IBTDRI 6

Episode 6

“Tani! Should we ask Zar to read a book for you?”

“Mm? Okay!”

The first goal I had set was to put the two of them together.

After dinner, I immediately took Tani and went to find Zar.
As expected, he was still in the study.

Did he even eat dinner?

I pushed the thought aside and approached him with my little sister.

“Hello, Zar? Tani says she wants to read with you.”

“Titania, Edelweiss. Come in.”

And just like before, the two of them quickly fell into their own little world.

I watched for a short while, then quietly slipped out of the study with a satisfied smile.

If I can keep creating moments like this, it’d be perfect… but there isn’t much time, is there?

After Tani’s birthday, Zar would be going back home.

Would the two of them become close enough to exchange letters before then?

If I want them to grow closer faster… ah!

The thought struck me and I clapped my hands together.

“That’s it!”

. . .

“What’s the big idea, Knightly? Why do we have to sit here with you?”

“Quiet, Neneri. You weren’t even supposed to be part of my plan in the first place, you or Jeremy.”

The next night.

I huddled together with Ilan and Jeremy in the back garden, all three of us staring in the same direction.

Of course, that direction was where Tani and Zar were.

“We came all this way for class, so why are only those two looking through the telescope?”

“Because tonight is Tani’s astronomy lesson! Zar was given permission to join, but you two weren’t. That’s why!”

The boys pouted, but I hushed them in a sharp whisper.

Just like I said, tonight was the first time Tani was learning to use a telescope.
And I had deliberately arranged for Zar to be here.

A clear night sky, stars sparkling like spilled jewels, and romantic tales of constellations—

Surely, even children couldn’t help but grow closer in such an atmosphere.

Of course, Zar’s loud self-proclaimed fans, Ilan and Jeremy, had insisted on following us.

Well… as long as I keep them occupied, it’s fine.

I smiled warmly at my sister.

Her eyes sparkled like they were holding the stars themselves, and she kept chattering to Zar.
And Zar, for his part, watched over her with the gentlest of smiles.

Before coming here, I’d already arranged two more moments for the two of them to be alone today.

Thanks to that, they seemed even closer than they had yesterday.

As Tani pressed her eye to the telescope once more, I lifted my gaze toward the heavens as well.

The moon is so bright, yet the stars are still visible…

So different from the stinking alleys of my past life.

If only Cindy could have seen a sky like this.

“Eonni!”

But my thoughts didn’t last long.

Tani came running toward me in excitement.

“Tani, you’ll fall!”

“Eonni, let’s look at the stars too…!”

Behind her, Zar and Miss Chelsea, the tutor, followed at a leisurely pace.

I caught Tani in my arms.

“I’ve seen enough, Tani.”

“It’s different from the naked eye, Edelweiss.”

I rolled my eyes at Zar’s unnecessary formality.

Why use such difficult words when Tani won’t even understand them?

But before I could retort, I saw it—

That gentle gaze, directed only at Tani.

Anyone would think he’s her real brother…

“Shall we head in now, children?” Miss Chelsea suggested.

“No! We want to use the telescope too!”

“That’s right! You can go ahead first, teacher. We’ll manage fine on our own!”

The boys quickly protested, making the tutor look troubled.

“It’s dangerous to be outside so late, even in the garden.”

“Aaah, but—!”

“Children, it’s not like tonight is the only night.”

“Teacher.”

A sudden voice interrupted, drawing everyone’s attention.

Of course, it was Zar.

“I’ll watch over them and bring them in. If we’re too late, you can send a maid to fetch us.”

Miss Chelsea frowned.

Even if Zar was mature, she didn’t seem comfortable leaving children unsupervised.

But Zar pressed once more.

“It’ll be fine. Yes?”

“…Then I suppose it can’t be helped.”

Reluctantly, she allowed it.

“Very well. Be careful not to damage the telescope, and don’t leave the garden. There have been wild dogs appearing lately.”

“Yay! Thank you, teacher!”

The boys cheered and rushed toward the telescope.

Miss Chelsea left with a promise to send a maid in twenty minutes.

“Come on, Tani, let’s—”

I turned to speak to my sister, but stopped short.

“Shall we finish connecting the constellations from earlier, Tani?”

“Yes! Tani will find more, more of them!”

I sighed inwardly.

Sigh… I really can’t cut in there.

Lingering would only make me feel like I was intruding.
And I had no interest in joining the two pesky boys either.

Maybe I’ll take a walk in the back garden.

The children always stayed in the same spots, but in truth, the Knightly estate’s grounds were vast.

I’ll just circle once and come back.

I let my eyes rest one last time on Tani’s happy expression before quietly slipping away.

Unaware of what awaited me in the darkness.

She’s leaving again?

Zar heard Edelweiss’s retreating steps but didn’t turn his head.

It was already the fifth time she had left Tani behind like this.

He had wondered if she was simply shirking her role as guardian, but… it didn’t matter.

After all, anyone’s presence besides Tani’s was irrelevant to him.

“Zar! That’s the Libra constellation…!”

“You found the Scales already, Titania?”

He quickly pushed aside all other thoughts and turned his attention back to her.

There was no need to be distracted.

Just a few more days…

He had traveled all the way to this distant estate for one reason: to be here for Tani’s fifth birthday.

Because of the words he had carried like a creed since his earliest memories:

“When you find your destiny, remember the day five years after her most sacred event.
That is when everything will become clear.”

At first, the riddle had seemed absurd. But time had revealed its meaning.

What could be more sacred than the moment a soul enters a body—than birth itself?

When he had traced the threads of fate to the Knightly family and found that pull leading to Tani, he had been certain.

Her fifth birthday was the key.

All the currents of destiny pointed toward her.

All but one thing—this nagging unease lodged in his chest.

“Haa… it’s so damn irritating.”

Finally, he gave in and glanced in the direction Edelweiss had gone.

But she was already long gone.

His frown deepened.

The forest beyond the garden was pulsing with an unpleasant energy.
And with it, the image of Edelweiss gritting her teeth as she had once climbed a tree came back to him.

I should have ignored her then too.

“Zar, where’s… Eonni?”

Tani blinked, finally noticing her sister’s absence.

He kept his gaze on the garden’s edge as he spoke gently.

“She must’ve gone for a walk.”

“But teacher said there are wild dogs…!”

“That’s why I’m going to fetch her. Do you want to come with me, Tani?”

Her eyes went wide. The forest was dark and frightening. She looked from Zar, to the telescope, to the boys.

Her sister was worrying… but she was too scared to follow.

“Aah… Tani’s scared of the wild dogs…”

Zar glanced at Ilan and Jeremy. They were still absorbed in stargazing, oblivious to everything else.

They won’t bother her if I leave her in their company.

Decision made, Zar placed his hand gently over Tani’s eyes.

She flinched in surprise.

“Ah…!”

“It’s okay, Tani. Just focus on my voice.”

“…”

He turned her body toward the telescope.

“If you take three steps forward with your eyes closed, you’ll reach the telescope. I’ll keep holding on, so you don’t need to worry.”

“…Mm.”

Trusting his steady hand, Tani obeyed.

Of course, the telescope was much farther than three steps—but she believed in him.

The moment she took her third step—

Snap!

A sharp sound echoed, like fingers snapping.

And suddenly, the hand covering her eyes and the weight on her shoulder vanished.

“Eh? Zar…?”

Tani’s eyes flew open—

Only to find Ilan and Jeremy before her.

“Huh? When did you get here, little Knightly?”

“Where’s the other Knightly and Zar?”

She spun around, but there was no one there.

Only the dark, silent forest.

“H-how… what happened…?”

. . .

Meanwhile, deeper in the woods—

“Wild dogs? Don’t make me laugh.” Zar smirked.

“They only came here because of me. It’s my responsibility.”

Snap.

His body vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a single black feather drifting slowly to the ground—
the only trace that he had been there at all.