Royal Uncle Wrote It Pretty Well

"I did not!"

As if her thoughts had been exposed, Phrolova flushed with anger and vehemently denied it.

"Everyone should answer for their own actions. Don't compare me to a coward who only knows how to run away!"

She patted her chest, her lovely eyebrows trembling slightly as her voice dropped. It was a sign of her guilty conscience.

"Oh? Then let's begin. Let's count the crimes you've committed."

The corners of Rover's mouth rose as he leaned forward, fixing her with a sharp stare like a beast preparing to hunt.

At those words, her momentum came to an abrupt halt, plunging to rock bottom.

Phrolova slowly sat down, her gaze wandering, scarcely daring to look the person before her in the eye.

"Um... I don't know where to start?"

She murmured, lightly biting her red lip. The way she stumbled over her words made her look rather like an innocent girl experiencing her first stirrings of love.

"Can't remember them all?" Rover's smile turned a little mocking.

"No, actually, there are too many to count!"

Clang!

The Blood Oath Covenant moved.

"You...!!"

"Big brother, don't be rash! Don't bully big sister! Don't fight, please don't fight!"

Triss read the room and, seeing that things were going badly, hurriedly stepped forward to stop them.

"Little Triss, let me ask you something. If there were a bad person, a very pitiful bad person, what should we do with her?"

Rover smiled and gently stroked the little girl's head.

"Um..." Triss hesitated, stealing a glance at Phrolova, her little face full of conflict.

"That depends on just how bad she is..."

"Murder, arson, and terrorist attacks!"

Hearing that, Triss scrunched up her little face. There was no way to justify what a bad person like that had done.

She was torn. Big brother was obviously talking about big sister Phrolova, wasn't he?

What do I do? This is way too hard! I'm still little, so why do I have to answer such a difficult question? Was I brought back to life just to be tormented?!

The little girl brainstormed frantically, then slapped her forehead, looking as though she were ready to face death. It was as if she had decided to risk it all.

"She has to be punished severely!"

Hearing that, Phrolova bowed her head sharply, one hand gripping her opposite arm as she stared at the tips of her shoes.

At that moment, she wished she could melt into the shadows. To her, this was no different from a trial.

"How should she be punished?"

"Spank her bottom, hard!"

In an instant, Phrolova jerked her head up, a fierce red light shining in her eyes!

The gloomy aura that had just surrounded her vanished without a trace, replaced by a sense of shame and anger that nearly sent her into a frenzy!

"Triss!!"

She roared, her hair standing on end as she pressed a slender hand against the table, forcing cracks into it!

"Would that be enough?" Rover ignored her and continued asking.

"When Triss made a really serious mistake when I was little, Mom would spank me three times. That person made a super big mistake, so ten thousand spanks should be enough, right? Let big brother punish her. How about ten a day?"

The little girl was very clever. She knew she could only joke her way through this, because if they discussed it seriously, Phrolova could never be forgiven!

"Big brother, please give her a chance, okay? Triss is begging you. Even if that bad person was ninety-nine percent at fault, didn't the others also..."

"Hey!!"

Before she could finish, Phrolova dashed forward and clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Little brat, don't ever say that again. Shifting responsibility is even more despicable than refusing to admit you were wrong!"

With that, she stared straight at Rover. Their eyes met, and this time Phrolova didn't look away. Her gaze was full of stubbornness and resolve.

"I killed those innocent people, and I did those unforgivable things. I admit it! Whatever you have in store, bring it to me. Kill me or carve me up, do as you please. I won't run, and I won't resist!"

"Hum..."

The Blood Oath Covenant trembled even more violently!

"Big brother, don't!"

Triss covered her eyes, too afraid to keep watching. Even Abu remained silent, sparing with words.

Just then, the familiar voice rang out in Rover's mind once more.

"Quest issued: Phrolova has been observed to have the determination to repent. Help her turn over a new leaf and atone for her sins."

"This is a long-term quest. Each time Phrolova atones, you will gain the right to use the Book of the End and unlock a random item from the Research and Development Department. Accept quest?"

"Yes!!"

"Please confirm the other party's determination to change once more!"

Clang!

The Blood Oath Covenant rested against Phrolova's slender neck. A light stroke was all it would take to cut through it and kill her outright.

"Do you want to die or live?"

"I want to live. I want to see everyone come back to life. I'll bear my own sins!"

As she spoke, a thick written record appeared in her palm, and she handed it over.

Though it wasn't particularly heavy, Phrolova's hand trembled as though she were holding up a towering mountain.

"This is my show of sincerity..."

A puzzled look appeared on Rover's face. He took it and opened it, and his expression immediately changed.

The scene described inside made even his heart pound.

"The golden-eyed youth knelt on one knee and kissed the tips of the maiden's toes, pledging his loyalty... That night, the two held each other close, the maiden weeping and begging for mercy until they became one..."

Seeing his expression, Phrolova grew cautious.

"Well?"

"Royal Uncle wrote it pretty well, but the heroine is kind of trash," Rover commented objectively.

"Ah!!!"

Phrolova suddenly shrieked. "I took the wrong one! Give it back! That's my fantasy diary!"

She lunged at him like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her face red from her ears down to her neck, and reached for the record.

Rover reacted quickly, flipping his wrist to hold the booklet above his head. With his other hand, he pressed down on Phrolova's head, keeping her at arm's length.

"What's the rush? I haven't finished reading it yet."

"You, you, give it back! That wasn't for you to read!"

Phrolova stood on tiptoe and reached desperately for it, but her fingertips remained half an inch short of the booklet. She was almost pressed against Rover's chest, her hair brushing his chin and carrying the faint fragrance peculiar to red spider lilies.

"Oh? Then which one were you going to show me?" Rover looked down at her, amusement in his golden eyes.

"I prepared a proper record! It lists everything I've done! This one is... I picked it up by mistake!"

Phrolova's voice grew softer and softer until it was almost a mosquito's buzz, but she stubbornly kept her head raised, her eyes shimmering with moisture. It was hard to tell whether it was from embarrassment or desperation.

"Then tell me, how much have you written in this kind of fantasy diary?"

"What's it to you?!"

Phrolova gave him a hard shove and finally snatched the booklet back, clutching it tightly to her chest like a mother beast protecting her young.

She retreated three steps and turned her back, her shoulders trembling slightly. After a long while, she forced out, "If you dare tell anyone, I'll..."

"You'll what?"

"I'll take you down with me!"

Rover chuckled and said nothing more.

His gaze shifted behind Phrolova, where another written record lay quietly.

"That's the one you meant to give me, isn't it?"

Phrolova stiffened and slowly turned around. The flush had not completely faded from her face, but her gaze was much calmer.

She bent down, picked up the "record of sins," dusted it off, and held it out to him with both hands.

This time, she didn't avert her gaze, and her fingers didn't tremble.