"How... how could you think that way?"
After hearing Leon's words, Anna felt as if the world was spinning, almost collapsing, but she clung to her last hope, struggling to say,
"Brother, haven't you seen the photos? You look so much like Mom, and the color of your hair and eyes are identical to Dad's..."
"Yes, very much alike."
Leon nodded upon hearing this, replying quite frankly,
"It's because of the resemblance that I never doubted before, but last week, while on duty, I visited the Ryan Family's genealogy room and saw many things.
"Anna, unlike me, who has no memory, you should know our grandfather was from the Ryan Family, and our surname doesn't originate from Laine County, but rather from that Duke family on Redwood Avenue, right?"
Seeing that Leon had even uncovered such a matter, the sickly girl couldn't help but turn pale before biting her lip and nodding.
"I... I didn't mean to hide it from you. It's just that Grandfather said back then, because of the competition for the title or something, he formed deadly grudges with many people. It was hard enough for him to escape from the Capital City, and he urged us not to get involved with them..."
After putting on his shoes, Leon stood up and took a step forward to give his pale-faced sister another deep hug. He said in a calm voice,
"But I also hope you can believe me."
"It's okay. Everyone has secrets they wish others not to know. I have such secrets hidden from you as well, but that doesn't stop me from considering you as my family."
Gently stroking Anna's hair, Leon paused the hug, then cupped her cheeks and, looking into her eyes, said with utmost sincerity,
"I don't know what you consider as family, but to me, being close by blood isn't the only criterion for family, not even a necessary one.
From a somewhat selfish viewpoint, the one I most want to share my happiness with and the one I most want to confide in during pain, that person is my family, and you are always the first I think of."
"I'm here, but I'm about to leave soon."
Looking at his sister, whose eyes had turned red, and whose nose even blushed, Leon smiled, affectionately pinched her red nose, then stepped back, picked up his belongings, and opened the door to depart.
When Anna, still a bit at a loss, wiped away her tears and prepared to see him off, Leon suddenly turned back and asked,
"By the way, just before I came in, what were you saying to me?"
"Ah, what? You told me that no matter when, if I ever feel tired, I should come home, and you'd always be waiting for me..."
Repeating Anna's words, Leon frowned with an unhappy expression and said,
"You need to keep your word, regardless of whether we share blood or if I'm your natural brother. When I return, you can't drive me away!"
"Brother... you're really..."
Wiping her eyes, the sickly girl, now smiling through tears, shook her head, somewhat reproachfully saying,
"What strange words, how could I drive you away?"
"Better not, but even if you did, I wouldn't leave."
Nudging Anna's shoes inward and keeping her from seeing him off, Leon waved to her as if her heart knot had been untied, then carried a blanket and shopping bag downstairs.
When Leon descended, Anna gently closed the door and quickly walked to the window, staring unblinkingly at his silhouette until he boarded a carriage and vanished around the corner with the sound of a whistle, only then reluctantly withdrawing her gaze.
*Maybe... the situation I fear most would never happen? Even if he knows what I did, my brother might not necessarily...*
Just then, a somewhat heavy knocking startled Anna, who collected herself and walked over, asking through the door,
"As for me... you could say I'm your friend."
Lightly tapping the lock's location, with a crisp sound as the lock cylinder automatically turned, a man in a black robe, wearing a wide-brimmed hat that obscured most of his face, entered the room. He nodded at the shocked Anna, greeting her with a voice that was both cold and hard,
"It's been almost six years, Miss Anna, how have you been lately?"
Upon hearing the keyword and looking at the man with thin, long eyes and a face that seemed to be in a perpetual sad expression even while attempting to smile, Anna immediately realized.
"You... you're that person from the photography studio!"
Removing his hat and placing it before his chest, he gave a gentleman's bow. The naturally sad-faced man politely and coolly apologized,
"Sorry to intrude. I intended nothing more with this visit than to see how you've been... Please, was the person who just left the family member you chose for yourself?"
Upon hearing his words, Anna couldn't help but turn extremely pale, then tightly bit her lip and nodded stiffly.
With little sincerity, he briefly apologized, and the similarly stiff-faced man continued to inquire,
"I'm sorry for overhearing some of your conversation. It seems you all got along well over the years, so you should be content with what I gave you, correct?"
"Miss Anna, please don't be so nervous..."
Observing Anna's increasingly pale complexion, the man's icy voice carried a hint of helplessness.
"My visit this time really holds no malice, merely wishing to see what became of that item. My somewhat intrusive unlocking was only due to fear that you might not wish to open the door."
Having clarified his intentions, seemingly to reassure her, the man retreated a few steps back to the door, where he extended his palm to Anna, respectfully asking,
"If possible, could you kindly take out the item I gave you for me to check briefly?"
Seeing that he genuinely harbored no ill intentions, Anna couldn't help but quietly breathe a sigh of relief, then shook her head forcefully, her expression apologetic as she said,
"I could have, originally, but just now I found that I seem to have lost that photo..."
Lost? How could it be lost?
For such a promising high-numbered experimental subject, I placed more than one following command on it. Even if torn, crumpled, or burnt to ashes, it should reappear beside you!
When faced with the unexpected answer, the man in the black robe felt slightly bewildered.
Staring into Anna's eyes, seemingly using some method to confirm she wasn't lying, the man squinted, his tone rather helpless,
"There's no helping it then... How about this: seeing as it's already lost, could you trouble yourself to tell me about the past few years?"