CH 4

It was when I was about to return home after business.

“Savior sister.”

“Huh?”

“That…”

Suddenly, Rachel called me. I shifted my gaze at where Rachel was pointing.

At the end of the small finger was a dream catcher sold at a general store.

“What’s that?”

“That’s a dreamcatcher.”

“Dream?”

When Rachel tilted her head, the hood slightly flowed down. I put the hat back on and said.

“It’s like an object that filters out nightmares.”

“Nightmare…”

Rachel muttered quietly. The shining red eyes quickly subsided. Because of her sudden matured expression, I remembered the original novel.

After losing her only family, Little Red Riding Hood that killed all wolves could not easily fall asleep.

“Aaack! Aaack!”

Whenever I was about to fall asleep, the illusion of my crying brother trapped in a fire whirlpool showed. It’s painful, please save me.

“Haaa… Haaa…”

Eventually, I had to get up again.

Every time I closed my eyes, the nightmare was repeated. Even if I don’t sleep or dream, the nightmare is not over.

Red eyes like the color of her cloak. There was only revenge that could fill the empty heart.

‘Of course, it seems that there is quite a long time before the beginning of the original story…’

I suddenly realized what kind of person is holding my hand now.

The only time when such a small and lovely being was able to escape the pain begins after meeting my brother, Zion.

Realizing her love after meeting Zion, she can sleep comfortably.

The weight of the pain this soft girl would bear was unimaginable. That’s what a family is like.

I’m struggling like this to protect my family right now.

It was said that fate is what you make yourself. Of course, very little, really little, that plan seems to have gone wrong.

Even when she was fixing her resolution for her life plan, Rachel couldn’t take her eyes off the dreamcatcher.

“Do you want it?”

Rahel opened her eyes wide at my question.

“No, it’s just…”

Rachel shook her head and kept glancing at the dreamcatcher.

I laughed at the child-like appearance that she couldn’t hide. I took Rachel to the general store.

“How much is this?”

I asked, imitating a husky voice. The merchant, who was looking at me with a strange look, covered everything with a hat and mask, said.

“50 shillings.”

“…..”

I hesitated a little at the higher price than I thought.

“… Give it to me.”

However, since I made quite a lot of money by selling brazier plants, I thought I could do this much luxury.

‘More than anything else, I want to buy it for her.’

After paying the price, I brought out the dreamcatcher to Rachel and said.

“Here you go.”

Rachel, who was looking at the dreamcatcher I gave, asked carefully.

“…Can I have it?”

“Of course.”

“…..”

Rachel accepted the dream catcher with an emotional face. I smiled quietly and bent my knees to make eye contact with Rachel.

“Now you’ll only have good dreams.”

Rachel, who blinked at my words, smiled brightly.

“Thank you, savior sister.”

No matter how much I covered it with a hat, it was a smile that she couldn’t hide. I laughed along.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

So, I happened to become the guardian of Little Red Riding Hood, the heroine who will kill me.

***

The sun set fast in the north. I walked through the forest relying on the pouring moonlight.

Far away, I could see a small cabin.

When I opened the door, two round heads looked this way as if they had waited.

“Sister!”

“Sister!”

Ruby was playing with Zion’s hair tied around.

Oh, Ruby was another nickname we gave Rachel.

Because I couldn’t pretend to know that her name is Rachel.

Since the eyes were shining like rubies, there would be no name that suits them better.

“Sister, you’re here. Did you sell a lot today?”

Ruby came up to me. I smiled and nodded.

The children got along so well contrary to my expectations.

I was worried that Zion would reveal his ears and tail, but surprisingly, he seemed to be hiding it well. It was worth a lot of fear.

Ruby said with an excited voice.

“Zion’s hair is cute, right?”

“So cute. It suits you well, Zion.”

I smiled and put down the heavy basket next to me.

The children’s faces were innocence itself that made me forget my worries.

I even felt like trash when I thought of myself.

‘It’s a great development, let’s get along like this.’

I smiled happily and said.

“You’re hungry, right? I’ll prepare food for you soon.”

I rummaged through the heavy basket. The weight was no joke to buy two dinners at once.

But I couldn’t help it. Zion and Ruby were still young and did not eat much, but their tastes were clearly different.

No. To be exact, the ‘inclination’ they had was different.

I remembered what happened a few days ago.

Zion was the type who was more vulnerable to cold than me. It was because he didn’t have the same ice magic as me.

So Zion mainly looked for hot food like it’s burning. It was the same for me.

But that was the problem.

On the third day, it was the day I heated up the stew.

I put Ruby’s share of food in front of her. Ruby was looking at the stew placed in front of her.

“…..”

Her expression was not good.

Is it weird to eat the same food for a few days?

I remembered the money left in my hand. There were not many except for the money saved to buy a status.

However, I didn’t want to make poor food for the children.

‘But was I too indifferent?’

Tomorrow, I’ll make another dish and feed it to them. What would fit Ruby’s taste? I opened my mouth after thinking for a short time.

“You’re tired of it, aren’t you? Eating the same food for days.”

“… What?”

Ruby looked at me with a surprised face.

“I’m sorry. I’ll make you what you want to eat tomorrow. What do you like? Do you remember any food?”

Ruby shook her head hard.

She was speaking in denial, but there was a sign of embarrassment. It was characteristic of children who told lies.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to force yourself to eat.”

“No, it’s not. I’m serious.”

Ruby shook her head firmly and raised the spoon.

Ruby ate her part and shouted curiously, asking for a little more.

At that time, I even said, ‘You eat well!’

I sighed quietly. A person like me really was an idiot.

As always, regrets come late. That evening, Ruby got sick.

“Ugh…”

The small body was full of heat. II had to hold Ruby’s hand and let her chill out all day. It was not until I stayed up all night that the heat subsided.

I quickly identified the problem.

Even if she lost her memory, a dragon was a dragon, and although she is such a small child, the power of fire she possesses is immense.

To the dragon who gives another heart to her companion to prevent them from being wild, she only feeds hot food for days.

‘If that’s the case, you don’t need any knowledge of the original!’

I scolded myself as I looked at Ruby who had barely slept.

After that day, I prepared the share of the two perfectly.

Zion’s hot food and Ruby’s cold food.

“Sister, raise your hand.”

“Huh.”

It was icing on the cake if she held my hand. In the north, useless ice magic seemed to be such an elixir for Ruby.

Even though it would be uncomfortable to eat with one hand held, Ruby kept smiling at what she liked.

I patted Ruby’s head and smiled happily.

“Eat a lot.”

Then Zion, whose lips were pouty, said with a sullen face.

“What about me?”

“Okay. You eat a lot too, my brother.”

I tapped Zion’s soft cheeks and brushed it lightly.