"I see… Your sister is enrolling soon, isn’t she? I hope she finds a good match."
"Don’t worry! My adorable little sister, with her angelic beauty, pure heart, and affectionate nature, deserves only the best. If you’d like, I could introduce her to you as a friend someday. But for now, she’s far too precious for anyone else."
"That’s harsh! I’ll look forward to the day I’m introduced," Freddie chuckled softly.
Life continued peacefully like this.
* * *
The next year, my sister enrolled at the academy.
Naturally, we shared a carriage to commute to school. When we alighted at the school’s carriage stop, my sister clinging affectionately to my arm, I could feel the curious gazes of those around us. It was exactly as I expected.
First, they marveled at my sister’s stunning beauty, then furrowed their brows at me standing beside her. When my sister called me "Sister," they widened their eyes in surprise before laughing mockingly.
Predictably, murmurs followed:
"My, she’s her sister?"
"They don’t look alike at all."
"How unfortunate… giggles."
This sequence had become the standard.
Whenever I heard such comments, my sister’s expression would darken. I would pat her head and reassure her, "Don’t let it bother you. Just being with the world’s cutest sister makes me happy."
Blushing, she would brighten up and reply, "I’m happy to be with the world’s best sister!" Her radiant smile always made me want to hug her right there in public, and I didn’t hold back.
Of course, her smile often left nearby male students dazed. I’d have to give them a stern talking-to later.
* * *
As she matured, my sister’s figure became more elegant, her hair shining like polished onyx with soft waves, and her lips exuding an alluring charm.
Despite her beauty, she remained polite, kept her uniform neatly worn, and refrained from excessive accessories. Most of her belongings were practical items I carefully selected for her.
“These matching items were chosen by my sister. Aren’t they lovely?”
“This hairpin is handmade by my sister! It’s a treasure to me. I doubt there’s another like it… My apologies for that.”
“My ideal? Someone like my sister—intelligent, kind, thoughtful, and always considerate.”
Such declarations from my sister made her admired, not resented, by other female students, who began to protect her as if she were a rare and precious gem.
Male students, moved by her care for the gifts she received from me, stopped trying to give her brooches or other trinkets, as they realized she wouldn’t accept them. Female classmates who befriended her even began acting as intermediaries, creating an impenetrable wall of protection around her.
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