Emilia was the first to notice that Liliana was missing.

She realized it when she went to Liliana’s room to get her ready to go to François.

“Liliana!”

As Emilia began searching the house for Liliana, Regina and Alice soon realized their youngest sister was gone.

With a sinking feeling, Emilia rushed out to check the playground and came back panting.

“She’s not at the playground. And she didn’t go to any of the nearby friends’ places. I didn’t hear her leave, where on earth could she have gone?”

“I’ve looked in the attic, basement, even under the bed and inside closets…”

As Regina nervously bit her nails, Alice quickly got ready to leave.

“We should report her missing. The golden time for a child’s disappearance is three hours. After that, the chances of finding them quickly diminish. If she’s not home, we need to search and find her quickly.”

Hearing this, Regina clamped her mouth shut in horror. Emilia bit her lower lip and turned toward the front door again.

“I’ll go to the wizards. They can use search and tracking spells, so it might help.”

Just as a determined Emilia was about to open the front door, a knock sounded.

If it was Liliana, she would have just swung the door open.

Yet, Emilia opened the door hoping it was her.

But it was Leopold, holding a bunch of lilacs, having planned a date with Regina for that time.

“Excuse me. I’m here to see Regina, but…”

Expecting Regina to welcome him, Leopold was taken aback by Emilia’s grim expression.

After sizing him up, Emilia sighed and walked past him.

Left behind, Leopold awkwardly cleared his throat.

“…Leopold?”

As she saw Emilia off, Alice soon noticed Leopold standing nervously by the entrance.

Leopold’s eyes met Regina’s as she was wiping away her tears.

Seeing her puffy red eyes, Leopold’s heart sank.

But with his innate composure, he quickly understood something was wrong with the family.

“What happened?”

“Liliana’s gone missing… Sister, go and report it quickly. I’ll keep watch here.”

“Alright. If you find Liliana, let me know.”

“I’ll help search the neighborhood.”

Alice quickly nodded at Leopold and dashed out.

Leopold set the flowers down and was about to follow when he heard Liliana’s voice from outside.

“Do I have to go home? Mister, let me stay at the hotel, too. If I go home, my sisters will kill me.”

“Nope. You left without a word. Your sisters are probably panicking and frantic by now.”

“You don’t get it. You don’t know anything about how I feel.”

Alice sucked in a breath.

With flushed cheeks, she ran down the front steps and saw Liliana half out of the gate.

“Ah! Eldest Sister…”

Spotting Alice, Liliana was startled and quickly hid behind Marius.

Relieved to see her baby sister safe, Alice didn’t even listen to Marius explaining that the child had come to his hotel.

Her relief and anger at not having protected Liliana erupted.

“Liliana, do you know how…how…how worried I was?”

Tears streamed down from her usually radiant eyes.

Seeing Alice cry, Liliana clung to Marius in shock.

But then Alice pulled Liliana toward her, grabbed her arms, and yelled.

“You have to let us know when you’re heading out! We were beside ourselves!”

“I was wrong….”

“Ugh! What would’ve happened if something went wrong with you out there alone? How many times do I have to tell you to tell us when you’re leaving? Ahh…”

“Eldest Sister. I’m sorry. Ugh… Please, don’t cry.”

Alice had never shown weakness, and seeing her shedding tears made Liliana cry uncontrollably as well.

Liliana clung to the tearful Alice, but she didn’t hug her youngest sister.

Instead, with a flustered face, she continued to scold her.

“Aren’t you going to listen to your sisters? I don’t want a little one who doesn’t listen to her big sisters!”

“No… I love you the most, eldest sis. Huhu…”

“You’re really gonna keep ignoring me like this? Huh?”

“Sister, I’m so sorry. Please, don’t leave me.”

In the end, Liliana sobbed even louder, her whole body shaking.

‘Don’t leave me.’

Alice’s face turned pale blue, and she bit her lip, unable to cry or scream.

She had raised her sister more out of love than obligation, given it her all.

Yet, Liliana’s plea pierced Alice’s heart.

Can one ever give the stability of parents no matter how much they love?

‘Or maybe, from the beginning, I…’

She swallowed back the lump in her throat.

The realization that Liliana might not have felt the fear of being abandoned had she loved her more.

She felt so overwhelmed that it was hard to breathe.

“Sister?”

Liliana and Alice’s conversation had gone unnoticed by Regina, who came late after hearing the commotion.

She hesitated to hug her youngest sister, sensing Alice’s unusual demeanor.

“Liliana. Let’s… let’s head inside first.”

Marius signaled for Regina to take care of Alice and led Liliana inside.

Regina, sensing something was wrong, gently embraced her sister.

“Sister, what’s wrong? Liliana’s back safe, so what happened…?”

The always strong sister now seemed on the verge of collapsing.

Alice took deep breaths, swallowing her tears. With a shaky voice, she spoke.

“We need to let Emilia know we found Liliana. Do you know the meeting spot?”

Regina’s eyes trembled as she tightened her embrace around Alice.

* * *

We don’t do physical punishment in our house.

Instead, they made me write a reflection. And when I make a big mistake, one more thing is added: the “thinking chair.”

“Ugh! Hiccup…”

Despite trying to stop crying, I couldn’t help but hiccup.

The image of my eldest sister crying was still fresh, and it haunted me even with my eyes closed.

It was the first time I’d ever seen her cry.

I realized I had done something very wrong and how much I had frightened her.

As I tried to calm down, Uncle Marius handed me a glass of water.

I gulped it down, feeling better since crying had parched my throat.

“It’s been ten minutes.”

“No, Sister Regina said I had to sit for fifteen.”

“Really? Then I’ll sit with you.”

Suddenly, Uncle Marius sat down next to me.

I glanced at the open door, which Sister Regina probably left open in case I tried to sneak away again.

“Ugh.”

I couldn’t help but groan.

Uncle Marius cautiously asked,

“Did you really come all the way to the hotel because you didn’t want your sister to get married?”

Sniffling, I replied.

“I wanted to ask you not to marry my eldest sister.”

“…So, little one, you don’t want me to marry your sister?”

“Mhm. I don’t like it.”

“Why? Is it because you feel like I’m stealing her away from you?”

“…”

Actually, that was the right answer.

Considering that Uncle Leopold is such a sincere guy, if things go well with my sister, there’s a high chance he’d move to Trovanza.

But Marius was an emperor.

Forget moving to Trovanza, it’d be hard for me to see her if she’s living in the palace.

And it wasn’t just any sister, but my eldest sister.

Sister Alice, my favorite sister in the world…

People often feel warmth thinking of their mothers.

For me, it’s in my eldest sister’s embrace.

‘I also don’t want to be apart from my other sisters…’

Without a mom or dad, my sisters mean the world to me.

If we were separated, my world would be broken.

The experience of losing someone precious was already overwhelming from when brother Andrea left us.

“Fifteen minutes are up. Liliana, want to go to the restroom?”

Instead of answering, I got up and went to the restroom.

I felt Uncle Marius’ gaze on me, but with the headache from crying, I didn’t pay it any mind.

“Older Sister…”

After washing my face in running water, I went looking for Sister Regina.

I felt very sorry and wanted to promise not to make the same mistake again.

I should’ve gone to Eldest Sister first, but I wasn’t ready to face her.

Just thinking of her tear filled eyes made my heart ache.

“…I keep causing trouble for Mr. Leopold.”

“Not at all. Have you calmed down?”

“Yes. I’m okay now. Oh, thanks for the flowers. I love lilacs. Every time I look at them, they make me happy.”

“I’m glad you liked them.”

That’s when I heard Sister Regina and Uncle Leopold talking from one side of the living room.

“Mr. Leopold, there’s something I’d like to seriously ask…”

“What is it? Just tell me.”

“I…”

I was about to call out to Older Sister when I was stopped by her shocking statement.

“I’ve decided to follow my sister and live in the Empire. Is there a job I can do while I’m there?”

Even Older Sister was saying that she would go to the Empire.