Episode 55

 “That’s not true.”

I shook my head at what Liatris said. I may not be able to get rid of all the shadow demons in this family enough to break the curse of the first demon, but I had hope.

Even if it’s only as tiny as a seed. 

“Salvation is still possible.”

“Why? Do you think your brother will be different?”

“. . . . .”

“Children who get involved with demons become demons. You don't know how much of an angelic child Alphonse was, but I remembered it when he was only a newborn baby.”

I bit my lips at the unbelievable words from Liatris. I wanted to think it was a lie, but her aura was evidently clear.

"I have no way of knowing about the qualifications of being a successor, even Derek can’t tell me, but I am suspicious of what your brother is doing."

He's not one to take care of a useless child like you for no reason.

Hearing what she said, I gathered my knees close and hugged it. I didn’t know which part of me I should hurt more.

Whether it’s the remark that I’m useless, or the nuance that Dietrich was using me.

────── 〔✿〕──────

“I want to sleep together with Dietrich.”

I didn’t know when Dietrich would leave Dahlia again.

Hearing the news of his arrival, I ran to his bedroom and let myself in without permission.

He looked down at me silently after finding me hugging the big raccoon doll like a pillow. 

A low sigh fell on top of my head, but I walked past him and entered the room. 

“Do you think this is your room?”

Dietrich shook his head as he looked alternately between me and the raccoon doll lying on his bed without permission.

“Why are you carrying that again?”

“I can’t sleep without this.”

I pouted, disappointed by his cold reaction. He has become even more blunt as time passed.

It had been a long time since the sun set, but he sat at a small table next to the window as though he had no intention of sleeping.

“Not sleeping?”

“Yeah.”

Dietrich gave a small nod, and stuck his chin towards the open window. 

“Consectatio.” 

I didn’t know what kind of power he used, but soon black shadows started flowing out of the window like water.

As I watched the mysterious black liquid which shined under the moonlight disappear, I got up from the bed and approached him.

“Why?”

I was happy to see him return to Dahlia Palace after a long time, but most of all, I had to check out the artificial aura that was of unknown identity.

From the moment Dietrich showed his ability, I had to know what that hybrid aura was which had begun to become thicker.  

‘And what Liatris said is bothering me.’

I stared at Dietrich’s chest with my eyes wide open. It’s fainter than the bracelet Alphonse carried, but it definitely smelled like the roses.

‘Certainly, this is a sign of the curse.’

“Dietrich.”

“Hm.”

“Take off your clothes.”

“. . . . . what?”

I stared at his shirt, wondering if he was wearing something underneath it that was similar to Alphonse’s bracelet, but his indifferent face gradually distorted.

He grabbed his collar as if he was dumbfounded. 

“I don’t want to.”

“Are you shy?”

Thinking about how he had changed my diapers before, his boundaries were a bit extreme. 

‘I’ll see it when he’s asleep.’

Fortunately, he didn’t do anything else for long. 

Dietrich, who kept checking for something out of the window, lay down on his bed, rubbing his tired eyes.

The bed was so big that there was still room left even with Dietrich, me, and the raccoon doll in it.

Then, he deliberately widened the space between us and settled at the edge of the bed. 

‘Already keeping his distance.’ 

During the time he was sent out away from Dahlia, as if something had happened to him after going out, everytime he came back, I could feel him getting farther and farther away. 

I sniffed, expressing my disappointment while I waited for him to fall asleep.

“. . . . sleeping?”

I hated the way Dietrich sleeps. He looked innocent with his eyes closed and he wasn’t moving, like a dead man.

He slept quietly, as if he wasn't even breathing so in the past, I thought he died while sleeping. There were times when I had to check if he was still alive by placing a finger under his nose.

When there was no answer, I raised myself carefully to check his face. 

‘Hmn. I think he’s sleeping.’

The raccoon was lying in an upright position between him and me, so I slowly rolled myself and fell to his side.

It was difficult to see with the naked eye because the buttons of the shirt were neatly fastened all the way to the neck.

‘I can’t do it.”

Thump thump.

“. . . . .”

Thump thump thump

“. . . . .”

I put my nose near his neck and checked whether it was really the scent of roses or not but at some point he lifted his body.

“Y-You didn’t sleep yet?”

Dietrich, who raised half of his upper body, frowned and stared at me.

I didn’t know when Baal was summoned, but he grabbed me by my collar and dangled  me in the air.

“Get out.”

“I have to smell Dietrich.”

“. . . . .”

He ignored what I said and picked up the raccoon doll and handed it to me.

Bang!

The next thing I knew, the door was closed right in front of me.

I was kicked out before I could confirm the identity of the aura, and cried while standing barefoot in the hallway.

Baal put slippers on my feet and clicked his tongue.

“Why did he kick me out?”

“Then why do you smell people when you are not even a dog?”

Come to think of it, people were looking at me strangely while I was thumping and churning through the whole palace to check for a polluted aura.

‘But the best way to confirm it is through smell!’ 

I pouted and made up my mind to aim for the next opportunity.

────── 〔✿〕──────

However, opportunities rarely came. Aside from frequently leaving Dahlia, Dietrich had started to pretend not to see me. At first, I held him and asked why, but I ended up getting tired.

‘I could care less about you.’

It was scarier than saying he’s angry.

‘If you’re angry, then say that you’re angry. If not, then did you just suddenly hate me?’

Thinking it was like that, my heart felt depressed. It was common for siblings who were once close when they were young to become awkward with each other after they grew up, but we haven’t even grown up yet.

‘Dietrich didn’t find out that I was making use of him, didn’t he? 

I couldn’t bring myself to find Dietrich anymore who was avoiding me. I was hurt just by seeing him avoid me.

“It is like having a family meal.”

It was none other than Baal who tried to narrow down the awkward distance between Dietrich and me.

I rolled my eyes as I peered at Baal, who was rubbing his hands, seeing Dietrich’s gaze.

‘What are you up to?’

Dietrich began to eat with a bored face, as though he was not impressed by the wonderful meal that Baal had prepared for the two of us.

I was hurt by Dietrich who kept ignoring me, so I didn’t say anything first.

“Ahem.”

The demon’s faint cough rang over the thin, ice-like silence.

‘Should I lend a hand to Baal?’ 

“Cough cough.”

I pouted my lips, then coughed to support the demon’s commendable effort. Only then did Dietrich stop eating and looked at me.

“Did you catch a cold?”

“Dietrich.”

“What.”

“You’re really not mad at me?”

“No.”

It may have been unpleasant to visit his room at will, but I had done so countless times.

During Dietrich’s absence, we had the children gathered and made a mess out of Dahlia, but I didn’t think he’d care about that.

“Where have you been? To Euclid?”

“Yeah.”

“What did you do there?”

“Dealt with the traitor of Lagrange.”

“And what else did you do?”

“You’re asking a lot of questions.”

I was just trying to hold a conversation. I scowled at Dietrich’s scolding and glared at him. He slowly turned his head as though he felt my gaze. 

“Learn to hide your emotions. Are you still acting like a child?”

I couldn’t even think of words to refute his bluntness and bit back my lips.

‘I can’t even say anything.’

“Then would you like me to tell you about me? I’ve gotten closer to the other children. Their names are Maslow, Riesling, and Rose, Dietrich you’ve seen them befo--”

“Marilyn.”

Dietrich didn’t even listen to me but he called Marilyn, who was handing me a bowl of soup.

As she bowed her head to him, a chilling voice poured over her head.

“Have you never taught Anissa table manners?”

“My apologies, Your Highness. She often eats alone.”

It was I warning that I wasn’t keeping my manner and talked loudly. I was astonished that Dietrich managed to shut me up in such an aristocratic way.

“You can just say it’s noisy.”

“. . . . .”

“Now you even hate talking with me, too?”

There was no reply. I was stunned by his attitude, and snorted as I chewed at the carrots that came with the meat.

Shhk.

I must have chewed too hard because it was hot.

For a moment, my gums were tingling, and a fishy taste spread in my mouth. I tilted my head to the side as I remembered a hazy old memory and Marilyn, who was by my side, let out a shrill scream. 

“Gasp. Princess!”

‘Hm. I was right.’

I got up from my seat, covering my mouth with my palms. It caught my attention that the faces of the servants, including Marilyn’s, were pale.

“Princess! Blood! You’re bleeding!”

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