I Don't Trust My Twin Sister

“Okay?”

“Yes. My sister is eating it so I want to eat it too. Can you give me one?”

It sounded like a simple request for a candy, but that wasn’t the hidden meaning. Ersia spoke confidently. She asked for space between the two of them, in a very simple and effective way.

I bit my lip. I couldn’t stop her anymore, I had no choice but to wait for the consequences of not opening my mouth in time to return.

Ian looked at Ersia, who made the most pitiful expression possible, and shrugged her shoulders. Ersia’s pupils shone, and I despaired. Yeah, I couldn’t help it. In the end, it was stolen again. Just as I was thinking that, unexpected words came out of Ian’s mouth.

“No.”

“Pardon?”

Ersia opened her eyes wide. She looked like she couldn’t understand what he was saying. It wasn’t just her, it was me too. Why can’t Ihe…?

“Lawrence told me not to give it? Then you shouldn’t eat it.”

“Ha, but at least one…”

“Haha.”

He smiled softly. It was such a soft laugh that Ersia, who was bringing her words out, had no choice but to stop with a wink at her. What’s so funny?

“I don’t think your sister is bad, I don’t think she’s too much, and most of what she says is right. I think it’s the same thing.”

“Still…”

“And-“

Ian cut her off briefly before he stared at me as I was taking a bite of a strawberry-flavored candy. Those eyes looked quite happy, unlike before.

“I don’t give out strawberry candy to just anyone.”

I could feel the sweet taste of strawberries in my mouth running down my throat.

* * *

Ian rolled his eyes. He looked at Laurencia and his lips parting slightly, like a man in a frenzy. What was he thinking? He stopped by just thinking of seeing her face one more time before returning to the principality. Even if he looked around the castle for a long time, it was difficult to find her. When he asked people, all they said was that she had just passed by there. He was finally able to find her after brushing the butler in Lawrence’s office to do her business. He said that by this time she always goes to talk to her sister. So he moved.

His first impression of the dark and gloomy room, the room of Lawrence’s younger sister Ersia, was ‘It’s so dark…’. Did she want to live in a dark room like that? It was a night without any light.

Meanwhile, Lawrence, who was staring at him with her surprised face, caught his eye. Her twin was attached to her sister. Others said they couldn’t tell the difference, but it wasn’t even funny. They were so different, how could they not tell them apart? She was stunned and had candy stuffed into her face.

“Because the older sister is prettier.”

The sound of her frightened face biting into candy was heard. It must be pretty stiff. Wouldn’t it hurt her teeth? Raising her body, she approached Ersia and spoke to her. It was a trivial story. He didn’t have any questions, just words of courtesy. However, seeing her twisting her body and acting like an embarrassing noblewoman, he sneered. Numerous young ladies have shown themselves like this in front of him. After that, if he didn’t show the right attitude, they would turn around and spread rumors that he was a sodomy.

Maybe he should have thought of stopping women from approaching him. If they couldn’t wield it the way they want, what were they saying that others shouldn’t have too? It was low and cowardly and not worth dealing with. That’s why it felt ridiculous to see Ersia showing the same attitude.

But Lawrence didn’t seem to see that. She looked very uneasy. She bit her lip nervously and her eyes fluttered. She seemed very concerned about every conversation he had with her sister. Was she afraid Ersia would make a mistake? Or was it that her younger sister would be hurt by his words? No, not at all. All worries and concerns reached him. She was afraid he would fall for her own sister.

It was fun. He didn’t think it’s jealousy, but what about it? Just this one was enough. Just as Laurencia became quite an important person to him, he was by no means ‘anyone’ to her.

That’s why he smiled and said to Ersia who reached out her hand.

“I don’t give out strawberry candy to just anyone.”

Laughter broke out as he watched Lawrence’s expression strangely change.

“It’s only given to Laurencia.”

Then he added.

“You trust Laurencia quite a bit, so why don’t you trust her sister, too?”

* * *

Hearing Ian’s words, I frowned. Did he trust me? How much did he trust me? Was he saying that he knew what a nasty and unreliable person I was? I looked at him with eyes that I couldn’t understand at all.

He looked at Ersia and continued.

“I understand that your sister wants to eat candy, but she says you can’t? Then you shouldn’t eat it. And I only give candy to people I like, but unfortunately, Lawrence’s sister doesn’t fall into that category because I haven’t met her for a while yet. I’m sorry. It’s unfortunate.”

His every word and voice was totally supporting me. In addition, it was the appearance of clearly drawing a line and pushing Ersia away. He slowly opened his clenched fist. No matter how hard I was holding it, I finally felt a tingling sensation through the blood.

Then I exhaled evenly. Fresh, cold air passed through the brain and heart. Only then did I get a clear picture of the situation.

“So, let’s exchange candy after I and Lady Ersia become friends.”

Ian smiled and came to me. Standing hunched over, I straightened my back and looked up at him. He looked down at me with soft eyes and turned his body to examine the dazed Ersia. 

“Can we leave it like that?”

He bent down slightly and came into me. I also looked at Ercia once more, then quietly nodded my head and reached out his hand. I lightly grabbed Ian’s hand and left Ercia’s room.

My eyes met Ersia, who turned her head before the door closed. Somehow I laughed.

“It’s not going the way you think this time.”

* * *

“How far are you going to take it?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

I hurriedly removed my hand at the sound of a grunt coming from behind me. He groaned and rubbed my wrist. What, I didn’t catch it there. Normally, I would have told him not to act too hard, but not now. Because it felt good.

It was the first time. Ercia made up her mind and hit her tail, but failed. I’ve never seen a case like this. Few men escaped from Ersia, who was clever but had a strong temperament. Most of her passed on to her. Even if she didn’t go over, he did all her simple requests.

It was the same today. It was nothing but candy. It wasn’t difficult to ask for just one piece of candy. No, could I call that a favor? It was not even a favorite food worth thousands of gold coins. It was a snack that even the children of commoner families often had in their mouths.

If Ersia wanted the simple candy, she would have been convinced that she could imprint her existence at the same time as she made a gap between her and her hair. However, unexpectedly for her, Ian firmly drew the line and refused.

Looking back, that scene was really great. It was so thrilling that I wanted to burst into laughter right away. I couldn’t believe he was making such a face to Ercia. My lips twitched.

“Laugh. I don’t know what’s so funny about it.”

I turned my attention to the voice coming from beside me. It was this man. For the first time, this man brought Ersia humiliation and joy to me.

“You look pretty happy.”

“To be honest, yes. I’m happy. That too! It’s all thanks to you.”

“That’s a relief. I was worried that you didn’t seem to like it very much.”

In fact, he was very worried. I was afraid he would fall for Ersia. But he didn’t go over it, and I really liked that part. So I stretched out his hand. I lightly brushed his hair while smiling mischievously.

“…what’s this?”

He muttered with a puzzled face. I highly praised his achievements with a proud expression on my face.

“It’s a great compliment. It’s the best compliment I can give.”

“Are you stroking my hair?”

“Yes.”

Usually, everyone liked it. I looked at him again with curious eyes.

“Anyway, that’s great too.”

“What do you mean?”

He said, pushing my hand away.

“Usually if you ask for a piece of candy, don’t they just give it to you? It’s not a big deal.”

“Oh, that one?”

He casually tapped the pocket of his trousers. When I stared at him wondering what he was doing, he stretched out his hands and smiled mischievously.

“I won’t give it to you.”

“I beg your pardon?”

He said he wouldn’t give it to me? What, he said he didn’t give it to anyone before? He was so rude to the point of embarrassing people. But what…?

“I only had two, the one I eat and the one you still have in your mouth.”

It felt like being stabbed in the back of the head. So what? Was he saying he gave it to me? If he said that he didn’t give it to anyone or that she didn’t fall into the category, then were they all lies?

Yeah, something was weird. It’s not unusual for a grown adult to split your side with a piece of candy. Giving one of them didn’t change anything. But… but it was an important matter to me. It was the first time that someone else supported me and took my side, not Ercia. At the same time, I could see that although I wasn’t familiar with this man for long, at least I was exchanging trust like this. I was so happy. At least, I thought that I had gained an ally who would not fall for Ersia. I thought I might be able to open up a little more. I did!

“Oh, of course, I’m not saying that the stories that follow are lies.”

“What do you mean?”

I couldn’t figure it out at all. The change of words only added to the confusion. I don’t know what this man wanted to say, but because of that, the wound could become a joy for me.

“Tell me clearly. Yes. Then I’ll get drunk too.”

I looked around. The place he was brought to was a small clearing located behind the castle. It was a place where I used to run and play among species when I was a child. No one goes out these days,

“Honestly, it was nice that you didn’t fall for Ersia. Most men would fall for Ersia if she made up hiser mind and flirted.”

“Well, I guess so.”

His eyebrows furrowed. Did he think so? I bit my lips tightly in an angry temper.

“…But you sided with me on the spot. You said you believed in me and trusted me.”

“I did.”

“I was delighted with that. Most people, both men and women, stood by Ersia, and always reached out to her whenever she had a disagreement or needed concessions.”

“Because poor people always need sympathy.”

Was he angry, what was it? I wished he could just shut up and listen, but I clenched my fists slightly.

“I honestly thought it would be the case this time too. It’s nothing but candy. A very light request. But you refused.”

I stared at the candy in my hand.