“Fisher, I want you to get a group together and ask around about any weird noises or get-togethers. We believe we figured out how this whole thing happened,” my brother said as he took a seat. He yawned heavily before continuing. “See, we believe the slaves escaped via a tunnel that was dug somewhere. That’s really the only way they could’ve escaped. It would be impossible for 150 or so slaves to just walk through the city gates when guards were running through because of the fire.” 

“Yes, sir. Where should we begin our search?” 

“Take a map and mark down the locations of the three markets, then draw a line connecting them in the middle. Once you do, search in a five to six-block radius. If you find nothing, expand it to ten blocks.” 

“Sir, what about the mansion?” Fisher asked.  He took out a piece of paper and a pen from his Dimensional Storage and jotted everything down.

“We believe it was an afterthought, so it wouldn’t be included in the original three targets. Anyway, you said something about missing bodies and blood?” 

“Yes, sir. I did. A few days ago, we had a report of a thief in an area of the city. Some guards went after her, but they never came back. When we went to investigate, we found the sight of what seems to be a battle. Blood was everywhere, and we found no bodies. A bit further, we found the remains of a massive fire. It was like the entire ground was blacked out with paint."

“And you think that might be connected?” 

“I think the culprit might be a necromancer. Reports say the anti-theft enchantment kicked in, and the thief lost her hand. And she was bleeding pretty badly too.” 

Necromancy? That knowledge was supposed to be forbidden-- lost to time... Claus and I had to fight against necromancers during our time at Warden. But would a necromancer really be working with a group dedicated to freeing slaves? Most of the ones we've fought wanted to learn about the undead and take over the world...

“Fisher, do you think the fire that burned the forest and the fire that destroyed the markets were created by the same person or group of people?” 

“I do. I also think the same person or group was behind the murders at the Old Onyx and the Rude Crystal. In both cases, no bodies were found, and the whole place was robbed. Why else would someone need an entire store and restaurant of clothes and food? I’m 100% sure that the group behind that is the same group behind these attacks,” Fisher said.  

“Makes sense to me. I’d imagine that the food required for that would be a lot. Same with the clothes. But in the morning, be sure to get a group together and ask around. If we find a tunnel, then we know exactly how they escaped.” 

“Of course, sir. In addition, I’ll get some men together to build another governor’s mansion. In the meantime, take this,” Fisher stood up and reached into a pouch on his hip. He took out two sets of silver keys and handed them to us.  “Until the mansion is rebuilt, there’s a house a few blocks away that the previous governor had built when VIPs came to visit.  It’s three bedrooms and two baths with a fully stocked kitchen. Oh, and we have a maid clean there every week when it’s not in use, and she cleaned it yesterday.” 

“That’s kind of you, and we’ll take it. Don’t worry about rebuilding the mansion.  Turn it into a park or something. That’s a lot of space, and based on the size of the burnt area, no one needs a house that big,” my brother said before he stood up. He stretched his arms and yawned.

“Of course, sir. Shall I come and get you in the morning with the revised statement for your approval?” 

“That’ll be fine. Let’s go, Eina.” 

“Right!” I said as I followed him out. After making our way through the ever-growing crowd of scared and frightened citizens that we were now responsible for, we eventually made it to what would be our new house.

It was two stories tall and painted blue. The door was white with the number 619 engraved on it. My brother unlocked the door, and in we went. I made sure to lock the door after we entered.  

It was spacious, something I wasn't expecting. The floor was hardwood and brown, and the walls were painted eggshell white. Perhaps the color choice didn’t speak to me, but it wasn’t like I hated it. It was also dark, but the moon helped with that regard. It wasn't much illumination, but it was enough for me to feel out the house.

My brother then asked me to use Lux Sphere, a skill that created a ball of light I could control, and I did. He then used a miniature Fire Wall to light the candles. We repeated this as we made our way through the house.

From the entranceway, the living room was to the left. Complete with three couches and two chairs around a large glass table, I could already tell that this room was where we would spend most of our time deciding and debating how what would be best for the city. The kitchen was to the right, and it came with two Skill Items. The first was a stove that used the Skill Energy I provided to heat up. The second was a refrigerator that had a newer invention called a battery. By filling it with Skill Energy, it stayed activated for a few days. While they weren't that special, batteries were still somewhat rare and out-of-place in a country like Lando. Still, after a quick examination, my brother and I got lucky. The battery was one of the new models that could last a month without being recharged. The fridge itself was more sizable than what we were used to. Unfortunately, my brother ate like a pig because he trained like crazy, so I was sure I was about to become intimate with Canary's food markets.

I didn't mind that, however, because I loved taking care of my brother. I even liked cooking for him, and nothing made me happier than seeing a big smile on his face.

My brother opened it and whistled in response. I took a look and saw a few bottles of milk, a lot of meat wrapped in paper, and a few bags of fruit and vegetables. I had to admit, I wasn’t expecting this.  However, I didn't think it was enough.  As I mentioned before, my brother could eat two or three steaks at once, and that didn't include any side dishes. Yep! The market is about to become my second home! Hehe!

“Come, let’s go check out the rest,” my brother held his hand out, and I timidly took it. Using my other hand, I closed the refrigerator door.  He smiled at me as he led me through the rest of the first floor. We look into three rooms. One was a guest room, and it was pretty small. The second was a storage closet, and the last was a showering room, complete with a blue Wash Stone.  

We left the shower room and went back to the living room, where the stairs were at. We ascended them and came to the second floor, where we discovered the other two bedrooms. One was a bit bigger than the guest room downstairs, but the other was giant.  

“Wow…” I slowly exclaimed in excitement. The room was big, too big for just me and my brother. A beautiful mirror was on top of an exquisite black clothes drawer. The bed was big enough for four or even five people. We saw two doors in this room, and I glanced in one while my brother peeked in the other. My door was a walk-in closet filled with fancy-looking suits of all different colors. I would have to either sell these or give them away. They were way too big for my brother, and I was a girl who didn’t wear suits.  

“Hey, come look at this!” my brother excitedly exclaimed.

I entered the door he went through and saw another shower room. Well, it wasn’t a shower room intrinsically, but more like a bathhouse.

There were three pools of different sizes and depths inside, along with three more Wash Stones. The walls were beautiful marble, and somehow, the whole room was lit up, even though it’s dark out. I glanced up and saw two big balls of light, like my Lux Sphere, and assumed it might be some sort of Skill Item. Ah, now that I remembered, I think they were called fluorescent lights? It was a new technology coming from the genius minds in Westera, but I never thought they had them in full production.

“Since this was a house for VIPs, I’m guessing Parrel really went all out. But why three tubs?” I asked as I felt a headache coming on. Quickly, I averted my gaze from up high to down low, choosing to stare at the magnificent tilework.  

“Regardless, what do you think? It’s a nice house if I say so myself.” 

“It is. I love it.” 

“So, who gets what room? Am I correct in guessing you want this one? It's got the fancy bath attached to it,” my brother asked, and I immediately went red in the face.  

“The bed will be freezing cold if it’s just me….” I wanted to tease him, but it didn't work out that way. My brother laughed before I felt his large hand on my head. Damn him. He knew I was weak to this. “I don’t mind sleeping with you. In fact, I like it. If I had the bed to myself, I'd probably get lost because it's so big. Why don’t we put our clothes up and then take a bath? Didn’t you mention that you wanted to take a nice hot one earlier, or am I misremembering it?” 

I shook my head. “No, you were right. But…” 

“Look, I know what you’re thinking. A brother falling in love with his sister and a sister in love with her totally awesome and super cool brother is taboo, but that doesn’t matter to us. Do you love me?” he asked.  

“You know I do. I love you more than anything in the world, but if someone found out, then imagine the scandal… Especially more so since we're royalty in a different country doing Gods knows what for our father...” 

My brother hugged and rested his chin on my head. “Then all we have to do is keep it a secret.” 

I wrapped my arms around him and furiously wished he took off that shitty armor. “I don’t wanna keep it a secret. Do you know how hard it is for me to act like we're nothing more than siblings? I want to hold your hands, but I can only do that in secret…” 

“How about this? All for tonight, I’ll hold your hand.  Even when we bathe and sleep, I'll do it.” 

“You promise?” I looked up.  I stared into his fierce blue eyes that showed so much kindness to me and much hatred and anger to our enemies. He never said a word, and he gently lifted my hands with his.  

He finally spoke. “Why don’t we get out of this armor and take a bath?” I nodded and started to remove my armor. From all the running around we did, I was probably stinky and sweaty. I even found myself groaning at my own scent. But if my brother was bothered by it, he didn't let me know. Like a trained actor, he kept a flawless smile on his handsome and chiseled face.

Slipping off my breastplate revealed a white tunic that was utterly drenched in sweat. It had so much liquid absorbed into its fibers that my yellow bra was clearly visible. Internally, I sighed and frowned at my chest size. Though my brother always reassured me that I was perfect in every way, a part of me felt like he wanted me to have the type of breasts that were bigger than his hands. Something he could squeeze while we made love and something he slept against when we cuddled. What I have now is more like a pinch than a handful.

Sorry, but I wish I was bigger….even by just a little bit…. 

I then slipped off my gauntlets and boots before moving to my legs.  

“Ewww….” I mumbled as I removed my socks. Sweat and sweat. Nothing but sweat. My white pants were completely see-through as well, revealing my matching yellow panties. My thighs were like they were coated with a glistening liquid, but it was only sweat.

I opened my Dimensional Storage, a skill I learned at Rank 4 and pulled out a bottle of soap and shampoo, as well as a towel and a washcloth. I glanced at my brother and saw a fleshy, dangly rod between his legs. It wasn't awake yet, so it didn't seem that intimating, seeing it was only 15 centimeters long. But when it was at the ready and at attention, it was nearly 25 centimeters long. Every time I saw it, my face turned bright red, even though it shouldn’t. After all, I had been up close and personal with it for a long time, ever since we were 17. But still, I always get this fluttering feeling in my stomach.

“Hurry up, I’m gonna start the bath,” he turned around, went into one of the tubs, and filled it with water via the Wash Stone.

“I’m coming. Don’t rush me,” I barked as I took off my underwear.  My hand innocently glanced against my erect nipples, reminding me that my brother was probably excited. Even an innocent of my bare nape was enough to send the blood rushing to his lower waist.

I slipped in behind him and felt water filling up from the bottom, but it wasn't too hot or cold. It was just the perfect temperature.

“Claus...” I weakly murmured as I pressed my chest into his broad back and wrapped my arms around his toned stomach. I felt his hands rest atop of mine.  As a man, he was much more muscular than me, and his whole body reflected that. His arms were defined and thick, rugged like a stone fortress. With his thick hands, I'm sure Claus could palm a cantaloupe. Just think, his body had killed hundreds of monsters and men, and yet, it was gentle, loving, and affectionate towards me.

“He’s really gone… Isn’t he?” I quietly whispered. I could feel the fat liquid that desperately wanted to fall from my eyes earlier but couldn’t. Now, there wasn’t anything stopping them. I internally apologized to Claus for staining his back with my tears.

It was always a flaw of mine. Whenever I started crying, I couldn’t stop until my tear ducts were empty.

“He is…” my brother whispered just loud enough so I could hear him.  

We stayed that way, and I let loose all of my emotions built up from the night until the water filled up enough to sit down in. Then I washed him, rubbing a minty soap up and down his stomach while touching his many scars. Even now, after years had passed, I knew the time, date, location, and reason behind every single wound. As I expected, my sensitive touch had awoken the beast slumbering below the water, and it peeked its engorged head out. My eyes were drawn to it, but Claus meekly apologized and said it wasn't the best time. 

"It's okay... It's just a physical reaction to my touch... Do... Do you want me to calm it down?" I asked.

"No." He shook his head. "I don't think we should do it tonight... I'm sorry..."

I leaned up, kissing him on the cheek as I slid my hands up to his neck. "Don't be," I whispered. "Let's just enjoy each other's and be thankful we're together. I wanted to reconnect with Parrel... It was one of our biggest regrets... Even if... He was still our brother, even if that day was the last we saw of him..."

Claus gently smiled, softly sighing as he took my hands into his. He placed it on his face and leaned down for a kiss on the lips. Then he washed me, covering every millimeter of my chest in a thick white foam. My nipples and breasts were more sensitive than ever, sending electric shocks down my body every time his fingers swiped by them. Eventually, Claus turned me around and asked me to lean against his chest. I did so and rested my weary body against my beloved brother while he sat against the tub's wall. 

"Claus, I love you," I said. I searched around in the soapy water for his fingers and rubbed them. He lifted his left hand and lovingly stroked my blond hair, which had somewhat dried, but it still retained some wetness.

"And I love you too," he whispered. I gripped his left hand and pushed it against my stomach. Claus giggled and knew what I wanted, so before long, we sat in silence while Claus rubbed my belly. It was odd-- that much I will admit-- but his touch was the only thing I needed in this life. I told him that, and he said the same to me.

When the water went cold, we got out and dried off before pulling some clothes from our Dimensional Storage. He took out a set of pajama pants, and I retrieved a thin nightgown.  It was funny.  We were both wearing the clothes we got each other for our 18th birthday.

“Hey,” I said to him as I pulled back the yellow covers of the giant bed.  

“Hey,” he said back to me.  

“Promise me that we’ll always be together.” I crawled into bed and laid my head on the fluffy pillows. The smell of detergent swiftly tunneled through my nose, and I felt totally at peace.

“I promise. Can you promise me that one day we’ll get married? Even if we have to change our last names and identities? Even if the whole thing will be a sham, a fake celebration is better than nothing.” He slipped into bed and kissed me on my lips.  

“I promise. I can’t wait for the day I’m able to call you my husband, and you can call me your wife.” I ran my tongue over my lips where he kissed me. It was sweet, in a weird way.  

“My wife, Qina, so beautiful and elegant. Someone who I love so much,” he rolled over to his side and stared at me. “The love of my life, and someone I would do anything for,” he held his right arm out.  

I rolled to my side and held my left arm out. My fingers glanced across the back of Claus's hand before I gripped his fingers. It didn’t matter if it was just a tiny part of his pinky or his entire hand: I just wanted to hold a part of my beloved brother as I drifted off to sleep. “My husband, Claus, so handsome and protective. Someone who will always protect me, no matter what. The one and only person I would give my heart for.” 

“I love you so much.” He closed his eyes, and a smile formed on his face.  

“I love you too. Maybe even more…” I giggled before closing my eyes. I tried to drift off to a blissful dream where all of my wants were reality, but I couldn't. My boneheaded, yet lovable brother, was whispering something.

“That’s impossible. I totally love you more." Then he did something I didn't expect and pulled my arm. "And I'll show you. Come a little closer," he whispered. With my eyes still full of darkness, I wiggled like a worm until I felt our feet touch, then I wiggled more until my head was touching his broad chest. He wrapped his hands around my head, and I burrowed my head into his shirt like I wanted his soapy scent to be rubbed off on me. When he patted my blond hair, I stopped and fell into a deep slumber while being held by the love of my life.

And so we found ourselves in a position we didn’t want. My brother was the new governor of a city in southeastern Lando, and I was his personal secretary. But I gotta be thankful. If not for this position, then I wouldn’t be here, hand in hand, with my beloved brother. I didn't care if our relationship was taboo; that kind of pathetic reasoning could be dammed.

I love him. And that’s all that matters.  

Fin~~