Sisters and Brothers

The third person seated between Parihame and Fuyilai was an older-looking female Clown dressed in purple.

Her name was Betasha. Her skin bore a natural pale violet hue, and her head was covered in densely braided long hair. At present, she was gently applying homemade medicine to the wounded, bloodstained skin all over her body.

However, upon hearing her younger sisters' hushed complaints, Betasha immediately drew a displeased expression and scolded them in a low voice.

"Only a few minutes have passed! Why are you two always so impatient? Mom told you to wait here, so sit quietly and wait properly—even if fire is burning your eyebrows, you are not allowed to move! Otherwise, if you make her angry, a simple scolding will be the least of your problems."

Under the threat of their eldest sister Betasha, the younger Parihame and Fuyilai promptly fell silent. In unspoken agreement, they secretly glanced toward where Fente was.

Fortunately, their mother was currently absorbed in chattering with Sainsai about this and that, paying no attention at all to their whispered exchange.

At the same time, another pair of female figures sat opposite the group. Together with Betasha, Fuyilai, and Parihame, they made up Fente's final five sisters.

One of them was a female Clown dressed in blue, with coiled long hair, dark-blue skin, and an appearance and age similar to Betasha's. A gleaming golden lyre rested across her lap.

Her name was Nicola. Rather than joining in the surrounding clamor, she remained quiet, wholly immersed in her performance.

Her slender fingers continuously plucked the crystalline strings. With practiced skill, Nicola kept playing a lively lyre melody, its dancing notes echoing through the open yet noisy grounds for a long while, lending the place a touch of elegant artistry.

If not for the strange