With the practice session over, I could finally relax for the day.

So I thought. Miriam suddenly appeared to warn me about my bathtub exploding. 

[S-Sorry, your highness! I think I messed up somewhere...]

How?

I could roughly think of some possible scenarios that had happened, since this was Miriam after all. 

A pipe had burst while she was trying to get the hot water running? She accidentally did something to the tap?

...All was possible. One could say it was her talent even. 

[There, there. Is there anywhere else I could possibly take a bath?] 

We were roughly about the same height so I could tip-toe slightly and pat her head. She tried to shrink away but I gave her a stare that stopped her from doing so. Yup, cute. 

[A-Anyway, your highness! The maid leader told me to bring you to the family bathhouse!]

[I see. Please lead the way then.]

I followed Miriam, enjoying the feeling of the sun on my skin. It took awhile for Miriam to get her bearings but we finally arrive. 

[I'm sorry...] 

[It's ok. I still need a change of clothes, help me fetch those while I clean up, okay?] 

[Right away!] 

With a woosh, Miriam left quickly to salvage her little mess. I pray for whoever runs into her in the hallway. 

Being my first time using this facility, the maids that were assigned to the place were very helpful. The family bathhouse was usually used by the members of the Branstein family, but I did not have that privilege yet. The maids offered to help me but I refused.  I never had the habit of being served by other, even with Miriam. 

After soaping down and rinsing myself off, I can finally enter the hot water. A pleasant feeling began to spread throughout my body. From what I heard from the maids, it appears that this particular water had healing properties and it aids in helping the body to grow. 

I wonder, if does this helps with areas such as height or body parts? 

[Hmmm...this is such a mystery.] 

I relaxed my body as my body got used to the temperature. All this to myself, how wonderful. I do not think I could go back to my adventurer days... 

*Creak*

The door opened and the first person came in was Lilia, running in the nude with Amelia running in after her covered with a towel. 

[It's Alicia onee-sama!] 

[Lilia! Don't run in the bathhouse!]

Since her target was me, I just got up and let her pomf into me. With these steps along the walls of the water, Lilia easily reached around the height of my chest. 

Amelia caught up and was almost on the brink of tears. I could imagine what would happen if she failed to catch her sister...even a spanking from Cecilia will not be enough. 

I carried Lilia up and she immediately had her arms wrapped around my neck. Although this was a bit embarrassing in the nude, I patted poor Amelia on the head. 

[Umm, thank you Alicia-onee sama.]

How polite. Previously I never had the chance to interact properly with the two girls right before me. If memory serves me correctly, Amelia went on to becoming a healer of sorts. Lilia was a prodigy when it came to magic and was already a important member of the mages guild at the age of 15.

With much persuasion, I peeled the little imp off me to let Amelia handle her. If the younger ones are already here, the other two sisters were already... 

Speaking of the devil, Elliana's grumpy face appeared as the door creaked again, with Cecilia right behind her.

Time to be on my best behaviour. 

[Good evening, Cecilia onee-sama.] 

The two were just staring for a moment. Oh, I forgotten about my towel... 

[G-good evening, Alicia... *cough* Since this is a rare chance for us to be together, why don't we have a... soak together?] 

Elliana had the fastest whiplash I seen so far from her. 

A few moments later... 

We all sat down in the smaller pool, so that even Amelia and Lilia can move around without any worries. 

But Lilia refused to let go off me. When even Cecilia could not convince her to let go, Lilia yelled. 

[Alicia onee-chan's chest feels more like mama's!] 

[Her chest...] 

[Cecilia onee-sama?!] 

Whatever composure that Cecilia had just shattered. The rest of the sisters just kept comparing theirs with mine. 

It was true that my chest was currently bigger than the rest of them. I could only pat Lillia on the head. I just hope she did not think that I could produce any milk for her. Was it because Cecilia was usually the one taking care of Lilia?

It took awhile for Cecilia to return to normal.

[Sorry about Lilia, usually mother will be around to take care of her. But she recently went on a short tour with father. She's been moody ever since.]

[It's okay, if Lilia doesn't mind a stranger like me, I don't mind.

Lilia nodded as if she was agreeing with me.

[I think after today's match, most of us can agree that you are very well fitted to be a part of us.]

At that moment, I thought I saw a flashback of that moment. The tears in the moment that Cecilia had killed me. The words that she muttered as she held my lifeless body. The regret that came pouring out of her as she cried out in pain. The pain of having to kill someone that was family.

I mustered a smile. 

[Thank you.] 

---

Even though the talk we had was brief, I enjoyed spending time with my sisters. I learnt more about the connection that the family had with the royal family and the church. Back when I still was an adventurer, the things I have learnt was only about my own survival. I had no time to keep up with anything else. 

A few months has passed since then. 

Everyone was working hard in preparation for the coming of age ceremony, which will take place in the cathedral in Cresenberg, the capital city. On this day, there will be a large influx of people traveling to Cresenberg to receive the blessing of the goddess. Children that were between age 8 to 12 will have a chance to undergo this ceremony, it just depends if one could afford to travel.

A ceremony that was hosted for children to show what potential they possess and also a mark on their life. Only the current bishop of the church was able to conduct the ceremony as it was said that only the bishop holds the power to communicate with the goddess. In turn, the goddess will send down spirits that will bless the child that they find favourable. 

There were six main spirits that governed the elements of the world. 

Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light and Darkness. If there was only one or two spirits, it showed that you can be a productive member of society. As the number of spirits goes up, the more potential you have for more complicated jobs. You even have the chance to be recruited by the academy to be nurtured by them if you had 4 or more blessings. Commoner or Noble, it did not matter at all. If you had even a blessing from one spirit, there was a chance for you to succeed. 

If there were no spirits, the bishop will try a second time. But if even that fails, you were deemed as a failure. A Scorned. One who was abandoned by the spirits. It was like receiving a permanent burden. I should know. You were deemed unfit as a person.

It was a terrible feeling that almost drove me crazy.

But now, I wonder how it will go this time? 

Mother, please watch over me...

---

The days went by until a week before the ceremony. I was arranged to be seated in a carriage together with my sisters. We were all going to attend the ceremony because of Elliana, Lilia and me. 

I was already of age to attend and Elliana had just passed her 8th birthday. Lilia was a special case since she could already cast magic but still needed to be blessed by the bishop himself.  One could say she was already a genius at the age of 7.

It was absolutely not because of her casting a fireball in the garden that almost started a wildfire that changed Johanna and Cecilia's mind. If not, there was just going to be more than a ruined garden to explain later on.  

This reminds of my previous life. I was sent to the ceremony alone with a group of caretakers from the Branstein family. Maybe it was because of how long my injuries took to recover...

In the carriage, I was seated next to Cecilia with Lilia on my lap. Amelia and Elliana sat opposite of us. 

Richard, Johann and Lilia's twin brother were inside another carriage ahead of us while the maids were in a much simpler carriage.

There was a friend of the family who was joining us as an escort, who goes by the name of Gilbert. Apparently he was a fairly well-known adventurer, who once served with the lord himself before he resigned. He took the lead as expected and hanged around with the boys.

I wondered if those brats told him anything about me. His staring were pretty annoying whenever I was nearby their carriage.

As I daydream my way to the capital... 

[Alicia, what is that poking from your skirt?] 

Elliana noticed the equipment I had prepared for the trip. With the lack of a belt, I had to improvise the places that I could hide a few throwing knives for self-defence. 

[A couple of throwing knives. I used this for hunting before I was adopted in.] 

[Ohhh, can I see it?] 

Amelia interrupted her sister, her eyes full of curiosity. I smiled back at her. 

I had the pouch for my knives on my right thigh so I had to pull my skirt up, revealing white beautiful skin beneath. 

I got to say that the healing water did wonders for my skin.. 

[Alicia onee-sama?!] 

[W-what are you doing?] 

Both of them suddenly cried out, with Lilia staring hard at my thigh. Cecilia could only chuckle at their reactions. 

[Alicia, that wasn't a very noble thing to do. And you two, you wanted to see the knives. Unless you want Alicia to take off her skirt?] 

[[Oh..]] 

I would rather strip because of this darn corset suffocating me. I ignored what Cecilia said and passed one of the knives I had to the two girls. 

[Alicia, the knives looks pretty well-made.]

[Thank you, Cecilia onee-sama. I had these knives made from a rare ore that I found were from a disabled golem. It was pretty enough so I asked a blacksmith uncle to help me make some.] 

I found the ores when I was still living with mother. In my previous life, I had a job that required me to hunt golems that contained such ores in their body. So this was a very lucky find since the golem I found was already non-functional and had various types of flora growing on it. It just took awhile for me to remove the ores from the golem itself.

These throwing knives were light enough to throw with ease and was able to cut through flesh like butter. The blacksmith told me that these were a mix of different ores, which was caused by elements going haywire in the mines, creating mindless golems that goes on a rampage occasionally. With the innate magic attribute from the ores, it was easy even for people that cannot use magic sparingly. 

…I almost died a few times fighting those golems. 

While I was deep in thought, Cecilia took the knife from her sisters and examined it for herself. 

[It's so sharp...I wonder...?]

[Is there a problem?]

[No, I was just wondering if father would be happy if we could get a sword made from that ore.]

[I'm sure he will be happy to get anything from you Cecilia onee-sama.]

I made a note to procure more of the ores in the future, with luck there will be some available if memory serves me right. 

---

As nightfall arrived, our group made camp in a relatively safe area. Dinner was quickly served by the maids, their efficiency was impeccable even when having limited supplies to work with. 

We sat down together after getting our food. Lilia pouted at her plate as we ate.

[Lilia, are you not hungry?]

Lilia shook her head. She only sulked as she stare at me. 

Yes, she was sulking. 

 [I want Alicia onee-chan to feed me.] 

[Fine, I'll feed you. Make sure you everything up, okay?] 

[Okay!] 

With that, her appetite seems to have returned.  I blew at the hot stew to make sure the temperature was just enough for her to take. 

Cecilia suddenly appeared with a bowl in her hand. She had her a spoon up and was slowly headed for me. 

[Your food will get cold too. Now eat.]

[Eat, Alicia onee-chan!

I sighed. 

*Nom*

Elliana and Amelia took turns to help feed their little sister when they were done eating. I took my bowl away from Cecilia immediately. She only smiled at me.

After dinner, we were all relaxed by the campfire, killing some time before sleeping. I was staring into space and waited. 

Not before long, my perception talent picked up three adults hiding. Assassins, I assumed. 

[Cecilia onee-sama, I'll go for a walk.] 

[I see, be careful then. I'll save some hot water for you.]

I nodded and began to make my way out of the campsite. 

I took a path into the forested area nearby, just out of the range of the camp. As expected, the assassins followed me from a distance. Were they aiming for me or the Branstein family? I could not tell, but this was easier to handle.  

I pretended to stop and looked at the nearby herbs and took my knives out quietly. Then I resumed my evening walk into the forest. 

[Urk!]

[Gaahh..!]

2 knives whipped through the air, killing the two assailant before they had a chance to react. The remaining assassin could only watch as his comrades die. 

[Dammit! Die you monster!]

He took out a crossbow and fired rapidly in my direction. Too bad that I was already gone from that spot. The more he panicked, the more advantage it gives me. I threw the remaining knives into his limbs, effectively ending the battle. 

What, were 'you' expecting a battle? No, all my attempts were all done through underhanded methods. Pitfalls, trip wires and so on, I had to think of ways to protect mother without putting attention to myself. 

The last assassin who survived bit his own tongue off when I got closer to him. They were prepared. 

I took my knives back and cleaned them. After that, I began to search their bodies. Except for a few pieces of silver coins and some weapons, there was nothing worth of interest. I can only assume whatever evidence they had was already disposed of. 

[3 assassins... They seem more competent than the usual people. Was it because of the Branstein name? Even with Cecilia around, she didn't appear to be able to detect them.]

All the possibilities and no evidence to back it up. 

I left soon after I could not detect anyone in the vicinity. I made sure to grab some herbs to remove the smell of blood before returning to the campsite. These herbs came in handy when traveling, since it grows actively in the wild. 

At the campsite, Miriam was waiting for me with a bucket of hot water at her side. 

I thanked Miriam and chased her away to rest. After mixing the hot water with herbs for a bit, it was enough for me to wash up.

I was in time in joining my sisters to sleep. Cecilia looked as if she wanted to say something but I put a finger to my mouth. Was she worried about me?

The space inside the tent was enough for a couple of adults and more so for us children. 

Lilia forced herself onto me with a bear hug, which earned a giggle from the others. Cecilia tucked the rest in, while I made myself comfortable next to her, letting Lilia snuggle into my chest. 

...Sigh. I wonder if Lilia would break this bad habit? 

Only when we were sure that the rest were asleep, we started to whisper.

[Were you hurt, Alicia?] 

[No, they didn't have the chance to attack. I'm fine, Cecilia onee-sama.] 

[...] 

She gave me a hug from the back.

[Thank you Alicia.] 

Before the trip, we had a talk. I shared with her that there could be target on our backs since their father was not around to protect them. Even if the lord had his friend taking care of us, there was still the worst case scenario.

If a situation like that ever happened, Cecilia would stay behind and protect her sisters while I use myself as bait. I have more experience and was the more suitable candidate. Both of us knew that. 

We soon fell asleep in each other's warmth...