Chapter 17:The Final Encounter

"Elias, you..." Isabella's eyes widened.

 "What do you mean by that?" Her temper flared, her face reddening with anger.

 She had postponed a class and traveled all this way for a home visit, concerned about a student she thought highly of, only to hear such words...

 Elias internally apologized to Isabella, but maintained his disrespectful demeanor, fitting the image of a bad student.

"That's it, professor. If there's nothing else, please leave."

 "Goodbye, preferably forever!"

 Elias stood up, looking towards the entrance with an impolite gesture of ushering her out.

 "Elias!!" Ms. Isabella stood up indignantly.

 "bro~"

 In the awkwardly silent living room, Luna's voice softly emerged. She hooked Elias's arm, guiding him back to the sofa.

 "How can you speak to your professor like that? She came all this way just for you~"

 Luna's eyes, now focused on Elias, who remained silent, narrowed with a smile. Her deep blue gaze seemed to read his thoughts, sending a chill down his spine.

 "Ms. Isabella..." Elias began, wanting to say more.

 But Luna didn't give him the chance. Her small frame surprisingly strong, she pinned Elias to the sofa, immobilizing him.

 Her gaze grew more menacing, a cold aura enveloping Elias. He opened his mouth to speak, then sighed helplessly.

 Nevermind...

 He finally gave up any thought of rescue.

 Turning to Ms. Isabella on the other side of the sofa, Luna smiled serenely.

 "Ms. Isabella, please, calm down."

 Seeing her tea cup empty, she considerately refilled it with more tea.

 Ms. Isabella, arms crossed, had lost all interest in the tea.

 "Elias isn't usually like this," Luna explained. "It might be his illness causing such a sudden change in behavior..."

 "Don't mind what he said earlier. It wasn't what he truly meant."

 "Is that so?" Ms. Isabella glanced at Elias.

 Elias looked back at her, silent.

 Ms. Isabella gave a self-deprecating laugh, "But he seemed quite sincere just now, perhaps a true reflection of his feelings."

 "Sigh..." She sighed deeply. "I thought I had found a promising student..."

 Disappointment filled her eyes.

 "It seems like Ms. Isabella is quite fond of my bro..." Luna remarked quietly.

 Ms. Isabella, not catching her implication, just huffed, "All that concern was wasted. The things he said that day were all lies. I was mistaken."

 "You two talk. I have things to attend to at school and shouldn't intrude any longer."

 Saying this, Ms. Isabella stood up, ready to leave promptly.

 Unexpectedly, Luna blocked her way.

 "You..." Ms. Isabella frowned, unsure of her intentions.

 Luna's smile deepened, "I've already said, my bro actually loves studying and likes Ms. Isabella very much."

 "So..." Luna continued with a smile, "Since my bro likes you so much, and you like him, why don't you stay, Ms. Isabella?"

 "Stay?" Ms. Isabella looked at her strangely. "Stay here? Me?"

 "Yes~" Luna giggled.

"Ms. Isabella, why don't you stay here forever!"

 "What are you talking about?" Ms. Isabella's expression turned increasingly bizarre, even suspecting Elias's sister might be suffering from some mental illness.

 Luna's smile was chilling, sinister, and deeply unsettling.

Isabella instinctively stepped back, sensing something amiss. The atmosphere in the house had been strange from the beginning, maybe due to the peculiar interaction between the siblings or the subtle chill in the air...

 Suddenly, she remembered the message Elias desperately tried to convey earlier.

 It was...

 Run!!!

Isabella's face turned to horror, and she abruptly pushed past Luna, racing towards the entrance.

 However, just a few steps in, a loud thud echoed as her body collapsed to the floor.

 Behind her, only Luna's mocking laughter remained.

 "Finally got rid of that bad woman trying to steal my bro..."

 "Giggles..."

 Elias looked at Ms. Isabella lying motionless on the floor. It must have been the tea – Luna had poisoned it, leaving no trace of suspicion...

 She had planned to kill Isabella all along.

 Elias's heart turned ice cold.

 Then, Luna turned around, her body trembling uncontrollably with excitement and madness. Her smile grew even more deranged.

 "Now, it's your turn, bro~"

 Her arms transformed into sprawling tentacles, emanating a powerful psychic contamination.

 "Are you going to kill me?" Elias asked.

 "You don't seem scared at all, bro?" Luna tilted her head curiously.

 "Maybe I'm used to dying," Elias leaned back on the sofa, finding a more comfortable position.

 "bro's saying those strange things again..."

 "I'm telling the truth." Elias smiled at her.

 Luna's tentacles wrapped around Elias's neck, the sharp tips poised to pierce through his throat at any moment.

 Elias calmly gazed at her. She didn't make a move.

 "bro's willingness to stay with Luna at home..."

 "Luna is happy..."

 "But... bro's nature hasn't changed, still so fickle..."

 "Hmph, the moment I don't watch you, you flirt with other women."

 "That foolish professor, haha! I knew she had feelings for you! I was right!"

 "You lied to me again, bro~"

 Luna slowly approached Elias on the sofa, her smile becoming more enigmatic.

"So, next, I'm gonna really reform my bro~"

 "bro, sleep for a while~"

 [You are hit with a powerful psychic shock]

 [Performing a sanity check]

 [Sanity check failed]

 [Sanity -10]

 As darkness enveloped his vision, Elias fainted on the sofa.