Feylis Lodengrimm, a member of the Lodengrimm Branch Family. But before that, she was just Feylis, a Beastkin village girl, living a village with her mother and other Beastkins like her.

However, unlike the other Beastkin children, Feylis possesses only half the strength of what they have, being that she is half-human, which she didn't know about it at that time. Resulting in her being shy around others, as she had developed somewhat of an inferiority complex when comparing herself to the other Beastkin children.

One unfortunate day, Feylis's mother fell sick and was bedridden. Her illness, was something that could have been cured easily, if they had the money to buy medicine for it. But even with the help from the other villagers, the medicine for her mother was simply too expensive. As a result, Feylis's mother passed away due to her illness.

Before she went, however, Feylis was told about her father, the Head of the Lodengrimm Branch Family, a kind and gentle man who treats those around him with care. And on a single night when Feylis's mother was called to bring in more wine for him, the Head, who was already pissed drunk, ordered Feylis's mother to sleep with him on a whim, which she reluctantly accepted. Because of that, Feylis's mother was forced to retire the next day and returned to the village, unknowingly conceiving Feylis in her womb until a few months later.

And that was how Feylis was born.

In her final moments, Feylis's mother passed her a letter, giving Feylis a choice of whether she wants to stay in the village, or move the Lodengrimm Branch Family's estate and live with her father whom she has never met before.

Feylis chose the latter. As she was curious as to who her father is like.

However, Feylis soon came to find out, that the Head of the branch family, her father, had passed away as well, succumbing from the wounds he had received after a monster subjugation. As a result, the one who came to pick Feylis up from the village, was the Head's wife, a beautiful yet greedy woman, who cares about herself and her eldest son, the heir of the family, more than anyone else.

The Head's wife hated Feylis with a passion. For she is the product of her husband's secret affair, a child of maid whom she thinks of as lowly.

Hence, she and the eldest son abused Feylis. Placing her in a dusty room in the attic; ordering the servants to give her little to no food; beating her whenever they feel like it, which enhanced their cruel nature once they realised that Feylis could regenerate small wounds, due to her being a Beastkin; and whenever Feylis still feels hungry, they would forcibly have the girl eat live bugs.

As a result, the servants would ignore Feylis and treat her coldly. Whereas Feylis' other half siblings, who are younger or about the same age as her, would join in on the bullying as well, not knowing the reason why it's necessary, but only knowing that they should because their mother told them to do so.

The abuse carries on for a two years until Feylis snapped. Using the racial skill of her Beastkin blood for the first time, Beastial Awakening, transforming herself into a huge but incomplete four-tailed fox form, who proceeded to wreck havoc in the house and then fleeing into the nearby forest afterwards.

And so, the 'monster' which attacked the Lodengrimm Branch Family was Feylis in her Beast form, which Lucius and Evelyn soon realised when they went to track it in the forest and found Feylis whimpering. Deciding to calm the beast instead of harming her, who revealed the truth to them after reverting back to normal.

???

Back to the Lodengrim Main Family's estate.

Having told everything that the branch family did to Feylis, Mercedes's mana begins to spike up as she becomes more enraged than before. Glaring at the miserable woman before her with full on killing intent, scaring the lady and the gate guards beside her into utter silence, despite being a seven year old.

"I.. I've told you everything, my lady. So, c-could you please, talk to His Grace for me? Tell him to continue sharing his family's allowance with us, please?" the woman shivers as she mustered out those words before the angry seven year old girl.

"So you're telling me... you and your family abused Feylis for so long, to the point where she retaliates. And when my father found out, he stopped providing your expenses as punishment. But despite all that, you have the audacity to come to our front gates and demand that he returns HIS money to you? Know your limits, pig." Mercedes looks at the woman with rage and a hint of disdain in her eyes, disgusted that a distant relative of hers can be so selfish and vile.

"Leave, and never come back. You have the money to come all this way to the Capital. You should have the money to go back to where you came from as well." Mercedes turns around and head back into her home. Feeling no obligation to fulfill the woman's request, especially when she said that she will "consider it" and not do it.

As Mercedes walks further away from gates, the voice of the woman begging for her to come back, slowly becomes softer and softer.

And as the guards drag the woman away from the bars of the gates, they have also made a mental note to themselves, to never anger Mercedes in any way. For they have witnessed a seven year old Mercedes's fury, they do not want to imagine what a grown up Mercedes can do.

???

An hour or so later, Mercedes hears a knock on her door and puts down the book she is reading.

"Come in."

The door opens, and in comes Feylis with a hand behind her back, hiding something from Mercedes.

"I-I'm back, Elder sister..."

"Welcome back, Feylis. How's your outing with mummy?"

"It... It was great...... Umm..."

Feylis moves the hand behind her back to the front, revealing a small box she is holding, wrapped up as a present.

"I-I got this for you, Elder sister... I thought... I thought it would look nice on you, so.... p-please, accept it!"

Mercedes takes the box from Feylis's hand and opens it.

"Oh wow."

She was mesmerised by the present, a small sapphire necklace, in a shape of half a heart.

"I-it's one side of the pair necklace I bought... I... I have the other half of it..." Feylis shows her elder sister the one she is currently wearing.

"Feylis..." Mercedes gets off her chair and proceeds to hug her little sister. "Thank you for the present. I'll be sure to wear it at all times." she then pats Feylis's head, causing her to wag her tail in delight.

"I did it! Elder sister has accepted my present!" shouted Feylis internally, extremely happy with the result of giving Mercedes a half of a pairing necklace.

"Elder sister also loves me, doesn't she? If our relationship improves even further, then maybe one day... then maybe one day..."

"We could... hold... hands..."

Feylis blushes immediately at the thought of that. Without realising that Mercedes is already behind her, fluffing her tail passionately, whereas she continues immersing herself in her wild, innocent fantasies with her elder sister.

That is, until Sabrina enters the room with a trolley of tea and snacks, causing them to come to their senses.

While Mercedes watches Feylis delightfully eating the snacks provided, she thought to herself.

"As her family, and as her older sister, I won't let anyone harm Feylis ever again, so as long as I'm here with her. No matter what."

Time flies by quickly once again, as Mercedes is about to become eight years old. But before that, her family is about to bring her to the church... for her baptism.

ChocolateLover030

Protective Onee-san Mode: Activate!

Thanks for reading. ?

Hope you like the story so far.

Have a nice day! :)