Chapter 5: Welcoming Servia as a Member of the Family
“A-Amazing, Cain! I’m so moved!”
“Whoa!?”
As I left Father’s room, Eris Onee-san hugged me.
“Choosing love over Prince Leon’s orders, you’re just like a hero from a fairy tale! So cool!”
Eris Onee-san was a stunningly beautiful girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, and her chest, which had developed to a degree unbefitting her sixteen years of age, was dangerous.
No, more importantly, had she overheard my conversation with Father just now?
“Eris Onee-san, eavesdropping isn’t something I can admire, you know?”
I subtly tried to probe.
If Onee-san misunderstood that I welcomed Servia as my fiancée for selfish gain, and if that, by some chance, reached Servia, it would be bad…
“B-But, Servia seemed to be crying her eyes out, so I thought something might have happened!? That kind of crying wasn’t because she was treated horribly, it was tears of joy, right?”
Eris Onee-san smiled like a mischievous child.
“Even though I told you countless times, ‘I absolutely hate the idea of bullying Servia!’, you never listened. Now that you’ve reunited with her in person, has your love rekindled?”
Th-This sister of mine…
I felt relieved and, at the same time, disheartened.
She’s sticking her nose into her younger brother’s love life and finding it amusing, isn’t she?
And here I am, in a serious battle.
“W-Well, I guess so…!”
However, for me to be happy with Servia, Eris Onee-san’s cooperation is also indispensable.
I explained the benefits to Father, but it’s better for Eris Onee-san, who had openly shown her displeasure with the Prince’s orders from the start, to know my true feelings.
“So, that’s how it is. Eris Onee-san, please be kind to Servia too. She must be deeply hurt from being treated as a false saint at the royal palace.”
“Oooh!? To think you can be so considerate, Cain, you’re super cool! Yes, yes! Of course. As Cupid, I’ll help things go well with Servia, so don’t you worry!”
Eris Onee-san was beaming and making a big fuss.
Phew, my handling of Onee-san should be okay with this.
We all have to give Servia a big family welcome, after all.
“Hehehe! Cain, despite everything, you carefully kept Servia’s last letter, didn’t you? You really, really, reeeally loved that girl, didn’t you!?”
“Yes, that’s right…!”
I could only give a wry smile at Eris Onee-san’s high spirits.
But, as expected of my actual sister, her observation was spot on.
Before I regained the memories and personality of my previous life, the “me” back then held strong, mixed feelings of love and hate towards Servia.
When I learned that Servia would become my fiancée again, I went out of my way to take out that farewell letter, reread it, and broke down crying. That’s how much it was.
…Huh? Wait a minute.
At that time, I felt a faint sense of unease.
“…Eris Onee-san, this might be out of the blue, but does baby’s-breath have any special meaning?”
That’s right. I’m sure, at that time, a baby’s-breath petal fell out of the envelope…
Moreover, even though over a year had passed, that petal hadn’t withered or wilted.
“Eh, baby’s-breath? Ah, that flower, you know, has the language of flowers meaning ‘Eternal Love.’ Isn’t that lovely!”
…Aargh, damn it. So that’s what it was.
I suddenly understood.
I—Cain—am an incredible idiot. Worse than trash.
“Eh, wai-!? Where are you going, Cain!?”
Without looking aside, I ran towards my room.
Then, I opened my desk drawer and checked Servia’s letter.
Inside the envelope, there was still one baby’s-breath petal.
A beautiful petal that retained its freshness.
Th-This is… As I thought, so it’s true…
Only the power of the 【World Tree Saint】, who controls plants, could perform such a feat.
“Hey, what’s wrong!?”
A bewildered Eris Onee-san called out to me.
But I was engrossed in organizing my thoughts.
In the game scenario, Servia awakens to the power of the 【World Tree Saint】 three years later, after meeting Hero Abel.
But what if Servia had already awakened to the Saint’s power?
That would mean Servia completely deceived Prince Leon, making him believe she was a false saint.
The motive for that… was probably her love for me.
The proof of that is this baby’s-breath petal, which has kept its freshness without withering.
Servia revealed to me alone that she was the 【World Tree Saint】, and at the same time, left a message: 【My love for you will live on forever】.
…Aargh, damn it, Cain is truly a hopeless idiot.
To think he was about to become Prince Leon’s pawn and thoroughly bully Servia, who had loved him so devotedly.
“…Eris Onee-san, I carelessly realized I haven’t prepared a gift for Servia for the welcome party. Could you help me pick some baby’s-breath flowers right now? I’m thinking of making a bouquet to give to Servia.”
“Kyaaah, how wonderful! That’s a perfect gift for a fiancée. I understand. Leave the wrapping to Onee-chan!”
Eris Onee-san beat her chest and took on the task.
However, there was no time left until the welcome party.
We hurriedly picked baby’s-breath from the flowerbeds in the garden.
The gardener might get angry at us later, but it couldn’t be helped.
Eris Onee-san arranged them into a bouquet.
My clothes got a little dirty, but I no longer had time to change.
I headed to the grand hall where the welcome party was being held, where Servia was waiting.
“Cain, what were you doing? That was cutting it close. Don’t keep your important fiancée waiting.”
As soon as I entered, Father admonished me.
Apparently, he and Servia had been chatting amicably.
Servia, changed into a formal dress, was as beautiful as a moon goddess.
For a moment, I was captivated, as if time had stopped.
“My apologies, Father. I was preparing a bouquet to give to Servia.”
“Ah… Brother Cain. Is that… baby’s-breath!?”
Servia’s eyes widened.
“Sorry. I’m dense, so with Eris Onee-san’s help, I only just now finally understood the meaning of the letter I received from you a year ago. This bouquet is my reply. Will you accept it?”
Confessing my love to a girl was a first-time experience for me, including my previous life.
I was so nervous my chest ached, but with the sole desire to respond to Servia’s feelings, I offered her the bouquet.
“‘Eternal Love’… Yes, of course, Brother Cain.”
Large teardrops streamed down Servia’s cheeks.
Clutching the baby’s-breath bouquet, Servia’s small shoulders trembled minutely.
“…I… I’m happy right now…!”
Servia seemed overwhelmed with emotion, barely able to manage a short reply.
The rest became sobs, unable to form words.
But this is only the beginning.
Whether I can make Servia, who could never find happiness in the game, happy or not—that starts from now.
That is far more important than whether I live or die.
Because, including my previous life, I had never once been loved so devotedly by a girl.
Above all, Servia is my absolute favorite heroine from the game.
I absolutely did not want to make her unhappy.
“Well then, shall we eat together, Servia!”
“Y-Yes…!”
I took Servia’s small hand and urged her to sit.
A lavish meal, meant to welcome her without pretense, was steaming on the table.
“Servia, it’s been a while. It’s Eris! From now on, as an official member of the family, let’s get along!”
“Mhm, I told you earlier as well, but from now on, you should think of me as your real father. No matter what happens, the Schwartz Earldom and the Fernand Viscounty are unchanging allies. Let us join hands and move forward together!”
Father was saying something opportunistic.
“Yes, I look forward to being in your care. Uncle… no, Father, Eris Nee-sama!”
Servia responded with a carefree smile.
Aaah, this is it. This is the smile of Servia’s I wanted to see.
It was a smile overflowing with a sense of happiness that the “me” from my previous life could never have hoped to see.
And so, we took our first step as a family.