I Became The Younger Sister Of A Dying Woman - Chapter 42

Chapter 42: A Springtime Nightmare (2)

The hunt was said to begin when the clock carried by the imperial chamberlain strikes eleven in the morning.

There were about 20 minutes left from now.

After she unexpectedly drew attention with her bizarre sneezing sound, Hernan approached Linzel.

He was the only person who didn’t laugh at that sneezing sound.

“You seem to have severe sneezing again today.”

“Don’t mention it. The pollen scattered everywhere is threatening my nose. Damn allergi… ah-choo!” Linzel sniffled and snorted.

“I’ll tell Gatt to bring you allergy-friendly tea.”

Hernan glanced behind him to where Gatt was standing as he uttered those words.

“…I’ll bring it right away.”

“Do it immediately.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

With eyes filled with dissatisfaction, Gatt glared at Linzel and then left.

‘Why does he seem to dislike me?’ She wondered.

“By the way, Your Highness, you are wearing splendid armor today.”

Hernan was wearing a gray set of armor and a red cloak.

The clothes he wore when they first met were also nice, but the armor, closely associated with Hernan’s profession, suited him the best.

And the red cloak reminded Linzel of their first encounter. That day, which felt like just yesterday, had become a distant past.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

Linzel raised her thumb.

“I feel like I’m going to heaven again today.”

“Just because you say so doesn’t mean you can actually go to heaven.”

‘Yes, I’m also struggling because I don’t want to go to the real heaven.’

 Linzel nodded her head.

At that moment, the bell rang, indicating that there were about 10 minutes left until the start of the hunting competition.

Hernan spoke in a whispering voice.

“I’ve already reached an agreement with Duke Cardis.”

An agreement with Duke Cardis…

“Are you talking about getting recognition for me to enter the Royal Archive?”

“Not just you, but both of us.”

“Haha. Right.”

“If I catch the most monsters in the hunting competition, Duke Cardis will agree to recognize both of us.”

In the original story, Hernan caught the most monsters in the hunt.

Unless something happened, he would take first place.

“That’s great news. But don’t push yourself too hard to the point of getting hurt!”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah,” Linzel nodded matter-of-factly.

“Well…… and. Anything else you want to say?”

Hernan glanced at a nearby man. The man was wiping his face with a handkerchief given to him by a young lady.

Linzel cheerfully shouted as if she really didn’t know anything.

“Your Highness Hernan, you’re the best!”

“…….”

A dark cloud hung over Hernan’s face.

Linzel wondered if it was so hard to just ask her if she didn’t bring an accessory for him.

“……Yes,” Hernan said glumly as he slowly turned his body.

She found it adorable to see him looking gloomy, like a large dog with white fur that was disliked by its owner.

Before her puppy’s disappointment deepened, she finally grabbed him.

“Your Highness Hernan!”

“Saying things like ‘be careful of ants’ seems to be enough,” he pouted. This one was definitely a pout.

“That’s not it. Would you like to come closer?”

Hernan looked at her suspiciously but slowly approached anyway. It seemed like he hadn’t completely given up on a glimmer of hope.

Linzel opened her bag and took out a neatly folded handkerchief that she had carefully prepared.

“Tada! It’s a handkerchief that I painstakingly embroidered.”

“…….”

“Sorry for pretending not to know. Actually, I knew that Your Highness wanted to receive my support.”

“…….”

“But your reaction was too cute, so I couldn’t help myself. I played a prank without even realizing it.”

Hernan called out to her with a moist voice.

“Linzel…….”

His fingertips trembled as he reached for the handkerchief. When he finally took it, his face lit up with emotion.

She never thought a handkerchief could move him so much. Her tattered fingers felt worth the effort.

It was at that moment that another person stepped between them.

“What about mine?”

It was Izekiel, who had appeared out of nowhere.

“Your Highness?”

“You didn’t prepare mine?”

“Well, Your Highness, you see…”

There were already numerous handkerchiefs wrapped around his armor.

Handkerchiefs everywhere.

His armor was adorned with accessories that seemed to have been gifted by noble ladies. Scarves, bracelets, and more.

It was a complete contrast to Hernan, who only wore armor.

Armor and accessories.

Despite being an unconventional combination, Izekiel was gracefully pulling off that combination.

‘So, it’s true that the completion of fashion lies in one’s face, after all.’

“Your Highness seems to have already captured the hearts of many ladies.”

That was a polite refusal. Of course, Linzel hadn’t prepared anything for him.

“But Highness… I really wanted to receive something from you.”

“You may call me Linzel in private,” she added hastily. She still was not used to being called ‘Your Highness.’

“Understood.”

“And what’s the reason you want to receive something from me?”

“…Reason? Well, yeah. What could be the reason?”

It was a bewildering answer. He didn’t even know the reason for his own request.

He had a troubled expression on his face.

“Oh, right,” Izekiel said, brightening up. “I gave you a handkerchief before.”

Oh? He still remembered that?

Linzel thought he had forgotten about it a long time ago.

“An exchange of equal value.”

A faint smile appeared on Izekiel’s lips as he said that.

“You’re suggesting an exchange for just a handkerchief?”

“Oh, come on. Just a handkerchief? That handkerchief is a valuable item that wiped away your tears.”

Caught off guard by his unexpected response, Hernan opened his lips.

“Izekiel. Linzel is sick. I hope you won’t insist on a gift.”

“You seem to be fine with it. Receiving a handkerchief from someone who is sick.”

“Yes, that’s right. Because Linzel thought of me while she was sick.”

“You didn’t take advantage of her, did you?”

“I…….”

Hernan couldn’t answer and furrowed his brow.

It was clear that he was recalling their past, which was characterized by an atmosphere of demanding support.

“Enough, you two. Stop fighting every time you meet. People are staring at us.”

Everyone was showing great interest in the strange combination of characters.

Delta and Angel’s gazes were particularly intense.

“And Your Highness Hernan, you didn’t take advantage of me. I prepared the handkerchief for you with a noble heart.”

Izekiel shook his hand slightly, redirecting her gaze towards him.

“Listen, Linzel. You respect your sister, Letty, don’t you?”

“Of course, I do. I couldn’t ask for a better sister than her.”

“But Hernan doesn’t respect me, and that’s why Hernan and I argue.”

“We’re talking about different things,” Linzel retorted. “Letty is a ‘good sister,’ but Izekiel is…….”

Indeed, was he a good brother?

Since she couldn’t say so, she trailed off her words.

But everyone must have sensed the negative undertone in her hesitation.

“That’s right. Izekiel is not a good brother. He even launched a smoke screen operation to prevent me from buying similar clothes.”

Hernan clenched the handkerchief tightly and vented his frustration.

“That’s because you covet my clothes all the time!” Izekiel exclaimed.

“I was just following the trend.”

‘Is this a fight that needs mediation?’

As Linzel sighed, her eyes met with Letty.

Letty seemed to have arrived a little late. Linzel raised her hand and greeted her.

She smiled beautifully and walked over. Linzel wondered if she could use her as a mediator in the dialogue.

“Your Highness Hernan, Your Highness Izekiel. Hello,” Letty greeted gracefully.

Her shy smile made her face beautiful.

‘I’m not saying that my face is beautiful just because we are twins,’ Linzel made a mental disclaimer. 

But if she smiled shyly like Letty, she might look beautiful too.

Linzel lifted the corners of her mouth.

“…… Ah. It’s been a while,” Izekiel finally responded.

The aggressive energy in Izekiel’s growling towards Hernan seemed to have subsided a bit.

It felt like Letty had become the mediator her sister wanted her to be.

“Well, I was actually looking for Your Highness Izekiel.”

Letty rummaged through her handbag on her arm. She was probably trying to take out a handkerchief for Izekiel.

“I know you’ve received a lot already, but I hope you accept mine as well.”

As expected, it was a handkerchief.

Izekiel reluctantly accepted it and held it in his hand. 

The strange thing was that Izekiel’s face didn’t look so happy. He seemed reluctant to receive the handkerchief from Letty.

‘The two of them. Did they fight when I wasn’t around?’

Just then, Gatt returned from his errand.

He was accompanied by a palace maid, who had made a cup of tea that was good for Linzel’s allergies.

Linzel gratefully sipped the tea.

“Your Highness Hernan, you must prepare your opening speech,” Gatt intoned.

Izekiel was the older brother, but Hernan was the dominant one in the family when it came to physically demanding activities, so at hunting tournaments, he was the one to give the opening speech.

On the other hand, if there was an event held at the library, Izekiel would recite the opening speech.

“Understood.”

Before Hernan and Gatt left their seats, Hernan gave Linzel some small advice.

“Linzel, if your condition worsens, make sure to go inside the palace.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Soon, Hernan and Gatt walked towards the podium to give the opening speech.

Izekiel was staring at Hernan intently. With a cold, frozen gaze.

Linzel felt like she knew why Izekiel was looking at Hernan like that.

In the original work, Izekiel had an inferiority complex towards Hernan. Izekiel never thought about what he had, and instead, he envied what Hernan was born with.

Hernan’s nobility, leadership, charisma.

Izekiel wondered what it would be like if he had outstanding martial arts, if he had charisma to command the army.

If he did, he would have been recognized by his parents and people, and he would have become the crown prince.

It may have been an inferiority complex that originated from birth.

It was Letty who kept Izekiel on the straight path.

She reminded him how good he was at what he did have, whether it was intelligence, sensitivity, or fashion sense. Steadily and unwaveringly.

This time, Linzel looked at Letty.

She was looking at Izekiel with a touch of sadness. And she created an atmosphere to engage him in conversation.

Linzel thought she should step aside and give them space to develop their love.

“I should wash my hands and come back.”

After whispering to herself in a loud voice, Linzel quietly slipped away from there with Mini.

Once she was out of the crowded base camp area, she found a secluded forest path.

Linzel took a deep breath there.

Perhaps it was because she drank the tea prepared by Hernan, but her sneezing had subsided; even so, she didn’t feel up to walking for an extended time.

“Miss Linzel, weren’t you going to the restroom?”

Mini, who had been following me, expressed her confusion.

“No, I just wanted to give them some space. Izekiel and Letty, you know.”

Mini must have noticed Letty giving a handkerchief to Izekiel, so she understood Letty ‘s feelings.

“I see. Miss Linzel, you’re truly kind.”

“Ahem. Well, that’s for sure,” Linzel agreed right away.

‘If I don’t acknowledge my own kindness, there would be no one else who is kind.’

Then she heard a rustling sound.

Linzel glanced in the direction of the sound, and there, emerging through the tall grass, was a certain figure with a single blade of grass on their head, wearing a confident expression…

“…!”

It was none other than…