After the short break ended, the Clock Tower—the gathering place of prodigies within the Havoc Empire—was no longer as calm and industrious as it used to be.
Gossip began to flow through its halls.
People said: a new student had arrived at the Clock Tower, and it was only a matter of time before she claimed the highest scholarship.
People also said: the new student was the Hero’s younger sister—a half-demon, half-elf hybrid.
Others added: not a full sister, but a half-sister with the same mother.
After all, their mother had “outlived” three husbands in succession.
The last one had even been the Demon King…
“Hey! Whispering like common street folk—have you forgotten you’re students of the Clock Tower? Back to your dorms and prepare tomorrow’s papers!”
The blond, slick-back-haired dean scattered the little cluster of female students with just a few sharp words.
But when he turned to the black-haired elf girl following behind him, his tone softened several degrees at once.
Clearly, someone higher up had given instructions.
“Student Jiayika, for the next few days you’ll sit in on the classes ahead. Once the Great Sage finishes her current work, she’ll personally lead a team of professional professors from the Clock Tower to cultivate your talents.”
“Thank you.”
The girl holding her satchel nodded.
“You needn’t pay attention to certain idle rumors within the Tower. Your sister, Student Phoenix, faced the same situation back then. But even among geniuses there are ranks. Would you scratch yourself alongside a bunch of monkeys?”
“I understand, Director.”
Her reply was calm and proper, neatly concealing the faint trace of weariness in her eyes.
In the eyes of everyone at the Clock Tower, compared to her sister—spirited, heroic, the kind of person who made you think “Ah, that’s the Hero-sama” just by standing there…
The younger sister seemed more like a well-read, sensible, obedient honor student.
Using that persona here at the Clock Tower should be enough.
And yet…
“…Student Jiayika, there are a few more points I must emphasize.”
“Yes, I’m listening. Please go ahead, Director.”
Ah, so long-winded.
Did this middle-aged dean lose his wife or something?
Standing there posturing and droning on endlessly.
The Clock Tower wasn’t interesting at all.
When Mother had begged the Great Sage so she could enroll, she’d looked so deliciously beautiful.
But once the novelty wore off, this place was just boring.
On top of that, everyone kept talking about her “sister’s” glorious achievements, gossiping about how “the Hero and her mother are so close, such deep maternal love.”
That only made the girl’s already restrained mood grow more irritable.
Several times she barely stopped herself from following someone into a dark corner and “pressing F to assassinate.”
She wasn’t without clues as to the root of this emotion.
Counting today, it had been three days since she last saw Mother—since that evening when Mother moved to her new residence, there had been no news.
Even after Jiayika enrolled in the Clock Tower, Mother shouldn’t have been able to survive on her own.
At first, the girl had thought: Mother would surely be unable to adapt and would return within a day or two, putting on airs and continuing to order her around.
After all, that incompetent Mother only had one option—rely on her while pretending otherwise~.
So why?
Why why why?
Why isn’t Mother paying attention to her anymore?
The more she thought, the worse it became.
With her emotions already at rock bottom, she was nearly unable to control herself.
“Student Jiayika, let me reiterate a few more—”
“Are you finished, Director? I have something urgent and need to leave.”
If Mother wouldn’t come to see her, then she would go find Mother herself.
As for the exact location of Mother’s new home, her sister must have left some clue.
And so—
The girl returned to the dormitory she shared with her sister at top speed.
After confirming her sister wasn’t home, she quietly slipped into her sister’s bedroom.
Just as she’d thought—on the desk lay a daily milk delivery invoice.
The unfamiliar address on the order… could only be Mother’s new residence.
She inhaled deeply in satisfaction, wrapped herself in a black cloak for going out, and dashed from the Clock Tower like the wind.
The cold crescent moon cast a chill over the dim night, yet the breath she exhaled was filled with burning urgency.
She had already begun imagining Mother’s reaction upon seeing her~.
At first, frail Mother would probably think a stranger had intruded, hissing nervously like a frightened kitten.
Then, after recognizing her, Mother would surely grow embarrassed and angry, slapping her with soft little palms, scolding her for coming uninvited.
Ha… ha… so cute~.
She wanted to see that reaction.
To savor Mother scolding her while still unable to live without her…
Yet the fantasy that had nearly become reality before her eyes was extinguished like a bucket of cold water the moment she hurried to her destination.
At the end of a tree-lined path stood a standalone building like a vacation cottage—low-key and secluded.
It did look like the kind of place her sister would arrange for Mother.
But… where was she?
The cottage was dark under the night sky.
More importantly, she couldn’t sense Mother’s presence at all.
The fantasies and anticipation in her heart vanished.
For the first time in her life—having never been apart from Mother for long—she felt a panic and tension she had never experienced before, mixed with negative emotions she couldn’t even identify.
Her intuition told her: Mother isn’t here!
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
Her Mother—so weak—how far could she go alone?
Where could she possibly go?
Nowhere!
Mother couldn’t leave her—unless…
A sudden sound from inside the cottage snapped the girl’s sinister gaze toward it!
And the familiar figure stepping out brought her suspicions to a perfect answer.
“Uh, Jiayika? How did you find this place?”
Her “sister,” the female Hero, Phinney.
Ah~ of course.
The Hero must have lied, claiming to arrange a residence for Mother while secretly taking her away and imprisoning her, stealing Mother from her.
As expected of the Hero—she sensed the killing intent immediately.
“Wait… Jiayika, Mother—”
So the girl didn’t bother explaining.
“Give her back…”
Her voice was hollow, devoid of warmth.
A rose glowing with dark-purple light slowly bloomed in her palm.
What she was about to do might expose her own secret.
But it didn’t matter.
Because if the Hero truly harbored improper intentions toward her Mother, she wouldn’t hesitate to end the Hero’s life right here.
She crushed the flower in her hand.
“Give my mother… back to me!”
In the blink of an eye, she moved as if activating Sandevistan, dashing before Phinney.
Dark-purple light blades condensed in both hands and fell swiftly toward the Hero’s twin swords.
Unarmed, Phinney couldn’t block head-on and had to roll away awkwardly.
The sword energy shimmered with violet fel magic, slicing the cottage behind her into three pieces as easily as cutting cake.
“Jiayika, that’s… a Holy Relic?”
Phinney’s face tightened as she recovered from the roll.
“I had a feeling when you used fel magic before—but I didn’t expect it to be true… Wait, now’s not the time to argue about that!”
Another slash came; this time the Hero’s dodge was even more hurried.
“I don’t know where Mother is either!”
“This evening the milk delivery worker from the academy told me the milk for Mother hadn’t been taken for three days! That’s when I realized something was wrong and came to check!”
Before her words finished, Phinney was knocked down by a spinning kick.
But just as the girl leapt onto her, pinning her down, her light blade poised to stab into Phinney’s chest…
“Would sending Mother farther away benefit me in any way!?”
Phinney’s raw, emotion-filled shout halted the blade inches from her heart.
Heavy breathing filled the night between the sisters.
Killing the Hero had never been the girl’s true goal, so she quickly calmed down.
“It wasn’t you?”
“Tch… now you remember to call me ‘sister,’ huh?”
Phinney shot her an exasperated look, half helpless, half amused.
“Up until just now, I thought you had secretly taken Mother away!”
You didn’t do it.
I didn’t do it.
Neither of us did.
Then—
Who else could have taken their mother?
The two secret-bearing, extraordinarily gifted girls quickly arrived at the same answer without speaking.
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