“It must be…”
The more Lorin spoke, the less confident she felt.
Something about Claire’s words didn’t sit right with her.
But she couldn’t just run over and ask.
If that daughter-obsessed woman lost her mind again, Lorin would be in real trouble.
Yet not asking only made her more uneasy.
Stuck in place, Lorin found herself at a loss.
Frowning deeply, her mind tangled with restless thoughts, like a buzzing swarm of flies that left her irritated and distracted.
“Forget it!”
She exclaimed suddenly, shaking her head hard as if to physically fling away the thoughts.
In that moment, her gaze turned resolute.
Only one clear and powerful idea remained in her heart: she had to reforge another Spatial Cube.
Spatial magic was still essential for her.
More than once, her failed escape from Claire had been due to the lack of one.
And… Claire’s reminder had given her a new idea for an upgrade.
Only problem was… she didn’t know where the Alchemy Workshop was.
Going back to Claire was out of the question. Grace, now rich and promoted, was far too busy to bother with her.
That left just one person—
Phyllis!
“This should be fine,” Lorin muttered to herself, psyching up her nerves.
She refused to believe simply asking a few questions would expose her true identity.
***
Knock knock knock!
Summoning her courage, Lorin knocked on Phyllis’ door.
There was a response almost immediately.
“Come in!”
So polite for once…
Lorin pushed the door open—and to her surprise, found her “dear mother” there too.
“Well, well?”
Claire raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting Lorin to show up.
“You here for something?”
“I’ll let you two talk.”
Bang!
Lorin promptly shut the door again.
Why was it that no matter where she went, she always ran into Claire?
Was today “Claire Day” at the palace or something?
Either way, she really didn’t want to see her.
“Looks like she’s here for you, Phyllis.”
Claire’s tone was a little downcast.
Her daughter would rather come to Phyllis than to her.
It seemed… Their relationship needed some work.
“That’s right!”
Phyllis raised her chin proudly, her eyes gleaming and her mouth curling into a smug grin.
“I told you—my charm is just irresistible. See? Even my lovely niece comes over to me.”
“Alright, alright, you win. Can’t argue with that,” Claire replied with a sigh and a helpless smile.
After a pause, she seemed to make up her mind.
“Well, I’ll be heading back. That little one out there probably can’t wait anymore.”
With that, she straightened her clothes and walked toward the door.
She grasped the handle and gave it a slight turn.
With a quiet click, the door creaked open.
But just as it cracked open, a figure came into view.
Lorin stood tall like a guard at her post, rigid and unmoving.
She had been staring intently at the door, and when Claire appeared, her body stiffened as if facing a mortal enemy.
She instinctively took several hurried steps back, her gaze wary and unfriendly, locked tightly onto Claire.
Feigning calm, Claire took a few slow steps in Lorin’s direction—
“Windwalk!”
With a rush of wind, Lorin vanished on the spot.
Claire: “…”
“…Tch.”
She let out a helpless laugh, then slowly disappeared as well.
Ungrateful brat…
She’d even gone to Phyllis to replenish some supplies for her, and this was the thanks she got?
***
“L-Little Aunt.”
Lorin forced herself to remain composed as she greeted Phyllis.
She never imagined she’d one day be calling Phyllis aunt—especially in such an unusual context.
But fate was strange, and frankly, she only had herself to blame for having an itchy hand that night with the dagger.
Phyllis turned slightly and smiled softly, her eyes full of amusement.
“What is it?” she asked in a gentle voice.
Lorin pursed her lips and internally rolled her eyes.
She couldn’t stand this side of Phyllis.
It was like a student council president doing room checks with the dean nearby—you couldn’t even laugh.
“You’re cursing me in your head again, aren’t you?”
Phyllis narrowed her eyes at Lorin, suspicious.
Her niece definitely wasn’t up to anything good, but she had no proof.
Lorin’s eyes darted nervously, and she stammered, “W-What? Of course not!”
She bit her lip and refused to make eye contact.
Which only confirmed Phyllis’s suspicions.
Her niece must be internally slandering her, though she couldn’t quite figure out why.
Most of her acquaintances liked her…
Wait—no, some definitely didn’t.
Phyllis tapped her fingers rhythmically on the desk, frowning—a sign she was deep in thought.
Crap.
Lorin’s heart sank.
She knew this look.
If she’d known it’d turn out like this, she would’ve just gone to Claire.
At least Claire had a flexible bottom line.
“Little Aunt…”
Lorin quickly reached out to interrupt Phyllis’s scheming.
“Eh? Oh, what is it?”
Realizing she’d zoned out, Phyllis snapped back to attention and looked at Lorin curiously.
“Where is the Alchemy Workshop?”
Alchemy…?
Phyllis fell into thought again.
“It’s to the north. I’ll have someone take you there later.”
“Great!”
Lorin dashed out in an instant.
If she stayed any longer, she was sure Phyllis would strip her secrets bare.
Phyllis was just too dangerous.
If she could redo the past, she’d have buried her in that beach sand without hesitation.
Watching Lorin flee, Phyllis smiled.
“How interesting. She’s that scared of me finding out?”
“But the more you try to hide your identity, the more curious I become.”
She stood up and casually called over a subordinate, instructing them to escort Lorin to the Alchemy Workshop.
If her mysterious little visitor wanted to play hide and seek, then she was happy to play along.
Still…
She was really curious—who was the unlucky soul caught by her sister?
A shame that Claire refused to tell her Lorin’s true identity.
***
“It’s time for me to leave, Phyllis.”
Claire reached out and gently ruffled Phyllis’s hair, her voice as soft as moonlight, carrying a subtle trace of longing.
A silver moon hung high above, casting its cool glow across the vast and mysterious lands of the Blood Domain.
The soil, dark brown and dry, seemed calmed by the holy light, bathed in a hush of serenity.
Raising her hand, Claire gave a slight wave.
In this silent night, the words of farewell and all the emotions she couldn’t express were hidden in that one simple gesture.
Phyllis stood there, watching her sister go, but didn’t try to stop her.
She knew Claire was following in their mother’s footsteps, pursuing a path full of uncertainty.
But… wasn’t the direction out of the Blood Domain south?
Why was Claire heading north?
Whatever it was, she must have her reasons.
***
“Ah! You’re here?!”
“You ungrateful brat! I’m leaving and you didn’t even come say goodbye. Just wait till I get my hands on you!”
“I—I’m sorry, Mother~”
“Too late!”