Instead, she wrapped her other arm around me as well. I flinched.
"Let's go back."
"...."
"Home."
She's not going to scold me? Relief washed over me in a clear, deep exhale. Only then did I suddenly remember the Young Boy who had been with me. 'I hope that child managed to escape safely.' He had to be unharmed. As that thought crossed my mind, my body abruptly lost all its strength. The aftereffects came crashing down on a body that had only endured through sheer tension. I felt as though I might lose consciousness. 'But I still have something I need to do.' "Sister, thank you for saving me."
"...."
"I have a gift for you, sister!"
"What trash did you pick up this time?"
Alexis asked flatly.
"It's pretty trash!"
I forced a bright smile and pulled out the Night Spirit Stone from my inventory. Alexis's blue eyes, usually expressionless, widened dramatically.
"This is!"
It was the first time I had ever seen her show such surprise.
"I found it while playing in the dirt in the Wasteland! There's more beneath the pit!"
"Night Spirit Stones.... And you say there are more...?"
Alexis asked, her eyes filled with disbelief.
"Yes! There are so many!"
I nodded vigorously. At my words, joy rippled across Alexis's pale face like waves upon water. 'Thank goodness. Alexis is happy....' Now my task was complete. I smiled softly, then my head drooped onto Alexis's shoulder and I lost consciousness. A sound like a scream echoed in my ears, but soon it faded away. * * * "Based on our confidential investigation, 'Night Spirit Stones' have been buried throughout the wastelands of the territory."
"As expected."
Alexis nodded as she received the report from Dain and Maran. But her gaze was directed elsewhere. Upon the expansive bed. A small girl buried beneath white blankets as though drowning in them. It was Cyrilia. The child breathed softly, as if lost in slumber. Yet she had not awakened since yesterday. Dain spoke with concern.
"It troubles me that she hasn't stirred at all."
"The physician said it's merely from the shock. I'm more worried about you staying up all night to care for her. Why not leave her to the servants?"
Meanwhile, Maran grumbled irritably. Alexis, her expression unchanged, brushed aside Cyrilia's silvery hair that had fallen across her face. At that, Cyrilia made a soft sound and nuzzled her cheek against Alexis's palm. A flutter. Alexis's eyes widened. The warmth of the soft, tender cheek against her cold hand wrapped around her like a sweet spell. 'Such a delightful sensation.' Though Cyrilia remained unconscious, Alexis's heart raced with each beat. 'She'll wake up healthy soon, I'm certain.' Somehow, I couldn't imagine this child leaving me. 'I've even prepared a gift for her—she wouldn't leave without accepting it.' Only then did Alexis relax. And she gazed at the dirt-play toy placed beside the bed. In truth, I had gone to the Wasteland to give her this, only to discover that Cyrilia had been kidnapped. With my mind at ease, the report on the 'Night Spirit Stones' finally came into focus. The report contained a map of the burial sites and approximate quantities of the stones. It was accurate, having been confirmed with a Spirit Stone detection artifact. This magical tool, obtainable on the market, had been meticulously crafted by the Imperial Court. The Imperial Court was desperate to find Spirit Stones to purify Nightmare Valley. Yet the Imperial Court had only managed to locate a small quantity of ordinary Spirit Stones. Meanwhile, the 'Night Spirit Stones' buried in Parkision were— 'An enormous amount.' Enough to repay my debt to Jenin with surplus. 'With the excess, I should purchase grain.' Night Spirit Stones drain the vitality from the earth. In other words, once the stones are mined, the land revives. Then there would be no need to import grain as before. 'But next year, the 【Barren Period】 will begin.' When that time comes, every grain across the continent will vanish into the hands of monsters. People will starve, and death alone will walk the parched earth. 'I need to buy grain in advance to prepare for that time.' In my previous life, I formed a monster subjugation unit for this purpose and earned money through grueling work. There was no other way to make money back then. But now, there's no need for that. 'I can simply sit comfortably in my office and trade Night Spirit Stones.' It's truly so easy. 'And it's all thanks to Cyrilia.' I can no longer deny that this is more than mere coincidence. Whenever I need something, Cyrilia provides a hint. Pretending otherwise, acting like an innocent child who knows nothing. 'There's something more to this.' Ever since I asked for the Wasteland as my inheritance, this child has known everything. 'I wish she had known about her own kidnapping in advance and escaped.' "But how did you know that Night Spirit Stones were buried in the Wasteland?"
Maran asked.
"I found out while playing in the dirt."
"Pardon?"
Alexis didn't answer further and turned the report to the next page. I noticed something irritating in the contents.
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