Chapter 113
Anastasiya brought an armful of chocolates, placed them on the bed, and lay down on Ella's lap. Her attitude was so natural that Ella couldn't even react properly and could only quietly watch as her lap became a pillow.
Ella blinked her eyes and tried to protest to Anastasiya, but...
"Sister! Put some chocolate in my mouth!"
"H-huh?"
"Chocolate!"
Anastasiya hinted by rolling her head around as if urging her.
Ella raised numerous questions about why she had to do this, why this strange being claiming to be her sister was lying on her lap and ordering her around, and what action she should take, but due to the continued urging, she had no choice but to pick up a chocolate and put it in her mouth.
"It's sweet! Sister should eat too!"
When Ella put the chocolate in her mouth, Anastasiya smiled happily and picked up a chocolate to pop into Ella's mouth. Then Ella too, as if enchanted by the rich aroma of chocolate and hazelnut filling her mouth, slightly relaxed the tension in her face and smiled contentedly like she was happy.
Anastasiya picked up a few more chocolates and put them in Ella's mouth, then got up. Then she ran towards the door and spread one palm wide towards Ella.
Her fingers folded one by one.
4. 3. 2. 1.
And finally, when all the fingers were folded.
Clatter.
The door opened, and two people came in.
"C-cold..."
"What's cold? It's because you're always cooped up in the room and don't exercise."
"N-no, having more muscle actually makes you colder. You idiot... And I'm c-cold because I got hit by snow."
"Come on, you're that cold from just getting hit by that? Huh? What was it, my friend said they played in the river in a swimsuit even at -20 degrees celsius?"
It was Lee Serin and Lee Arin.
Lee Serin had long, unkempt hair hanging down, with moisture visible between the strands. It wasn't moisture from being doused with water, but moisture that seemed to have come from being hit by snow. And next to her, Lee Arin was teasing her, with her hair roughly braided. And surprisingly, Lee Arin's hair was completely dry, as fluffy and dry as if she had just spent time in a desert.
It was the difference between the person who threw the snowball and the person who got hit.
"Oh? Anastasiya! Did you come out to greet me?!"
Anastasiya caught Lee Arin's eye as she was teasing.
At the sight of the white-haired girl in a white one-piece dress, Lee Arin quickly approached her, grabbed her, and lifted her up. It looked similar to lifting and showing off a trophy.
"A-rin? I must be heavy, put me down~"
"You're not heavy at all?"
"Please put me down~~"
"I'm telling you, you're not heavy."
"Put me down."
"...Okay."
Lee Arin was showing off the overflowing strength and stamina unique to martial artists, but when Anastasiya got serious, she put her down with a sulky expression. As soon as Anastasiya was on the ground, she smiled brightly as if she had never been serious and took her hand, then pulled her towards the Grand Witch and Agnes. And Lee Serin, who had been watching this, tactfully followed behind the two.
"Ah, hello. I'm Lee Arin, Ella and Anastasiya's best friend."
"Hello... I'm Lee Serin..."
"Yes. Welcome. I heard you're close with our Ella and Asha."
Agnes responded to their polite greetings with a benevolent smile. But Odilia quietly looked at their faces, slightly frowned, and then turned her head away.
At this sight, Lee Serin wondered if they had done something wrong.
[ My contractor, my dear contractor. There's no need to worry. If you think about when that rabbit-like child called recently, you'll find the answer. It's because that woman's nature is not very nice, and befitting her title of Grand Witch, her temperament resembles that of a nasty old witch. ]
Ah.
At Gremory's words whispering in her ear as if to comfort her, Lee Serin remembered the content of the call when she was berating Ella.
Recalling that, she felt a slight sympathy for Ella.
How... how did she live with such a person...?
[ Let's see. Hmm. Although it must have been difficult, it was probably bearable. There doesn't seem to be much intersection between the two, so there probably wasn't much direct face-to-face interaction, and naturally, with no reason to meet, there probably wasn't much need for contact. So verbal abuse probably wasn't a daily occurrence, but... Even so, being the target of nasty spite must have made it hard to say life was smooth. She probably lived quite intimidated when in Germany. ]
Lee Serin slightly turned her gaze to look at Lee Arin.
She was worried that she might be pondering if she had done something wrong like herself.
But her expression was calm.
As if what she had expected had come true exactly, she was incredibly composed.
[ My contractor. It seems your sister noticed right away. She saw through everything with her animal instinct, truly remarkable. ]
A-animal instinct... No. Wouldn't she just be... an animal?
Lee Serin slightly frowned, seemingly irritated that her blood mate and the person who stood above her by a hair's breadth was being praised. And seeing Lee Serin frown, Anastasiya, as if she had misunderstood something, gently took Lee Serin's hand and led her towards the bed.
"Come, come over here~ There's delicious chocolate~ Eating it will make you feel better~"
"Uh, no... Um. Wait."
Anastasiya sat Lee Serin on the bed and then unwrapped a chocolate and put it in her mouth.
"It's delicious...!"
Lee Serin's eyes widened at the sweetness that spread as soon as it entered her mouth. Seeing this reaction, Anastasiya smiled brightly, picked up another chocolate, and approached Ella.
Ella, who had been leaning back, waved her hand as if to say it was okay when Anastasiya approached, but Anastasiya forcibly pushed the chocolate into her mouth.
"Tsk tsk. When your sister gives you something, you should obediently accept and eat it!"
Seeing this, Lee Serin looked at the demon quizzically.
Um... Has she settled as the older sister?
[ It seems so. ]
B-before we left... They were fighting over who was the older sister...
[ It seems the winner has become that tiny child. ]
Lee Serin suddenly became curious.
What process led to Anastasiya being recognized as the older sister?
And whether Anastasiya was actually the older sister.
If she wasn't originally the older sister, was she unilaterally claiming to be the older sister while keeping that fact a secret?
Lee Serin felt the rising curiosity dominating her head.
In the end, she decided to secretly use her power to peek at Anastasiya.
Because when curiosity arose, it was right to resolve it.
Lee Serin used Gremory's power to see through all secrets to peek at Anastasiya.
And...
『 Older Sister 』
『 Twin 』
『 Independent 』
『 Younger Sister 』
『 Dream 』
『 Variable 』
『 Paradox 』
『 Symbol Change 』
『 Mutation 』
『 Control 』
『 Variable Aversion 』
Lee Serin couldn't help but look confused at the parade of constantly changing keywords and symbols.
As if caught in a bug, the keywords were changing, and the symbols were changing shape, interfering with properly examining the secrets.
[ My contractor. My still immature contractor. At your current level, you won't be able to understand. ]
Gremory stuck out its tongue and licked its nose.
[ She's a child who knows how to constantly change and use her own symbols. Changing the qualities assigned according to her will, and manifesting power through the symbolic meanings derived from those qualities... It seems she knows how to manifest a form of power similar to what some talented witches I know have done, so it will be difficult to easily grasp her essence. ]
The demon's answer to the confused Lee Serin was simple.
That the power Anastasiya used didn't match well with her.
[ It seems she freely changes and uses the symbol of being an older sister who 'protects' and the symbol of being a younger sister who 'is protected'. We'll only be able to tell which is closer to her essence after your power grows a bit more. ]
Lee Serin felt enthusiasm welling up at the demon's explanation.
However, that enthusiasm wasn't so much a healthy enthusiasm as it was a somewhat gloomy desire to definitely peek at someone else's secrets.
And perhaps she had felt that desire-filled gaze?
"Should I give you another chocolate?"
"Me! Give it to me!"
Anastasiya picked up another chocolate and approached her. Then Lee Arin, who had somehow already arrived at the bed, opened her mouth as if she had been waiting, and Anastasiya giggled and put the chocolate in her mouth.
Agnes smiled contentedly at the heartwarming sight, while Odilia just frowned as if something displeased her.
"Tsk. It's too noisy, I can't stay here anymore. Nes, I'm going out for a bit."
Then, as if she couldn't bear the irritation anymore, she got up roughly and went out of the hotel room.
* * *
"Tsk. The sorcerer who's supposed to come doesn't come, and instead a bunch of young girls come in and make a ruckus!"
Odilia vented her complaints as soon as she came out of the hotel room.
It was the complaints she had swallowed and couldn't spit out because Agnes was inside, and it was a way to relieve even a little of the irritation that was making her heart boil.
"Tsk tsk tsk. Making such a noisy fuss when guests are present. I wonder what kind of home education they received to not know such basic manners..."
She walked down the corridor, constantly bursting into complaints like an old person would. But unlike the old person-like complaints coming from her mouth, her body was that of a young beauty itself. Especially the purple slit dress she was wearing, revealing her well-maintained figure and baby-like white and firm skin.
That appearance resembled the witch in fairy tales who enchants and seduces people.
Therefore, just as bees and butterflies flocked to flowers.
It wouldn't be strange for a man to approach her either.
"Hello. Do you have some time?"
It wasn’t strange for a cute-looking man to approach a young-looking woman, and...
"Could we talk for a moment?"
It wasn’t strange to invite her to talk either.