The Kind Older Sister Is No More

Noel breathed out those horrifying words casually, as if nothing had happened. But despite that, he was able to let out a sigh of relief only after checking that there were no wounds on Irene’s body. It was then that he noticed the condition of Louiselle sitting next to her. His brows furrowed at the maid’s unsightly state. At first glance, it seemed like a serious injury.

“Good work, Louiselle.”

“I was just doing the right thing.”

“Your Grace! Madame!”

On time, the mercenaries and soldiers came running from afar. Thanks to the fog clearing, the two could be found without much effort.

“Huh, Louiselle?!”

The mercenary corps, who had been running towards them, ecstatic, were startled to see the wounded Louiselle.

“Go back to the castle with Louiselle.”

“…What about you, Your Grace? There may still be some remnants lurking somewhere, waiting in ambush.”

“I’m going with my wife, so the rest of you go back to the castle first and deliver the news. Gather all the workers. Close all the doors so that not even a single ant can escape.”

“Yes, sir! We understand!”

At Noel’s command, the mercenary corps checked to ensure that all the assassins were dead and then carried Louiselle onto the horse’s back.

When she looked back at Irene, Irene spoke gratefully.

“See you later, Louiselle.”

“...Okay.”

As the knights and mercenaries returned to the castle, Noel turned to Irene. There was still a hint of agitation in his eyes.

“What happened?”

To his question, Irene lowered her gaze.

“There were sleeping pills in the tea that was served to me,” she answered.

“…! So that was why you slept so much during the day.”

“I was not very certain, but I knew for sure, today. Therefore, I escaped the castle with Louiselle and ran to the place where you were. That was how I came here…”

She blurred at the end; Irene reached out to touch the odd-looking tree which seemed to be the cause of the spectacle a while ago.

“This tree, this is the Snow Tree, you were talking about, right?”

“Exactly.”

“I see.”

She had had a strange feeling ever since she first saw it. But there was something really bizarre about it.

Why was the fog sucked in, at the moment I touched it?

It was not an unfamiliar sight as she had experienced, a somewhat identical occurrence before.

Like Ascardo’s necklace...

It was at that moment...

[It hurts.]

Startled by the sound of a foreign voice in her head, Irene withdrew her hand and took a step back.

“Irene? What’s wrong?”

Noel asked, puzzled at Irene’s sudden expression of bewilderment.

“It’s just. That voice…Did you hear it?”

“What voice… you mean the one you mentioned last time?”

“Yes…but this time it sounded slightly different…”

No way.

Irene turned her head. Rough texture and dry twigs resulted from the tree’s being sick and dying.

The Snow Tree?

It was an absurd assumption, but Irene swallowed her saliva and placed her hand on the tree’s exterior again. And this time she spoke first.

Who are you?

[It hurts…]

By any chance, are you

[It’s painful…]

But the voice kept repeating that it hurt. Irene pressed her lips tightly.

What should I do to help?

[Give me...power…]

Then another response came back. Irene’s eyes shook. Was it possible for her to transfer her mana? Rather, could she do this? If something were to go wrong...

But I don’t think anything would go wrong.

Maybe because of the way it sounded; the mystical soul seemed to be in so much pain. Or maybe it was because she could still feel some remaining warmth of the tree through the touch. Though it was faint, it was there. Irene suddenly felt the urge to bring this tree back to life.

How can I give you power?

[Tell me...your name.]

...it’s Irene...Irene Kristen.

Unconsciously, she almost mentioned “Chase” but quickly changed it. She was no longer a member of the Chase family.

[Irene, Irene Kristen.]

The voice echoed her name at once. At that moment, Irene felt her whole body drain. It began to absorb Irene’s mana, just like when it sucked in the mist.

Without taking her hands off, Irene sank. At her sudden collapse, Noel quickly embraced Irene out of panic.

“Irene, what on earth is going on!”

“...”

Irene felt her mind become hazy. With Noel’s anxious face and urgent voice behind her, Irene closed her eyes. The last piece of memory in her fading vitality was the appearance of the snow tree in full bloom with pure white flowers.

[We have made a contract, Irene Kristen, remember my name, it’s Snow.]

Before her vision blacked out, the mysterious voice spoke to her, but she failed to make out the meaning.

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