“Big sister, you have the same hair.”
Cattleya laughed happily.
“Oh well. Your hair – I like it.”
Louise pouted and muttered,
“Big sister Eléonore’s blond hair color is the same as father’s, I think.”
“Well, I asked big sister Eléonore about that. She was offended.”
“Right. I don’t think big sister Eléonore matches her fair hair.”
“Huh, why?”
“She is mean. She's a different older sister. Even though it's been a long time, she keeps on bullying me.”
“It’s because you, Louise, are so cute. So cute that it makes one worry. It's her way of caring.”
“That’s not true.”
Cattleya slowly embraced Louise tightly from the back.
“It is true. Everyone in this house loves you, Little Louise.”
“Saying such a thing, big sister...”
Cattleya buried her face in Louise’s hair and closed her eyes.
“But I'm so glad, Louise. I thought that you would become completely depressed…”
“Why?”
“Viscount Wardes. He was a traitor, right? Half a year ago, he was a magical guard leader. Wardes's mansion was attached to our territory. When he betrayed you, weren't you hurt?”
Louise shook her head.
“Not really. I am not a child anymore. Don’t confuse a childish crush for love.”
Cattleya smiled when Louise said so firmly.
“You are reliable. You've grown up, Louise.”
“That's right,” Louise muttered to herself.
“I am not a child anymore, therefore, I want to make decisions for myself.”
“Then, if father were to oppose it, would you go to war without his permission?”
“If it's possible, I want him to agree. I want everyone to understand me.”
“However, I do not feel admiration for the war either.”
“Our mother country is in crisis. And, Princess… no, Her Majesty, needs my powers. Therefore…”
“It is useless to say that to me. It is difficult for me to understand, for your elder sister always shuts herself in the castle.”
Cattleya gently patted Louise's head. Then, she had a strong coughing fit.
“Big sister! Are you all right?”
Louise watched Cattleya with a worried expression. Louise’s second elder sister’s body was weak. She had never taken more than one step out of La Vallière territory.
“Did you call a doctor?”
Cattleya nodded.
“The local doctor was called, and even though he tried to cast powerful ‘Water’ spells many times, magic is useless against this sickness. Nothing is good for such a body. The touch of water flow is useless.”
The cause of Cattleya’s sickness was unknown. Even if you treat the sickened part of her body with medicine or magic, another part would start to degenerate. Eventually, all doctors failed against such a cycle. Her symptoms were currently relieved by various medicines and magics.
Despite all that, Cattleya still smiled. Louise felt pity for her elder sister. Because of her condition, Cattleya could not get into the magic academy, even though she could cast magic. She also cannot marry, despite being so beautiful.
“Hmmm, why such a long face? I lead a rather happy life everyday. Look!”
Cattleya pointed at the bird cage.
There was a bird shut inside. A small bandage was rolled around the wing.
“Look, it is the young bird that I talked about in the carriage a while ago. I picked it up recently.”
“C-cute.”
“This young bird was badly hurt. Her wing was wounded. I was passing by when I heard the pain in this young bird's voice. I stopped the carriage and picked it up.”
It seemed that Cattleya, while she was in the forest, heard the cry of the bird, so she stopped the carriage and picked it up.
“Big sister! It is just a bird!”
“Don’t you feel the same about your familiar?”
Cattleya smiled knowingly. Louise’s cheeks flamed up in an instant. I do not understand what I feel about Saito. Is it because he is a human?
“So you understand me. This young bird is the same.”
Cattleya said, pointing.
“Really?”
“Yes. I’m happy that you've already reached the age of falling in love.”
Even Louise’s ears turned red.
“What are you talking about?! I didn’t fall in love!”
“It is useless to hide it from me. I understand everything.”
“I am not in love. Really!”
Being very embarrassed, Louise shook her head, and was on the verge of tears.
“Don’t make such a fuss. I understand everything. Then, shall we sleep together after such a long time?”
Still blushing, Louise nodded, biting her lips.
On a soft bed, Louise, with her clothes taken off and only in her underwear, drew closer to her elder sister. Cattleya, in her nightclothes as well, embraced Louise tightly like a kitten.
Louise placed her face next to Cattleya's chest and gave out a deep sigh.
“What's wrong, Louise?”
“Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
After Cattleya’s words, Louise muttered hesitatingly.
“I wonder if mine will grow as big as big sister’s.”
“Pfft,” Cattleya giggled. Then she started groping Louise’s chest.
“Hyaah!”
Louise yelped. Ignoring her screams, Cattleya kept on touching.
“All right. Don’t worry. It will grow big soon.”
“Really?”
“Yep. I was like you at first too.”
Louise tried to remember. Cattleya is 24 now… so she was sixteen, eight years ago. And I was eight. Did Cattleya look the same as I am at that time? She could not recall clearly, because she was too young then.
Come to think of it, Cattleya always embraced her when they slept, during those old times. I couldn’t stand sleeping by myself and couldn’t fall asleep alone. Carrying her pillow and going to Cattleya’s bed, while listening to elder sister's stories and breathing in her scent… she always calmed down and fell asleep.
In Cattleya’s embrace, her eyes closed by themselves…
Various thoughts started coming to her head.
Henrietta.
War against Albion.
Possible death.
Coming home to ask permission for what may end up being her death. A heavy load on her shoulders.
The cruel and valuable lessons that she learned day by day.
And, when she was thinking about her familiar, for some reason, Louise’s cheeks started to burn. They hardly talked today. Because she was being scolded by Eléonore, they could not talk. But now when she started to think about these things, she could not fall asleep at all.
She started squirming restlessly…
“What’s wrong? Can’t fall asleep?”
“Ye-yes…” she muttered embarrassed.
“Fufufu. You cannot fall asleep next to me already. Who are you thinking about, child?”
“N-no one! Really!”
“Is it the boy that you brought with you a little while ago?”
“Wrong! He’s just a familiar! I don’t love him!”
“Hmmm. I didn’t say that you loved someone.”
Louise hid within the futon.
“I hate you, big sister.”
“Oh dear, now I am hated.”
Cattleya laughed happily.
“But it’s all right. If a child cannot sleep next to the elder sister, then it is not a compliment for the sister. In fact, she should be embarrassed instead.”
“Uuuuuh…” Louise groaned.
“See you soon. Your whereabouts today change.”
Louise, rolled up in a blanket, walked through the corridor. On the way, she asked the servants where Saito was staying. It was at the end of an adjoined corridor behind the guest room, a place where the cleaning tools were stored.