Sister... a Monster Demon?

At six the next morning, dawn was just breaking.

In Molly's bedroom.

[Basic Swordsmanship Proficiency +1 +1 +1]

[Basic Swordsmanship, Stage Three: 8120/10000]

"About two thousand more, and I'll reach Stage Four."

Molly's lips curved slightly as she looked at the numbers on the panel.

That was what a whole night of sword practice had earned her!

Sweat had soaked through her uniform. Beads ran down her cheeks and dripped onto the floor, spreading into small damp patches.

Her arms ached as if they might snap, and her muscles screamed with exhaustion, but her gaze remained unwavering.

This world was too dangerous. The Defectors, Monster Demons, the Dried Corpse Case... danger was everywhere.

She had no magic. All she could rely on was the Proficiency Panel and the Broken Sword.

Only by growing stronger could she survive.

Only by growing stronger could she protect her sister.

After resting for a dozen minutes, Molly caught her breath.

She ended her transformation, washed up, changed into clean clothes, and went into the kitchen to make breakfast.

Fried eggs, milk, and bread. Simple but nutritious.

She set breakfast on the table, then went to Moyan's door and knocked gently.

"Moyan, time to get up."

There was no answer.

Molly frowned and knocked again.

"Moyan? Are you awake?"

A long moment passed before the door opened.

Moyan stood behind it, her face as pale as paper, with heavy dark circles under her eyes.

Faint bluish shadows lay beneath them too. She looked terribly haggard, as though she hadn't slept all night.

"What's wrong?"

Molly's frown deepened.

"Why do you look so pale? And what's with those dark circles?"

Moyan swayed. She forced herself to stay upright and managed a strained smile. Her voice was low and weak.

"N-nothing's wrong, sis. I just didn't sleep well last night."

"You didn't sleep well?"

Molly stepped closer and gently touched her forehead. It was cool beneath her palm.

"You don't have a fever. What's going on? Are you feeling sick? Tell me."

Her hand was warm, and her touch was reassuring.

Moyan shuddered. She could barely suppress the hunger in her eyes.

She could clearly sense that her sister's life essence had grown even richer since yesterday. Like ripe fruit, it gave off an enticing fragrance.

So hungry...

I'm so hungry...

Lilith's voice shrieked wildly in her head.

"Drain her! Hurry! Just one sip, and you'll recover!"

Moyan clenched her teeth and used every ounce of strength she had to suppress the urge.

She abruptly stepped back, away from Molly's hand, and lowered her head, unable to meet her eyes.

"I'm really fine, sis. Don't worry about me."

With that, she hurried to the table, picked up a slice of bread, and nibbled at it. It tasted like cardboard.

Molly watched her sister's back, helpless and worried.

She couldn't shake the feeling that Moyan was hiding something from her, but Moyan refused to say what it was.

Breakfast was subdued again.

After just a few hurried bites, Moyan put down her bread and stood. Her voice was quiet.

"Sis, I'm a little sleepy. I want to go back to bed for a while."

"Okay."

Molly nodded. Seeing how exhausted she looked made Molly's heart ache.

"Go get some sleep, then. Call me if you need anything."

Moyan murmured an acknowledgment and hurried back to her room. The door slammed shut behind her, as though she were fleeing some dreadful beast.

"Sigh... What's going on with her?"

Molly looked at the closed door and sighed softly.

She cleared the table, then put it out of her mind and returned to her bedroom.

After transforming again, she gripped the Broken Sword and began another round of swings.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Time flew. Before she knew it, noon had arrived.

Only when her stomach growled did Molly stop and check the Proficiency Panel.

[Basic Swordsmanship, Stage Three: 9012/10000]

She was another step closer to Stage Four.

She ended her transformation, went into the kitchen, tied on an apron, and started cooking.

Sweet-and-sour pork, shredded potatoes with green peppers, and seaweed and egg drop soup—all Moyan's favorites.

When the food was ready, its aroma filled the house.

Molly brought the dishes to the table, then went to Moyan's door and knocked.

"Moyan, lunch is ready."

"..."

There was no answer from inside.

Molly frowned.

"Moyan? Wake up. It's time to eat."

"..."

Still no answer.

A sense of dread rose in her chest.

Moyan had already been unwell, and she had slept all morning. Why wasn't she waking up?

Molly's heart sank. She went to the entryway and rummaged through a cabinet for the spare key.

She hurried back to Moyan's door, slid the key into the lock, and turned it gently.

Click. The lock opened.

"!!!"

Molly pushed open the door. At the sight before her, her pupils contracted and her face drained of color.

Moyan lay on the floor, her face utterly bloodless, her lips cracked, and her breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible.

She was curled up with both hands clutched around her stomach, as though enduring terrible pain.

But what shocked Molly most was the pair of thin black wings growing from Moyan's back.

They resembled bat wings, small and delicate, yet they gave off an eerie air.

Long, purplish-black nails had grown from her fingertips, gleaming coldly.

She looked like a Monster Demon!

Molly froze where she stood. Her mind went blank.

"Is she... a Monster Demon?"

Her sister was a Monster Demon?

No wonder Moyan had been secretly watching her lately. No wonder she had grown paler and paler. No wonder she had looked at Molly with that hungry, restrained gaze...

Moyan must have wanted to drain her life essence!

All this time, she had been suppressing that instinct!

Molly looked at her sister, weak and helpless on the floor, her emotions in turmoil.

Shock, confusion, heartache, and a fear she couldn't quite explain.

She thought of the Dried Corpse Case, the Defectors, and the Monster Demons.

Why had her sister become a Monster Demon?

Countless questions flooded her mind, but the sight of Moyan barely clinging to life swept everything else aside.

She hurried over and crouched down to help her sister up. But the moment her fingers touched Moyan, she stopped.

What was she supposed to do?

Her sister was a Monster Demon. She needed to drain human life essence to survive.

If Molly took her to the research institute, they would treat her like a monster. They would dissect her and study her.

If Molly did nothing, Moyan would starve to death.

But what if... she agreed to let Moyan take just a little of her life essence?

Molly was torn.

Sunlight streamed through the window and fell across the floor, lighting Moyan's pale face and Molly's troubled one.

The choice was too hard!

"What... am I supposed to do?"