4.13.

"That guy? He just left me and walked off," Rose complained.

"I think perhaps it may have been a better idea to act less brusque around topics like this. You know well how sensitive he is regarding the matter around his sister," Azaleas said.

The two of them entered a small bar. A relaxing environment with dim lights, tables were shiny and glossy. Thinking to order dessert again, they took a seat at an empty table near the entrance. Then they noticed the green haired girl.

"Hah.. what a coincidence. Let me give you a piece of my mind," Rose punched her knuckles and approached her.

"Oh brother.." Azaleas shook her head.

"Oi! You there."

Leticia turned around– her eyes widened in shock. Risa also turned around.

"Huh. You look just like that small girl in the past. The hell happened to your hair?"

"..."

"Ah, it's been a while isn't it? You forgot who I am?"

"Rose Stravince, could you chill?" Risa said.

"Chill? You called me ice, commoner?!"

"My gawd, you don't know, chill do you?" Risa found the conversation plain silly.

"Stop saying nonsense!" Rose's face was already red.

"Getting angry wouldn't do any good big sis," Azaleas tried to placate her.

"You, do you think it's fun running away from my fiance? Even though he cared so much for you?" Rose pointed at Leticia.

Leticia's heart trembled.

"Do you know how many nights he cried? Do you know how angry he was at me because you ran away? Fun, isn't it? You're so free, like a bird, my fiance had to continue to train even though his heart was broken."

".. When did you ever think I was free?" Leticia's voice seethed.

"Now you're going to talk about how painful it was to become a slave? You brought it onto yourself, idiot!"

"I was tricked! I was desperate!"

"Tricked? You're an idiot for being tricked by that mage. You mind must be filled with mush to think that there are people who are so kind to help you."

Risa grabbed Leticia's hand which was reaching out to her bowl of her precious dessert just to throw it at Rose.

"Shoo, shoo. If you came here to say all this, I think you should just leave," Risa said.

"You dare command me? Who do you think you are?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Know? Of course not. Why do I need to know anything about a small person like you–"

In the midst of her sentence, Risa deactivated her artifact. Her hair returned to a nice black gloss, onyx coloured eyes narrowed.

"Risa Takashi, nice to meet you, Rose."

"..."

"Get it?"

The commotion caused by them became the center of attention of those that were in the bar. Many students were surprised by the reversal.

The two stared at each other. Eventually, Rose backed down. In fact, she walked right out of the bar.

Azaleas bowed politely with an apology before chasing after her sister.

Leticia's hands had already formed into a tight fist.

"Wow, I didn't think I would actually talk back against nobles. First time," Risa muttered, "Are you alright Leticia?"

"I'm.. surprised, that's all.."

"There, there," Risa stroked Leticia's back.

Choking on her tears, Leticia forced a spoon of ice into her mouth.

===

"Schwii, do you think it should go like this, or like this?"

"Put it up top."

"Like this."

"That looks much better. Maybe straighten it a little more before pasting it."

"I seriously don't get why we need this roster."

"The human tendency to do useless stuff is something I can't comprehend," Schwii sighed.

As the class president, these two were tasked with creating a poster regarding the team loadout for the leadership classes. It's a random project which Jonnathan asked them to do to be posted on the class board.

It could've been addressed using a one sheet bulletin, but he wanted something more extravagant.

Whatever it was, the fact that they had to create and decorate the poster was something that allowed them to spend some time together. While they were busy arranging the various elements on a large cardboard, Iona was cooking dinner in the kitchen.

"Which monster do you think is the hardest to fight in the dungeon?" Sequencee asked.

"Personally, I think the centipedes."

"Even though they're C-rank?"

"They're disgusting. The acrid smell also makes it a pain to handle."

"How about the B-rank blind basilisk or the golem?"

"The basilisk can be burned, the golem dies if you just hit the core with enough firepower."

"But last time I saw you couldn't one shot the golem though."

"I was just holding back."

They finished cutting the papers. All they needed now was to stick everything together.

"Schwii, about the demons that Iona are fighting.." Sequencee asked in a low voice.

"That? Don't worry. It's not that big of a matter."

"Can I see the report she gives you at least?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Just.. no. I don't permit it. It'll disturb you if you read it.. moreover, it's not like Iona meets an enemy each time. Most nights are quiet."

"Schwii, it'll disturb me more if I don't know what's going on. To begin with, what are the demons aiming for? You? Me? Or something else?"

"Me. Hadn't I explained last time?"

"But forcing themselves on you is no way to win your hand in marriage right? Isn't it much more logical to think that they plan to kill me?"

"..." Schwii stared at Sequencee silently.

"Fine, let's not touch on this topic again.."

Knock, knock.

"People really do like our apartment, don't they?" Schwii got up to receive the person behind the door.

It was Leticia.

===

'I'll face him..'

"..."

"..."

'But.. I don't know what to say.'

Leticia was seated before her brother, Lancet. They were at Lambert's tea house– Sequencee acted as Leticia's mediator, while Azaleas acted as Lancet's mediator.

Meeting that felt like the beginning of a long-winding discussion more than it did some reunion. A private room had been booked just for this occasion. That way it wouldn't distrubed the other customers that came to enjoy their normal evening tea.

'What happened to the other girl? Or is he the fiance for both of them? That can't be right?'

As Sequencee pondered about such a question, Azaleas smiled at him softly.

"Would you like to order anything.." Lancet asked.

"Yes, I'll get something,"

After allowing some time to decide, the waiter received each person's order of drinking before going her way.

"..."

"Leticia, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's over anyways.." Leticia drawled.

"Still.. I was the one responsible for not noticing.. the person who abducted you. She's dead now."

"So you killed her?"

"Yes."

"I see.."

"He killed her personally," Azaleas added.

"..."

"And I might add, he took months to recover from your disappearance. A search investigation was launched so wide, I'm surprised we failed to uncover your whereabouts. I suppose it had something to do with your hair?" Azaleas said.

"Yes.."

"How did it happen? Leticia, I want to hear the full story," Lancet pleaded.

"It's.. a pointless topic to discuss," Leticia said with her teeth clenched.

"..."

"Just.. even if you knew, what are you going to do? You want me to go back? I'm not going back. I don't belong to any family anymore. Do what you want brother Lancet, I chose this path myself. Just forget that I exist, I don't need your sympathy."

"You're being a jerk, you know that Leticia? When did I ever do anything wrong to you?"

"It's not.. you had never been wrong. I'm a selfish narcissist who just wants to get out of the house. Get it? I made the choice because I hated my life. You were the one who faced the consequences of my actions. My fault, my fault. So what now? What are you going to do now that you know it's got nothing to do with you?"

"..."

"Hah.. maybe I should've written a note telling you to not worry. Perhaps if I did that then it wouldn't have happened like this.." Leticia's voice cracked.

"You should've told me how you felt.. instead of just disappearing one day!"

"What's the point in telling you when you can't even do anything about yourself?!"

"Did I look like a pitiful person to you? Did you think you would make me suffer less by disappearing from my life?"

"Yes."

"Yes? YES? Have you ever thought about how I felt? Being ignored by you, even when I tried to make amendments; you kept walking away? Remember those days Leticia? How did you treat me? Did you ever stop to think about how many problems your actions caused?"

Leticia felt blood rush to her head.

"Why the hell did I have you consider your feelings in the first place? It's a dog eat dog world where we came, isn't it?"

"Even if you're my sister, what you're saying is going way too far," Lancet yelled in ire, "You're coming back once this is all over. I'll tell the father that you've been found."

"Father? You call him father now? And did you not hear what I said earlier? I'm not going back," Leticia's voice trembled.

"As long as you're related to your brother by blood, you're still a family of ours," Azaleas said with a smile.

A long silence ensued.

Sequencee was having trouble deciding how he should intervene.

Perhaps thinking that the brief respite was a sigh, the waiter opened the shutter and came in with a tray with everyone's drinks. Nobody touched it after it had been set down on the table.

"Fuck family," Leticia cursed, "Sequencee, we're going back."

"Sit down. You're not going anywhere," Lancet demanded.

Leticia had already got up from the chair.

'This is harsh..'

Sequencee placed a gold coin underneath the napkin and got up– at the same time Lancet rose from his seat. He strode over to Leticia, Sequencee acted as the barrier between them.

"We're at a restaurant. Pay mind to courtesy," Azaleas said.

"Why do you even butt in so much into our affairs, huh?" Lancet glared at Sequencee.

"Leticia, you can go first. But be careful."

She responded with a nod, pulling the shutters and leaving.

Lancet tried to shove Sequencee aside, but he was only met with the same invisible wall he did last time.

"So this is how the shitty world works huh?"

"Yes. It is how it works if that's how you think it works."

Despite living in the same reality, they were living in separate worlds.

Lancet slammed his fist against the barrier, creating a loud thud that shook the tea house. However, being stuck in Sequencee's barrier, Lancet wasn't able to break it. He wouldn't be able to leave until the magic wore off.

"Damn it."

"Even if you're her elder brother, even if you're angry at her.. no. Nevermind. Just calm down."

'There's no point trying to lecture him when he's emotional.'

Sequencee turned around and left, shutting the door behind him.

Lancet gritted his teeth, slamming the barrier for the umptheeth time.

"Damn it all.."