Chapter 3.24 - Sunday, July 17th, 7.23pm

"Restia…!!!"

While desperately calling my little sister's name as I woke up, I find myself lying on the sofa in the living room.

"HAH— I can't breathe— HAH— HAH— Phew— HUFF… HUFF…"

What's wrong with me…? Why am I this exhausted…?

While looking around on the sofa, I repeatedly did some quick and shallow breathing to recover from the fatigue that occurred on my body.

"Huff… R… Restia…"

…My throat is so dry that I couldn't shout.

Where is my little sis…?

Restia, where are you…?

"Guh…!"

THUD!

Mustering strength on my body, I did a flip to turn myself over— falling on the floor.

"B— BIG BROTHER…!"

It seems Restia heard the banging noise, and came rushing in.

"N…!"

While exerting her strength with those thin arms of hers— she carefully places me in a sitting posture with my back at the sofa.

"Big brother— here…!"

With a spoon, she feeds me water.

Blegh— she mixed some of those pills that Nightmare made. It has Dómr's smell in it— but I barely have the strength to speak, so I decided to look around again with this better position.

Hmm……?

On my right, I saw that man lying on the other sofa.

“…Restia… anti… venoms…?” I murmured.

"I got them. I injected into his body."

I wondered why, but she seems to be more worried than usual.

"… What's… wrong…?"

"N……!"

Restia suddenly hugs me.

A very, very, tight hug.

You idiot— you are suffocating me…!

"(Wheeze)… (Wheeze)— (Wheeze)…….!"

"Eek!? I'm sorry…!"

She quickly retreats when she hears the difficulty of my breathing.

"He… okay…?" I asked.

"I don't know… He hasn't wake up since then…"

"If it's him… It takes at least one day… for antivenom… to work…"

"It's already been more than 24 hours— you had already slept for a whole day— I was so worried…!!!"

"W-What…!?" I inadvertently raised my voice. "Who— Who am I— what day— is today…!?"

"Erm……" Restia sits and thinks for a moment. "You are a stupid, idiot, and a fool."

"Urk…" I certainly took some damage here. "But I will always love you no matter what… my dumb and cute darling little sis."

"E-Eh…!? I… I will get your phone…!"

Seeming confused for a moment, Restia then hurriedly rush out from the living room to get my phone.

It seems like even as my little sister, she's still unable to differentiate who I am— no, wait.

Who am I kidding— this is my little sister, Restia… there’s no way she wouldn’t know who am I.

If I'm right… she already knew who I am— my phone is merely but a mere tool to let her convince on who am I.

Unlike regular Dissociative Identity Disorder patients who doesn’t had a constant change of identities, my identities’ must switch whenever the seal activates. Our memories are fused to each other’s whenever the change. Because of the memory fusion, we can’t tell who is using this body.

That's why, what Restia spouted isn't something random that she came out with, but it's to test who I am.

If I'm Nightwalker— I would probably get depressed for a moment but will still love her with all I had.

If I'm Nightmare— I would probably retort her immediately but still love her with all I had.

Ah, it seems that I've got my answer.

But I still need substantial evidence to prove that I'm not an entirely new existence of another personality… even though it's nearly impossible, but there's still a chance for my personality to split furthermore— according to Dr Raphael.

"Big brother— phone…!"

Restia came storming into the living room with my phone on her hand.

The screen shows— 7.23 pm, 17th July, XX87.

"I'm… me…" I murmured. "Come here, sis…"

When I open my arms, Restia immediately knows what I am going to do.

"Yes… Big brother…"

Placing my phone on the table, she obediently listens to me and sits on my lap, letting me hug her from behind.

Because she knows this is a weird habit of mine when I need to think— I need to hug something so that I could think clearly.

Dad had this habit as well. He would hug mom occasionally like this whenever he's stuck on something.

As for me… Restia or Ruby clears my mind the most.

…Where should I start?

Thinking that, I heaved a sigh.

"Hya…!? It tickles…"

The air from my mouth accidentally grazes her ear.

"Sorry… my bad."

Saying that, I hold her tighter.

First things first… Ruby's danger and the incoming war.

Right now, The Black Cat and the Fenrir wolves are searching for Ruby. If I imagine the worst— they would probably kill Ruby and use this as an excuse to start a war.

The reason The Black Cat wants to start a war… is because she wants revenge on The White Snake.

This is because the White Snake's father, the old White Snake— killed her parents in front of her.

However, The White Snake and The Black Cat are friends at the old days— and it seems both The Snow Leopard and The White Snake does not want to engage in this, at the very least… they still thought of her as their friend.

Yet why would The Black Cat want to go with all the troubles just to start a war instead of killing her…?

By doing so, there are only two reasons I could think up of—

—deep down, The Black Cat stills think of them as friends, she's not completely broken. The war is just an excuse for her to take her time to hesitate.

—because she wants to live on after taking her revenge. She somehow thought that she could avoid from getting executed by my father.

This war would've ended initially long ago if Nightmare accepted her request during that night.

However, this would only stop the war, not The Black Cat's desire for revenge.

If I genuinely want to cease this farce once and for all… the only way to do so— is to let war proceed without involving Ruby in it.

…Ruby's safety matters to me the most. That's why, I need to find her before they could.

Yet, where could she be…?

The first place I could think of is the lake.

After all, when I requested Dómr to look for her— he's looking at the direction of the sea.

If I follow Dómr's description: "I can't feel her mana anymore. …That child completely hid her presence."

Then the lake is the only place that she could hide.

But for some reason, Restia doesn't seem to remember about that place. That's odd. Did she forget…?

…Maybe I should check on that later.

Second, The Alpha of The Fenrir Wolves— Dómr, my dad's magical beast.

Throughout our conversation… I could tell that his respect towards my father is entirely on a whole new level compared to the other magical beasts— because he is dad's contracted beast.

This is why he could speak our language— this is why he came to help.

But then, why is he working for The Black Cat…? He's even telling me false statements just to make it as if he's the victim.

Unless, it's just as what The White Snake said— my dad's the one who planned all of this…

…and Dómr is the one executing his plans. I'm sure he's still hiding a lot from me.

…No matter. I will confirm this personally with him myself.

Lastly, that man sleeping on the sofa.

… He's the most unexpected among all things.

Not only strong and powerful… but he's also terrifyingly smart… well, maybe not on dad's level.

…I don't know who he is or where is he from.

But for now…

"Restia… I want you to get me some thick chains and some strong locks at the garage." I said.

Ah, my speech recovered.

I release Restia from my hug.

"You want to tie me up…?"

"Eh…?" I was genuinely stunned for a moment. "Not you, dumb dumb…! Him…!" I retorted while pointing at that man.

"N…"

As Restia exits the living room, I struggle to walk to the table right in front of me.

…Crap, I feel like an old man.

Surprisingly, my phone, dad's dagger and this unknown knife are neatly placed on the table.

It's warm. Restia has been charging my smartphone… seems like she's been using it.

When I switch on the screen, it shows info regarding an unknown logo.

"This is…" I inadvertently murmured.

'Scientia Military Professional Resources Inc.

Main manufacturing plant is located at Insignia, Regalia Empire.'

Regalia Empire…!?

When I look closely, it's the logo on the unknown knife— that was stabbed on that man.

I see… so this man is an enemy to the Regalia Empire posing enough of a threat.

Who on earth is he— hmm?

While thinking of that, I switch the webpage to another active tab.

That active tab is a World-finder website, where that man's face is uploaded to it.

World-finder is a people searching site. There are choices to be made, such as name, address, phone number or a clear picture. Almost anyone around the world could be found on this website, and the more you upload your photo and details to the internet, the easier its able to find your information.

It's quite scary on how there's no privacy on the internet.

However, there's nothing regarding him. Seems like he's same like us… not the type to upload kinds of stuff on the net.

"Big brother… I got the chains…"

CLINK— CLINK— C-CLANG!

Perhaps I was too focused on the information… I did not hear the clinking of the chains that Restia is carrying up until now.

"Good, restrict him with your magic first before you tie him up," I said.

"Why…? You say he's a good guy, isn't he…?"

"I don't want the same thing to happen twice, sis— I can't protect you the way I am now."

It's as if Restia recalls the incident…

"Restringunt!" (Paralyze!)

…after casting her magic, she hurriedly tied him up with lots of chains afterwards.

…………………………………

GROWL……

My stomach's rumbling.

"Big brother… Do you want dinner…?"

"Eh— You've learnt how to cook!?"

"Uuuh… But it tastes horrible…"

Though I was quite afraid as first, yet after noticing she's been using my phone to learn how to cook from different websites, I decided to give it a try.

"It's alright, Restia. I won't mind."

…and I regret it afterwards.

Our dinner is the fish that I caught.

The skin is burnt, and the meat inside is raw.

"…Sis," I uttered. "Can you tell me why half of it is burnt, and half of it is raw…?"

What's more, she's grilling it with firewood.

"Uuh… I'm sorry big brother…"

"I'm not angry. You see, because its firewood… you can't control the fire. Just cut off this part, turn it, then grill the raw part."

"N…"

"By the way, Restia— this fish is called a spotted trunkfish, but ten times larger than the normal ones."

"Hmm…? Why are you telling me this…?"

"Sis, its skin is poisonous— and you didn't peel off the skin."

"Eek…!? I… I ate it…!"

"Hehehe, I'm just messing with you— the larger it is, the less toxic it is. But tell me if you have muscle pain or black urine, okay…?"

"Hmph…! Stupid big brother…!"

She hits me on my chest with those harmless fists of hers.

…………………………………

After dinner, Restia and I lie on the grass together, gazing upon the cloudy sky.

Just like the clouds obstructing the stars from us, our regular, simple, daily lives, turns out so suddenly and unexpectedly perplexed.

Since there's nothing but clouds to stare at, my gaze slowly shifts to Restia.

"Hey, sis…" I murmured. "What are you going to do after we get Ruby back…?"

"…I want to stay here— I want to wait." Restia replied without looking at me.

"Even if you already know mom and dad won't be coming back…?"

It’s as if she immediately understood what I was thinking, she immediately looks at me with shock.

"Are you telling me to leave you here alone…?"

"You should."

"Never!"

"Why?"

"Because you are my big brother…!"

"Then I'm not your big brother anymore—"

BAM!

"—GYAHH…!? OW— WHY DID YOU HIT ME…!?"

And on the stomach, too.

"NGH…! DON'T EVER SAY THAT AGAIN!"

Saying that, Restia grabs me on my waist and hug as tight as she could.

"You can't forever stay here with me. Go out there and see this world, sis."

"NO! NO! NO…!!!"

"No matter how tight you hug on me now, sis— there will be one day you need to let go."

"STOP!!! PLEASE STOP… I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN ANYMORE…!!!"

She buried her head onto my chest, hoping so that it could close her ears.

"Please understand, Restia… Please… don't bound yourself to me…"

"I'M FREE TO DO WHATEVER I WANT…!"

"…and I'm free to say whatever I want."

"NGHH……………………!!!"

As if she doesn’t have anything to retort anymore, Restia clasps as hard as she could.

I didn't say anything afterwards.

Because if I continued, Restia's spirit would probably break down just like that.

Shortly, while still hugging on me… she fell asleep with a tear-soaked face.