Chapter 16: A Reunion Gift

Esdeath gently tugged on the brim of her military hat and chuckled.

Although it wasn't said to her directly, but conveyed through Yoshino, that detail left a slight feeling of regret in her heart.

But all things had to progress gradually.

The fact that she could evoke a reaction from Yoshino was already a significant step forward.

Even without her past memories, Esdeath was confident she would once again earn Yoshino trust and become the dependable older sister she could rely on.

And that day would come soon.

Esdeath firmly believed that.

"Mother, I will definitely fulfill the promise I made back then… and protect Yoshino well."

Looking at the girl in front of her—so familiar yet so unfamiliar—Esdeath silently made another vow in her heart.

In the Parthas Tribe, which revered personal martial prowess and believed in the law of the jungle, Yoshino was a true outlier.

She didn't have the strength typical of her people, lacked the bloodthirsty nature, and had none of the qualities expected of a Parthas warrior.

Compared to Esdeath, who was already capable of punching out a Level 1 Danger Beast at eight years old, kicking a Level 3 Danger Beast at ten, and reaching the level of an elite warrior of the tribe by twelve—Yoshino was downright ordinary.

Their mother once said that during pregnancy, Yoshino must have gifted all her potential and talent to Esdeath, which explained the stark difference between the two sisters.

And precisely because of that, Esdeath had promised their mother at a very young age: she would take good care of Yoshino, ensuring she would never need to fight anyone, and could still live a happy, peaceful life.

Eight years ago, she failed to keep that promise.

But now, she swore—such a thing would never happen again.

Just as Esdeath was about to leave and give Yoshino some private space, she suddenly paused as a thought occurred to her.

She knelt down on one knee, making herself level with Yoshino, who sat on the bed, and asked softly:

"By the way, do you still like rabbits?"

Yoshino eyes shifted slightly away from Esdeath clear and sincere gaze, raising the rabbit hand puppet between them.

However, this time, Yoshinon didn't respond for her.

Instead, Yoshinon sided with Esdeath and encouraged her:

"Alright, alright~ Esdeath-san is being so kind right now. Staying silent any longer would be rude, you know."

Hearing those words, hesitation flickered across Yoshino face.

Esdeath remained kneeling, waiting patiently without rushing.

Yoshino pursed her lips, slightly opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something.

But when her eyes met Esdeath expectant gaze, she faltered with a timid look. In the end, she said nothing—just gave a small nod.

Once again, she hadn't heard her long-lost sister's voice directly, and though Esdeath felt a bit helpless, she wasn't discouraged.

"Our reunion was sudden, and I didn't have time to prepare a proper gift."

Esdeath raised her hand. Ice crystals began forming in her palm, rapidly condensing into a fist-sized block of ice.

"This is a little something from me—I hope you'll like it."

[Demon God Manifestation: Demon's Extract]—that was the name of Esdeath Imperial Arm.

Back in the day, the founding emperor of the Empire led a campaign to the extreme north, where he slew the ruler of the frozen lands—a dominant Danger Beast. From the beast's body, a jar's worth of purified blood essence was extracted.

Just a single sip of that blood granted the power to control ice and frost.

However, the lingering malice of that super-class Danger Beast never dissipated—not even after a thousand years. Everyone who had tried to drink it succumbed to the oppressive aura and lost their minds to insanity.

Esdeath was the first, the only, and the last successful wielder of the Essence of the Demon.

Because she had consumed every last drop of that essence.

This ferocious and uncontrollable Imperial Arm, which had defied all previous wielders, became an extension of her will—granting her the full power of a super Danger Beast.

With the precision of a master craftsman, she sculpted a rabbit entirely out of pure ice.

Though made of ice, it emitted no noticeable chill.

"This ice sculpture was formed with my power. Even if you leave it under the sun, it will never melt."

She handed the rabbit sculpture to Yoshino, and continued:

"Of course, if there's anything else you want, just tell me. No matter what it is, I'll make sure you have it."

"Yoshino will definitely love this gift," Yoshinon chimed in proudly, arms folded. "But of course, nothing can beat how cute I am."

Yoshino took the ice sculpture with her other hand. Her large eyes sparkled with delight.

She fiddled with the sculpture endlessly, completely enchanted by the magical toy that had no chill to it.

Seeing this, Esdeath felt relieved.

"Well then, I won't disturb you two anymore. This is a new environment—you should take some time to get used to it."

Esdeath stood up and dusted off her knees. "I still have to deal with the aftermath of last night's raid. If anything comes up, just let the servants in the General's Mansion or my Three Beasts know. They all know you're my sister—they wouldn't dare neglect you."

"Thank you, Miss Esdeath," Yoshinon waved goodbye.

"No need to thank me. In fact, I should be the one thanking you," Esdeath replied with a small smile.

"At first, I thought you had taken over Yoshino body and were some kind of enemy. But now I see that you're truly her friend. I owe you an apology. And also… thank you for staying by her side all these years while I was away."

"Haha~ Don't mention it. You're being way too formal—it's making me a little embarrassed~"

Esdeath nodded slightly and turned to leave.

She walked to the door, grasped the handle, and opened it.

Just as she stepped out of the room—

A faint voice drifted behind her.

"...Thank you."

That voice was clear as a mountain spring, soft and tender like that of a child—ethereal and distant, as if carried on the wind from far away.

Esdeath froze mid-step.

She turned around in disbelief.

But the girl's gaze remained fixed on the ice sculpture in her hands, showing no sign of having spoken.

"…How embarrassing. Am I hallucinating now?"

Esdeath chuckled self-deprecatingly, convinced she had imagined those two words.

She stepped forward and closed the door behind her.

Her footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

Inside the room, the girl's eyes remained locked on the rabbit sculpture.

"Hmph… I didn't expect Esdeath to treat me this way."

Lying on the bed, Yoshino murmured to herself as she stared at the never-melting gift.

"This is truly unexpected… Looks like I'll need to adjust my plans a little."