I eloped with my elder sister

Lily held Amy in her arms, stumbling as she ran toward the entrance of the cave.

She wanted to welcome Ledea back and tell her that their daughter could already crawl around on the bed.

However, the one she ran into was not Ledea, but the unfamiliar Karina.

Karina’s appearance bore some resemblance to Ledea’s, and Lily almost called out Ledea’s name by mistake.

But she quickly realized this was a complete stranger.

At that moment, Karina’s gaze unconsciously shifted to the daughter in Lily’s arms.

Her eyes were filled with longing and greed, which made Lily instantly raise her guard to the utmost.

Could it be that she had come to snatch away the dragon’s daughter, and intended to harm her poor child?

“No, don’t come any closer…”

Tears welled up at the corners of Lily’s eyes, her expression full of despair.

She knew she was no match for Karina.

Karina had broken through the barrier with ease — she might be even more terrifying than the adventurers from last time.

But Lily had resolved to protect her daughter’s safety no matter what.

As for herself, it didn’t matter at all.

She would not let her daughter suffer even the slightest harm.

“Little girl…” Karina reached her hand out toward Lily.

“Ahhhhh!” Lily screamed and, clutching the child, turned and bolted.

She ran through the winding cave passages, returning to her dwelling place.

She looked around frantically, trying to find a place to hide her daughter, but the room was still empty as ever.

After thinking it over, Lily decided she would hide the child under the bed again.

But before she could act, Karina teleported right behind her.

“Little girl, don’t be afraid…”

Startled, Lily glanced back, and immediately saw Karina standing only a step away.

“Ahhhhhh!” Lily shrieked again, stumbling backward.

Her calf bumped into the edge of the bed, and with a slip she fell onto it.

Luckily, her daughter remained safe in her arms.

But the danger had not passed — Karina might snatch her away at any moment!

“Calm down!” Karina pursed her lips and reached her hand toward Lily.

At once, a green glow enveloped Lily’s body.

Desperate, Lily held Amy tighter, turning her back to Karina to shield her daughter with her own body.

She would not allow her child to suffer even the slightest injury.

Suddenly, Lily felt her emotions quieting.

“Huh?” Lily looked at her daughter in her arms, then at her own hands.

“It’s only a calming spell. Do you feel a little calmer now?”

“Uh… y-yes…” Lily nodded awkwardly, unsure what else to do.

Karina let out a breath of relief.

She forced herself to smile, but the expression still looked a little frightening.

So Lily remained wary.

“There’s no need to be so tense. I won’t harm you,” Karina said.

Then she added, “If I wanted to hurt you, you’d have been chopped into pieces already.”

“Ch-chopped into pieces…” Lily’s tear-filled eyes fixed on Karina.

“No, no, that was just a metaphor. Look — the barrier at the cave’s entrance? I could break it effortlessly. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m just a little stronger than an S-class adventurer.”

Karina held up her hand and pinched her fingers close together, showing a tiny gap.

“If I really wanted to hurt you, before you could even run far, I would have already chopped— well, sorry, I can’t think of a better word right now…”

Lily nodded dazedly.

Karina was right — if she had wanted to take Amy, Lily wouldn’t have stood a chance.

But she still couldn’t let her guard down.

If Karina learned that the child in her arms was the daughter of the Evil Dragon, her mind would surely change!

For the Evil Dragon’s heart, the Empire had even dispatched its knight order.

Karina could simply seize Amy, take her to the Empire, and claim the reward.

Even if she weren’t granted land or titles, she would surely rise in rank and power.

So Lily resolved never to let Karina know anything about Ledea.

This was the only way to protect her daughter, the only way to keep her from falling into evil hands!

“Tell me, why is a little girl like you living alone in a cave?”

Karina looked curiously around at the furnishings.

The cave had all the basic furniture, but everything seemed rather crude.

Besides, there was no sunlight here.

If one wished to live in seclusion, why not build a little wooden cabin in the forest outside?

Lily swallowed hard.

It looked like she had no choice but to lie.

“Actually… I ran away here with my big sister.”

“Ran away?” Karina asked in surprise.

“That’s right,” Lily said, her eyes full of tears as she spun a pitiful story.

“I was born in a poor family. There was a noble big sister who, despite her family’s objections, fell in love with me…”

As she spoke, Lily blushed, which made her story all the more convincing.

“Because her family disapproved, my big sister had no choice but to elope with me… We wandered far and wide, and eventually came to this cave.”

“You’ve suffered so much…” Karina’s eyes also grew moist.

“My big sister knows a little magic, so she set up a barrier to protect me and our daughter…”

“The baby in your arms… she’s the fruit of your love?”

“Yes…” Lily shyly nodded.

“This is my and big sister’s child.”

Lily nestled her face against Amy’s, and Amy let out a cheerful laugh.

Lily’s expression softened too, as if this moment were the happiest of her life.

“Uh… uuuuh…”

Wait — was that the sound of sobbing?

Lily looked up, and saw Karina taking out a white handkerchief to wipe away her tears.

Lily was stunned.

She had thought Karina would doubt her, but instead she was listening so seriously — even crying!

Could it be… did she have a talent for acting?

“Forgive me,” Karina said, dabbing at her eyes.

“I just felt so deeply moved.”

“Uh… well, um, big sister, you…”

“My age is probably older than yours, so you should call me ‘Auntie,’” Karina interrupted.

“Uh… alright…” Lily dared not defy her.

“Auntie Karina, did you also go through many hardships with your lover?”

“That was a long time ago,” Karina said, her face taking on a nostalgic look.

“Back then, she and I also defied our families, and in the end we gave birth to a lovely daughter.”

She paused, then suddenly realized something.

“Look at me, I’ve been talking so long without introducing myself!” Karina stood up and patted her chest.

“My name is Karina. You can call me Auntie.”

“Oh, hello Auntie Karina!”

“Oh my, how sweet!” Karina said in delight.

“If only I had such a well-behaved daughter! — But alas, my own daughter… just thinking of her gives me a headache!”

“What happened with your daughter?”

“She ran away from home!” Karina fumed.

“Tell me, what kind of daughter does that? I arranged a marriage for her, and not only did she refuse, she even ran away from home! She hasn’t come back for so long, I’ve been searching from one end of the land to the other!”

“You still haven’t found her?”

“If nothing unexpected has happened, she should still be within the Empire’s borders.”

“Oh! Then I hope you’ll be reunited with her soon!”

“Oh, such a sweet mouth you have!” Karina leaned in excitedly, as if she wanted to hold the daughter in Lily’s arms.

“I don’t know why, but seeing you makes me feel so close… especially your daughter!”

Lily’s shoulders trembled.

She instinctively retreated a step, clutching her child as tightly as she could.

Karina froze, her hand halfway outstretched.

A mother’s instinct to protect her child… it reminded her of a scene from a thousand years ago, when Ledea herself had just been born.