Then Turn Back and Look at Me More Often

Walking beside Solor, Aili seemed lost in thought.

She always wore that quiet smile, saying nothing and doing nothing, as if etiquette itself were fixed onto her face.

Solor kept observing that expression of hers—

it seemed no different from the Aili of the past.

The current Aili and the former Aili were not entirely the same.

Eric, who had come from a “parallel world,” had some differences from Aili,

yet they also shared many similarities.

Even this smile—

it was the same as before.

The same smile, the same proper etiquette.

She used this smile to greet everyone,

but it also seemed to shut everyone out.

Since when… had Aili become so tired?

Busy with socializing.

Busy with adapting.

Busy dealing with nobles.

Busy maintaining her image as a princess.

Busy making sure she never disgraced her beloved brother and father in front of others.

“… ”

“Aili.”

Before he knew it, the call had already slipped from Solor’s lips.

Only after snapping back did he realize—

Aili had always been half a step behind him.

It looked as if she were his subordinate.

“What is it, brother?”

Seeing Solor stop, Aili stopped as well.

She stood slightly behind him, smiling as she looked at him.

“… ”

“…You…”

Calling out to her just now had been instinctive.

He hadn’t even noticed it himself.

The sister he should have cherished,

the family member he should have protected—

was now always keeping half a step behind him,

as if lowering herself.

“If… if you can’t keep up with me, I can slow down.

Your health has always been poor.

I haven’t taken proper care of you…”

Solor showed an awkward, apologetic expression.

His words were full of guilt.

But for Aili,

this was already something she was used to.

Even when she had been the arrogant Eric,

she would still keep a subtle distance when walking with Solor.

Part of it was the feeling of wanting to give her brother the lead.

But more than that—

if they walked side by side, she might not see his face clearly.

But if she stayed half a step behind,

she could take in his entire figure.

Just watching his back like that—

that alone was enough.

“No, it’s alright, brother.

I won’t slow you down.”

Aili simply smiled.

And perhaps, in front of him,

this was a genuine smile.

“I’ve never felt that you slowed me down.

I think you are… well…

you’re my best sister.

How could I ever dislike you?”

Perhaps because they had grown up,

no longer children casually calling each other brother and sister,

saying such emotional words now felt embarrassing.

Even for someone who would become emperor.

“It’s alright, brother.”

Aili still smiled,

a few strands of her golden hair lifted gently by the wind.

“If you miss me…

then just turn back and look at me more often.”

“… ”

The wind stirred her golden hair,

the same shade as the gold at the edge of Solor’s vision.

Her words made his heart suddenly complicated.

He opened his mouth, then stepped half a step toward her—

standing beside her, no longer ahead.

“I’m right here.”

Solor stood beside Aili and looked at her.

“I won’t be far from you.

So don’t say things like that.

I’ll always be here—by your side, not in front of you.

If there’s a path ahead that needs clearing, I’ll do it for you.

But on this peaceful road of flowers…

let me walk beside you.

Don’t stay too far from me.”

When Solor said this,

it felt like he had made a great decision.

For an adult, promises were the hardest things to speak.

Especially for someone destined to become emperor—

every word carried weight.

The emperor had once told him:

unless necessary, do not make promises lightly.

But—

this was his sister.

His dearest family.

How could he not offer her his sincerity?

Even if the words sounded embarrassing,

he still wanted to tell her—

Be more confident, Aili.

No one dislikes you.

No one rejects you.

You have always been loved by everyone.

And even if something goes wrong,

we, your family, will always stay by your side.

“… ”

Aili blinked, as if stunned by his words.

Hearing such lines from Solor…

was truly rare.

She couldn’t have imagined such a scene,

a man with this face and this voice saying such things to her.

“—Haha.”

Then, she laughed.

It was hard to say exactly why she laughed,

but she was truly happy.

“Ha… Aili, I know this might sound a bit strange, but—

I mean it.

We’re family, after all.

I’ll always support you unconditionally.

Father feels the same.”

Seeing her laugh,

the embarrassment Solor had just suppressed came flooding back.

For a moment, he had even thought he looked cool saying those words.

But now, because of her laughter,

he felt completely awkward.

“Mm, mm, I know, I know.”

Aili nodded while laughing,

her casual tone making him even more embarrassed.

He even blushed slightly.

“Honestly… sigh… anyway… as long as you understand…”

“Mm, I understand.”

Still smiling, Aili wiped the tears at the corner of her eyes.

Then, rustling, she took out the biscuit the little boy had given her earlier from her sleeve.

“Here—take this as my return gift for what you just said.”

“…?”

Solor was stunned, looking at the packet in her hand.

“You’re picking up random food again?”

“How is it random?

This was given to me by children from the orphanage.

It’s their heartfelt gift—very precious.

The two of us—one half each.”

As she spoke, Aili opened the packet and took out half of the biscuit she had already broken earlier.

Holding the small chocolate biscuit, she raised her hand and brought it toward Solor’s mouth.

“Ah—”

She smiled brightly,

like she was feeding a well-behaved child.

“… ”

Seeing her like this, Solor pressed his lips together.

He almost followed her lead and opened his mouth.

But just as he did, he snapped back to his senses.

He quickly reached out and intercepted the biscuit with his hand.

“Alright… I’m not a child who needs to be fed, Aili…

You’re teasing me again.”

He spoke awkwardly, then looked at the half biscuit in his hand.

“But… thank you. I’ll cherish—”

…cherish… cherish it?!

He froze halfway through his sentence.

Cherish it?

Cherish half a biscuit?

What am I even saying…

Realizing how embarrassing it sounded,

he quickly shoved the biscuit into his mouth to cover it up.

But as the sweetness of the chocolate melted on his tongue,

paired with Aili’s bright smile—

he suddenly felt a bit of regret.

If only…

he had said he would eat it later,

and secretly kept it in a box instead.