"I don't know." Zerra shrugged. "Maybe one of Cassias's gifts."
After all, that man had an excellent reputation and was a responsible fiance. Nyra sent an explicable look toward the pair of rings. Her eyes shone with a thoughtful light.
Zerra inwardly frowned, and she could hear her eldest sister muttering Cassias's name before she went to her room. She glanced at the stairs where Nyra had disappeared into with a puzzled expression.
Most of the time, that eldest sister of hers would avoid her like a plague, afraid of the kind of trouble it would bring her. Just now, she even asked about the pair of rings. It was one of the rare moments she took the initiative to talk to her annoying younger sister.
She shook her head and stood up, going to find her parents. They were in her father's study at this moment.
"Mom, Dad," she awkwardly called and knocked on the door. They were just flirting with each other, and hurriedly fixed their behavior to be presentable in front of their daughter.
Zerra was embarrassed, but she needed to give the ring before her father went on a business trip today. Her mother also needed to be present so that upon realizing she had given them a pair, they would treasure it more.
"Zee," Nerith had an awkward expression on her face. "Do you need something?"
Zerra blinked and then entered the room. She held out the pair of rings that she had put in sophisticated boxes. "I just want to give Mom and Dad a gift…"
She gave them the boxes. After taking it, they opened the boxes and saw the ring inside. In a shy voice, Zerra explained, "I am not sure what I should give to you both, so I got a pair of matching rings."
"Thank you, Zee. We will wear the ring." Nerith went to hug her daughter with a smile. She took the ring from the box and wore it. Alaric also did the same.
"Remember that you must wear it all the time," Zerra said seriously. "The seller said that it will bring you good luck."
Nerith and Alaric glanced at each other helplessly. Noticing that she didn't treat it seriously, Zerra repeatedly reminded them that their smile stiffened. In order to assure her, they could only give her their promise.
"How about your prepZeetion to go to your grandma's house? Is everything ready?" Nerith changed the subject. Alaric glanced at both of them but didn't speak.
Zerra proceeded to tell them that she had already bought some snacks and pastries. Then she left the room.
The next day, they departed early in the morning, because the trip would take around a day to arrive at grandma's house. The university had a semester break a few days ago, and they were quite free.
The Sylvaris sisters went to the same university in their city. Meanwhile, the only son went to a prestigious university not far from where their grandma lived. Laziel had an earlier semester break. He immediately went home because of his eldest sister, and he would follow them to grandma's house in a few days.
A long and exhausting day later, the Sylvaris sisters arrived at their grandma's house.
Grandma immediately hugged Nyra, helping her to take the luggage before the driver took over. Her face was full of smiles as soon as she saw her oldest granddaughter come out of the car.
"How have you been, Ira?" She scanned him from head to toe and frowned. "How come you are so thin? Does that unfilial son didn't feed you enough? Come inside, grandma already cooked all your favorite dishes."
"Grandma." Nyra smiled back in happiness. She immediately went inside just as her grandma ordered.
Meanwhile, Zerra, who had just woken up and disoriented, also came out of the car at this moment. Grandma's previous smile faded, replaced by a frown.
"Look at where you are going and open your eyes when you walk. You might stumble," she instantly berated.
Zerra steadied herself, and she looked at the old woman in front of her with a face full of complexities. Grandma always preferred the obedient Nyra, secretly stuffing more pocket money for her compared to the youngest granddaughter.
She wasn't jealous. Because she knew that Nyra, who hadn't received much familial affection from her parents, obtained it from Grandma. Besides, she was considered a troublemaker by her. When she was little, she would break something precious from her kitchen, her favorite teacup or bowl.
In short, she had been a headache for her.
However, it wasn't the source of her complex feelings at this moment. Because as soon as the apocalypse started, Grandma's fate was doomed from the start.
"Yes." Zerra nodded, and then followed her inside, watching her back in a daze.
She had intervened, trying to save Grandma's lives countless times. Even Nyra did it too. Not once did they succeed in doing so.
Overtime, she understood something. Grandma was a push for Nyra to completely break her relation with Sylvaris family. Even though she often called Alaric an unfilial son and sometimes didn't agree with his actions, she still cared about him.
On the other hand, Laziel, who also experienced the partiality and strictness of the Alaric, didn't hold much feeling for them. He was often forgotten, like an outsider in the Sylvaris family. When the family of three often took some trips outside, he was rarely included.
She took a bath and cleaned herself. After she felt refreshed, she joined the dinner table with Nyra and Grandma, who were already there. They were eating without waiting for her. Well, she didn't mind that.
Without making a fuss, she sat down and began eating, too.
"How is your study?" Grandma began to ask about Nyra's recent activities. She also sometimes turned to her, but Zerra could see that Grandma wasn't that interested in her things. She merely did it to make her feel included.
"Laziel is going to go back here in a few days too, right?" Grandma mentioned her only grandson, and her smile was even wider.
Nyra nodded with a smile. "Laziel said once he is done with a business at the company, he will go back."
Zerra glanced at her, and as expected, there were faint worry lines on Nyra's forehead.
When Laziel was on his way here, the apocalypse has started, and he was stuck with those man-eating monsters and nearly died.
According to her previous life, she didn't even manage to find his bones. However, in the current plot of the reborn Nyra, of course, she could save him. Because this younger brother of hers was a significant support for her in the future.
"Laziel also mentioned the engagement with Cassias." This time, Grandma glanced at Zerra with an inscrutable look on her face. "The engagement is supposed to be between the oldest children of different genders. I was there when your grandma made the agreement with the Virethorn family."
Her wrinkled, old face turned to Zerra. "Zerra, what do you think about it?"