"Impossible"
Julius's voice trembled with disbelief as he stepped slowly out of the lingering haze.
He had taken the blow—a fierce, explosive force—but—
Aside from a few stray snowflakes clinging to his cloak—
Not a single scratch, not even the faintest mark marred his body.
Yet the indifference that once rested on his face had now been replaced by pure astonishment.
"That move just now… it was the Light Rebound—an exclusive technique of light magic!"
"How could this be? You already possess fire and ice magic—"
Ordinary people only inherit one elemental type of magic from either their mother or father. Some rare individuals might inherit from both, but even so—
"How could you possibly use light magic as well?! That's… unrealistic!"
His voice cracked—hoarse and trembling, each word steeped in creeping horror.
On the other side, the little girl stood frozen, stunned. Only when she snapped out of her stupor did she realize—
Her mother was already standing in front of her, shielding her.
In that moment, Irina's eyes were as cold and sharp as blades slicing through the night, locked on the guy like daggers.
Her entire being radiated a deathly chill—silent, yet suffocating.
She stood there, a towering fortress of frost and snow—frigid, unyielding, but unwavering in her protection of her daughter.
Any killing intent aimed at Kyouno was crushed beneath an invisible force, obliterated before it could reach her.
Seeing that, a shiver rippled through the other guys. Their alertness surged like a rising tide.
They reached for their weapons—but froze, realizing—
From the chest down, their bodies were completely entombed in dense ice.
The frost crept like a living beast, slithering across their skin, binding every sinew, every vessel—no one knew exactly when it had begun.
"N-no way… When did she …?"
Their voices cracked like shattering glass, lost in the icy air, laced with panic.
On this side, Julius—
Witnessing that sudden, chilling spectacle, and the razor-sharp gaze of the sorceress locked directly onto him—he froze.
A man who had always been arrogant, always looked down on his opponents—
Now, a vague sense of dread suddenly crept into his heart.
Irina said nothing.
She merely stood there—
Exuding a suffocating pressure, silent but overwhelming, as if the weight of the sky bore down with her presence.
In that instant, he felt it—
He couldn't defeat this woman, atleast for now.
Frustration cracked across his expression, but in the end—
He could only surrender.
Still, in the moment before complete submission, his lips moved ever so slightly—
Whispering two cryptic words, barely audible, like a harbinger of some unseen doom.
"Divine Eye."
Suddenly, one of his eyes lit up, and the pupil morphed into an eerie golden hue.
That gaze—divine and all-seeing—pierced through illusions, unraveling the deepest secrets of existence.
And in that very moment, the proud knight—
Froze.
Just a heartbeat later, he sheathed his blade and barked an order:
"Tch. I'll spare you… for now. Troops, withdraw!"
With a sweep of his sword, flames surged forth, melting the ice that held his subordinates in place.
"What are you waiting for?! Move, you deaf idiots!" he roared, voice tinged with impatience.
His men scrambled after him, footsteps frantic, as if chased by ghosts.
Watching their retreat, Kyouno smirked, a sly, mocking curl at the corner of her lips.
That Julius—clearly scared half to death by her mom—
Still had the gall to pretend like he was in control, like he was the one showing mercy.
To outsiders, it might have seemed like a gesture of grace. But to Kyouno, the truth was clear:
He lost.
Lost in silence.
Lost the moment her mother's eyes met his—unyielding, regal, like an invisible blade that forced him to retreat.
And yet, as she lingered in her swirling thoughts—
A pair of soft arms wrapped around her, pulling her small frame into a warm embrace.
What she felt next—
Was warmth.
A peace that enveloped her completely.
"Kyouno… my dear … Are you hurt? Are you alright?"
Irina's voice quivered, heavy with fear and relief in every syllable.
All the emotions she'd buried earlier now flooded out, sweeping away her carefully held composure.
Terror gleamed unmistakably in her eyes.
In that tense moment just now, her worry for her daughter had reached its peak.
Not long after, Mana rushed over as well, her face pale.
Sweat dotted her brow—proof of how fiercely she had worried.
Kyouno looked at them both, forcing a wry smile.
"Mom, Mana… I'm okay."
It was true—she wasn't injured. After all, the man had just stood there and taken her attack.
Even when he's truly strike for her,his attack was fully countered
"Don't worry, Mom. No way those weaklings could touch me-your daughter, right?"
Her words carried her usual pride, but deep down, Kyouno knew—
That man… had brushed off her attack with laughable ease.
Their powers were worlds apart.
But in the end, he still retreated—
Fled before her mother even made a move.
What a coward.
Haha.
And yet, things might not be as simple as Kyouno thought.
Because even though her daughter was safe and sound,
Even with the girl's smug little grin—
On Irina's face,
A quiet, heavy unease had begun to form.
Because the daughter had completely forgotten—
That just moments ago, she had unconsciously used a third element of magic.
.....
The sun had completely disappeared behind the mountain range, leaving behind a cold, desolate night.
Tonight, the sky was particularly gloomy. Thick snow clouds blanketed the heavens, obscuring both the moonlight and the stars.
Only a pitch-black sky remained—so dark, it sent chills down the spine.
The wind howled like blades tearing through the dense forest canopy.
The air grew colder, emptier, more suffocating.
Yet amidst this frigid and bleak night—
There remained a pocket of gentle warmth, like a misplaced note in the lonely symphony of the wilderness.
A small house, glowing bright in the shadowy forest, like a flaming torch in the hand of a weary traveler.
Light streamed from its window, piercing the darkness, offering a glimpse of comfort.
Inside that house, the faint silhouette of a little girl could be seen—
Her face pouting, full of grievance, as if she had just been wrongfully scolded.
The story was this... her mother, still overwhelmed with fear from earlier, hadn't calmed down for long before she began scolding her.
How could Kyouno recklessly charge into a group of dangerous people and frighten her mother like that?
To make matters worse, her "dear" sister didn't hesitate to sell her out—telling on Kyouno's carelessness while out hunting, which had led her into danger.
Twice in one day, she had thrown herself into peril—
And the result?
Kyouno was punished—made to stand in the corner and reflect on her mistakes!
She had fought bravely against the bad guys, and yet she was the one who got punished!
It was just so unfair!
Still, Kyouno couldn't bring herself to resent her mother or sister.
She knew that their scolding came from love and worry.
After all, her actions had truly scared them.
Thinking of that, a twinge of guilt welled up inside her.
But... what else could she have done?
Was she supposed to stand by and watch her mother get hurt, just to avoid a scolding?
Even if—yes—she had been a bit impulsive.
Of course, when it came to punishment…
Her mother could never stay angry at her precious little daughter like Kyouno for long.
Soon enough, she was "pardoned."
However… if she ever worried her mother like that again, the punishment next time might not be so lenient.
That evening, as usual, their little family gathered around the dining table.
They shared the day's foraged bounty and chatted cheerfully, exchanging daily stories.
Laughter echoed within the simple, cozy home—
A humble meal, yet overflowing with familial warmth.
However, when the conversation drifted toward the events of that afternoon—
The atmosphere grew quieter, heavier.
"Mom… who were those people? Did they want to hurt you?" Mana asked, her voice tinged with worry and doubt.
Kyouno—who had just been nibbling a piece of delicious roasted meat—also stopped, her eyes filled with curiosity and concern as she looked at her mother.
Irina's expression darkened slightly at the question, her gaze distant, shadowed with weariness and thought.
"There's no need to worry about them, my dear," she replied slowly. "They're just unimportant people. I won't let them disturb our lives again."
Her voice was gentle—but resolute.
Seeing that their mother didn't wish to speak further, the sisters held back their questions, despite the unease still lingering in their hearts.
Thus, the warm dinner… cooled a little.
Not wanting the evening to grow too somber, Mana quickly changed the topic.
She told their mother about Kyouno's recent troubles—the strange visions, the haunting dreams that had tormented her little sister for days.
Hearing this, a flicker of worry passed through Irina's eyes.
She glanced at Kyouno's sorrowful face, then gently stroked her daughter's hair, her voice soft and soothing:
"My dear, don't dwell too much on those nightmares.
After all, they're just dreams.
Isn't it true that right now, you still have us by your side?"
Those comforting words soothed some of the gloom from Kyouno's expression.
Yet, deep inside, a vague unease still lingered—subtle, creeping, and formless.
The meal ended in that quiet hesitation.
.....