171
Sister
“The succession ceremony is coming up soon. Where are you going?”
The gray tower asked Elder Igarhadin, bowing his head.
“I have somewhere to go for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”
A man wearing a fox-shaped mask answered with a smiling voice.
‘It’s the succession ceremony right now, but you’re having a party… You lose your mind.’
Igarhadin bowed his head, clicking his tongue at the man’s flashy attire and strange mask.
In any case, after midnight, he would become the master of the Gray Tower. Even if he blushed, it would only harm Igarhadin.
“Yes, I will wait, Hans.”
When Igarhadin opened his eyes again, there was no one there.
***
“What did you just say···?”
The rabbit mask fumbled and asked back.
I briefly wondered if I had made a mistake in that subtle reaction.
‘···Call me sister?’
He introduced himself as the second eldest son, and his sweet smell was also unusual, so it was clear that the rabbit mask was the second eldest son.
It was obvious that having a good relationship with the second eldest son would be beneficial. There was no need to be stingy with titles that didn’t cost money, so I called him whatever he wanted, but his reaction was strange.
“Huh? What did you just call me?”
“···Sister?”
In response to the continued urging, I spoke again and again.
“again.”
The slightly thin Sam Baek-an. I couldn’t tell if it was the right answer. But it was already done.
“Sister.”
As I sang with sincerity, Sam Baek-an became even thinner. A beautiful arc was drawn between the masks. It seemed to be the right answer.
“Huh… That’s right, sister. Sister. This third one is good, isn’t he?”
The rabbit mask put its arm around my shoulder. I flinched at the narrow distance.
“Yeah, yeah, it’s your first meeting, so you’re nervous and trembling? Just trust me, big sister. Just trust me.”
The rabbit mask made a rough and tumble appearance, like a thug trying to get a job.
Judging from the way she emphasized ‘older sister’, it seemed like she liked hearing herself called older sister.
“Yes, sis.”
There was no need to save money since the gold wasn’t going out.
“Noona… haha… haha….”
However, it was a bit difficult to bear the heavy breathing in my ear.
“A meeting? Nothing much. Just be careful with the first one. Or will he come? And the fourth one is dead… Anyway, if you trust me, I’ll take care of everything. Okay?”
The rabbit mask pressed against my chest and let out hot breath. It had already wrapped its arms around my waist.
“Yes, sis.”
“Ehhhhh···.”
Every time she said “big sister,” her laughter became increasingly gloomy.
‘I guess I have a talent for cuteness.’
I nodded at the unexpected talent.
at that time.
“What are you doing there?”
A familiar voice came from behind me. I turned my head and saw a tall man wearing a wolf mask walking towards me with brisk strides. It was the fifth eldest son.
“What kind of presumptuous thing would that be to say to my sister?”
“Nothing to say.”
The five elders who had come right up to him answered in an irritated voice.
“My new little brother just came over and we chatted. He was so cute, unlike anyone else.”
The rabbit mask clung closer to me. Its long claws scratched near the seams of my breastplate.
“The meeting has begun.”
“There’s still some time left, right? Go in first. I have something to do with my cute little sister.”
The rabbit mask that clung to him like a snake answered in a voice that was so airy that it felt burdensome.
The five elders turned their gaze towards me. I nodded to them.
“Sister, let’s go in.”
To put it briefly, I could feel the rabbit mask smiling brightly even though it was wearing a mask. I could also feel the five elders’ faces distorted.
The fifth eldest son seemed to dislike the aegyo. With such an old-fashioned personality that can’t even show a single bit of aegyo, he won’t survive for long… I clicked my tongue.
“Okay, okay. Let’s go in.”
The rabbit mask led me away, avoiding my gaze.
The hall was more splendid than it looked from the outside. There was a large, round table in the middle, on which were laid a variety of delicacies.
There were six chairs around a round table.
‘Weren’t there five of them?’
I squinted my eyes at him.
“Sit over here!”
A very excited rabbit mask guided me to the center. According to the number, I was the third, so I should have sat in the center, but-.
“You sit away! You don’t even call me sister!”
“Get out.”
Looking at the five elders sitting next to me, it didn’t seem like that was the case.
The rabbit mask that had been pointing at the intestines with a fever gave up and sat down on the opposite side.
“Try this.”
The rabbit mask held out the meat with a white gloved hand.
However, I couldn’t eat food without knowing what was inside.
He said that he had eaten while saying something like “older sister.” Then the rabbit mask nodded and took the meat to his mouth.
The meat passed through the mask without a hitch.
I looked at him carefully and tapped my mask. It didn’t go through.
The rabbit mask’s interest shifted to food and from then on he started eating like crazy.
Knock, knock. The five elders knocked on the table, somewhat nervously.
The moment of subtle silence was broken by a goblin mask wearing a monk’s robe.
“Oh no – it’s late.”
The goblin mask had a cape around its neck, and the golden strings were so numerous that it was hard to count them.
However, it was less than that of a raccoon.
‘···Under the Cardinal. Vice Cardinal?’
Since I wasn’t familiar with the religious system, I had a rough idea.
The goblin mask didn’t have much of a smell compared to the rabbit mask and the five-legged one.
The goblin mask bowed its head repeatedly and headed towards the empty space.
“Are you the one who’s going to get that fourth spot?”
“Yes, somehow I ended up in a position that was beyond my capabilities. Please take good care of me.”
The goblin mask nodded. Then he poured wine in front of me, lifted the mask slightly, and drank it in gulps. The blunt jawline revealed beneath it.
The rabbit mask that was looking at the guy raised its hand.
“···Yes? Why are you like that?”
“I’m the second. You’re the fourth. Should I call you big sister?”
The rabbit mask shouted in a lively voice. The gray eyes behind the mask sparkled.
“I don’t like it. If we are all the eldest sons, then who is the older sister? Even if I haven’t fully ascended to the throne, I am still the face of the fourth son.”
The guy who had been gentle until just now suddenly snapped at me coldly. Then the rabbit mask fell down.
‘Was it like that?’
It seemed that the meaning of the title ‘sister’ was a bit different from the outside world. Of course, I didn’t mind.
“Sister.”
When I tried to act cute, the rabbit mask fluttered.
At that moment, heavy footsteps were heard from behind. They were the dull footsteps characteristic of armor. When I turned my head, I saw a man wearing splendid imperial armor.
Although he was heavily armed unlike the others, my mind was at ease.
‘He’s about two hands shorter than the black twenty-gol, and his stride is longer than mine. Considering the length of his arms…’
I measured the situation when I crossed swords with the guy. The guy was wearing a black mask, not an animal.
‘I thought you said the first one was from the royal family?’
It seemed like it was the first one.
at that time.
“What? The first one is absent again?”
The rabbit mask grumbled.
“He is busy.”
The eldest answered lightly and sat at the end. It seemed like he was not the eldest son, but the eldest son.
“Who isn’t busy?”
The rabbit mask growled openly.
“Are you and him the same?”
The atmosphere suddenly became tense. The rabbit mask’s demeanor suddenly changed.
The presence of the rabbit mask, which seemed slightly lacking compared to the first one, expanded in an instant.
‘As expected, devil candy is tricky.’
There was absolutely no excuse for the Devil Candy before it revealed its true identity.
Still, I rooted for Rabbit Mask because I thought it would be a good show if the two fought.
“Hahaha, it’s a good day. Why are you all like this?”
At that moment, the goblin mask smiled awkwardly and ruined the good mood.
“Huh, right. It’s a bit awkward to show your excitement in front of your little brother. Consider yourself lucky.”
The rabbit mask that looked my way sat down, nodding its neck. The first one was staring at me.
The golden eyes visible behind the mask were annoying. I thought about scratching my older sister, but shook my head.
It seemed like it would be better to just watch for now.
“Then, I will now begin the meeting of the eldest sons. I will attend in place of the eldest son. The vacant fourth eldest son position will be filled by the next candidate. The third eldest son is the only third son.”
The black mask spoke in a calm voice.
“How is this a meeting of the elders? There are only five elders and me.”
The rabbit mask quickly took off.
“Oh, of course, my younger brother is going to be the eldest son. That means right away!”
The rabbit mask glanced at me and waved its hand.
“Stop talking nonsense.”
This time, the five elders cut him off. The rabbit masked man’s head snapped back.
“If you don’t like it, you can go. That’s what he said.”
The first one added:
“Ha… This is really crazy. It’s been a while since I’ve seen his face, is he even alive?”
The rabbit mask jumped up from its seat and gained momentum again.
“I think you know that.”
The first one said something unintelligible. After cursing for a moment, the rabbit mask sat back down.
‘Except for the fourth one, they are all stronger than the raccoon.’
It seemed that Lotteria’s words that raccoons are the weakest among the eldest sons were true.
If it were normal, I would have felt annoyed and annoyed by the opponent’s power that went beyond that category.
‘I’m looking forward to it.’
The corners of my mouth went up.
“I will first talk about the fourth eldest son. The fourth eldest son, who went to Cassidy to meet the third, was suddenly discovered and killed by the Templar and the Inquisitor. And the report on him says…”
The first guy paused for a moment. I could feel his gaze on me through his black mask.
“The third name is also listed”
The man whose eyes met mine for a moment continued speaking.
It was a fatal detail, but it was one of the things I expected to see coming this far.
“Hmm···.”
A rabbit mask that tilts its head at me, supporting my chin.
“Oh, sure, that’s the information I brought!”
The fourth one raised his hand excitedly as if he had been given the chance to speak.
And the five of them just sit there, wondering what to do.
It wasn’t a very good atmosphere for me.
Of course, it wasn’t a difficult atmosphere.
“What happened?”
The first one asked in a businesslike voice.
When telling a lie, two things are important.
Appropriate truth and dignity.
“I don’t know!”
The third one shouted proudly.
***
‘That’s fun.’
The second one slightly raised the corners of his lips.
“The death of the fourth eldest son is a heavy matter. Third, answer correctly.”
I really liked the way the unlucky guy’s voice cracked subtly.
‘I guess I like it.’
From the fact that he was a male with a big body, I liked that. And then there was the gaze that had scanned my body so clearly when we first met – I really wanted to eat him.
“I don’t know.”
“It’s not a problem that can be covered up so easily. What exactly happened···.”
‘Since you’re my older sister, can you help me out?’
The second one scratched the table with his fingernails. A cool sound spread and everyone focused.
“Why are you asking the third one like that? If the third one doesn’t know, then he doesn’t know. Oh, you don’t know, do you?”
The second one was openly sarcastic. The second one knew very well that the thing that most worries an unlucky person is a short career.
‘It’s a bit pretentious to call him the third.’
The second decided to think positively. Didn’t she call herself older sister? The other eldest sons were all spoiled, but he was clearly a good boy.
“I agree.”
“Oh my, you five agree with what your older sister said?”
The second’s eyes sparkled at the agreement of the five. The five were not the kind of people who would take his side. It was clear that there was something between the two. It was a secret that even she, the older sister, didn’t know about, so her fingernails started to itch for no reason.
“Oh, there is a report I haven’t given you yet. The Holy Inquisitor has proven the report to be correct. The Holy Inquisitor is known for being strict and capable, so it must be correct. The fourth eldest son, Gobersan, was killed in the combined attack of the Templar Knights and the Inquisitors. The third son’s name is on it, though…”
The fourth one trailed off. It seemed like the fourth one just wanted to solidify his position.
“So you’re saying that the fourth eldest son was killed by a mere knight and heretic inquisitors? That’s ridiculous.”
“What are you going to do if you are dumbfounded?”
The second one grumbled at the unlucky guy.
“You’re not even the eldest son.”
The second finger wiggled, pointing at the unlucky guy.
“···I am not the eldest son, but I came as the eldest son’s representative. Be courteous to him.”
“manners?”
The second one held his stomach and laughed loudly. The third one laughed even louder, following him. He was my favorite younger sibling.
“You speak just like a hypocrite, child.”
The second son, who had stopped laughing, raised the corners of his mouth and said.
The silence that followed was truly sweet.
***
‘There is no bean powder like this bean powder.’
I was amazed at the way he bared his teeth every time he spoke.
Thanks to that, I didn’t have to bring out the excuse I had prepared separately.
‘It was a fight that was favorable for me.’
The fifth of the five eldest sons was on the same boat as me, and the second son was melting under my affection, so the situation was better than I thought.
but-.
“Still, it doesn’t seem right. Bring me the temple knight and the heretic inquisitor.”
At the first words that followed, I scratched my mask.
“It is impossible to touch the Knights Templar, even if you become a cardinal. Perhaps the Pope.”
The fourth one nodded to those around him as if seeking sympathy. However, the others did not even glance at him as if they were not interested.
“Then bring the heretic inquisitor.”
“······yes.”
The fourth, who had been confident, answered with his head down when there was no response from those around him.
I looked behind me as the two were talking.
The door was firmly closed.
Did the crow follow me?
Probably came.
‘What a pity.’
I muttered softly and tapped the handle of the knife.
“Enough with the story of the guy who was attacked by the Knights of the Temple.”
The five elders opened their mouths.
“That’s true. The fourth one kept thinking about something else-.”
The rabbit mask agreed and stretched out its arms. They were smooth arms with no trace of strength.
The silence that followed.
The five elders continued speaking.
“Now the preparations for the great undertaking are complete.”
Five of them looked at me and declared.
“Wow, I’m happy-.”
The rabbit mask snorted as it grabbed my mask.
“What a···what a great undertaking···.”
The fourth one muttered in a trembling voice.
First is-.
“It’s impossible.”
I rejected it outright.
‘It’s getting more and more interesting.’
Things took an interesting turn.
***
‘The first is against, the second and fourth are ambiguous, and the fifth is in agreement.’
I watched the situation as the atmosphere suddenly became cold.
Fourth, it seemed that he was scared by the word ‘great undertaking’ itself.
The second one sipped his wine as if it didn’t matter or he didn’t care.
“No way? Do you know what you can do?”
Five showed clear hostility.
“I have been given full authority by Him.”
The first one was opposed quite strongly.
‘This is the work of the devil’s children.’
It didn’t feel very good.
However, I couldn’t object because I was on the same boat as the five eldest sons.
I figured out how things should go. I don’t know what a great undertaking is, but since it came from the mouths of the devil’s children, I thought it would be better not to do it.
‘Then I’ve heard five stories, and I think it would be best if they were rejected.’
“The third one has returned. The vessel that the first one opposed to the great undertaking has been prepared, so what kind of excuse will he come up with this time?”
The five elders spoke at length, as if they were angry.
“The timing is not good.”
“It’s the same excuse as back then. You guys never even thought of undertaking a great undertaking in the first place. Are you tainted by hypocrisy?”
At the first answer, the five looked around and spoke coldly.
“Oh my, watch your speech to your older sister.”
“Not me! It’s just that, like the first one said, the timing is ambiguous···.”
The fourth one hurriedly refused. The word hypocrisy seemed quite heavy.
“Five eldest sons, you speak presumptuously.”
“be impertinent?”
For a split second, I heard a familiar sound and leaned back.
Taang-! With a heavy sound, the first bastard’s chest armor was torn off as if bitten by a wild beast.
‘Is this it?’
I nodded.
“What the… What the heck is this! Five eldest sons!!”
The fourth eldest son jumped up in fright.
The first one, who was actually involved, looked down at his armor and remained still.
‘Are you kidding me?’
I glanced around and took a guess. It wasn’t a bad development. After joining forces with the five eldest sons and melting the second eldest son with my charm······.
Just then, the door creaked open.
The one who came in was a guy wearing a fox mask. He was wearing a robe of an ambiguous color, and his physique was quite good.
In his right hand he held a staff, a rotten staff, like rotten wood. Wizards judged the quality of a staff by the degree of rot, so it must have been very expensive.
I felt nothing from him. There was no presence or sweetness.
‘You must be a wizard.’
I touched the handle of my sword at the unexpected figure.
“Who is it?”
The five elders asked in their characteristically rough voices.
“Oh, it’s a secret.”
The fox mask answered. As soon as he said ‘Ah,’ the bastard’s voice changed subtly. It was a thin voice like a eunuch’s.
“Are you trolling?”
The voices of the five elders were low. The tension was rising again. I looked at the slightly open door as the guy came in.
A tiny light twinkled.
‘You arrived safely.’
I stroked the small stick the crow had given me.
“Calm down. I agree with you, Fel Hartantin.”
A name came out of the bastard’s mouth out of the blue. Judging by his expression, it seemed to be the names of the five eldest sons.
The five elders’ spirits suddenly sharpened. It seemed as if they would immediately release that invisible aura.
“Huh… Is this the sixth eldest son?”
The rabbit mask muttered softly.
‘···The sixth?’
I’ve heard it before. The sixth brother who comes down to the demons like a ghost story.
“Ahahaha. I’m not a devil. It’s just not my nature. I just wanted to ask for your understanding so I could convey my message.”
The bastard’s thin, subtle voice strangely entered my ears. More than that-.
‘···Why are you looking at me?’
The fox mask had been fixated on me since I came in. When I slightly turned my body to the side, the guy’s eyes followed me. It seemed like he was looking at me.
“I’ve noticed that there are a lot of people who are interested in seeds recently. Of course, the fruits of labor will be sweeter if they go through hardships, but I think the situation is getting worse.”
‘Seed?’
It was a familiar word. I still didn’t know exactly what it meant, but it was a story about a park head.
“Oh, the seeds are the seeds of the apocalypse. The seeds that, if they germinate, have the potential to bring about the apocalypse.”
As if reading my thoughts, the bastard added an explanation.
I checked with him to see if he could read minds.
‘The voice of the cub wearing the fox mask sucks.’
I muttered to myself, but there was no real answer. It just seemed like the timing was right.
‘···But is Park’s head the seed of the apocalypse?’
I thought of Park Daegari for a moment.
[A lot! A lot!]
‘If it’s to the point where it’s going to be ruined by Park Dae-gari… wouldn’t it be reasonable to just get ruined?’
I sighed softly, imagining Park’s head growing as large as Godzilla.
“Ah. Of course, I don’t think the people here would think that way. May I add a word?”
I thought the five elders would have a seizure, but they were surprisingly quiet. When I looked into it, they all seemed to be feeling really good.
‘There’s something about seeds.’
There seemed to be something about him, since everyone became quiet after he started talking about seeds.
“You’re talking about a great undertaking, but isn’t it called a great undertaking for nothing? Not only does it require preparation, but the timing must also be right.”
‘You’re the opposition party. That’s fortunate.’
I felt a little relieved by the atmosphere that seemed to be mediating.
However, the guy’s next remark was different from what I expected.
“Let’s vote in that sense. Alright, those of you who are in favor of the cause, raise your hand. Those of you who are not… just stay still.”
The guy simply clapped his hands as if he was deciding on a dinner menu.
“It is a long-held wish and the meaning of brotherhood.”
The five eldest sons quickly raised their hands.
“That is true. But now is not the right time. That is His will.”
The first side got the word.
“I··· I··· am against it. I don’t know much yet··· and I’m not the eldest son···.”
The fourth one lowered his head and grumbled.
‘There are two votes against and one vote in favor, so it would be neat if only the second one was against.’
I felt a little relieved because it seemed like it wouldn’t be my turn.
At that moment, the second rabbit masked boy tilted his head back.
“I abstain. I don’t care either way.”
It was an unexpected abstention, but there was no particular reaction, as it was not the first or second time it had happened.
‘If I agree with this, it’s half and half, right?’
The five elders stared at me. The eyes behind the masks were calm. It seemed as if they had anticipated this situation.
‘If I make it half and half, does that mean I can somehow get over it?’
My head started to get complicated when I suddenly found myself holding the fire button in my hand.
‘Did you say that the purpose was to destroy hypocrisy?’
On my way here, I recalled the conversation I had with the five elders. When I asked him if he was going to destroy the empire, he didn’t answer and just raised the corners of his mouth.
‘Not good.’
Judging from the atmosphere, it was clear that the first side had a strong influence. I don’t know what the five eldest sons were thinking, but if there was a tie, there was a high probability that the first side would win.
‘Even if I raise my hand here, there’s no way things will go as the five eldest sons wish.’
I quickly came to a conclusion, gave the five eldest sons a thumbs up and raised my hand.
Even though his face wasn’t visible behind the mask, for some reason he looked like he was in a good mood.
“Ah! A tie! This is getting tricky! Can you please give me a vote as well?”
The fox mask spoke immediately. The gaze of the guy still fixed on me was strangely unsettling. The teasing voice was annoying.
‘There’s no way I’d vote at the elders’ meeting…’
“I agree.”
“agreement.”
“······I agree too!”
“It’s trivial to just gloss over it. I agree.”
Surprisingly, the four of them agreed, as they were open-minded. I was bothered by the gaze of the guy who wouldn’t leave me.
“Then I will follow the Third Eldest Son’s opinion! The Third Eldest Son agreed, right? Then it has been decided to carry out the great undertaking by following the Third Eldest Son!”
The guy clapped and laughed.
“···You!······Clearly!”
The first son hummed softly.
“But since we’re all here now and everything’s ready… how about we get started right away?”
The guy who still had his eyes fixed on me spoke lightly as if he was talking about a company dinner.
A strange passion rose up in him.
Although their faces were not visible behind their masks, it seemed like they all had similar expressions on their faces.
‘It was a good thing I bought souvenirs in advance.’
Without hesitation, I broke the stick the crow had given me.
Caw-.
A crow cried far away.
***
‘······Aaron on vacation?’
Pulpouts rubbed his temples as he looked at the report.
‘Where is it this time···.’
Everywhere Aaron went on vacation was a mess. Of course, it didn’t matter because it wasn’t Cassidy, but this time, for some reason, he felt very, very, very uneasy.
“Did you go to Karzan?”
“No. He told me specifically, but he didn’t tell me where he was going. I think he was going to be gone for quite some time.”
Nova’s tone was subtle. It was hard to tell if she was annoyed or excited.
‘It’s going to be quite a long time? So that means it’s not around.’
Fullfoot tried to suppress a strange sense of unease.
‘···What was there in the distance?’
I spread out a map of the continent. Maps were expensive, but they were an essential item for a lord.
When he opened the map, Pulpouts’ eyes were drawn to the capital city located right in the center.
‘no way······.’
It was a ridiculous imagination. Pulpouts waved his hand to change the subject.
Nova then reported to him.
“A letter has arrived from the top of Gyarrot. In reply to this, I would like to….”
However, unlike usual, the anxiety did not go away easily.
‘Even if it’s Aaron······, it wouldn’t be the capital.’
Pulpouts just pressed his temples.
