Chapter 134: Sibling Bond

「…What was that? 」

I was led by Zahak to a place in the desert.

There, I saw Shin, who had escaped from the city, speaking with a Manticore. Then, Alisha appeared. I witnessing the three of them interacting.

And then, Alisha was hurt by the Manticore, and I almost jumped out there, but Zahak, who was beside me, stopped me.

It seemed he had some idea in mind, so I decided to watch the three’s movements from then on.

A moment later, the Manticore disappeared from before them, and Alisha collapsed. Shin caught her and let out a panicked scream.

「…! No! Dorage-chan, please! 」

「Yes, sir. I understand, master. 」

I asked Dorage-chan, who had been accompanying us, for help, and she approached Shin and Alisha.

The Mandrake Dorage-chan’s tentacles contained the effects of a cure like the Mandragora.

The poisonous stings from the Manticore would soon be gone once Alisha ate one of her tentacles.

But even so, that whole exchange from earlier…Overhearing the conversation, I couldn’t help but ask Zahak, who was standing next to me.

「…Zahak. Were you the one who tampered with the Manticore’s memories? 」

「…Yes. 」

Zahak nodded obediently in response to my question.

When I met him in his room earlier, he told me where Shin was headed and that the Manticore would be there.

However, he asked me to keep an eye on that exchange and not interfere.

At first, I thought the Manticore had kidnapped Shin, but from Zahak’s tone, that seemed different. Coming here and observing the situation, I realized that the Manticore’s behavior was completely different from yesterday.

If that was the case, then it was reasonable to assume that Zahak tampered with the Manticore’s memories.

Certainly, this might have been the best way to leave Shin with Alisha, but even so, thinking about the Manticore, erasing Shin from his memory seemed a bit…

As I agonized over this, Zahak spoke as if he had seen through my thoughts.

「…Lord Kyou. I didn’t tamper with Manticore’s memories of my own will. The Manticore asked me to do it…」

「Huh? 」

I was taken aback for a moment by his unexpected words.

Because Shin was like a son to the Manticore.

In fact, he didn’t look pleased when I brought Shin back to the palace, declaring that he would take him back if Shin didn’t want to.

「…It seems he’d been keeping a close eye on Shin since he returned to the palace…」

Zahak began to speak as if to answer my question.

At first, just as the Manticore had feared, he was worried that Shin would spend his days in fear of what had happened at the villa.

However, after seeing Alisha, who always remained close to Shin, his thoughts began to change.

Her caring way of treating him was said to be exactly like that of the deceased Manticore’s other half.

She was like a mother to Shin, and undoubtedly his real sister.

Even though Shin was trembling, Alisha always had a look of relief on her face when she was with him, and only the Manticore noticed this.

But then that person called Masauda appeared, and Shin became increasingly frightened, and the Manticore became convinced that Shin might return to him as a way to escape from that place.

In a way, that was what the Manticore had hoped.

But seeing the girl called Alisha continue to treat Shin with such caring kindness, the Manticore wondered if Shin could really be happy if he returned to him as a place of refuge.

The Manticore chose the true happiness Shin should have with his family over his own happiness with Shin and asked Zahak to erase his memories of Shin so that he would reject him if he returned to him.

When I heard this, I felt a sense of sadness at the Manticore’s decision and could only remain silent.

「…I don’t know if this was the best thing to do. But at least that’s what the Manticore wanted. If he has a true family, and they accept him, then that’s where he’ll find happiness…」

「…Maybe that’s true. 」

At the very least, the Manticore told Zahak that Shin’s happiness lay in the villa, and in spending time with Alisha.

It was true that Shin had been frightened since coming to the villa, but unlike when I first met him, he hadn’t given up on the will to live.

Deep down, meeting his sister had given Shin hope to live again.

If that was the case, then we needed to help them overcome that trauma so that the two siblings could live together without anyone’s threat.

That would make them happy, and it was something I should help with.

Realizing this once again, I asked Zahak to call everyone over.

Seeing Zahak nod and move away, I approached Shin, Alisha, and the others once again.

Alisha, who had already eaten Dorage-chan’s tentacle, looked healthier, and I was relieved that her life was in no danger.

The same was true for Shin as he took his sister’s hand and called her name. His expression was somehow filled with joy, rather than the weak, trauma-filled one he had before.

Looking back at the two siblings’ faces, I vowed to support them to the end, for their sakes as well.

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