Arknightcraft Modpack
Chapter 639: Isn't That Just the Truth?
Steven's explanation was simple and straightforward, just like his personality. There wasn't the slightest hint of speaking in riddles.
The moment he finished speaking, however, Talulah's already melancholy expression collapsed completely.
This was something that was never supposed to be said aloud. Still, considering Steven knew the truth, it wasn't exactly unexpected.
Given his personality, there was no way he would keep it a secret from Ch'en. He had always been that kind of direct person.
"...That's the situation."
"What he said isn't wrong."
"I'm no longer the Talulah I was back then. I have my own path to walk now."
"And it's a difficult one."
"So I'd rather you live the life you want to live, instead of changing it because of me."
Talulah glanced at Ch'en, then at Hoshiguma, who stood beside her, curiously watching the conversation unfold.
It was easy for Talulah to see the concern Hoshiguma had for Ch'en.
The fact that Ch'en had a friend like her was proof enough that she was living a good life now.
And because of that, Talulah wanted even less to let her own circumstances interfere with the life Ch'en had built.
After hearing Steven's explanation, Ch'en fell into a long silence.
Compared to Talulah's earlier cryptic remarks, Steven's blunt explanation was easy to understand.
To be honest...
She almost wished she hadn't understood it.
Ursus.
The Infected.
Leader.
Rebellion.
Any combination of those words was enough to give anyone a headache.
Never had she imagined that the sister who had disappeared so many years ago would reappear carrying such a complicated identity.
Just as Steven had said, if Talulah really was an internationally wanted criminal, then Ch'en's own position as a senior officer of the Lungmen Guard Department became incredibly awkward.
No wonder Talulah hadn't wanted to acknowledge her from the beginning.
Perhaps, in her sister's mind, this was the best protection she could offer.
Yet it was precisely because of that realization that Ch'en finally found the answer to the question that had been bothering her since the moment they met.
Was the Talulah standing before her still the same caring sister she remembered?
Now that she understood the reason behind Talulah's actions, the weight pressing on her heart finally lifted.
Talulah had said such heartless things precisely because she still cared about her.
It wasn't that she truly didn't want to acknowledge her.
The moment Ch'en understood that, an overwhelming sense of relief filled her heart.
Talulah hadn't come to hate her.
She hadn't come to hate Lungmen.
She was still the same person Ch'en remembered.
She might have chosen a different path.
She might have taken on a different identity.
But that didn't change who she was.
"But... you're still my big sister, aren't you?"
"At least right now, I'm just happy."
"It doesn't matter what your identity is."
"As long as I know you're alive and safe… That's enough for me."
After a moment of quiet thought, Ch'en slowly raised her head and smiled at Talulah.
It was a smile Talulah remembered all too well—the smile of her adorable little sister from deep within her memories, the smile she would wear whenever she thanked her, overflowing with simple happiness.
"See?"
"I told you it was actually pretty simple."
"Maybe she just doesn't overthink things."
"The only one making this complicated was you."
"You've just been piling unnecessary worries onto yourself."
Watching Ch'en's change in expression, Steven shrugged with a teasing smile as he looked toward the now-silent Talulah.
She had a habit of thinking too far ahead, complicating things and creating problems for herself that never needed to exist.
Sometimes, simply saying what was on your mind was far better than lying under the banner of 'it's for your own good.'
Yet some people simply couldn't understand that.
And the smarter they were, the worse it became.
As the saying goes, the more foolish someone is, the fewer things they have to worry about.
That wasn't just an empty joke.
Take, for example, that little Iberian bird he had let go before.
She certainly didn't suffer from this particular problem.
"Do you really think this is a good outcome?"
Talulah sighed helplessly, rubbing her forehead.
"Even if you say that, Ch'en, our positions are still fundamentally opposed."
"Nothing has actually changed."
"If anything, it'll only make your feelings toward me even more conflicted in the future."
Being able to clear the air was certainly a good thing.
But that didn't mean it changed reality.
At the very least, Talulah would never abandon Reunion and the countless Infected depending on her just to repair her relationship with Ch'en.
Likewise, Ch'en would never leave Lungmen or abandon her responsibilities as an officer simply because Talulah was her sister.
"What's there to be conflicted about?"
"I only need to know whether you're doing well, Big Sister. That's enough for me."
"As for the path you've chosen and where it leads, those are things I can investigate and judge for myself."
"But I believe your choice wasn't the wrong one."
"If you've chosen this road, then you must have had your own reasons."
Ch'en's reply was even more rational than Steven had expected.
Perhaps she had already thought about this possibility long ago.
Or perhaps, as long as the laws of Lungmen weren't directly involved, Ch'en wasn't the rigid, by-the-book cop that Steven always imagined her to be.
Either way, he found her answer quite satisfying.
This was what a sensible younger sister should say after being reunited with her long-lost elder sister.
Whether the path someone had chosen was right or wrong was a separate matter.
Compared to that, simply being reunited after years of separation was what truly mattered.
Of course, Steven couldn't deny that it probably helped that Talulah was causing trouble in Ursus rather than in Lungmen.
If this stubborn little dragon had decided to stage her rebellion in Lungmen instead, did anyone really think Ch'en would still be able to stay this calm?
"...It'll only make your life harder from now on."
"Wouldn't it have been better if I'd never come back?"
"You wouldn't want to know what I'm doing."
Sadness once again crept across Talulah's face.
Ch'en's understanding moved her deeply.
But the more understanding Ch'en was, the less Talulah wanted to burden her with any more trouble.
"I'll tell you."
"She's working as a miner for me out on the snowy plains along the Ursus border."
"And she even has to use her looks to trade with me for resources."
"When you put it that way... yeah, I can see why she'd be too embarrassed to let other people know."
Quietly sidling up beside Ch'en, Steven whispered those words—loud enough for absolutely everyone present to hear.
In an instant, he completely shattered the heartfelt atmosphere of the emotional family reunion drama they had only just managed to rebuild.
Talulah shot him a glare.
"...Why are you looking at me like that? Isn't that the truth?"
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Note: Character Illustration is in this Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iuyfwNVFHzIi9H4rWNT_lAm7jTSiah_M
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Tn: I updated the story daily, but if you want to see more chapter of this story ahead of time, please go to my Patreon.
Latest Chapter: Chapter 689: Impossible to Refute[1]
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[1] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl/posts/arknightcraft-169789182?collection=55713
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