"she's my sister, Clara winter."
Hearing his statement, everyone in the room goes silent. Especially the Duke and Ignis who never thought he had a sister.
"Wait miss, you can't enter -" the guard trying to hold someone from entering.
The door opens and revealed a girl with white hair, red eyes and burn mark on her left eye that she hides underneath her hair. Her eyes widen upon seeing her brother Infront of her.
"Cla-"
His words interrupted by her sudden weight tackling him and throwing him through the wall, making it crumble while he fall from the second floor.
"YOU... BASTARD!!!."
She lunges herself to him. The snow around her coating her arms forming a solid ice gauntlet. Nein do the same with his smoke to protect himself and cause the ground dispersing beneath them from the impact.
"Wait Clara... listen to me..." He's pinned under her while struggling to speak.
"Listen?...after you disappear for three years you want me to listen?. DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!!"
The ground freeze making him use his smoke to escape from her anger. Her hair flaring as snow begin to gather around her. Her statement makes him confused and asked.
"What?...three years?.."
"Yes...not only you failed to close the rift, you disappear from your responsibility and...and making them begin to brand you as traitor. Do you know...what kind of humiliation big sister need to carries from that?..." her voice losing its strength.
That revelation broke him. When he thought his sacrifice changed nothing. When he thought he finally able to pay for his mistake, he only added more to it. Making their oldest sister takes responsibility for his mistake...again.
"I...I can't handle it anymore...every night she'll always crying in her bedroom while keep treating her patient who's losing their faith on her...so...I went to...look for you and...and...I died..." She's faltering and collapse.
He moves immediately to catch her and holding her close in his arms, the snow calmed down and dropped to the ground. She begin to sobbing and clutching her finger to his chest.
"Did...you died to... brother?..." her voice weak and shaky.
"Yeah...I... failed to defend the frontline and...tried to sacrificing myself... only to find I'm still alive and got transferred into this strange world..." His hold tight around her.
"Then...how about big sister?..."
He's silence as they both know the answer. His face harden as her tears soaking through his shirt.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." He begin to cries with her. From guilt for leaving their older sister alone.
Everyone watching in the distance shocked at their reunion, especially Kivia who never thought the one she's saving having such ability. They're watching over the hole on the second floor wall.
Moment passed as Clara passed out and we're laying on her bed where Kivia letting her to use, Nein sitting next to the bed, watching over his sister with sorrow and grief.
Back to the office, the air around them feels heavy and it have nothing to do with the broken wall.
"Do you know about this Duke August?." Kivia break the silence first.
"I afraid not Duchess. It's my first time hearing about his family. My original plan bringing him here is to use his ability to help us with this investigation since he's excel with finding trace." The Duke explain himself.
The room goes silent again. It's not a suitable time for discussion, not after what they witness. The fact that Clara manage to throw Nein through a magic reinforced wall speak volumes of these siblings capability.
"Let's move our discussion for another time. I still need some time to gather my thoughts."
"Very well Duchess."
He rose up from his seat and walking toward the door after bowing down slightly. Her eyes fixed to the hole on the wall and frowns. Conflicted whether saving Clara back then was a good thing or not.
August went to visit on Nein and his sister. He open the door and saw his hunched back as he holding his sister hands firmly as if she'll gone if he loosen it. He walk closer and stopped behind him, taking a glance at Clara's peaceful face before speaking.
"I don't know what happened between you. But...if there's anything I could help. Just call me. I lived in-"
"Get out... please..."
His dismissal clear to August's ear as he nods in understanding and walking toward the door. He take another look at the siblings before closing the door behind him.
August left the resident after insisting to paying for the damage. He's walking back to his manor with Ignis. They're silent along the way as evening light starting to fading. He reach his pocket and look at the candy Nein have him, he unwrap it and begin to chew on it.
"It's sweet..."
Seeing him like that make Ignis worried. It's her first time seeing Nein making such expression and despite his sister venting her frustration at him, he chose to hold her. The scene reminds her of his late brother and makes her sad.
Back to the room, Nein's restless on his chair, his feet keep tapping the floor. Watching over her sleeping face making him even worried. He keep thinking about his older sister and start grieving more. Something falling from his pocket and caught his attention.
**The moment before he's leaving the forest**
"Nein... please take this with you."
Sylva stretch her arm to give him something, her smile wide and kind. She's giving him a white ring.
"What's this for?." He ask after taking it.
"Hehe, I made it from my fur. So whenever you feels alone, I'll stay with you through the ring. Wear it. I want to see if it fits your ring finger." Her tails wagging behind her.
He chuckled and instead hiding it inside his pocket and make her upset.
"Did Ava's telling you nonsense again?."
She flinches and looking away nervously. She immediately attack by giving him a kiss before running away. He smiles and begin to swing away.
**Present time**
He clutch the ring after putting it on his finger. Placing it close to his heart and closing his eyes. The ring's carries a slight aroma of hers, the smell that slowly calming him.
He open his eyes, much clearer this time as he take a deep breath and wipe his tears. He look at Clara's face and smiles. He lift the ring and leave a kiss on it as determination back to his eyes. His goals remain the same, to return to his world and picking up their older sister.
Beyond the space and time, there's a figure buried beneath the paper. A figure with hazy red eyes that refuse to closing up. Her long white hair reflecting the dim light of her office, messy and tousled. A strong figure who never give up even after learning about the death of both of her siblings.