VTGWH 514

I heard a long, loud sigh as I kept my mouth shut at Big brother Alan's words.

I looked at Big brother Alan and waited for him to start speaking.

"Alicia, promise me this much."

His eyes were so serious that I justified my posture a little. A few seconds of silence creates tension.

"...Don't ever die."

Big brother Alan's words seemed to say it all. And they were the words that suggested that he was on board with my plan.

With a big smile on my face, I said, "Yes".

Having siblings were nice.

I looked at Big brother Albert. Big brother Albert had not yet agreed to my request.

 I wondered what he thought of this plan.

"It's my life, and I don't deserve to be told what to do with it."

Big brother Albert said what I had been thinking all along.

He's speaking for me, wasn't he? 

I did not know what kind of intention big brother had in saying this.

I would like to live freely without being influenced by the opinions of others. I was aware that I have a solid perception of what others think of me. On that basis, I would build my life.

I build my life with my beliefs because life would flow even if I remained in a daze.

Whether that belief was right or wrong was not relevant. The beliefs I uphold would push me through life.

That's why I have been trying my hardest to follow through with my beliefs, even if they would be snickered at by those who look at me and think, "What a stupid idea to be a great villainess".

This time, too, it was my belief that was driving this plan.

After a long period of silence, Big brother Albert slowly said...

"You can live your life as you wish Alicia. But please don't forget that there are people who care about Alicia."

I couldn't just dismiss it as a nuisance. I might be getting away from being a villainess if I couldn't kick my brothers' thoughts out of my head like that.

But villainesses didn't live alone either. No one lives alone in this society.

At the same time I was thinking of this, the word "loneliness" suddenly came to my mind.

"Ah, I think I finally understand."

"...What?"

Big Brother Henry looked at me curiously.

"You know how people often say things like, 'You can't live alone, but you are alone'?"

"Yeah, well, I can see that...?"

Big Brother Henry's tone of voice seemed to imply, "I don't hear that word used that much".

"No one could take our spirit away from us. The soul in this body is mine and me alone. That was why we are all alone."

"Alicia, have you suddenly become a philosopher?"

Big Brother Henry, unfortunately, I was always a villainess.

"What I'm trying to say is...I seek connection with others and get affirmation for myself, so I can temporarily escape my loneliness."

As for Julie-sama, she must have held on to her loneliness for a long time. And perhaps the only moment when her loneliness faded was the time she now spends with the King.

I felt a little closer to Julie-sama.

"...I'm so ashamed of myself not long ago when I thought Alicia was an idiot for being able to think that far."

Big brother Alan chuckled as he said this.