The biggest headache right now was the woman standing right in front of him. Shin couldn't figure out why, but he felt a strange, undeniable pull coming from Alice.
Actually, it wasn't that strange, because Shin was starting to feel a very weird connection to her too.
He finally broke the silence. "Are you really the Vice Master here? I get it. I know exactly what you're hung up on."
"If you're into me, then just say it! Stop acting so shy and awkward. I honestly have no idea what to do with you... But let me be clear—I'm not into you. Sure, you're incredibly strong, you're a princess, and you're pretty cute."
"But some things just aren't that simple, and you know it. I'm not the kind of guy who just jumps into things. And more importantly, I need quests! Give me a damn quest!"
Shin really just wanted to meet Lucy's father—the King. But wait, didn't Lucy have a thing for him too? And now her sister was aggressively hitting on him?
Where the hell did that troublemaker run off to?
His eyes scanned the room, sweeping across the guild until he spotted a tiny head poking out from behind a corner. It was Lucy.
Seeing that Shin had spotted her, Lucy panicked and tried to duck back into hiding, but she was a second too late.
Shin marched over, grabbed her by the ear, and hauled her out. "What exactly are you doing hiding over here? I swear, you test my patience."
"But there are a few things you need to explain. What is the deal with your sister?"
Lucy looked at Shin with wide, innocent eyes. "How am I supposed to know something like that? I have no idea, so don't ask me."
"I don't know anything."
"But... if you agree to one little thing, I might just tell you."
Shin was speechless. This little brat was actually trying to negotiate with him! He spoke slowly. "You've got some nerve. I haven't even caused trouble for you yet, and you're coming at me with conditions? But fine."
"Let's hear it."
"But no weird requests."
Lucy flashed a mischievous grin. "This is definitely a serious request. As long as you marry my sister, I'll tell you everything you want to know."
Shin scratched his head, letting out a laugh. "If I marry your sister, what happens to you? And besides..."
"Me? Oh, I'll obviously be with my sister."
Suddenly realizing how messed up that sounded, she quickly backpedaled. "What are you even talking about?? Seriously, you're trying to trap me!"
"Ahhhhh! I'm going to bite you!"
"I'm going to bite you to death!"
Lucy opened her mouth wide, lunging at him like she was actually going to sink her teeth in. It was in that chaotic moment that Shin finally noticed the looks both sisters were giving him. Things had definitely taken a turn for the weird.
"Look, you two are practically throwing yourselves at me, and I haven't even done anything! I honestly don't know what to say."
"Tell me, why is your sister just staring at me like she's lost in a trance?"
It was only then that Lucy realized Alice was still standing there, completely spaced out, her eyes fixed on Shin.
Grasping the gravity of the situation, she spoke up.
"I can't believe someone as strong-willed as my sister could end up like this. I honestly have no idea what to say."
"But... I'm actually really happy for her. This is the first time my sister has ever shown any real romantic feelings."
"And as for the 'why,' it all goes back to a vow. A vow that traces back to our mother."
Shin rubbed his nose. "If I'm guessing right, you two share the same mother."
"But why does your sister keep calling her 'Royal Mother'?"
The moment he asked that, he could clearly feel Lucy tense up.
She spoke slowly, her voice thick with emotion. "It's because... we are the same person's daughters, but our mother died far too young."
"I was very little when it happened, so I don't really feel the weight of it. But my sister is different. The bond she shared with our mother is something I can't even begin to understand."
"Before Mother died, she entrusted me to Alice's care. But because Alice was born with an incredibly powerful affinity for magic, Father focused all his attention on training her."
"Because of that, Father sent Alice away to hone her skills when she was still very young, while I was left behind, raised in the castle because my talents were just average."
"For years, no one knew exactly what kind of hardships my sister faced out there. But we all knew one thing for certain—she never had a peaceful life."
"It was during that specific year that my sister finally became strong enough to stand up to Father. But that was also the exact moment she received the news of our mother's death."
"She had fought so hard, for so many years, just to finally have a proper reunion with her mother, only to find out she was already gone."
"All those years of struggle and pain... completely wasted."
Hearing all of this, Shin finally understood. He understood why Alice was so hardened, so fiercely independent. The one thing she had fought so desperately for had been ripped away from her.
Of course she was devastated.
He spoke softly. "And that's the real reason your sister refuses to accept the castle as her home, isn't it?"
"Because even though your father didn't kill your mother directly, his decisions are the reason Alice never got to see her one last time."
"Exactly. That's the real reason I resent Father. When Mother died, he didn't even bother to inform Alice. When she finally returned, there wasn't even a body left for her to see."
"All she got was a group of people handing her a message: 'Your mother is dead.'"
"In that moment, Alice had only one thought—she would never, ever return to the royal palace."
"The final wish Mother entrusted to me... I passed it on to my sister." Lucy's voice broke, and tears streamed down her face as she looked at Shin.
"Do you want to hear it? The rest of the story."
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