A moment ago~
In a spacious, circular room, a large black round table stood in the center.
A blonde-haired girl with a ponytail sat at her favorite spot, spending time with her beloved "babies."
She sat with her legs propped up on the table, looking completely at ease.
"This is perfect! This is heaven," Lucy said happily.
Her soul felt like it was about to ascend from how flawless the moment was.
Good weather.
Check!
No interruptions.
Check!
Peaceful.
Check!
What more could she possibly need?
A few candidates for a good slap, perhaps.
Lucy Beauregard.
A girl of noble blood with fire-typed Mun.
She had ruby-red eyes, just like her uncle Leonard, and bangs that covered her forehead, hiding a whole universe beneath them that completed her unique charm.
Thanks to her excellent genetics, she stood out more than most girls her age.
At 18 years old, her favorite hobby was reading manga.
And right now, she was flipping through the pages of one, savoring the serene moment that was about to be ruined by a devil from hell.
Lucy glanced around at her companions, each busy with their own thing.
To her right, a dark figure caught her attention.
'!'
Lucy almost burned the entire room down.
There was Lia, brushing her wavy black hair in front of a mirror, while her cat, Oyen, enjoyed a deep, carefree nap on the sofa as if the world's problems didn't exist.
A cat thing.
This cat has smooth, sleek orange fur with a shiny, short coat. Its tail is slim, and its bright almond-shaped eyes give it a curious, playful look but also dramatic. The breed could be an Abyssinian.
Magnolia Quinnell.
A Mun with wind-type powers.
The girl her age had jet-black eyes, a clear sign of her noble lineage, along with her wavy black hair.
Her thick, curled lashes gave her a serene, clean look that was hard to forget.
She was calm and elegant, but also quick to anger when in a bad mood.
Her intelligence was unmatched.
Lucy remembered hearing her uncle talk about how the Quinnell family had once been known for their brilliance before their downfall.
Perhaps Lia had inherited that same intelligence.
Lucy glanced to her left and spotted the devil from hell—soon-to-be Nay—playing with water orbs.
Nayla.
Clearly, her Mun was water-type.
But when Lucy thought about it, Nay was a mystery. She never revealed her family name.
If asked, she would simply say, "I don't know," with an innocent look on her face.
Other than that, Lucy knew very little about her.
They met accidentally.
Unlike herself and Lia, Nay was more carefree and childlike. She tended to do whatever she wanted without thinking about the consequences.
Nay's white hair was styled in a ponytail, but it was asymmetrical due to an incident.
On the right, her hair was unevenly cut short, while on the left, it remained long and untouched.
...
three months ago,
"I smell something burn."
Asked Lia confused.Nay was sleeping on the other sofa, sleeping peacefully without aware that about her surrounded.
"Maybe there's burn up building at the nearby."
Answered Lucy casually while her hand was playing with her little fireball.
Sssssssss
"Yah—LUCY YOU'RE BURNING NEXÚS'S HAIR!?!"
"what-WTF HELP LIA FIREE!!"
"WHAT FIRE?!! "
Even Nay who asleep before now woke up in panicked.Nay jumped out from the sofa,tried to find the 'fire' and then she realized
"AAAAAAA MY HAIRRR"
"AAAAAAAAA YOUR HAIR"
....
Lucy always wanted to laugh whenever she was thinking about that.
At least it made her easier to spot in a crowd if she got lost tho
Her face was cheerful and easy to look at, the kind of face you wouldn't grow tired of.
Her bright smile and pale sky-blue eyes added to her charm. She also had a mole under her eye and one in the center of her cheek.
…
The peaceful atmosphere was shattered the moment one of Nay's water orbs fell onto Oyen.
BOP!
"NYAOW!"
Everyone was startled by the sound.
Oyen's fur was completely soaked.
Lucy had seen this coming but was still caught off guard.
If it wasn't Nay, it was one of her clones. And if it wasn't her clone, it was another one of her clones.
Every. Single. Time.
Lucy wondered how she hadn't died of a heart attack yet.
Oyen collapsed dramatically on the floor, legs sprawled in the air, tongue sticking out, looking like his soul had been sucked out.
Sad music suddenly filled the room from who-knows-where.
"Meow~ (My servant, I don't have long…)"
"It's okay, Oyen. It's okay," Lia said, hugging her cat tightly despite her now-soaked clothes.
"Mew-mew~ (Goodbye, cruel world)… ekk."
"OYEN!"
The music swelled, growing even sadder.
It turned out Nay had turned it on.
She was holding a speaker, its owner unknown, but Lucy was 100% certain it was stolen.
Last week, Nay had mistakenly stolen an old man's boxers, thinking they were Hello Kitty napkins.
Nay cranked up the volume until the dial wouldn't turn anymore.
But she kept trying until it broke entirely, going silent.
Click click click.
Lia, Lucy, Oyen: "..."
Click click click.
Lia, Lucy, Oyen: "..."
Click click click click click click click—KRAK!
"….."
"..."
"This must be second-hand," Nay muttered.
Lucy saw Lia's black eyes narrow into dangerous slits as she glared at Nay.
Lia looked like a volcano about to erupt. The mirror she had been using was now shattered on the floor.
Soon, it wouldn't just be the mirror breaking—someone's bones were next.
Suddenly, Lucy's manga became much more interesting. She quickly went back to reading, trying to hide her face.
'I don't exist. I am nothing but air.'
'I don't exist, I'm nothing but air.'
'I don't exist, I'm nothing-'
"Nay, unless I break one of your bones, don't you dare breathe!"
Swing!
Nay expertly dodged Lia's attack, as if she had done it a thousand times before (and indeed, she had).
It was one of Lia's basic skills called Aero Scythe.
Aero Scythe was a skill that allowed the user to attack the opponent with a blade of wind as sharp as a knife.
"Which bone?"
"YOU!-"
Swing!
Shreek-KRAKK!
The round table was split in two, causing Lucy's heart to nearly jump out of her chest from the shock.
However, she managed to save her "babies" reflexively before she too could be split with the table.
(*babies=mangas)
She fell flat on her back to the floor.
"Ouch!? Wtf? Again?"
This was the tenth time in the last four months the table had broken.
If they went to a store to buy a new one, just showing their faces would make the seller hand them a table and say, "Take this and go."
Her head ached, but she had to save herself first. Given Lia's personality—
Swing!
Another attack almost hit the tip of her nose, and with instinct, she spun her body halfway to the side. It had become second nature.
Her face now looked like someone from the painting The Scream, but with hair.
"LIA, YOU ALMOST CUT MY NOSE!"
At the same time, Nay nimbly hid behind Lucy, who began cursing the devil-child.
"Hi"
"YOU PIECE OF-"
"TAKE THIS!"
FWHOOSHH
Lia unleashed Gale Vortex, a tornado-like skill that could adjust its size based on the user's Mun type.
Items in the room flew around like birds without wings, spinning throughout the space.
"WIII~ YAYYY"
Nay jumped between her floating water orbs, enjoying herself thoroughly. This was one of her basic skills called Water Bulb.
She truly seemed to be having the time of her life.
"AAAAAAAA"
Lucy had to dodge item after item while running through the air using one of her basic skills, Blaze Rush. Blaze Rush allowed the user to run or walk incredibly fast, leaving sparks in their wake, but not affecting the user.
She could see her babies flying around in the air, and her heart shattered.
She could hear her babies crying out, calling for her to save them.
'Mommy, help me~'
'Mommy, where are you?~'
Her heart.
Her heart ached.
'Mommy will save you!'
...
The chaos intensified. The floor was wet, items were flying around, and fire was spreading everywhere due to the actions of Nay and the others.
Lucy, Nay, and Lia immediately stopped when the door opened, revealing Leonard and a strange man.
The room fell silent.
Honestly, the man looked like a walking corpse. He was thinner than the average man, not particularly tall, with messy hair.
He looked like someone who hadn't eaten in his entire life.
The man's face was shocked as he took in the scene, as if he had just seen an alien knock on his door asking if he was single.
He stared at Leonard, as if there was an unspoken debt between them, but Leonard's face screamed Please don't ask me.
Leonard looked like he had been drained dry by a demon.
"Who's that, Uncle?" Lucy asked curiously.
"This is your new member."
New member? He looks like he'd fall over if the wind blew too hard.
The man seemed nervous and didn't know what to do. Perhaps he was still in shock at the reality of everything.
This is a normal reaction. Seems like there's also a normal member after all.
Lia, as usual, was observing the man silently. She was the type to analyze things first, quietly.
As always, it was Nay who would speak first because she was always excited to meet something new.
"Hi! I'm Nayla. What's your name? What's your Mun? My Mun is water-type. How old are you? I'm 17. You look so thin. How tall are you? You're shorter than me. Want to be my friend? It's so much fun here."
A barrage of questions came out like a machine gun, leaving the man completely overwhelmed. He paused for a moment, unsure of which question to answer first. He began to stammer as he replied.
"Umm... I'm Haru. I… I'm…"
His eyes were spinning, and he was sweating nervously.
Poor guy.
"A…"
Bukk.
He collapsed right then and there, his face pale. For a moment, everyone panicked.
"....."
"EH, DID HE DIE, LUCY?"
"Died? Look, his chest is still moving!"
"I didn't know you liked staring at other people's chests, Lucy. Oho~"
Nay dramatically covered her chest and looked at Lucy with horror.
"NOT THAT, YOU IDIOT!"
"Just admit it, I promise I won't judge you."
"NOT FUCKING HAPPENING."
"SHUT UP."
PLAKK.
PLAKK.
Both of them ended up with affectionate slaps on their cheeks from Lia's slender hands. Lucy and Nay's cheeks were slightly swollen and red from the hits. The pain could be soothed by gently rubbing their own faces.
The vein on Lia's forehead was still throbbing in irritation.
"We have to wait for him to wake up first."
"I'll wait!" said Nay earnestly, despite her right cheek already swollen.
"En,"
Lucy nodded in agreement while rubbing the sore spot.
"Prepare a coffin. Just in case,"
Leonard interjected with a serious face, but one that clearly begged for a slap.
"....."
Lia sighed, momentarily forgetting that Leonard was Lucy's uncle, meaning their brains probably functioned at the same level. She shook her head weakly, her expression resigned.
---
15 minutes later,
"I'm starting to miss him. Will it take much longer?"
"You just met him, Nay, and it's only been 15.24 seconds," Lia replied curtly.
Nay began poking Haru's cheek, worried that her new friend wouldn't wake up. She was eager to play with her new friend.
"His cheeks aren't soft when poked. He's too thin, ne~"
'I promise I'll fatten him up until he's obese hehehe!',Nay vowed passionately.
"Stop poking him. That's harassment."
"Want me to harass you instead?"
"Stay away, you walking bacteria!"
Lucy stared lazily at the two of them.
She felt that the longer she stayed, the more energy was being drained from her. She wanted to check on her babies, but the situation didn't allow it.
When she reflected on her current state, she sighed heavily.
"Huhh..."
"Huhhhhhh..."
"Hahhhhhhhh..."
Her body almost seemed to merge with the soft couch she was sitting on. The couch was incredibly comfortable, but Lucy didn't care.
Suddenly, a voice like that of an elderly woman on her deathbed rang in Lia's ears. Lia jumped in shock.
"Lia..."
"AAA-"
Lia quickly covered her mouth, her eyes widening as she saw Lucy, who now looked half-ghostly and aged on the spot. Her face was wrinkled, and her hair had turned white. Nay was laughing uncontrollably in the background.
"Lia...is...he...still...cough cough...not awake...? cough cough..."
"Not yet."
Cough cough!
Cough cough!
COUGH COUGH ORKK ORKKK ORKK ERKKK
Lia, with her deadpan expression: "..."
HA ERKKK COUGHKKK OKKKGH HOEKK
Annoying.
But Lia was never short of ideas.
Closing her eyes as if she was making a heavy but necessary decision, Lia reluctantly played her ace card.
"Nay, give her CPR."
"Hai!"
Nay immediately approached Lucy. In an instant, Lucy was healthy and youthful again, as if her earlier state was just an illusion.
But it was too late.
"I'm already fine—"
"Ready? 1, 2, 3—"
"NO-"
Nay placed both her hands on Lucy's chest and, with her naive smile, pressed down with all her might.
BAPK!
"UGKKK!?!"
"It's okay. Breathe."
BAPK!
CRACKK
KRKKK
KARKKK
"EKKKKKKK NO AAKKK SORRY EKKK HOKKKK STOPPPK AK!!!—"
Lucy deeply regretted her actions. Someone, anyone, please save her from this demon!
"AAAAAAAKKHHG"
'What a nice day today.'Leonard thought.
Leonard had already closed his eyes and silently muttered she's not my niece repeatedly.Can he die peacefully?
Listening to Lucy's cries of pain was like music to Lia's ears.
She was thoroughly enjoying herself, satisfied.
Meanwhile, her cat, who had been wet earlier, was now dry thanks to being spun around in her tornado and was peacefully dreaming.
Perhaps the continuous noise caused Haru to finally wake up from his slumber. His long eyelashes fluttered before his eyelids opened, revealing emerald green pupils. His eyes looked dazed and confused.
Until his gaze met Leonard's ruby-red eyes. Haru flinched slightly before his mind replayed the memories of what happened before he fainted.
His face flushed slightly from embarrassment and nervousness, his throat dry.
Leonard smirked wickedly.
"So, you've finally woken up. One more minute, and you'd have woken up in a coffin."
"....."
'Can he sue someone right now?'
"Sorry, the welcome might've been a bit strange, but you'll need to get used to it in the future," Leonard explained casually.
All eyes turned to Haru, who had just woken up, especially Lucy, who could finally breathe oxygen again after Nay stopped her attempted murder.
Without hesitation, Nay opened her mouth.
"Are you okay now, Haku?(She forgot)"
Nay's cheek was immediately pinched by Lia.
"Ouch!h-hurts!!"
"Don't casually change someone name."
"Right. Are you okay, Haru?" Lucy asked, while Lia and Leonard nodded in agreement.
But Haru seemed slightly startled by the question from them.
No one had ever asked him that before.
Everyone always distancing their themselves from himself.
He felt a bit touched, though the situation was quite awkward. Without realizing it—even he didn't notice—a small smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
A warm feeling spread through his chest as his gaze softened.
"I'm okay. Thank you."