I Became the Youngest Sister-in-law of the Ruined Reverse Harem’s Male Leads - Chapter 173
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
#.173
Speaking of the vanished past that only I, Marius, and Francois remembered, Edgar smiled innocently.
It was a confident smile that only someone who knew their own heart completely could show.
“Did you remember?”
“No. Marius told me. I was bothered by the strange things Lazarus said.”
“How much did you hear?”
“Just the outline. He said it was an embarrassing past and seemed troubled by it… but I was happy. The fact that I liked you even during the time I couldn’t remember felt like destiny.”
My lips trembled.
Seeing this smart kid, who was clever enough to enter university alone at an age when other kids his age would be attending middle school, acting so foolishly made me momentarily angry.
But I didn’t want to raise my voice and pour out my emotions. Just, just…
“Did you hear about what kind of hardships you went through because of me?”
“I heard.”
“And you still think that way?”
“I think it’s fortunate. That the me back then helped you.”
“…”
“I like you. That’s all I can say. Li, Lilliana?”
“You’re an idiot. Be quiet.”
I wanted to hug this boy who showed such foolishly pure affection. That was all I had too.
Who could dare reject Edgar, who showed such pure feelings across two lifetimes?
At least I couldn’t. I couldn’t do it. Because I had given my heart to Edgar’s affection before, and again this time.
“That… like last time, why do you keep suddenly hugging me…”
“At times like this, you shouldn’t raise your arms up, you should hug me back too. Didn’t you see what Regina and Leopold do?”
“Huh? Uh-huh. Mmm. Uh…”
Edgar awkwardly lowered his arms and embraced me even more clumsily than that.
He couldn’t even put strength into it, so it was almost like he was just draping his arms over me, but even that was so cute that laughter naturally escaped me.
I could feel his heartbeat pounding relentlessly against my ear. I could also hear his body tensing up from not knowing what to do and the sound of him swallowing.
Back then, Edgar didn’t get a chance to answer my question about why he was so good to me.
And I wasn’t honest, only telling him to take care.
Even though I actually knew Edgar’s feelings and had noticed my own feelings too.
“I like you too. Back then, and now too.”
The tip of my nose stung. A wind carrying sunlight blew over.
The meteor shower that had fallen into my heart long ago burst into twinkling, sparkling stardust.
Under the lemon tree, we finally met again.
* * *
Emilia regained consciousness only when late evening came.
Her whole body felt heavy and her mind was hazy. What had happened?
Just as she was trying to recall her last memory with her dazed mind, a familiar voice pierced her ears.
“Emilia? Emilia! Doctor! We need to get a doctor!”
“Sister! Are you conscious? Can you recognize me?”
“Lili…ana?”
Hearing Lilliana’s voice made her mind snap to attention.
Right. Lazarus had trampled on her head and declared that he would kill Lilliana.
Her chest turned cold with dread, and when she forced herself to sit up, her vision spun and her body swayed.
Andrea firmly held Emilia and made her sit down.
“Are, are you okay?”
“Sniff. Little sister…”
Lilliana acted spoiled and snuggled into her sister’s arms.
While comforting her younger sister who was tall but still seemed like a child, she asked Andrea.
“Where’s Chris?”
“He woke up at dawn and is now resting peacefully with his parents. Lazarus was eliminated by Lilliana.”
“Really…?”
“Yes. It’s true.”
“Little sister came back covered in blood, do you know how shocked I was? Sniff! That’s why she’s sticking close to Uncle Francois…”
Lilliana buried her face in Emilia’s shoulder and sniffled, shedding tears and snot.
Soon after, Regina and Francois returned with the doctor.
“There’s nothing wrong. If you rest well and take good care of yourself, you’ll recover smoothly.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much.”
While Regina tearfully thanked the doctor repeatedly, Andrea explained to Emilia what had happened the night before.
That Lilliana had defeated Lazarus with her friends, that he and Regina had fled with the children, and that Lilliana had saved Emilia when she was on the verge of death.
“The youngest must have been very scared.”
“Next time I absolutely won’t heal you. Just try getting hurt again… Sniff.”
Lilliana blew her nose loudly.
Andrea was comforting Lilliana when he noticed Francois standing frozen behind them, unable to cry or rejoice, and hurriedly took his siblings and left the room.
Francois couldn’t approach her carelessly.
He seemed like someone who believed that just closing the distance between them would hurt each other.
“Francois. Why are you standing there?”
“…Watching you dying, I thought this: if we had never met from the beginning, wouldn’t you have been able to live? I’m afraid to approach you.”
“Don’t think strange thoughts.”
“You were like a dream to me, but I might be a nightmare to you.”
“Stop with the delusions and come here. I want to see you up close.”
Contrary to Emilia’s request, Francois only stepped backward instead.
At his reaction, Emilia gritted her teeth.
“Then let’s talk from there.”
“About what? There’s nothing more to discuss between us. You need to rest first.”
“How can I rest when you’re acting like that?”
She pushed her falling hair back and confessed in a slow tone.
“Since you were always by my side, I thought it was natural. So I should have talked with you and shared thoughts, but I didn’t make the effort, which is how we ended up like this.”
Francois shook his head. In his view, he was the problem.
“I thought marriage was meaningless between us. We were already family, already lovers, so I believed there was no need to add more formalities.”
Because they had been together for six years, he believed they were past the stage of formalities.
He thought there was no problem as long as they loved each other, regardless of how the world defined them.
“But you thought of dying and leaving me behind?”
“I wanted to eliminate Lazarus somehow. Our parents died, my brother lost his youth, and you suffered for life. On top of that, Lilliana doesn’t even know our parents’ faces.
Sister Edith was heartbroken by the memory of seeing Mother at the scene.
The whole family was full of wounds, but there was nothing she could do.
At most, she could only study desperately to help Lilliana grow up healthy.
Even though she had power that even the clerics didn’t possess, she had done nothing despite being the Holy Maiden.
“…Because I’ve done nothing, because there’s nothing I can do, that’s why I did it.”
“Why do you say you’ve done nothing?”
Francois, who had been listening quietly, responded fiercely.
He strode up to Emilia and snapped at her accusingly.
“You saved me. With your own hands, you saved the person you love, but that’s nothing? Is that it?”
“No, that’s not it. That’s not what I meant.”
“My salvation came through you, so why don’t you understand that?”
Even knowing he was no different from an enemy, she readily extended her hand to him.
At first, he only thought of benefiting from her, but at some point, his world began to revolve around Emilia.
It was okay even if there were holes in his memory. Because every moment with her was brilliant.
“You were my salvation.”
His life changed after meeting Emilia.
It wasn’t simply good or bad… Yes. It was beautiful.
For the first time, life felt brilliant.
Having someone completely on his side, having Emilia Berchio next to him who gave him fulfillment born from love.
He believed she was salvation. A ray of light that appeared in a life thrown into solitude.
“I couldn’t make you completely free from Lazarus. It’s natural that my power has limits, but I hate myself for that because I love you so much. I’m truly sorry.”
Emilia squeezed her eyes shut. Tears flowed between her eyelashes.
Francois, who finally realized her true feelings, had a face crumbling with self-reproach.
He bit his lower lip hard to hold back tears, but he couldn’t resist pulling Emilia into his arms.
“You saved my soul that was rotting away without even knowing what love was. Emilia, only you could have done it.”
Francois trembled for a long time while holding Emilia in his arms.
Until Emilia, overcome by surging emotions, cried her heart out, and until her long-lasting tears finally stopped.
And until they cleared up their misunderstanding and confirmed their love once more, he never let go of Emilia even once.
He would continue to do so for eternity.
Because Francois Cassel was not foolish enough to let go of the light that had fallen to him.
* * *
“Sniff.”
I had stopped by again to bring dinner to my youngest sister when I unexpectedly overheard their conversation.
Just as tears were about to come out from their heartfelt feelings for each other, Antonio, who came with me, covered my mouth to hide my crying sounds.
Seeing that made my tears go right back in.
“Why are you crying?”
“Ah, I wasn’t crying.”
“But those two are really touching. Right?”
“I should write a script based on those two. Then we’ll be sitting on a pile of money.”
As we crouched in the corridor whispering, the door opened wide.
Uncle Francois, who spotted us, let out a hollow laugh.
“It was you two?”
“U-Uncle! We weren’t trying to eavesdrop…”
“We brought dinner but couldn’t find the right timing to knock, so this happened.”
Antonio acted nonchalant as if he hadn’t just had red-rimmed eyes moments ago. My youngest sister asked from inside.
“Lilliana?”
“The kids brought dinner.”
“I was hungry, so that’s perfect. Tell them to bring it in quickly.”
After handing the tray to Uncle Francois, I advised him in a small voice so my youngest sister couldn’t hear.
“Uncle. You know that if you don’t seize this opportunity, our sister won’t get married given her personality, right? Fighting.”
“That’s right. And mister, set a date first. These days you have to book the temple early to hold a ceremony.”
When we clenched our fists and cheered him on, Uncle smiled brightly as if he was very pleased.
He looked the happiest I’d seen recently, so I had a feeling there would be good news soon.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————