Matchmaking Baby Sister - Chapter 6
Chapter 6 – Pounding Heart
TL: Zimmings
Looking at Lucinda’s face choked me up. I clenched my fist.
“Pupu.”
[Did you call me?]
At my call, Pupu appeared with his wings fluttering in the air. Lucinda saw the twinkling light and was startled.
“Oh my, Ariel, your familiar!”
[Meow, that’s right. As expected of my favorite butler*.]
*TL note: Many cat owners call themselves as butlers in Korea. It’s cat servant in english equivalent
Pupu wags his tail softly as if he was excited because Lucinda respected him.
‘Pupu, help me. I have something to say to Lucinda.’
[What is it? Do you have something to say to the butler?]
‘Yes.’
Hearing my words, Pupu flew into the air. Then it whispered to Lucinda. I’m really serious about this. This despicable cat spoke in a terrifyingly identical voice to mine.
[Aunt, I’d rather leave here.]
“…………you want us to leave the Imperial Palace?”
Lucinda said while trembling, as I nodded.
‘It would be better for her to leave the palace after she got a lot of money. No one bothers my aunt outside like they did here.’
“Mama, mama.”
The words I wanted to say were long, but the words that came out of my mouth were vague babbling. Lucinda had a long face as if she understood what I meant.
I smiled brightly.
‘She won’t be ignored outside even though she’s a commoner. Lucinda’s future after she got the money reward would be a smooth ride.”
Even when she was poor, there were many bachelors who tried to woo Lucinda.
‘You just need to meet a good person, have a pretty daughter and live happily ever after. Since you have suffered until now.’
I came to the Imperial Palace from the beginning to save Lucinda from poverty.
‘Of course, I will be a little sad.’
When I looked at Lucinda with that thought, she grabbed my hand and shook her head.
“But Ariel, how could I get out of the palace when you’re here? Ariel, you are a very, very important person now, so you can’t leave the palace.”
My nice Lucinda must have thought that we should go everywhere together. I grabbed my aunt’s finger. Two of her aunt’s fingers were wrapped around my hand, making my palms full.
“Abuuu.(I’m alright.)”
I said in a resolute voice. Perhaps because this situation was funny, Pupu mimicked my voice again without me asking.
[I’m alright, so my aunt needs to go out and live happily ever after.]
It was then, Lucinda understood the meaning of my words and her body became stiff. I looked at her resolutely. I sincerely hope that my feelings will be conveyed.
‘I’m okay with being alone.’
Even without Lucinda, I will be alright to be left alone in this cold and lonely palace.
‘It’s all for Lucinda’s happiness.’
To be honest, it was difficult to be optimistic about my future.
At this rate, Tessa may not be able to accept me as a princess because of my origin. He could also suddenly marry a woman and turn me into a puppet princess.
Or I might be kicked out of the palace just because I don’t resemble Lloyd at all.
‘Still, Lucinda will be freed from poverty.’
That was enough.
She’s 21 years old. At that age, she shouldn’t be taking care of her niece and enjoy her youth instead.
To make the matter worse, in the original story, Lucina who had a pitiful life and lost her niece in an accident, had to deal with Tessa’s resentment.
‘But I’ve now escaped from my unfortunate fate.’
While I was thinking about it, my aunt’s grip became stronger.
“Mama?”
I tilted my head and looked at Lucinda. Tears were coming out from her eyes, wetting her pillow. Lucinda didn’t wipe her tears and continued to grab my petite hand instead.
“Why are you saying that? You are still so young.”
These words signify my aunt’s love for me and I feel like crying.
I bit my lips to stop the tears that were threatening to come out. However, hearing Lucinda say that, the tears that I had been holding back instantly burst out.
“… By any chance, are you ashamed of me?”
“Abaaabaa! (Absolutely not!)”
How could I be ashamed of my aunt!?
‘That can’t be happening!’
It was thanks to Lucinda who loved me dearly, that I could adjust myself in this place, even though I suddenly possessed a character whose death was set in stone inside a novel.
The pain of missing my family and friends in my last life melted away in front of Lucinda’s love.
‘How could I be ashamed of such a great aunt?’
I shook my head as Lucinda tightly closed her eyes. Her tears that were pouring out slowly started to become uncontrollable.
“Are you ashamed of me, who doesn’t know how to write and doesn’t know etiquette, so you want me to disappear soon? Without me, Ariel would be a perfect princess…”
“Abaa! Abbaa!(That’s not it!)”
Is it a reason to be ashamed of Lucinda if she doesn’t know the letters and doesn’t know etiquette?
‘Even though there are many people here who have that knowledge, what have they done to me?’
None of them showed me kindness. If Lucinda had not taken pity on me, who lost my mother early, I would have died right after I was born.
‘I just…I just said that because Lucinda was so sad.’
Tears welled up in Lucinda’s eyes. The situation where Lucinda was blaming herself was very heartbreaking to me.
I slowly opened my lips after silently crying.
“Aba, Ababa. (It’s all because of me.)”
After I murmured, Pupu frowned and came towards me.
[What are you saying? Other people’s sadness is not your fault.]
‘Pupu, you don’t understand.’
[Yes I don’t understand. Because I’m only a familiar, it’s natural not to understand.]
‘Then be quiet!’
[But talking to my master is fun.]
Pupu smiled mischievously and flailed its tail again. It was beautiful to see the light it emitted, but the words it conveyed were oftentimes insensitive.
[I always make my aunt unhappy. I’m a bad child.]
“Ariel!”
At my words, Lucinda got up from her seat and hugged me.
“How could that be, Ariel? You are the person I love the most in the world.”
I was held in Lucinda’s warm arms as she was crying. No matter how much Lucinda said no, I had no choice but to think of this.
‘But my aunt is like this because of me.’
I clenched my fist. I knew that even having such thoughts would hurt Lucinda, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it.
‘Lucinda could have lived a better life without me. Even now, if it’s not for me, there’s no reason for her to be criticized.’
It’s also because of me that we entered the palace together.
‘It’s my fault.’
But Lucinda hugged me tightly.
“Don’t think like that, Ariel! Absolutely not. It was all thanks to my pretty Ariel that I was able to live.”
“Mama.”
Tears were dripping down to my soft golden hair. It was Lucinda’s tears.
“When you were born and my sister died, I was so relieved to know that I was not alone in this world. Ariel, you are my one and only family and the reason for my life. So don’t ever say it’s your fault. Okay?”
‘It’s the same for me. I only have my aunt too.’ I tried to hold my tears back, but I couldn’t do so any longer.
“H, huwaaa!!”
“Ariel…….”
Tears welled up in Lucinda’s eyes as she saw me crying my eyes out.
We hugged each other and cried profusely until our pajamas were completely soaked.
* * *
I don’t know how many hours I cried.
The next day after I fell asleep being exhausted from crying, I had a fever.
‘Ah, my throat hurts.’
This pain has been here for a long time. At first, I didn’t know if it’s a dream or not but the pain felt so real that I knew for sure that it wasn’t a dream.
I stared at the ceiling with dazed eyes. A gentle touch would occasionally change the ice pack on my forehead or wipe my sweaty body.
‘Aunt…….’
I took a deep breath as I narrowed my eyes and stared at the ceiling.
‘Is Lucinda okay?’
Lucinda cried so much like her too. Her throat must have hurt.
‘Lucinda is an adult, so she won’t get sick or be tired of crying like me, right?’
With that thought, I sighed.
‘I’m so sleepy.’
When I tried to open my eyes and call Lucinda, the sleepiness overcame me again.
How long have I slept?
“…What’s the matter?”
A soft yet deep voice woke me up.
His brief but severe rebuke was followed by a series of apologies.
“I apologize.”
“It’s all your fault.”
“Please forgive me!”
The voice said that they would kick Lucinda out because of me. I forcefully opened my eyes and opened my lips. But what came out of me was not my usual cute voice, but it was hoarse.
“Papa.”
“Ariel.”
My uncle Tessa has a good ear. I barely called him yet, my uncle heard it and quickly came by my side.
‘He looks so handsome as usual.’
His large, imposing figure, soft black hair, and emerald eyes that were the same color as mine looked so picturesque.
A dazzling handsome man who seemed to have descended from heaven was looking at me.
Tears welled up in my eyes as soon as I felt like I could depend on him. Sadness rose inside of me in an instant.
“…Papa.”
I moved my fingers as Tessa got closer towards me. I felt like he was now next to me. I clasped Tessa’s finger as it approached me.
“Papa.”
“Are you okay?”
“Ung.”
He asked in a stern tone.
“…What should I do?”
Looking at Tessa, I gulped. At this moment there was only one thing I wanted.
“I gwo hwome.” (I want to go home)
Perhaps thanks to my earnest wish, my voice came out clearer than I expected. I closed my eyes helplessly and muttered.
“Papa no.”
Those who ignored my family didn’t need me either.
* * *
Tessa’s childhood, which was not featured in the book Amelia had read, was more miserable than everyone thought. His childhood was definitely not a smooth ride, other than discrimination, he also experienced many things.
[Haaa!!]
Although Tessa’s familiar Langrisser had strong powers, it often went against Tessa’s will.
“Whoa! Another fire in the Imperial Palace!”
“Prince, take care of this!
The power that Langrisser wielded was a destructive flame, so the damage was out of control. When such a commotion occurred, Tessa was the topic of many people’s conversation.
“As expected of an illegitimate child.”
“What’s the point of having a strong familiar when he couldn’t handle it unlike pure bloods?”
“If it was me, I would rather die somewhere rather than cause trouble like this.”
It didn’t matter to them that Tessa was the only one out of the many princes who could summon their familiar. They just want to trample on a child who has no backing and can’t even control his familiar.
And those people were one of the catalysts that would make Tessa a tyrant in the future. Everytime he heard them, he felt like he wanted to destroy everything.
“Why do I have to suffer alone? Those people don’t know the pain I felt.”
The little Tessa was full of grief. The familiar’s master was unstable, so it was natural for them to go wild too.
“I wish they were all dead!”
And the only person who could soothe Tessa’s rage was Amelia’s father and former Emperor Lloyd.
“Tessa. That’s a strong name. It matches you well.”
Llyod’s familiar power was water, the opposite of Tessa’s. Just touching him was enough to free Tessa from all of the heat he experienced when he was unstable.
But it wasn’t just their compatible power that made Tessa attached to him.
“Come here, my brother. You’ll get sick in a place like this.”
Llyod was the only one who treated him like family.
Tessa who suddenly received love from his older brother felt that he was undeserving of this and said,
“Don’t pay any attention to me. I’m afraid something will happen to you.”
But despite Tessa’s refusal, he stepped forward without hesitation.
“Who would dare to do that when it’s natural for an older brother to take care of his younger brother?”
“But we…”
Lloyd only smiled and told Tessa.
“Look, we have the same eye color. You’re my brother.”
When Tessa first met Amelia in her shabby house, he looked into her pale green eyes and remembered that time.
‘Brother…’
His and Amelia’s eyes were the same color. It was just like him and Lloyd.