[Younger Sister's Story]
Atiya.
The cleverest child on record in the Bennett family, she was the one on whom they pinned all their hopes.
As the bearer of those hopes, Atiya was always perfect in public, standing at the top among her peers.
Her one imperfection was... an older sister born just a few breaths before her, named after the waning moon.
This waning moon was frail, slow to react, and loved by no one.
As one of the twins, Atiya had to devote time and attention to watching over and caring for her sister, afraid something might go wrong.
Atiya had no choice:
Whenever her frail sister became too emotional, or when their eyes met, Atiya's heart would race uncontrollably, and she would feel what her sister felt.
Once, while they were away from home, she ignored her unease and failed to urge her parents to return in time.
When everything was over, she returned with a gift and saw the waning moon again, whom the servants said had become even more foolish because of her illness.
As she met those calm eyes, Atiya pressed a hand to her own equally calm heart, which seemed to have been dead for a long time. The words she had prepared caught in her throat, and her hands and feet turned cold.
"This isn't Keleisen."
"This isn't my... older sister."
She had never called her sister to her face.
That became Atiya's greatest regret.
[Older Sister's Story]
In the second week after arriving in this body, Yueya, no, Keleisen's parents and younger sister came home.
They also brought back two books about dreams. There was a blank space in each, meant to be filled in and strengthen the children's resolve.
When the blank book was placed in her hands, her younger sister had already filled hers to the brim.
Under her expectant gaze, Keleisen didn't write immediately. Instead, she asked, "What do you want to do when you grow up?"
"I want to restore our family's glory!"
Keleisen skimmed through the first half. "You can."
"I want to attain a higher rank than Father!"
Keleisen touched the hand-drawn tree on the page. "You can."
"I want to stand at the very top of the kingdom's political world!"
Keleisen turned back to the first page. "You can."
"If... I really manage it..."
"Will she come back?"
The quill stopped above the blank space. Keleisen looked up at the girl with tear-filled eyes and answered honestly, "I don't know."
"But if there's a way, and your sister wants it too... you can."
They parted on bad terms, and her younger sister left with a scowl.
Keleisen closed the book, which had only one entry, and put it in a drawer.
Dear little one, what do you want to be when you grow up?
[Witch]
I may never grow up, but I will become a worthy witch.
So you can definitely do it, little sister.
Moral: Hard work always brings rewards.
