The impact of the strong wind that swept through the room was significant.
Shattered furniture was scattered everywhere, and I was leaning against the wall, panting. I had exerted far too much energy in such a short time.
Of course, my opponent was not unscathed either.
There were sharp scars visible on the thin cloth that concealed the girl’s snow-white skin. The blood that seeped out slightly and the web-like strands of blood that covered the room left traces of a fierce battle.
Just a few minutes.
It was more than enough time to transcend life and death several times in a life-and-death confrontation. Especially if my opponent knew me well.
“Greed” seemed to already understand my mindset.
Otherwise, it wouldn’t have tried to forcefully stop me every time I unleashed my aura.
That wasn’t bad news.
In a way, it meant that the moment I crossed the “boundary,” even “Greed” could not guarantee victory against me.
It was at that moment, when the battle had momentarily entered a lull.
“Haah, haah… Hoo! That’s too much, big brother. To chop at your dear little sister as soon as you see her…”
“I’m just doing what I have to do.”
His voice was heavy with intense animosity.
On the one hand, it was a pathetic struggle to hide feelings of pity and sympathy. Even I, no matter how much of a monster I was, could feel blood running through my heart.
It wasn’t that I didn’t feel sorrow for my ruined little sister.
But it was far too late to brush off the unfortunate past and clasp hands again.
The girl before me had committed countless unforgivable sins. Moreover, she probably couldn’t forgive me or our family either.
We were parallel lines.
So, the only atonement I could offer was to sever the chain of these horrific sins with my own hands.
The girl was blissfully chattering away, unaware of my feelings.
“Ah, what to do… I came all dressed up to see you, big brother, but my hair ended up a mess…”
She looked genuinely regretful.
Still, I responded with a mocking smile while maintaining my boundary.
“What do you want to look good for?”
“Isn’t it natural to want to impress the man you love?”
She even winked at me.
Her attitude was so friendly it was hard to believe she was the opponent I had just risked my life against. I scoffed in disbelief.
After all, we had no need to exchange pleasantries.
Just then, power returned to my grip, which had been determined.
“Don’t be like that, big brother… I’ve come for you, after all.”
“Am I crazy for believing you?”
“But you must be in trouble, right?”
She wore a bewitching smile and shot me a mischievous gaze.
It was a statement, not a question.
There was a certainty in the girl’s tone.
“Where on earth is the ‘vampire’? Where has Sister Celin gone? Boundaries, abductions, unusual heat waves… There are many mysteries, but nothing is being solved.”
“…So?”
I tried to hide my momentary intrigue and replied.
“Don’t tell me you want to make a ‘deal’?”
“Ahaha! How did you know? Truly, we’re destined for each other… It’s amazing how well we understand one another!”
I didn’t even want to respond.
My remaining hand gripped the hand axe tightly. If the girl hadn’t hurriedly waved her hands, the battle would have resumed immediately.
“Wait, wait! You could at least listen to what I have to say, right?”
“So you’ve lied one by one?”
“Get rid of the ‘vampire’ for me!”
It was a condition that left even me momentarily stunned.
It was so unbelievable that I had to narrow my eyes and ask again.
“…What?”
“I’m serious, you didn’t even listen and just jumped to conclusions… That’s my only condition.”
Despite clearly showing her disappointment, the girl repeated her unexpected request.
It was a proposal I couldn’t have even imagined.
So, I had no choice but to stay silent, casting a suspicious gaze her way.
In response, it was the girl who felt wronged.
“No, I’m serious?! I’m also a ‘merchant’! I don’t tell lies!”
“But you’re part of the Dark Cult…”
“That’s exactly it!”
Placing her hand over her chest, the girl repeated her confident declaration.
“There are all kinds of complex power struggles even within our cult, you know? Especially that ‘vampire’ doesn’t follow Lord Delphrium’s orders very well….”
“Doesn’t follow the orders?”
“Hmph, why do you think I came to the Academy?”
The girl sat down on the tidiest chair with an air of arrogance.
While crossing her legs, her alluring skin nearly showed itself, but I deliberately turned my gaze away to avoid any misunderstandings.
I had no idea it would be interpreted as I was conscious of her.
The corners of her eyes curved with satisfaction.
“I’ll tell you this, the disturbances happening here have nothing to do with us. It’s all ‘Jealousy’s’ solo act.”
“How can I believe that?”
“Ah, I knew you’d think that. So I’ll give you a piece of information as a trial.”
Winking once more, the girl spoke in a deliberately cheerful tone.
“You should go find your dear junior right now.”
“…What kind of nonsense is that?”
Though I wanted to dismiss her proposal immediately, the hostage was simply too significant.
If I were to think of whom I cherished as my junior, only one person came to mind.
Ceria.
I didn’t want to show any hesitation. Yet, it was true that the information of my opponent was weighing on my mind, and I couldn’t fix my gaze in one place.
Seeing my reaction, the girl merely burst into laughter.
Her golden eyes shimmered with intoxicating affection, as if finding me delightfully adorable.
“So lovable… Even though I love you this much, why would I lie to you?”
“You might want to trap me.”
“Perhaps, someday? But not today.”
Should I go or should I stay?
The internal conflict didn’t last long. I had the asymmetric power in case of emergencies.
Swordsman.
If the continent’s greatest swordsman was involved, I wouldn’t need to worry about whatever schemes were lurking.
Besides, the swordsman was now taking the form of a girl.
The chance of my true identity being discovered was slim. It meant I could turn the tables on an opponent who had set a trap.
Eventually, a deep sigh escaped my lips after much hesitation.
“…If you’re lying, I’ll definitely kill you.”
“Wasn’t that already your intention to kill me? Hehe, as long as I’m providing information, I won’t let you… Ah, I love that expression. You want to kill me but are also hesitant and don’t know what to do…”
As I sheathed my sword, the girl flicked her finger, clearing the blood-like strands that filled the room.
It was the birth of a temporary alliance.
Though I was not pleased at all.
Just as she was about to turn away to leave.
I couldn’t help but throw out the lingering question in my mind.
“…You really don’t need anything in return?”
“Hmm? At least for the information I just gave, that’s my intention… But if you’re that uneasy…”
The girl’s delicate finger pointed towards somewhere.
It was a slightly tilted cabinet due to the aftershock of the battle. Inside were some bottles of alcohol that I occasionally sipped.
“Can you give me a drink?”
“You little brat, acting so brazenly.”
I clicked my tongue and strode over to the cabinet.
And just as I reached for the bottles and glasses.
The girl approached sneakily and naturally clung to me.
She stuck out her tongue playfully.
“Not in a glass, let me drink from you.”
“What kind of nonsense is that…”
“Mmm, mouth to mouth?”
The intent behind her subtly pushing her body against me was painfully clear.
With a smack, my fist hit the girl’s forehead.
“…Ouch!”
“Don’t say ridiculous things. We’re real siblings…”
I almost said, ‘not real siblings,’ but.
I couldn’t bring myself to finish that sentence. Instead, I bit my teeth and fled the room.
The girl stood there, staring at my retreating figure.
Probably for quite a while.
That night, Ceria couldn’t hide her discomfort.
The trigger was, as always, a sisterly dispute.
Ceria had been sensing unusual movements at the Academy recently. Strictly speaking, it started the day after Ian’s blood was splattered on the magic circle drawn in the forest.
Something was off.
Everyone was on edge. Every time she walked, various emotions crashed over her like waves, enough for her to feel it on her skin.
It was an unfamiliar experience.
Ceria was clumsy in human relationships. Naturally, she wasn’t very perceptive.
She might have only noticed these changes too late after it reached its peak.
As if everyone had collectively lost their minds, no one questioned anything. Ceria, feeling uneasy about that fact, decided to report it to the family.
Yet again, Ceria’s trust was betrayed.
“…You want me to call Ian separately?”
“Yeah.”
It was a voice so indifferent it bordered on forthrightness.
With that coldness, Ceria couldn’t suppress the surge of emotions within her.
“Can’t I just relay the message? Why does it have to be just you and Ian…”
“Because it’s information only we should know.”
The use of the word “we” heavily weighed on Ceria’s chest.
Within that word, there was no place for Ceria.
Rather, Delphine might want to erase Ceria from the picture entirely. Perhaps that was why she spoke such shameless words, stealing her sister’s first love just like that.
Just like when she took their mother away.
Ceria ground her teeth in frustration. She didn’t even know why she felt this way.
But the temperature of her heart was dropping rapidly.
“Why can’t I know?”
“I just don’t want to tell you.”
Delphine replied in that manner, and then reiterated it in a casual tone.
“Originally, it’s intelligence sent from the elf side regarding your lord. There’s no reason for you to know it.”
“There’s no reason for me not to know.”
“It’s the head of the family’s order.”
Ceria unconsciously pressed her fist against her chest.
Her breathing quickened.
The emotional drop was peculiarly vast. Could it be that I am going insane too?
Her panting breath made her mind dizzy.
Her vision narrowed, trembled, and blurred.
In the meantime, only Delphine’s voice kept ringing in Ceria’s tiny world.
“I won’t accept dissent. Just obediently follow my orders….”
“…Like that day?”
Ceria softly uttered a word that brought her reminder back to the past.
A day, two days, three days, four days….
Before long, the seasons had turned several times, and the scenery of a certain night imprinted itself on her retina.
On that day, Ceria had been crying too.
Her father had a cold expression, and her sister was crossed-armed, looking indifferent.
It was the day their mother got expelled.
Delphine couldn’t properly respond to that unexpected question.
She simply narrowed her brows and retorted as if she didn’t understand.
“‘That day’? What do you mean…”
“The day you expelled our mother.”
It was probably a story she never expected to hear.
For a brief moment, Delphine fell silent and couldn’t find an appropriate answer. Her crimson gaze slightly lowered, and eventually, she even let out a sigh.
“Ceria, that day was…”
“I will follow your orders perfectly. So, I’ll take my leave now.”
With that, Delphine’s hologram vanished in an instant.
It was an act carried out without even considering the aftermath.
Ceria left the room just like that. Then she began to walk aimlessly.
To quiet her twisted heart in any way.
Before she knew it, she was in the middle of the forest.
It was the clearing where she and Ian would sometimes wield their swords. At that moment, Ceria sighed lightly, feeling somewhat relieved.
Why did I do that?
To Delphine, it might have seemed like an unexpected act of rebellion. No matter how much Ceria was one of the influential figures in the family, she shouldn’t show a disregard for the head of the family’s authority.
In the aftermath of her late regret, Ceria wanted to see her brother.
If only his gray hair didn’t flicker across her retina.
Just as Ceria was about to turn away, her body halted. Suddenly, her blue eyes widened and darted towards the center of the clearing.
There stood a woman appearing like a ghost.
Gray hair, blue eyes.
In her early twenties at most. The face was not different at all from the one in her memories.
“…It’s been a long time, Ceria.”
She wore a kind smile.
Ceria held her breath, stepping back.
A strange premonition that violently shook her instincts caused her to sway momentarily.
It felt like a terrible joke.
Ceria didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. All she could do was wear a trembling smile, her face crumbling.
“Mother…”
Even in the nighttime, the moonlight was scorching like a hot blaze.
Watching the girl face her cruel fate, as though to gaze upon her.
