In this kind of environment, sleeping was something you could only make do with.
Sleeping outdoors was impossible—it was too dangerous.
You could only look nearby to see if there were any caves or perhaps another village or town.
Caves were unlikely.
They could only head in the direction of the next village.
“Vilan-nii, why do you take such good care of me?”
As they walked, Rosasys asked shyly.
She vaguely felt that Vilan might like her, but she was also uncertain.
After all, she had never been liked by anyone outside her family.
“Because you’re easy on the eyes.”
“Is it just because I’m easy on the eyes?”
Rosasys was puzzled.
After all, Vilan had helped her so much.
She was truly grateful to him.
Vilan turned his head, looking at Rosasys.
She immediately lowered her head.
Her pink eyes peeked at Vilan cautiously.
At first, Vilan did like Rosasys.
But as they spent time together, that affection seemed to fade.
In truth, Rosasys was just a visual novel character.
Vilan’s fondness was rooted in desire.
Compared to other heroines, perhaps she seemed more attainable, which made him want to be with her.
However, after spending time together, Vilan realized that he didn’t feel much desire or affection when he was with her.
Maybe it was just as they called each other—a brother caring for his little sister.
At this moment, Vilan understood.
Desire born from a game was never true affection.
If you wanted to find love, perhaps it had to be carefully sensed throughout a long life.
Even though he had lost his parents in his previous life and longed deeply for love, he wouldn’t blindly chase after it.
Thinking this, Vilan spoke softly.
“Maybe… I just think of you as a little sister.”
“I see…”
Rosasys understood, her heart sinking, but she also felt it was only natural.
After all, they were just strangers who met by chance.
Vilan-nii was simply kind.
“Thank you, Vilan-nii. Besides Grandmother and Mother, you’re the first person who’s made me feel warmth.”
Rosasys raised her head and smiled.
Vilan felt a gentle warmth in his heart and patted her head.
“If you don’t mind, from now on, let me be your big brother.”
“Really? I’d like that!”
Rosasys was overjoyed, instinctively immersed in the happiness of gaining an older brother.
After being cared for by Vilan along the way, she never doubted him.
And now, hearing him offer to be her brother simply because he wanted to give her warmth—it was so kind.
“Big brother… you’re so good to me.”
Rosasys threw herself into Vilan’s arms.
This time, she didn’t hesitate.
Vilan slowly hugged her.
“Alright, alright. Let’s find a place to rest first, okay?”
“I’ll listen to big brother.”
Rosasys’s face was full of happiness.
Vilan glanced at the map and decisively led Rosasys straight toward the next village.
The road was quiet.
Only their footsteps echoed in the air.
As they walked past a lake, countless fireflies flew by, making the night dazzling.
They looked like stars dancing in the sky, turning the whole lake into a sparkling nightscape.
On the opposite shore, there seemed to be another group of people.
Vilan glanced at them warily, noticing they, too, had come to see the fireflies.
“Hey, hello!”
Unexpectedly, a woman on the other side greeted them.
Her carelessness shocked even Vilan.
“What… is this…?”
Vilan couldn’t help but twitch his lips.
The next moment, something even more surprising happened—Rosasys, that silly girl, also waved and greeted them.
“Hello!”
Rosasys stood on tiptoe and waved.
Vilan was instantly speechless.
“My goodness, little sister… are you an idiot?”
“Was that the wrong thing to do, big brother?”
Rosasys lowered her head, looking aggrieved.
Vilan placed his hand on her pink-haired head and ruffled it.
“It’s fine, but don’t be so careless.
What if the other side has bad intentions?”
“I understand~”
As soon as Vilan finished speaking, he looked at the opposite shore.
The other team’s reaction was exactly like his—they were scolding their own teammate.
Seeing this, Vilan relaxed.
Thankfully, this was just another naive fool like Rosasys.
No problem, then.
He pulled Rosasys away.
A cold wind blew past.
He could hear the leaves falling.
In this silence, Vilan actually felt even more on guard.
At that moment, Vilan faintly heard a wolf’s howl not far away.
Rosasys was startled and clung tightly to Vilan.
“Big brother, there’s a wolf!”
“Uh, don’t be afraid.
I’m here.”
Vilan comforted her softly, but he didn’t worry too much.
Although the upperclassmen had mentioned that there were indeed magic beasts in the trial, they weren’t common, and they were usually alone and scattered.
The sound and intensity didn’t seem like a magic beast to him—more like a Beastmen Tribe Wolfman howling.
That reminded Vilan that among the heroines, there was a Wolf Girl Princess from the Beastmen Tribe.
No way it’s that much of a coincidence, right?
Vilan kept walking.
Before long, they reached a village without any danger, looked around, and entered a decent-looking stone house.
“The conditions aren’t great.
Let’s just sleep here for the night.”
“Okay.”
As a commoner, Rosasys didn’t care.
She leaned against the wall without a word.
Vilan carefully condensed an Arcana thread, setting it across the entrance.
If anyone approached, it would trigger and release “Sorrow” to shock both the target and Vilan.
It was a decent alarm for sleeping.
Vilan lay down opposite Rosasys, also leaning against the wall.
Once he was settled, he noticed Rosasys was still staring at him.
“Rest.”
“Alright.”
Rosasys replied, then stood up again.
Vilan wondered what she was doing, then saw her crawl straight into his arms and rest her head on his chest.
“Really can’t help you, can I?”
Vilan smiled and wrapped his left arm around her.
“Big brother…”
Rosasys suddenly spoke.
“What is it?”
“Thank you.
I really mean it.”
“Heh, do you still need to thank me now that I’m your big brother, little one?”
Rosasys’s face flushed red.
Vilan noticed how easily she blushed, but since neither in his past life nor as the in-game character had anyone liked him before, he didn’t think much of it.
“Mm.”
Rosasys nodded firmly, then began to speak as if recalling a distant memory.
“When I was little, I lived with my mother from the day I was born.
Back then, I was just a village girl.
Life was carefree.
Mother taught me to weave clothes, make windmills.
She also taught me swordsmanship.
She was strong and always brought home prey.
I’d help her farm, and sometimes catch bugs in the fields…”
“I thought life would always be like that.
But Mother suddenly passed away from illness.
At my lowest point, Grandmother found me and took me in.
I was always immersed in the pain of losing Mother and would cry at the slightest thing.
Since I’d never interacted with other children, they laughed at me.
Whenever that happened, Grandmother would drag her old body to make me laugh.
She loved telling stories, especially about Mother’s childhood.
Under Grandmother’s care, I soon recovered and started living with her again.”
“I heard that Mother’s dream was to enter Aurora Academy.
So I worked hard every day, wanting to enroll someday.
Everyone laughed at me, saying it was impossible.
They said I should just stick to weaving, or no one would want me…”
“I’m truly grateful to you, big brother.
Without you, I could never have entered the Academy, let alone fulfilled Mother’s dream.”
Rosasys tightened her grip on Vilan’s hand, her gaze sincere.
“I was always scared.
Especially coming to such a strange place.
Other than going to Grandmother’s house, this was my first time leaving home.
You gave me a sense of security, big brother.”
Vilan’s eyes softened unconsciously as he stroked her head.
Maybe because he had suffered since childhood in his previous life, looking at such an innocent girl now, he felt even more unwilling to let her feel wronged.
“Don’t worry.
With me here, you never have to be afraid.”
“Mm, I trust you, big brother.”
Rosasys closed her eyes.
Vilan smiled.
“Then, little sister, why don’t you tell your big brother about your life before?”
“Okay!
Should I start with life at Grandmother’s house?”
“Mm.”
Vilan waited patiently for Rosasys to continue.
“There were a lot of ducks at Grandmother’s house.
Whenever I went in, they’d all quack.
I liked watching them be silly.
Big brother, there was one that…”
“……”
Rosasys’s voice grew softer as she spoke with her eyes closed, gradually fading away.
“And the attic… I… liked climbing up there the most…”
“Fuu…”
After that, Vilan only heard Rosasys’s steady breathing.
Why could this girl trust him so innocently and want him to be her big brother?
It was because she was kind from the start.
“Sleep well.
Good night.”
Vilan closed his eyes too, letting go of his worries.
The quiet surroundings quickly lulled him to sleep.
***
“Ugh…”
“Ugh… ugh…”
A series of sobs echoed in his ears.
Vilan followed the sound and stepped forward.
He was surprised to see the room.
Wasn’t this his room in the Demon Queen’s Court?
And the boy crying on the bed—was that himself?
Vilan realized he was dreaming.
The mental strength of a Succubus made lucid dreams easy, but he hadn’t expected to dream of his childhood.
Seeing himself crying on the bed and the white dog’s corpse on the ground, Vilan immediately understood.
His companion Kaixi, who had grown up with him, had died.
Back then, he hadn’t regained his past life’s memories, so the death of his only companion in the Royal Palace was heartbreaking.
Vilan prepared to step forward.
But then, a figure walked through him and entered the room.
“Mother…”
Vilan was dazed.
“Baby, why are you crying?”
Malinsa looked at Kaixi’s corpse but still asked gently.
However, she didn’t approach to hug Vilan as she usually did.
“Mother…”
The young Vilan immediately stood up, running step by step to his mother and hugging her waist.
“Kaixi died… Kaixi is dead…”
A trace of sorrow flickered beneath Malinsa’s black veil, but her words remained cold, freezing the young Vilan in place.
“Dead is dead.”
“Mother, how can you say that? That’s Kaixi! Isn’t it ours—”
“Baby…”
Malinsa’s fingertips touched young Vilan’s cheek, her eyes piercing through the black veil, captivating and chilling.
“It’s just a dog.”
With that, Malinsa straightened and walked out, leaving only her back to the young Vilan.
“Bury Kaixi.”
Even as his current self, watching Malinsa’s reaction was uncomfortable.
The young Vilan clung to Kaixi’s body, sobbing uncontrollably.
Slowly, the scene shifted.
When Vilan’s vision cleared, he was on a vast plain.
Thunderclouds covered the sky as rain poured down.
The young Vilan trembled as he buried Kaixi.
Malinsa held an umbrella, trying to shield him.
But the young Vilan shoved his mother away.
Rain fell, obscuring his tears.
Standing beside him, his mother still shielded him with the umbrella.
Vilan turned to look at her.
Her eyes were filled with pity and compassion, and at the corners, tears seemed to glisten faintly.
“Such farewells…”
“Will come countless times in your life.”
As she spoke, Malinsa looked at Vilan beside her.
In that instant, he stood frozen.