“Ahh… uhh?”
In my arms was my little sister, Lutecia.
She was reaching out her hands toward me.
She moved around a lot, which made things difficult.
I had to be careful not to drop her…
And also make sure she didn’t get fussy, so I had to hold her just right…
“Ugh… babies are tough.”
“Hehe, do your best, big brother.”
Mom smiled warmly at me.
While she was cooking, I offered to look after Lutecia…
But it turned out to be a lot harder than I expected.
She seemed so delicate that I got really nervous, thinking I couldn’t afford to make a single mistake.
“Uuu…”
“Whoa!?”
Suddenly, Lutecia’s eyes welled up with tears.
W-why!?
I didn’t do anything, I swear!
“You can’t do that, Fate,”
Mom said, giving me advice while continuing to cook.
“Babies are really sensitive to people’s emotions. If you’re feeling anxious, the baby will feel anxious too. That’s why you have to stay calm and confident.”
“Calm and confident…”
Even if she says that, it’s easier said than done.
I mean, I just came back to my hometown and only now found out I had a little sister.
And she’s so tiny.
Of course I wouldn’t know what to do…
It’s only natural I’d feel unsure and hesitant.
But…
Even if that’s my excuse, it doesn’t matter to Lutecia.
I’m the one making her anxious…
And I’m her big brother.
So I have to act like one.
“Lutecia.”
“Uuh…?”
“Um… it’s okay. Yeah, everything’s okay.”
I smiled and gently rocked her.
Lutecia blinked a few times…
“Kya-kya!”
She laughed, looking cheerful again.
Thank goodness…
People say crying is a baby’s job, but still, a smiling baby is much nicer to see.
“Uuh.”
Lutecia reached out…
And with her tiny, tiny hands, she grabbed my finger tightly with all her strength.
“Ah…”
What a tiny hand…
But it’s warm…
Holding her like this gives me a strange, indescribable feeling.
Seeing the two of us like that, Mom smiled.
“Hehe. Looks like Lutecia-chan has taken a liking to her big brother.”
“To me…?”
“Yes. Lutecia-chan tends to reach out and touch people she likes. Like me. Papa, not yet though.”
“…Dad…”
Poor guy…
But more importantly…
“…Lutecia…”
“Auu… auu.”
It’s only just now—
Finally, really—
That I can truly feel it: Lutecia is my little sister.
And at the same time, I realize something else.
Up to now, I’ve journeyed and fought for Sofia and Aisha.
For Licorice and Snow.
But it’s not just for them.
There are others I want to protect, others I want to support.
…Like Lutecia.
“I guess… I have one more reason now to do something about the Dawn Alliance.”
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