On Saturday morning, Ansu was at home as usual, studying magic.
He sat cross-legged on the sofa with his eyes shut tight, trying to guide the faint, elusive Magic Power and send an invisible Shadow Bolt hurtling toward the punching bag opposite him.
But no matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't form the Shadow Bolt...
[Shadow Bolt (1st-circle magic)] [Not mastered (Learning progress: 283/350)]
Although his progress was unbelievably fast compared to that of a real magic practitioner, Ansu still wasn't satisfied.
After all, time was running short...
Meanwhile...
Vera was sprawled over the table, reviewing her schoolwork. She watched Ansu gesture at the air from time to time and mutter to himself... Her expression was helpless.
Her brother had been acting more and more strangely lately...
He kept saying it was all part of his job, but what kind of proper job was this? Why did he need to study black magic?
Had her brother really joined an official secret organization, and not some creepy evil cult?
Head spinning from studying and mentally exhausted, Ansu stood up and went over to the table for a drink of water.
While he was there, he took a look at his sister's homework.
"Not bad."
Ansu glanced at her math workbook. There was only one wrong answer on the entire page, so he patted Vera on the head. "That's my sister! You've caught up on all those missed lessons in just a few days. You're so clever, Vera!"
"Come on..." Vera dodged Ansu's big hand and grumbled, "Don't treat me like a little kid! The lessons are so easy. I only had to look them over to understand them."
"Aren't you a little kid?" Ansu couldn't help laughing at her expression. "All right, if you think your current lessons are too easy, I'll find you something more advanced. And once I've sorted out the enrollment arrangements on my end, you can go back to school."
When Ansu had been at school, he'd told Freya about his sister's situation. Freya had said it was no trouble at all.
She would arrange a place for Vera at the best church school in all of Benalu City, with tuition waived entirely. If Vera had any particular talents, someone would even be assigned to tutor her.
"Is your friend in The Church really allowed to do all that?" Vera asked curiously.
"That's Trinity Academy! It's a really good middle school. I heard the Saintess of The Church studied there too..."
"Don't worry." Ansu smiled. If the Saintess couldn't even handle a little thing like this, she'd be pretty useless.
"Oh..." Vera nodded, then suddenly asked, "Who exactly is your friend who works for The Church, anyway? Why haven't I met him before?"
All these years, she'd never heard that her brother had any friends in The Church. How had his connections suddenly gotten so good?
"Well..." Ansu wasn't sure whether he should tell her that the Saintess of The Church had found the school for her.
Just then, a soft knock came from outside the door.
A gentle, pleasant female voice followed.
"Excuse me... Is this Ansu Morris's home?"
Well, that settled it...
Ansu looked at Vera. "She's already here."
Vera froze. Why did that voice belong to a woman?
Ansu went to open the door. When he did, Freya stood before him in a white dress, her smile gentle.
"Good morning, Ansu!"
After greeting him politely, she noticed his sister in the living room and continued, "I've arranged a school for your sister. Unless something unusual comes up, she can start tomorrow. Also..."
Freya lowered her voice and winked at Ansu. "There's been some news from the three bishops, too..."
Ansu knew she'd come to report on the mission, so he nodded and politely ushered her inside.
As soon as Freya entered, she curiously looked around Ansu's home.
But the longer she looked, the more her brows drew together.
She hadn't expected the Chosen One's home to be so poor.
Freya followed Ansu to the old, worn-out fabric sofa and sat down gently. She looked around at the dated furniture and peeling walls, feeling something she couldn't quite describe.
"Ansu, I had no idea you were living in such straitened circumstances. Are you having financial difficulties?"
Freya reached for her purse. "I have some money here. If you don't mind..."
"I'd rather you didn't. I do mind..." Ansu looked at Freya helplessly, wondering why everyone who came over wanted to throw money at his family. How pitiful did they think he was?
"Oh... You don't need it?"
Freya blinked. Ansu's refusal made her realize something at once.
As the Chosen One, Ansu surely wasn't short of money. That meant he must have deliberately chosen this temporary place to stay...
The more Freya thought about it, the more certain she became.
After all, she knew Ansu was currently undercover in an evil cult. Those detestable cultists had long been hiding in the chaotic slums, so he must have chosen this place on purpose...
Having figured it out, Freya gave an apologetic smile, then turned to Vera, who had quietly made some black tea.
"Ansu, your sister is so cute!"
"Thank you." Vera smiled and pushed the tea toward her. Then she asked the question that had been on her mind. "Are you the person from The Church my brother mentioned? How did you and my brother meet?"
"We met at school," Freya explained. "We became acquainted at one of Bishop Paul's lectures. Ansu has some very original insights into theology, so we became friends. He also recently told me about your difficulties with school..."
"Bishop Paul's lecture?" Vera immediately sensed something was off and looked at her brother suspiciously.
"Bishop Paul only came to your school recently, didn't he? So you've only known each other for a few days?"
"Huh?" Freya blinked in surprise and looked at Ansu too, wondering how his sister knew so much about Royal Academy.
Ansu couldn't help covering his forehead. This was bad...
He'd almost forgotten how closely Vera followed his school life and social interactions...
He'd been so busy guarding against Cecilia that he hadn't expected Freya's visit to cause any trouble. But Vera's keen eye had spotted the problem right away.
"Well... We really haven't known each other for long." Ansu didn't want to lie, since there was no way to fool little detective Vera.
"But after Freya heard you had some talent for holy light, she really did take a keen interest in getting you back into school. Vera, you should thank Miss Freya!"
"Mm." Vera nodded, then gave Freya a sweet smile. "Thank you, Sister Freya!"
"You're welcome!" Freya looked at how well-behaved Vera seemed, yet couldn't help feeling that something was a little off.
Why did she get the feeling that Ansu's sister was a bit hostile toward her...
How strange.
"I don't have much time. There's something else important I came to discuss with Ansu." Freya pushed the odd thought aside. After all, she was Ansu's sister. She was probably imagining the hostility.
"Mm. The living room isn't very soundproof, so someone might overhear us." Ansu warily glanced at the doors and windows, then headed straight for his room. "Let's talk in my room."
Freya stood up and followed Ansu into his room, then gently closed the door behind her.
Hearing the sound of Ansu locking his bedroom door, Vera's eyes widened.
Th-this...
What was going on??
Before you continue