There was a time...
A time when they just laughed together in that big house. Never thinking about all the bad things and not minding the outside world if not necessary.
The outside world was filthy, but this could be said to their little world too.
The maids liked to gossip and because of it, they learned a secret. A secret that they didn't want to know.
When they told the others too, some were scared, doubtful or said that it was only for the maids entertainment. The only one who remained calm was their Eldest Sister. She looked calm from beginning till end, her thoughts more hard to know than Little Sixth's.
"We are a family. She was the one who fed and brought us up it's not our business as to why she took care of another person's childrens. Also..." She stood up from her chair then headed to the garden, but stopped. "... you should know her better, she wouldn't try to harm us." Then she left us in the room.
It was decided that we would act like normal and forget the topic. It was really not good for us to treat Mother differently just because we're not blood related. She is our mother and that won't change no matter what.
. . . . .
On New Years we used to go to the place where Mother met Father. His grave was also there so this was something like a family reunion. For us it was, but others said that it was better to let it go and move on.
They don't know anything...
Mother loved Father so much that she cries every night, even now. Although Father has passed away 17 years ago, she still couldn't forget him. The neighbours were also trying to match her up with their relatives, ignoring her bleeding heart that gets stabbed everytime they mention someone new in the place of him.
A neighbour almost succeeded once when Father's 10th anniversary came. Mother asked us if we would be okay if she were to marry again. All of us knew that she cried herself to sleep everyday so we made sure to let Little Ninth sleep with her, she resembled Father the most in appearance. She gave us each a stick and placed two bowls next to each other, the one on the right was for accepting her remarriage and on the left for disagreeing, then she turned around.
*CLANG CLANG CLANG*
One after the other, the sounds of the sticks hitting the bowl reverberated in the room.
Mother's back look tensed. If we said that we agree with her remarrying, she would do it even if she didn't want to.
When she turned around, the first thing she saw was us bowing to her on the ground. She looked down and saw all the sticks in the left bowl, surprised she looked back at us.
Mother: "Why are all of you bowing?"
Ninth: "We don't want to force Mother to do anything she doesn't want to do."
Eight: "We are good even without a man, aren't we? So we don't need one just to make Mother sad!"
Seventh: "Forcing someone who loves someone else already isn't good. I already cry on those stories I don't want to experience it in real life!"
Mother heard us out one by one, her eyes crying and her smile warm like the sun. We did a good job this time.
Sixth: "We have only one Father. Who knows, when you don't pay attention our new step-father will make a concibune from us." Mother gave out killing intent when she imagined it. She really shouldn't remarry or maybe she will let a wolf into the house!
Fifth: "Mother is an adult. She should make her decisions for her happiness herself."
Fourth: "If Mother is happy so we are."
Third: "Even if the person was a good man we would also feel guilty towards Father, he doesn't deserve to be forgotten and replaced."
Second: "Who said that a marriage should end when death separates them? They will eventually reunite on the other side, right? Should they go there with another person? Would they even be able to look into the other's eyes?"
When thinking about it, it was reasonable. Showing up in the Underworld with another person before your love was like saying you have two hearts and you have the both of them in it. This number will eventually grow and this is how a story with a harem tag will appear.
(Author: Curse you harem tags! Down with you! Muhahaha!)
While once saying that all of you was their's, now only a part of it belongs to them? This is like playing with their love. They only love you, but you love more people. It's unfair. Humans were greedy from nature, even a good person have some greed in them, so it's unfair that you can be greedy but I can't.
Eldest: "I can't imagine anyone that can replace him, I don't even want to imagine it! You also can't Mother, we all know it."
Mother: "Okay, I got it. Rise!"
All of us stood up when she said so. She was the one who brought us up, our Mother. Be there hardships or challenges for our family we will do our best.
. . . . .
Ever since we got a stalker we've tried to behave like any other normal families. Not going on treasure hunts every weekend, camping out on the holidays with everyone or inviting Spiritual Beasts into the house to play... Sigh, our lifes became boring.
That person was always looking at us from afar but we couldn't do anything with him. He was creepy, we always made sure to never be alone, not giving him any chance to do something. Eldest Sister was the most wary one when it came to males but it was understandable in a house full of females.
That person watched us for years as if he'll never get bored of it. After an analysis we deducted he was watching Little Fifth.
After getting to know who was the person, our weariness dropped quite a bit. But we couldn't rest...
The harem needed a new batch and the one responsible for recruiting...
... just arrived outside our door.
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Author: Happy New Year! Came up with this chapter in the last minute so sorry for quality.
Shui Lian: The quality should be bad because you can't write a decent story.
Author: Now I'm sure that you won't get your New Year's money!