How to Live as the Terminally Ill Younger Sister of the Villain - Chapter 21
“Senior, I think it’s fine?”
Even after Angelina fell asleep, Laura kept her gaze fixed on the window for a long time.
But the monster just slept quietly by Angelina’s side, and Haley, her heart melted by the monster’s cuteness, let her guard down.
“Shouldn’t we close the window now? Of course, I’m using magic, but…”
For now, Haley was using magic to keep the cold wind from reaching Angelina, but she worried about what would happen after she fell asleep.
“I’ve encountered many monsters before, and at this level, it seems to have formed an attachment to the young lady. Otherwise, it would have shown signs of aggression long ago.”
Among monsters, there were often those that liked humans and easily allowed them to get close.
Haley thought this fox monster was one of those cases.
“We can’t let the young lady catch a cold for no reason.”
So Haley was more concerned about Angelina’s sleeping conditions.
After a moment of consideration, Laura accepted Haley’s opinion, seeing Angelina and the monster sleeping soundly.
“Alright, let’s do that.”
She thought, as the young lady said, what could that tiny thing possibly do?
She closed the window and lowered her guard.
She even left it by the young lady’s side without worry and went on the dawn subjugation…
But to think this creature had such abilities.
What would have happened if she had seen it growing through the window last night? The mere thought made her groan.
“Where could there be a better maid than Laura?”
Unaware of last night’s events, Angelina tilted her head in confusion.
“…I feel my skills are lacking.”
Laura answered quietly.
Seeing her young lady sleeping soundly in the same space with a monster she barely knew for a few days.
No, is it stranger to accept this as normal?
…I’m not sure. The young lady has always been like this.
Of course, Angelina tilted her head even more at Laura’s words.
“What does a maid need to build skills for? Leave that to the guards.”
Not understanding Laura’s concern, she offered completely irrelevant comfort.
“Well then, I’ll go wash up before eating the yogurt Haley mentioned.”
Then she headed towards the lake, humming a tune. The fox monster followed her naturally, trotting behind.
A faint tension and bewilderment lingered among the guards, but Angelina didn’t notice at all.
It was natural that she didn’t notice.
Ante wanted his sister to live seeing only beautiful things and receiving only love, so only well-trained individuals were gathered around her.
***
“I should have done this earlier.”
Angelina had felt cramped staying only inside the carriage every time they moved since entering the Dark Forest.
Today, she was enjoying the outside air to the fullest.
“Was the carriage uncomfortable for you?”
“No, it’s comfortable. But no matter how spacious the carriage is, it’s different from walking while looking at this stretched-out path.”
“I should have prepared a horse for you earlier.”
“It’s fine. What for when I have this one?”
After walking for a while, the fox monster puffed up its body and lowered itself, gesturing for her to ride, and Angelina didn’t refuse.
“It seems more comfortable than a horse?”
Mounted on the enlarged fox monster, Angelina spread her arms to enjoy the forest air.
At first, Haley tried to attach a saddle for comfort, but the creature adamantly refused, so she just sat directly on its back.
But there was no need for that, as Angelina felt comfortable.
“Later, I should try riding with just reins. Don’t you think it would be fast?”
“Kruung!”
At Angelina’s words, the fox monster snorted as if to say, “Isn’t that obvious?”
“Laura. Haley. Look at this. I could even sleep while riding.”
Angelina went further, lying down and sprawling on the monster’s back.
Haley let out an envious “Wow!” while Laura smiled, finding Angelina’s behavior cute.
But at the sound of Zeke clearing his throat from behind, Angelina slightly raised her body.
“Hmm, maybe that’s not quite appropriate.”
She felt sorry for showing such an unseemly sight, thinking that while Haley and Laura might be used to it, the knights wouldn’t be accustomed to seeing her like this.
“If you’re tired, should we set up camp around here?”
Laura, thinking Angelina might feel embarrassed, asked immediately.
“Whether we stop now or a bit later, we’ll probably reach the first gate by tomorrow…”
She was trying to change the subject completely.
That’s when it happened.
Kieee-!
Suddenly, a monster’s cry was heard.
In an instant, arrows of light appeared at Haley’s fingertips, and the knights, including Zeke, drew their weapons.
Laura also pulled out throwing stars from under her sleeve, but few noticed.
While tension filled the air, Laura and Haley exchanged glances.
They had cleanly hunted the surrounding monsters at dawn today, so there shouldn’t be any left within range?
It was strange.
“This is indeed the Dark Forest.”
Unaware of what Laura and Haley had been secretly doing at dawn, Angelina spoke softly as she dismounted from the fox monster.
The fox monster, which had lowered itself for her to dismount easily, wrapped itself around Angelina.
It seemed more like it was trying to be affectionate rather than protective.
Angelina peeked out with just her face over the fox monster’s back, looking towards the source of the sound.
Thud-! Bang! Crash!
The sounds were too loud and overlapping to be just a monster passing by.
“It seems… someone is fighting?”
Haley said, using a telescope spell towards the direction of the sound.
“You mean it’s not monsters fighting each other, but there are people?”
“It seems so…”
Haley frowned as if she couldn’t see clearly even with magic.
“Huh…?”
Then, as if she saw something, she made a dumbfounded sound.
“What is it?”
Laura’s expression turned grim.
“Ah, well…”
Haley seemed flustered and looked at Laura and Angelina cautiously.
“What is it? Speak.”
When Laura spoke sharply, Haley hesitantly explained.
“They are people indeed. It seems they entered from a different direction, not the Tower’s Path entrance. They appear to have crossed the Dark Forest and discovered the Tower’s Path.”
“They chose quite a troublesome route. Hunters?”
“No, it’s…”
Hesitating again whether to speak, Haley whispered softly into Laura’s ear.
Laura’s eyes flashed with a strange light as she heard why Haley had hesitated to speak.
“What’s going on?”
Angelina urged them.
What could it be that made them so cautious and secretive in their conversation?
The knights also waited for Laura’s answer with concerned looks.
“It’s someone you know, young lady…”
“Ah, I think they’ve noticed us too. They’re coming this way.”
Haley, who had been watching them with magic, was so flustered that she interrupted Laura’s words.
At the news of their approach, the knights heightened their guard, and Angelina spoke in a puzzled voice.
“There’s no one I know who would come to the Dark Forest…”
But before she could finish her sentence, the other party revealed themselves.
“Ah.”
Angelina recognized them immediately and unconsciously let out a gasp.
The other party, who had approached with caution, also spotted Angelina and muttered in a bewildered voice.
“Lady Flaubert?”
It was Blake Kadenhart.
***
The Flaubert knights remained on guard towards those who appeared covered in monster blood.
As they didn’t lower their weapons, Kadenhart’s close aides also maintained their fierce demeanor.
They were also overly on edge due to the constant battles that had pushed them to the extreme.
But all this vigilance and tension were broken by Kadenhart.
“I never expected to meet you again in a place like this.”
He slightly bowed his head while putting away his sword first. Then he gestured to his aides to discard their weapons.
They obeyed his order, though still eyeing the Flaubert knights suspiciously.
In response to Blake’s greeting, Angelina also gestured to her knights to put away their weapons before approaching him.
“We meet again, Duke Kadenhart.”
She approached him directly to where he stood to greet him.
“That day, I committed several discourtesies by not recognizing you. Though late, let me give you a proper greeting now.”
And she extended her hand to him.
“I am Angelina Flaubert.”
It was an offer for a handshake.
But Blake didn’t take her hand. Angelina made a puzzled expression at his hesitation.
The Flaubert knights stiffened at the somewhat awkward silence.
They thought Blake might be refusing the greeting, intending to damage the young lady’s dignity.
Just as the mood was about to turn sour, Blake awkwardly wiped his hand on his pants and made a troubled expression.
“I’d like to greet you properly, but as you can see, my condition is…”
He showed his dirty hands as he spoke. His pants were also covered in dust and blood, so the blood on his hands wouldn’t wipe off.
“It would rather be an offense…”
However, before Blake could finish his sentence, Haley’s magic swept over Blake and the knights.
