TSRTL 17⏳

Chapter 17

“You idiot! There’s no guarantee this will even save me, so why would you risk everything on just a chance…?”

“But I don’t want you to die, brother.”

Rev’s face went blank. Then, biting his lip, he lowered his head.

When had it begun?

Rev had given up on life. That’s why he squandered it with all his strength.

At least then, an early death wouldn’t feel unfair.

He knew his older brother Rodion was running all over, desperately searching for a way to save him. But Rev thought it was all futile, and only felt pity for him.

Yet now—for the first time—he felt ashamed and embarrassed by himself.

While even his little sister fought so hard, he himself hadn’t made the slightest effort.

Tiya’s hand carefully wrapped around Rev’s.

He always thought she had grown so much taller than him, but her hand was still so small.

“I don’t really know why you hate spirits so much, but… just this once, can’t you try to be friends with the Frost Spirit? And if the spirit says it doesn’t want to be friends? Then…”

Tiya clenched both fists tightly.

“You know, right? The Northern grit!”

She made whooshing noises with her mouth, throwing playful punches into the air.

“Like this! Like this! You grab the spirit by the collar, beat it down, and then you say:

‘You! Be my friend!’

Tiya grinned, revealing the gap where her front tooth had fallen out.

Rev stared at that foolish smile, then fixed his eyes on the spirit egg in his hand. If he just clenched his fist, he could claim it.

If I had a special power of my own…

Then he wouldn’t have to suffer from this burning fever anymore.

And yet—he couldn’t bring himself to close his hand.

Because he hated spirits?

Because he didn’t trust himself?

No—Rev was simply afraid. Afraid of having hope.

As if noticing his fear, a familiar voice whispered inside him.

‘Pathetic. You can’t even handle a single spirit, what talent could you possibly have?’

‘How do you even know this is really a Frost Spirit’s egg? Tiya must be mistaken.’

‘If you get your hopes up and fail, you won’t be able to bear it.’

That same old helplessness and resignation.

But just this once—he couldn’t give in.

Because Tiya had been willing to give up what she wanted most, just to save him.

Because no matter how worthless he felt, he was still Tiya’s older brother—and he didn’t want to show her a pathetic side trembling in fear.

“Don’t make friends. It’d be cruel to the spirit.”

Muttering, Rev clasped the spirit egg between both hands, as if in prayer.

Crack. The protective shell shattered like sugar glass breaking apart.

When he opened his hands again, nothing remained.

“How is it? Do you feel some mysterious power welling up? Any change?”

“No.”

Taking in a spirit’s egg didn’t mean you could command it right away. You had to wait until the spirit hatched.

Still, Tiya fidgeted anxiously.

“What about now?”

“No.”

“…Then now?”

“I said no!”

Tiya buried her face in the blanket with a thud, then mumbled with determination.

“That’s it. I’m sleeping here tonight—with you!”

“Disgusting. You think I’d share a bed with you at my age?”

Rev shuddered dramatically.

But Tiya, lips jutting in a pout, noticed Winter tilting her head and tapping her upper lip with a finger.

‘What does that mean?’

As Tiya touched her philtrum in imitation, she quickly realized Winter’s intent.

‘Ugh, fine. No choice.’

Reluctantly, she resorted to a tactic she’d learned during their walk.

Suddenly, Tiya clasped her mouth and dropped to one knee in theatrical agony.

“Ugh… the place where my tooth was pulled… it aches!”

The tooth that had sprouted back thanks to the potion had disappeared again when her body returned to normal.

The sense of loss made her acting all the more convincing.

“Wh-what? Hey, I didn’t pull your tooth, okay? Kids your age lose teeth all the time!”

“Argh, how tragic! I couldn’t even avenge my poor tooth!”

“You little brat!”

“If I could just lie on this soft bed, then maybe my poor tooth could rest peacefully in the afterlife! Ugh!”

He knew she was faking.

But every word stabbed at Rev’s conscience.

Finally, groaning and clutching his head, Rev gave in.

“Fine, but if you get smacked in your sleep, it’s your fault.”

Without hesitation, Tiya climbed onto the bed and curled up beside him.

“Hehe. Brother, when we go back to the North, I’ll show you Sasha. She’s so cute, you’ll love her.”

“…Does she bite people?”

“How dare you say such a rude thing! Sasha’s the sweetest. She even does tricks—she can balance on a ball!”

Tiya chattered endlessly about the North.

Unusually, Rev listened quietly. Then, for the first time, he spoke first.

“Hey, Toothless.”

“Hm?”

Tiya turned to look at him in the dark.

A silence fell between them, as still as the moment one waits for the stars to appear.

“Even without some stupid spirit, you’re Dad’s daughter and my sister. That’s been true since the day you were born.”

Rev’s words shone like starlight, lighting up the shadow in Tiya’s heart.

“Even if I die, that won’t change. So don’t ever say something that dumb aga—ugh!”

Tiya couldn’t hold back any longer and pounced, hugging him with a “heart attack.”

“Hey, let go!”

“No!”

Her strong arms and legs locked him tightly, burying her head in his chest. She didn’t want him to see the tears gathering in her eyes.

“W-whoa, since when were you this strong—wait, hey—”

“Don’t say you’ll die. You’re invincible now!”

“Fine, fine, I get it, just—ugh, I can’t breathe—”

“I said no death talk!”

“Ghhhk.”

Only after he made choking noises did Tiya look up in alarm.

“Huh? Brother, why are your eyes rolling back? Stay with me!”

Rev finally wrestled free, collapsing on the bed groaning.

It wasn’t an exaggeration—he really thought a rib might have cracked.

What in the world did the North do to you, little sister?

How did the dandelion fluff I once knew turn into a bear tackling hikers on a mountain?

As Rev lay unable to rise, Tiya panicked and shook him frantically.

“B-brother, don’t die!”

“I’m not dying. And stop shaking, I’ll—ugh, I’m gonna throw up—”

“Brotheeeer! You can’t dieee!”

After the chaos passed.

The siblings lay together, chatting quietly on the bed.

From the shadows, Winter finally let out a sigh of relief.

‘Everything went according to plan.’

Her goal had never been to reconcile Rev and Tiya—or even to save Rev’s life.

She wanted to steer Tiya away from becoming a spirit summoner.

She wanted to lead her onto the path of a mage instead.

That was Winter’s true purpose, one she hadn’t told Tiya.

She alone knew that Tiya had the talent to become a great mage.

But even the finest steel had to be heated and hammered to become a true blade.

Tiya needed a powerful motivation to desire the path of a mage.

So Winter had used Rev’s life as bait.

And though things had played out exactly as she planned, one thought still troubled her.

‘The luck is… too good.’

That memory in the Memorial Box—gleaming like ripples across the lake of the past.

Thanks to that inheritance, at the last moment Tiya chose to walk the path of a mage.

But really, what were the chances? The odds that she’d happen to buy a Memorial Box that contained her parents’ past?

Winter couldn’t shake the unease of such an enormous coincidence.