The figure of a young woman who had recently entered adulthood stood in the middle of a spacious and cozy bathroom. The pleasant scent of jasmine was in the air, mixed with something that left a tart but pleasant aftertaste in her mouth.
Her petite pink lips kissed in irritation. The mist created by the hot shower covered the huge mirror.
A simple spell was enough to chase away the unwanted intruder.
The woman looked at her figure with appreciation. Her straight silver hair, which half transitioned to velvety black, subtly mussed her shoulders, blending perfectly with her pale complexion and light violet eyes.
Her figure and body proportions were intimidating. The petite figure perfectly mimicked an hourglass shape.
Starting with the less important things.
The woman's breasts weren't the largest. Most men would describe them as a little smaller than average. It is worth mentioning that they fit perfectly in the hand.
However, you can't judge a book by its cover. The smaller size compensated for the unique and rare shape and firmness. And the real icing on the cake. The pink areolas around her nipples looked like miniature hearts.
Her narrow waist was very impressive and the envy of even the best models. However, the most attention was drawn to her long and slender legs, which presented a phenomenal appearance.
Adding to the equation shapely, well-trained, and not-too-large buttocks perfectly balanced the whole, a true work of art would be created. Even the best sculptors of ancient Greece wouldn't have been able to create something so perfect.
The woman was very beautiful for the age of 21... deadly beautiful. So beautiful, in fact, that some of the males had conspiracy theories, believing that her mother must have belonged to the legendary succubus species.
Of course, these were just the speculations of the ice princess's male rejects... or... maybe they were right... no one knows...
One may wonder by what miracle no man stood by her side. The answer didn't have to look far.
Every person on Earth had heard of her brother, one of the strongest hunters on Earth. Although, they didn't keep in touch through certain past events, that didn't stop him from taking care of his younger sister.
No one confirmed it, but he was said to be behind the disappearances of men who hung around the cold beauty. A minor rumor was enough to effectively scare off adventurous men. After all, no one wanted to end up in the stomach of a random dungeon monster.
The mere mention of Ramiel's name was enough, and intrusive men fled where the pepper grew.
Barely visible grief dawned in Lila's eyes as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her gaze immediately fell on the wet hair that once reached the middle of her back.
Lily regretted cutting it off. However, she had to do it. They were getting in the way of her strict hunter training. They were constantly getting tangled and damaged. Not to mention the incident where the ends literally went up in smoke.
Max was clear. - " Either shorten them, or I'll shave you bald. " The man took no prisoners and disregarded the voice of dissent.
Every day of the training he prepared was a real hell on Earth. Numerous bruises and scratches can be used as proof, being " evidence of hard work. "
" Also proof of hard work... " A quiet mumbling escaped Lila's lips. The tone of voice gave the impression that she was offended by something.
This was partly true.
The dramatic memory of a lesson in the use of white weapons from an hour ago left painful marks not only on the body but also on the psyche. The image of Max " sparring " with her, or rather the wooden stick, was still fresh in her mind.
Her pride had suffered solidly when she was beaten on the sour apple.
Max argued it one way. - Life isn't fair, princess. Do you think the monsters in the dungeon or other hunters will hesitate just because you are beautiful? If I were you, I would be happy if they killed you quickly. Who knows what else might come their way... I guess you're not a child, and you know what I mean.
" Tsk... " A short hiss filled with pain escaped from Lila's narrow mouth. Getting dressed with fresh and baking bruises wasn't one of the most pleasant things.
Although Max was brutal, his training was having an effect. It was nightmarish and exhausting, bringing a person to the brink of a nervous breakdown, but. In less than a year, Lily went from a layman to a candidate for the preliminary exam for a hunter.
Great applause is due to the woman. Like her brother, she has a knack for the profession. She is a quick learner, determined, doesn't give up easily, and thinks, but above all, and most importantly, she has been endowed with the same instincts as her brother.
The longer Max stayed with Lily, the more he saw commonalities between her and Ramiel. Starting with small gestures, similar tastes, and a love of food, ending with the same habits and even a twin fighting style.
Not to forget the similar character, the lack of empathy towards strangers, and the brutality directed at people who got under her skin. It's better...God help them.
At times, he had the impression that he was looking at a late friend, but only in the female version.
If Ramiel, a self-taught and presumed genius, has achieved what he has achieved, then what future awaits Lily under the wing of an experienced warrior? Most importantly, how soon will she surpass her brother?
With newfound reserves of enthusiasm, Lily made her way to the spacious kitchen. She turned on the sound system and set about preparing dinner.
Although she did it reluctantly, Lily had to admit something. She had the same taste as Ramiel. She immediately fell in love with the house she had inherited from her brother.
At first, she thought that a solid remodeling and renovation would await her... however, she couldn't have been more wrong. The villa seemed vividly drawn from her memories.
The dark interior painted in shades of black immediately appealed to her. The hideous white color she hated was nowhere to be found.
Modern furniture styled after those of the Renaissance period captivated her as soon as she saw it. You could say it was love at first sight.
Not to forget the Ramiel shoe collection, which swept Lily off her feet. There were the rarest pieces and the most desirable of all. She even managed to find a pair with the signature of the famous basketball player!
But she saved the best for last. When Lily entered the kitchen for the first time, she literally fainted. She would have hit her head if Max hadn't been standing next to her.
The villa was literally a paradise on Earth. Everything a hunter could desire was there. Do you need training? No problem, underground, you will find a training room that can withstand the power of a spell equivalent to a chaos rank weapon.
Need a new weapon? Ramiel's armory has everything your heart desires, including a forge.
At first, Lily was skeptical about using things left behind by her brother. Although she forgave him and saw the error in how she acted, she still held an unimaginable grudge against him. She still blamed him for the death of her parents, which she couldn't come to terms with.
But under Max's constant pressure, Lily soon broke through. The man could be truly terrifying when he wanted to be.
Unfortunately, not everyone led a prosperous and happy life. Synthi's consciousness didn't take well to Ramiel's death. The woman completely broke down. After the move, she required constant care from Max and Lila.
In fact, Max mainly takes care of her. Allowing Lily to be the emotionally unstable hunter was asking for trouble. The man couldn't leave her even an inch away.
It was hard... Synthi could get sudden panic attacks or, worse, cast random spells. At her current level, she was a danger not only to herself but also to the environment.
Max silently hoped he would improve the woman's condition with time, but he was wrong... It only got worse.
For a while, when the woman began to walk and talk, everyone thought she was well. However, this was a ruse that could have tragic consequences.
One day, Max let down his guard and left Synthi alone. At first glance, everything seemed fine. The woman spoke normally, ate, and even laughed. He even went so far as to say that she had accepted Ramiel's death and was moving on.
Yes... it was like that... Just no one got the idea that Synthi might want to join him. One can't imagine Max's face when he found her choking on the waistband of his pants.
If that day, he hadn't gone back for his wallet... who knows how it might have ended.
For almost a year, Synthi had four failed suicide attempts. With each one, her condition worsened... After the third one... she cut herself off from the outside world. Her mouth was silent.
After her last failed attempt, Synthi gave up. She probably saw that there was absolutely no point.
Max thanked all the gods. He knew that she hadn't come up with the idea of blowing up her heart with mana or doing anything stupid with it.
No therapist or psychiatrist wanted to take on the task of helping her. All the so-called specialists feared for their own lives... or someone had their fingers in it. Ramiel had many enemies.
The hospital wasn't even mentioned. No facility would accept someone of her caliber at the risk of destroying the building. Even the friendly clinic refused direct help. The only thing they offered was to assign psychotropics.
Fortunately, not everyone turned out to be a jerk. Max and Lily were often visited by strong hunters who knew both men well and had a good relationship with them.
Max really trusted some of them and could entrust them to Synthi for a short time. The man wasn't a machine. Even a workaholic like him needed a moment to relax.
On the other hand, a job was waiting for him in the hunters' association. Despite what he said, he hadn't completely given up on it. The old man went along with Max and called on him only in crisis situations.
As a result, he was able to retain his position in the association. It came with a number of privileges that Max didn't want to give up. At least not for now. Some of them, he might find useful in the private investigation he is conducting.
The deeper he digs, the more conflicting facts he finds related to Ramiel's potential death. Unfortunately, he lacks hard evidence to prove anything. By a strange coincidence, all the people who might have known anything vanished under unexplained circumstances.
To say more, their houses or apartments suddenly collapsed, or there was an accidental gas leak.
Ding Dong
" Hmm? "Lily was startled by the sudden sound of the doorbell. Usually, she would have checked the intercom to see who was waiting at the gate, but it had recently broken. Max was supposed to replace it, but he didn't have time.
" Ygh... Just as I was making myself something to eat... " Lily looked at the food with desire painted in her bright purple irises. Unfortunately, this time, she could only look at them.
It was rude to keep the world's top hunters waiting. They were quite specific ...
Willing not to, she had to go down and see who was waiting outside. No one was foolish enough to try to walk uninvited through the magic formations made by Ramiel.
Unless someone was looking forward to crossing the Styx in the company of Charon. Then... go for it. You can even ram the gate.
Ding Dong Ding Dong
" Sigh... Someone seems to be impatient... "
" Coming! " Lila's sweet voice interrupted the annoying rumbling of the bell.
" I need to order a more pleasant sound. " Lily mumbled under her breath
Lily pressed her hand to the blue crystal, covered with hundreds of runes and symbols that were still incomprehensible to her. It was a lock created by Ramiel that opened a stone door.
It worked on the principle of a mana signature. When unregistered mana came into contact with the receptor, a series of complicated defenses were activated. In this case, a crystal was found in the dungeon.
The huge boulder rose, letting in the spring and crisp air. Lily was greeted by the sight of a modest garden that could already use an expert hand.
"Another thing Max had to take care of..."
The garden in which Ramiel often sat wasn't large. It usually took a minute to walk from the door to the gate. However, things got complicated when the mana-enhanced steroid grass reached up to two meters high.
Getting through it was quite a challenge.
Slash
" Already - I'm on my way ... Still - Just a minute ... "
Slash
Lily immediately took matters into her own hands. With a machete, she cut down the lush vegetation like a treasure hunter in the middle of a rainforest.
" One more second. "
Along with the final sweep, the last of the heroic clumps of grass fell, revealing the coveted gate to the estate.
" Huh? What are you doing here? " Anger and resentment could be heard in her usually calm voice.
The mysterious visitor took Lily aback. She knew he could cause trouble... But she hadn't expected him to show up again so soon. Last time, she had probably made it clear to him that he wasn't welcome here.
" Is this how you greet your brother's old friends? "