Chapter 38 : Mother Dearest?!

As the battle intensified, Dumbledore grew increasingly certain that this maid disguised as a six-year-old was anything but ordinary.

Using that strange magical device and a host of bizarre spells, she—despite only being at the third rank—actually managed to hold her ground against his fifth-rank power.

The choice of magical artifact had clearly been correct… but no matter how he looked at her, she didn’t resemble a child under six.

That was what puzzled Dumbledore.

Still, he simply assumed there was a flaw in his formula.

After all, the saying “No one under six can reach the third rank” wasn’t just a random claim.

“I don’t have time to humor a brat like you!”

He sheathed his blade, and the surging magic flowing through his meridians burst forth, scattering Lorin like an annoying fly.

Lorin stared grimly at the old man who had once sold her those tiny drinks.

But just as the seriousness settled in her gaze, it was swiftly replaced by a hint of madness.

“Hahaha… Now this is fun!”

She laughed wildly, but her hands didn’t pause for even a moment—she wasn’t some idiot from an anime who just stood still waiting to be hit by a finishing move.

“Teleport…”

A phantom image of a Rubik’s Cube appeared in her palm, slowly rotating as it activated through her magic.

The surrounding scenery shifted along with it, projected through spatial manipulation.

But in the blink of an eye, Dumbledore moved.

Petals of cherry blossoms scattered across the space, and within each petal shimmered a reflection of Dumbledore himself.

As his blade flashed free, the petals detonated all at once.

A storm of sword energy tore through space, unraveling the structure Lorin had modified and sending shards of broken dimension surging toward her.

Lorin’s pupils contracted sharply.

“Void Rend!”

As her massive scythe came crashing down, the space around her was instantly cleaved, revealing a rift of nothingness.

The sword energy vanished completely—but so did Dumbledore.

“Crossing two ranks really is tough…”

Lorin muttered with a tinge of frustration.

She extended her hand and conjured a cube of magic, which floated gently in her palm.

This was the Rubik’s Cube she’d finally managed to reclaim from Phyllis.

It had cost her dearly…

Still, the gain was worthwhile.

The door to the fourth rank had now opened for her.

And with it, she could finally employ the dual-path technique that combined swordsmanship and magic.

“How did it go?”

Phyllis appeared behind her just then.

Lorin turned and nodded thoughtfully upon seeing she was alone.

“I knew it…”

“Mind telling me what’s going on now?”

Phyllis sighed in exasperation.

That swordsman had wielded an incredibly high-level magical artifact—so much so that even she, a seventh-rank powerhouse, couldn’t stop him…

And Lorin had advised her earlier not to meddle with this group.

At that moment, a black-clad guard appeared at Phyllis’s side, dropping to one knee.

“Your Majesty!”

“What about the other one?”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty… he escaped.”

The full moon hung high in the sky, its silver glow highlighting the cold sweat on the guard’s forehead.

“I understand…”

To his surprise, Phyllis didn’t blame him. She simply nodded and waved him off.

Once the guard had left, Phyllis turned her gaze back to Lorin.

“They’re from an organization called Abyssal Soul. I don’t even know how long they’ve existed.”

“What do you mean even you don’t know? You’re barely a few years old.”

Phyllis seemed in high spirits and teased Lorin playfully.

“Ugh…”

Lorin’s pupils shrank.

She quickly changed the topic.

Thankfully, Phyllis was still as easy to mislead as ever… Otherwise, her real identity would’ve been exposed.

“Let’s not talk about that. This organization is strange—just stay out of their business.”

Lorin spoke with a calm tone.

“One moment they’re slaughtering innocent people, the next they’re doing charity work… Like I said, they’re very weird.”

“For now, at least, they don’t seem hostile toward us.”

Phyllis nodded, accepting Lorin’s assessment.

After all, the Duke of Wilson’s precious granddaughter had literally straddled that blond man and yanked on his hair… The evidence was the golden strands scattered all over the floor.

According to the kids, that “blond big brother” often played with them…

If the Defense Bureau hadn’t tracked them down, it seemed likely that those missing children would’ve been safely returned in a few days.

But one disturbing detail remained… Every child had reportedly been taken to some kind of mysterious altar…

The real reason Lorin told Phyllis not to interfere with the group was this—there might be an actual ninth-rank existence among them.

That was the truly terrifying part.

“Let’s head back. The others can handle the cleanup.”

Lorin yawned.

She couldn’t understand why she felt so sleepy.

There was a familiar fragrance floating in the air.

Hmm… Why did it smell exactly like Claire?

“Hmm… Not bad. You’re finally showing some promise as the future ruler of my Blood Domain.”

“Hmph! Who wants to be your queen? Just wait until the day I turn back!”

“I’ll be waiting…”

Phyllis tucked a faintly fragrant letter into her ring and brought Lorin back to the palace.

What she didn’t anticipate, however, was that this return would mark the beginning of pure chaos in the royal palace…

***

“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”

With a groan, Phyllis tossed the sleeping Lorin onto the bed.

Who told the girl to fall asleep halfway through their walk back?

Her poor aunt had to carry her the whole way.

Staring at the peacefully resting maid, Phyllis’s eyes gleamed mischievously.

“Let’s change you into something more comfortable, oh mighty Archmage…”

In her sleep, Lorin suddenly shivered.

And in her dreams…

“Claire?!”

Lorin rubbed her eyes, staring in disbelief at the familiar back in front of her.

“You looked awfully cozy cuddling Phyllis in your sleep.”

Claire smirked coldly.

Lorin: “!!!”

“Lies! You have no proof!”

But then, as if she remembered something, Lorin’s confidence surged.

“Then explain this!”

Claire projected an image of reality into Lorin’s dreamscape.

As she stared at the scene, Lorin’s face turned deathly pale.

Her maid uniform had been replaced—and now she and Phyllis were clinging to each other, fast asleep…

“M-Mother Dearest, I can explain…”

Lorin tried to resist.

But Claire didn’t listen.

She slowly approached Lorin instead.

It looked like it was time for her to give her rebellious daughter the childhood she never had.

And her little sister?

Oh, she needed a stern reminder not to mess around with her daughter.

If she wanted a daughter so badly, she could go find one of her own…