Tell me… why am I in this garden again? The garden when this soon-to-be miserable life of mine started. The garden that led me to this situation. The garden that will forever be etched in my mind.
The Callisto Garden.
I am here with my three brothers.
And whose idea is this? Aelius, of course. He suggested that we have a picnic to get to know each other. Referring to me getting to know them, and them getting to know me. I don't even know why they should bother spending time with an illegitimate child.
Well, even if I'm not the Emperor's kid, I am still Iliana's daughter, that makes these three my half-brothers, right? I wonder what my family in the Kingdom of Hecate are doing now? Come to think of it… Alina's family in the Hecate Kingdom was never introduced in the story at all. The book only mentioned that Alina's father is the King of Hecate.
Huh...
I wonder why?
"Woaaah ~ the wind here is really refreshing!" I said as I closed my eyes and tuck some strands of my hair behind my ears.
"This isn't the first time you're coming here, right?" Diellzain asked. I nodded my head at him and offered him a hand. He accepted it without hesitation and that made my heart leap in surprise! I wasn't expecting he would actually hold it!
Also it's because he's the only one among these three who can actually hold my hand without bending his body… that's why I offered my hand to him.
"Right! I remember meeting brother Heli here a few days ago!" Let's act as if their meeting with Alina two years ago never happened. Alina never realized it was them after all. That's because they changed their eye colors, so let's pretend that I don't remember their faces—because duh! We only met once before! It's not like someone can remember someone's face right away when they just encountered each other once, right? Right.
"Is that so? Unfair… I think I remember meeting you here as well a few years back," Aelius lined up with me as he pretended to think of something.
"Eh? Really? I'm sorry, brother Aeli. I must've forgotten about it. That time when I met brother Heli here is the very first time I remember that I visited this garden…" I answered, acting sad and disappointed that I don't remember our very first encounter at all.
Heh… I remember it clearly though. I just don't want to admit it because they're gonna ask me a bunch of questions regarding that, I'm sure.
But wait… he's not gonna kick me because I forgot about it, right? Maybe I should've just agreed after all!
"Haha, it's alright, Ali. You're still very young back then, so there's no way you'd remember." Exactly! I was only three—I mean, Alina was only three! She won't remember you guys!
Aelius reached for my hand as we all continued to walk forward.
That's right. I'm a wall. I'm a rock. Let's calm down. Don't breath—wait, breath! You're going to die if you don't!
"Hah!" The three of them turned their heads to me with widened eyes and confused expressions. Who wouldn't? Suddenly you heard your little sister inhaling loudly.
I only gave them an awkward smile.
"Hehe… I'm sorry, brothers. I was nervous because this is my first time strolling with you," how come we're not reaching the pavilion at all?! Please just come to us so we won't have to walk so far and I can finally let go of their hands!
I feel like tearing up. Why did this third prince even accept my hand? No, why did I offer him my hand in the first place?! I was just trying to act nice! I never expected he would actually take my hand!
"Are you happy about this picnic idea, Ali?"
"No!" — is the answer that I want to say but I ended up repeatedly nodding my head at him without removing this smile on my face. Because if I actually say that word in front of them? I wouldn't be able to nod my head anymore because it has already been chopped!
"Hmm! Yesterday was my first meal with Dad and big brothers, today is a picnic. I'm really really really happy!" Quite the opposite, sir!
My heart won't even stop racing fast because y'all are here with me! Additionally, they chased Themis and Ryna away after emphasizing that this is a 'sibling day'! I feel like tears are going to escape my eyes…
Diellzain even spoke rudely to my friends!
Argh! So upsetting!
Nevertheless, Alina in the novel never really experienced this kind of 'sibling day', because her siblings never treated her as one.
That's why something's really strange about these guys right now. Maybe I should keep observing first.
"We're glad to hear that," Diellzain smiled at me as he looked ahead.
Is this really Diellzain? I mean, the Diellzain in the book? Even the way these two hold my hands is so careful. As if my hands are going to break if they hold me any tighter.
"Yes. It'll be embarrassing for brother Aeli if their little princess doesn't enjoy their picnic," Did Aelius really just use a third person way of talking? The heck? Am I actually just dreaming?
"There's the pavilion. I believe this is where you and your maids had a picnic just a few days ago?" Helios asked, and I almost cock a brow. Did this guy actually follow me when I ran back to the pavilion?!
"Yep! I had a tea party with everyone! We had uhm… chocolate cupcakes, cookies, candies, and milk with honey as our tea! Oh, and I love chocolate cupcakes!" I replied. Trying so hard to talk to them without getting nervous at all—otherwise, they might throw off the fountain.
"Good thing we brought chocolate cupcakes with us," Diellzain raised his other hand and showed me the basket of snacks he's carrying.
I only gave him a smile and giggled as we walked towards the pavilion.
When we reached it. Diellzain made the picnic basket float and it didn't even take a minute to place all the stuff on the pavilion's clean, luxurious floor! Dang it, magic is really amazing. I want to learn it! It's super convenient too!
"Wooow! That's really cool, brother Dae!" I spoke cheerfully. Aelius and Diellzain chuckled at me, while Helios only smiled. It's so strange that they're treating me like this. They're even giving me this very light vibe. Is this for real?
But I can't trust them yet. It's only been a day and half.
"Who knows? Maybe you're going to be even more 'cooler' than me in the future?" Wow, how humble. Diellzain in the novel was never like this to Alina. If it's Amara, I wouldn't be surprised. But, to Alina?
This is very suspicious.
We all sat down on the picnic blanket, and I roamed my eyes to all the snacks in front of me. I gulped, but I prevented myself from drooling. I'm in heaven right now with all these foods in front of me! I've never, ever, ever got the chance to eat something like these in my previous world! But, right now I can eat it everyday and whenever I crave it!
Ahh, I can still experience happiness despite being with these three, huh?
"Hmm, I can tell that our little princess really loves sweets, huh?" I nodded my head repeatedly as I intertwined my fingers together with a huge smile on my face.
I just realized…
I'm really good at acting, aren't I?
Why didn't I pursue acting in my previous life? Maybe I would've lived a happy life, away from my trashy family, and not get transported to a world where I am also destined to die!
"Shall we start our picnic?"
Oh, goodness…
***