Brother Complex Sister?

In the corridor outside the door, the sound of Mary's footsteps gradually faded away.

Once he confirmed that the two had truly left, Ansu let out a long sigh of relief.

Finally, I don't have to pretend anymore...

[System reward generating...]

[You have made a key change in reality, but you have deviated too far from the world you once knew; the path ahead will be full of unknowns...]

[Chosen One, you have yet to avert your fated death. Please continue your efforts!]

[Reward: Points *40]

[Remaining Points: 48]

Ansu read the system notification carefully over and over again. It seemed that if he changed his destiny, he really could earn point rewards.

However, this "change" of his was a bit of a death wish.

After all, playing a game of Hypnosis with the Witch of World Destruction was like dancing wildly on the head of the King of Hell...

Outside the building, a noisy commotion interrupted Ansu's train of thought.

It was the sound of carriages.

Ansu quickly stood up, walked to the window, and gently pulled back the curtain just a crack.

In the direction of the academy gate, three silver-white carriages bearing the emblem of the Church of Holy Light had just pulled to a stop. The area around the carriages was crowded with people, and the vice-principal was greeting an elderly man stepping out of the carriage with a face full of smiles.

Judging by the old man's attire, he must be an archbishop. It seemed this was the "Church high-ranking official" mentioned in the intelligence.

Although the vice-principal's reception was impeccable, Ansu was certain he must be completely confused, having no idea what this bishop was actually here for.

Ansu's gaze searched the crowd repeatedly, eventually settling on a few low-profile female clergy members.

The Saintess must have disguised herself and mingled among the entourage.

After all, with her status and position, every move she made carried great weight, so she could not afford to be too high-profile.

However, Ansu had no intention of meeting her.

The Church's sudden visit had interrupted Cecilia's plan to take him back to the cult, and that was enough.

Otherwise, Ansu wasn't sure if he would give himself away. If some other old cultist monster popped up to "test" him, he would be finished...

Ansu sighed inwardly. Things had developed far beyond his expectations.

He could only take it one step at a time. He could not go to see the Saintess for the time being; he was worried about other eyes and ears of the cultists.

Although the Saintess would surely be living in fear for some time to come...

There was nothing to be done about it, so he would just have to stand her up for now.

Avoiding the Church's motorcade and the onlookers, Ansu lowered his head and quietly left the academy.

He gave himself a day off; he needed to go home and sort out his thoughts.

Of course, this wasn't skipping class. In any case, his substitute teacher was "one of his own," so he trusted that Mary wouldn't have any objections to this.

Passing through the bustling streets, Ansu boarded a steam-powered public transport vehicle. In the stuffy carriage, filled with a mixture of burning coal cinders and the smell of sweat, he watched the scenes slowly receding outside the window.

Compared to the clean and tidy wealthy district near Benalu Royal Academy, the Black Port District where he lived was covered in factories spewing thick, eye-catching black smoke. The machines and furnace fires roared day and night, and both the living environment and air quality were excessively poor.

After getting off at his stop, Ansu passed rows of low, dilapidated row houses, walked through a potholed alley, and stopped in front of door 221A.

This cheap little house in the city's lower-class district was his home now.

Taking out his key, Ansu opened the front door, and the fragrance of a home-cooked meal wafted out to meet him.

"Brother? You're back!"

Hearing the sound of the door opening, a young girl wearing a simple dress and an apron trotted over joyfully.

"Eh?" The girl's azure eyes blinked, looking curiously at Ansu, who hadn't even brought his bag back.

"Brother, why are you back so early today? I remember school just let out at this time, right?"

"Hmm... Teacher Mary gave me the day off," Ansu replied casually, then looked at the beautiful girl before him.

Although the girl's attire was simple, it could not hide her natural beauty.

Her slightly wavy, pale golden hair was tied into a single ponytail. Her features were exquisite and soft, and when she smiled, her eyes turned into lovely crescents, like an angel fallen into the mortal world.

[Hunting Darkness - Vera]

If he didn't know the plot, who would have thought that this gentle, cute girl would be the cold and ruthless demon hunter of the future?

All these changes were because of his death.

Thinking of this, Ansu sighed to himself.

He hadn't transmigrated, nor had he suddenly descended into this family. He retained the emotions and memories of two lifetimes. From the moment he met Vera at the orphanage when he was seven, the two had relied on each other for many years. He didn't want his future sister to become that way...

To become a blade in the hands of the Church.

A poor wretch walking on the edge of life and death, constantly fighting against her own madness and corruption...

"Oh, I see." Vera didn't ask any further. "Then go get some rest, brother. School is exhausting. Dinner will be ready in a little while!"

"Alright." Ever since their adoptive father passed away, his younger sister had taken charge of the household chores. Ansu nodded and sat down on the second-hand fabric sofa in the living room, which had been there for as long as he could remember.

Although the house was old and dilapidated, and the furniture consisted entirely of worn-out pieces, she kept everything in perfect order, filling the space with a warm, lived-in atmosphere.

After sitting in the living room for a while, Ansu suddenly caught the scent of something burning.

He initially thought his sister had scorched the food, but when he looked over carefully, he saw her crouching by the fireplace, setting fire to something that looked like a letter.

"Vera, what are you burning?" Ansu asked, puzzled.

Vera's expression seemed a bit displeased as she pouted, "Burning a love letter."

"A love letter?"

Ansu was stunned for a moment, thinking to himself that since his sister had already dropped out of school, how could she have received a love letter? He walked over, confused, "Was it written to you?"

"It's a love letter written to you!" Vera glanced toward the direction of the house next door. "That Joanna from next door is trying to get her hooks into you again! I told her you came home very late today, and then I sent her packing. She gave me this before she left."

"Ah, I see..." Ansu remembered what the neighbor's daughter looked like.

Ever since they had moved in, she would come over every few days to sit for a while, chat about this and that, and was always very attentive toward him...

"Hmph, a girl with no self-respect at all. You can tell she wasn't raised well!" Vera said irritably. "Brother, you must never set your heart on a woman like that!"

Seeing Ansu's eyes fixed on the burning letter, lost in thought, Vera puffed out her cheeks, her expression growing even more dissatisfied.

"Brother, you aren't hoping to know what was written in that letter, are you?"

"Not at all." Although Ansu was a little curious, he didn't want to upset his sister. "The workload at the academy is very heavy; I have no mood to consider such things right now."

"That's good then..." Vera felt relieved, then glanced toward the house next door again, her cute little face filled with disdain.

"Hmph, her! Is she even worthy of my brother?"

"She should go look in a mirror and see herself..."

Ansu was amused by her appearance and teased, "Then who do you think is worthy of your brother, me?"

"Well, let me see..." Vera's lively blue eyes rolled around as she touched her chin in thought.

"Only the best, most perfect woman could possibly be worthy of my brother! But anyway... your main task right now is your studies! Don't go thinking about these random things. If that day ever really comes..."

She flashed a sly smile at Ansu, "I will definitely vet them for you, so just rest assured!"

"Oh, is that so..." Ansu watched Vera silently, realizing that at some point, she had indeed begun to "intentionally" control his social interactions.

She would also pay special attention to the female classmates he was on good terms with at school...

Ansu frowned, suddenly realizing with a start...

His younger sister seemed to be a bit of a "brother-con," didn't she?