“Ria,” her sister asked softly, smiling despite everything,

“are you okay?”

“Y-Yes…” Evandria nodded quickly.

“But… s-sis, y-your hand…”

Her sister glanced at the injury and waved it off lightly.

“It’s not that big,” she said cheerfully.

“See? I’m okay.”

Evandria tried to believe her—but her eyes filled with tears.

Her sister noticed immediately.

“Hey,” she said gently, wiping Evandria’s tears with her thumb.

“Don’t cry, Ria. You’re a brave girl.”

“But, Sis…” Evandria said in a trembling voice,

“you got injured while protecting me.”

“If I were strong like you…”

Her sister placed a hand on Evandria’s head.

“Don’t worry, Ria,” she said warmly.

“You are my sister, and I will always protect you—no matter what.”

She smiled softly.

“Sis will always love you.”

Hearing that, Evandria slowly stopped crying.

Her eyes sparkled.

“Sis—!”

She suddenly hugged her tightly.

“I will become strong like you!” Evandria said, clenching both her fists with determination.

“When I finish my academy, we’ll go on missions together!”

She looked up with shining eyes.

“And when you’re in danger, I’ll protect you!”

She looked serious—

but at the same time, incredibly cute.

Her sister laughed quietly and smiled.

“Of course, Ria,” she said.

“We’ll go on missions together.”

Then she reached into a small pouch and pulled something out.

“But to become strong,” she added playfully,

“you’ll have to work very hard.”

She held out a flower.

“So here,” she said, placing it in Evandria’s hands.

“This is my good-luck gift for you.”

It was an Alstroemeria flower.

“Take it,” her sister said warmly.

“I’m more than happy to have you, Ria.”

She looked at her with gentle eyes.

“You are my everything.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Evandria smiled brightly.

“Yes, Sis!”

Her sister stood up and extended her hand.

“Come on,” she said.

“We’re getting late. Let’s go home.”

She took Evandria’s hand, and together—

They walked toward home.

Side by side.

                                        ***

“…Sis.”

The word slipped from Evandria’s lips without her realizing it.

A gentle breeze passed through the garden.

The warmth of the memory faded.

Evandria slowly opened her eyes.

She was no longer in the forest.

She was sitting on the chair beneath the tree in the garden of the Goldleaf manor. The Alstroemeria flowers swayed quietly around her, just as they had moments ago.

Her hands were trembling.

She looked down and realized her cheeks were wet.

She brushed them away with the back of her hand and exhaled slowly.

“Idiot,” she whispered to herself.

The garden was silent.

Only the sound of the wind moving through leaves.

She closed her fingers around the Alstroemeria flower resting in her hand.

“I became strong,” she murmured softly.

“Just like I promised.”

Her gaze lifted toward the sky.

“But when you needed me the most, when your life was in danger, I wasn’t there.”

The breeze grew stronger for a moment, rustling the flowers.

Evandria straightened her posture and stood up.

The warmth remained—but so did the ache.

And somewhere deep inside her heart, a quiet resolve settled.

She would not forget.

She would not break that promise.