The Sword and The Shadow

"Huh? What’s wrong with me again? Can’t I be happy for Eirinn now that she’s recovered?" Leguna said with a furrowed brow He didn’t mind what Alaine said to him, but if that made Eirinn unhappy, he would have a bone to pick with her.

"Hmph!" Alaine merely looked in the direction Innilis left. "You’re so happy that you forgot all Innie had done and didn’t even thank her!"

"Ugh..." He only just noticed her absence and scratched his head awkwardly, before shooting Annelotte a helpless look.

"I will help stabilize the effects of the spell. You can go," she replied.

"Ummm. thanks..." he said before he escaped Marolyt and Alaine’s killer gazes.

......

I can’t get mad! I can’t get jealous! Being jealous of Sis Eirinn is wrong! Innilis repeated to herself nonstop.

[This isn’t jealousy!] a voice rang. It sounded like Innilis’s own, as if it had come from the depths of her heart.

[Who... who are you?] Innilis asked, startled.

[You don’t know me even though you received so many of my insights?] If Leguna could hear the voice, he definitely wouldn’t recognize it as Innilis’s, as her voice could never sound that seductive.

[It’s you?!] show shouted, remembering where she’d heard it before, [Who are you?]

[Hehehehe, I’m you,] the voice said with a wry laugh, [Another you.]

[No! Impossible!--] She shook her head frantically. [--You can’t be me! Your voice... sounds so evil! I am not bad!]

[Evil?] it repeated, [What if you can have Big Bro Leguna all to yourself if you turn evil? Think about it... a world with only Leguna and you! No other annoying women! He will stay by your side forever and protect you! Isn’t that what you want?]

Innilis’s eyes glossed over at the thought. She began to hallucinate and saw herself living in a peaceful town with Leguna. Having a son and two daughters.

The son had black hair like his father and the two daughters were blonde with emerald-colored eyes just like Innilis and her sister, Minnie. The three little ones were always active and often stuck by their parents’ side, calling to them affectionately.

In their daily life, Leguna hunted every day. Innilis didn’t have to worry about her man’s safety since he was so strong. All she had to do was look after the kids and make sure he came home to a warm meal.

Then two people appeared. She couldn’t make out who they were, but they were beautiful beyond belief. They barged into the house and dragged her away. She had to watch as her three angels were beheaded.

Then Leguna returned. At first she thought he would go on a rampage and avenge their dead children, but instead he smiled at the two murderers as if his true wives had returned.

Innilis cried for help, but he didn’t even glance at her. He kissed the two women on the cheek, more passionately than he’d ever done her, and the three left holding hands, leaving her tied up amongst her children’s corpses.

"Enough!" she shrieked.

She knew it was all fake, but the images struck a chord deep in her heart, and its resonance shook her whole body.

Tears drowned her cheeks even as she wiped them away over and over again.

[This isn’t real!] she yelled, [Sis Annie and Sis Eirinn aren’t evil! Big Bro Leguna won’t abandon me!]

[That’s what you think now, but nothing good will come of walking down the path you currently tread.] the voice said with certainty, [Don’t forget how happy Leguna was to see Eirinn’s true face! Her’s a sucker for looks. You are quite good looking, but you can’t compare to those two. Your figure is decent as well, but you’ve seen those two while bathing. They are on an entirely different plane.]

Innilis was a rare beauty, but it was true that she was an ugly duckling compared to her two sisters.

[You interact the least with Leguna, too. Eirinn saved his soul and Annelotte saved his confidence. What about you? You two share no worthwhile memories. You’re not important to him, not as important as those two at least!]

Innilis paled.

"Impossible... Impossible!"

[Don’t argue over the facts! You and I both know it’s true! What do you have to do if you want Leguna, if you want to monopolize him?]

[I...] she hesitated, [What should I do?]

A recipe surfaced in her mind all of a sudden. Despite gaining much clout as a herbalist, it was one she hadn’t seen before. It was a brand new recipe which had yet to be discovered.

[You should know its use based on your knowledge.]

Crimsonblood grass, flowerkiss-snake gallbladder, glacial crystals... She pondered the effects and came to a conclusion. No matter what it did, it definitely wasn’t good!

[No! I won’t poison anyone!] she shouted.

[See? Even you know what it does without needing me to explain. You know you want Leguna to yourself. You don’t have a choice...] the voice paused and continued in a much colder tone, [kill them.]

Innilis shuddered.

"No! I can’t... Big Bro Leguna doesn’t like bad people... If I turn bad, he won’t like me!"

[But if you don’t, you won’t have him at all,] the voice said seductively, [And what you’re doing isn’t bad. You’re only trying to defend your precious things. Anyone would sacrifice anything, even the world, to defend what they hold dear.]

"No... noooo!"

The little girl hugged her head and messed up her blonde hair.

[Think about it... I know you will become brave for the sake of what you love. Because, I am you... hehe...]

"Innie?" Leguna asked, knocking on her bedroom door softly.

"Hmmm?"

Innilis headed for the door, quickly wiping away her tears.

"Were you crying?" Leguna asked, worried.

Tears could be wiped away, but Leguna knew puffy eyes too well to miss them.

"N-no..."

Innilis felt badly guilty for what had just happened. Leguna could never imagine her crying over having thoughts of killing his two lovers.

He wore a remorseful expression and gently hugged her.

"Sorry for neglecting you. I haven’t even thanked you for helping Eirinn yet."

"I’m happy as long as you are."

The girl said with a forced smile.

"It must’ve been hard."

He stroked her head gently. Ever since he’d become the bureau head, Annelotte had stayed by his side as his assistant. Eirinn and Innilis had both been far away. Neither saw him often, Innilis did so more than Eirinn, but even she only saw him twice a month.

Innilis closed her eyes. She loved Leguna’s scent. She wanted nothing more than for him to hold her like that forever. If only there was no one else in his life. She couldn’t let anything take him away from her, not even those two, she finally decided. He belonged to her and nobody else!

"Big Bro..." she whispered.

"Yes?"

"What... what would you do if I did something to anger you?"

"How could you??" he smiled, pinching her nose, "You’re such a good girl. How could you do something to upset me?"

"What if I did?" she pressed coquettishly.

"I won’t get mad. You know I can’t stay angry at you."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Promise?"

"Promise!"

"You’re the best, Big Bro!"

The girl leapt into his arms, a giant smile on her face. It didn’t reach her eyes, however, which flashed with conflicted intent.

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