The Girl Wants to Be Murdered

TL/Editor: Butter Cat

Status: 4/week mon-thurs

Illustrations: none

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〈 Chapter 3 〉 Chapter 3. Start.

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**

It feels like riding a roller coaster.

Up and down. In the darkness that seems to stretch on forever, I exist alone.

How comfortable.

A single ray of light found at the end of it all.

Like a moth drawn to a flame, like an insect navigating by the moonlight, I slowly fly towards that light—

"—,ㅡㅡㅡ!!!"

**

We promised to call this a "past life."

Alas... this is what they call Reincarnation. It's a common occurrence for me.

"What are you thinking about, Aris?"

"Hmm... Thinking about big sis Remi?"

"Kyaaaah! I love Aris so much!"

Squeeze, my older sister hugs me, small as I am, in her equally small embrace.

In a corner of the royal palace, a small flower garden. There, my older sister and I are playing. Carefully crafting a small flower crown.

I place it on her head. And she smiles, more radiantly than any blooming flower.

Remi, Remi Akaia. Currently, my older sister and the princess of the small kingdom of Tesillia.

Perhaps out of joy, her embrace tightens. It's a little suffocating for a child's body, but I also face Remi and hug her back.

It's a different scent from the flowers in the garden, a more comforting and human, the smell of a person.

"Heehee~"

Being the second child, she'd been eagerly waiting for the birth of her younger sister, or so I've heard. My name, Aris, was also given to me by Remi.

Well, it's understandable to be happy about having a younger sibling.

She said she was inspired by the main character named 'Alice' in a fairy tale book. My parents also agreed, saying it was a pretty name and not too strange.

Perhaps it's because of the attachment she has to the name, or maybe she just likes me, but Remi has rarely left my side since I was born.

Even when sleeping,

Even when studying,

...Even when bathing.

Well, I don't mind.

Perhaps due to my first life, my inclination leans heavily towards the masculine side and has become fixed, but thanks to the experiences of living as a woman in repeated reincarnations, I've long since gotten used to it.

"Aris! I love you so much!"

"I love you more!!"

"....!? As I thought, I can't give Aris to anyone!! Let's get married!"

"Ah, that's a bit..."

"?!!"

My older sister makes a face as if she's lost her country. It makes teasing her all the more fun.

Hmm, good reaction.

Every time I see that face, the urge to make her cry consumes me.

I want to make her cry.

If I die in front of my sister, what kind of face will she make?

If she were to kill me—it would be perfect.

I end my thoughts.

I look up. I see a tearful face. I escape from my sister's body, which is frozen as if struck by lightning, and I run away.

Escape!

I see Remi chasing after me, calling my name.

Our usual game, just the two of us. Tag, typical for children our age.

As always, it ends when I'm caught. Then I give my sister candies as a reward. The candies I've secretly stashed away.

I always lose. What younger sibling can beat their older sister?

Giggle, the high-pitched laughter unique to young children fills the flower garden.

By the way, isn't she too close? Ah, what the, she caught up already.

"Big sis!! 10 seconds! 10 seconds!!"

"Ah! Right. Uh... 10—! 9—!"

I see my sister stop. Remi slowly counts down. I quickly exit the flower garden gate and run outside.

I may have gotten some distance, but I can't let my guard down.

Big sis Remi counts diligently when I'm nearby, but the moment I disappear from sight, her countdown goes straight to zero.

It's cheating, but well, it's cute, so it doesn't matter.

If I complain about it after being caught, as always, she'll just brush it off and nuzzle her face against my cheek. Then I'll have no choice but to lose again.

So where should I go?

My parents, Marco Akaia and Mari Akaia, the two of them have a gentle nature and benevolent appearance that's hard to believe for the king and queen of a kingdom, but they are still the rulers of a kingdom.

They must be buried in paperwork, being nagged by their ministers right now.

Poor them.

They're clearly the bosses, yet they're the ones being pressured…

The sun is shining. Come to think of it, it's almost lunchtime.

Ah, then my eldest sister's class must be over.

Big sis Anna. Unlike playful big sis Remi, she's serious and hardworking in everything she does.

Even though it's break time after class now, she's probably reviewing the knowledge she just learned.

"Hmm... Good!"

Hard work is good, but if you don't let out gas, it'll explode, right?

If I go into big sis Anna's room, big sis Remi will probably come looking for me soon. It's a place I frequently visit when I play hide-and-seek.

I'll get caught quickly, be held and cuddled, and then we'll all gather for lunch. A perfect plan.

I patted myself on the head for my genius plan and saintly consideration, and headed towards my sister's room.

Here I go.

**

"So... you came here..?"

"Yes!"

"Haah... Aris.."

It's just as I thought. Sure enough, there's big sis Anna, opening a book and studying. It's bad for your health, you know.

Sighing, big sis Anna puts down her pen and I crawl under her desk. I put a finger to my lips and go ‘Shh, shh.’, as a bonus.

I spread my arms and hug big sis Anna's legs. It's cool.

She slightly pushes back her chair and lowers her head to look at me. She says she can't help it, but her hand stroking my head tells the truth.

My family, they're all good people.

"Studying and studying all day. If you keep sitting like that, mushrooms will grow on you...!"

"Eh... What's that.."

"Heehee, but I like big sis Anna even like that!"

When we were younger, we used to play together a lot, but at some point, she developed an almost obsessive attachment to studying. To be precise, the responsibility of becoming a 'wise ruler' started to weigh heavily on her.

Well, because—

"Big sis will definitely become a su~per greaaat queen someday!"

".......Really?"

"Of course! You study so hard every day!"

Because I made her that way.

Anna Akaia, the princess who will become the queen of the Tesillia Kingdom if nothing unexpected happens, is, after all, just an ordinary person.

Honestly, if we're just talking about talent, wouldn't Remi be more suited?

Me? I'm just an exception. I'm not worthy. I'm just cheating. The kind of person who isn't even allowed to stand on the same starting line.

Well, Remi loves playing so much and enjoys cuddling me and lazing around, so being a queen wouldn't suit her.

A lazy genius and a hardworking ordinary person. That's the exact dynamic.

And the one who knows this fact better than anyone else is her, Anna Akaia.

To put it bluntly, I also appear to be a genius on the surface.

Anna, comparing her ordinary self to us geniuses. Retreating is not allowed. Because she has to become a 'good ruler.' Because I expect her to. Because she wants to live up to the expectations of her beloved little sister.

From behind Anna, I was pushing her. Is it towards the throne or the edge of a cliff? It doesn't matter either way.

I'm just curious how big this small crack will grow and how many people it will swallow.

I'm already looking forward to it.

Pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat, I hear footsteps of someone running from outside. This is the royal family's private residence. There's almost no one who would run around like that.

Except for the royal class, that is.

Soon, the footsteps stop in front of the room we're in. Big sis Anna smiles wryly, stops stroking my head, and puts her arms on the desk.

Yes, yes, good acting.

—Bang!

"Big sis Annaaa—!"

"Haah... Yes, Remi."

The door bursts open. An energetic voice fills the room.

Well, as usual, it's Remi. It couldn't be anyone else.

She comes right up to the desk where I'm hiding and starts chattering to big sis Anna.

"Aris~! I came to get you!! Give her to me!"

"Aris isn't a doll...."

"A~ri~s!"

"Oh my..... My head.."

Big sis Anna, massaging her temples with one hand as if she has a headache, starts saying that I'm not in this room.

Clearly and precisely, so that I can hear her from under the desk.

"Aris isn't here."

"Eh~ That's a lie.... Ah, I see~ Aris isn't here!"

But I can see everything, her hand gestures clearly pointing towards the desk under which I'm hiding.

Her fingers are moving so vigorously!

She's selling me out!

Well, I'm kind, so I'll pretend I didn't notice.

Seeing that gesture, Remi seems to have figured something out and starts giving an obviously unnatural answer. Her voice is choppy, yes, you're not good at acting.

I just rub my cheek against the cool legs I'm hugging, praying for her to catch me quickly.

It's almost lunchtime. I'm starting to get hungry.

A growing child needs to eat a lot.

Thump, thump, I hear Remi's footsteps leaving the room. The door opens and closes, and I feel tiny, subtle footsteps approaching me again.

She's trying to hide her footsteps, but it's not working at all...!

Well, it's because I have some abilities and can hear everything. A normal child my age probably wouldn't notice.

I feel happy to have discovered one of Remi's talents in an unexpected place.

I count in my mind. Five, four, three, two, one. Ta-da.

Swish.

"Whoa! Found you, Aris!"

"Kyaaah! I've been caught! How did you find me~ I thought I hid really well this time....!"

"Heehee~ I always know where Aris is~"

Despite finding me through cheating, Remi puffs out her chest and speaks proudly, making me burst into laughter. Her silly appearance was just too cute.

After pulling me out from under the desk, Remi hugs me and spins around, laughing as well.

"Phew... Finally, it'll be a bit quieter now."

Big sis Anna watches us and smiles softly.

Is that smile because she's thinking about how the room will finally be quiet?

Well, I don't think so.

—Ding... Dong...

The bell rings.

Remi stops spinning me around and focuses on the sound coming from outside the window.

The bell signaling lunchtime echoes far and wide from the tower.

Our own bell tower, installed so we wouldn't lose track of time while playing. The history contained within the tower is too light. And our parents' affection is too heavy...!

They're not going to introduce it like that during a palace tour or something, are they?

This is a historic bell tower. The reason for its installation? To let the princesses know it's lunchtime.

Wow... That's so lame.

"Ah, it's time to eat! Let's go, Aris!"

"Okay! Ah, big sis Anna should come too! Come on~ Let's go together~"

"....Okay."

I approach big sis Anna, who is standing some distance away with a small smile on her face. I grab her hesitant hand, as if she's about to step back, and the three of us, connected, exit the room.

Ah, how happy.

I wish these faces would all be ruined.

My sisters, lined up on either side of me. Humming a tune, I swing my arms as we head towards the dining room where our parents are waiting.

My precious people in this life.

I hope they grieve over my death and that I become permanently etched in their memories. I want to be an unforgettable, powerful memory.

Ah.

That would be really nice.

So I say,

"Big sisters— I love you so much!"

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