Mia's POV:
A few small tears stick out from the corner of the eyes of the little brat in front of me, even though I press her head hard enough to make a grown man cry, she doesn't seem as affected by it as I thought. A strange look of resentment mixed with doubt is the only thing she gives me after explaining where this body came from. The truth is I expected her jaw to drop in surprise, but instead she seems much more hesitant than I expected, as if she wanted to test how much of what I said is true. These signs of maturity only show that the world forced her to mature before she should have. Although I have seen many cases like hers, I have never seen such a cold and distrustful reaction. Although I really can't do much for her, I caress her head gently as if I were trying to comfort this little girl. Despite my intentions, her gaze only becomes sharper and more inquisitive.
- What do you mean it belonged to a hero?
- Well, that's exactly what I mean. This was once the appearance of the heroine of the storm.
Although I confirmed it again, her gaze still seemed undecided whether to believe me or not. Apparently, until I prove it to her in another way, she won't fully believe me. I concentrate energy in my hand, with my hand still on her little head, and use my power. Without noticing anything, the little brat just looks at me without understanding what happened. After that, I quickly take the form of the brat in front of me. When I finish, she cautiously steps back.
- How did you transform into me?
- Wow, that's a big surprise.
Her gaze only tells me that she's even more confused by my words.
- Don't look at me like that, I'm just impressed that you know how you see yourself.
- ... Huh?... it's just that Carla has a huge mirror in her room where I see myself from time to time.
- So it was Carla… well, it's not exactly a big surprise considering her obsession with cleanliness.
- D-don't change the subject Miss Mia, why did you take my form?
- So you'll understand my power. It seems you won't believe me just if I tell you, right?
A look of annoyance stains her expressionless face as her hands slowly touch her face. Suddenly a strange idea comes to me as I look at the confused brat.
- Look, look
- Huh?
A wide smile spreads across my face as I look at the little brat.
- Isn't my smile the cutest?
- ….
Despite keeping her face totally expressionless, a light pink color begins to spread across her cheeks.
- O-of course you're not cute… you're just imitating a monster.
- Evil girl! How dare you call me a monster?
I give her my best crocodile tears as I cover my face with my hands. Through a gap between my fingers I see how she begins to panic, not knowing what to do. Her reactions are so funny that I can't stop myself.
- After my attempts to give you my best smile, you tell me that I'm a monster...
I sink my face even deeper into my hands while trying to act like I'm crying. Not knowing what to do anymore, she approaches me and slowly pats my head while repeatedly saying "calm down." Knowing that this was my best chance to demonstrate other aspects of my powers, I begin to focus my attention on the flowers at our feet. It takes me a few moments to understand how to move them before I begin my counterattack. She continues to caress my head without realizing what I'm doing until it's too late.
- I got you!
I suddenly lift my face as I take a little distance. At first she seems confused until she finally understands what's happening. The flowers around her begin to grow at a great speed, wrapping around her limbs and lifting her into the sky while she was still tied up. After making sure she was well tied up, I smiled mischievously at my now prisoner. She on the other hand had lost all color from her face as she looked at her limbs without really understanding what happened.
- Now we are even miss.
With a slight bow, I bowed towards her as I saw a hint of astonishment and fear in her expression.
- H-how did you do it?
- That is an extension of my power.
I raise a hand and with it I make the flowers around me form a small flower crown, then I use the flowers as a ladder to put them on the brat's head.
- As long as I have seen the person's powers activate, I can imitate them to a certain extent.
After placing the flower crown on her, I give her a smile.
"This brat really does well with flowers."
In response to my attitude, she sighs and lowers her head in a resigned manner.
- That is too unfair.
- Do you think so?
I'm the one who sighs this time as I remember the first impression I had of my power.
- It may seem too powerful now, but believe me when I tell you that it wasn't always so convenient. At first, the only thing I could do was change appearance with someone who had a similar structure to mine. I couldn't even create clothes, my body was the only thing I could change.
- So, how did you discover the potential of your power?
- ….
I can't help but look at the horizon with melancholy. That memory still clings to me until now. The memory of those people I thought were my friends and family persecuting me unfairly. After a few moments I come back to reality and open my mouth.
- In my case, I awakened my powers to protect myself.
- To protect you?
- That's right.
A silence interrupts our conversation as I look at the girl in front of me.
- Listen little one, the powers of witches are strongly linked to 2 things, training and... feelings.
- … I guess that's why I can't defeat you.
- You think so?
- Monsters don't have feelings in the first place.
Another silence ensues. I'm not sure how to respond to that answer. After thinking about it for a bit, I can only think of putting my hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. At this, she looks up while staring at me with her expressionless face. It seems as if she wants me to say something. Internally, I panic and rack my brains for something appropriate to say. After a few moments, I open my mouth.
- I don't know why you refer to yourself as a monster and I don't want to know either.
She just lowers her head in resignation at my words. A deep panic takes over me as I reconsider my words.
- B-but, you don't need to worry about it. No matter who's guilty or who's chasing you, as long as you're part of our family, we won't leave you alone, it's a promise.
After that, I extend my hand to her with my pinky finger extended. I also did this with the clock boy, Anthony, that time. However, after some time passes, I don't see her reaching out her hand. Thinking that I was wrong again, I look at her face in panic only to find that she was struggling with her restraints to free her hand.
- …. Ah, sorry, I'll let you go now.
After that, I control the flowers to release their restraints and slowly place her on the ground. After that I reach out my hand again and this time she intertwines her pinky with mine. Even though she extended her hand she doesn't seem to understand what it means.
- Why are we intertwining our fingers?
- This is called a pinky promise. It's something like an oath.
- An oath?
- Yes, I promise you that, as your family, I will never leave you alone. If for some reason I fail to keep it, then 100 sharp objects will pierce my body.
She seems a little confused but accepts my promise with some happiness behind it… or at least I think so.
"It's hard to read this girl well when her expression doesn't change, but…"
Despite that, her eyes look at me without a hint of doubt or fear. She seems to have lifted a huge weight off her shoulders.
- … It's a strange thing to make a promise to myself.
- Huh?.... Ah!
I had just remembered that I was still transformed into her. I quickly return to my Cassandra form and kneel down to shake her hand again. She covers her mouth and giggles as she extends her pinky again.
- Thank you, Miss Mia.
For the first time since I met her, her face forms a slight smile as she looks at me. This sight warms my heart as I promise myself that I will protect this girl from the demonic swords no matter what.