The aura

Bjorki was half-sitting on the bed in her brother's room in the Jade Academy's dormitory, looking rather slovenly while reading a novel. Her brother, Magnus, was working with some documents on the desk that was slightly too small for him.

"It's a nice day, why don't you spend it outside with your friends."

Magnus asked without looking back at his younger sister while signing and putting one document to the side, only to start working on the next one.

"They are your friends too, aren't they? Why aren't you outside playing outside during such a nice day?"

Acting in an identical way as he did, Bjorki asked back as she turned the page of her book.

"You're acting childish again."

"Sh-shut up! I hate how everyone is shoving those empty compliments in my face! It's suffocating!"

Magnus pointed out calmly but that only ended up in Bjorki snapping while pulling up her knees and angrily smacking the mattress with her feet.

"...not to mention that no matter what they say, Young Lady Fenrioette is on another level…"

The blue-haired girl muttered, hiding behind her book.

"...?"

"!!!"

That act was unusual enough for her brother to lean away from the desk and turn to her with his brows raised, making her turn completely red and flail in panic.

"I… I mean, she immediately knew the answers to the questions even you were hesitant about…"

Bjorki added, fidgeting in embarrassment.

"It really got to you, didn't it? When she said that you didn't do anything to make her like you, huh…"

"Why wouldn't she like me when she said she likes you!?"

Magnus pointed out with genuine surprise, and his sister covered her head with her book and groaned in a troubled voice.

"She looks so similar to mom and grandpa! I can't believe she could say that she has no reason to like me with that face!"

Bjorki cried out before tumbling to the side and beginning to roll all over her brother's bed, letting out whimper-like groans.

"AH! But going back to our original goal! Don't you think that she is too similar to our mom?! Could she be like… grandpa's illegitimate grandchild or something?! Or maybe an illegitimate child?!"

"...warn me first before making such wild accusations out loud. I'll close the window at least…"

Suddenly, the blue-haired girl jumped up on all fours, tossing the book away, and gasped in a flash of inspiration. Magnus glared down at her in disbelief, got up from his desk, and walked towards the opened window.

"AH…! I'm sorry…"

"You need to be more mindful. This place isn't the inner palace."

She hurriedly apologized as her brother was reaching towards the window…

"Still… the similarity between grandfather and young Lady Fenrioette is uncanny, especially in their eyes but also when it comes to the aura."

After confirming there was no one in the proximity to overhear them, Magnus didn't rush to close the window and instead glanced back at his younger sister and admitted.

"Their aura…?"

Bjorki furrowed her brows before tilting her head like a confused puppy and inquired.

"You could also say that it's their way of being. Surrounded by the air of superiority, whether it being actual strength or just empty pride, their confidence makes them the focal point of any situation."

"But grandpa is always so nice and goes along with anything I ask him for…?"

At her older brother's explanation, the blue-haired girl furrowed her brows and pointed out to counter the argument.

"That's because grandfather is lenient with his family. But you will understand once you happen to see him agitated."

Magnus scoffed with a laugh, shaking his head at his sister's naivety.

"When grandpa stands as the Emperor of Emperors, it's hard to breathe, and your heart just sinks as the overwhelming…"

*^%$%^&^%*

The blue-haired man continued to explain when suddenly, the feeling of absolute dread washed over him, rendering his body paralyzed.

Not with any status effect but with pure, undiluted fear.

He could not take even a single shallow breath as it felt as if a giant was stepping down on his chest, forcing the air out, and his heart sunk, gripped by the cold hand of death.

"...!"

Even while experiencing the feeling of complete and utter helplessness, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to look at his younger sister to make sure that he was the only one subjected to that unidentified attack.

"Bjo…rki…!"

Alas, to his horror, he discovered that his sister must have been going through the exact same hell, only that while he remained standing up, she crumbled down on the bed, shaking uncontrollably while curled up in a fetal position.

"Wh-who is…?!"

Magnus spat through his teeth, pushing his limits and clenching his fists…

"...huh…?"

Only for the pressure to disappear as suddenly as it appeared, so unexpectedly that the blue-haired man could not help but let out a shocked gasp.

"M-Maaaaaaaaag…!"

As Magnus shook his head, trying to get back together, Bjorki sobbed, throwing herself off the bed and clinging to his side and bawling her eyes out, deeply shaken by the unpleasant experience.

"It's okay… it's over… I think…"

"...ghnngh…!

The blue-haired man gulped his saliva in unease, trying to calm down his little sister, picking her up just as he would do when she was just a baby, and she clung to him while sobbing and sniffling.

"Wh-what was that…?"

After a moment, Bjorki managed to compose herself enough to whimper a shaken question.

"I'm not sure… it might have been an attack. It might have been a test for us that grandfather or mother and father prepared… It would be best to keep an eye on… Huh…?"

"Mag…?"

Magnus answered honestly, furrowing his brows and trying to figure out what exactly occurred, but as he glanced out of the window, he tensed up making Bjorki tremble and ask anxiously.

"There's a suspicious carriage outside the Academy's gate… it's too convenient to be a coincidence. Stay here. I'll go check what this all means. Maybe it is grandfather or Hugin's doing…?"

"...okay…"

He said while motioning his head towards the outside before moving his sister back on the bed where she rolled herself in a blanket and nodded at him with a pitiful expression.

Magnus left Bjorki in his room and then rushed out.