Chapter 33: Change of Seasons
――My sister was supposed to catch a cold.
Snow had begun to fall.
Winter was fast approaching Eustasia.
Amidst the unfamiliar lifestyle, the hardworking protagonist would fall ill, catching a cold, and during her visit for treatment, she would meet the young Chief Physician of the Royal Medical Corps—
That was the plot, that was the event.
But…
…I decided to resist fate, just a little.
To be precise, I decided to test it.
To see how much power this fate, the one I was following towards the guillotine, truly held.
A sister whose existence I hadn’t even known.
And the [Events] that unfolded, accompanied by numerous [Official Lines].
These were enough proof to acknowledge that this world was the setting of the romance simulation game, [Moonlight Liberium], and that the story was progressing even now.
…However, there were also differences.
Even on a theatrical stage, actors sometimes flubbed their lines. They improvised to compensate for set malfunctions or their co-stars’ mistakes.
That was how I was trying to keep this story on track.
…What would happen if I resisted?
Or if I hadn’t known the story?
Perhaps it was a meaningless hypothesis.
I already knew.
I held a relatively important position, as the villainous sister, the half-sister.
But I couldn’t help but wonder.
――For example, what if I hadn’t gone to get Leticia?
What if I had decided to resist my fate on the guillotine?
What if I had deemed my half-sister an ‘enemy,’ a threat to my power?
…What if I had sent assassins after her, burying her in darkness?
Would this story have even begun?
I couldn’t choose that path.
――She was my sister.
My one and only, adorable little sister.
So, just a little.
I decided to test how much danger there was of deviating from the game’s scenario… how likely it was that she would be put in harm’s way.
“Elder Sister… what’s this?”
“Herbal candies.”
After breakfast, I handed Leticia a cylindrical glass bottle filled with pale green candies.
They had several benefits, but in short, they were throat lozenges.
“Why…?”
“It’s the change of seasons.”
“Elder Sister, today’s tea is different.”
“It’s good to have some variety.”
The tea after lunch was infused with herbs and sliced ginger.
A standard remedy among commoners, and no different for nobles, it was a classic preventative measure and treatment for colds.
“It’s a bit spicy, but that’s probably good for my throat.”
“It’s the change of seasons.”
“…Is this… alcohol?”
“Herbal liqueur, to be precise.”
After dinner, a small glass of dark brown liqueur was served.
It was a Vanderwaals product, commercially available, recognizable by the gecko crest on the label, a long-time bestseller.
Along with our legitimate territorial management, it was one of the few Vanderwaals revenue sources with a ‘positive image.’
“…To prevent colds?”
“It’s the change of seasons.”
My apologies, change of seasons.
I wondered if my sister—the protagonist—would still catch a cold, despite my thorough preventative measures. There was an event where she caught a cold.
Her room was in the attic, but thanks to the ‘renovations,’ heat rose from the floor below, and the bedding was high-quality.
She was also well-nourished now.
While it wasn’t impossible for her to catch a cold, it wasn’t inevitable either.
If she didn’t catch a cold, the event where she met the third Capture Target, the Chief Physician, might not happen.
If fate intended for the story to proceed according to the script, my sister would catch a cold.
And she would meet the third Capture Target.
――If fate was immutable, I could proceed with peace of mind.
If fate could be easily changed—I couldn’t blindly trust the scenario of [Moonlight Liberium].
Even if it meant more bloodshed, I might not be able to simply offer my head.
If chaos were to come, it was my duty, as the “Coldhearted Vanderwaals,” to prevent it if possible, and if it did occur, to quell it swiftly.
There were no exceptions.
Peace for Eustasia.
I would eliminate anything that threatened it.
That was the Vanderwaals’ philosophy.
Happiness for Leticia.
I would eliminate anything that threatened it.
That was my belief.
…Leticia finished her herbal liqueur, emptying her glass, and made a strange face.
The distilled liquor, infused with various herbs, had a peculiar smell.
While its preventative and curative effects were enhanced, the taste… wasn’t guaranteed.
As the Eustasian proverb went, “Medicine must be bitter to be effective.”
There was a similar proverb in another country, “A good medicine tastes bitter.”
Indeed, in pursuit of medicinal efficacy, taste was often sacrificed.
This herbal liqueur was, to be honest, unpleasant.
…But Leticia, for some reason, smiled.
Could it be that she liked the taste?
If so, her sense of taste was… unexpected.
Leticia looked at me, her smile deepening.
“Vanderwaals medicine is expensive, but it’s effective, even in the ‘back alley.’ I’m happy you’re looking after me, Elder Sister.”
My sister’s cuteness was… unexpected.
…What should I do? Her adorableness was my biggest obstacle.
I had done what I could, however small.
A mild cold would probably be cured.
The preventative measures should also be effective.
…Would my sister still catch a cold?
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