How to Live as the Terminally Ill Younger Sister of the Villain - Chapter 18

━━━━༻❁༺━━━━

The journey continued without incident. Except for having trouble sleeping before entering the Dark Forest, everything was peaceful.

The lethargy felt on the first day disappeared like dew the next morning, and thanks to the comfortable cot, fatigue was completely gone, leading to a refreshing feeling every day.

Above all, not encountering a single monster had the greatest impact.

Except for what Haley caught for dinner, not a hair of a monster was seen.

To the point where Angelina wondered where they were being caught, she didn’t even hear the sound of monsters for three days.

At one point, she even suggested going outside the tower’s path, doubting if this was really the Dark Forest.

Anyway, at this rate, it seemed they could reach the first gate as soon as planned.

However, even during this peaceful journey, there was one thing that bothered Angelina.

‘It’s here again.’

It was that fox monster she had seen on the way to bathe on the first day.

The monster appeared from somewhere every time they stopped and repeatedly disappeared and reappeared, unnoticed by eyes other than Angelina’s.

It was clearly following them on purpose, but she couldn’t figure out what it wanted.

Angelina deliberately left out a few pieces of meat, but it didn’t eat them. Meaning it wasn’t following out of hunger.

When she tried to approach to catch it, it turned invisible and hid its form each time. So she interpreted this as not wanting to be caught.

On the third day of this subtle companionship, Angelina suddenly had a thought.

‘Is it because someone’s always with me when I approach?’

Come to think of it, it had been making eyes at her since the first day. Lately, it even showed its belly and acted cute. However, she couldn’t touch it because it was far away.

It was clearly friendly towards her.

But it is still wary of other people.

‘Will it come if I’m alone?’

Angelina wanted to test this.

“I want to be alone today.”

So she told Laura, who was about to accompany her to bathe as usual, to stay back.

“It’s dangerous.”

“I’ll go with Sir Zeke.”

“…To where you bathe?”

“Sir Zeke can just stand with his back turned.”

“……”

Laura wore an expression that seemed to wonder why Angelina was acting this way.

But Angelina knew Laura wasn’t the type to blindly refuse.

“Sir Zeke isn’t the kind of person who wouldn’t notice if danger approached me even if he’s a few meters away.”

Even if not a Sword Master, he was a knight who had reached a high level.

“Besides, with Haley setting up such a strong barrier, what could possibly approach?”

As expected, when she strongly expressed her opinion emphasizing safety, Laura took a step back.

“I’ll prepare your towel and clothes.”

“Thank you.”

Angelina took the items Laura prepared and trotted towards the water.

‘The Knights are amazing too. How do they always find camping spots with hot springs?’

Not all water in the Dark Forest could be hot springs, right?

Or could it be?

This place was full of mysteries, so anything seemed possible.

“I’ll wait here.”

“I’ll be back in 10 minutes.”

Knight Commander Zeke stopped, and Angelina deliberately went towards the area with a thick underbrush.

Placing the new towel and clothes to one side, Angelina entered the water up to her waist and scanned the surroundings.

‘As expected.’

Sure enough, from the direction Angelina and Zeke had come from, a black fox appeared, trotting.

As it walked while undoing its invisibility, it looked as if it was crossing over from another space.

The fox monster sat down demurely at a suitable distance and looked at Angelina today too. Only its tail swaying gently.

“Who are you?”

Angelina asked, taking a step closer. The black fox perked up its ears and made a sound.

“Kyu?”

Are you talking to me? That’s what its expression seemed to ask.

“You make a cute sound that matches your appearance.”

Approaching bit by bit while hearing the voice so cute it made her smile involuntarily. The water gradually deepened, reaching her solar plexus.

“Kyu?”

The fox tilted its head side to side, observing Angelina. It seemed curious about what she was trying to do.

Watching that sight quietly, Angelina realized something and muttered softly.

“…You could be a good friend for my brother.”

She didn’t know exactly what kind of monster this fox was.

Whether it was still a cub or a full-grown adult. Whether it would grow to be a big and brave hunter like a griffin or just an affectionate creature like a firebird.

She couldn’t tell at all, but Angelina felt it didn’t matter, as her mind was completely filled with Ante.

More precisely, with bucket list item number 2, [Make friends for brother].

‘A friend doesn’t necessarily have to be human, right?’

If he had a pet to take care of, wouldn’t her brother also find comfort in his heart? More people in the world alleviate loneliness through animals than one might think.

‘Persuade the Tower Master, get a pet, find human friends too. I can do it all.’

Angelina was willing to try anything to ‘prevent her brother from becoming a villain.’

As she continued walking towards the monster, Angelina could no longer move forward due to the water that had now reached her chest.

So instead, she stretched out her arms.

“If you’re planning to keep following me, why don’t we just go together?”

“Kiu? Kyu!”

At her words, it sprang up from its spot. As if it had been waiting for just these words, joyfully.

This brought a smile to Angelina’s lips. It further proved that this was a highly intelligent monster.

“So you do understand everything I say, don’t you?”

“Kiu! Kyu!”

As if to agree, the monster spun around in place and its blue eyes sparkled.

“If you’re thinking of coming home with me, why don’t you come here?”

“Kyu!”

When she spoke again, the monster jumped into the hot spring lake where Angelina was without hesitation.

Moving its short four legs energetically to reach where Angelina was, it burrowed into her arms.

“You’re warm.”

“Kyu!”

Angelina hugged tightly the monster whose fur had become limp from the water. Perhaps due to its body temperature being higher than a human’s, it felt like hugging a warm water bottle.

The monster’s paws that touched her arms and chest were soft like jelly, as if they had no claws.

“I should have done this earlier.”

“Kyu!”

The monster rolled around freely in Angelina’s arms. Water splashed here and there, but Angelina didn’t mind.

“Now you can’t disappear in front of other people. They’ll think I’m strange, talking to thin air.”

“Kyu! Kiu!”

The monster seemed to answer in agreement.

After coming ashore, Angelina briefly put down the creature and roughly dried herself. Then, she wrapped the monster, which had shaken itself dry in the meantime, in a towel.

“Your name…”

While drying its fur, Angelina stared at it intently. When she held its body and lifted it, its front legs stretched out forward and its hind legs hung limply.

Even so, its tail wagged gently, seeming to be in a good mood.

“Hmm.”

Maybe it was because Twilight was settling in the forest.

Looking at the glossy black fur and the blue eyes that seemed to draw her in, Angelina suddenly thought of someone.

‘…It resembles the male lead.’

Blake Kadenhart.

When their eyes met in the dim auction house, his eyes shifted between teal and sapphire, just like this little one’s now.

‘But I can’t name it Blake, can I?’

Angelina pondered for a moment, then put down the fox monster and spoke while getting dressed.

“I should let my brother name you. He will be your owner, not me.”

“Kyuu…?”

Sitting obediently on the towel, the monster made a dejected sound as if to say, “What nonsense is that?”

Angelina, now fully dressed, picked up the monster again and whispered in a very small voice.

“If you understand what I’m saying, please grant me this one request. When I die, please stay by my brother’s side so he won’t be lonely.”

She rubbed her face against its soft, albeit wet, belly, conveying her earnestness.

“When I’m gone, my brother will be left alone, you see.”

“Kyu…?”

“Until then, I’ll do everything you want. I’ll give you lots of delicious food, a warm place to sleep, and if you need toys, I’ll buy those too. I’ll pay for everything in advance, so please provide the after-service.”

“…Kiu?”

Whether it understood or not, the fox monster kept tilting its head with an expression that seemed utterly confused.

Angelina left it to ponder in her arms as she turned her steps back to the campsite.

“Ah, My Lady? That is…?”

Zeke’s eyes, who had been waiting for her not far away, widened.

It was only natural for him to be surprised, as the young lady who had gone to bathe returned with an unidentified creature.

“Isn’t it cute? It’s going to be a new member of our family from today.”

“Pardon…?”

Angelina’s attitude was so nonchalant that Zeke became even more bewildered.

Leaving the confused Zeke behind, Angelina returned to the campsite. Naturally, the campsite was thrown into chaos.

“My Lady? What on earth have you brought back?!”