Chapter 23

"Sigh, damn, it's been so hard this week," Sara muttered, making my head move up and down.

"Huh, why?" I said, looking up at her as I lay beside her with my head on her stomach.

Don't ask me why we like this.

I myself didn't know how we ended up lying down on the ground like this.

"Do you not realize how hard it is to keep up with you?" Sara said with some frustration.

"Well, it can't be that hard or is it," I said, not knowing the answer to her question.

"It is you do the amount of exercise in one day I do in a week," Sara said, huffing and dropping her head on the ground again.

"So? If you want to become strong, you need to push yourself." I simply said, getting another grunt from her.

"As true as that is. As a demon, we don't need to push ourselves this hard," Sara said, taking another long breath.

"Why because we have longer life spans?" I said, shrugging at her question.

It's been a week and a day since her parents and my newly adopted parents have gone, and they should arrive back home any minute now. Though calling them my parents are going to take quite a while.

Thinking back at the last week, I can see how much my mentality has changed. It's pretty nerve-racking if you think about it. Not even a month ago, I was still a human, and now I am already referring to myself as a demon, although I am only a half-breed, as the attention-hoarding demons say.

It's weird how no matter where you go, something like racism is there well.

Though it's quite fun face-slapping someone like that with your sister.

I don't know why Sara is good at getting people's trust. She is pretty naive and innocent but hardcore at the same time. Maybe it is because I understand demons more now. Or just me wanting a family? I don't know.

Well, as much as my thoughts have changed over the last week, I still have a lot of doubts, but moving on isn't one anymore. There might come a time when I regret it, but I don't think it will last long.

Though I trust Sara, it doesn't mean I will also trust my other siblings. Lucas and Julia don't have a lot of trusts, especially Julia seeing as she dated the dumb tyrant, so her decision-making skills need work.

Karl is just a bundle of energy and strength. For being so young, his strength is no joke. And Sara's twin, well, I haven't seen him the past week. He is reticent, I think.

Hendrain has been silent, following behind Karl like a dog looking for a treat.

I don't really know how that happened, but Karl trained him after I beat him up. Sigh, a lot happened, but the bottom line is I am moving on slowly but surely. Still, a long way to go.

"Hey, rin, you there?"

"Hmm, what's up," I said, looking at her.

"No, you just started to space out there, and I got worried," Sara said, smiling at me.

"Worried for what? That I delve into my thought and never come back." I said, chuckling.

"Is that possible?" Sara said worriedly.

"Probably, but I think that's when you join the abyss."

"The never-ending darkness?" Sara said with a raised eyebrow.

"Correct."

"Sigh, weirdo."

"Ready for more laps?" I said, standing up. Even though I might have grown quite a bit in the first few days since then, I haven't ground an inch for the last 3 days. Something that annoyed me a lot. I don't want to become a real Loli.

"Are you thinking about your height again?" Sara said with a smirk annoying me.

"AH, I think we should double the number of laps left, don't you think?" I said, looking up at her horror-filled face.

"Ah, Brother, huh, Brother is calling me. Got to go," Sara said, holding her hand to her ear.

"Oh no, not falling for that again," I said, narrowing my eyes at her.

"but it's a twin thing, you know," Sara said, walking backwards slowly away from me.

"Yeah, as if," I said, grabbing her arm and dragging her with me starting to run again.

Since we returned from our shopping trip, I started training in the morning and night just before bed as I wanted to get back in shape. Not that there was a lot to get back, as most of my stamina stayed the same even though I got shrunk in a Loli. I can gain a lot more now than I could when I was still fully human.

Sara decided on her own to join me the next morning, something she regrets to this day. She also did the same trick she just tried, where she and her twin brother communicated telepathically. Not knowing that it was bullshit, I said it was fine letting her quit, not even halfway into training to go and lounge on a terrace in the same place I found her just after I finished my training in the front yard of the castle. I must say quite a fun place to work out. No wind, and not too much sun. It was great in the morning to train here and cool at night.

"Shit." Sara cursed before running away as fast as possible.

"Get back here," I yelled, running after her.

[20 minutes of running]

"Pant, pant, I can't. I am going to die," Sara said, panting and dropping to the floor.

"Right, you did well. That was double the laps of yesterday. If you keep this up, you might have enough stamina to rival a general." I explained with heavy breathing my self.

Trying to keep up with her with my tiny legs was quite challenging.

"No, get up. Let's get you something to drink," I said, holding out a hand to help her up.

"I can't move."

"Fine, I will drag you in then," I said, stretching my arms a bit.

"Thank you."

"Dont worry about it," I said, picking her up onto my shoulders.

"Ugh."

"Man, I'm short. Your feet are going to drag," I said, Looking at her feet dragging on the ground.

"…"

"Hmm." Not getting any answer, I noticed that her breathing was even out.

"She fell asleep or passed out?" I said, baffled.

'I can't even teleport us in. I dont have enough stamina for that.' I thought, humming to myself.

"Right, she arrives today as well," I muttered, seeing a shadow running towards us.

Jumping up, I summoned? No teleported? No? Ah, whatever. My katana appeared in my hand, deflecting all the tiny needles that were aimed at me.

"Great aim, not even close to Sara," I said, nodding.

"Let her go, you mongrel."

"Mongrol, what the-," I started saying, looking to my left brought up my sword.

"Die!"

"Wait, stop. I am not an enemy in any way!" I shouted, blocking her sword strikes.

"That's what an enemy will say." The cat girl hissed back, attacking me again with her sword.

"Ah, for fuck sake, I dont have the stamina for this," I muttered, gritting my teeth while barely blocking her sword slashes.

"What are you muttering about deviant."

"Ugh, can someone just stop her before she actually cuts off my head?" I said, looking at the bushes behind her.

"Heh, calling for back…up? Why?" Selena said, looking at the 3 castle guards stopping her sword.

"Sorry, Princess Ren, we didn't think you would need us." Another guard said, bowing before me

"Ugh, no worries, I was just lacking," I said, frustrated.

"Princess Ren, you are not lacking in anyways. If you had more stamina, I am sure you would have." The guard said, stopping when I glared at him.

"Done even start. Let's just go in. It is almost breakfast time."

"Yes, princess." The guard said, nodding.

"Huh? Princess? Who are you." Selena said, looking at me.

"Your older sister," I said, walking passed her.

"What?"

[10 munite]

[Dining hall]

"Ah, I see."

"Huh, what a crappy reaction," Sara said, grunting in annoyance.

"I dont trust her."

"Why? If it's about how she looks, that's mom's fault." Lucas explained, making me grunt in annoyance this time.

"Hmm, it doesn't matter. I dont trust her. She isn't fully demon."

"Huh, you, of all people, are going to use that card," Sara said while glaring at Selena.

'Something I also noticed about Sara was that she really cares about how people see half demons.' I thought, looking at Sara before going back to my food.

"Hmph, so what. Anyways what's up with that dumbass." Selena said, pointing at Hendrian, that was standing at the wall like a servant.

"Oh, he didn't listen to me this morning, so he is getting punished," Karl said, shrugging at our gazes.

'I don't think I should have given Karl that much power over Hendrian. Wait, I didn't actually give him any power. I just told Hendrian to look after him, or I will beat him up again.' I thought, looking at Karl.

"And why is he listening to you, Karl?" Selena said, looking at Lucas for an explanation.

"Because he is scared of big sis Ren," Karl innocently pointed at me.

"Well, well, well, you got even more explaining to do," Selena said, smirking at me.

"You are one annoying cat," I muttered, standing up from the table to get more food.

"What did you say!!" Selena said, standing up and slamming her hand onto the table, sending the food up in the air.

"Dont hit the table like that. Uwe won't like that." I said, teleporting all the food back onto the table.

"U-Uwe, how dare you, a half-breed, call father on his name," Selena said, pulling out her needles again.

Hearing what she said, both Sara and I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Selena, please calm down," Lucas said, trying to defuse the situation.

"Shut up!" Selena yelled, glaring at Lucas with some killing intent.

"Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?" I said, teleporting in front of her and grabbing her collar. I pulled her down, making us look eye to eye.

"Stop! What is going on in here!" A booming voice said coming from the main door.