Chapter 5
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How to Survive as the Villain's Younger Sister
Episode 5
According to the original story, a plague would strike in a few years.
Both of them would die then.
That was supposed to happen.
'But I'm not ready yet.'
Not mentally prepared.
And—
"Who will become the next head of the Duke's household?"
"Surely Duchess Alexis."
"But the Duchess hasn't even had her coming-of-age ceremony yet. She's merely seventeen years old."
Everyone's attention centered on who would become the next head of the Duke's house.
"Dreiny won't wait for the ceremony. He'll put his niece Cyrilia forward and attempt to rule as regent himself."
"True enough. The family elders and retainers all favored Julia anyway. There's probably not a soul among them who hasn't accepted money from that pair."
"But what matters most is Roel's opinion. The late Duke trusted him most, so he must have left instructions with Roel."
All eyes turned toward me at once.
A pale-faced twelve-year-old child, standing there in a daze.
By any measure, I was the perfect puppet to manipulate.
"Poor dear Cyrilia!"
Someone suddenly grabbed my hand.
It was Dreiny.
"An orphan at merely twelve years old!"
Dreiny deliberately raised his voice and wept.
"How difficult it must have been for your father to leave this child behind. His most beloved daughter!"
Father?
'He's never once called the Duke of Parkision that.'
Every time he'd addressed the Duke as "Your Grace" while bowing deeply.
What came next was even more absurd.
His most beloved daughter?
'That's ridiculous. My biological father only loved himself.'
This was all for the benefit of the audience.
"Your uncle won't betray your father's wishes. I'll take responsibility for you. No one will cast you out from here."
Dreiny emphasized "from here" with particular force.
It was meant to intimidate me while simultaneously attacking Alexis.
I asked in a trembling voice.
"C-could I really be cast out?"
At my frightened tone, a gleam of triumph flickered in Dreiny's eyes.
He believed his threat had worked.
'What a terrible person!'
Threatening a twelve-year-old child who hadn't even lost their baby fat yet.
"Don't worry yourself, Cyrilia. Trust your uncle. But you must listen carefully to what your uncle says, yes?"
I nodded as though reassured.
Then I gazed at the people staring at us so openly.
That was when my eyes met Alexis's cold gaze.
I turned back to Dreiny and spoke in a pitiful voice.
Emphasizing a single word.
"Thank goodness. You'll protect 'us,' won't you?"
"Yes, I will protect you...."
"But who could it be? The person trying to cast out 'we sisters'?"
I continued speaking with a frightened expression.
"They're truly terrible. Please punish them!"
Like a child who understood nothing at all.
In that moment, the surroundings fell silent.
Dreiny's eyes twisted as he grasped the situation a beat too late.
"...Let's talk about this again later."
Dreiny abandoned his niece whom he had promised to "protect" and left his seat.
I watched his retreating figure with a disappointed expression.
Then, pretending to notice the people's stares only belatedly, I startled and hid behind a tree.
The people turned their gazes away, embarrassed.
'What should I do from now on?'
Leaning against the massive tree, I pondered.
My head was spinning.
'Already, everyone's only thinking about pushing Alexis aside and using me.'
I had been too naive.
I should have anticipated that the future could change.
Becoming an orphan was familiar to me.
I had been an orphan in my previous life too.
'Only back then, I had younger siblings, not an older sister.'
"Sis, lend me some money. I've got a real goldmine of a deal this time, okay? What? It's illegal? Ah, what does that matter right now!"
"Sis, just help me out of this one situation. I won't cause any more trouble. Five thousand should do it. What? You don't even have five thousand? Then just take out a loan!"
"Sis, I have something urgent...."
"Sis...."
Before I knew it, I squeezed my eyes shut.
"Useless talk."
But at the sound coming from above my head, my eyes snapped open again.
It was Alexis.
When my gaze met her cold blue eyes looking down at me, my body went rigid.
"Someone's trying to cast out 'we sisters'?"
The sun peeking through the gaps in the cloudy sky illuminated Alexis's crimson hair.
I carefully reached out my hand toward my radiant 'older sister.'
"I'm on your side, sister. I'll protect you."
One corner of Alexis's mouth twisted upward.
It was the first time I'd seen such an expression—whether from exasperation or mockery, I couldn't tell.
"I won't be cast out from this family. Not in 'this life.'"
"...."
"You should be worried about yourself instead."
Was that advice?
Before I could find an answer, Alexis turned away from me.
'And she said "this life."'
She hadn't hidden the fact that she'd regressed.
'Of course, she probably said it thinking I wouldn't understand.'
In other words, Alexis, who already knew the future, could seize control of the family through her own strength, just like in the original story.
'Sister might not need my help at all.'
Perhaps it would be better for us both if I simply disappeared now.
The moment that thought crossed my mind, all strength drained from my body.
A twelve-year-old girl, orphaned without warning.
I couldn't think of a single way for her to help the protagonist of this novel.
'What do I do, what do I do?'
I bit my lower lip and lifted my head.
Ding—
That was when it happened.
'Huh? What was that sound?'
Where the overcast sky should have been, a translucent window floated before me.
'This is...!'
Something I hadn't seen once since possessing this body.
Yet something I could never forget.
A status window.
A status window that only appeared to Awakened ones!
'Why is this appearing now?'
I'm no longer an Awakened one.
This world isn't even a hunter system.
Moreover, the status window that should display [Awakened Information] was riddled with errors.
[Awakened Information]
Name: Cyrilia Parkision (12)
Affiliation: ■@#%■■
Rank: ■@#$
Title: $%^!■#^■■
Exclusive Trait: ■■■■
Exclusive Skill: ■!%!##@
Item: ■Check Now#@■
...
'A status window that shouldn't exist in this world has appeared as an error. Otherwise... wait?'
That was when I noticed something strange in the status window.
Item: ■Check#Now@■
'I can check items?'
The sentence was riddled with errors, but the confirmation button was clearly active.
Bewildered, I selected 'Check Now'.
[Opening inventory.]
The inventory window, which had always been [Locked], opened.
And then.
[Retrieving owner's items.]
[Gold Rush (S-Rank)]
[Resurrection Blade (Legendary)]
[Hermes' Letter (Legendary)]
[Cerberus' Claw (SSS-Rank)]
[Dwarf Mine Mana Stone (A-Rank)]
...
Countless items began pouring forth in a cascade.
* * *
"It's fortunate that Cyrilia is foolish. Does she take after Julia?"
"'The youngest lady,' 'the duchess.'"
At the words of Parkision Knights commander Maran Boers, the man beside him offered a gentle warning.
His tone was soft, yet stern.
Maran shook his head as if exasperated.
"Dain, we're alone here—what does it matter what we call her? She's simply thick-headed, that's all."
"It was quite pleasant to see Dreiny flustered thanks to the youngest lady."
Dain spoke as if he hadn't heard.
Though merely a knight of the Parkision Knights, he held his own even against the commander.
'Innocent appearance, yet a personality I find agreeable.'
Even in this life.
Alexis regarded her two loyal subordinates with that thought.
Commander Maran Boers and Chief Knight Dain Bartal.
They had been her closest confidants since her second life.
Capable, loyal, and without ties to Dreiny's faction.
So I kept them at my side from childhood in this life as well.
Dain, being perceptive, was easy to bring under my command, but Maran was different.
Perhaps it was the pride of a family that had held the position of commander for generations.
To 'persuade' him to become the subordinate of a girl, I had to beat it into him thoroughly in this life too.
He was the type who submitted completely before those stronger than himself.
But what of Cyrilia?
Would she be a child I could easily manipulate with a keen eye for reading the room?
Or would she be a child who only obeys after being roughed up and tossed around?
'Or perhaps, like in my past life....'
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org