"I...wake...so wait...Ian..."

Linda could hear voices near her. She opened her eyes, blinking to adjust her eyesight.

The view was finally clear to her and jumped up from her spot at the close-up face that was near her face.

"Ack!"

She felt nothing as she placed her hand in the air, tripping from the blanket. She shuts her eyes tightly for the incoming impact.

"Elisa!"

Before she could feel any pain as she fell, she felt herself floating. She slowly opened her tightly shut eyes. Ian was safely holding onto her tightly and placed her back on top of the bed sheets.

"Woah, sorry for scaring you..."

Edwin stared at his sister sadly. Staring at her brother who was guilty of looking down, she giggled.

"I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Really."

His pitiful expression brightened at her consolation. He widens his eyes in realization.

"Ah, I almost forgot!"

He hurriedly grabbed his sister's hand and pulled her towards Ian. Now that she looked at Ian closely, she couldn't help but see a small fluffy ginger hair resting on his arm.

"A baby?"

Linda tilted her head in doubt to look closer at the being in question. Ian shook his head and slowly revealed a child that looked even smaller than them.

"This is Peony, she just turned 2."

Peony cutely blinked her eyes as she curiously stared at the strangers in front of her. Linda couldn't help but hold her breath.

Her eyes shone brightly at the cute child in front of her sight. She couldn't help but touch Peony's cheek.

"She looks just like you..."

Noticing their similar hair color and eyes, she inwardly pouted and wondered how Peony would grow to be. After all her older brother is soon to be a talented knight that will be sighted by the whole continent.

"Right?! She will be just like her brother, am I right, My Pea?"

Ian excitedly held Peony up in the air as he smiled brightly. She giggled at her brother's actions.

The twins blankly stared at the doting brother towards his younger sister. They blinked and looked at each other. Not needing to tell each other, they both thought the same.

'The devoted and silent Ian is doting and a fool to his sister.'

***

A new year. A new day. A new beginning.

The snowflakes began to fall one by one from the overcast sky. As the snow rained down, replacing the old and muddy ones, the workers in the mansion were running around the place, here and there.

The days before had been busy since a week ago.

Edwin dazedly stares at his sister as the maids stylish her grown hair. He couldn't help but exhale in exhaustion, looking at himself.

In this world, a new year is nearly coming for them. It's been about over a half year since they came to this world. He couldn't help but feel his time here was extremely slow and boring.

Back in their previous world, they at least had phones that could entertain themselves.

"I miss my PlayStation..."

He sadly muttered as he inwardly cried out his eyeballs. Linda slightly flinched but didn't turn to look at her brother. She had to stay seated so the maids could comfortably make her hair.

"Whew..."

Edwin revealed a breath once again and turned his head towards the one who is standing next to him.

"So Momma and Brother won't be present for tomorrow?"

"Indeed, after all, they are invited by his imperial majesty himself."

"I know, I know."

He slightly pouted and wondered what the imperial place looked like.

"Hmmm..."

'I wonder how Aiden is doing there if children under 7 aren't allowed to participate in the social world?'

He was sure the crown prince wouldn't be present as well. If the princes aren't attending the imperial banquets, then what do they do during those times? And that princess...

He stared at the empty air as he drowned in his deep thoughts. Linda, finally escaping from the maids' grasp, walked towards her brother who was completely in another world. She angrily smacked the back of his head.

"Owww..."

Edwin painfully rubbed the back of his head and tearfully looked up to meet his grumbling sister.

"Oh, Lin, have you finished already?"

He stared at her in surprise and couldn't help but admire how they made his sister. He raised his thumbs and grinned.

"Those ladies have a nice fashion seeing you looking beautiful today."

Linda became frustrated at his words. Her cheeks turned slightly red and turned her head around in annoyance.

"Of course, I have already heard enough sweet words in the past. But since you said so, I guess they did a great job..."

She gave out a small smile. Seeing her smile, he also returned her smile and touched his hair.

"Though they didn't do much with my hair..."

"You're not a girl!"

"Hehe..."

Linda pounced on him, tightening her grip on his shoulder. Edwin awkwardly scratched his cheek, sweating from pain from the grip.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding!"

He tried to soothe her by not taking it so seriously.

She didn't immediately believe his words but let him go just this once.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood right now."

"...Haha."

He nervously laughed at the intense aura his sister was releasing. Even if his sister had a calm and peaceful expression, he knew deep inside his sister get emotional if she found anything strange about him.

He doesn't know whether he should cry or laugh at his sister's obsession. He didn't want her to grow up that way.

He doesn't remember many of the incidents that happen to his family members when Aunt Jay mentions them to him.

Now thinking deeply about it, it's strange. How come he doesn't remember much of his past? Did something happen between himself and his memories?

He stared at the floor, perplexed. Linda silently gazed at her brother. She turned her head to Amanda. She moved her lips without a sound, shaping her words with her mouth.

'Leave us alone.'

Amanda bowed in response and took her to leave. Feeling no one's presence near them, She hurriedly grabbed Edwin's hands and dragged him towards her.

He was bewildered and stared at his sister who was nervously grabbing the cage that contained the mimic who was lying down as if dead.

"Where–?"

Before he could even raise his question to Linda, he was immediately trying to balance himself at the sudden shock. He isn't sure but he felt something grab his ankle.

'What..?'

He gazed to see nothing on his ankle. Looking up at his twin, his eyes shook at the haggard face on her face. Linda grabbed the curtain and slowly stepped on the window's stool after letting go of her twin's hand.

"...Lin..da..?"

She jumped off the window tightly holding the curtain as a rope. The cage dangled from her hand as she landed on top of the fluffy snow.

"Edwin. Come down from there."

Linda smiled sweetly at her brother, letting go of the curtain. He blinked his eyes in surprise but didn't ask questions as he also grabbed the curtain and landed by her side.

Linda grabbed his hand once again and ran with him behind her. Edwin was confused about where exactly she was taking him.

Even if he was, he firmly grabbed her hand in not to lose her as he was dragged somewhere he wouldn't expect to be in an unavoidable situation.

 

 

AKS