《My Reverse Life》


 Volume 1ーPrologue

    Life is like a leaf that the waves carry. You can''t predict where the waves will carry you. You can only influence the course of your ambitions with perseverance and hard work. The waves will carry you on an unknown path if you remain mute; nobody can tell for sure if it will be a success or failure. The course that has been predetermined for you from the start is represented by the wave.


    Idon''t need to be overly philosophical about it. Hi there, I''m Ari. I was born into a wealthy and proud second-generation family. From as early as I can remember, life revolved around luxury, power, and control. I never cared about school or ambition¡ªI didn¡¯t have to. My future was already decided: I was going to inherit my father¡¯s business, whether I earned it or not.


    I¡¯ll admit it¡ªI despised poor people. To me, they were beneath consideration. My friends adored me, fawned over my wealth, and lived in my shadow. It was effortless, and I liked it that way. Nothing and no one could touch me.


    At least, that¡¯s what I believed.


    Everything changed because of one mistake. My father, in all his confidence, insulted someone he shouldn¡¯t have. I don¡¯t know the details of who or why, but it didn¡¯t take long to see the consequences. Like a storm sweeping through a grand estate, everything fell apart.


    The business went bankrupt, and the debts swallowed us whole. One by one, the things I¡¯d always taken for granted vanished¡ªhomes, possessions, savings¡ªall sold off to pay for the mess left behind. My life, so carefully built on the foundations of privilege, crumbled into nothing.


    I never thought it could come to this. My family¡ªwealthy, powerful, untouchable¡ªwas reduced to nothing overnight. Unexpectedly impoverished, I find myself completely unprepared to live this way. Poverty feels foreign and hostile, like being dropped into a world where everything I once relied on is irrelevant.


    My so-called "friends"? They¡¯ve all turned their backs on me. People I once thought admired me now pretend they don¡¯t even know who I am. It hurts more than I care to admit, but maybe I deserve it.


    Then there¡¯s my mother. She used to adore me¡ªspoil me endlessly, never ask for more than I felt like giving. Now? She despises me. She lashes out constantly, both with her words and her hands. I¡¯ve lost count of the times she¡¯s yelled, ¡°Why don¡¯t you get a job?!¡± And I get it. I really do. I let her down. I let everyone down.


    So, I did what she asked. I tried. I looked for a job, but what could I offer? I have no skills, no qualifications, nothing to prove I¡¯m worth hiring. Every rejection felt like a reminder of just how much I wasted my life. If only I¡¯d taken school seriously, if only I¡¯d prepared myself, maybe this wouldn¡¯t feel so impossible.


    But all I do now is sit around¡ªuseless and stuck, filled with regrets I can¡¯t change. My world used to feel so big, and now it feels unbearably small.


    All I could find were odd jobs, and even those felt unbearable. I didn¡¯t want to settle for those scraps, but eventually, I landed a job at a port warehouse. It wasn¡¯t glamorous, but it felt better than nothing¡ªor so I thought.


    That job was pure torture.


    Every day, I was expected to haul heavy boxes of frozen fish inside freezing containers. The temperature felt like it was piercing my bones. Management didn¡¯t even care to provide proper equipment, just the bare minimum to keep things running. After only one day of lifting those boxes and braving those conditions, I collapsed with a fever so high I could barely move. I was sick for an entire week, but that didn¡¯t matter to them.


    When I didn¡¯t show up on the second day, they fired me. No warnings, no questions¡ªjust gone. They didn¡¯t even pay me for the hours I worked.


    When I finally recovered enough to drag myself out of bed, my mother yelled at me. She called me useless, a failure, and worse than garbage. And honestly? I couldn¡¯t argue with her. She¡¯s the only one keeping this family afloat. My father¡¯s no better than me¡ªhe lazes around all day, waiting for something to change. Like father, like son, I guess.


    We survive on what my mother earns. She¡¯s the one doing all the hard work now, just like she did before she married my father. I used to think she¡¯d always been like us, living in luxury, but she grew up poor. She used to tell me not to look down on people poor people¡ªto value hard work, to take school seriously.


    Did I ever listen? Of course not. I¡¯m the same selfish jerk I¡¯ve always been. My mother has every right to be angry with me. She has every right to despise the person I¡¯ve become.


    Then the pandemic hit.


    Jobs that were already hard to find became nearly impossible. My mother¡¯s temper grew worse with the stress of trying to keep us fed and housed. She and my father started fighting¡ªshouting matches that started over money but spiraled into everything they¡¯d bottled up over the years. Sometimes their arguments turned physical. Watching them scream and lash out at each other was unbearable.


    I hate to admit it, but a part of me understands their anger. I¡¯ve contributed nothing, learned nothing, and become nothing. My father¡¯s no different. And my mother¡ªonce the glue holding us together¡ªis unravelling under the weight of it all.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    I can¡¯t blame anyone but myself.


    Then, I saw it with my own two eyes.


    My mother¡ªthe woman I once adored and feared¡ªstabbed my father. Not just once, but over and over again. I stood there, frozen, as the knife tore into him, and his lifeless body slumped to the floor. I watched, and yet I did nothing. I didn¡¯t scream, didn¡¯t cry, didn¡¯t run. I just stood there, rooted in silence, unsure of how to react.


    When she was done, my mother turned to me. Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I might finally feel fear. But no. There was none.


    I knew what was coming. I understood it as clearly as if she''d spoken it aloud. I wasn¡¯t going to run. Why would I? I¡¯ve been tired of this life for as long as I can remember.


    How many nights had I contemplated ending it myself? I¡¯ve lost count. The thought of escaping this endless cycle of regret and misery lingered in my mind like a poisonous whisper. But I could never do it. A small, foolish part of me worried about how my mother might feel. Would she be heartbroken? Would she care?


    Now I see the irony. My mother¡¯s not heartbroken. She¡¯s the one about to end my life.


    She moved toward me slowly, her face expressionless, the bloodied knife still in her hand. And yet, I just smiled. It wasn¡¯t a smile of defiance or bravery¡ªjust weary acceptance.


    When she reached me, she raised the knife and stabbed me in the chest, slowly and deliberately. As she did, her voice trembled with the words:


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for this.¡±


    I felt the pain, sharp and cold, but it didn¡¯t matter. I smiled through it, blood pooling in my mouth as I replied:


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with what you did, Mom. I understand. I deserve this.¡±


    And I do.


    I deserve this end. A bastard like me deserves no more than a tragic, quiet end at the hands of the only person who ever truly mattered.


    My mother fell to her knees then, her face contorted in anguish as she began to cry uncontrollably. Her tears splattered onto my face as the world around me faded. I watched her crumble under the weight of her sorrow, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I felt something almost like peace.


    ¡°Why do you always¡­!!¡± my mother¡¯s voice cracked as her grip tightened on the knife. ¡°If you understood, you should have...!!¡±


    Her words trailed off, leaving her trembling in silence.


    I could barely process her anguish. My vision blurred, the edges of the world turning dark.


    ¡°Forget it,¡± she whispered at last, her voice thick with despair. ¡°I hope you mourn all of this in the next life. Don¡¯t make the same mistake. I just want to¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hear the rest. The pain in my chest dulled as my consciousness began to fade. Her voice became an echo, distant and faint. The last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me was my mother¡ªshe stabbed her own throat, collapsing beside me in a pool of blood.


    And then, nothing.


    Everything faded, and the world became silent and dark.


    If I had a second chance, maybe things would be different. Maybe I¡¯d choose a different path. But deep down, I know the truth: I¡¯d probably still end up like this. My laziness and lack of ambition are the root of my failure. My arrogance¡ªmy condescension toward others¡ªsealed my fate long before poverty brought me to my knees. Only after I lost everything did I finally understand what it meant to truly have nothing.


    Still, if there¡¯s an afterlife, I¡¯ll try to be different. I¡¯ll be humble and treat people with kindness. I¡¯ll live with ambition and work hard to achieve something meaningful. I¡¯ll walk a path opposite to this one, a life shaped by wisdom instead of ignorance.


    My second chance will be;


    Everything went dark. I couldn¡¯t feel my body anymore. The pain, once unbearable, had completely vanished. Was this death? If so, it wasn¡¯t as terrifying as I¡¯d imagined¡ªjust endless emptiness and solitude, stretching on forever.


    Oddly enough, it felt nostalgic, as though I¡¯d been here before. Was this all that was left for me? To fade away, forgotten, and let every memory be erased?


    The longer I drifted in this void, the more fragments of my memory vanished. Faces, names, moments¡ªall blurring, slipping from my grasp like sand through my fingers. Should I be grateful for this release, or terrified of losing myself entirely?


    ¡°God,¡± I whispered into the emptiness, unsure if anyone¡ªanything¡ªcould hear me. ¡°If you exist, please, let me keep the beautiful memories. Even if I¡¯m dead, let me live through them. Please!¡±


    But everything kept fading. My thoughts scattered, disjointed. I couldn¡¯t even remember who I was.


    Then,


    nothing.


    I opened my eyes.


    The world was no longer dark. Light flooded my vision, soft and warm, and I felt the unfamiliar softness of a bed beneath me. For a moment, I thought I might still be alive¡ªbut something was wrong. My body felt different, smaller somehow.


    Where was I? A hospital? No, this wasn¡¯t a hospital. The room was filled with toys, pastel walls, and tiny furniture. It looked like a little girl¡¯s bedroom.


    I sat up and rubbed my aching head, and that¡¯s when it hit me¡ªa torrent of memories, unfamiliar and overwhelming.


    My name is Aria.


    I¡¯m three years old.


    But those weren¡¯t the only memories. Another life came rushing back¡ªmine, but not mine. A boy, an arrogant boy who wasted his life, his opportunities, everything he was given. How could that be me?


    ¡°No,¡± I murmured, shaking my head. ¡°It can¡¯t be real. It was just a strange dream. That¡¯s all. Just a dream.¡±


    A new thought crossed my mind, childish and whimsical, and I latched onto it. ¡°I¡¯ll be the cutest girl in the world! Irana and I¡ªwe¡¯ll conquer the world together!¡±


    A small voice interrupted my thoughts.


    ¡°Onee-chan... why did you wake up? Need to pee?¡±


    I turned to see Irana sitting up, her sleepy eyes looking at me, her little head tilted in confusion. She was adorable¡ªfar too adorable. How could anyone be this cute?!


    ¡°Ah, forgive me, Irana,¡± I said, the words spilling out naturally. ¡°Onee-chan had a strange dream. Let¡¯s go back to sleep, okay?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± she mumbled, already starting to lie back down.


    Looking at her tiny, peaceful face, I smiled. Whatever that dream had been¡ªwhatever that other life was¡ªI didn¡¯t want to dwell on it. This was my second chance. My reverse life had just begun.

 Volume 1ーChapter 1: Second Chance

    I know I¡¯ve been reincarnated. Those memories¡ªthey¡¯re not just dreams or figments of my imagination. They¡¯re my truth, my history. I was Ari in my past life, and as much as I try to bury those memories, they persist, a lingering reminder of who I was and the mistakes I made.


    But I¡¯m afraid. Every time I remember Ari¡ªhis arrogance, his laziness, his contempt for others¡ªI fear that part of him will seep into me, tainting who I am now as Aria. I don¡¯t want to become him again. I don¡¯t want to repeat my previous life, where I squandered every opportunity and hurt everyone I cared about.


    Thankfully, it¡¯s been years since I first regained those memories, and life as Aria has been... different. Irana and I are now in middle school, and so far, I¡¯ve done everything I can to live the opposite of the life I once lived. I study hard, treat my classmates with kindness, and cherish every small moment of happiness.


    Then, one day, I noticed something peculiar.


    As a middle school student, I have to wear a skirt as part of the school uniform. At first, I thought it would feel strange or uncomfortable, considering my memories of being Ari. But instead, I found something surprising¡ªI actually like it.


    Wearing a skirt feels comfortable, and natural even. How could that be? Shouldn¡¯t I feel out of place? Shouldn¡¯t the remnants of my former self rebel against it?


    But no, there¡¯s no rebellion, no discomfort. If anything, this small revelation feels reassuring.


    It¡¯s not a problem, really. In fact, it¡¯s helpful. It means that I¡¯m not bound by the constraints of my past life. Ari might live in my memories, but he doesn¡¯t control me. I¡¯m Aria now. I¡¯ll wear this skirt with confidence, and I¡¯ll embrace the comfort it brings.


    Every day is a new chance to distance myself from who I used to be and to step fully into who I am now. My life as Aria is mine alone, and I¡¯ll live it to its fullest.


    It feels strange to think back to my time in kindergarten. There were these naughty kids, you know, the kind who would always disrupt others. They didn¡¯t mean any harm most of the time, but their antics could be infuriating. They liked to mess with the girls, especially while they were playing¡ªlifting their skirts or mocking them.


    Fortunately, I wasn¡¯t wearing a skirt at the time. My parents had allowed me to dress how I liked, even though I was a girl. They let me cut my hair short, too, so much so that from kindergarten to the end of elementary school, people often assumed I was a boy.


    I know it¡¯s funny to think now, but back then, it threw me into a deep identity crisis. Who was I, really? Was I supposed to be Aria, or was I supposed to embrace the truth of my past self, who lived as a boy?


    Anyway, back to those naughty kids.


    One day, they dared to mess with my twin sister, Irana. They lifted her skirt right in front of everyone. They cross the line they shouldn''t have.


    I lost control. They didn¡¯t deserve to go unpunished, and I wasn¡¯t about to let that slide. So, I taught them a lesson they¡¯d never forget. After that, to my surprise, those naughty boys swore loyalty to me. They thought I was their boss now.


    I refused. I wasn¡¯t about to be their leader, not by a long shot. So I beat them up again. It didn¡¯t matter how persistent they were.


    That¡¯s when my parents got involved. They were called to the school, and I ended up being punished for my behaviour. You don¡¯t need to know the details of my punishment. Just know that it was a rough day for me.


    That day, Irana was in tears. She said I had changed, that I wasn¡¯t the sister she once knew. She didn¡¯t recognize me as her Onee-chan anymore. Her sadness hit me hard, but I can¡¯t say it tore me apart.


    The surprising part came the next day. Irana called me Onii-chan. Not Onee-chan, but Onii-chan. I had a moment of utter disbelief when she said it. I was taken aback, especially when I saw how naturally it came out of her. It hit me hard that I was, in a way, no longer the sister she had known.


    Since that day, no one has ever looked at me like a girl, even though I grew my hair out to shoulder length. They still don¡¯t see me that way.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    And now, as I prepare for middle school, I wonder¡ªhow will those boys react when they see me, wearing a skirt? I''m dying to see the expressions on their faces.


    Even though Irana and I are twins¡ªour faces practically identical¡ªshe¡¯s always called "beautiful," while I¡¯m constantly referred to as "handsome." Yet, no one seems to notice... my chest. It¡¯s not flat! I¡¯ve grown¡ªwell, medium size, okay? It¡¯s so frustrating to be constantly overlooked in that way. Sometimes, I get so angry, but mostly I laugh it off. It¡¯s just another thing to deal with.


    You might wonder, why did I cut my hair if I didn¡¯t want to be mistaken for a man. The thing is, I never really considered it a problem. I spent over twenty years of my previous life as a man. In contrast, my life as a woman has only spanned about three years¡ªhardly any time at all in the grand scheme of things. Honestly, I didn¡¯t even remember much of it before I regained my past memories. I didn¡¯t see any issue with being a tomboy. I felt comfortable that way.


    But the real problem came with my twin, Irana. We have the same face¡ªour features so identical that anyone who looks at us can¡¯t tell the difference. As we got older, I started to notice something. Irana became more beautiful with every passing year, and I could feel a pang of jealousy rise within me.


    It was subtle at first, but I began wanting to change. I didn¡¯t want to be left behind while she became a graceful, beautiful girl. I thought, "Why can¡¯t I be beautiful too?" That¡¯s when I started growing my hair back, slowly, but surely. I wanted to be pretty like she was.


    I regret cutting my hair now. Looking back, I wish I hadn¡¯t asked my parents for boys¡¯ clothes and insisted on adopting that tomboyish style. They were happy, of course¡ªoverjoyed, even. They had wanted a son, but they ended up with two daughters. For a while, I think they thought they¡¯d gotten their wish with me.


    I do wonder, though¡­ was it a mistake? If I could go back, would I make the same choice? Well, in the end, my parents got their son after all when I was in third grade¡ªmy little brother, Yuuji.


    Yuuji¡¯s a shy little boy, I can¡¯t help but spoil him. I tease him endlessly, to get a reaction out of him. It¡¯s mostly harmless for fun, of course. I think he enjoys the attention, even if he doesn¡¯t show it.


    But there¡¯s something strange with him. He¡¯s not really close to Irana. Every time I see them together, there¡¯s tension¡ªarguing, bickering over the silliest things. It¡¯s enough to give me a headache sometimes.


    And yet, when we¡¯re all together with our parents, something changes. They suddenly all smiled, so sweet and affectionate to each other. Why is that? Why does it feel like they only argue in front of me? It¡¯s like they¡¯re hiding something from me like their relationship is a secret just between them.


    Irana and I ended up at the same school¡ªno surprise there, we¡¯ve always been a package deal. Unfortunately, those pesky kids from our past also attend. What a bummer. At least there¡¯s a silver lining: the school requires students to stay in the dormitory. Even though we¡¯re allowed to go home once a week, it only applies to those living nearby. For us, that¡¯s a luxury we won¡¯t enjoy often. Why is that a silver lining? Well, the boys can''t enter the girl''s dorm, obviously.


    Irana and I got lucky with the room arrangement. We¡¯re roommates, which I¡¯d say is a blessing¡ªor perhaps a curse on days she gets a little too clingy. There¡¯s a third person in our room, someone we¡¯ve known since elementary school: Viola. She¡¯s the classic studious type, with her braided hair and round glasses giving her that unmistakable "nerdy" aura. She¡¯s the kind who buries her nose in books and forgets there¡¯s a world outside of them.


    But don¡¯t be fooled. If Viola ever bothers to dress up, slap on some makeup, and trade her glasses for contact lenses? She¡¯s a stunner¡ªShe would look like a famous model, even prettier. That said¡­ Irana is still more beautiful, obviously. Which, by extension, makes me prettier too. Hehehe...


    Ahem.


    ¡°Oni¡­ ah no¡­ Onee-chan.¡± Irana¡¯s voice snaps me back to reality. ¡°What are you writing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m writing a diary,¡± I reply without hesitation, shutting the book gently. ¡°I want to remember all my life experiences when I look back someday.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± She tilts her head, curious. ¡°Why have I never seen Onee-chan writing in her diary at home before?¡±


    I pause for a second.


    Of course you haven''t seen me, I¡¯ve never kept a diary in my life, not even in my previous life. But I¡¯m not about to admit that. ¡°I always do it after you¡¯re asleep, Irana,¡± I say, keeping my expression neutral.


    ¡°Is that so? Is writing a diary enjoyable?¡±


    ¡°It depends on the person. For me, it¡¯s very enjoyable. It¡¯s like creating a story¡ªonly it¡¯s my own. Plus, writing things down helps me notice the smaller problems in life that I might overlook otherwise.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m quoting something I once read on Google. Thanks, past life internet.


    ¡°Really?¡± she says, eyes lighting up. ¡°That must be why Oni¡­ I mean, Onee-chan is always reliable.¡±


    My heart aches a little. Irana is clearly trying so hard to stop calling me Onii-chan, but it¡¯s tough for her. I¡¯d almost rather she keep calling me Onii-chan than stumble every other sentence.


    T_T


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late,¡± I say, deciding to change the subject. I look at Viola who is already sleeping peacefully. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep when Oni¡­ Onee-chan sleeps,¡± she insists, sitting there like a stubborn kitten. ¡°So we can sleep together.¡±


    How old is Irana now? Twelve? Thirteen? She should be able to sleep on her own by now! But how do I tell her that without breaking her heart?


    ¡°Why are you so spoiled¡­¡± I sigh, getting up and stretching. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m done for today. Let¡¯s sleep.¡±


    She grins, victorious. I roll my eyes, but I¡¯m smiling in the inside. Irana will always be Irana.

 Volume 1ーChapter 2: A Different Earth

    Have you ever wondered what awaits you after death? Is it eternal emptiness, a new beginning, or some kind of celestial reckoning? Right now, I stand as living proof¡ªor maybe "existence" is a better word¡ªthat the answer is a new beginning. At least for me.


    I am dead. Or rather, I was. Cause of death? Suicide. That¡¯s about as much as I can remember from my previous life. Everything else¡ªmy name, my life, the reasons that led me to that final act¡ªfaded into the void. But as one story ends, another begins.


    I¡¯ve been reincarnated into a world so much like, yet so very different to the one I left behind. This world follows an alternate history, one altered by strange turns of fate.


    Take the Russo-Japanese War, for instance. Here, Japan emerged not just victorious, but overwhelmingly so. They didn¡¯t just fight back Russia; they liberated Siberia and established puppet states like Manchuria. Their decisive victory set the tone for the decades that followed.


    World War I¡ªcalled the Great War here¡ªalso unfolded differently. It dragged on for over a decade, only to end in 1925 without a clear victor. A revolution spread like wildfire, toppling governments and reshaping nations. Amidst the chaos, Japan strengthened its influence, creating the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. They became the dominant power in Asia, a beacon of progress and unity.


    Curiously, this reshaped world never saw a Second World War. Fear of global destruction loomed too large for anyone to entertain such a catastrophe. You might think this restraint stemmed from early development of nuclear weapons. Logical guess, but completely wrong.


    This world holds a power far greater than nukes.


    Espers.


    Humans with supernatural powers that defy the laws of nature. To make matters worse, this world isn¡¯t just inhabited by humans. Dimensional rifts occasionally open, allowing monsters to slip into our reality. These creatures are the true reason Espers exist, though only the privileged elite or Espers themselves know that truth. For everyone else? Ignorance is bliss. Breaking this secrecy brings severe consequences¡ªdeath, to be exact.


    Let me properly introduce myself. I¡¯m Miyazaki Irana, and I am an Esper. My family isn¡¯t entirely ordinary either. My father and my younger brother are Espers too. My mother, however, is not.


    As for my twin sister, Aria Onee-chan? She¡¯s... complicated. Technically, she is an Esper, but she doesn¡¯t know it. The Esper Association¡ªthe secretive body that governs us¡ªbelieves that her knowledge of her own power would be dangerous. Terrifyingly dangerous.


    In the hands of someone like my sister, her abilities would rival that of a nuclear weapon. And just like the existence of nuclear weapons inspired doctrines of mutually assured destruction in my former world, her very existence has done the same here. People like Aria Onee-chan¡ªonce weaponized during the Great War¡ªare the reason large-scale wars have not erupted since.


    Her powers aside, Onee-chan has always been¡­ intimidating in her way. She exudes an aura of authority, one that commands attention and demands respect. It¡¯s almost impossible not to be drawn to her. At the same time, she¡¯s maddeningly silly and easygoing, especially at home.


    I want to call her beautiful, but the word feels inadequate¡ªor maybe inaccurate. ¡°Handsome¡± fits better. She carries herself with a kind of effortless coolness that makes you forget she¡¯s a girl.


    Or rather, she used to. Lately, Onee-chan seems to have embraced her feminine side. Her hair now grows out to shoulder length, and the school¡¯s uniform emphasizes her figure. I think she¡¯s finally happy to be recognized as a woman. She even seems regretful about her tomboy phase, though I can¡¯t say I miss it too much.


    That¡¯s my sister¡ªa paradox in every sense. A force to be reckoned with, yet awkwardly endearing at times. And as much as I¡¯d never admit it to her face, she¡¯s the kind of person anyone would follow without a second thought.


    Now let''s move on to another story, more about myself. On my first day entering middle school, it was also my first day carrying out a mission as an Esper. My father accompanied me and supervised me on this mission. This was supposed to be a class E mission. Yet, the monsters that emerge from the dimensional rift resemble the fantasy monster, Troll. Interestingly, this troll breathes fire. Worse of all, my power is an ice system! Who is in charge of assigning these missions?!


    My heart pounded as I leapt away, the searing heat of the troll¡¯s fire breath grazing my ice-layered body. I barely managed to stay on my feet, slipping slightly on the frost that now coated my skin. The crackle of melting ice mingled with the roar of the troll as it charged again, this time lifting its massive mace high above its head.


    So this is what it feels like to stare death in the face... Why do I have to experience this on my first mission?!


    I gritted my teeth, forcing the panic down. It wouldn¡¯t help. I clenched my hands, feeling the chill of my ice gathering at my fingertips.


    ¡°Dad,¡± I hissed under my breath, hoping he¡¯d catch my glare from the sidelines, ¡°I swear I¡¯ll get back at you for this. You''re the one who said Class E means beginner-friendly, didn¡¯t you?!¡±


    I glanced sideways, hoping to spot my father for reassurance. He was leaning casually against a tree at the edge of the forest, arms crossed and wearing an irritatingly calm expression. His lips moved ever so slightly, and I could just make out his voice over the chaos.


    ¡°Come on, Irana,¡± he called out nonchalantly. ¡°If you¡¯re going to whine, at least aim it at the monster.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I tightened my grip, feeling my palms tingle with frost. Fine. If he wants to treat this like some kind of test, I¡¯ll pass it. Just to wipe that smug look off his face.


    The troll roared again, rushing toward me. Its speed caught me off guard¡ªit was so much faster than something its size had any right to be. The mace whooshed through the air, barely missing me as I rolled to the side again, my singed clothes clinging uncomfortably to me. My breath came in short gasps, the chill of my own ice amplifying the stark night air.


    I planted my feet firmly, aiming both hands at the ground. I couldn¡¯t overpower this thing¡ªnot with brute force¡ªbut I could buy myself some time to think. A sharp blast of icy energy shot from my palms, spreading quickly across the dirt and grass. The troll¡¯s massive feet stomped forward, slipping slightly on the growing layer of frost. It teetered, and for a moment, I thought I had it.


    Then came the fire. Again.


    It opened its jagged-toothed mouth, spewing flames that consumed the ice almost as fast as I could create it. The steam hissed, filling the air and obscuring my vision. This wasn¡¯t working. I needed a new tactic.


    In desperation, I darted around to its blind spot, circling wide as the steam lingered. My mind raced, and for some reason, all I could think about was my sister. What would Aria Onee-chan say if she were here? Probably something ridiculous, like, ¡°Be cool, Irana, and hit it with everything you¡¯ve got!¡±


    The thought brought a faint grin to my face despite the panic. It was reckless, but maybe that¡¯s what I needed right now.


    Drawing on every ounce of strength, I gathered my icy energy in both hands, letting it build and build until my arms felt like they would freeze solid. The troll had stopped roaring, turning toward me once again. I steadied myself as it raised its mace high.


    ¡°Take this!¡± I yelled, a little more dramatically than necessary, releasing all the pent-up energy in a single blast. A beam of freezing light shot forward, catching the troll square in the chest. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as frost raced across its body, encasing it in shimmering ice.


    And then¡ªit fell. The ground shook as the frozen troll hit the earth, its flames extinguished and its body locked in a glacial prison.


    I stood there, panting, a mixture of exhilaration and relief flooding through me. I had done it. I had actually taken down the troll.


    ¡°See? That wasn¡¯t so hard.¡± My father¡¯s voice broke through the moment, and I turned to see him strolling toward me with a faint smile. ¡°Though I must say, your clothes didn¡¯t fare too well.¡±


    I froze¡ªagain¡ªnoticing for the first time just how exposed I was. Half-naked, in the middle of the woods, and entirely at the mercy of my father¡¯s teasing. My cheeks burned hotter than the troll¡¯s flames.


    ¡°Not. A. Word,¡± I growled, wrapping myself awkwardly with a thin layer of ice to cover what remained of my dignity.


    He smirked but said nothing, pulling out a small device to send a report of the mission¡¯s success to the Association. As he turned away, I shot him a glare.


    ¡°If you recorded any of that,¡± I muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll freeze your phone permanently.¡±


    He laughed, the sound echoing through the woods.


    ¡°Welcome to life as an Esper, Irana,¡± he said. ¡°Lesson one: Always pack a spare uniform.¡±


    "Don''t worry, dear. I have a change of clothes for you," my father¡¯s voice called out casually, his tone annoyingly cheerful from a short distance.


    That old geezer! He knew this might happen! He was probably waiting for a chance to mess with me. My glare shot toward him, but his smirk suggested he was thoroughly enjoying himself. I muttered under my breath, ¡°I need to complain to Onii-chan about this later. Ah¡ªno, I mean Onee-chan...¡±


    I made a mental note to work on fixing my habit, but right now, I had bigger problems¡ªlike the enormous, supposedly dead troll lying in a heap before me. Just to be sure, I created another ice spear, aimed it at the creature''s eye, and drove it in with all my might. A sickening crunch echoed, making my stomach churn ever so slightly, but I suppressed the feeling.


    ¡°That should do it,¡± I said, stepping back and wiping the sweat¡ªor was it melted frost?¡ªfrom my forehead. I turned to face my father. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m done.¡±


    But, of course, he just had to nitpick. ¡°No, you haven¡¯t. Finish the job. You need to kill it.¡±


    I stared at him in disbelief. ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s already dead.¡±


    His expression was hard to read, somewhere between approval and suspicion. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, tilting his head. ¡°I mean, this is your first time killing something this big.¡±


    Strangely, he had a point. The reality of taking down a living creature should¡¯ve shaken me, maybe even terrified me. But, oddly enough, I felt¡­ fine. My hands didn¡¯t tremble, my heartbeat stayed steady, and there wasn¡¯t even the faintest twinge of guilt. If anything, I was more annoyed about my burned uniform.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± I said, half to him and half to myself. My brows furrowed as I mulled it over. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of my previous life? I mean... I did die by suicide, so...¡± My voice trailed off as I considered the implications.


    My father raised an eyebrow and let out a low whistle. ¡°Is this daughter of mine actually a psychopath?¡± he teased.


    I kicked him square in the shin. ¡°Stop joking around. Where¡¯s the change of clothes?¡± I snapped, though I couldn¡¯t hide the smirk tugging at the corners of my lips. ¡°I need to get back before Onii¡ªuh, Onee-chan wakes up.¡±


    At that, his teasing demeanor turned serious for just a moment. ¡°Irana, you have to stop calling Aria ¡®Onii-chan.¡¯ She¡¯s your sister¡ªa girl¡ªso call her properly.¡±


    I winced at the reminder of my unfulfilled promise to Onee-chan. ¡°Right, right,¡± I muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll fix it. Eventually.¡±


    After slipping into the spare clothes my father provided¡ªa set that miraculously didn¡¯t reek of bad taste¡ªI hurried back toward the school dormitory, careful to sneak past any patrolling staff. By the time I climbed into bed, the room was silent except for the soft, steady breathing of Onii...nee-chan. Her peaceful face caught the moonlight streaming through the curtains, and for a moment, I felt a wave of relief.


    That is until a sharp whisper broke the quiet.


    ¡°Irana,¡± my father¡¯s voice crackled faintly in my earpiece. ¡°Before you sleep, let me remind you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ugh, what now, Dad?¡± I whispered, frustrated but mindful of not waking Aria or Viola.


    ¡°Nothing major,¡± he said, clearly enjoying drawing out the moment. ¡°Just a little heads-up¡ªyour next mission will be a Class D.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡± I shrieked, though thankfully I managed to keep it to a harsh whisper. But the damage was already done.


    Aria stirred, her eyes fluttering open slightly. ¡°Irana... is something wrong?¡±


    Caught off guard, I fumbled for a quick response. ¡°N-no, Onee-chan. Just... bad dream!¡± I stammered.


    She smiled faintly and reached out to pat my head. ¡°Go back to sleep,¡± she murmured, her voice laced with drowsiness. ¡°And stay out of trouble, okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Onee-chan,¡± I said softly, guilt prickling my chest.


    As her breathing steadied again, I muttered into the earpiece, ¡°You are dead, Dad.¡± His chuckle was the last thing I heard before I finally closed my eyes, bracing myself for whatever fresh insanity awaited me next.

 Volume 1ーChapter 3: Morning Routine

    When I woke up, my adorable little sister, Irana, was clinging tightly to my arm, her soft breaths warm against my skin. Despite my efforts the previous night to ensure she stayed in her own bed, she had somehow managed to sneak into mine. This had become a routine, no matter how much I tried to keep her in her bed.


    The gentle rays of early morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, and as I adjusted my position slightly, her hold tightened instinctively, like she was afraid I¡¯d slip away.


    "Your sister is always so close to you, right, Aria?"


    Viola''s voice suddenly cut through the silence, pulling my attention to the other side of the room. She was already sitting upright, her notebook open, and her pen moving across the page. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m a bit jealous. I¡¯ve always wanted a little sister like Irana. But my little sister and I aren¡¯t very close... we end up fighting more often than not.¡±


    Her wistful tone made me hesitate. I wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. "Viola? You¡¯re awake already? Do you always get up this early?"


    She glanced at me briefly, showing a small smile on her lips. "Practice makes perfect. I¡¯ve gotten used to it. I prefer to finish my homework before sunrise. At night, it¡¯s impossible to concentrate with my sister making so much noise. I don¡¯t even know what she''s up to half the time, but it¡¯s loud enough to drive me crazy. And my parents? They always take her side, no matter what."


    I paused, unsure of what to say. Sharing how I managed to work through the noise caused by Irana and Yuuji at night seemed¡­ unnecessary. I simply smiled and offered a weak, "That sounds really frustrating."


    Viola shrugged, her smile turning a little rueful. "It is what it is. Anyway, the cafeteria¡¯s already open. You should wake Irana up, take a bath with her, and we¡¯ll head down together for breakfast. I¡¯ll wait for you both."


    I winced at the suggestion. "Waking Irana? That¡¯s practically suicide."


    Viola chuckled, clearly amused by my reaction. "Why do you always make that face when it comes to Irana?"


    "Please, don¡¯t wake her until I¡¯m done bathing," I replied, trying to sound as serious as possible.


    "Why not?" she asked, tilting her head in curiosity.


    "Just don¡¯t ask so many questions. Help me out here, okay?" I grabbed my things and rushed to the bathroom before she could press further.


    Bathing time was my only sanctuary, the brief moment in my day when I could finally let my guard down. The warmth of the water helped melt away the fatigue and chaos that seemed to follow me constantly. But, of course, even this small reprieve never lasted long.


    The bathroom door slammed open, making me jump.


    "ONEE-CHAN! WHY DIDN¡¯T YOU WAKE ME UP?!" Irana¡¯s voice echoed through the room, loud and full of indignation.


    I sighed, turning toward her. "Irana, I¡¯m almost done. Can¡¯t you just wait a few minutes?"


    "Don¡¯t move!" she demanded, stomping toward me with an air of determination. "I¡¯ll wash up real quick and get in with you."


    I bit back another sigh. Resisting her was futile, so I resigned myself to my fate. "Fine. Just hurry up. Viola¡¯s waiting for us."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Her pout transformed into a cheerful grin, and she began scrubbing her body at lightning speed. Watching her, I couldn¡¯t help but notice how carelessly she was treating her skin.


    "Hey, Irana," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "Don¡¯t be so rough. You¡¯ll hurt yourself scrubbing like that."


    She stopped mid-motion, looking at me confused. "Huh? Really? Isn¡¯t this how you¡¯re supposed to do it?"


    I sighed again, this time softer, and took the washcloth from her hands. "No, not like that. Here, let me show you. Be gentle with your skin, or it¡¯ll get irritated."


    Oh... I¡¯ve really spoiled her. I¡¯ve been washing her skin since she was little, always making sure she was clean and comfortable. But I never taught her how to do it herself. If this continues, Irana¡¯s beautiful skin might fade over time. As her older sister, it¡¯s my responsibility to take good care of her.


    I stepped out of the bathtub, the cool air brushing against my watery skin, and approached her. She stood still as I rinsed her body to remove all the foam she had hastily applied. My eyes scanned her skin carefully, and just as I suspected, red patches marred her otherwise smooth skin.


    "Look at this, Irana," I said, gesturing to the irritated spots. "Your skin¡¯s damaged. Doesn¡¯t it hurt when you wash so roughly?"


    She tilted her head, blinking up at me with those innocent eyes, and shook her head.


    "Irana," I said softly, sighing, "you need to be gentler. Here, let me show you."


    I picked up the soap and lathered it in my hands before applying it to her skin, carefully and methodically washing her with gentle, circular motions. Her skin was soft¡ªsofter than I realized¡ªand I couldn¡¯t help but think how delicate it was.


    Wait. What? This¡­ feels kind of inappropriate to describe. Damn it, I won¡¯t give any more details from here on!


    As I focused on demonstrating the proper way to wash, a mischievous giggle broke through my concentration.


    "Onee-chan..." Irana said, her voice tinged with amusement.


    I glanced at her suspiciously. "What is it?"


    "I know how to wash my own body properly."


    My hands froze mid-motion. "Wait¡­ what?!"


    Irana¡¯s grin widened, and before I could react, she suddenly spun around and hugged me tightly, her smooth, bare skin pressing against mine.


    "Onee-chan has fallen into my trap!" she declared triumphantly, her laughter echoing through the bathroom.


    My face flushed as realization dawned. "Wait¡­ then why¡ª"


    "Of course¡­ for this!"


    She giggled again, squeezing me tightly as if this entire scenario had been a game to her.


    I groaned inwardly. Oh no¡­ my little sister is toying with me again. I¡¯ve been far too naive!


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    ...


    Fuuuaaaa¡­ That was refreshing. I¡¯m still not used to it, but there¡¯s something so refreshing about it. My body feels lighter, and more relaxed, like all the tension has been washed away.


    What am I talking about? Oh, are you curious? Well¡­ I won¡¯t tell you! It¡¯s a secret!!


    After we were done bathing, Irana and I got dressed in our uniforms, the morning sun streaming through the windows as we prepared for breakfast.


    ¡°Sorry we took so long in the bathroom, Viola,¡± I said as we approached the table, guilt lacing my voice.


    Viola looked up from her seat, shaking her head in response. "It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t wait that long," she said with her usual calm demeanour.


    Just as I sat down, I turned to Irana, still determined to drive my earlier point home. ¡°Irana, in the future, don¡¯t be so rough when washing your skin. Remember to wash it gently, like this, okay?¡±


    I mimicked the careful motions I¡¯d shown her in the bath, emphasizing my words.


    But before I could say more, a sudden commotion drew my attention.


    ¡°Vi¡­ Viola!!¡± I exclaimed, wide-eyed. ¡°Your nose is bleeding!! Are you okay?¡±


    Viola froze, her hand flying up to her nose as her face turned an alarming shade of red.


    Aaaah¡­ I get it now. She overheard us in the bathroom. Oh no. Oh no! I¡¯m not explaining this. Explaining it will only make things worse. I¡¯ll just pretend I don¡¯t know anything. Pretending to be a dense protagonist is helpful here.


    As I glanced at Irana, she met my gaze with a mischievous glint in her eyes.


    "Hoo hoo... did Viola hear what we were doing in the bathroom?" Irana said with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t hear anything!!¡± Viola interjected, waving her hands frantically as if to erase any suspicion. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t!¡±


    I sighed, giving Irana a pointed look. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough, Irana.¡±


    ¡°Tch, Onii...nee-chan is boring,¡± she replied cheekily, her mischievous grin not fading in the slightest.


    ¡°Next time,¡± I added firmly, ¡°don¡¯t tease Viola like that.¡±


    She laughed, leaning her head against my arm as if to feign innocence. ¡°Of course, Onee-chan! No more teasing for Viola. Maybe¡­¡±


    I groaned. This morning wasn¡¯t turning out to be as relaxing as I¡¯d hoped.

 Volume 1ーChapter 4: Breakfast and Cleaning

    This morning¡¯s breakfast is green bean porridge¡ªmy absolute favourite.


    The comforting aroma of sweet coconut milk mixed with green beans filled the cafeteria, bringing a small smile to my face. But not everyone shared my enthusiasm.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ What is this? It looks disgusting. Is this really food for humans?¡± Irana¡¯s voice was loud enough to turn a few heads.


    I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. ¡°Irana, don¡¯t be so rude. It might not look appetizing, but it¡¯s healthy and delicious. This is my favourite food you know.¡±


    She turned her sceptical gaze toward me, her nose wrinkled as if the porridge itself had offended her.


    ¡°Onee-chan¡¯s favourite? Don¡¯t lie. You¡¯re just saying that to make me eat this, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I frowned. ¡°No, Irana. This really is my favourite. It¡¯s sweet, tasty, and incredibly good for you.¡±


    ¡°If Onee-chan says so¡­¡± she muttered, still clearly unconvinced.


    I shrugged. She might not believe me now, but maybe she¡¯d change her mind after trying it.


    After getting our food, I scanned the cafeteria for Viola. She wasn¡¯t at our usual spot. Just as I turned to look toward the far corner, a familiar, grating voice called out.


    ¡°Oh, Boss! Finally, we meet¡­ Wait, boss? Boss, why are you wearing a girl¡¯s uniform?¡±


    It was the gang of mischievous boys who always seemed to find me, no matter where I was.


    ¡°Hmph,¡± I replied, crossing my arms. ¡°What do you mean, why? I¡¯m a girl, so of course, I wear a girl¡¯s uniform.¡±


    The boys froze, their jaws dropping as if I¡¯d just confessed to a heinous crime. Then they huddled together, whispering in a flurry of animated gestures.


    I ignored their antics and spotted Viola sitting alone at a table in the far corner. Why is she all the way over there? I grabbed Irana¡¯s hand and made my way toward her.


    ¡°Boss! Wait!¡± one of the boys shouted behind me. ¡°We¡¯ve just decided on a new nickname for you!¡±


    I groaned inwardly. ¡°I don¡¯t care. Don¡¯t bother me right now. Shoo, shoo!¡±


    ¡°Boss! Just listen!¡±


    ¡°Later! I¡¯ll hear it later. Now leave me alone!¡±


    Finally, the boys gave up, and I exhaled in relief. ¡°Irana, let¡¯s go. Viola¡¯s been waiting too long.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, Viola,¡± I said as we reached the table.


    She waved off my apology with a small smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t waited long.¡±


    I slid into the seat across from her, while Irana plopped down next to me.


    ¡°By the way,¡± I began as I picked up my spoon, ¡°have you heard anything about class distribution? Is there any news from upperclassman?¡±


    Viola tilted her head thoughtfully. ¡°Not officially, but there¡¯s a rumour going around that the classes won¡¯t be mixed this year. Girls will be with girls, and boys with boys.¡±


    I nearly dropped my spoon. ¡°Wait, what? That¡¯s new. Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not completely sure, but I heard it from a new student who has an upperclassman relative.¡±


    Irana raised an eyebrow. ¡°That source sounds¡­ unreliable.¡±


    Viola shrugged. ¡°Maybe, but it makes sense. The rumour¡¯s everywhere, and it¡¯s too specific to be made up.¡±


    I leaned back, digesting the news. ¡°If it¡¯s true, then we definitely won¡¯t be in the same class.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Viola asked.


    ¡°Well, obviously, because I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°Blegh!¡± Irana interrupted with a loud gagging sound. ¡°What is this?! It has no flavour at all! Onee-chan, you lied to me! It¡¯s not sweet or delicious!¡±


    Startled, I turned to her. ¡°Huh? That¡¯s strange.¡± I glanced at her bowl and immediately spotted the problem. ¡°Irana, where¡¯s the coconut milk?¡±


    ¡°The what?¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Oh no¡­¡± I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. ¡°And let me guess, you didn¡¯t add sugar either?¡±


    She blinked at me blankly.


    I sighed again and swapped our bowls. ¡°Here, take mine.¡±


    I stood to get coconut milk and sugar, but when arrived there, a long queue had already formed. Great... Just great


    ¡°Boss?¡± a familiar voice called.


    The boys had found me again.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already get food earlier?¡± one asked, puzzled. ¡°Are you that hungry?¡±


    I smirked, handing my bowl to the nearest one. ¡°Actually, I forgot to add coconut milk and sugar. Do me a favour and swap your with me, okay?¡±


    Without waiting for a response, I grabbed his bowl and walked off.


    From behind me, I heard the commotion start.


    ¡°That bastard! How lucky can he get?¡±


    ¡°Give me that bowl!¡±


    ¡°The precious bowl touched by the boss!¡±


    I shook my head, quickening my pace. Some things never change.


    <hr>


    After breakfast, the next task was to check the bulletin board for class distribution. That was the plan, at least, until the dorm mother announced that all students were to gather in the field under the blazing morning sun.


    The entire student body assembled, standing in rows that looked uncomfortably like a military formation. It felt as if we were a battalion preparing for war. Okay, maybe that¡¯s an exaggeration. It was just the morning assembly.


    But honestly, it felt endless. Sweat trickled down my neck as I stood there, trying to pay attention to whatever the dorm mother and the principal were saying. I couldn¡¯t. Their words became background noise as the heat sapped my energy.


    Finally, the assembly ended, but instead of dismissing us, the dorm mother divided the students into groups of three and assigned each group a task. My group? The most thrilling, glamorous task of them all: cleaning the toilets.


    Viola and Irana weren¡¯t in the same group as me. Instead, I was paired with two strangers: a girl with twin tails and another with a ponytail who seemed older, possibly a second-year. Great. My luck couldn¡¯t get worse.


    But Aria, think positively. It¡¯s just cleaning toilets. How bad can it really be?


    ...


    ...


    ...


    I take back my words.


    The girls¡¯ toilet was horrifying. Used sanitary pads littered the floor, and the stench was unbearable. My stomach churned as I surveyed the mess.


    ¡°Yuck¡­ I almost threw up just smelling this,¡± said the twin-tailed girl, covering her nose.


    I nodded in agreement, swallowing hard to keep my breakfast down.


    ¡°We¡¯d better clean this quickly,¡± said the ponytail girl, her tone weary yet resolute. ¡°The dorm mother will scold us if we don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Are girls¡¯ toilets always¡­ uh¡­ this filthy?¡± I asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Only at the start of the semester,¡± the ponytail girl replied. ¡°It gets better once the janitors start their routine.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re the unlucky ones who have to clean it this time?¡± the twin-tailed girl groaned.


    The ponytail girl gave a bitter smile. ¡°Unfortunately, yes. Let¡¯s just get it over with.¡±


    I grabbed a trash bag and reluctantly picked up a used sanitary pad from the floor, holding it as far away from myself as possible. The thought of girls being this careless made me shudder.


    This experience also served as a grim reminder: I hadn¡¯t experienced that part of being a girl yet. Note to self: research how to properly dispose of these later.


    Time dragged on as we cleaned the mess. By the end, my hands felt raw from scrubbing, and my body ached from crouching and reaching into tight corners.


    ¡°Finally... it¡¯s done,¡± the twin-tailed girl said, her voice filled with exhaustion. Her pale face mirrored my own fatigue and nausea.


    ¡°Let¡¯s report back to the dorm mother,¡± the ponytail girl said, trying to sound upbeat despite her clear exhaustion.


    The three of us trudged back to the dorm mother in silence. None of us had introduced ourselves during the entire ordeal. Even after reporting back, we went our separate ways without exchanging names.


    The dorm mother handed me a brochure detailing our class locations, a school map, school rules, and a list of available clubs. Fancy, right? This school really does seem elite. But seriously, what kind of elite school doesn¡¯t have an active janitor at the start of the semester?!


    As I scanned the class distribution, my heart leapt with joy. Good news! I was in the same class as Irana and Viola!


    When I found them, relief overwhelmed me. Without thinking, I ran up to them, throwing my arms around them both. Tears welled up in my eyes. It felt like I hadn¡¯t seen them in years.


    ¡°Uuuh... Oh no, my eyes... Tears are flowing! This is so embarrassing, crying on the first day of school.¡±


    ¡°Onee-chan?¡± Irana¡¯s voice was concerned. ¡°Why are you crying? Did someone bully you? Tell me who it is.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ no one bullied me!¡± I stammered between sobs, trying to explain.


    ¡°Aria¡­¡± Viola¡¯s voice turned serious. ¡°Just tell us. Who dared to make you cry like this?¡±


    Why were these two gentle girls suddenly acting so fierce?


    ¡°No one! Sob¡­ no one bullied me!¡± I took a deep breath, finally managing to calm down a little. ¡°Think about it. Who could even bully me?¡±


    They paused, seemingly considering the question.


    ¡°¡­Right. It doesn¡¯t seem possible for anyone to bully Onee-chan,¡± Irana admitted.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Viola agreed. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine a cold-blooded monster like Aria being bullied.¡±


    ¡°Cold-blooded monster?¡± I repeated indignantly, but before I could respond further, a voice cut in.


    ¡°She¡¯s crying because¡­ just my guess¡­ the disgusting toilet.¡±


    I turned toward the voice and immediately recognized the twin-tailed girl from my cleaning group. Oh no. I wasn¡¯t ready to explain anything. Without thinking, I buried my face in Irana¡¯s chest to hide.


    ¡°Uh, you are¡­?¡± Viola asked politely.


    ¡°Ahem. Pardon my lack of manners. My name is Minami Kotori. You can call me Kotori. I was in the same group as her earlier,¡± she said, gesturing toward me.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Viola said, offering a small smile. ¡°I¡¯m Viola Ronela. You can call me Viola.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m Miyazaki Irana,¡± Irana added.


    ¡°¡­And her?¡± Kotori gestured to me.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you in the same group?¡± Irana asked.


    Kotori nodded sheepishly. ¡°The place we cleaned was¡­ quite disgusting. We were so focused on finishing that we forgot to introduce ourselves.¡±


    Irana nodded in understanding. ¡°This is my twin sister, Miyazaki Aria.¡±


    I felt calmer now. Taking a deep breath, I emerged from my hiding spot, still sniffling but managing a smile.


    ¡°Hello¡­ sniff... Nice to meet you, Kotori. As Irana said, my name is Miyazaki Aria. You can call me Aria or Ari for short.¡±


    Kotori stared at me silently for a moment.


    ¡°¡­Why are you just standing there like that?!¡± I blurted, feeling self-conscious under her gaze.


    Kotori blinked, startled by my outburst.


    ¡°¡­Is your sister always like this?¡± she asked Irana.


    ¡°Usually not in public,¡± Irana replied with a smirk.

 Volume 1ーChapter 5: Misconception

    Miyazaki Aria has been my friend since kindergarten. She¡¯s a fascinating girl, the type who radiates positivity wherever she goes. But did you know that the Aria we know today wasn¡¯t always the same?


    Back then, I mistook her for a boy.


    Her short hair, her tomboyish behaviour¡ªnothing about her suggested she was a girl. To me, she was just a peculiar "boy" who liked hanging out with the girls. At that age, most girls didn¡¯t enjoy playing with boys, but Aria was an exception. There was something about her¡ªa charm that made her likeable to everyone. She was cool, and to be honest, a bit handsome in her own way.


    But that¡¯s not why she became my best friend.


    I still remember the day that changed everything.


    My mom couldn¡¯t pick me up after school, so I had to stay late at the kindergarten. The caretaker tried to keep me entertained, but it wasn¡¯t fun. I could tell from her eyes and forced smile that she wasn¡¯t enjoying herself. To her, I was an extra burden, something standing between her and her evening plans.


    I pretended not to notice, quietly playing along, when a voice called out from behind me.


    ¡°Huh? There¡¯s another kid still here?¡±


    It was Aria.


    The caretaker seized the opportunity immediately.


    ¡°Oh, Aria! Your parents aren¡¯t here yet either? Don¡¯t be sad. You can play with our little friend here¡ªViola.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Aria said with a calm voice.


    Meanwhile, I was a bundle of nerves. I had never spoken to a boy before.


    ¡°Hello, friend! Wanna play with us?¡±


    She extended her hand toward me, her expression bright and welcoming. But I instinctively pulled back, avoiding her touch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± I said, my voice quieter than I intended.


    She didn¡¯t seem fazed by my reaction.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, friend?¡± she asked, tilting her head slightly, her tone still friendly.


    ¡°Viola,¡± I replied hesitantly. ¡°My name is Viola.¡±


    ¡°Viola? That¡¯s a pretty name,¡± she said, her smile widening.


    She then looked around, as if searching for someone.


    ¡°Hey, Irana! Come here! Look, we have a new friend!¡±


    That day, Aria and Irana started talking to me. Just like that, we became friends.


    At first, it felt like nothing had changed in my life. I still preferred keeping to myself, and my days passed as uneventfully as ever. The difference was that now I had someone to play with¡ªtwo, in fact. Not that I didn¡¯t have friends before, but I¡¯d always chosen not to interact much with other children. In turn, the other kids chose to ignore me.


    One day, as we sat under the shade of a tree, Aria spoke up.


    ¡°Hey, Viola, you don¡¯t have many friends, huh?¡±


    The way she said it was so blunt, so straightforward, it caught me off guard.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to play with them,¡± I replied, hoping the excuse would end the conversation.


    Aria frowned slightly, her expression growing serious. ¡°Do they ignore you? Tch, what a bunch of bullies.¡±


    Her words surprised me, and I felt the need to clarify.


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m the one who pushes them away to begin with,¡± I admitted, my voice calm, almost indifferent.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    It was such a simple question, yet one I couldn¡¯t answer truthfully.


    ¡°¡­Befriending me will bring bad luck,¡± I finally said, averting my gaze.


    It wasn¡¯t entirely a lie. The reason I avoided others was because of my power¡ªmy curse. The ability to teleport was something I couldn¡¯t control. If I touched someone, even by accident, there was a chance they¡¯d be teleported away to a random location. It had happened before, and the consequences were¡­ unpleasant.


    Aria looked at me for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, she gave me a mischievous grin.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Bad luck, huh? Well, that¡¯s just a challenge for me!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I blinked, unsure if I¡¯d heard her correctly.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s gonna scare me off, Viola. Besides, Irana and I are tougher than we look. You can¡¯t get rid of us that easily!¡±


    Her confidence was baffling. I didn¡¯t know how to respond, so I simply nodded, unsure if she truly understood what she was signing up for.


    But from that day forward, Aria and Irana¡¯s persistence never wavered. Slowly, they chipped away at the walls I had built around myself.


    Despite Aria and Irana¡¯s unwavering kindness, I couldn¡¯t shake the constant fear that loomed over me¡ªthe fear of my uncontrollable power. One wrong move, one careless touch, and I could send them¡ªor anyone¡ªaway to an unknown place. It was a ticking time bomb, and though it hadn¡¯t happened yet, the possibility haunted me.


    But everything changed on the day of that incident.


    We were in grade school at the time, walking home together like we always did. Our houses were close to each other, so it was a daily routine. The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the quiet streets.


    We were laughing about something trivial¡ªI don¡¯t even remember what¡ªwhen suddenly, two figures stepped out from a side alley.


    They looked suspicious, dressed in dark clothes with caps pulled low over their faces.


    ¡°Which one¡¯s the target?¡± one of them muttered, their voice low and chilling.


    Every instinct screamed at me to run, but my body wouldn¡¯t obey. Fear paralyzed me, rooting me to the spot. Irana stood frozen as well, her wide eyes darting between the strangers.


    But Aria was different. She stepped forward, positioning herself between us and the strangers. Her hands clenched into fists, her stance steady despite the danger.


    ¡°Who are you people?!¡± she demanded, her voice sharp and fearless.


    The men ignored her completely.


    ¡°The one with glasses,¡± one of them said.


    ¡°You sure?¡± the other replied.


    I didn¡¯t even have time to process their words before a shadow lunged toward me. My vision blurred, and I felt a sharp pain in my side. Everything went black.


    The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was Aria¡¯s voice, filled with rage and desperation.


    ¡°What did you do to Viola?!¡±


    What would happen next? It scares me to imagine. These people who kidnap me probably doing some sort of illegal experiment involving young Esper. The thought of being subjected to cruel tests or endless confinement¡­ It scared me.


    Then, suddenly, I heard a commotion from the outside.


    ¡°What happen?¡± I whispered to myself, trying to make sense of the muffled noises. There seemed to be a battle going on¡ªshouts, crashes, and the sound of things breaking. My heartbeat quickened. Could it be? Had someone come to rescue me?


    Before I could piece anything together, the door was kicked open with a loud bang. My heart skipped a beat as the force echoed in the room. I could barely see the figure who had entered¡ªthe light from the corridor was blinding against the dim space I was in.


    ¡°Viola!! Are you alright?¡±


    The voice was unmistakable, filled with urgency and worry.


    ¡°Aria?¡± I managed to croak, my voice weak and trembling.


    ¡°Thank goodness you are okay. Don¡¯t worry, Irana already called the police,¡± she said, her words like a lifeline.


    ¡°How?¡± I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. My mind was racing. How did Aria manage to get here? These people weren¡¯t ordinary¡ªthey had to be seasoned Espers, highly skilled and dangerous. How could a mere grade schooler have defeated them?


    ¡°Hehe, I am actually quite strong, you know,¡± she said with a silly, confident smile, the kind only Aria could pull off in such a dire situation.


    She then reached out her hand toward me, her intent clear.


    ¡°Wait, no!!¡­¡± I panicked, my voice breaking. If she touched my hand, there was a chance she¡¯d be teleported away¡ªto who knows where.


    ¡°Even now, you¡¯re whining not to touch you? At this situation?¡± she said, exasperation mixed with amusement in her tone.


    Before I could protest further, she grabbed my hand forcefully.


    And then¡­


    Nothing happened.


    ¡°What?¡± I stared at our joined hands, completely bewildered.


    Aria grinned, her grip firm but reassuring. ¡°Your hand is so smooth¡ªit¡¯s nice,¡± she said, her voice softening as she flashed me a charming smile that made my cheeks flush.


    I quickly turned my head away, my face burning. ¡°We¡­ we need to get out of here quick,¡± I stammered, trying to ignore the warmth spreading from where our hands touched.


    At that moment, I was sure I fell for her. There was something about her unwavering determination, her strength, and her ability to make me feel safe even in the darkest moments that left a permanent mark on my heart.


    Years have passed since that incident. Life continued its steady rhythm, and before I knew it, we entered middle school. That¡¯s when everything changed.


    It was the first day of the new semester. Aria, Irana, and I were excited to find out which dorm we¡¯d been assigned to. The thought of living together in the same dorm felt like a dream come true.


    When we reached the dormitory, the three of us stood outside the entrance, marvelling at the building. After checking in, we were given our room assignments. It was then that the realization hit me¡ªour names were all on the same room number.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°Why would a boy and two girls be placed in the same dorm room?¡±


    I glanced over at Aria, who seemed completely unbothered, casually carrying her luggage and chatting with Irana.


    ¡°Aria, don¡¯t you think this is a mistake? Maybe they didn¡¯t realize you¡¯re¡­ a boy?¡± I asked hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper.


    Aria tilted her head, confused. ¡°What are you talking about, Viola?¡±


    ¡°You know, dorm rules. Boys and girls can¡¯t share a room,¡± I explained, trying to be tactful.


    Irana burst out laughing. ¡°Viola, what are you saying? Aria¡¯s not a boy!¡±


    I froze. ¡°W-What?¡±


    Aria looked at me with her usual nonchalant smile. ¡°Viola, did you really think I was a boy this whole time?¡±


    My mind raced, replaying all our memories together. Her short hair, her tomboyish demeanour.


    My heart dropped, shattering into a million pieces. All this time, I thought I had fallen for a boy, and now I was standing face-to-face with the truth.


    But then, as the initial shock wore off, I felt something strange. It wasn¡¯t disappointment or rejection. It was a fluttering warmth that spread through my chest.


    Maybe my heart hadn¡¯t broken.


    Maybe it was a new door opening.


    Like hell, that would happen!!

 Volume 1ーChapter 6: Lily

    Kotori explained to Irana and Viola how filthy and disgusting the toilet was. Meanwhile, I just sat quietly, saying nothing. I don¡¯t know why, but as I listened to Kotori¡¯s words, tears started falling again. Was this what they called trauma? I couldn''t control the emotional outburst, no matter how hard I tried.


    By the way, it seems our trio will now become a group of four with Kotori joining us. While waiting for the homeroom teacher to arrive, we talked about many things. Surprisingly, Kotori and I seemed to have a lot in common¡ªor at least, that¡¯s how it felt to me.


    Kotori has this tomboyish aura, yet she manages to maintain her pretty and feminine side. Unlike me, who leans so heavily into the masculine side that even Irana sometimes forgets I¡¯m a girl. I mean, it¡¯s my own fault. In my previous life, I was a man. But¡­ never mind. I¡¯ll probably get depressed again if I keep thinking about it.


    Oh, right, I mentioned Kotori and I share some similarities, didn¡¯t I? One of them is that she also has a group of followers who call her ¡°princess.¡± Honestly, I¡¯m a little jealous. While she¡¯s treated like royalty, the bratty kids around me are just a bunch of troublemakers. It¡¯s so unfair! Well, complaining won¡¯t change anything, so I¡¯ll drop it.


    Changing the subject, our class was entirely made up of girls¡ªnot a single boy in sight. It turns out that the rumor Viola heard was true. The first class was just the homeroom teacher explaining the school¡¯s rules.


    From her explanation, I learned that there are no janitors in this elite school. Instead, students are assigned cleaning duties as part of their discipline training. Completing these tasks earns credits, which can be exchanged for money. This system seems amazing for scholarship students or those from regular families, but I doubt it appeals much to students from wealthy backgrounds. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter to me either way.


    There were no other classes after the first one. The homeroom teacher told us we could explore the school to familiarize ourselves with the environment or return to the dormitory, as long as we stayed within the school grounds.


    I chose to head back to the dorm immediately, with Viola and Irana following me. When we got back to our dorm room, we discovered something surprising¡ªKotori¡¯s room was right next to ours on the right. What a coincidence! Or¡­ maybe not? Could someone have arranged this? Probably not. Haha, that¡¯s just my imagination running wild.


    As I unpacked, I remembered that I had an appointment with those bratty kids later in the evening.


    ¡°Irana, Viola¡­ I¡¯m going to meet those kids for a bit,¡± I said, grabbing my things to leave.


    Irana immediately frowned.


    ¡°Eh¡­ Onee-chan, it¡¯s already getting dark outside. It¡¯s not safe for a girl to go out at this hour.¡±


    Her words caught me off guard, and I couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly.


    ¡°Irana¡­¡±


    ¡°Y-yes?¡± She tilted her head slightly, looking confused.


    Ah, she¡¯s so adorable. But hold it together, Aria! You need to stay on track.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± I asked with a smile that probably looked forced.


    ¡°Onee-chan?... Why do you look so angry?¡±


    ¡°Angry? Fufufu¡­ What are you talking about, Irana? I¡¯m not angry at all.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ but¡­¡±


    ¡°Just answer me, Irana. What did you say earlier?¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s already getting dark outside¡­ and¡­ and it¡¯s dangerous for a girl to go out alone.¡±


    So that¡¯s what she said. Hmm? Why is Irana trembling slightly? Is she cold? I turned off the AC, thinking that might help, and approached her.


    ¡°A-Aria, don¡¯t do that!!... Irana is your little sister!! Have mercy on her, Aria!!¡± Viola exclaimed, trying to stop me.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Viola¡¯s reaction confused me. Why would she stop me from getting closer to my own sister? Could it be¡­


    ¡°Viola, it seems you¡¯re misunderstanding me,¡± I said calmly, brushing past her.


    As I got closer, Irana trembled even more. Fufufu, it was kind of funny to watch. Finally, I hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek repeatedly.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re the best little sister ever!!¡± I exclaimed.


    Irana seemed shocked but didn¡¯t pull away. Instead, she quietly muttered, ¡°Onee-chan?¡±


    I realized I might have gone overboard and quickly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Irana¡­ I hugged you so suddenly.¡±


    ¡°¡­No¡­ Onee-chan doesn¡¯t need to apologize. Instead, I¡­ um¡­ could you¡­ uh¡­ please¡­ do that¡­ again?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°What did you say, Irana?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡­ I was just talking to myself,¡± she said, looking embarrassed.


    Hmm¡­ Did I mishear her? Did she want me to do it again? Honestly, I felt embarrassed myself. Maybe just patting her head would suffice next time.


    ¡°Well¡­ I think that¡¯s enough for now. I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    Before Irana could say anything else, I quickly ran out of the dorm. For some reason, as I left, I thought I faintly heard Viola mutter, ¡°Me too¡­¡± But nah, that couldn¡¯t be right. Viola¡¯s not the type to want pampering. Or¡­ is she?


    ***


    Hello, Irana here... Is this introduction necessary? Well, let¡¯s continue. I¡¯m an Esper, but not just that¡ªI¡¯m also a D-ranked member of the Esper Association, officially registered. As a member, I¡¯m obligated to complete missions to seal dimensional rifts occurring in this city.


    Of course, I¡¯m not doing this alone; I¡¯m just one of the operators. I only handle rifts I can manage and those near me. In essence, as members of the Esper Association, we protect society¡¯s peace¡ªeven though most people don¡¯t realize we exist. Sounds cool, doesn¡¯t it?


    Yesterday, I completed my first mission. Missions like that, including daily ones, are mandatory for all Espers. Each rank has a different quota. For D-rank like me, it¡¯s one or two dimensional rifts per day. I¡¯m not sure about quotas for ranks above mine.


    But aside from the daily quota, I have another mission that¡¯s far more critical. If I fail, it could lead to chaos spreading across the world. That mission is to monitor Onee-chan.


    What? Does that sound ridiculous? Well, Onee-chan is an Esper too, but her powers are so dangerous that it¡¯s better for her not to know about them. I¡¯m not alone in this mission; my childhood friend Viola is helping me.


    Viola¡¯s an Esper as well, but not the combat type. Her ability is extraordinary¡ªteleportation. As long as she¡¯s marked a place, she can teleport there instantly. Honestly, I wish I had her power instead of cryokinesis.


    The sun was nearly setting when Onee-chan suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Irana, Viola... I¡¯m going to meet those brats for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Eh... Onee-chan, it¡¯s already getting dark outside. It¡¯s not safe for a girl to go out at this hour.¡±


    As soon as I said that, the room grew cold. But wait, I shouldn¡¯t feel cold because of my powers. Don¡¯t tell me... is this Onee-chan¡¯s power manifesting? Could she be using it unconsciously?


    ¡°Irana...¡± Onee-chan called my name in a flat tone.


    ¡°Y-yes?¡± I tilted my head slightly, hoping to appear cute and calm her down.


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± she asked with an unsettling smile.


    ¡°Onee-chan? Why do you look so angry?¡±


    ¡°Angry? Fufufu... What are you talking about, Irana? I¡¯m not angry at all.¡±


    Lies. Onee-chan¡¯s aura was clearly menacing. Even Viola, who rarely gets scared, was trembling.


    ¡°But, but...¡±


    ¡°Just answer me, Irana... What did you say earlier?¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s already getting dark... and... and it¡¯s dangerous for a girl to go out alone.¡±


    She moved closer with an even stronger intimidating aura. Was this really her power? Did she know about her abilities now?


    ¡°A-Aria, don¡¯t do this!! Irana is your little sister!! Have mercy on her!!¡± Viola shouted.


    Viola¡­ run! Save yourself! Don¡¯t get involved because of me!! I wanted to scream, but my voice wouldn¡¯t come out.


    ¡°Viola, it seems you¡¯re misunderstanding me,¡± Onee-chan said calmly, brushing past her.


    With a mischievous smile, she approached me. I couldn¡¯t help but tremble, but instead of the scolding or punishment I feared, she hugged me tightly and kissed my cheeks repeatedly.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re the best little sister ever!!¡±


    ¡°...Onee-chan?¡± I muttered in shock.


    The warmth of her hug was overwhelming. Despite everything, it felt soothing, comforting even.


    After a few moments, she pulled away and apologized.


    ¡°Sorry, Irana... I hugged you so suddenly.¡±


    ¡°...No... Onee-chan doesn¡¯t need to apologize. Instead, I... um... could you... uh... please... do that... again?¡±


    Ahhh! Why did I say that out loud?!


    ¡°What did you say, Irana?¡± she asked, tilting her head.


    ¡°Nothing... I was just talking to myself,¡± I quickly replied, trying to hide my embarrassment.


    ¡°Well... I think that¡¯s enough for now. I¡¯m going out now.¡±


    As she left the dorm room, I heard Viola mutter softly, ¡°Me too... hug me and kiss me too.¡±


    Oh no. Viola just realized Onee-chan is a girl, didn¡¯t she? She always thought Onee-chan was a boy, and now she¡¯s clearly flustered.


    ¡°Hoo hoo... Looks like Viola¡¯s starting to bend. You¡¯re turning into a lily,¡± I teased.


    ¡°...No, you¡¯re wrong!! Ugh... Stupid siscon!!¡± she retorted.


    ¡°Just admit it... stupid bookworm! And don¡¯t call me a siscon!!¡±


    ¡°Hmph!!...¡±


    Wait!! Don¡¯t teleport away just because you¡¯re embarrassed!!

 Volume 1ーChapter 7: Royal Guards?

    In the evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the city, I stepped out to meet the brats.


    To be honest, I¡¯m grateful they still choose to follow me, even though I routinely beat them up until they¡¯re black and blue. I hope it doesn¡¯t awaken any strange tendencies in them¡ªthough knowing these brats, I wouldn¡¯t put it past them. They actually remind me of my ¡°friends¡± from my previous life.


    It¡¯s strange because they don¡¯t have the slightest thing in common with my so-called friends from back then. So, what¡¯s the reason? Why do I feel this odd sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu? Maybe it¡¯s because, deep down, I know why they follow me. They admire and respect me, even if they never outright say it. Their loyalty is undeniable. They¡¯re always by my side, in good times and bad.


    In contrast, my ¡°friends¡± in my previous life¡­ they weren¡¯t exactly loyal. Sure, they¡¯d do anything I asked¡ªquickly and efficiently, too¡ªbut that loyalty wasn¡¯t to me. It was to my money.


    At the time, I thought they were true friends. I even lent one of them a million dollars for his mother¡¯s treatment without hesitation. I believed in them, trusted them. But in the end? I fell into the abyss of bankruptcy and lost everything. No money, no dignity, no friends. Their loyalty vanished as soon as my wealth did.


    Enough with these sad thoughts.


    These brats, on the other hand, are different. They¡¯re genuine. I consider them my loyal friends¡ªa replacement to heal the wounds left by past betrayals. I have high hopes for them. Maybe that¡¯s why I tolerate their antics.


    ¡°Ah, Boss! You¡¯re finally here! Hey, everyone! The Boss is here!!¡± one of them shouted as I approached.


    Even so, their over-the-top behavior still grates on my nerves.


    Oh, I should probably mention how many of them there are. Twenty-three in total. Their self-proclaimed leader is Arthur Yvonne.


    Arthur is thin, handsome, and back when we were in elementary school, the older girls in middle school used to gush over him, calling him an ¡°adorable shota.¡±


    Now, let me make one thing clear: I am not a shotacon. I was a man in my past life, for crying out loud. BUT¡­ I have to admit, those older girls weren¡¯t entirely wrong. Arthur really is the kind of shota that makes you want to pinch his cheeks and hug him tightly.


    Even though he¡¯s grown a bit over the years, his cuteness hasn¡¯t faded at all. If anything, it¡¯s just matured into a more refined charm. But let¡¯s not talk about his personality¡ªit¡¯s obnoxious enough to balance out his looks.


    Oh no¡­ why is my breathing getting unsteady? What¡¯s wrong with me?


    Alright, focus, Aria. Ask them what they wanted to tell you and get it over with.


    ¡°So¡­ what do you brats want to say?¡±


    They exchanged nervous glances, silently debating who would speak up. Finally, one of them shoved Arthur forward.


    ¡°Why do you always push me for this¡­¡± he muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Um¡­ well, Boss¡­¡± Arthur began, fidgeting slightly. ¡°We actually didn¡¯t know you were a girl until now. So first of all, we want to apologize.¡±


    Before I could respond, they all dropped to the ground in unison, prostrating before me. It felt like I was being worshipped.


    ¡°Stand up!! Your clothes will get dirty if you prostrate like that!!¡± I said, my voice cold and sharp.


    ¡°¡­but¡­ we have to¡­¡±


    ¡°Stand up!! Or I¡¯ll make you stand!!¡±


    They scrambled to their feet immediately.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll accept your apologies. After all, it¡¯s not a big deal,¡± I said, trying to sound indifferent.


    Though truth be told, if they hadn¡¯t apologized, I probably would¡¯ve beaten them up.


    ¡°Boss¡­ you¡¯re so generous¡­ also¡­ we¡¯ve discussed this. We¡¯ve decided to change how we address you, Boss.¡±


    ¡°Change how you address me? Because I¡¯m a girl?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Boss¡­ no¡­ Princess. We¡¯ve decided to call you Princess!!¡±


    .


    .


    .


    Haaaah!! What have I gotten myself into?


    They said they were going to call me "Princess" from now on. Just because they recently found out I¡¯m actually a girl. Aren¡¯t they just trying to mock me?


    The moment Arthur said it, my foot connected squarely with his jaw. Don¡¯t think that just because you have a cute face, I¡¯ll go easy on you. Cute or not, you¡¯re rotten inside¡ªa piece of trash at the end of the day.


    ¡°You¡¯re really asking for a beating, aren¡¯t you!!¡± I growled, already cracking my knuckles.


    ¡°¡­Damn it¡­ I told you it was a bad idea,¡± Arthur muttered weakly, cradling his jaw.


    I didn¡¯t care. My fists found their way to each one of the brats, one after the other. No one gets a free pass today. As usual, a few of them tried to run. But you can¡¯t escape. Not from me, you trash!!


    ¡°...Princess!!¡­ no, I mean Boss¡­ please have mercy!!¡±


    ¡°Mercy?¡± I sneered, towering over them as they cowered in a pile. ¡°Your plea for mercy is meaningless right now. I¡¯m really pissed off.¡±


    After my anger subsided, I exhaled deeply, brushing my hair back to collect myself. It wouldn¡¯t do to completely destroy them. They¡¯re my brats, after all.


    ¡°Listen up,¡± I began, my voice steady but laced with irritation. ¡°Just call me Boss¡­ or maybe Aneki. That¡¯s fine too. No need to get creative.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss! Of course, Boss!¡± they chanted in unison, too scared to argue.


    ¡°Good. Now¡­¡± I fixed my gaze on Arthur, who was still struggling to sit up straight. ¡°That¡¯s not the only thing you came to inform me about, right? You didn¡¯t drag me out here just to mess around, did you?¡±


    Arthur winced but forced himself to stand. I had avoided hitting his face too much¡ªaside from the kick to his jaw, of course. His face was still intact, and annoyingly enough, still pleasant to look at.


    ¡°Yes, Aneki¡­ there¡¯s something else we need to tell you.¡±


    So, he¡¯s settled on calling me Aneki, huh? I¡¯d prefer if he called me Onee-chan, but his rotten personality disqualifies him from such privileges.


    ¡°Well? Spit it out already.¡±


    Arthur straightened his posture and began to speak, though the nervous tremor in his voice was hard to miss.


    ¡°Before the opening ceremony started, a group of people calling themselves the Royal Guards confronted us.¡±


    Royal Guards? Seriously? That name practically reeks of Chunibyo energy.


    ¡°And what does that have to do with me?¡± I asked, already growing bored.


    ¡°¡­Normally, we wouldn¡¯t bother you with something like this,¡± Arthur admitted hesitantly. ¡°But after they found out that Aneki is our boss, for some reason, they declared war on us.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± I snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t even know who they are! Why would they have a grudge against me?¡±


    Arthur flinched at my outburst, but he held his ground.


    ¡°¡­This is a hassle. I don¡¯t want to get involved in your little war games or whatever this is. But if they¡¯re targeting me and not just all of you¡­¡±


    I narrowed my eyes, staring him down. Arthur, are you sure you¡¯re not making this up? Trying to drag me into some nonsense?


    He shook his head vehemently. ¡°A¡­ Aneki¡­ please don¡¯t look at me like that. I swear I¡¯m not making this up!¡±


    Huh. He can read my mind now, huh?


    ¡°Well then¡­¡± I crossed my arms, glaring down at him. ¡°Do you have any clue why they¡¯re targeting me?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I think it¡¯s because of their boss, Aneki.¡±


    ¡°Their boss?¡± I frowned, leaning in slightly. ¡°Do you know who that is?¡±


    Arthur nodded gravely. ¡°Yes¡­ their boss¡¯s name is Minami Kotori.¡±


    Time froze. I felt my blood turn cold as the name echoed in my mind.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± I muttered, my hands curling into fists.


    Minami Kotori. Of all people.

 Volume 1ーChapter 8: Vcuber?

    Minami Kotori, the girl I just met during cleaning duty this morning. She introduced herself after we bumped into each other in class¡ªright at the most embarrassing moment of my life. I can still feel my cheeks heating up from the memory. Despite that rocky start, we ended up chatting briefly before the homeroom teacher arrived.


    In that short time, I discovered we had so much in common personality-wise that it was almost uncanny. If we¡¯d met earlier, I¡¯m sure we¡¯d be best friends by now.


    But fate doesn¡¯t seem to favor that kind of simplicity.


    The problem is that we each have our own loyal followers, groups that just happened to clash the moment they crossed paths. This is almost poetic in its absurdity: Both groups, sharing the same roots of delinquency, are now locked in an intense rivalry.


    If only we¡¯d met earlier, I think to myself. Maybe we wouldn¡¯t be caught up in this mess. Maybe we wouldn¡¯t have even ended up with these groups at all. But ¡°maybe¡± is a word that carries no weight in the present.


    For now, I¡¯ll deal with it the only way I know how¡ªby not dealing with it. I¡¯ve never been interested in managing the affairs of these brats. Even though they constantly try to drag me into their petty squabbles, I refuse to partake. What is there to even discuss?


    Tomorrow, I¡¯ll talk to Kotori. I¡¯ll clear things up with her directly and hope we can resolve this peacefully. After all, if we¡¯re as similar as I think we are, maybe we can find some common ground.


    Until then, I won¡¯t overthink it. Tonight, I just want to relax.


    After wasting my time meeting with those kids, I headed back to the dorm. Strangely, Irana and Viola weren¡¯t there. The room was eerily quiet without them.


    Where could they be? I wondered, glancing at the clock. Maybe they went out to buy bubble tea? If so, they¡¯d better bring some back for me.


    What? I like bubble tea too. Who doesn¡¯t?


    Did you ever hoped for food or drinks when your siblings or parents go out? I¡¯m the type who¡¯d sulk if they didn¡¯t bring anything back. But now that I think about it, is that normal? Maybe I¡¯m just selfish.


    Either way, with the room empty and boredom creeping in, I needed something to do while waiting. Sleep wasn¡¯t an option yet¡ªI wasn¡¯t remotely tired.


    I considered playing mobile games, but lately, nothing had caught my interest. Maybe because I play all those gacha game? Every single one ended up draining my wallet because I couldn¡¯t resist the temptation to skip the grind and just buy what I wanted.


    If I can buy it, why bother grinding? That¡¯s my excuse every time.


    Instead of gaming, I decided to watch Yucube.


    After opening the app, I scrolled through my recommended videos when something caught my eye. A Vcuber named Sakimiya Aria.


    Her name immediately struck me. Sakimiya is written ÆéŒm, the reverse of my family name, Miyazaki (ŒmÆé). The kanji arrangement is flipped. The only difference is that my name is written in katakana, while hers is in hiragana.


    But it doesn¡¯t end there.


    Her avatar? Shoulder-length blonde hair and a sailor-style school uniform. The resemblance is¡­ uncanny. Almost eerie.


    Even her debut date¡ªit was my birthday. Just a month ago.


    Coincidence? Maybe. But it feels too deliberate to ignore.


    What is this?


    She¡¯s live right now¡­ let¡¯s watch.


    "...Where did I put the workbench? Chat, can you help remind me?"Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Oh, it seems she¡¯s playing Maincraft. And it looks like she just started playing it. For some reason, her voice sounds familiar.


    "...Sssst..."


    [Careful, Aria-chan, there¡¯s a kreepa!!]


    "Hmm? ...what¡¯s that sound?"


    "...Kaboom!!!"


    Whoa... Did I just witness a golden moment from this livestream?


    "Ugh¡­ kreepas again!!"


    [wwwwww... kreepas 5... Aria 0.]


    [Aria-chan, find some sheep, get their wool, and make a bed. Or find a place to hide until morning.]


    [The kreepas are definitely going for a high kill streak¡­ wwwww.]


    [...I¡¯m pretty sure the workbench she¡¯s looking for is in her inventory¡­ wwww.]


    [Aria-chan, you should¡¯ve learned by now that if you hear that sound, it means there¡¯s a kreepa.]


    It seems this isn¡¯t the first time she¡¯s died because of a kreepa. Poor her; she seems clueless about how to play this game. I¡¯m sure her viewers asked her to play this just to see these hilarious moments from her.


    I¡¯ll donate some money to cheer her up.


    Miyazaki Aria? -$100


    Don¡¯t be sad¡­ beginners often die because of kreepas.


    Huh... since when was my account verified?


    "Thank you for the donation... Miyazaki... eh..."


    [Arya-chan¡¯s alt account?]


    [Aria-chan, why are you donating to yourself?]


    [Is that really Aria-chan¡¯s alt account? Or just a fan¡¯s fake account?...]


    [...But that account is verified...]


    [I checked the channel, and there¡¯s nothing there. The profile picture is just an anime girl with short hair who looks like our Aria. Except her hair is black, not blonde. She also gives off this cool ikemen vibe for some reason.]


    [If I remember correctly, Aria-chan mentioned having a twin during her debut.]


    [Ooooh... is that her twin¡¯s account? When¡¯s her debut!!]


    Eeeh!!!... what¡¯s going on here?


    This is really weird. I don¡¯t know how my account got verified. Now, because of the verification, the viewers think I¡¯m connected to this Vcuber. But I don¡¯t even know who she is. I see the chat mentioning that she has a twin. Could this girl be Irana?


    "Onii... ahem... Onee-chan, you¡¯re back? I bought you some bubble tea."


    Oh... Irana and Viola are finally back. She even brought me bubble tea, just as I¡¯d hoped! Wait... if Irana is here, then this Vcuber isn¡¯t Irana.


    "I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re watching me now, Aria... fufufu. You usually don¡¯t watch Vcubers at home."


    Who is this Vcuber anyway? She¡¯s acting all familiar too...


    "Aria, what are you watching? Is that a Vcuber¡¯s livestream? I heard her calling your name..." Viola, who¡¯s holding a bag of food, asked me.


    Let¡¯s welcome them back first and grab that bubble tea.


    "Hey, you guys... Where did you go? Eating out? Isn¡¯t there free food in the cafeteria?"


    "Yeah... we just got back from buying food. I wasn¡¯t in the mood for the cafeteria food. It¡¯s really bad," Irana said.


    "I hope you¡¯re not buying food outside often. Don¡¯t waste money when there¡¯s free food. Money doesn¡¯t grow on trees, you know," I said, taking the bubble tea from Irana.


    Irana glanced at my phone... the Vcuber livestream was still on. And... ugh... my hundred-dollar donation was still visible in the chat.


    This is so embarrassing...


    "Says the one who just donated a hundred dollars to a Vcuber... hmph," Irana said.


    I just wanted to cheer up that Vcuber. You wouldn¡¯t understand even if I explained it. Should I tell the truth or just lie? Ugh... let¡¯s lie!


    "It¡¯s not like that, Irana... look, it¡¯s because of her name."


    Irana and Viola then simultaneously looked at the Vcuber¡¯s name.


    "Eeeeh... is that you, Onee-chan? Are you a Vcuber!!"


    It seems Irana doesn¡¯t know who¡¯s behind this Vcuber either.


    "How could I be a Vcuber?... And look, she¡¯s still streaming right now. Do I look like I¡¯m streaming right now?"


    "That¡¯s true... but this Vcuber¡¯s name is so similar to yours, Onee-chan. Do you know her?"


    "Yeah, Aria, do you know her? I heard her call your name earlier like she knew you," Viola added.


    I want to know who she is too.


    "I don¡¯t know. But it seems like she knows me. Her debut date is also on our birthday, Irana. Her voice also sounds familiar."


    Irana then seemed to think about something.


    "So you donated a hundred dollars because you wanted to know who she is?" Viola asked.


    You¡¯re absolutely right, Viola. It¡¯s definitely not because I have impulse control issues when it comes to money.


    "Yeah, that¡¯s exactly it, hahaha," I said with a totally not suspicious smile.


    Wah... Viola, don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯m being honest here. It¡¯s not because I have a spending problem, okay...


    "I¡¯m going to call someone. Onee-chan, Viola, keep an eye on that Vcuber," Irana said.


    Who¡¯s she going to call?


    "Ooooh... finally... we found iron... chat, we found IRON!!"


    I looked back at my phone screen to watch the Vcuber. She¡¯s really a beginner.


    "Hmm... hold on a second, someone¡¯s calling me... hold on, chat. I¡¯ll answer this first."


    [Pause the game first!!...]


    [...Imagine if a kreepa blew her up while she was gone.]


    "...Pssst..."


    "...Kaboom..."


    [Called it... wwwwww.]


    [wwwwww Aria-chan, you poor thing.]


    [kreepas 6 Aria 0... wwwwww.]


    The Vcuber got a phone call... could it be from Irana? Viola and I simultaneously looked at Irana.


    "...Sorry to bother you... just wanted to confirm something. Yeah... love you too. Okay, that¡¯s all..."


    Irana then hung up the phone. I looked back at my phone.


    "I¡¯m ba¡ªhuh?... wait... how did I die?!"


    I turned back to Irana.


    "Who did you just call, Irana?" I asked, curious.


    "I called¡ªdad"


    "Huh?!"


    "Hahaha, just kidding¡­ I called Mom. That Vcuber is Mom."


    "Huh?!"

 Volume 1ーChapter 9 : Vcuber??

    Hello, this is Irana! I just got a mission to investigate some suspicious people who have been spotted around the school. Right now, I¡¯m patrolling the school grounds. I got this mission after Onee-chan went out to meet those troublemakers.


    I hope Onee-chan doesn¡¯t run into those suspicious people. But in the end, I didn¡¯t find anyone suspicious. This mission was eventually transferred to an esper ranked higher than me, which I was a little relieved about. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t take these tasks seriously, but sometimes, I feel like they expect too much from me.


    After finishing up, Viola came to pick me up. But instead of heading straight back to the dorm, we decided to make a little detour. Viola and I bought some food to bring home, and of course, we grabbed tapioca tea. Onii¡­ ahem, Onee-chan loves tapioca tea, so we thought it¡¯d be a nice treat for her. I could already imagine her happy reaction.


    After buying food, Viola suggested some window shopping. I was hesitant at first, but somehow, I ended up tagging along. It wasn¡¯t like we had anything urgent to do, so it didn¡¯t hurt to browse a little. Besides, it¡¯s always fun looking at cute accessories or clothes, even if we didn¡¯t plan on buying anything.


    Finally, after our little outing, we headed back to the dorm.


    ¡°Onii¡­ ahem¡­ Onee-chan, we¡¯re back! I bought you some tapioca tea,¡± I called out as we entered.


    But there was no response. That was odd. Onee-chan should¡¯ve been back by now. Curious, I peeked into the room and found her sitting on the bed, glued to her phone. It looked like she was watching a video.


    I walked over to get a better look. ¡°Aria, what are you watching? Is that a Vcuber livestream? I heard her calling your name¡± Viola, carrying a bag of food, joined in and asked curiously.


    ¡°Hey, you two¡­ where did you go? Eating out? Isn¡¯t there free food in the cafeteria?¡± Onee-chan responded, clearly trying to shift the topic.


    ¡°Yeah... we just got back from buying food. I wasn¡¯t in the mood for the cafeteria food. It¡¯s really bad,¡± I replied casually, setting the tapioca tea on the table.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not buying food outside too often. Don¡¯t waste money when there¡¯s free food. Money doesn¡¯t grow on trees, you know,¡± she chided, though her tone lacked real bite.


    That¡¯s when I noticed something interesting. Glancing at her phone, I saw the livestream chat and, more importantly, a bright red pinned message that said she¡¯d donated $100. Wait¡­ wasn¡¯t she just talking about not wasting money?


    ¡°Says the person who sent a hundred-dollar donation to a Vcuber¡­ hmph,¡± I pointed out with a sly grin.


    Her face turned slightly red as she scrambled for an excuse. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Irana... look, it¡¯s because of her name.¡± she said quickly.


    Hearing that, Viola and I leaned closer to her phone. The name on the screen read "Sakimiya Aria." My eyes widened as I processed the name. Sakimiya¡­ spelt backwards, it¡¯s Miyazaki, our family name. And the Vcuber¡¯s first name was Aria, just like Onee-chan¡¯s.


    ¡°Eeeeh¡­ is that you, Onee-chan? Are you a Vcuber?!¡± I asked, completely taken aback.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I could be a Vcuber,¡± she said quickly, waving her hands. ¡°And look, she¡¯s still streaming right now. Do I look like I¡¯m streaming?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ but this Vtuber¡¯s name is so similar to yours, Onee-chan. Do you know her?¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Yeah, Aria, do you know her? I heard her calling your name earlier, like she knew you,¡± Viola added.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But it seems like she knows me. Her debut date is also on our birthday, Irana. And her voice¡­ it sounds familiar,¡± Onee-chan said thoughtfully.


    I began to piece things together. The name similarity, the birthday coincidence, and the familiar voice¡­ Could this Vcuber be someone from our family? There weren¡¯t many women in the family who fit the description. But the voice¡­ it was unmistakable. It sounded like¡­ Mom?


    ¡°I¡¯m going to call someone¡± I said, standing up. ¡°Onee-chan, Viola, keep an eye on that Vcuber.¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling?¡± Onee-chan asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.


    Ignoring her, I dialed the number and waited. After a few rings, the familiar voice answered.


    ¡°Hello, Irana? Why are you calling me, sweetie? I¡¯m busy right now. Is something important?¡±


    ¡°Sorry for calling suddenly, Mom¡­ I just want to confirm something.¡±


    ¡°Confirm something? Ah¡­ you might be watching me with Aria, right? That Vcuber is me. That¡¯s what you wanted to confirm, isn¡¯t it?¡± she said cheerfully.


    ¡­Wait, what?!


    I tried to keep my composure. ¡°¡­Sorry to bother you¡­ just wanted to confirm something.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine, sweetie. I don¡¯t mind. Love you, Irana. Gotta go now¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ love you too. Bye for now.¡± I hung up the phone and turned to face Onee-chan and Viola, who were waiting expectantly.


    ¡°Who were you calling?¡± Onee-chan asked.


    ¡°I called Dad,¡± I said with a smirk.


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, just kidding¡­ I called Mom. That Vtuber is Mom.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Onee-chan¡¯s jaw dropped as Viola¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    ***


    I was completely stunned. My brain refused to process what Irana had just revealed. I didn¡¯t know what to say or how to react. That night, I don¡¯t even remember when I fell asleep. I was just¡­ there, frozen in place, staring at nothing.


    Meanwhile, Irana and Viola were engrossed in the livestream, giggling at every moment, as if the whole situation wasn¡¯t absurd.


    When I finally came to my senses, it was already morning.


    ¡°Onii¡­ Onee-chan. Don¡¯t just sit on the bed looking like a zombie. Hurry up and take a bath and change your clothes,¡± Irana said, standing by the edge of my bed, arms crossed and tapping her foot.


    I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head. ¡°¡­Tell me, Irana¡­ last night¡­ please tell me it was just a weird dream.¡±


    Irana smirked. ¡°Ah¡­ so Onee-chan is still processing, huh? Unfortunately for you, it wasn¡¯t a dream. Our mom really is a Vtuber. Sakimiya Aria, to be exact.¡±


    I poked my head out, blinking at her in disbelief. ¡°¡­¡±


    Her grin widened as she grabbed my arm. ¡°C¡¯mon, no sulking. Let¡¯s go! Shower time!¡±


    Before I could protest, Irana practically dragged me out of bed and toward the bathroom. My mind kept spinning with the same questions.


    How old is mom now? Why is she doing something like this? And¡­ why didn¡¯t I know?!


    I¡¯d always known Mom was youthful for her age. If she stood next to me, people might genuinely think she was my sister, not my mom. But her being a Vtuber? This was a whole other level of unexpected.


    While I was lost in thought, Irana had somehow undressed me before I even noticed. My mental alarms immediately blared.


    ¡°Hehe¡­ Now we can do what we usually do,¡± Irana said, a mischievous grin plastered across her face.


    ¡°Oh no. No, no, no!¡± I yelped, but it was too late. I was completely at her mercy.


    Just then¡ª


    BANG!!


    The bathroom door flew open, and there stood Viola. Completely naked.


    ¡°¡­Let me¡­ Let me join too!¡± she exclaimed, her face red with embarrassment yet filled with determination.


    My jaw dropped. ¡°Viola?! Wh¡ªwhy are you like this?!¡±


    Irana, ever the instigator, grinned even wider. ¡°Oh, come on in. The more, the merrier, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, god. No, no, no!¡± I wailed. But my protests were in vain.


    After what felt like an eternity of chaos, I finally emerged from the bathroom, completely exhausted yet oddly refreshed.


    Fuaah¡­ that was so refreshing.


    I felt like my thoughts had been washed clean, too. Maybe this wasn¡¯t such a bad way to deal with my existential crisis.


    ¡­Wait, you¡¯re curious about what exactly happened in there, aren¡¯t you?


    Hmm¡­ well¡­ let¡¯s just say it was a game. What kind of game, you ask? Curious?


    That¡¯s a SE¡­ CRE¡­ T-?


    Viola, on the other hand, looked completely drained. She was lying on the couch like she¡¯d just run a marathon. Apparently, she didn¡¯t anticipate the game either. Poor girl.


    As for me, I was ready to face the day. Sort of.


    Dear Diary,


    Today, I found out that my childhood friend apparently admires lilies.


    And I thought Irana was the only one I needed to watch out for¡­

 Volume 1ーChapter 10 : What’s Onee-chan power?

    Hello there, Virtual Youcuber Irana here¡ªjust kidding! What are you all up to today? As for me... well, I¡¯m on a mission. Technically, though, I don¡¯t really do much. My mission is to ensure my Onee-chan¡¯s power doesn¡¯t awaken. So, all I do is hang around her and collect a paycheck, hehe. Dream job, right? And I¡¯m only thirteen this year. I bet a lot of adults would be jealous of my work.


    Anyway, nothing major happened today. It¡¯s the second day of middle school, and our homeroom teacher, Elizabeth, is giving us the first lecture of the day. Honestly, as a reincarnated individual, I find these classes super boring. I mean, I¡¯ve already gone through middle school in my previous life. Doing it all over again? Total hassle. But even so, I have to pretend to be interested.


    Oh, about our homeroom teacher, Elizabeth. She¡¯s actually an agent for the Association too. In other words, she¡¯s an esper like me, assigned to the same mission¡ªmonitoring my Onee-chan. But she¡¯s not just any agent; she¡¯s one of the Association¡¯s top fighters. The fact that someone like her was given the ¡°simple¡± task of watching over a thirteen-year-old speaks volumes. This mission is actually classified as SS Rank.


    It makes me really curious, though. What kind of power does Onee-chan have that¡¯s so dangerous it needs all this secrecy? Is it a massive, uncontrollable destructive power? Mind control that could corrupt her¡ªor worse, everyone around her? Or maybe it¡¯s like a literal nuclear bomb waiting to go off? What else could it possibly be?


    ¡°Hey, Viola, have you ever been curious about my Onee-chan¡¯s true power?¡± I whispered to her during class, leaning in slightly.


    Viola gave me a quick glance but didn¡¯t say a word, promptly ignoring me. Tch, this girl is way too diligent. Can¡¯t she at least hear me out? This is the worst¡ªI don¡¯t have anyone else to talk to about this besides her.


    I slumped back in my seat, staring at the chalkboard but barely registering what Elizabeth-sensei was saying. My thoughts swirled with possibilities. Onee-chan¡¯s power¡­ what could it be? It wasn¡¯t just me in the dark¡ªViola didn¡¯t know either, and she¡¯s supposed to be my partner in this mission. The Association really doesn¡¯t trust anyone with this secret.


    Elizabeth-sensei¡¯s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. ¡°Irana, would you care to repeat what I just said?¡± Her sharp gaze pinned me down, making me feel like I¡¯d just stepped into a spotlight.


    ¡°Uh¡­ the Treaty of¡ªuh, something?¡± I stammered, forcing an awkward smile. A few classmates chuckled, and I caught Viola shaking her head at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s the Treaty of Paris, 1815, after the Battle of Waterloo,¡± Aria, my Onee-chan, said calmly, her voice carrying effortlessly through the classroom.


    ¡°Correct. Good job, Aria.¡± Elizabeth-sensei nodded in approval, her gaze briefly softening before she turned it back to me. ¡°You two may be twin sisters, but you behave so differently. Aria is far more attentive.¡±


    ¡°Pay attention, Irana,¡± she added coolly, turning back to the board. ¡°This information might be important someday.¡±


    I sighed and sank lower in my seat. Important someday? Not for me. I¡¯d already gone through middle school once in my previous life¡ªwhat use was relearning it all? Still, I had to keep up appearances, especially under Elizabeth-sensei¡¯s watchful eyes. The last thing I needed was for her to report my "lack of focus" to the Association.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The rest of the class went on uneventfully until the lunch bell rang. When class finally ended, Viola and I made our way toward the cafeteria. The hallways were buzzing with chatter, and students crowded every corner. I glanced over my shoulder and spotted Aria following behind us, her usual composed expression in place.


    ¡°Viola,¡± I hissed under my breath, leaning closer as we walked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you even a little curious? What if Onee-chan¡¯s power is something insane, like bending reality or summoning black holes?¡±


    Viola glanced me sideways. ¡°Irana, keep your voice down,¡± she whispered sharply. She¡¯s right behind us.¡±


    I glanced back again, catching Onee-chan calm gaze for just a moment before she looked away. I leaned in even closer. ¡°But seriously,¡± I murmured, ¡°what if suppressing her power is actually making things worse? What if¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop it,¡± Viola interrupted, her voice barely audible. ¡°Speculation is dangerous. Stick to the mission.¡±


    Her tone was firm, but I didn¡¯t miss the flicker of hesitation in her eyes. She might not say it out loud, but she had to have thought about it too. How could she not?


    As we reached the cafeteria, Onee-chan caught up to us, walking alongside me with her usual serene smile. ¡°You two seem close,¡± she said softly. ¡°What were you whispering about just now?¡±


    I froze for a second, my mind scrambling for an excuse. ¡°Oh, uh, nothing important,¡± I said quickly, forcing a grin. ¡°Just, uh, complaining about homework!¡±


    Viola shot me a look but didn¡¯t say anything. Onee-chan didn¡¯t press further, simply nodding before turning her attention to the cafeteria line. But as we joined the queue, I couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy feeling settling in my chest.


    Then¡­


    ¡°Hey, wait¡­ wait for me!¡±


    I turned at the sound of hurried footsteps behind us. It was Kotori, sprinting toward us with a panicked look.


    ¡°Kotori?¡± I said, confused.


    ¡°Can I join you guys?¡± she asked, still catching her breath.


    ¡°Join what?¡± I asked, frowning.


    ¡°Eating in the cafeteria, of course!¡± she replied, puffing her cheeks in frustration like it was obvious.


    ¡°why?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean why?¡± she retorted, crossing her arms with a dramatic pout.


    Before I could say anything, Onee-chan stepped in. ¡°Sure thing,¡± she said with her usual serene smile. Then, narrowing her eyes slightly, she added, ¡°But why does it look like you¡¯re running from something?¡±


    Kotori froze, glancing nervously over her shoulder. ¡°Well¡­ you see¡­ have you ever heard of the ¡®Royal Guard¡¯?¡±


    ¡°The Royal Guard?¡± I repeated, frowning. ¡°What the heck is that supposed to mean?¡±


    Kotori hesitated, but Onee-chan answered before she could. ¡°Ah, those guys,¡± she said calmly, like she was talking about the weather. ¡°The group that claims to be your attendants and bodyguards, right?¡±


    Wait, what?


    I nudged Viola, leaning in to whisper, ¡°Did you know about this? Or am I the only one who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Viola gave me a flat look and shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. This is news to me too.¡±


    I turned back to Kotori, who was now fidgeting nervously. ¡°Wait, hold on. Back up. What are you talking about? What Royal Guard?¡±


    Kotori sighed, clearly reluctant to explain. ¡°They¡¯re this¡­ group of guys who, for some reason, decided I need protection. I don¡¯t know why, but they won¡¯t leave me alone! It¡¯s exhausting.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a you problem,¡± I muttered, crossing my arms.


    Kotori shot me an annoyed glare but didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Be nice, Irana,¡± Onee-chan said softly, though her tone carried a hint of reprimand. She turned to Kotori with her usual gentle expression. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to stay with us if it helps.¡±


    Kotori brightened instantly, her tense shoulders relaxing. ¡°Thanks, Aria! You¡¯re a lifesaver!¡±


    Viola, still sceptical, muttered under her breath, ¡°Why do I feel like this is going to cause us trouble?¡±


    As we entered the cafeteria, I couldn¡¯t help but feel the same way. I glanced at Onee-chan, who was as calm as ever, and then at Kotori, who was visibly relieved. Royal Guard? I thought. How could something so weird be happening without me knowing about it?

 Volume 1—Chapeter 11: Royal Guards

    The morning air was crisp as we stepped out of the dorm, the soft rustling of leaves the only sound breaking the calm. Viola walked beside me, her usual composed expression in place, while Irana trailed behind, yawning dramatically.


    ¡°Do mornings always have to exist?¡± Irana grumbled, stretching her arms.


    ¡°Yes, they do. You¡¯re just lazy,¡± Viola replied without even glancing at her.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not laziness, it¡¯s... energy conservation!¡± Irana shot back, but I tuned them out, already scanning our path ahead. That¡¯s when I noticed someone running toward us from the opposite direction.


    ¡°Good morning, Aria!¡± a familiar voice called out.


    ¡°Oh, Kotori, good morning,¡± I replied with a smile.


    Kotori slowed down as she approached us, her face lighting up. ¡°Are you all heading to the cafeteria?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are. Care to join us?¡± I offered.


    Kotori nodded eagerly. ¡°Thank you for inviting me.¡±


    As we started walking together, I glanced at her curiously. ¡°By the way, where are your roommates?¡±


    ¡°They left early. It seems like they had something to do,¡± Kotori answered with a small shrug.


    ¡°Something to do? ¡­Are your roommates upperclassmen?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kotori confirmed. ¡°One of them, Yukari-senpai, is the same person who was assigned to help us yesterday.¡±


    Oh¡­ so the ponytailed girl¡¯s name is Yukari, huh?


    After a short conversation with Kotori, we went to the canteen for breakfast and then immediately went to the class for the first lecture. Thankfully, there was no morning assembly like yesterday. The first class was a history lesson, and the teacher was Elizabeth. Is she from the British Isles, perhaps?


    The classroom was quiet except for the faint scratching of chalk on the board. Elizabeth-sensei¡¯s voice carried steadily as she explained the finer points of post-war treaties. I sat upright, pen poised above my notebook, catching every word. It was all second nature to me, but paying attention had its own rewards¡ªlike avoiding Elizabeth-sensei''s sharp gaze.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Irana slouching in her seat, absentmindedly doodling instead of writing notes. I sighed internally. She really wasn¡¯t trying at all, was she?


    ¡°Irana, would you care to repeat what I just said?¡± Elizabeth-sensei¡¯s voice cut through the air, startling everyone, especially my little sister.


    Irana froze, her face a mix of panic and guilt. ¡°Uh¡­ the Treaty of¡ªuh, something?¡± she mumbled, flashing an awkward smile.


    A few students chuckled, but I caught Elizabeth-sensei¡¯s disapproving frown. I quickly raised my hand, stepping in before Irana could dig herself into a deeper hole. ¡°The Treaty of Paris, 1815, after the Battle of Waterloo,¡± I said calmly.


    Elizabeth-sensei¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Correct. Good job, Aria.¡± She turned back to Irana. ¡°You two may be sisters, but you behave so differently. Aria is far more attentive.¡±


    I heard Irana mutter something under her breath but didn¡¯t react. It was always like this¡ªme stepping in to save her from trouble and her resenting me for it. Still, I couldn¡¯t let her slack off completely, not when I knew Elizabeth-sensei was keeping a closer eye on her than on most students.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Pay attention, Irana,¡± Elizabeth-sensei added coolly. ¡°This information might be important someday.¡±


    I could feel Irana sinking into her seat behind me, no doubt sulking as she always did. I didn¡¯t mind being the ¡°responsible one¡± between us¡ªit was a role I was used to¡ªbut sometimes I wished she¡¯d take things more seriously.


    The class passed without further incidents, and as soon as the bell rang, I packed my things neatly, waiting for Irana and Viola near the door. The three of us stepped into the corridor together, weaving through the bustling crowd of students heading toward the cafeteria.


    I noticed Irana leaning toward Viola, whispering something. She glanced back at me briefly, her expression a mix of curiosity and mischief. I smiled faintly but said nothing, letting them have their private conversation. It wasn¡¯t like Irana to whisper¡ªshe usually just blurted out whatever was on her mind¡ªso whatever she was talking about had to be something she didn¡¯t want me to overhear.


    As we approached the cafeteria, I walked a little behind Irana and Viola, observing their animated whispers with quiet curiosity.


    ¡°You two seem close,¡± I said softly, stepping into place beside them. Irana jumped slightly, clearly startled, while Viola simply glanced at me.


    ¡°What were you whispering about just now?¡± I asked, my tone calm but curious.


    Irana froze, her mind clearly scrambling for an excuse. ¡°Oh, uh, nothing important,¡± she stammered, forcing a grin. ¡°Just, uh, complaining about homework!¡±


    I glanced at Viola, whose expression suggested she wasn¡¯t entirely on board with Irana¡¯s answer, though she stayed silent. I decided not to press further, giving Irana a small nod instead.


    As we joined the queue for the cafeteria, I couldn¡¯t help but notice the tension in Irana¡¯s posture. She was nervous about something. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess that their earlier whispering had to do with me, but I pushed the thought aside.


    Then¡­


    ¡°Hey, wait¡­ wait for me!¡±


    I turned at the sound of hurried footsteps and a familiar voice calling out. Kotori was sprinting toward us, her face flushed and her breaths short, as if she had just escaped something.


    ¡°Kotori?¡± I asked, tilting my head slightly in confusion.


    ¡°Can I join you guys?¡± she asked between gasps, finally reaching us.


    ¡°Join what?¡± I asked, my brow furrowing slightly.


    ¡°Eating in the cafeteria, of course!¡± she replied, puffing her cheeks in mock frustration, as though the answer should have been obvious.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean why?¡± she retorted, crossing her arms with a dramatic pout.


    I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could say anything, Irana cut in, echoing my question. ¡°Yeah, why?¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± I interjected, stepping in before the situation could escalate. I smiled at Kotori, my usual calm demeanor in place. Then, narrowing my eyes just slightly, I added, ¡°But why does it look like you¡¯re running from something?¡±


    Kotori stiffened, her eyes darting over her shoulder before she turned back to us with a nervous laugh. ¡°Well¡­ you see¡­ have you ever heard of the ¡®Royal Guard¡¯?¡±


    I kept my expression neutral, but the name sparked a vague recollection.


    ¡°The Royal Guard?¡± Irana repeated, frowning deeply. ¡°What the heck is that supposed to mean?¡±


    Kotori hesitated, fidgeting as though unsure how much she should say. I decided to answer in her place. ¡°Ah, those guys,¡± I said, my tone light, as though discussing something mundane. ¡°The group that claims to be your attendants and bodyguards, right?¡±


    Kotori blinked in surprise. ¡°You¡­ you know about them?¡±


    Of course, I knew; the brats talked about them yesterday. And if I remember correctly, theylabeled me an enemy.


    Irana¡ªin an agitated manner, asks ¡°Wait, hold on. Back up. What are you talking about? What Royal Guard?¡±


    Kotori shifted awkwardly under our stares, finally sighing in defeat. ¡°They¡¯re this¡­ group of guys who, for some reason, decided I need protection. I don¡¯t know why, but they won¡¯t leave me alone! It¡¯s exhausting.¡±


    I studied her carefully, noting the mix of frustration and discomfort in her tone.


    ¡°Sounds like a you problem,¡± Irana muttered, crossing her arms with a smirk.


    Kotori shot her an irritated glare but didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Be nice, Irana,¡± I said softly, though my tone carried a subtle hint of reprimand. I turned back to Kotori and offered her a reassuring smile. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to stay with us if it helps.¡±


    What ever grudge the royal guard have against me, they can¡¯t possibly create a ruckus in the school cafeteria.


    Kotori¡¯s face lit up, her tense shoulders visibly relaxing. ¡°Thanks, Aria! You¡¯re a lifesaver!¡±


    I nodded, though I noticed Viola muttering something under her breath. ¡°Why do I feel like this is going to cause us trouble?¡±


    As we entered the cafeteria, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of agreement. Kotori¡¯s anxiety wasn¡¯t something she could hide entirely, and I had a feeling this ¡°Royal Guard¡± would make an appearance sooner rather than later.


    Still, I glanced at Kotori, who looked genuinely relieved, and then at Irana, who was clearly more annoyed than concerned

 Volume 1—Chapter 12: Chaos Ensue

    After class, Kotori, Irana, Viola, and I made our way to the cafeteria, navigating through the crowd of students. The smell of freshly cooked food lingered in the air, but before we could even step in line, I spotted a group of brats eyeing us from the side.


    They were trying to approach.


    Tch. Not happening.


    I shot them a sharp glare, sending a silent message to back off. Their movement halted for a brief second before they hesitated, exchanging glances. Then, as if they¡¯d come to a mutual agreement, they slowly backed away¡ªthough I could tell they weren¡¯t happy about it.


    Or maybe they had simply noticed Kotori standing beside me.


    That¡¯s right. The same Kotori who just so happened to be the leader of their rival group.


    Either way, I wasn¡¯t going to complain.


    That was close.


    Just as I exhaled in relief, another movement caught my attention. A different group of boys was now approaching us¡ªthis time, Kotori¡¯s followers.


    I almost groaned. Seriously? Is this going to be a daily thing?


    But then I noticed Kotori subtly raising her hand, sending them some sort of signal. Whatever it meant, it was enough to make them stop in their tracks.


    A mutual, unspoken truce, huh?


    At least for now.


    Come to think of it, those mischievous boys had been following me for quite some time now. Not by choice, of course. At first, they had practically forced me into being their leader, pestering me nonstop until I just gave in. I had no real interest in their group, but they just wouldn¡¯t leave me alone.


    And as you might have guessed, I regretted it ever since.


    I had tried multiple times to dissolve the gang, but they were persistent, constantly returning to me whenever they got themselves into trouble. Eventually, I set one condition for staying their so-called leader:


    Don¡¯t involve me unless the problem directly concerns me.


    Simple enough, right?


    Except, of course, Kotori¡¯s followers declaring war on them apparently fell under the "concerns me" category. So now, here I was¡ªdragged into yet another headache.


    By the way, what was our group¡¯s name again? The Mischievous Boys¡¯ Group? ¡­But the leader is a girl? That doesn¡¯t even make sense.


    Now that I think about it, I never actually knew our group¡¯s official name. Maybe "Violeta" would be a fitting one. It had a nice ring to it, though I wasn¡¯t sure why it felt so right.


    Anyway, today¡¯s breakfast was corn porridge. It was not bad. I liked it, though I still wished for green bean porridge. Meanwhile, Irana stared at her bowl with the same lack of enthusiasm as yesterday.


    Since we were already sitting and eating, now was the perfect time to ask Kotori about that so-called declaration of war.


    But before I could speak¡ª


    "Hey... Aria..."


    Kotori¡¯s voice sounded unusually hesitant.


    I glanced at her, only to see her fidgeting slightly.


    "I¡¯m sorry!!"


    ¡­Wait.


    Why did she just raise her voice like that?! And why did she suddenly slam her head onto the table?!


    Now everyone in the cafeteria was staring at us.


    "...Kotori... what are you doing... please lift your head up!!" I whispered harshly, feeling my face heat up from the attention.


    Kotori slowly lifted her head, and I froze when I saw tears streaming down her face.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    What?! Why is she crying?!


    "Can you tell me why you¡¯re apologizing?" I asked cautiously. I already had a good idea, but I wanted to hear it from her.


    Kotori sniffled, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her uniform.


    "...Because of my careless words... those idiots are now targeting you, Aria. I¡¯m really sorry. And no matter what I do now, it seems like I can¡¯t get rid of that misunderstanding!"


    Well¡­ the way she¡¯s apologizing right now is probably making the misunderstanding even worse.


    I sighed. "...So it really is your fault, then."


    Oops. That kind of just slipped out.


    "Yes, it¡¯s my fault... so please forgive me?!"


    Ahhh!! Why is she raising her voice again?!


    This was not what I expected from Kotori. She had always seemed like the strong, confident, tomboyish type. I never imagined she would apologize like this¡ªso openly and dramatically.


    But before I could respond¡ª


    "Enough!!... How dare you make the princess cry in front of everyone!! Your actions are completely out of line!!"


    Oh no¡­


    Now things have gotten even worse.


    To my dearest mother from my previous life,


    How are you now? Are you in heaven? Or perhaps¡­ you¡¯ve been reincarnated like me?


    Wherever you are, I just want you to know¡ªtoday is my second day of middle school.


    Do you remember what happened last time? On my second day of middle school in my past life?


    Chaos. Absolute chaos.


    And now, history seems to be repeating itself.


    Oh, beloved mother¡­ please send me your prayers from heaven.


    Because I really need them right now.


    May you rest in peace.


    . . . .


    The guy who just shouted didn¡¯t hesitate¡ªhe lunged at me without a second thought.


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t about to stand there and take his punches. I dodged effortlessly.


    "You dodged that? ¡­Then how about this?!"


    He attacked again. This time, I grabbed his arm, twisted it with just enough force to make him scream, then drove my foot into his stomach.


    "...If you want to fight, just fight. Stop with the pointless talking, you damn idiot."


    He dropped. Out cold.


    Only then did I take a second to assess my surroundings.


    The cafeteria had turned into a full-blown battlefield¡ªdelinquents and Kotori¡¯s followers were clashing in chaotic waves of fists and fury.


    I felt a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. This is like me and the brats from back in the day.


    I glanced behind me. Irana and Viola were still sitting there, completely unfazed.


    But Kotori¡­?


    Where was Kotori?


    Irana silently pointed under a table.


    I crouched down and, sure enough, there she was¡ªclutching her head, trembling.


    Wait¡­ wasn¡¯t she supposed to be the leader of this group? Why was she hiding?


    I might¡¯ve misunderstood her character.


    Yesterday, the brats told me about her and her followers. I had assumed her situation mirrored mine, leading a group of weirdos against her will.


    I pictured her as a strong, capable person¡ªLike me.


    I hadn¡¯t considered the possibility that she was just¡­ an ordinary girl pushed into a role she never wanted.


    Ah. That was close.


    I was in the middle of a battlefield¡ªI couldn¡¯t afford to get lost in thought.


    Another one of Kotori¡¯s followers suddenly charged at me, shouting, "I will save you, my princess!!"


    ¡­Why do I suddenly feel like the villain who kidnapped the princess? Should I told them the princess is in another castle?


    I took another look around. Most of the uninvolved students had already fled the cafeteria. Meanwhile, Irana and Viola¡­


    They were still sitting there, eating breakfast. Completely unbothered.


    Why weren¡¯t they scared? Why were they just calmly enjoying their meal like this was some kind of live entertainment? Aren¡¯t Irana disgusted by that porridge?


    Their reaction was a stark contrast to Kotori¡¯s.


    Maybe it was because of my influence that they weren¡¯t afraid.


    Ah¡ªhere comes another one.


    Fine. You two keep eating. I¡¯ll handle this.


    I landed a clean punch to the jaw, sending another attacker sprawling and knocking a few teeth loose.


    "Someone, call a teacher or security!!" I shouted, kicking another guy in the groin.


    I took down about seven people before security finally arrived.


    Believe me when I say this is an elite school. They might not have janitors, but their security guards? Intimidating as hell.


    They looked like retired MMA fighters. The kind of people you really wouldn¡¯t want to mess with.


    Now, if you¡¯re wondering how people like the brats and Kotori¡¯s followers got into such a prestigious school¡ª


    The so-called ¡°brats¡± were just kids playing at being gangsters. Especially Arthur. Strip away their rotten attitudes, and you¡¯d think they were well-mannered honor students.


    As for Kotori¡¯s followers¡­ they looked like something straight out of an Otome game. Handsome. Smart. Devoted to their ¡°princess¡± like a brigade of loyal knights.


    I needed to get out of here before the teachers showed up. I don¡¯t want to get in trouble.


    There were CCTV cameras, but if they reviewed the footage, I could just claim self-defense.


    By the time security started breaking up the fight, Irana and Viola had already finished eating. I hadn¡¯t even touched my breakfast yet.


    Oh well. Who cares about breakfast now?


    But I still needed energy.


    I downed my corn porridge in one gulp, then ducked under the table and pulled Kotori out. She was still trembling.


    I signalled Irana and Viola, and we slipped out of the cafeteria.


    I picked Kotori up princess-style and carried her out.


    From behind, I heard someone yell¡ª


    "They¡¯re kidnapping the princess!!"


    ¡­Excuse me?


    I really wanted to yell back, "Who¡¯s kidnapping the princess?! Do I look like Bows*r to you? Your princess is in another castle!!"


    But I didn¡¯t have time for that.


    From the corner of my eye, I saw a bald security guard knock out a student with a single punch.


    Yeah. Not sticking around for that.


    Once we made it out of the cafeteria, I let out a deep breath.


    For some reason, Irana and Viola immediately headed to the restroom.


    I thought about following them, but first¡ªI had to deal with Kotori.


    She was still clinging to me, crying softly.


    She really was a delicate princess.


    I gently set her down and patted her head.


    "It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to be scared anymore. We¡¯re far away from the cafeteria now."


    She sniffled. "This is all my fault... I... I¡¯m sorry!"


    Then, to my surprise¡ªshe threw her arms around me, burying her face in my chest.

 Volume 1—Chapter 13: Suspicion

    The Minami family had long stood as a pillar of power and influence, their reach extending across the Tsukuru Islands¡ªa sprawling metropolis of artificial islands built in the heart of the Pacific. What had once been a bold engineering project to establish a new hub of trade and military strategy had, by 1943, become the de facto capital of the newly formed union, Dai T¨­a Ky¨­eiken, or the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.


    Amid the shifting tides of global conflict, the Minami family cemented their control, their authority rivalled by few and feared by many. For decades, their name carried weight heavier than any government decree.


    At the centre of this legacy was their only daughter¡ªMinami Kotori.


    Born into privilege, Kotori was raised not just as a wealthy heiress, but as a symbol of the Minami family''s dominance. She had never known a life without protection¡ªwithout an entourage of bodyguards ensuring her safety, without watchful eyes monitoring her every move. To the world, she was untouchable.


    And among those tasked with safeguarding her, one figure stood above the rest¡ªYuya Fiolera.


    Unlike the other bodyguards, Yuya was more than just a bodyguard. He was her butler, her playmate, her closest companion. Only a year older than Kotori, he had been by her side since before either of them could remember. He understood her better than anyone¡ªher mannerisms, her habits, the way she masked her loneliness behind a polite smile.


    Yuya knew everything about Kotori.


    But then came middle school.


    The academy enforced separate classes for boys and girls.


    And just like that, Yuya was forcibly separated from his mistress.


    For the first time, he couldn¡¯t be there for her.


    Couldn¡¯t stand by her desk.


    Couldn¡¯t shield her from overbearing people or scheming classmates.


    He was forced to watch from the sidelines as Kotori entered a new phase of life¡ªone that he wasn¡¯t allowed to be part of.


    His fists clenched as frustration welled up inside him.


    "Why am I not a girl?"


    The words escaped in a whisper, tinged with resentment.


    Had he been born a girl, he wouldn¡¯t have been cast aside like this. He could have stayed in the same classroom and continued to serve Kotori as he always had.


    But fate was cruel.


    And then, on the very first day of school, he saw it happen.


    Kotori was smiling¡ªlaughing¡ªwhile speaking with someone.


    A girl.


    Or at least, that¡¯s what Yuya initially thought.


    The student standing beside Kotori had short hair, sharp features, and a posture that exuded confidence¡ªtraits far more reminiscent of a boy than a girl. If not for the school uniform, Yuya would have assumed Kotori had befriended a male student.


    His unease deepened when he inquired about the student¡¯s identity.


    "Ah, that¡¯s Miyazaki Aria," someone told him casually. "She¡¯s went to the same elementary school with me."


    Something about the way they said it unsettled him.


    It wasn¡¯t just him¡ªeveryone had thought Aria was a boy at first.


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    And that¡¯s when suspicion took root in Yuya¡¯s mind.


    What if Aria wasn¡¯t a girl at all?


    What if he was a boy in disguise?


    The more he observed, the more certain he became.


    It was too convenient.


    A student with an androgynous appearance just happened to be in Kotori¡¯s class? Just happened to befriend her immediately? Just happened to be someone Kotori instantly trusted.


    To Yuya, there was only one explanation.


    Miyazaki Aria was a boy.


    And it was painfully obvious why he was disguising himself.


    He wanted to get close to Minami Kotori.


    To his mistress.


    To the girl Yuya swore to protect.


    There was no doubt in his mind.


    As the de facto captain of the royal guard protecting the princess¡ªMinami Kotori¡ªYuya took it upon himself to interfere with whatever Aria was planning.


    Gathering a few trusted members of Kotori¡¯s guard, he set his plan into motion¡ªonly to find his path blocked.


    A boy stood in his way.


    Arthur Yveone.


    Yuya didn¡¯t know much about him. Arthur¡¯s presence had been subtle, almost forgettable¡ªa quiet figure who never drew attention to himself.


    But now, standing before Yuya, Arthur was anything but forgettable.


    He wasn¡¯t physically imposing. He didn¡¯t have the arrogance of someone picking a fight. Yet his presence alone was enough to make Yuya pause.


    There was a cold sharpness behind Arthur¡¯s golden eyes¡ªa calculating awareness that made one thing clear:


    He wasn¡¯t here by chance.


    This was deliberate.


    Arthur had no interest in arguing. He wasn¡¯t defending Aria with words or grand declarations.


    Instead, he was stopping Yuya¡ªefficiently, quietly, and without unnecessary conflict.


    It was infuriating.


    Yuya gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Step aside,¡± he ordered.


    Arthur simply tilted his head, his expression unreadable.


    ¡°Why?¡± His voice was soft, polite¡ªtoo polite.


    Yuya narrowed his eyes. ¡°You know why.¡±


    Arthur blinked, slow and deliberate.


    A pause. A test. A calculation.


    Then, with the faintest of smiles, he stepped forward¡ªnot away, but closer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I do,¡± Arthur said, his tone calm, almost indifferent. Yet behind those words lay a quiet challenge.


    Yuya clenched his fists. He could feel it now¡ªArthur wasn¡¯t just here to stop him.


    He was here to see what Yuya would do next.


    It was a battle of wills, not fought with fists but with presence, patience, and control.


    And for the first time, Yuya realized¡ªArthur was dangerous.


    Not because he was strong.


    Not because he was loud.


    But because he saw everything¡ªand he was always one step ahead.


    Yuya had spent years training to protect Kotori.


    But now, for the first time, he found himself facing someone he couldn¡¯t predict.


    And that, more than anything, pissed him off.


    He had no choice but to hold off on his plan¡ªfor now.


    Yuya needed to act.


    At dawn, away from prying eyes, he met with Kotori.


    He confronted her directly.


    ¡°Kotori, listen to me. Aria is a boy. I know it.¡±


    But Kotori didn¡¯t flinch.


    Instead, she let out a soft sigh, her expression unreadable. Then, after a moment, she smiled¡ªnot out of amusement, not out of disbelief, but as if Yuya had just proven her right about something.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking this, Yuya.¡±


    Her words were light, dismissive¡ªyet there was something behind them.


    No matter how much Yuya insisted, Kotori refused to believe him.


    Or perhaps¡­


    She simply didn¡¯t care.


    The next day, everything unraveled.


    One of Yuya¡¯s guards had reached his limit.


    It happened in the cafeteria. Aria made Kotori cry and then apologized in front of everyone.


    That was unacceptable.


    That was the last straw.


    One of the guards decided to attack.


    Aria dodged effortlessly.


    Another guard lunged.


    Aria sidestepped without breaking a sweat.


    One after another, they came after her¡ªyet she remained unbothered, barely acknowledging them.


    She even continued a casual conversation with two girls calmly eating behind her.


    Meanwhile, Kotori was hiding under a table.


    Then, chaos erupted.


    The royal guard and Aria¡¯s loyal followers clashed.


    An all-out war.


    But while the battle raged on, Aria picked Kotori up and escaped the cafeteria.


    Fortunately, Yuya saw it happen¡ªand he decided to follow.


    He chased after them, his pulse quickening.


    Aria was fast. Too fast.


    But Yuya wasn¡¯t about to let her get away.


    Then¡ªhe finally caught up.


    And froze.


    Because what he saw was not what he expected.


    Kotori was hugging Aria.


    Her small frame pressed against Aria¡¯s chest, her fingers gripping Aria¡¯s uniform as though letting go wasn¡¯t an option.


    Yuya¡¯s breath hitched.


    His fists clenched.


    And for the first time, he felt something far worse than anger.


    "Miyazaki Aria!!"


    Yuya shouted without thinking.


    The name tore from his throat, raw with emotion¡ªfrustration, anger, and something far more dangerous.


    Jealousy.


    And then¡ªthe wind howled.


    Because there was one thing everyone needed to know about Yuya Fiolera.


    He was an Esper.


    And he had the power to control the wind.


    Logic should have stopped him.


    Revealing his abilities in front of ordinary people was forbidden.


    But at that moment¡ªYuya didn¡¯t care.


    The jealousy had already consumed him.


    And without hesitation, he let his power loose.

 Volume 1—Chapter 14: I AM A GIRL!

    Hey there, it¡¯s me, Aria.


    Right now, I¡¯m at a loss.


    Minami Kotori is hugging me¡ªher face buried in my chest, trembling.


    What am I supposed to do here?


    She keeps mumbling the same thing over and over.


    ¡°This is all my fault... I... I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Yeah, I get it. But can you calm down, woman? Of course, I can¡¯t actually say that out loud.


    Instead, I try to reassure her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be sorry, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Before I can say anything else¡ª


    ¡°Miyazaki Aria!!¡±


    Someone shouts my name so loudly that I almost flinch.


    I glance up.


    A boy is approaching, fast.


    He¡¯s tall for our age, with sharp features and a presence that demands attention. Handsome, sure, but the way he¡¯s glaring at me? Not very friendly.


    I barely have time to process before he lunges straight at me.


    "Yuya! STOP!" Kotori¡¯s voice cuts through the moment.


    Ah, so his name is Yuya.


    His fist stops just inches from my face.


    Yuya¡¯s expression shifts from anger to confusion. His whole body tenses, like he¡¯s fighting against something unseen.


    ¡°What? How? My wind power disappeared?¡±


    ¡­Wind power?


    What is this guy talking about?


    He clicks his tongue, clearly frustrated, and shifts his stance like he¡¯s preparing another attack. His arm moves in a way that suggests he¡¯s trying to charge up something¡ªsomething that isn¡¯t happening.


    And that¡¯s when it clicks.


    The group name "Royal Guards."


    The strange fighting stance.


    The talk about powers.


    Right.


    This guy is a Chunibyo.


    "Let me get this straight, Kotori."


    "Y-Yes?" Kotori sniffled, her cheeks still streaked with tears.


    "This so-called Royal Guard attacked me¡­ because of you?"


    "Uh, yeah¡­" Kotori mumbled, looking guilty. "Because they thought you were a guy trying to hit on me."


    ¡­Seriously?


    I looked down at myself¡ªschool uniform, skirt, everything. I was very clearly a girl. How did they still manage to think I was a guy? Were they blind? Or just stupid?


    Before I could even process the sheer absurdity of it all, Yuya sneered.


    "Don''t think I don''t know¡­ you crossdressing freak!"


    What.


    Before I could even react, he lunged at me again, fist flying toward my face.


    Oh, that does it.


    "First of all¡ª" I caught his fist mid-swing. His entire body jerked to a stop, his eyes widening in shock.


    "I am a girl. A genuine one."


    Then, I squeezed. Hard.


    Yuya flinched. "Tch¡ª You¡­!"


    ¡°Secondly¡ª¡±


    "How dare you¡ª" I growled, driving my knee straight into his stomach.


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    He choked on his breath, doubling over, his body collapsing under the force of my strike.


    This guy was seriously pissing me off.


    "Now, are you back to reality, young man?" I said, my tone dripping with mockery.


    Yuya staggered, still clutching his stomach. "How¡­ why did my power have no effect on you?!"


    Oh my god. How deep is this guy¡¯s ch¨±ni phase?


    "Power, my ass. You don¡¯t have any power at all," I scoffed.


    His eyes flared with anger. "Are you mocking me?! I have the power to control wind¡­ I am an A-rank Esper!!"


    I sighed. Enough of this nonsense.


    Without warning, I slapped him across the face. His head snapped to the side, and before he could react, I grabbed him by the collar, yanking him close.


    I leaned in, whispering directly into his ear.


    "You don¡¯t have power. You never had power. What A-rank Esper? You¡¯re just some ordinary guy, blind to what¡¯s real and what¡¯s not. You need to wake up."


    His breath hitched, his entire body stiffening.


    Then, to really hammer the point home, I took his hand and pressed it against my chest.


    "It may be small, but I¡¯m still growing." I stared him dead in the eye. "You feel that? I. AM. A. GIRL."


    I tossed him aside like a discarded ragdoll.


    Turning to Kotori, I dusted off my skirt and crossed my arms. "Kotori, you don¡¯t need to apologize. Seems like your Royal Guard is just full of idiots."


    Just like the brats who follow me.


    Suddenly I heard voice from behind me.


    Irana rushed toward me, her eyes filled with concern, while Viola followed at a leisurely pace.


    "Onee-chan! Are you alright?" Irana asked, scanning me for any injuries.


    I blinked at her sudden worry. I mean, I appreciated the concern, but wasn¡¯t she just casually eating lunch while I was fighting off multiple guys?


    "I¡¯m fine, Irana. There¡¯s no way these amateurs could beat me in a fight," I said, flashing a smug grin.


    In my past life, I trained in all kinds of martial arts, and thankfully, my skills carried over. However, I had to admit that fighting in this body was a little different. Men and women were built differently, after all. It''s a good thing I was still in my early teens¡ªthere was plenty of time to adjust.


    "Really?" Irana asked, squinting at me like she didn¡¯t believe a word I was saying.


    Before I could respond, movement caught my attention.


    At the corner of my eye, I saw Viola calmly slapping a pair of handcuffs onto Yuya¡¯s wrists.


    I blinked.


    "Uh¡­ Viola?" I called out.


    She looked up at me, expression as neutral as ever.


    "Where did you get those handcuffs?"


    Viola tilted her head. "I always have them."


    "...Right." I decided to leave it at that. Everyone has their own hobbies, I guess.


    ¡°Onee-chan!¡± Irana¡¯s voice snapped my attention back to her.


    She looked even more serious now, her brows furrowed, her hands curled into fists at her sides.


    "What?" I asked, confused.


    "Tell me honestly. What happened?"


    ¡°Alright, alright¡­ So, basically, Kotori over there has a group of devoted followers¡ªmaybe servants? Anyway, their so-called leader, that guy over there,¡± I nodded toward Yuya, still restrained by Viola, ¡°mistook me for a boy and, well¡­ you saw the rest.¡±


    Irana shook her head. "That¡¯s not what I meant."


    I raised a brow. "Then what do you mean?"


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Irana stared at me for a moment longer. Then, just as quickly as her intensity had appeared, it was gone.


    She let out a small breath, forcing a casual smile. ¡°Never mind. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re acting weird.¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s nothing,¡± she said smoothly, her usual cheerfulness slipping back into place. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re okay!¡±


    Huh. That was weird. But if she wasn¡¯t going to explain, then whatever.


    Still, for some reason, I got the feeling I¡¯d just missed something important.


    "You guys¡ªwhat are you doing here?"


    Uh-oh.


    I turned my head to see Elizabeth-sensei approaching, her sharp gaze sweeping over the scene.


    Busted.


    "I heard there was a fight in the cafeteria. Are you all alright?" she asked, her tone concerned.


    Oh, so she doesn¡¯t know about what just happened here yet? Nice. Maybe I can play this off¡ª


    Then her eyes landed on Yuya, more specifically, on the shiny pair of handcuffs locked around his wrists.


    Her brows furrowed. "...Why is he handcuffed?"


    "He tried to attack Aria," Viola answered flatly.


    Elizabeth-sensei¡¯s face twisted in shock. "What?"


    I mean, yeah. That¡¯s a reasonable reaction. I¡¯d be just as surprised if someone told me a guy randomly threw a punch at a girl in broad daylight.


    Yuya gritted his teeth, his frustration visible even as he remained restrained. "This is a misunderstanding!"


    A misunderstanding? Oh, please.


    I crossed my arms and raised a brow. "Oh? Which part? The part where you tried to punch me in the face or the part where you accused me of being a crossdressing freak?"


    Well¡­ It is a misunderstanding, but that is beside the point.


    Elizabeth-sensei¡¯s gaze snapped back to Yuya, her frown deepening. "Is this true?"


    Yuya struggled against the handcuffs for a moment before glaring at me. "She¡ªhe¡ªwhatever¡ªwas getting too close to Kotori! I was only protecting her!"


    "Again with this?!" I groaned, running a hand down my face. "For the last time, I. Am. A. Girl."


    Elizabeth-sensei sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Yuya, attacking a fellow student, regardless of the reason, is unacceptable. And handcuffing a student without proper authority¡ª" she shot a glance at Viola, who just shrugged.


    "I carry them for¡­ emergencies," Viola said nonchalantly.


    Elizabeth-sensei exhaled slowly, as if debating whether it was worth questioning. Eventually, she gave up and turned back to me.


    "Aria, are you alright?"


    I shrugged. "I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s gonna take more than some amateur attacks to hurt me."


    Elizabeth-sensei still looked troubled, but before she could say anything else, Kotori suddenly stepped forward.


    "Elizabeth-sensei," she said softly, her hands clenched at her sides. "It¡¯s my fault."


    I blinked. Wait, what?


    "If I had just stopped them sooner¡­ if I had spoken up, none of this would have happened."


    Yuya¡¯s eyes widened. "Kotori, no! You don¡¯t need to apologize¡ª"


    She turned to him, her gaze sharp. "Yuya, enough. I never asked you to fight for me."


    That shut him up.


    Elizabeth-sensei let out a weary sigh. "Alright. Everyone, we¡¯re taking this discussion to the faculty office. We¡¯ll sort this out properly."


    Well, that¡¯s just great. First, I don¡¯t get to eat my lunch. Then, I have to deal with a ch¨±ni butler attacking me. And now, I¡¯m getting dragged into a formal discussion with the teachers?


    Today is just not my day.

 Volume 1—Chapter 15: Intruder

    Hello everyone, Irana here!! Yesterday was my first time taking on esper related tasks¡ªwell, under my father¡¯s supervision, of course. But this wasn¡¯t just any ordinary task. No simple errand, no easy chore.


    This task was critical. A failure could mean disaster, possibly even the end of the world.


    And what was my task?


    To protect Onii¡­ Onee-chan.


    I know, I¡¯ve already said this before, but I feel like it needs to be repeated. Honestly, looking back, I realize that this task might be way harder than I thought.


    Now, let¡¯s talk about someone¡ªMinami Kotori.


    From what I know, Kotori is an Esper like us, but her power is a complete mystery. She¡¯s from the Minami family, which, yeah, her name kind of gives that away. However, other than that, I don¡¯t know much about her.


    But today, I learned something new.


    The Royal Guard.


    I¡¯ve never heard of this before, not even once. I knew Kotori was the Minami family¡¯s only princess, but this was the first time I heard about her having some elite personal guard.


    And apparently¡­ Kotori didn¡¯t seem too thrilled about them.


    And just now, she came to us¡ªwell, more like begged us¡ªto let her join me, Onii¡­ nee-chan and Viola for lunch at the cafeteria. From the way she was acting, it was pretty obvious she was avoiding the Royal Guard.


    Onee-chan seemed to know something about them. Maybe it had something to do with those boys who loyally followed her?


    So, what happens next?


    Long story short, the four of us went to the cafeteria like usual. We got our food, found an empty table, and started eating. It seemed like a normal day. Nothing strange, nothing dramatic.


    At first.


    But then¡­ Kotori suddenly lowered her head onto the table and started apologizing loudly.


    Like, full-on bowing and shouting.


    I had no idea if she did it on purpose or if she was just awkward and unaware of how much attention she was drawing to herself, but either way, she instantly became the centre of attention. The whole cafeteria fell silent, and everyone turned to stare at us.


    And then¡ªchaos erupted.


    One of the Royal Guards suddenly attacked Oni¡ªahem, Onee-chan.


    Onee-chan easily countered the attack and knocked the guy down without breaking a sweat. But that one hit was like knocking over the first domino in a chain.


    One by one, the Royal Guards started charging at Onee-chan.


    But guess what?


    Onee-chan wasn¡¯t alone.


    Her so-called followers¡ªor, as she calls them, the brats¡ªjumped into the fight. And just like that, the cafeteria turned into a full-scale war zone.


    Onee-chan fought alongside them, dodging punches, kicking people away, and throwing anyone dumb enough to get close. Meanwhile, Viola and I?


    We just kept eating.


    Why?


    Because we both knew that as long as Onee-chan was here, there was nothing to worry about.


    For as long as I¡¯ve known her, Onee-chan¡¯s physical strength has been like that of a monster.


    I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of some Esper ability or just pure training, but I¡¯m pretty sure that if Onee-chan seriously punched a wall, she¡¯d put a hole straight through it.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I once asked her how she got so strong. I thought maybe she was aware of her Esper power from the beginning, but she just laughed and said:


    "Oh, I trained in all kinds of martial arts and combined them."


    ¡­Huh?


    That was a weird answer because our parents never put Onee-chan in any martial arts school.


    When I asked her about it, she said she learned everything from the internet.


    ¡­Yeah. That was obviously a lie.


    I didn¡¯t press further, but if I had to guess, maybe her ability was some kind of physical enhancement.


    Honestly, though, that would be way too lame for a power that¡¯s supposedly strong enough to destroy the world.


    Oh, right¡ªKotori?


    She had been hiding under the table the entire time, hugging her head.


    By the time Viola and I finished eating, Onee-chan finally turned back to us¡ªthen started rapidly shovelling food into her mouth.


    Once she finished, she casually picked up Kotori and carried her like a princess.


    ¡­Ugh.


    I was a little jealous.


    If I had known that was an option, I totally would have pretended to be scared too.


    As we moved farther away from the cafeteria, my smartwatch suddenly vibrated, emitting a soft chime. A new mission alert from the Esper Association.


    "Urgent: Intruder detected on school grounds. Target unknown. Possible threat to Miyazaki Aria."


    My breath caught in my throat. Someone had infiltrated the school? And their target might be Onee-chan?


    There was no time to hesitate.


    "I have to go," I thought. I can''t let anything happen to her.


    Keeping my voice steady, I turned to Onii¡ªnee-chan.


    "Viola and I need to use the restroom," I said casually.


    She didn¡¯t say anything and simply nodded. The moment we were out of her sight, Viola placed a hand on my shoulder¡ªher teleportation ability activated instantly, and the world blurred around us.


    When we arrived at the scene, we weren¡¯t alone.


    Standing before us was Elizabeth-sensei¡ªan Esper and my superior in the Esper Association. Her power allowed her to manipulate plants, making them grow and attack with terrifying speed.


    But she wasn¡¯t just standing there.


    She was already engaged in battle.


    Her opponents? Two intruders¡ªa blonde man wearing a strange cloak and a blonde woman with pointed ears. An elf in modern era?


    Without a second thought, I unleashed an ice attack. My cryokinesis sent sharp shards of frost spiraling toward the man, but¡ª


    An arrow cut through the air, intercepting my attack.


    "Tch." I narrowed my eyes, looking for the source.


    The blonde woman let out a sigh, clearly unimpressed.


    "You''re truly pathetic. If I weren¡¯t here, you¡¯d be dead by now," she muttered to the man.


    "Oh yeah, Miss Know-it-all? We shouldn¡¯t even be here in the first place!" the man shot back.


    "Shut up and free yourself."


    "Okay!..."


    Suddenly, flames erupted, consuming the vines that had been restraining the man.


    That was my chance.


    I had already sprinkled a thin layer of ice onto his body. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough.


    "Freeze!"


    "Damn it¡ªher power is cryokinesis!" the man shouted in realization.


    Ice spread from his legs upward, trapping him in place.


    I locked eyes with Viola¡ªshe understood my signal instantly. In the blink of an eye, we teleported right next to him.


    I reached out, grabbing his neck.


    And in an instant¡ªhe was frozen solid.


    Meanwhile, Elly-sensei launched razor-sharp wooden stakes toward the blonde woman.


    But before they could hit, the woman summoned a wind barrier, redirecting the stakes back toward Elly-sensei.


    She couldn¡¯t dodge in time.


    But then¡ªsomething invisible blocked the attack.


    Viola¡¯s eyes widened.


    "Who did that?..." she asked.


    I scanned the area.


    But there was no one there.


    Weird¡­ there¡¯s should be other reinforcement besides me and Viola.


    "So, you¡¯ve finally realized, little girl," the blonde woman said, her voice tinged with amusement.


    "Normally, no one can break through my barrier to enter this area¡ªnot even with teleportation. That¡¯s why your sudden appearance here is strange. You two shouldn¡¯t have been able to get in. So I concluded¡­"


    Her gaze locked onto me.


    "One of you must be the vessel."


    "Vessel?..." Vessel for what?


    "Yes, that must be it. That would explain the psychokinesis earlier. Ordinary Espers in this world can¡¯t control two abilities at once."


    What¡­ is she talking about?


    A storm started swirling around her.


    I had a bad feeling.


    I clenched my fists, drawing in moisture from the air. A freezing aura surrounded me as I prepared to counter her attack.


    Elly-sensei, too, wasn¡¯t standing still. She summoned massive trees, their branches twisting and coiling toward the enemy.


    Viola teleported next to Elly-sensei, knowing full well that I was preparing something big.


    But just as I was about to strike¡ª


    A black-haired man appeared out of nowhere.


    Before I could react¡ª


    A powerful kick slammed into my stomach.


    Pain shot through me as I was sent flying.


    Who¡ª?!


    I barely had time to process what happened before I saw the pointed-ear woman also get kicked away.


    She looked even worse than I did.


    The black-haired man then casually walked over to the frozen blonde man and shattered the ice with a single punch.


    Then, without hesitation, he grabbed both the blonde man and the blonde woman by their necks, glanced at us, and¡ª


    He bowed slightly.


    "Sorry for all this."


    Then¡ªhe vanished.


    The barrier collapsed.


    Within seconds, reinforcements from outside flooded in. But it was too late.


    The enemies were already gone.


    We didn¡¯t know their true objective, but we had uncovered one important fact: Someone had infiltrated the school disguised as a student.


    Elly-sensei confirmed it.


    Our enemies had loose lips.


    There is one person who immediately became my prime suspect.


    Minami Kotori.

 Volume 1—Chapter 16: In A Room

    "Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know¡­ you crossdressing freak!"


    How dare he make Kotori cry¡­


    Rage surged through me. I threw a punch¡ªbut this wasn¡¯t just any punch. It was infused with my wind power. A direct hit from this would send him flying.


    "First of all¡ª"


    But¡ª


    He caught it. Effortlessly.


    I barely had time to register my shock before he squeezed my hand.


    It hurt.


    I gritted my teeth, trying to pull away.


    "Tch¡ª You¡­!"


    He continued, voice sharp.


    "Secondly¡ª"


    A knee slammed into my stomach.


    "How dare you¡ª"


    I choked on my words as pain shot through me.


    He stepped back slightly, watching me stagger and clutch my stomach. A smirk played on her lips, her tone dripping with mockery.


    "Now, are you back to reality, young man?"


    I gasped for breath, eyes narrowing.


    "How¡­ why did my power have no effect on you?!"


    What the hell just happened?


    She scoffed. "Power, my ass. You don¡¯t have any power at all."


    I froze.


    What¡­ did he just say?


    "Are you mocking me?! I have the power to control the wind! I am an A-rank Esper!!"


    Before I could process it, my face snapped sideways¡ª


    He had slapped me.


    And the next moment, he grabbed my collar, yanking me forward.


    He leaned in, his breath brushing against my ear as he whispered¡­


    "You don¡¯t have power. You never had power. What A-rank Esper? You¡¯re just some ordinary guy, blind to what¡¯s real and what¡¯s not. You need to wake up."


    A sudden dizziness overtook me like something was being pulled out of my body. My mind reeled, and I struggled to grasp what was happening.


    He then took my hand and placed it against his chest.


    Soft.


    Huh?


    Why would a guy¡¯s chest feel like this? ¡­Maybe just a lump of fat?


    Before I could spiral any further into confusion, his eyes locked onto mine, filled with irritation.


    "It may be small, but I¡¯m still growing."


    She leaned in, her gaze sharp and unwavering.


    "You feel that? I. AM. A. GIRL."


    She¡ªor rather, she¡ªtossed me aside like I was nothing.


    I hit the ground hard, coughing as I tried to process everything.


    I was confused.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Did I¡­ blindly misunderstand everything? Aria is really a girl? Not a boy?


    As I sat there, my mind spinning, I suddenly felt a cold metal clamp around my wrists.


    Handcuffs.


    "What the hell do you think you''re doing?!" I snapped, looking up at the girl who had just cuffed me.


    She leaned down, whispering into my ear, her voice laced with amusement.


    "You really wanna ask me that? After you just revealed your power to a civilian?"


    My breath caught.


    Shit.


    Meanwhile, Aria and her twin sister, Irana, were casually chatting about something, completely ignoring me.


    When did these two girls appear?


    I scowled. How could she act like nothing happened? Like she didn¡¯t just destroy my entire perception of reality?


    Seconds later, a teacher arrived.


    "You guys¡ªwhat are you doing here?"


    It was Elizabeth-sensei.


    I tensed immediately.


    She wasn¡¯t just any teacher¡ªshe was a high-ranking Esper from the Association.


    I was screwed.


    Elizabeth-sensei scanned the scene, her eyes settling on me.


    "I heard there was a fight in the cafeteria. Are you all alright?"


    She paused. Her gaze landed on my handcuffs.


    "¡­Why is he handcuffed?"


    The girl who restrained me answered flatly.


    "He tried to attack Aria."


    "What?"


    Shit.


    I could tell Elizabeth-sensei didn¡¯t know yet. She had no idea I had used my power in front of ordinary people.


    Which meant that I still had a chance to feign ignorance.


    "This is a misunderstanding!" I started.


    But before I could even begin to defend myself, Aria cut in.


    "Oh? Which part?" she said coolly. "The part where you tried to punch me in the face? Or the part where you accused me of being a crossdressing freak?"


    I clenched my jaw and glared at her.


    "She¡ªhe¡ªwhatever¡ªwas getting too close to Kotori! I was only protecting her!"


    Even if Aria was a girl, she was still nothing but a commoner. She had no right to be near Kotori!


    Long story short, Elizabeth-sensei asked us to discuss it further in the faculty office.


    I swallowed hard.


    Great.


    At least it wasn¡¯t the Association¡¯s prison.


    There was nothing particularly eventful about our time in the faculty office.


    Just the usual teacher-student lecture about misconduct, the importance of self-control, and the value of friendship.


    Elizabeth-sensei¡¯s speech was as dull as expected. I nodded along, saying what needed to be said.


    The important thing was that I was getting out of here.


    Or so I thought.


    The moment Kotori and Aria stepped out of the faculty office, I let out a relieved breath, ready to leave as well¡ª


    But then, without warning, the girl who had cuffed me grabbed me by the neck.


    "¡ª?!"


    I barely had time to react before the world blurred.


    The next thing I knew¡ª


    The scenery had changed.


    Darkness.


    I was no longer in the faculty office.


    I sat on a wooden chair, bound tightly at the wrists. A single lamp beamed down on my face, blinding me to everything beyond its reach.


    The air was cold. Stale. Heavy.


    There was no doubt about it.


    This was an interrogation room.


    "You think you¡¯ll just walk away free¡­ after violating the number one rule for Espers?"


    A woman''s voice.


    Cold. Crisp. Unforgiving.


    I tensed as footsteps echoed around me. I couldn¡¯t see her.


    "Name: Yuya Fiolera."


    She knew who I was.


    "Member of the Fiolera family. Hmm¡­ So tell me, why is someone like you working as a mere bodyguard for the Minami family?"


    Her tone was laced with curiosity, but I could tell¡ªshe already had her own suspicions.


    I stayed silent.


    "Well, doesn¡¯t matter."


    She stepped closer. I could feel her presence looming over me.


    "Let¡¯s get to the real question."


    I swallowed hard.


    "Why did you attack an ordinary civilian¡ªMiyazaki Aria¡ªwith your Esper power?"


    "I just¡ª"


    "Don¡¯t make excuses."


    I clenched my fists.


    I knew there was no getting out of this. I had no defence.


    "...I was blinded by rage and didn¡¯t think about the consequences."


    Silence.


    Then¡ª


    "Rage, huh¡­?"


    CRASH.


    The chair toppled over.


    I hit the ground, hard, my head spinning as I struggled against my restraints.


    I coughed, gasping for air.


    Footsteps circled me.


    "Who sent you here?" she asked. "Was it the Minami family? Or the Fiolera family?"


    I froze.


    "What are you talking about?" I asked, genuinely confused.


    Her voice turned sharper.


    "Don''t play dumb."


    I frowned.


    "I was clearly sent here by the Minami family to safeguard Kotori."


    Silence.


    Then a quiet chuckle.


    A sharp, amused chuckle.


    Her voice took on a dangerous edge.


    "Seems like you don¡¯t want to open your mouth."


    The footsteps stopped.


    A pause.


    Then¡ª


    "Do you want to play a game with me?"


    Her words sent a chill down my spine.


    I couldn''t see her expression, but I could feel her amusement.


    Like a predator toying with its prey.


    A sharp click.


    Then¡ªpain.


    A jolt of electricity surged through my body, radiating from the metal cuffs still around my wrists. My muscles locked up, my vision blurred, and my breath hitched as I gritted my teeth to suppress a scream.


    The woman chuckled, her voice dripping with amusement. "Oh? You can endure that? Good, good... I was hoping you''d last a little longer."


    The electricity stopped. My body sagged in the chair, gasping for breath.


    I wanted to shout at her, demand what the hell she was doing¡ªbut before I could recover, she spoke again.


    "Let me explain the rules of our little game."


    The single lamp above flickered.


    "Every time I think you¡¯re lying, I shock you."


    She leaned in closer, her breath warm against my ear.


    "Every time you refuse to answer, I shock you."


    A soft chuckle.


    "And if I get bored?"


    Another sharp click.


    A low, menacing hum filled the room.


    "I shock you anyway."


    My heart pounded. I had faced countless battles and endured gruelling training.


    This, however, was a different kind of hell.

 Volume 1—Chapter 17 : The Lord of Darkness

    Inside the Esper Association headquarters, Elizabeth stepped out of the interrogation room, her expression unreadable.


    Waiting for her in the dimly lit corridor was a man with sharp features, his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall.


    "Did you get anything from him?" he asked without looking up.


    Elizabeth sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It seems like he genuinely doesn¡¯t know anything."


    The man hummed thoughtfully. "So this incident isn¡¯t directly related to him¡­ but we still can¡¯t rule out the Minami or Fiolera families¡¯ involvement."


    Elizabeth hesitated for a moment before adding, "Something strange happened to the boy."


    At that, the man finally turned to face her. "What do you mean?"


    "His Esper powers¡­ they¡¯re gone. Completely. As of now, he¡¯s just an ordinary human, not an Esper."


    A heavy silence settled between them. The man, deep in thought, narrowed his eyes.


    "Any idea why this happened?" Elizabeth pressed.


    He didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, he studied her carefully, his gaze sharp, calculating.


    "Could it be related to Miyazaki Aria¡¯s power?" she asked cautiously.


    This time, the man¡¯s reaction was different. He stiffened¡ªjust for a fraction of a second¡ªbut it was enough for Elizabeth to catch it.


    He didn¡¯t answer her question. Instead, he turned away. "Just do your job. Observe her. Don¡¯t ask unnecessary questions."


    Then, without another word, he walked away.


    Elizabeth clenched her fists. "Takeru!" she called after him.


    No response.


    Frustrated, she raised her voice, her tone sharp with anger and desperation.


    "Miyazaki Takeru!!"


    At that, the man stopped.


    Elizabeth took a step forward. "At least tell me what you know. Trust me¡ªI won¡¯t do any harm to your daughter."


    Takeru stood there for a long moment, his back still turned to her. Then, without a word, he resumed walking and disappeared into the darkness of the hallway.


    Elizabeth exhaled slowly, her mind racing.


    Something was happening.


    And Miyazaki Aria was at the center of it.


    ***


    On a certain island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean stood the secret headquarters of a particular secret organization. There, an important meeting was taking place.


    "We have finally found it. The vessel of our god has finally been born into this world after thousands of years," said Executive A.


    "...Are you sure?... This isn''t another false alarm, is it?" asked Executive B.


    "...It''s real this time... I saw it with my own eyes..." replied Executive A.


    "Fufufu... finally, something interesting... May I be the one to capture the vessel?" said Executive C.


    "Hey, you damn wench!!... The impact of the incident you caused last time is still lingering. We need to handle this carefully so the Esper Association doesn¡¯t find out," scolded Executive D.


    "Don''t call me a wench, you damn hobo... Hmph... I will be careful and avoid making a big scene this time," Executive C retorted.


    "You?... Not making a scene during a mission?... Hahaha... Don¡¯t make me laugh." Executive D sneered.


    A cute voice suddenly shouted.


    "Both of you, shut up now!!..." ordered Executive E.


    "Sorry, darling, but this idiot started it," said Executive C.


    "I started it?!... You''re the one who threw out a bad idea during this important meeting!"


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    "Enough with this useless debate. We must act quickly and decisively. We don¡¯t have time to argue like elementary school kids!" Executive A snapped in frustration.


    Executive C and D stopped bickering.


    "...Right... So where was the vessel found?" asked Executive B.


    Executive A then threw a dart at the map on the wall. The dart landed at a point between the Philippines, Japan, and Micronesia¡ªthe federal capital of the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere. A man-made island housing more than seven million people: Tsukuru City.


    "...Hey... Leader... Did you really have to throw a dart at the map? I just bought that map last week," complained Executive E.


    "Ah, sorry... I just wanted to look cool. I''ll buy a new map after this," said Executive A.


    "...Ahem..." Executive A cleared his throat before continuing. "Anyway... The vessel is currently living in Tsukuru City. They are attending a prestigious school called Tsukuru Academy. The academy has tight security, making it difficult to infiltrate. As you all know, Tsukuru City is also home to the headquarters of the Esper Association. Taking the vessel right under their noses will be an extremely difficult task."


    Executive A then turned toward Executive C.


    "This is not a mission for you."


    "...As I said... damn wench," muttered Executive D.


    "...Don¡¯t make me start again!!" Executive C snapped.


    "Huh... You two should get along if you''re really serious about achieving our goal," sighed Executive B.


    "Let them be..." said Executive A. "As long as they don¡¯t mess thing up... I can still tolerate it."


    "So, what¡¯s the plan, Leader?" asked Executive E.


    Executive A turned to look at Executive E.


    "...Why are you looking at me like that?" Executive E asked.


    "My plan is you..." Executive A said.


    "...Eh? Me?..." Executive E looked confused.


    "...Yes... I want you to enroll as a student at Tsukuru Academy." said Executive A.


    ***


    I remember something from when I had just regained the memories of my past life. It was about a week after those memories resurfaced, though the exact time didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was what I did back then.


    That night, Irana was having trouble sleeping. She tossed and turned in her bed, fidgeting with the edge of her blanket. At first, she wanted to call Mom and ask her to tell her a bedtime story. But I stopped her and offered to tell her one instead. She hesitated at first, biting her lip as if weighing her options. Then she smiled and nodded, trusting me completely. She said that since I was her Onee-chan, I probably knew more than she did¡ªdespite us being born only a few minutes apart.


    I asked Irana to lie down and get comfortable. Then, I began telling her a story.


    ...


    ...


    ...


    A long time ago, when the world was shrouded in endless darkness, there existed a being whom people often called the Lord of Darkness. He was the one who had cast the world into shadows, a figure of terror whispered about in hushed voices. Because of this, people feared him and dared not approach him.


    The Lord of Darkness lived in solitude. He had no companions, no one to share his existence with. The silence stretched for eons, and in the depths of that endless isolation, his mind began to unravel. His loneliness drove him to madness, and his unchecked power threatened to annihilate the already desolate world. However, amidst his madness, one thing held him back¡ªthe distant, fading memories of his beloved.


    Realizing the agony of his existence and the destruction his loneliness had wrought, the Lord of Darkness made a final decision. Tired of being alone, weary of seeing a world swallowed by shadows, he resolved to end his own existence. But before that, he had one last task.


    The Lord of Darkness created six new beings¡ªhis children. To each, he granted immortality, so that time would not erode them. He gave them consciousness, so they could think, dream, and shape their own destinies. He showed them the state of the world and told them of the beauty it once held. He warned them of the cruel fate that might one day descend upon them, and how only unwavering determination could change it.


    Then, he spoke of the inevitable end¡ªthe fate that awaited all things. No matter how mighty or eternal something seemed, it would one day perish. Even those called immortal would find an end, just as he would now.


    The six children lived with the Lord of Darkness for a long time, learning under his guidance. He taught them about ethics and morality, about love and loss. He painted vivid pictures of a world filled with light, of a time before darkness swallowed everything. He took his six children on journeys across the remnants of existence, showing them forgotten wonders and telling them stories of what once was.


    For the first time in thousands of years, the Lord of Darkness felt something foreign to him¡ªhappiness. His long-lost emotions returned, rekindled by the six lives he had created. For the first time in an eternity, he smiled.


    But it was fleeting.


    He always knew that once his children had grown, his time would come to an end.


    The six children matured, and he watched with pride. When he was certain they were ready, he divided his immense power into six parts and bestowed it upon them.


    Thus, the Six Primordial Authorities were born:


    Origin


    Time


    Consciousness


    Reality


    Fate


    End


    Having passed on his strength, the Lord of Darkness created a barrier to protect his children. Then, with one last glance at them, he smiled¡ªhis first and final smile of true contentment.


    He bid them farewell.


    And then, he was gone.


    Everything crumbled. The darkness that had once engulfed the world collapsed in on itself. Reality shattered into nothingness.


    Nothing remained.


    Not even the Lord of Darkness himself.


    Only his six children were left alone in the void, carrying with them the weight of the power he had entrusted to them.


    ...


    ...


    ...


    To this day, I still reflect on that story. I don¡¯t recall ever hearing it anywhere, yet I could tell it as if I had recited it countless times before. There was something about it¡ªsomething that felt deeply personal, as though it was an integral part of me. But no matter how much I pondered, I couldn''t grasp why it felt so important.


    That night, after hearing the story, Irana began to cry. Tears welled up in her big, bright eyes, and she sniffled as she clutched her blanket.


    "That was so sad¡­!" she whimpered. "Why would you tell me something like that before bed? Now I can¡¯t sleep!"


    She tossed and turned restlessly, still sniffling. And then, after a long moment of hesitation, she did what I had initially stopped her from doing¡ªshe ran straight to our parents'' room and climbed into bed with Mom, asking her to tell a different bedtime story.


    But not before loudly complaining about how mean I was for telling such a tragic tale.

 Volume 1—Chapter 18: Homecoming

    Yesterday was a hectic day, but thankfully, the school ended early due to the chaos in the cafeteria.


    As I lay on my bed, trying to relax, Irana hugged her body pillow and suddenly spoke up.


    ¡°Onee-chan? Do you want to head back home this weekend?¡± she asked, her voice soft.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ probably¡­ I miss Yuji already. Even though it''s only been two days.¡±


    Irana frowned at the mention of our little brother. Seriously, what did Yuji ever do to her? I couldn¡¯t even remember the last time they got along.


    "You guys are heading back for the weekend?" Viola chimed in from her bed. "I guess I¡¯ll have this room all to myself, then."


    ¡°You¡¯re not going home, Viola?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Nope. I can¡¯t really concentrate if I¡¯m at home.¡±


    Ah, right. She mentioned before that her little sister is too annoying for her to focus on anything.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Viola continued, ¡°I heard from Kotori that after yesterday¡¯s incident, Yuya has been acting weird.¡±


    Huh?


    ¡°Wait, when did you talk to Kotori? We¡¯ve been together in this room the whole time since that incident.¡±


    ¡°She sent it in the group chat.¡±


    ¡°¡­What group chat?¡±


    ¡°For goodness¡¯ sake, Aria, check your phone.¡±


    I blinked, confused, and quickly opened my messaging app.


    A new group chat notification popped up.


    Chatter Queens.


    I stared at the name.


    ¡°¡­What is this name?¡±


    As I stared at the ridiculous name, I hesitated before tapping on it. The moment I opened the chat, I was bombarded with over a hundred unread messages.


    "What the hell is this...?" I muttered, scrolling through the message.


    Kotori: Anyway, Yuya has been acting really weird after yesterday incident. He barely says a word, and he looks distracted all the time.


    Viola: Maybe he¡¯s just tired?


    Kotori: No, this is different. He¡¯s never like this, even when he¡¯s exhausted. Something¡¯s definitely wrong.


    Irana: Maybe he¡¯s in love? (???)


    Kotori: I doubt it.


    Viola: Or maybe he realized he¡¯s been serving a princess for too long and wants to quit?


    Kotori: VIOLA THAT¡¯S NOT FUNNY.


    Did I hit him to hard yesterday? Well, maybe I am just see it for myself later. Well, he is a delusional piece of shit¡­ I guess I knock some sense into him?


    Later, I met Yuya, and he seemed to be becoming a different person. He also seemed to keep looking at me in a weird way. Don¡¯t tell me, did he fall for me? Well, there¡¯s no way. Anyway¡­ the schooldays after that were really boring, and nothing much happened. We studied, we hung out, and we sometimes played board games in our room. The brats didn¡¯t bother me much, because they got hospitalised full-on after because of the excessive security force.


    I don¡¯t know whether it was because of the massive brawl or the fact that the security guards actually broke students'' bones, but seriously¡ªwhy did the school allow them to hit students in the first place? Were they not afraid of the consequences? Did they think they were running some kind of underground fight club?


    And where the hell was the child protection commission? Was it just for decoration?


    Frustrated, I spent the night after the incident searching the internet, reading everything I could about human rights and child protection laws. At this point, I could probably start my own legal advocacy group. I mean, I wouldn¡¯t, but still¡ªhahaha, I¡¯m practically an expert now!


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Anyway, let¡¯s talk about something more amusing. Out of all the members of Violetta¡ªYes that I would call them from now on¡ªArthur was the only one who didn¡¯t end up in the hospital. Curious as to why? Yeah, I was too. So, I asked one of the surviving members.


    And the answer I got?


    No one even tried to fight Arthur.


    Not because he was terrifying.


    Not because he was the strongest.


    No.


    It was because he looked too damn young.


    Apparently, during the chaos, people mistook him for the cafeteria lady¡¯s kid and didn¡¯t have the heart to hit him. I nearly died laughing when I heard that.


    Arthur, being the smug little gremlin he is, told me, "It¡¯s not that they didn¡¯t fight me. It¡¯s just that anyone who tried was too weak to even touch me."


    Ah, as expected from Arthur. His shota aura is simply too strong.


    I think there¡¯s something noteworthy that I need to mention, too. Was it noteworthy, though? I feel like I need to include it here because it¡¯s interesting.


    During break time, I¡¯ve started spending most of my time in the library.


    Why the library, you ask?


    Believe it or not, this place has an impressive collection of popular novels. You can borrow almost anything, from classic literature to the latest bestsellers. It¡¯s honestly amazing.


    Truly, an elite school library. Everything is so complete.


    ¡­There¡¯s even a porn magazine.


    At first, I thought it was just a misplaced book, but no¡ªit turns out it belongs to the library supervisor.


    Yeah. Let that sink in.


    But that¡¯s not what¡¯s important right now. Those were just my usual, uneventful days. What matters is what¡¯s happening now¡ª


    Irana and I have then returned home in the weekend as planed.


    Our house is a small, two-story building with a design similar to a suburban Japanese home. It¡¯s nothing extravagant, but it¡¯s cozy. Even though the villa I lived in during my past life was much bigger, I¡¯d pick this home over that empty, lifeless place any day.


    As I pushed open the front door, a blur of movement shot toward me before I could react¡ª


    "Welcome back, ONEE-CHAN!!"


    A pair of small arms wrapped tightly around me.


    That figure clinging to me like a koala was none other than my little brother, Miyazaki Yuuji</a>.


    Of course, I hugged him back. Ahhh, he¡¯s so cute!


    But before I could properly bask in my brother¡¯s adorable welcome, a certain someone cleared her throat.


    "Ahem¡­ Yuuji¡­ Aren¡¯t you forgetting about your other ONEE-CHAN?" Irana spoke, her voice slightly annoyed.


    Yuuji instantly let go of me, turned to Irana, and glared at her.


    ¡°Ugly people like you deserve to be forgotten forever.¡±


    I swear I heard something crack. Maybe it was Irana¡¯s patience.


    "What did you just say to your sister, you brat?!" Irana yelled, her voice filled with pure rage.


    Ah, here we go again. They really can¡¯t get along, can they?


    I sighed and put on my best "stern Onee-chan" expression.


    "Yuuji¡­ You shouldn¡¯t say that to your Onee-chan. Aren¡¯t you a good boy? A good boy doesn¡¯t say mean things to his sister. Irana is your Onee-chan too. Apologize to her, or I¡¯ll hate you for the rest of my life."


    The moment those words left my mouth, Yuuji¡¯s eyes widened, and his lip quivered.


    "Eh¡­ don¡¯t hate Yuuji¡­ Yuuji will be a good boy," he said, his voice trembling with teary eyes.


    Oh.


    Oh no.


    He¡¯s too cute.


    I almost felt bad for scolding him.


    "Then, apologize to Irana Nee-chan now," I said gently.


    Yuuji turned to Irana again, his expression unreadable. For a split second, I swore I saw something flicker in the air¡ªlike an electric current sparking between them.


    ¡­Why did it suddenly feel colder in here?


    "Sorry, Irana Nee-chan¡­" Yuuji finally muttered.


    It was forced. Incredibly forced. But hey, at least it was a step forward in their never-ending sibling war.


    Irana smirked, flipping her hair dramatically.


    "Okay, I forgive you¡­ Why don¡¯t you come and give your Onee-chan a hug too? Come here, let me hug you," she said sweetly.


    ¡­And now it felt even colder.


    Yuuji hesitated but stepped forward anyway.


    Only to immediately struggle against what seemed like an invisible force. It was as if there was a barrier around Irana, stopping him from reaching her.


    What the hell?


    Without thinking, I gave Yuuji a little push to help him along¡ª


    And then something small fell between them.


    I blinked and bent down to pick it up.


    "What is this?¡­ A diamond?"


    I held it up to the light. It was unnaturally clear, yet strangely cold to the touch.


    Wait.


    Why was it so cold?


    It was still sunny outside, and we were standing right by the doorway. This made no sense.


    I turned to Yuuji.


    "Is this yours?"


    Silence.


    Then, Irana suddenly narrowed her eyes at Yuuji.


    The atmosphere became tense.


    "¡­Yes, it¡¯s mine," Yuuji finally answered.


    "I see¡­ Take good care of it. This is a valuable item," I said, twirling it in my fingers. "Anyway, who gave you something this expensive? Did Mom give it to you?"


    "Papa gave it to me," Yuuji answered simply.


    "Papa?" I tilted my head. "Oh, so he¡¯s the one who gave you this. Why would he give a diamond to a kid? Did he lose a screw in his head?"


    "I don¡¯t know," Yuuji shrugged. "Papa just gave it to me. He said it was for self-defence."


    I deadpanned.


    Self-defence.


    How the hell was a diamond supposed to be used for self-defence? Was he supposed to throw it at someone¡¯s head?


    Before I could ask any more questions, a familiar voice called out from inside.


    "Aria, Irana, you¡¯re home? It feels like you just moved into the dorm yesterday."


    That sweet voice belonged to none other than my mother.


    "Yeah, Mom¡­ We¡¯re home!" I called back.


    "¡­Then, Aria, can you come here for a moment?"


    I glanced between Irana and Yuuji, my gut telling me that leaving them alone might not be the best idea.


    But¡­ well. What could go wrong in a few minutes?


    I sighed. "Yeah¡­ Wait a second! I have to put my stuff down first!"


    Before leaving, I turned to the two troublemakers and gave them a warning look.


    "You two¡­ don¡¯t fight for your Onee-chan¡¯s sake, okay?"


    They both nodded.


    ¡­For some reason, I didn¡¯t feel reassured at all.

 Volume 1—Chapter 19: Her power…

    ¡­Yuuji. That¡¯s my name.


    I have a supernatural power¡ªelectrokinesis. Cool, right? I can charge my game console in seconds. Instant battery life? Yes, please. I¡¯ve always wanted to show off this power to my friends, but Papa forbade me.


    "Never let anyone know about your ability," he warned. "Keep it a secret."


    So I did. Mostly.


    But come on, having powers and not using them? That¡¯s like having a whole cake and not taking a single bite. Impossible.


    Instead, I found a loophole¡ªpranking people.


    My dumb older sister, Irana, was my favorite target. She had a power too¡ªcryokinesis. She could freeze people solid if she wanted to. Super scary, right? Except¡­ for some reason, my electricity messed with her ice. Her freezing powers never worked on me, which meant I had the upper hand.


    So, naturally, I abused this advantage.


    I shocked her at random times, zapped her snacks, and even short-circuited her phone. The best part? Her angry reactions. Absolute gold.


    But there was one person my power never worked on, Aria Onee-chan.


    No matter how many times I tried, she never reacted. Not even a flinch.


    At first, I thought she was just pretending. Maybe she had a super high pain tolerance? Maybe she secretly enjoyed being zapped? Gross. So, one day, I decided to go all out.


    Papa saw me charging up, sparks dancing around my fingertips. I expected him to scold me¡ªmaybe even stop me. But instead, he just¡­ smiled.


    "Hope you¡¯re okay by the end of it," he said.


    Huh? Weird. But whatever. If he wasn¡¯t stopping me, then it meant I had permission.


    So, with confidence, I went ahead with my plan.


    The moment my hand, crackling with high-voltage electricity, touched Onee-chan¡ªnothing happened.


    She just smiled.


    "Oh? So you¡¯re trying to prank your Onee-chan, huh?" she said, tilting her head. "Well, if you can prank people, you should be ready to be pranked back."


    Before I could react, she touched my neck.


    What happened next was pure, unfiltered agony.


    I got electrocuted. Badly.


    I screamed. I cried. I ran straight to Mama, clutching my neck like I had just been assassinated.


    That night, as I sulked under a blanket, Papa finally explained it to me.


    "Aria has a power too," he said, smiling. "And it''s even stronger than mine."


    ¡­What.


    No wonder my pranks never worked. No wonder she was completely immune to my electrokinesis.


    Compared to Onee-chan¡­ I was weak.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    And I hated that.


    From that moment on, I started to admire her. I sometimes heard from Irana that Onee-chan often fought with boys at school. She was strong, fearless, unbeatable.


    I wanted to be like her.


    No¡ªI wanted to be stronger.


    I once went to ask papa about Onee-chan power.


    "Papa, how come Aria Onee-chan is so powerful?" I asked, crossing my arms. "She completely neutralized my power and somehow redirected it back into me."


    Papa hummed, rubbing his chin like some wise old sage. "Neutralize and redirect, huh¡­ That¡¯s interesting indeed."


    I squinted at him. "So? Do you know how she did it?"


    Silence.


    Papa just kept smiling, and I got the distinct feeling he was enjoying my frustration.


    "Papa." I leaned in, waving a hand in front of his face. "Are you ignoring me?"


    Finally, he chuckled. "Well, sweaty, you¡¯re just lazy and never train."


    I blinked. "Excuse me?"


    But aren''t Onee-chan don¡¯t know she has power?


    "You heard me." He patted my shoulder like I was some weak little kid. "You wanna get stronger? Train your power."


    I frowned. "And how exactly am I supposed to train when I have to keep my power a secret?"


    "Well," he said with a grin, "I can help you train."


    At those words, my ears perked up.


    My mind filled with visions of unlocking my full potential¡ªshooting lightning bolts like some kind of storm god, bending electricity to my will, becoming unstoppable.


    "Really?! You mean it?!"


    Papa just grinned wider. "Of course."


    And like a fool, I believed him.


    Little did I know, I had just signed up for a personal training regime straight out of hell.


    <hr>


    After quarrelling with Yuuji, Irana stormed off to the living room, still fuming. She found her father lounging on the couch, watching television like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world.


    "Welcome back¡­ Where¡¯s Aria?" he asked casually, not even glancing away from the screen.


    "Mom called her to her room," Irana replied, arms crossed.


    "I see¡­ and Yuuji?" His eyes flicked toward her, and she could already hear the amusement in his voice. "I heard you two fighting earlier."


    "Same as always, you know the drill, Pops," she muttered. Then, her frustration boiled over. "Though that stupid little brother of mine nearly revealed our esper powers in front of Onee-chan!"


    And just like that, she launched into a full-blown rant about Yuuji¡¯s recklessness. The whole time, her father just nodded, barely reacting, like he was used to this routine.


    When she finally stopped, taking a deep breath to calm herself, he simply asked, "So, he went back to his room?"


    Irana twitched. Her fingers curled into fists, and for a moment, she had the overwhelming urge to punch him.


    "You really love pissing me off, don¡¯t you? I guess Yuuji takes after you," she grumbled. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she added, "By the way, I still haven¡¯t forgiven you for that first mission you gave me."


    Her father just laughed it off, completely unfazed. Then, with a shift in tone, he said,


    "I heard something big happened at school."


    Irana raised an eyebrow. "Oh, that? The report should be in your hands already. Why are you asking me?"


    "Because I want to hear the details from my sweet daughter, of course." His voice took on a playful tone.


    Without hesitation, Irana smacked him on the head.


    "Why should I? You already know every detail of it!" she huffed. But then, her expression turned serious. "Though¡­ there is something I want to ask."


    Her father grinned. "Anything, sweety. Ask away, and I shall answer."


    She had the urge to hit him again but held herself back.


    "The heck happened to Yuya?"


    That got her father¡¯s attention. His relaxed expression faded slightly. "Yuya? Ah¡­ you mean the Fiolera boy?" He hummed in thought. "I don¡¯t know."


    Irana narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean, you don¡¯t know? He¡¯s been acting really weird ever since the Esper Association interrogated him."


    Her father exhaled through his nose. "Well¡­ we erased his memory after that."


    She froze.


    "What?"


    "You know the rule, Irana. Ordinary people aren¡¯t supposed to know about Espers."


    "But Yuya is an Esper!" Irana snapped, completely bewildered.


    Her father¡¯s gaze darkened. "Not anymore."


    A chill ran down her spine. "What do you mean, ¡®not anymore¡¯?"


    He sighed, rubbing his temples as if the weight of the situation was finally catching up to him. "His power¡­ somehow disappeared."


    Irana¡¯s breath hitched. "This¡­ is this related to Onee-chan¡¯s power?"


    "Yeah. No doubt."


    Her mind raced. "What exactly is Onee-chan¡¯s power? How can she just erase someone else¡¯s ability like that? And she doesn¡¯t even know she did it!"


    Her father leaned back, staring at the ceiling for a moment before answering. "We¡¯re still not completely sure¡­ but we have a theory."


    Irana folded her arms. "What is it? And don¡¯t you dare pause for dramatic effect"


    Her father smirked. Then, after a deliberate pause¡ªjust to annoy her¡ªhe said,


    "Reality Manipulation."


    Irana¡¯s eyes twitched.


    "¡­You paused anyway."

 Volume 1—Chapter 20: Livestream

    After leaving Yuuji and Irana behind, I made my way to my mother¡¯s room, hoping that nothing bad would happen in the meantime.


    Come to think of it¡­ when was the last time I even set foot in her room?


    I tried to recall, but nothing came to mind. That in itself was strange.


    Then again, I had more important things to focus on¡ªlike finally confronting her about that Vcuber thingy.


    With a deep breath, I stopped in front of the door and knocked.


    "Mom!¡­ It¡¯s me, Aria."


    A brief silence followed before I heard her voice from inside.


    "Wait a moment, dear¡­ I¡¯ll open the door."


    The sound of movement followed, and soon, the door creaked open.


    Standing before me was a young-looking woman with long hair and facial features eerily similar to mine. It was as if I were looking at an older version of myself.


    But that wasn¡¯t the shocking part.


    "¡­Mom?"


    She was wearing a maid costume.


    Why the hell was Mom wearing a maid costume?!


    Before I could process what was happening, she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the room.


    Inside, I was met with an unexpected sight.


    Three different computer setups. A sleek gaming chair. A professional-grade microphone. Studio lighting.


    This wasn¡¯t a typical housewife¡¯s room.


    It looked more like a high-end streaming studio¡ªone that belonged to a full-time content creator.


    My gaze swept across the room until it landed on the multiple setups. Why is there three computers? Were they for Dad and Yuuji?


    I had a sinking feeling I was about to find out.


    "So, Mom¡­ you¡¯re really a Vcuber?" I asked, cautiously.


    She turned to me with a bright smile.


    "Yes! And soon, you and Irana will become Vcubers too!"


    ¡­What?


    "Wait, wait, wait¡­ what do you mean Irana and I will become Vcubers?"


    Without missing a beat, she gestured toward the setups.


    "See these computers? This one¡¯s yours, and this one¡¯s Irana¡¯s."


    My head spun. "But¡­ but¡­ why so suddenly? You didn¡¯t even tell us!"


    Mom tilted her head innocently. "I¡¯m your mother. Do I really need to ask for your permission first?"


    "Of course, you need to ask first!!" The words left my mouth louder than intended.


    The moment I raised my voice, Mom¡¯s expression twisted into something tragic. She trembled, her lips quivering, before dramatically collapsing to the floor.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Ugh¡­ My own child is scolding me. She¡¯s turned into a rebellious daughter¡­"


    Panic hit me like a truck.


    "Ah¡ªno! I¡¯m sorry, Mom! I didn¡¯t mean to yell! Please forgive me!" I hurriedly bowed down, hands pressed together in apology.


    Mom sniffled, lifting her head just enough to peek at me.


    "Well then, you won¡¯t refuse, right?" she asked sweetly. "To become a Vcuber."


    ¡­Wait.


    Something wasn¡¯t right here.


    I narrowed my gaze.


    "¡­Wait¡­ That¡¯s not how this works."


    Mom¡¯s eyes shimmered with a mix of mischief and fake sorrow.


    "Oh? So you don¡¯t want to listen to your mother anymore?" She let out a soft sniffle. "Sniff sniff¡­ You really want to be an ungrateful child now?"


    I flinched.


    "Ah¡ªdon¡¯t cry, Mom! Alright¡­ alright! I¡¯ll do it! Just don¡¯t cry!"


    Please don¡¯t call me ungrateful. I don¡¯t want my past life to repeat itself. I¡¯ll just do as Mom says.


    Her face lit up in an instant.


    "Great!! In that case, let¡¯s start. You¡¯re debuting today!"


    "¡­Eh?" I blinked.


    "No time to waste! We¡¯re going live in a few minutes!"


    "B-But I don¡¯t even know how to livestream! Shouldn¡¯t you at least teach me first?"


    "Don¡¯t worry about that, dear. We¡¯ll stream together first. You can do it on your own when you¡¯re confident enough." She winked at me. "So sit beside me, watch, and learn, okay?"


    I was grasping at straws now.


    "What about the Vcuber model? I don¡¯t have one yet, right? I can¡¯t debut without it."


    That should buy me some time¡ª


    "Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. Come here and look at this."


    Crap.


    Mom turned on one of the computers and navigated to a file folder. With a few clicks, a 2D anime avatar appeared on the screen.


    I stared.


    It had short hair, similar to mine, with a slightly tomboyish look. But what really stood out was the leather jacket with a skull logo on the chest.


    This totally looked like a delinquent.


    I turned to Mom, horrified.


    "Why does the model look like this?!"


    At least give me something cute!


    Before I could protest any further, Mom grabbed my shoulders and had me sit in front of the computer. The next thing I knew, she was synchronizing my face with the 2D avatar.


    I tried one last desperate attempt to escape.


    "Mom, let¡¯s do something else¡­ maybe watch a movie or something?"


    I put on my best hopeful smile, trying to sound as casual as possible. Maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªif I played my cards right, I could steer this whole situation away from the impending Vcuber debut.


    Mom paused for a moment, tilting her head as if considering my suggestion. My heart lifted slightly.


    Then, she let out a small giggle.


    "Oh, Aria¡­ You¡¯re so cute when you¡¯re nervous."


    My stomach dropped.


    "I-I¡¯m not nervous! I just think it would be nice to spend some quality time together!"


    Mom placed a hand on her chin, pretending to be deep in thought. "Hmm¡­ Watching a movie together does sound nice¡­"


    Yes! It was working!


    "Maybe a wholesome family film? Or a comedy?" I quickly added, hoping to seal the deal.


    Mom nodded slowly.


    "Or¡­" She turned to me with a sly smile.


    Uh-oh.


    "We could stream a watch-along instead! What a great idea, Aria! Your debut can be a fun movie night with me!"


    ¡­


    I walked right into that one.


    The film we watched was a popular youth drama that had been trending lately. The storyline was the typical coming-of-age kind, filled with emotional moments, friendship, and a bit of romance. But what really caught my attention was the main actress. She was undeniably attractive, with striking features and a presence that felt oddly familiar.


    I frowned, leaning a little closer to the screen. It wasn¡¯t the kind of familiarity you get from recognizing an actress from another film. No¡­ I felt like I had seen her in real life before. But where?


    I shook the thought away for now and focused on the stream.


    The first twenty minutes were dedicated to introducing me to Mom¡¯s audience. She handled most of it, hyping me up in ways that made me slightly embarrassed. I could already tell that Mom¡¯s fanbase had a teasing streak because the chat was relentless.


    The chat was surprisingly friendly, even if they loved poking fun at Mom. It was obvious they adored her, and despite my initial nerves, their warm welcome made me relax a little.


    Once the introductions were done, we finally started the movie. Mom kept making playful commentary throughout, reacting dramatically to emotional moments while chat spammed crying emojis.


    It was actually¡­ kind of fun.


    But no matter how much I tried to focus on the film, my eyes kept drifting back to the actress. That nagging feeling of familiarity wouldn¡¯t leave me alone.


    Then I caught the chat buzzing about the actress.


    "The actress really brings the character to life. Can¡¯t believe she¡¯s only thirteen!"


    Wait¡­ thirteen? That¡¯s the same age as me.


    I furrowed my brows, staring at the screen as the actress delivered another powerful scene. The way she expressed emotions, her body language, even the subtle shifts in her tone¡ªit all seemed so natural. It was no wonder people were talking about her.


    "Yeah, crazy how good she is. She¡¯s got real talent."


    "Her name¡¯s Syena Fiolera, look her up. Hope she gets more roles in the future!"


    Syena Fiolera?


    The name made me pause. Fiolera¡­ That sounded really familiar. I racked my brain, trying to figure out why, when suddenly¡ª


    Wait. Fiolera.


    Isn¡¯t that¡­ Yuya¡¯s last name?

 Volume 2—Chapter 21: Syena Fiolera

    Syena was born on that island, surrounded by the endless blue sea and the warm embrace of a small, close-knit community. Her childhood was simple yet filled with laughter, adventures with her friends, and her parents'' love.


    When she was five years old, Syena became a child actor. She started with small commercials, then moved on to minor roles in television series. Acting became an escape for her, a world where she could be anyone but herself. Her talent grew, and with each role, she felt a sense of purpose, a glimmer of something greater waiting beyond the horizon.


    For the first eleven years of her life, everything was peaceful. Until one day¡­


    It began subtly¡ªsmall arguments between her parents that escalated over time. Her father, once a hardworking and kind man, started drinking heavily. His voice, once full of warmth, grew sharper, and his presence became a looming storm in their home. Night after night, he and Syena¡¯s mother fought, their voices shaking the walls. Yet, despite the growing tension, Syena¡¯s world remained relatively untouched. She still played with her friends, smiled, and held on to childhood innocence.


    Then came the night that shattered everything.


    No one knew what had come over her mother, what darkness had consumed her heart. But in the dead of night, with madness in her eyes, she struck her husband down. Syena had been awake, peering through the doorway, frozen in horror as she watched her father fall. His blood painted the wooden floors, and his last breath filled the silent air.


    And then, her mother turned to her.


    The gleam of the weapon in her hand was seared into Syena¡¯s memory. For a moment, she thought she would die, that she would meet the same fate as her father. But before the blade could reach her, the commotion drew the attention of their neighbours. They broke into the house, pulling Syena away from her mother¡¯s grasp. She was saved¡ªbut at what cost?


    Her mother was taken away, and locked in a mental hospital, while Syena was left trembling in the ruins of her former life. She had no family left, or so she thought.


    Then, the Fiolera family arrived.


    Her mother had once been part of a noble lineage, but she severed ties with them long ago. Upon hearing of the tragedy, the Fiolera family came to see if there was anything they could salvage. When they learned that their estranged daughter had a child, Syena, they hesitated.


    They had abandoned her mother, and cut her off from the family name. Would they now take in this child, this living reminder of their past mistakes?


    In the end, they did. But not out of love.


    They brought Syena into their home, but she was never truly accepted. To them, she was an illegitimate child, a stain on their prestigious name. They never called her family, and they never embraced her. But because she carried Fiolera''s blood, they clothed her, fed her, and sent her to school.


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    Yet, she remained an outsider.


    The vibrant girl who had once danced along the shores of her island was gone. In her place was a silent shadow, a child who barely spoke, who carried the weight of nightmares in her eyes.


    Syena was alive, but was she truly living? Her only saving grace right now was her aspiration to be an actress. It was the only thing that still gave her hope, the one passion that kept her moving forward. Though the world around her remained cold, she found warmth on the stage, in the fleeting moments when she could become someone else¡ªsomeone free.


    "Great job, Syena! Barely any NGs today."


    Syena''s assistant approached her with a bright smile as she stepped off the set. The lights had dimmed, the cameras had stopped rolling, and yet, Syena felt like she was still trapped in a performance¡ªone she couldn''t escape from.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± she mumbled, barely making a sound.


    Her assistant sighed but remained cheerful. "Come on, cheer up a bit! Even the director thinks highly of you despite your age. Do you know how many actors have been praised by him? You can count them on one hand!"


    Syena only nodded slightly, her gaze fixed on the floor. The compliment barely registered in her mind. Praise didn¡¯t matter. Awards, recognition, admiration¡ªthey all felt distant, like echoes in an empty room.


    The assistant hesitated, shifting awkwardly. No matter how hard she tried to lift the mood, it wasn¡¯t working. Syena remained silent, wrapped in an invisible fog of exhaustion and detachment.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go home.¡±


    Finally, words escaped Syena¡¯s lips, quiet yet firm. She didn¡¯t want to linger. The set, the people, the artificial warmth¡ªit all felt suffocating. The home wasn¡¯t much better, but at least there, she didn¡¯t have to pretend.


    Her assistant gave a small nod, understanding that nothing she said would change Syena¡¯s mood. Together, they walked away from the set, the bright lights behind them fading into the distance.


    At home, Syena was greeted by her cousin, Yukari, who lounged on the couch with a playful smirk.


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re actually home today? I thought you¡¯d never step foot in this place again. Isn¡¯t your cosy little apartment more to your liking?¡±


    Syena didn¡¯t respond. Without so much as a glance at Yukari, she walked past her and headed straight for her room.


    Before she could reach the stairs, however, a boy stepped in front of her, blocking her path.


    ¡°Yukari-neechan just greeted you. Why are you ignoring her?¡± he demanded, his tone sharp with irritation.


    Syena barely acknowledged him, but before she could brush past, Yukari chuckled.


    ¡°Yuya, don¡¯t bother her. Just let it be,¡± she said in a lighthearted tone, waving a hand dismissively.


    ¡°But, Yukari-neechan¡ª¡± Yuya started, clearly displeased.


    ¡°I said leave her be.¡± Yukari cut him off smoothly, then tilted her head as if piecing something together. ¡°Besides, both of you will be attending the same school starting tomorrow, right?¡±


    A flicker of realization crossed her face, and her smirk deepened.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ So that¡¯s why you¡¯re here today,¡± she mused.


    Yuya blinked before turning back to Syena with a scowl.


    ¡°So that¡¯s it? You¡¯re actually going to live in the school dorms?¡± Yukari stretched lazily and then grinned. ¡°Yuya, be a good little brother and help our sweet little sister prepare her things for the move.¡±


    "Why would I?" Yuya scoffed, crossing his arms.


    ¡°No need,¡± Syena muttered flatly, finally speaking.


    Yuya shot her an annoyed look, his irritation bubbling over.


    ¡°Yuya, stop it,¡± Yukari warned her voice still playful but carrying an undertone of authority.


    Yuya clenched his jaw before looking at Syena with barely concealed disdain.


    ¡°Tch. You¡¯re lucky,¡± he muttered, his voice laced with resentment before turning away.


    Syena didn¡¯t react. She simply walked past them both, heading for her room in silence.

 Volume 2—Chapter 22: The Fiery Teammate

    Hello there, Irana here¡­


    Yes, yes, I know what you''re thinking. "Irana, do you really have to introduce yourself every time you write this?" Well, how else would you know it was me? Exactly. Now, moving on¡ª


    I¡¯m currently on a mission. No, not that mission. I know you think you already know what I¡¯m talking about, but trust me, this one¡¯s different. Right now, I¡¯m literally inside a dimensional crack alongside Viola and another Esper named Ariana Freesia.


    And let me tell you, the first thing I noticed? Her name. Ariana Freesia. It sounds way too similar to my Onee-chan¡¯s. It¡¯s like someone just took Aria and slapped an ¡°Ana¡± on it¡ªAria-Ana. Weird, right? I even asked her how I should address her before we entered the dimensional crack. Her response?


    "F*ck off."


    Such a profanity.


    Honestly, with that kind of attitude, it¡¯s no surprise that her ability is fire manipulation. The girl practically radiates aggression. Her long red hair should¡¯ve been a dead giveaway. And of course, as fate would have it, I¡ªa cryo user¡ªam now stuck on a mission with her.


    I should have known from the start that this wouldn¡¯t go well. It¡¯s almost impossible to coordinate our abilities. That¡¯s what separates us from high-level Espers¡ªadaptation and teamwork. And right now, Ariana seems to have no concept of either.


    A sudden movement catches my eye. I spot a mole-like monster lunging toward her from behind.


    ¡°Ariana, behind you!!¡± I shout, hoping she¡¯ll listen.


    ¡°Tch. Shut up¡­ and just observe from over there!!¡± she snaps back, barely sparing me a glance.


    Then, as if to prove a point, she casually smacks the creature away with the back of her hand before engulfing it in flames. The thing lets out a distorted screech before turning into nothing but charred remains.


    Viola, standing beside me, crosses her arms. ¡°Leave it, Irana¡­ Let¡¯s see how long she can keep up that attitude.¡±


    Great. Viola¡¯s annoyed too. Not that I blame her.


    I want to argue that we should work together or at least try to get along. But honestly, Ariana is starting to get on my nerves. I have no idea how she expects to handle this alone when this is clearly meant to be a team mission.


    I sigh, lowering my voice. ¡°Why did we have to get stuck with such an eccentric teammate¡­¡±


    I can¡¯t help but think about how much easier this would be if Onee-chan were here instead. If she knew she had powers, maybe she could¡¯ve been my teammate.


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    Just imagining it makes me want to run up to her and say, "Onee-chan, you¡¯re an Esper!"


    But then again¡­ that would probably make me a wanted criminal in the eyes of the Esper Association.


    Yeah. Maybe I should hold off on that.


    I observe Ariana as she fights, and I can¡¯t help but notice just how unconventional her combat style is. There¡¯s no real form, no clear technique¡ªit¡¯s wild, instinctive, almost reckless. If I had to guess, I¡¯d say she taught herself how to fight. No proper training, no mentor, just raw experience and brute force.


    And yet¡­ despite the chaotic way she moves, there¡¯s an undeniable efficiency to how she uses her power. Every burst of fire is controlled, and every attack is precise. She knows exactly how to manipulate her flames for maximum damage while keeping herself out of harm¡¯s way. It¡¯s clear she¡¯s been using her ability for a long time.


    Still, the lack of coordination is frustrating. She doesn¡¯t strategize or communicate; she just charges like she¡¯s the only one here. I exchange a glance with Viola, who looks just as unimpressed.


    Then, suddenly¡ª


    BOOM!


    The ground trembles as a massive creature erupts from the earth. A mole, but not like the others. This one is huge, towering over the battlefield, its sharp claws glinting under the dim glow of Ariana¡¯s flames.


    Viola clicks her tongue. ¡°This is the boss monster, I guess?¡±


    I exhale, crossing my arms. ¡°She really almost soloed this whole thing. All that¡¯s left now is to take down that big mole.¡±


    But as I watch Ariana face off against the beast, I start to wonder¡­ Can she really handle this alone?


    "Woah¡­ that¡¯s big," Ariana muttered, her eyes narrowing as she took a few steps back, assessing the towering mole-like monster in front of her.


    Without hesitation, she clapped her palms together, and in an instant, a burst of flames erupted from her back. The heat distorted the air around her as she spread her arms wide before snapping them forward, aiming directly at the monstrous mole. The flames that had gathered behind her shot forward in rapid succession, like a machine gun unleashing a relentless barrage of fire.


    That¡¯s¡­ impressive.


    I had assumed she fought without technique, but seeing this, I realized I might have underestimated her. The way she controlled the fire, the sheer precision in her movements¡ªthis wasn¡¯t just raw power. She had skill. Maybe I could replicate that with my own ability?


    Just as I was about to try, Viola¡¯s voice cut through my thoughts.


    "Irana, watch out!!"


    Before I could react, she grabbed me, and in the next moment, everything blurred. My vision twisted, colours blending together before snapping back into focus. Teleportation¡­ Viola teleported me away.


    "What the¡ª?!" I was confused about what had happened, but then I saw it.


    The ground beneath Ariana shifted violently, and suddenly, a swarm of smaller mole-like creatures burst forth, their beady eyes glinting with hostility. There were dozens of them, maybe even more, spreading out in all directions like an incoming wave.


    "Holy¡­ Where did all these little moles come from?" I muttered before gritting my teeth. "Viola, prepare for battle. Don¡¯t let any of them reach Ariana!"


    "Got it," Viola said, her voice steady.


    This was my chance. If Ariana could unleash a machine-gun barrage of flames, then maybe I could do something similar. I clapped my hands together, focusing my energy. A chilling wind surged around me, and I felt the cold condense at my back.


    "Whoa¡­ I didn¡¯t know you could create snow too," Viola remarked, glancing at the frost forming around us.


    "Snow counts as ice, right?" I shot back with a smirk.


    I spread my arms wide, just like Ariana had, then thrust them forward. A blast of snow and ice shot out in front of me, pelting the advancing swarm like a winter storm. But unlike Ariana, my enemies weren¡¯t a single target¡ªthey were many. So I quickly adjusted, spreading my arms wide again to cast my attack across a larger area.


    The technique was overpowered.


    The tiny moles were instantly slowed, some even freezing solid on the spot. I grinned¡ªnow this is teamwork.

 Volume 2—Chapter 23: Family Bond

    The battle raged on. Ariana and the giant mole clashed with unrelenting intensity, her flames scorching the air while the monster roared in defiance. Meanwhile, Viola and I were locked in our own fight, cutting down the swarm of smaller moles that threatened to break through and reach Ariana.


    Despite our differences, our teamwork was seamless. Viola¡¯s teleportation allowed her to reposition quickly, eliminating threats before they got too close, while my ice attacks kept the battlefield under control, slowing down the enemy¡¯s advance. As much as I disliked Ariana¡¯s attitude, I had to admit¡ªletting her go all out alone was probably the best strategy for this fight. She fought like a berserker, throwing everything she had at the enemy without hesitation.


    Minutes passed like seconds, the fight stretching on for what felt like an eternity. But finally, after a gruelling ten minutes, Ariana delivered the final blow. A massive burst of fire engulfed the giant mole, and with a final shriek, it collapsed, turning to ash in the wake of her flames.


    The moment the monster perished, a force surged through the air. Without warning, the dimensional crack trembled before violently pulling us out. Everything blurred, and in the next instant, we found ourselves ejected back into reality, the rift snapping shut behind us like it had never been there.


    Panting slightly, Viola stretched her arms above her head. ¡°You know, it¡¯s weird how only Espers are aware of dimensional cracks, considering how huge and loud they are,¡± she mused. ¡°Like, seriously, normal people don¡¯t see this at all?¡±


    ¡°Maybe because the cracks only appear in secluded places?¡± I shrugged before turning toward Ariana, curious about her thoughts. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Ariana barely spared me a glance before scoffing and walking off, her long red hair swaying behind her.


    ¡°Oi¡­ seriously?¡± I blinked, watching her retreating figure. ¡°This girl¡­ what¡¯s her problem?¡±


    Viola chuckled, shaking her head. ¡°Don¡¯t let her get to you, Irana. Let¡¯s just head back and report the mission.¡±


    I opened my mouth to agree but then paused, realization hitting me like a brick.


    ¡°Wait¡­ hold on¡ªshe just ditched us!¡± I exclaimed, pointing after Ariana. ¡°That girl totally left the mission report in our hands!!¡±


    I sighed, rubbing my temples.


    Viola placed a firm grip on my back, and in the blink of an eye, the world around us distorted. A split second later, we reappeared at the Esper Association HQ. No matter how many times I experienced Viola¡¯s teleportation, I could never get used to the sensation¡ªit felt like being yanked through a tight space, leaving a brief moment of dizziness.


    We quickly filed our mission report, listing the details of the battle and, of course, noting that Ariana had ditched us before the debriefing. The clerk barely reacted, just nodding as if it was a common occurrence. So she has a habit of doing this, huh? Well, at least that meant I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with her excuses.


    Once we were done, Viola and I parted ways, and I headed home. Sunday should be a day off, but somehow, I¡¯m still working¡­ I sighed, stretching my arms above my head as I walked. I wonder what Onee-chan is doing right now?


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    As I approached the house, I saw an unexpected scene¡ªOnee-chan standing at the entrance, dressed casually, looking like she was about to head out. Beside her, that stupid brother of mine, Yuji, was practically bouncing with excitement. The two of them seemed ready to go somewhere.


    ¡°Onee-chan?¡± I called out, stepping closer. ¡°Are you going out? Can I come along?¡±


    Before Aria could respond, Yuji suddenly shouted, ¡°NOOO!!¡±


    His voice was so loud that I flinched. Geez, what¡¯s his problem?


    He quickly stepped in front of Aria, spreading his arms as if physically blocking me. ¡°It¡¯s my time with Onee-chan now! You had her the entire week!!¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Huh? What does that even mean?¡±


    Yuji pouted, his expression sulky and dramatic. ¡°You were always around her! You live in the same dorm, talking to her, eating with her¡ªnow it¡¯s my turn!¡±


    I blinked at him in disbelief. ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± he huffed. ¡°Go do your own thing, Irana! This is sibling bonding time, and you¡¯re not invited!¡±


    This little gremlin¡­ I sighed, rubbing my forehead. There was no winning against Yuji when he got like this. I could already tell that arguing would only make him more stubborn.


    Maybe I should just concede this time¡­


    After all, Onee-chan and I had been living in the school dorm for the entire week. Yuji probably felt left out since he didn¡¯t get to see her as much.


    ¡°¡­Fine,¡± I muttered, crossing my arms. Then I turned to Aria and gave her a half-serious, half-exasperated look. ¡°Well, Onee-chan, have fun¡­ but don¡¯t spoil that little brat too much!¡±


    Yuji immediately gasped, as if personally offended. ¡°I am not a brat!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± I shot back without hesitation.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M NOT¡ª¡±


    Aria cut him off by placing a hand on his head and ruffling his hair, which made him flail in protest. ¡°Alright, alright, both of you, that¡¯s enough,¡± she sighed. Then she gave me a small smile. Thanks for understanding, Irana.¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Just don¡¯t let him drag you into anything too stupid.¡±


    ¡°I HEARD THAT!¡± Yuji protested.


    I smirked. ¡°Good.¡±


    With that, I waved them off and watched as they left, Yuji practically bouncing with excitement next to Onee-chan.


    Haaah¡­ what am I supposed to do now? I stretched my arms, looking around. Maybe I could go out myself. Or¡­ maybe I should check on Mom and see what weird Vcuber things she was up to.


    ¡°Irana, you¡¯re home?¡± I heard my father¡¯s voice from the living room.


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± I responded, making my way over.


    As I entered the living room, I saw him lounging on the couch, sipping tea like he had no worries in the world. He looked completely relaxed, like a man who had already retired from life¡¯s responsibilities.


    This father of mine¡­ He really has such a free-spirited nature.


    I crossed my arms. ¡°Why are you home, Dad? Shouldn¡¯t you be busy with work?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± he said, setting his cup down with a small smile. ¡°All my paperwork is done, so I decided to come home early. Gotta enjoy the quiet when I can.¡±


    ¡°Must be nice to have such an easygoing job,¡± I muttered.


    He chuckled. ¡°So, how was your mission today?¡±


    I plopped down onto the couch across from him, stretching out my arms. ¡°It was fine, I guess¡­ Just met a fiery friend. Though, I wouldn¡¯t exactly call her a friend. She¡¯s kind of a jerk. I don¡¯t like her attitude.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± My father raised an eyebrow, amused. ¡°Sounds like she left quite the impression.¡±


    I sighed and leaned back into the cushions. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s strong, no doubt about that. But working with her was a nightmare. She just did whatever she wanted and ignored teamwork completely.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like someone else I know,¡± he said with a teasing smirk.


    I shot him a look. ¡°I am nothing like her.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. Sure.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and began recounting the mission details¡ªhow we entered the dimensional crack, the fight with the mole monsters, and how Ariana handled the boss almost entirely on her own while Viola and I kept the small fry at bay.


    My father listened intently, occasionally nodding or making small comments. He didn¡¯t say much, but I could tell he was paying attention. That was one of the things I liked about him. He wasn¡¯t the best father¡ªdefinitely far from perfect¡ªbut I always enjoyed talking to him.


    Maybe it was because, despite everything, I knew he listened.

 Volume 2—Chapter 24: Mistaken

    Hello there, Aria here. Vcubing is fun, but sitting in front of a computer all day isn¡¯t exactly healthy. So, I decided to get some fresh air and go outside¡ªnot necessarily to touch grass, but at least to walk on the concrete at the mall.


    That reminds me. I had promised Yuuji that I would take him for a walk. It wasn¡¯t anything too fancy¡ªjust a simple outing. He had been looking forward to it all week, constantly reminding me about our plan, so let¡¯s just do that now, I guess. Yuuji is happy to hear that I finally fulfilled that promise. Seeing him jumping around happily is so cute.


    As I stepped out of the house, I was met with an unexpected sight¡ªIrana standing at the entrance, looking casual yet slightly surprised, as if she hadn¡¯t expected to run into us. Her gaze flickered between me and Yuuji, who was practically bouncing in place with excitement.


    ¡°Onee-chan?¡± Irana called out, stepping closer. ¡°Are you going out? Can I come along?¡±


    Before I could even answer, Yuuji suddenly shouted, ¡°NOOO!!¡±


    His voice was so loud that I flinched slightly. Geez, what was that about?


    He quickly moved in front of me, spreading his arms dramatically like some kind of tiny guardian. ¡°It¡¯s my time with Onee-chan now! You had her the entire week!!¡±


    Irana raised an eyebrow, looking unimpressed. ¡°Huh? What does that even mean?¡±


    Yuuji crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks in frustration. ¡°You were always with her! You live in the same dorm, talking to her, eating with her¡ªnow it¡¯s my turn!¡±


    I blinked, glancing between the two of them. This was escalating quickly.


    ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± Irana asked, deadpan.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Yuuji huffed. ¡°Go do your own thing, Irana! This is sibling bonding time, and you¡¯re not invited!¡±


    Irana sighed, rubbing her forehead. I could tell she was already deciding whether to argue or just let it go. After a brief pause, she crossed her arms and exhaled.


    ¡°¡­Fine,¡± she muttered, then turned to me with a look of half-serious exasperation. ¡°Well, Onee-chan, have fun¡­ but don¡¯t spoil that little brat too much!¡±


    Yuuji gasped dramatically, looking personally offended. ¡°I am not a brat!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± Irana shot back without hesitation.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯M NOT¡ª¡±


    I sighed and placed a hand on Yuuji¡¯s head, ruffling his hair before this could turn into one of their endless bickering sessions. He flailed in protest, trying to bat my hand away. ¡°Alright, alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± I said with a small smile. Then I turned to Irana. ¡°Thanks for understanding.¡±


    She shrugged, stuffing her hands into her pockets. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Just don¡¯t let him drag you into anything too stupid.¡±


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    ¡°I HEARD THAT!¡± Yuuji snapped.


    Irana smirked. ¡°Good.¡±


    I chuckled at their usual antics before gently nudging Yuuji forward. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go before we waste any more time.¡±


    Yuuji instantly brightened, grabbing my hand and pulling me along eagerly. ¡°Finally! Let¡¯s go, Onee-chan!¡±


    As I glanced back, Irana was already turning away, heading inside. Even if she wouldn¡¯t admit it, I knew she wanted to spend time together too.


    Maybe next time, I¡¯ll make sure she gets a turn too.


    ¡°Where do you want to go, Yuuji?¡± I asked, glancing at him as we stepped outside. ¡°I was thinking we could do some window shopping at the mall or maybe take a casual walk in the park.¡±


    ¡°Arcade!!¡± Yuuji blurted out without hesitation.


    I blinked. ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I want to go to the arcade,¡± he repeated, his excitement practically radiating off him.


    Well, I guess that settles it. Looks like we¡¯re heading to the arcade.


    We took the bus to get there. Nothing much happened during the ride¡ªjust the usual passengers minding their own business. Yuuji kept staring out the window, his legs swinging slightly, probably already thinking about which games he was going to play.


    When we arrived at the bus station, however, we were met with a commotion.


    ¡°Yuuji, stay close to me,¡± I said, instinctively pulling him a little closer.


    People were crowding around, their voices rising in agitation. There was a lot of shouting, though I couldn¡¯t quite make out what was going on at first.


    Then, over the noise, I heard a woman yell angrily, ¡°You *****!¡±


    My body moved on instinct¡ªI quickly covered Yuuji¡¯s ears before he could hear the rest of whatever profanity she was about to unleash. He gave me a confused look but didn¡¯t protest.


    Through a small gap in the crowd, I spotted the source of the commotion¡ªa red-haired woman grabbing a man by the collar, her grip firm and unrelenting.


    ¡°Give me my wallet!!¡± she snarled. ¡°You think you can just pickpocket me and get away with it?!¡±


    Ah, so that¡¯s what¡¯s happening. A pickpocket.


    I quickly decided it was best to steer clear of the scene. Tugging Yuuji¡¯s hand, I turned away and walked briskly in the opposite direction. The last thing I wanted was to get caught up in someone else¡¯s problem¡ªespecially when it involved an angry woman and a thief.


    But just as I was about to fully step away, I had the oddest feeling. A shiver ran down my spine, and for a brief moment, it felt like the red-haired girl¡¯s gaze flicked toward me.


    Did she just look at me?


    I glanced back slightly, but by then, the crowd had shifted, blocking my view. Maybe it was just my imagination. Yeah, that had to be it. I was overthinking things.


    Shaking off the feeling, I focused on Yuuji, who was still waiting excitedly beside me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Yuuji,¡± I said, offering him a small smile. ¡°What game do you want to play at the arcade?¡±


    His face lit up, as if he¡¯d been waiting for that question the entire time.


    ¡°Anything we can play together!¡± he said cheerfully, practically bouncing on his feet.


    I chuckled. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s find something fun.¡±


    With that, we made our way toward the arcade, leaving the chaotic scene behind us.


    As we got closer to the arcade, I heard a voice call out from behind.


    "Hey! Irana, right?"


    The voice belonged to a woman, sharp and confident.


    Irana? I instinctively glanced around, scanning the area. Was Irana nearby?. Maybe she just happened to be around? But as I turned back, I saw the woman looking directly at me¡ªexpecting a response.


    "I¡¯m talking to you," she said, a little impatient now.


    I finally got a good look at her. She was the same red-haired woman from earlier, the one who had caught that pickpocket.


    ¡­Wait. Was she talking to me?


    I pointed at myself. "Yeah?"


    Her sharp eyes stayed locked on me, as if scrutinizing my face.


    Ah. I see what¡¯s happening.


    She probably knew Irana and had mistaken me for her. It had been a while since someone made that mistake.


    I couldn''t help but chuckle a little.


    The woman frowned. "What are you laughing at?"


    "Ah, sorry," I said, shaking my head. "I¡¯m not Irana."


    Her eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean¡­ wait¡­ did you get a haircut or something?"


    I let out a small sigh, still smiling. "Nope. I¡¯m not Irana. My name is Aria¡ªI¡¯m her twin sister."


    Her expression shifted from confusion to mild disbelief. She tilted her head, arms crossed, clearly trying to process this information.


    ¡°¡­Twin sister?" she repeated slowly.


    I nodded. "Yup. Identical twins, to be exact."

 Chapter 25: Misunderstanding

    I looked at the red-haired girl, who seemed utterly bewildered.


    "You¡¯re messing with me, right? Identical twins¡­ don¡¯t make me laugh."


    ¡­She really didn¡¯t believe me, huh?


    I sighed. "Well, I can¡¯t do anything if you don¡¯t believe me. You do you, I guess." I shrugged.


    The whole time, Yuuji was clinging to my back, half-hidden behind me. I could feel him gripping my jacket slightly. He always did this when meeting new people¡ªshy with strangers, just like usual.


    The woman, however, didn¡¯t seem to care. She crossed her arms and shifted her weight slightly.


    "Anyway, have you done the report?" she asked suddenly.


    ¡­Huh?


    What was she talking about? Report?


    I blinked at her in confusion. "What?"


    "Do you hear me? Hello?" She waved a hand in front of my face, impatient.


    "I hear you just fine," I replied, keeping my voice calm, "but I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. Besides, I already told you¡ªI¡¯m not Irana."


    The moment I said that, her expression twisted in frustration.


    "You piece of¡ª!" She clenched her fists, her fiery red hair making her look even more intense.


    Wait¡­ was she actually mad about this?


    "You wanna play games with me? Fine."


    And then, without warning, she threw a punch straight at my face.


    I reacted instinctively, sidestepping with ease, letting her fist cut through empty air.


    But then¡ª


    "Ah¡ª!"


    Behind me, Yuuji stumbled and fell onto the ground from the sudden movement.


    I immediately turned to him. "Yuuji! Are you okay?"


    I crouched next to him, checking for any injuries, but thankfully, he just looked startled. He rubbed his elbow where he had landed, frowning slightly.


    Then I snapped my head back toward the red-haired girl.


    "What is your problem? Are you insane?!" I glared at her.


    She didn¡¯t look the least bit sorry. In fact, she seemed even more irritated, like I was the one who had done something wrong.


    "Tch," she clicked her tongue, watching me closely.


    Without warning, she suddenly kicked me.


    Da heck?!


    She was fighting with no honour!


    ¡­Then again, I was the naive one for expecting her to have honour.


    Pain shot through my side where her kick landed. That one actually hurt. I gritted my teeth, inhaling sharply.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "Geez, that hurt a lot," I muttered, rolling my shoulder. "Listen, girl. I don¡¯t know you, and I have no idea what your deal is with my sister, Irana. But if this is how you treat her, then I have no choice."


    Before she could react, I launched myself forward, tackling her with full force.


    ¡°Wha¡ª?!¡±


    With a solid thud, we both hit the ground, but I had the upper hand. In an instant, I pinned her down, locking her arms beneath me.


    She struggled fiercely, thrashing beneath my grip, but it was futile. There was nothing she could do to break free.


    Her expression shifted from frustration to shock. "What the¡ª? What happened to my power?"


    ¡­Huh?


    I feel like I have heard something like this before. But, whatever¡­


    I leaned in slightly, tightening my grip on her wrists to keep her pinned. She kept squirming, but her strength wasn¡¯t enough to shake me off.


    "Listen," I said, my voice calm but firm. "You want to mess with my sister? Then you''re messing with me too." I gave her a pointed look. "Well, in this case, you already messed with me directly."


    She gritted her teeth, her eyes burning with frustration. "Tch... Damn it¡ª" She tried to move again, but I pressed down harder, keeping her locked in place.


    "What''s your problem, anyway?" I continued. "You come at me out of nowhere, throw punches, and now you''re acting all confused about your ¡®power¡¯? You sound like a lunatic."


    Her expression twisted into something between shock and rage. "No... This isn''t right. My power¡ªwhy isn''t it working?"


    I narrowed my eyes. "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but from where I¡¯m sitting, the only thing not working here is you."


    Yuuji, who had been watching from a safe distance, cautiously peeked from behind me. "Onee-chan¡­ is she crazy?" he whispered.


    I sighed. "Starting to think so."


    The red-haired girl scowled. "Tch¡­ I¡¯m not crazy! My ability¡ª!"


    She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as if realizing something. I had no clue what was going on inside her head, but whatever it was, it looked like she just put two and two together.


    I tilted my head. "What? Cat got your tongue?"


    Then, I suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind.


    "What''s going on here? Aria, is that you?"


    I froze for a moment before quickly turning my head to see where the voice was coming from. Standing there, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised in curiosity¡ªand perhaps mild disappointment¡ªwas none other than Elizabeth-sensei, one of the teachers from my school.


    "Elizabeth-sensei?" I blurted out, my stomach sinking.


    This was bad. Really bad. A teacher catching me mid-fight on my day off? I could already imagine the long, exasperated lecture coming my way.


    Elizabeth-sensei''s sharp gaze flickered between me, the red-haired woman pinned beneath me, and Yuuji, who was gripping the hem of my shirt. The entire situation looked¡­ well, terrible.


    I scrambled to explain before she could get the wrong idea. "Um... uh... it''s not what it looks like! It was like this¡ª"


    Before I could even finish my sentence, Yuuji suddenly cut in, his voice loud and dramatic as he pointed at the red-haired woman.


    "This bad woman attacked my Onee-chan all of a sudden!"


    Elizabeth-sensei let out a long, weary sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose as if this situation was giving her a headache.


    "Aria¡­ care to explain why I found you in the middle of what looks like a street brawl?"


    Her sharp eyes then shifted to the red-haired woman still pinned beneath me. Her expression hardened as she addressed her.


    "And you¡­ Ariana¡­ you have a lot of explaining to do."


    Ariana?


    I blinked, momentarily distracted. Her name was Ariana? It sounded so similar to mine¡­ but that wasn¡¯t the important part right now.


    I loosened my grip slightly, still wary but no longer pressing down as hard. Turning to Elizabeth-sensei, I hesitated before asking, "You know her, sensei?"


    Elizabeth-sensei nodded, crossing her arms. "Of course. She¡¯s your senior. A second-year."


    Wait, what?


    I turned my head back to Ariana, who looked just as irritated as before but was no longer struggling. My senior? That meant she attended the same school as me?


    I frowned, trying to process the new information. "This troublemaker is a student at our school?"


    Ariana scoffed, finally shoving me off her as she sat up, rubbing her wrists. "Tch. So what if I am? You got a problem with that?"


    I narrowed my eyes at her. "Yeah, I do. You just attacked me out of nowhere!"


    Ariana clicked her tongue. "You were playing dumb and pretending you weren¡¯t Irana. Who wouldn¡¯t be pissed?"


    "Because I am not Irana!" I shot back, exasperated.


    Elizabeth-sensei sighed again, clearly growing tired of our back-and-forth. She placed a hand on her hip and gave us both a firm look.


    "Enough. Both of you, stand up. We¡¯re not going to have this conversation on the ground like children."


    Reluctantly, I stood up, brushing the dust off my clothes, while Ariana stretched her arms as if this whole thing had been nothing more than a warm-up.


    Elizabeth-sensei¡¯s eyes darted between the two of us. "Now, explain. Properly."


    I took a deep breath, ready to tell my side of the story.