I went to the inn where we were living in and big bro was working on something again... this is why I mainly leave the place... they don't feel comfortable when I'm around too... I... don't blame them though... they don't hate me... I hope...
"big bro... what can we do today?"
"ahh... sorry Little Lily... I can't do anything right now... miss Mei asked me to do something right now but I assure you, once I finish you'll have another friend you can be with...- Osiria... what's that?"
"oh?... this... is a butterfly someone gave me..."
"would you kindly give it to me? I'd like to ex-"
"NO!"
"!?!"
"ah-... no... I... .... I'm sorry!"
n
I immediately leave the place... I... shouldn't be selfish... he... just wanted to see it... right? no... it... he's probably going to dissect it... no... this was given to me by uncle Fei...
I ran to the park where I mostly see him and... yeah... like what he said... he won't be here like usual... I hid this because I wanted to keep it a surprise too...
"I... want you to be safe..."
the butterfly is roosting on my head... I can't see it but I can feel a soothing aura around me... it's like... it's telling me to calm down...
"ahh... yeah... right... I shouldn't worry..."
it flies into my fingers and protrudes a flower in its back wing... it's a filothern... (hyacinth)
"did... you make this?..."
it would've made sense for it to grow on its antennae...
"haha... alright... you got me... I'll wipe my tear..."
I shouldn't really be sad... it'd make mommy sad... right... I should be optimistic... opt... to... mistic?
"uhh... hi?"
there's... a wooden girl... is... she made from us? I can sense aunt Mei's Ether from her...
"you... are... child?..."
"y-yes?... h-hello? how are you?..."
she's... robotic... I couldn't imagine Aunt Mei ever creating something like this... Uncle Fenrir was much more lively... and... furry...?
"who... are you?"
"name... searching... A-...nalisse?"
"w-well... it's nice to meet you umm... Analisse... I'm Osiria"
she suddenly stopped moving... huh? did... I do something?
"umm... aahhh.... a... h-.... I... don't know what to do... help..."
「----」
no... I don't understand them... what... am I supposed to do here?
"huh?... what..."
no... Mr butterfly, what are you doing?
a flash of light shone from everywhere blinding me and-
"a-ahh... they're gone... wait, where's-"
"OSIRIA! there you are!"
u-... big bro... right... he should've known what to do from there...
"s-sorry... but-"
"no! I'm the one who's sorry... I forgot you like them so I didn't take your feelings into account... I keep forgetting that my purpose here right now is to be your babysitter... haahhh... right... I won't harm your little friend, would you mind letting me have a look with it?"
"I... would... but it's gone... along with the wooden girl..."
"w-wooden girl!? haahhh... Rin... what were you doing... well... alright then. I don't think your butterfly ran away so it should come back, don't worry, I won't hurt it so you can rest assured, I'll be going back now"
"t-thanks... big bro..."
"y-yeah... right... big bro... I keep forgetting that you think of me like that... I'm a failure... well, be safe little Lily"
big bro pats my head and returns back to the inn... I'm left alone here... wonder what Mr butterfly is doing with the puppet?
light glitters nearby me and Mr butterfly is back, the girl's gone, though... maybe she's back to where the island is?... right... I guess I can show Mr butterfly to big bro...
"are... you fine with being analyzed? Mr butterfly?"
"I... guess I can't have a conversation with a fauna... hahaha... well... let's go, I don't want to keep him waiting"
I walk back to the inn and show it to him, he promised that he wouldn't harm it in any way but it might be uncomfortable for him... it's fine to show him... right?
. . . a few minutes pass and Ingrid returns the butterfly as it was... guess it's not hurt...
"if you don't want then I won't do it, just remember that we're here for you. our main reason for putting up with you is family, we might not bear the same blood but just remember that I'm your brother, ask me anything you want"
"main... reason... what's the other one?"
"because your mother and father are scary... we can't oppose them in any way and we're too afraid that the punishment might just scar us..."
punishment?... ahh!...
"so that's... alright... I'll be a bit selfish..."
"ah-!... uh... y-yeah..."
big bro gives a concerned and troubled face... why?
"well... I'll leave for now... I'd like to give this sample to Mei as soon as possible. if you want to call Arie then use this device right here and she'll come at lightning speed"
he gives me a square box with a button... wonder if this works... but I don't need big sis right now...
"alright... I'll take care of it"
big bro leaves and I'm alone once again... why do they have to be this busy... but... I don't need it... I have-... ahh... right... he's not coming today... wonder if I can wander around that big building?
-----------------------
a few days pass and I finally arrive back to the outpost... the soldiers seems to be having fun singing... wonder what happened?
I arrive at the campsite and found Mei alone working on something... again...
"Master... I know you have that puppet walking around but please be careful for yyou health... you've been aging again and it's quite unsettling to see permanent changes in your body..."
A Fallen's body doesn't age once they reach a certain age that they want, although, there's also the factor of stress that unlocks the limit and let the person age again temporarily... Mei's been aging to look like 40 years old human... (70 but she looks like she reached her early 40s)
"I know... please leave the sample over there"
ugh... Mei... you need to clean up... without Rin and miss Theia's servants, the place is turning into a dump site...
"how's... *cough* Osiri... a?"
she collapses conscious
"M-Mei! - god... damn it... would you mind resting... Fallen's are incapable of sickness but somehow you gained an ability to ignore that immunity... here, I'll call Erica and Karen"
Mei's been devoting herself too much... I heard from Rin in private that she apparently sees her as her own daughter... although I ingrained a program in her to protect Osiria when there's no one around that both of them knows... of course I did that when she was asleep and the puppet knows and kept it a secret or me
the door opens and I meet with Erica and Karen
"s-sir Ingrid! we're here! what happened!"
"kindly calm down Erica, I don't want Mei to wake up right now"
they both shut their mouths instinctively and proceed to clean up the room
"sir Ingrid, I'll take care of the sample and analyze it for her sake, Karen will be taking care of her health for the time being"
"thank you Erica, I'm sorry for troubling you with my blood mother's problems..."
"oh! please don't mind it! anything for you sir Ingrid!"
I help them clean up and secretly copied the info Mei has in her private database for the puppet, she hasn't told me her name and just found out that her name is Analisse. upon closer inspection, I find out that she has adaptive Ether veins, surprisingly too... never knew she finally completed her research about it.
. . .
... "sir Ingrid! how's the Lily?"
"Osiria? she's fine for now I guess... I'm not used with having someone to take care of so I'm still quite uncomfortable with it"
"mind if I teach you a few pointers? I've had my fair share of sibling relationships"
"really? I'd love to. I'd hate it if she became distant just because I'm not a proper brother for her"
I forgot Erica had a younger brother... I guess I'll be staying here for now...
"hmm?" I hear a ring in the corner, it's Mei's Phone.
"yes?"
「Ingrid? well, that's good enough, can you inform Mei that Analisse wants to go home? she's been teleporting quite oddly... probably because she's still grasping her Ether but I'd like her to take a rest for now. where is Mei anyway?」
"she's sleeping, overworked herself... around a few hours, she'll wake up and hear the message I'll relay for her, please sit patiently and wait until she comes"
「okay, thanks Ingrid」
the phone shuts and I leave a note on her database.
"was that miss Rin? if so, I'd like her to arrive here so could you fetch Wells for the departure?"
"huh? what's wrong Karen?" it's quite odd for Karen to ask, nothing seems to be troubling her though...
"I just want her to monitor Miss Mei rather than miss Analisse, well... you can take a guess..."
right... "well... alright. thankfully I lent Osiria that control device... I'll go call Wells right now. please appoint an airship, the fastest available"
"yes sir"
well... I'm gonna be late... I wonder if Osiria's fine with herself...