My Vampire Little Sister

Jin's next few days were spent in a daze.

Throughout the time he'd spent in the Vampire villa, Jin had been single-mindedly thinking about taking care of his newly found little sister as well as the other girls who had come into his life. There were no ulterior motives for his actions. Jin just wished to spend time with these four pretty girls as he was feeling lonely from being left alone.

With Irina, Jin found an adorable little sister. With Lilith, Jin found a worthy conversation partner who could speak at his level. With Ysabelle, Jin found someone he could train and mentor.

All three of the girls gave Jin a unique fulfilment to his mundane life, and it was something he relished and loved.

And yet… Rosalyn was the only thing on his mind.

Ever since that day on the river bank, Jin's mind had been preoccupied with the green-haired girl's words. The fact that everything had been predestined by her, the fact that she called him their saviour and most importantly… That sombre face as she pleaded for him to save her.

Rosalyn's words resonated within the young boy's head, and he couldn't stop thinking about them.

Ever since then, every time they'd met, Jin's eyes would wander to Rosalyn's side. Whenever she stared at trees in a daze, Jin would watch her. Whenever she rested her feet at the river bank, Jin would watch her. Whenever she played with the grass, Jin would watch her.

The other three girls would watch with irritation as all of Jin's focus was plastered onto the young Rosalyn, and they couldn't comprehend why Jin had become so enamoured with her.

But they couldn't understand.

How could they?

Whenever Rosalyn was watching the trees, she was communicating with their souls. She was attuning herself to nature, bringing her a sense of serenity that eluded her already hectic life. Just imagining talking to every living plant in the vicinity was enough to overload Jin's mind, and yet Rosalyn was doing it every single waking hour.

Heck, Jin hadn't even seen Rosalyn sleep a proper wink ever since they'd met.

Perhaps it was the side-effect of such overwhelming power. Rosalyn could never truly rest. Every soul that surrounded her was her friend. Her mind must have been bombarded with voices, cries and murmurs since birth. Just thinking about the stress she was under was enough to make Jin fall insane, so one could imagine Rosalyn's constant distress.

And yet…

The green-haired girl never ushered out a single word of complaint.

It was as if she had accepted her destiny. She knew what was to be done and succumbed to her fate. To be the completed product of the Shadowgarden House. To be the World Tree's saviour and the Elves' protector. And to be… Forever shackled.

Jin watched the young girl's sincere and innocent smile, only to find a burning fury rising from his veins.

Such a pure and innocent girl was forced to bear such a high burden at a tender age…

"Rosalyn, what are you doing?"

Unable to control his feelings anymore, Jin approached the young green-haired girl who seemed to be staring into space. If it were any other person, they would think Rosalyn was daydreaming and wouldn't bother talking to her. But Jin knew her truth.

"Talking… Trees…"

"Really? How many of them?"

"... Ten thousand?"

"I-I see…"

Once again, the girl muttered some unfathomable words. But Jin was unfazed. Leaning in closer to the girl, he continued to pry about Rosalyn's life.

"What are they saying?"

"Nothing much… More rain, perhaps?"

"... I see. If they're only talking about that, you don't have to keep communicating with them, right?"

"It's… my duty…"

Rosalyn's emotionless face talked back to Jin, forcing his heart to drop down his chest. The girl was talking like a machine rather than the bright eleven-year-old she was meant to be. When Irina, Lilith, and Ysabelle were off doing the things they liked, Rosalyn was forced to fulfil her mission. She was made to talk with every single plant around her to ensure the ecosystem remained balanced and in harmony.

It was a duty that was forced upon her, and Jin felt saddened by that fact.

"Rosalyn… Do you feel trapped with your life?"

"... Trapped?"

"Yes, trapped."

Jin leaned over and held the girl's small, tender hand. It was such a small hand, yet it carried so much… Jin couldn't comprehend the thought process behind giving such tremendous power to a young child like Rosalyn, such that it ruined her childhood innocence.

Contrary to her Vampire Aspect, Rosalyn was unable to dream.

The Dreaming Forest was a power that allowed the user to talk to every tree. Yet, ironically enough, the wielder of that power wasn't able to dream. She was forced to commit to her duty, even if it ruined her childhood. She was forced to see prophecies from the World Tree and was sworn to protect the ancient being with everything that she had.

Nothing in Rosalyn's life was decided by her. She was a puppet, a marionette that moved in accordance to those who created her.

Never once did Rosalyn have a choice in her life. Never once did she do something for herself. Never once… was she allowed to dream.

Irina dreamed of a family. Lilith dreamed of deepening her magic research. Ysabelle dreamed of a knight that would save her and become strong enough to stand on her own two feet.

But what did Rosalyn dream of?

"I'm not… trapped… It's my destiny…"

"TO HELL WITH THAT!!!"

Jin's visceral howl startled the young girl, forcing her shoulders to be drawn backwards. She looked straight down at the young boy, whose blue eyes were now shining with a fiery desire.

"Rosalyn… No, Rosa… You are not a puppet. You're a living, breathing person."

"P-Person?"

Rosalyn was flustered by the boy's statement. All her life, she had been looked at as a tool, as a weapon to protect the Elves and to further the Shadowgarden's interest. In fact, the only reason why she came to the villa in the first place was because the World Tree said that it was her fate.

It was the first time someone had ever referred to her as a… person.

And Rosalyn didn't know how to process that information.

"I think I know why the World Tree said I'm your destined saviour now…"

"W-What… Mean…?"

"I mean… I will be the one who gives you a soul, Rosa." Jin flashed a confident and bright smile while placing the young girl's hand on his chest. "Right now, you're a broken young girl. I will fix that! I will give you the happiness you deserve!"

"O-Okay?"

Rosalyn was still confused, but she still nodded her head to match Jin's burning fervour.

Renewed with a sense of purpose, Jin finally reverted back to his usual state. He had a mission to accomplish now, to make all four of the girls happy. And with Rosalyn added into the mix, Jin realised that he had to take the vital first step.

"Okay, let's return to the villa! I'm sure they're awake by now!"

"..."

Rosalyn nodded as she felt Jin's grip on her hand tighten instead of letting her go. Watching the young boy hold her hand so gingerly as if she was the most precious treasure in the world…

A mysterious warmth crept up in the young girl's soul. It was a feeling she was unfamiliar with, and yet, it was something she welcomed with open arms. It was something much more pleasant than the constant loneliness she'd felt from her peers, and it brought a new colour into her mundane life.

And little did Rosalyn know… Her life would be constantly painted with new colours every day.

Jin's insistence on making all four girls happy had an interesting consequence. Because all four girls wished to be with him, they started to get along. Well, all they did was bicker, but it was far better than the cold atmosphere they had on the first day.

They would play with each other, learn each other's habits, call each other by their nicknames…

It had even come to the point where the four were comfortable training with each other, showing off secrets from their respective Houses.

Oddly enough, the four Guardian Houses got their wish. The four girls, who were slated to be the Vampire race's future, were now becoming as close as sisters, with almost all of them bonding every day.

Even Rosalyn, who had been outcasted since the first day due to her strange behaviour, was slowly integrating into the group.

For the first time in her life, she was shown laughter and smiles. For the first time in her life, she was given a family. And for the first time in her life… She'd felt a warm emotion that she'd never thought was possible in her cold heart.

It was a perfect story for the young Rosalyn…

Until…

That fateful day came.