Late at night.
Celine, who was sleeping while holding Clara in her arms, suddenly opened her eyes.
As a Commander…
Even though this was merely a puppet body she controlled remotely…
Her senses far surpassed those of ordinary people.
She clearly detected someone wandering through an alley not far from the house.
Their movements were purposeful.
As though…
They were searching for something.
(I should take a look.)
Celine quietly lifted the blanket.
Her movements were completely silent.
She gently tucked the covers back around the sleeping Clara.
Her fingertips lingered for a brief moment in the girl’s soft white hair…
Before quietly withdrawing.
Her gaze shifted toward the larger bed on the opposite side of the room.
Although Bronya and Seele had obediently shared the same bed…
As Celine had arranged…
The two still maintained a noticeable distance.
As if an invisible border had been drawn between them.
Bronya slept perfectly straight.
Both hands folded neatly over her abdomen.
An almost textbook sleeping posture.
As for Seele…
Celine knew very well that this girl normally slept rather…
enthusiastically.
Rolling all over the bed.
Ending up in every imaginable position.
Yet now…
She was curled tightly against the very edge of the mattress.
Her back facing Bronya.
Even in her sleep…
Her brows remained tightly furrowed.
(…This won’t do.)
Celine quietly watched them.
A trace of mischief flashed deep within her calm eyes.
(The ship can’t sail like this.)
A faint smile quietly appeared on her lips.
She slowly raised one hand.
Her slender fingers made a gentle beckoning motion toward the bed.
An almost imperceptible force…
Soft as moonlit spider silk…
Silently spread across the room.
Rather than forcing anything…
It merely offered a subtle push.
Gently guiding their sleeping postures.
Under Celine’s precise control…
Seele unconsciously rolled over.
One arm naturally draped itself around Bronya’s waist.
Bronya…
Seemingly drawn toward a source of warmth…
Also turned slightly.
Resting her forehead lightly against Seele’s shoulder.
Seele instinctively curled up closer.
Holding Bronya’s waist possessively.
Meanwhile…
Bronya nestled peacefully against Seele.
The wrinkles between her brows slowly disappeared.
For the first time since arriving in the Underworld…
Her sleeping expression became completely relaxed.
(…Much better.)
Celine nodded with satisfaction.
Then withdrew her hand.
(You’re welcome.)
She silently added.
After that…
She quietly walked to the door.
And stepped outside.
…
Night in the Underworld was pitch black.
Only a handful of faint lights flickered in the distance.
Celine quickly found the uninvited visitor.
Near an alleyway not far from her home…
A gray-haired girl was squatting beside a rusty trash can that stood about waist-high.
Her expression was unusually focused.
Even carrying…
A kind of devout excitement.
“Hehe~”
“Let’s see…”
“If there’s any treasure inside this trash can!”
It was Xing.
Her voice was low.
But even from a distance…
One could clearly hear her excitement.
Without the slightest hesitation…
She reached straight into the foul-smelling trash can.
Skillfully rummaging through the contents.
Then…
She suddenly froze.
Her entire body stiffened.
The next second…
She swiftly pulled something out.
Holding it beneath the dim light.
It was…
A sparkling, star-shaped gemstone.
“A treasure!!”
Xing’s eyes instantly lit up.
Brighter than the stars themselves.
As though she had just discovered the greatest treasure in the universe.
She became so excited that she almost shouted.
Fortunately…
She quickly covered her own mouth.
Even so…
The excitement in her eyes was impossible to hide.
“Ahem…”
A helpless cough suddenly echoed through the silent alley.
Instantly pulling Xing back to reality.
“Who’s there?!”
She jumped.
Turning around immediately.
At the same time…
She stuffed the star-shaped gem into her pocket with lightning speed.
Her eyes vigilantly scanned the surroundings.
“It’s you.”
Celine slowly stepped out from the shadows.
Her gaze rested on Xing.
“Still awake this late…”
“Looking for treasure?”
Seeing Celine…
Xing first let out a sigh of relief.
Then…
Something suddenly clicked inside her mind.
When she had awakened aboard the space station…
Through the hazy light…
Besides Mother Kafka…
There had been two other figures standing behind her.
One…
Was Silver Wolf.
The other…
Was Celine.
Countless fragmented memories suddenly rushed back.
Instantly piecing themselves together.
“Auntie!!”
Xing’s eyes immediately sparkled.
As though she had discovered an entirely new world.
She ran straight toward Celine.
Looking up at her with unconcealed affection…
And longing.
“Auntie!”
“You’re my aunt, right?!”
She grabbed Celine’s arm.
Her voice filled with excitement. New chapters come out on g.com first.
“C-Can I study you for a little while?”
“Just a little!”
In Xing’s eyes…
Besides curiosity toward a puppet…
There was also the instinctive attachment one felt toward family.
“…Hm?”
This time…
Even Celine was genuinely surprised.
Looking at Xing’s confident expression…
Even the calm lake within her heart rippled slightly.
(…You remembered me?)
She had assumed Xing would remember only Kafka.
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
Xing nodded vigorously.
Excitedly recalling those memories.
“Back then…”
“You and Aunt Silver Wolf were standing behind Mother Kafka!”
“You two even fought in front of her!”
“It was super lively!”
“I suddenly remembered everything!”
“When I saw you this morning…”
“You looked so familiar…”
“But I just couldn’t remember why.”
“Now I finally know!”
“I see…”
Celine nodded thoughtfully.
“Auntie!”
“You nodded!”
Xing immediately interpreted the gesture as agreement.
Her eyes shone even brighter.
“A nod means yes!”
Before Celine could say anything…
Xing was already moving.
She first carefully poked the delicate mechanical joints in Celine’s arm.
Feeling the cool metallic touch.
Then…
Growing bolder…
She slipped both hands beneath Celine’s arms.
And…
With a light lift…
Picked Celine up completely.
Celine: “…?”
(…Did I agree to this?)
She was just about to speak…
When she found Xing’s face inches away from her own.
Those eyes…
Contained no caution.
No suspicion.
No calculation.
Only pure…
Childlike curiosity.
Excitement.
And…
The instinctive closeness one feels toward family.
Even if Xing herself didn’t yet realize it.
(…Oh well.)
Looking into those innocent eyes…
The slight helplessness of being suddenly picked up…
Along with the restraint expected of an elder…
Quietly melted away.
(…What can I do?)
(I’ve always been soft on children.)
Celine simply relaxed.
Allowing Xing to hold her like an excited child who had just received a brand-new toy.
Turning her left and right.
Carefully inspecting every part of her.
She even reached toward the back of Celine’s head…
Curiously trying to examine how the strands of her hair were connected.