"Hooo..."

Edwin closed his eyes softly as he blew his cold hands with warmth. Linda approached him and stared blankly towards the opened window.

"...So you're telling me you have trouble with your memories until now."

"Yes..."

Edwin's head bowed down in guilt, not making eye contact with his sister's intense eyes.

"..."

"Whew."

She wiped down her face with her hand and exhaled in frustration. To be honest, she already knew, not having himself confess to her just made it obvious. He's terrible at lying, it's just his handsome face covers it all in front of others.

'Especially that idiotically yet bright smile..'

She frowned at his pathetic face and remembered how he can sometimes be scary.

He isn't overall stubborn like herself. Yes. She admits she is indeed stubborn but that is to her belief, of course.

She nodded in confirmation at her thoughts. She turned towards her brother and spoke to him.

"It's fine. But, surprisingly, you're still angry."

Edwin blinked at her in surprise. He touched his face in doubt and then stared at her openly.

Linda gazed at his confused face and then sighed.

"It's not written on your face. It's your eyes. And you haven't been this angry for over a half day in all the years we have lived with Auntie Jay."

"Ah!"

Edwin nodded his head clumsily even though he was still not convinced. But he admits he can feel irritated with a churning feeling in his stomach.

He didn't understand why though, he stared at Linda who could give him an answer. But before he could, he saw her shivering next to him. He immediately turned his head around shut the windows and grabbed onto her arms.

He frowned at her as his hands around her arms tightened and spoke.

"Even if you have a stronger body, you should at least stay away from the cold winds near the window."

Linda widened her eyes with shock and then smiled softly. She was wondering why he grabbed her out of a sudden and was able to trigger him to worry about herself. She couldn't help but give out a soft giggle.

"What?"

He frowned deeply towards her giggle she obviously didn't hide. Linda quickly stopped and covered her mouth. The duo instantly turns their heads toward the door.

"Young master, young lady, it's me, Mira."

"Come in."

Mira carefully opened the door and walked towards them. After bowing respectfully towards them she raised her head to meet their eyes.

"My apologies for my urgency..."

She muttered softly holding a complicated expression. Edwin frowned at her off behavior and stared seriously at her.

"What brought you here then? To us?"

She hesitated then bowed even more than previously. The twins widen their eyes at her weird behavior. They were extremely shocked at this, even if they did get used to this formal thing, they never saw anyone bowed down to their knees.

'Ah, there's Ian...'

Linda stared at her with a heavy gaze. She bit her lower lip and grabbed onto her shoulder.

"Mira, what exactly is going on?"

Feeling the intense and heavy words uttered by the child she was kneeling to, she couldn't help but feel something cracking within her.

Edwin fidgets his fingers and feels his throat go dry. He nervously glanced at the two, not liking the intense atmosphere. But as the silence grew, fear started growing with uncertainty within the twins.

"Mira!!"

The duo's tell snapped Mira back to reality. She hurriedly stood up making Linda stumble. Before she could fall, she immediately grabbed onto her.

"My apologies..."

She mumbled guilty then stood up ready to speak.

"I... No, it seems I will be the one to take care of you from now on..."

Mira mumbled softly but the two didn't miss her small voice. They looked at her confused. They clearly didn't understand the clear meaning behind her words.

Mira grabbed onto her head with shaking eyes. She took a deep breath and let it out. After calming herself down she returned to her natural calm expression.

"Amanda had left with the knights to help out outside of the ducal mansion. As for Juliet..."

Edwin and Linda just stared at her silently. Seeing the patient children, she couldn't help but choke up. She couldn't tell them the whole truth...

"...she was assigned to serve the child you brought back with."

Linda tilted her head in wonder, asking.

"Don't we have other maids that can serve 'them?'"

She didn't say the specific gender that child is as she isn't completely sure even if they were to believe the duchess.

"Ah..."

Mira stared at the two in realization. She nodded in understanding and then spoke up.

"We have found out she truly is a girl based on her body structure after the maids washed her up."

The twins nodded in response. They didn't feel good finding out she was truly that girl.

"Her name?"

Edwin stared at Mira with wonder, his eyes shining with curiosity. She smiled softly at his question.

"Romana. Her name is Romana according to the child."

They froze. Ah, they truly would've expected it but that letter. Linda shouldn't have answered it by doing what they instructed and bringing her elder brother there.

'Right...'

He isn't her older brother but her twin. She still couldn't get used to it.

"Haaa..."

Mira stared at Linda who was sighing confused. She ignored their strange action though. She didn't forget the day when she arrived and began serving them.

They look more lively than when they were back then. They never showed many emotions towards anyone other than the duchess.

She was really happy to see them finally open up with others outside of this mansion.

The two stared at Mira's soft and relaxed smile. They questioned why she was staring at them like this but ignored it.

Right now they have a bigger problem they need to solve which might be a threat to their plan of survival.

Who was the one who sent the letter to them? Especially knowing her existence and sending them to her...

'And Juliet...'

Linda stared at the door with chilling eyes.

 

 

AKS