Being laughed at so bluntly with a “pfft” by a boy who, just a moment ago, had a serious face and was warily scrutinizing her—even though her skin wasn’t exactly thin, she still found it a bit hard to keep her composure.
However, after this little outburst, the heavy and oppressive atmosphere that had previously filled the carriage lightened significantly, making her feel… somehow less tense as well.
“Alright, I know it sounds a bit…” she muttered, unable to find the right words to describe the bizarre combination of her “grand ambition” and her “ordinary self-proclamation.”
“A bit… special,” Hellen picked up the conversation, suppressing his laughter, though he continued to look at the slightly embarrassed girl before him.
This girl, who had just emanated terrifying Dragon Might and claimed she would erase Calamity, now showed a bit of the liveliness that matched her appearance. She no longer seemed so much like a riddle shrouded in mist and danger.
The carriage fell silent again for a moment. Hellen hesitated, his orange eyes secretly stealing a few glances at Eurelia as if he were weighing something.
He was young and had grown up in the environment of his family, so his thoughts were deeper than those of his peers. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have a boy’s curiosity, especially regarding this contradictory and interesting savior of his.
***
“Um… Eurelia…” he finally spoke, his tone filled with a cautious probe and a touch of unease, as if he knew he was about to ask a very offensive and rude question.
“How… how old are you this year?”
After asking, he seemed to feel it was inappropriate and added, “I mean, you look… a bit older than me? But specifically… uh… I mean…”
Eurelia didn’t expect him to ask this suddenly and was stunned for a moment.
[This little brother… is actually quite shy? Well… it makes sense. For a noble Young Master to want to openly ask a girl’s age… it really is quite rude. At least, that’s how it’s written in light novels and TV dramas.]
The actual age of this body, combined with the fragmented memories left by the original owner and her own feelings, was roughly seventeen or eighteen. In this world, that was at the point of leaving the category of a young girl and entering early adulthood.
As for Hellen… he looked to be about fourteen or fifteen, maybe younger.
“I’m probably seventeen, or… eighteen? I don’t remember very clearly. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a birthday.”
She gave an approximate number. This wasn’t a lie; the original owner’s memories regarding birthdays were indeed blurred. The only memory… was probably a certain winter when the original owner found an unopened cake that a noble had thrown into the trash.
With that cake, she had managed to have a happy birthday. She might not even have known if that day was actually her birthday.
“Seventeen or eighteen…” Hellen repeated in a low voice, his orange eyes looking down as if he were deep in thought.
In this generation of the Chryst Family of Light Shadow City, among his peers, he had several older brothers with significant age gaps above him, and only an infant brother still in swaddling clothes below him. Sisters were rare, and they had all been married off far away for alliances.
To him, the word “sister” was more like a distant and blurry concept, representing detached etiquette and family responsibility rather than affection.
But at this moment, Hellen looked at the girl who had saved him—the girl who possessed incredible power yet called herself an “ordinary person,” who could feel awkward and blush. A mistake of a thought quietly surfaced in his mind.
She was older than him; that was for certain.
She had saved him. Although she had her own reasons, the kindness was real.
Calling her Eurelia… seemed a bit too formal, especially after the conversation they just had and that unexpected laugh. Besides, Eurelia’s first impression wasn’t bad.
She was strong, gentle, wise, and possessed a sense of girlishness that slipped out unintentionally. However… it wasn’t quite appropriate for Hellen to say the latter part.
“Then… how should I address you from now on?”
“Ah?” Eurelia was stunned again.
[How should I know how to address me? Can’t you just call me by my name? What kind of fancy title could you even come up with for my name?] Eurelia thought to herself, though she gave Hellen an awkward but polite smile.
“You… can call me whatever you want, I don’t mind.” Hearing this, Hellen lowered his head as if thinking.
The sisters of the Chryst Family in Light Shadow City were distant and blurry figures, polite nods in a banquet hall, and cold names on a list for marriage alliances.
They had never given him any substantial warmth or protection belonging to a sister. For him, the term “family affection” did not carry warmth but was a cold symbol of family responsibility and the exchange of interests.
But the person before him…
She seemed very strong, with a talent that could easily resolve the Power of Calamity that troubled and gave the whole world a headache.
At the same time, she was also very disheveled, covered in scars, and claimed to be an “ordinary person” struggling to survive.
She spoke with a gentle tone, showed embarrassed expressions, and said such absurd yet… somewhat interesting things about being an ordinary person who would erase Calamity.
She saved him without asking for anything in return, only calmly stating her predicament and proposing a cooperation.
She was not like any sister in his memory, nor was she like those delicate or haughty women in noble circles. She was… very different.
***
After experiencing family betrayal and a life-or-death escape, this difference carried a magical attraction for him—a possibility of setting aside status and calculations to interact in a simpler relationship.
Even if… it was only temporary or based on a pretense.
One thought became clearer and clearer. In the upcoming escape and struggle for survival, which were destined to be difficult, he needed a name that was easier to say and more natural to define her.
Perhaps… this was a faint longing deep in his heart for a simpler, more direct human connection.
A companion he could briefly lean on and let his guard down with, even if the relationship began with interests and pretense, seemed incredibly precious.
Then, a name that left Eurelia stunned in place blurted out of Hellen’s mouth.
“Then, may I call you… Big Sister Lia?”
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