SIDE STORY 09………………………………………………
Lucanas shook off the leaves stuck to his bottom and stood up.
It was time for him to learn the meaning of “learning the hard way.”
“Kinya, you idiot! Fool! Bird poop! Larva! And, and…”
Hinasis exhausted herself listing every insult she could think of and gave up. She rolled around the grassy field in her pretty dress. The palace echoing with her shouting was just a bonus.
“So annoying!! Kinya got mad at Hina! He didn’t even call me ‘sister’! He didn’t say Hina, but Hinasis! He doesn’t even play with Hina!!”
Hinasis puffed and panted, pressing her chubby cheeks against the grass.
“…Did Hina really do something wrong?”
Hinasis heard Kyniacsis’ worried voice about his delayed awakening. And it wasn’t just Kyniacsis. Lucanas had gone through it, and Hinasis herself had heard it endlessly. It was a natural part of growing up for the Divine Beasts inheriting the Lihviela name.
Even if everyone fussed around, the awakening would happen in time. There was no reason to worry—so why did Kyniacsis look so distressed?
“Kinya is a crybaby. Hina’s brave, but Kinya’s scared.”
Kyniacsis was timid. The reason he cried so easily was obvious: he got frightened by even trivial things.
“Kinya’s scared… Hina has to protect him.”
Every night, fearing the dark room, he had brought his pillow to find Hinasis. Could he sleep alone now? Kyniacsis was still too afraid to pick up a doll that had fallen under the bed, convinced a monster lurked there.
“Hina has to pick it up.”
Hinasis, having tumbled about and wrestled with her thoughts, straightened with determination.
“Hina’s the older sister. I’ll let it slide this once. Not twice. Only this once. Got it?”
Having made a vow, though she didn’t know to whom, Hinasis set off in search of Kyniacsis.
“But where is Kinya?”
Hinasis walked without thinking. She could figure that out along the way—no point in worrying beforehand.
After some time, she reached the area near the carriage storage and spotted a single carriage that looked out of place among the familiar ones.
“Not a royal carriage?”
It seemed familiar, but she couldn’t remember where she had seen it.
“Ah. I guess they came to celebrate Rinne.”
It was just five days before the establishment ceremony of the Department of Medicine. Hinasis recalled the busy servants bustling as they prepared for the arrival of guests.
“Hmm…”
Trying to recall the carriage, Hinasis shook her head.
“I don’t know. I don’t remember.”
Finding Kyniacsis was the priority.
As she moved forward, she froze. She heard a familiar cry carried by the wind.
“Waaaah… Hina-nee…”
“Kinya!!”
No doubt. It was the cry of her youngest sibling, Kyniacsis.
Hinasis ran desperately toward the sound of the wind.
Why was he crying? What scared him? This should be something she could fix, so he would stop crying.
After running with all her worry, Kyniacsis came into view. Sitting and crying, and in front of him was—
“Kinya!!!”
She remembered the carriage. It was a Sinatra family carriage. A year ago, she had hit Rinne Grimm’s cheek right in front of a crying Kyniacsis. Though he had grown since then, she recognized him immediately.
Karga Sinatra stood before Hinasis.
Hinasis shot her divine power at him without hesitation. Just as the eternal flames were about to engulf Karga, they collided with the earth rising at his feet and scattered harmlessly.
“Hina-nee!!”
“Hinasis Lihviela?”
Karga, barely blocking the sudden attack, followed Kyniacsis’ gaze.
Hinasis, slightly taller than Karga remembered, walked steadily toward him. Her golden eyes glowed with simmering anger.
“What is this? Attacking out of nowhere? Does she not know who I am?”
“I know. Karga Sinatra.”
“So you attacked even knowing that?”
Meeting her glare, Karga smirked.
‘Trembling? Not a chance.’
Seeing the flickering flames, Hinasis looked like she intended to kill him.
“Stay away from Kyniacsis.”
“Hinasis Lihviela. I think you’re misunderstanding—this one came first—”
Bang! A flame shot unexpectedly at Karga’s feet. Had he not stepped back, it would have burned his foot.
“Get away from my little brother.”
“Hah. How touching.”
The bird Karga had collided with during his walk happened to be Lucanas, a little Lihviela, nothing more. The spectacle of him frightened and crying had been amusing, so Karga had played a little prank.
“You started it, so this is self-defense?”
Karga, frustrated by Tayla Sinatra, needed someone to take it out on. There was no reason to avoid a fight that came to him first.
“Ugh!”
Hinasis was struck by Karga’s divine power and fell hard. Blood stained her dress. She tried to rise, but the swirling sand Karga created—a sort of quicksand—threatened to engulf her.
“Sis!!”
‘No… I’m the older sister. I should only show him a strong side.’
But Karga’s mastery of divine power was overwhelming. Their elemental match was terrible. Hinasis’ flames could not pierce Karga’s earth.
The ground writhed again. Hinasis squeezed her eyes shut against the impending attack.
“Ugh…!”
Yet, she felt no pain. The groans of suffering came from Karga instead.
Opening her eyes, she saw Karga buried in the earth, only his eyes visible.
“Damn it. I won’t let go!!”
Karga glared—not at Hinasis, but behind her.
“Karga Sinatra. Stay buried in there and cool your head.”
Hinasis thought of someone. The voice calling her name hesitantly. The pure smile despite all the pain. The tears they had shed when parting.
What was that name? Alex. Pepe. Titi. Too many to count.
But the last name she called was vivid in her memory.
“…Pierre?”
Even as she said it, she wasn’t sure. This child looked very different from the one in Hinasis’ memory. Taller, with longer hair. Cheeks no longer hollow, no stuttering.
Only one thing matched her memory.
“…Hello, Hinasis.”
Gentle eyes.
“…Hello, my friend.”
That was enough to recognize Pierre.
Tayla scooped Hinasis up. The trapped leg easily came free. Seeing the blood soaking Hinasis’ dress, Tayla lowered her head.
“I’m sorry, Hinasis.”
“You didn’t get hurt because of Pierre.”
“Pierre…”
Hearing the name again, Tayla smiled briefly.
“Hinasis. I have a name now. Tayla—it’s my name.”
“…Tayla?”
The two children, longing for each other, had no time to enjoy a leisurely reunion. Karga’s struggles wouldn’t allow it.
“Tayla Sinatra!! Let go of that right now! Before I kill you!”
Tayla sighed briefly and stepped toward Karga.
“If you let go now, you’ll attack Hinasis, won’t you?”
“That brat too… I’ll kill him if you don’t let go!!”
“Karga Sinatra. You—”
A black robe flared. A man clad in pitch-black darkness landed as lightly as falling feathers.
“That’s impossible. They’re precious to my love.”
And he said it with just the right hint of jealousy.
The man twisted his lips.
“Luce!!”
“Brother Luce!!”
Luce waved in response to the young Divine Beasts’ enthusiastic welcome and scooped up Kyniacsis.
“Enough.”
“Waaah…”
“Look, Rinne’s coming. Wouldn’t she be sad to see this face?”
Kyniacsis clung to Luce’s clothing.
“No! Tell her not to come!”
“She’s too busy to come. I just said—”
“She’ll hit Rinne again! Rinne will be hurt! Waaah!”
Luce’s face grew cold at the mention of Karga.
