[I never belonged to Noctvaris Kingdom from the beginning, but for me... it already feels like home,] Hazelle thought. [The beasts are kind to me, and the people in the capital are nice. A kind beastman even gave me a bag of roasted nuts for free.]
Primrose’s heart softened as Hazelle’s thoughts flowed into her mind. Unlike Primrose—who arrived in Noctvaris carrying anger and fear—a slave like Hazelle came with nothing but emptiness.
Hazelle never expected anything from anyone. Because of her past, everyone had treated her so cruelly that she believed whether they were humans or beasts... in the end, they would all hurt her.
But when she stepped into Noctvaris, she was given something she never dared to hope for: freedom.
The beasts treated her like a person, even more humanely than anything she had ever experienced from humans. That was why the thought of leaving Noctvaris scared her since she had no home outside this place. If she left, how could she ever come back?
"Yes, you must leave Noctvaris to chase your education," Primrose said at last. "But the palace doors will always be open for you."
She gave Hazelle a bright smile, like the sun warming those who had been cold for too long. "Hazelle, even though my first reason for lending you my family name is to protect you... I also want to try being your sister."
Ever since she was little, Primrose always wondered what it would feel like to have a sibling. Some of her friends told her it was annoying since they always argued and shared everything, but at least, whenever they needed help, they always had someone to rely on.
Primrose would be lying if she said she never felt jealous. But it was impossible for her to ask such a thing from her father. It would be ridiculous, and only make him sad.
So when she finally had the chance to know how it felt to have a sister, even if they weren’t related by blood, she would take it without hesitation. Besides, she knew Hazelle wasn’t the kind of person who would stab her in the back later.
Primrose couldn’t predict the future, but someone who had been betrayed by their own family would never do the same to the family who finally loved them.
"That’s why..." Primrose said gently, "Noctvaris is your home too."
Hazelle’s eyes widened as she heard those words. It had been so long since she had a home, not just a building with a roof, but a place where people accepted her for who she was.
She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again. There was so much emotion inside her that she couldn’t put it into words.
In the end, she could only whisper, "Thank you, Your Majesty." Her hands clenched tightly around her skirt as she tried not to cry. "Thank you for accepting me."
Primrose softly took her hand. "We will be sisters. So don’t call me that anymore." Her voice was sweet and full of affection. "You can call me sister."
Hazelle slowly lifted her head and held her breath. She never expected the Queen of Noctvaris to truly want to be called that. It felt unreal, like she was living inside a dream.
Even though she felt a little shy saying it, Hazelle still gathered her courage and let the word roll off her tongue. "Thank you... Sister."
Primrose’s smile instantly grew brighter. She stood up from her seat and wrapped an arm around Hazelle in a warm side hug. "That’s perfect," she whispered, her voice soft and full of affection. "Because from now on, you are my sister."


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