My Dearest Reader-Chapter 12: Hope

In the jungle, it is natural selection. The selection by which you evolve. In this castle of the Severus family, the boy possessing Mael had chosen to evolve. But no matter how much it ate, an ant won't become an elephant.

However it had gained the lioness as its partner.

The boy did not particularly understand what made the girl agree.He knew he had threatened her. But he did not think even for a second she would actually agree.

It was not like she cared about the boy's body. She was just looking for a way to escape. She had said that.

Maybe she just wanted to help him out of consideration.

That was immediately ruled out.

If she wanted to escape she would need a way to get out. Since Mael was weak, the duchy won't be handed to him. Not to mention he was magicless. So she would be caged here, guarding a castle in chains.

The most probable answer was that she was making him strong, to feed him to the crown. She probably wanted him strong enough that he would naturally become the pick for the duchy's throne.

He was most probably some decoy.

He yawned, the bed was so soft, he wanted to fall asleep again. Thinking of all of this seemed like such a troublesome task. He needed to survive, but he needed his sleep more.

But then the door opened. Just to be quietly closed. Soft steps could be heard. The sound of something being dragged could be heard.

"So, what do you want to do?" It was Ambre. She was sitting on a chair, legs crossed. The boy turned towards her.

"I don't know." He said

"You seemed confident threatening me." She scoffed.

"I still am." The boy said.

"But that doesn't mean I know shit." He continued after a little pause.

"Hmm."

"So what do we do?" He asked. Curious as to what she will plan.

"You need to get stronger." Her voice even, looking right into his eyes.

"Yes ma'am." The boy said.

Her face contorted.

"And you need to become the duke." She continued.

"No ma'am" He responded quickly.

"When you become the duke, then I will carry out an assassination," She ignored him and continued.

"You will die." Her tone was neutral. But the boy's breath was caught in his throat.

"Just in appearance." She said and he felt like he could breathe again.

"I will die along with you." She added.

"And we will replace ourselves." She relaxed into the chair.

"That is the basics." Her voice stretched, from leaning her head behind.

"That has a lot of plot holes." The boy said. Curious as to how she will go ahead with the incomplete plan.

"Holes can be filled," Ambre said.

"Okay, then." And he had no choice but to believe

"Make me stronger." So he asked for what he really needed.

"The problem is you are extremely weak," she said and he nodded.

"You need to train like crazy." She dragged her hands through her hair.

"We will start with making you walk?" Her voice sounded like she was questioning him. Almost asking him.

"K." He agreed without any hesitation.

"Respond properly." She slowly stood up.

"No."

She sighed.

She walked towards the door, and was out of the room as soon as she came. The boy wondered when she came to this world. But he doubted the timelines matched.

Lying on his bed, hogging the blanket. He wondered why he was here in the first place. The only thing that connected him to this world was that he had read the story and his sister being the author.

He wondered if his sister was in this world too? She was the author. She could be here. But it was too bad to get his hopes up then watch it fall from the top of the clouds. If his sister was here, she could be Ambre.

Both of them behaved similarly after all.

And them being siblings in every world seemed right.

But that would be too convenient for him. And nothing ever was. The only thing convenient was Ambre's support. It was pretty crucial for him to survive.

He still could feel the relief he felt at her agreeing to help him. He wondered how she felt when she first entered the world. Was it scary for her as well?

It must have been.

As scary as Ambre was. It was better that she was there. The real Ambre would have treated him like trash. At least that's what he thought from how the story had unfolded her character.

It was amusing, how he had been the one to give up on his life. Just to try and survive in another one. The irony of this situation being that this one was technically worse than where he had been.

And it felt worse.

But he was glad he had not died.

Somehow, away from his grief. His wish to survive sparkled.

Maybe it was a good life. Maybe not good, just something better than nothing.

He did not regret dying. He had nothing to live for after all. But here he had to live because he wanted to survive. It really did not make sense. But this world gave him hope. Even if it shattered it first.

Maybe hope was meant to be broken. Just so that it could rise. It needed to die so that it could learn to live.

At least right now, that was what he believed.

Something he wanted to desperately cling to.

As he was thinking things, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." He said, his voice felt better than yesterday.

"Big brother." A soft voice wobbled towards him.

It was his younger brother.

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Latte.

"Hello." He smiled. His lips twitching. He was terrible with kids.

"Big brother, will you play with me today?" The young boy asked, his eyes glimmering.

"I am not sure about that." As soon as he said that, the little boy pouted.

"Unless...we play here?" The older boy changed his words.

And the younger boy's eyes sparkled. At the sight the older boy grinned softly, feeling his heart melt.

Families were a hassle all his life. But maybe having a cute brother to play with was not that bad.