"Claire!" I shouted as soon as I saw her.
My little sister cowered as I rushed towards her, squeaking with surprise when I hugged her.
"Air-wee?" she said hesitantly.
My chest clenched with cuteness overload, and I released her, not wanting to melt into hearts.
Two years younger than me, Claire had light-gray pinkish hair and golden eyes. Additionally, her face was softer and gentler than mine, something Lady Airee in the game despised.
Looking at Claire now…who could ever dislike her adorableness!!
Which reminds me…
I calmed, sat in the seat beside her bed, and apologized.
"For what?" she asked with confusion.
"For…hurting you," I inched out, flushing with shame. "For pushing you and pulling your hair and calling you names…!!"
I recalled Claire coughing her life out, her deathly face flashing through my mind…
"I…I won't do that anymore," I promised steely, "so…"
I stopped when Claire began patting my wet eyes.
"Okay," was all she said before embracing me.
I was frozen until I heard her crying softly against me.
…From falling ill to being isolated, she had probably been scared all this time…
I blinked away tears and hugged her back.
║║║║║║║║║║
Father—once nicknamed Rabid Bear—was a dark-pink haired man of large frame and gruff demeanor, so I was breathless when he crushed Claire and I against him as soon as he arrived.
Yet, I found myself reciprocating just like Claire.
Contrary to Father, Mother—once rumored to be a goddess—was a beautiful, light-gray haired woman as tall as Father but slenderer.
"They need to breathe, dear," she chastised, yet she did the same as soon as he released us.
Lord Clafford greeted them from the doorway, and Father greeted him gratefully. Both began conversing at the door while Claire and I clung to Mother.
"You two must have been terrified…I'm so sorry, my sweets," she murmured, hugging us closer.
Though I was mentally six years old plus an additional twenty-two, I didn't mind behaving and being treated like a child again. At this point…it was a comfort.
Lord Clafford lowered his head and left while Father returned to us.
"Are we goin' home, Papa?" Claire asked as he lifted her and I up with either arm.
"Not yet," he said gruffly, chuckling when Claire sulked. "You and Airee have to stay longer to get better first."
"How long?" Claire continued asking in his arm as he and Mother exited the room.
"Not that long," he replied confidently.
We then spent time together outside the facility, something Claire and I had been restricted from doing until now.
"Look after your sister," were his final words to me.
Our mother hugged and kissed each of us. Then, standing outside the facility, Claire and I watched them leave in their carriage.
I picked Claire up when she cried and patted her back as Mary led us inside.
...
We spent a year and a half at that facility.
Throughout our stay, Lord Clafford and his team injected us with a variety of substances. They were experimenting to perfect their 'cure', and, knowing that cure would save lives, I complied. The only good thing out of this was since my body was more resilient than Claire's, I became the prime subject.
The first months were intolerable, and many times I curled in agony in Claire's bed while she patted me to sleep. She hid her pain when she could, and, when it was too much for her, I held her close.
If I hadn't fallen sick like Claire, she would have endured these experiments alone.
[…Just like in the game…]
…
One day, while I was resting in bed, Father's voice roared throughout the facility.
He burst into my room holding Claire, the veins on his temple pulsating wrathfully as he approached me.
I scrambled to my feet.
"Harold, think about what you're doing—!" Lord Clafford pleaded breathlessly from the doorway.
Harold was Father's given name…
The room darkened as Father faced the lord. "Oh, I've already thought enough about how you lied to us," he said softly yet dangerously. "You claimed our girls were in safe hands, soon to recover in weeks' time, yet…"
He clenched his free fist and roared, "…IT'S BEEN MONTHS!! AND OUR GIRLS LOOK SOON TO DIE THAN RECOVER!! IF YOU WERE ANYONE ELSE, I WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU, WINIFRED!!"
"I'm staying, Father," I croaked as he reached for me.
"DON'T YOU KNOW YOU COULD DIE?!" he roared furiously, causing Claire to whimper.
"We always prioritize the girls' safeties," Lord Clafford interjected, receiving Father's scowl. "And we never proceed with a test we believe to be fatal," he continued. "Not only that...we are close to obtaining the cure, Harold!! Taking the girls now will greatly hinder our progress! Need I remind you…not only is the King expecting results, but also thousands of lives are at stake, including Claire's!!"
Father set Claire down, and I grabbed him when he lunged at Lord Clafford.
"Airee…let go," Father commanded calmly while radiating wrath.
"Please, Papa…" I said, meeting his eyes when he glanced down at me. "…I want to help cure Claire."
"…You could die…!" he repeated harshly, flinching when Claire clamped onto his leg.
"I wanna help, too, Papa!" she exclaimed. "I wanna help Claire and Air-wee!"
"…No…!! You...you both could…!!" he broke off abruptly, his face contorting with misery and sorrow.
My heart twisted painfully for him, but I didn't waver.
"I'm sorry, Papa…" I whispered as the wrath left his body, leaving only broken, heart-twisting defeat.
Sensing this, Lord Clafford wisely left, and I spotted a familiar golden-haired boy peeking at us right as Lord Clafford closed the door.
…
And so, Claire and I stayed on.
║║║║║║║║║║
After a year had passed, my body began tolerating whatever substance was given me.
My strength and mind returned, and I frequently brainstormed while soaking up sunlight outside the facility with Claire.
Today, she sat quietly in the grass, threading flowers together while I laid on my back beside her, watching the blue sky as I thought.
General Nouki Os—aka General Os, the snack I wanted to save.
Belonging to the Os family, he was Dorono's 'Millennium General', the general whose victories would ensure peace and prosperity in Dorono for the next millennium. He reported directly to the King and was familiar with both princes.
He died during the war between Dorono and Meeria, in what was called the Battle for Midland.
…
Ideally, I could stop the war from occurring, thus saving him.
…[Unlikely.]
Then should I kidnap him? Inform him of his death in advance? Become one of his soldiers? Elope with—
Something startled Claire, and I sat up, looking in the direction she was staring at.
Someone had emerged from the forest nearby, a boy with golden hair, blue eyes, and a freckled face.
It was the golden-haired boy from before. Lord Clafford's son. Also known as...
[Winston.]