"Ais."
Still half-asleep, Ais was nudged and instantly opened her eyes. Her body reacted on instinct, reaching for a weapon—until she saw Riveria and realized she was inside the Familia.
"Haa…"
Ais yawned, showing a rare, adorably dazed side.
"Good morning, Riveria."
"Good morning. But now's not the time for greetings—Bell is here."
"Hm? This early?"
Ais's eyes flickered, and she immediately became far more awake. The cool air of the room filled her lungs, sharpening her senses.
"I'll go out right now."
Her speed was incredible. Even as she spoke, she was already bracing herself with her hands, hopping off the bed, and standing barefoot on the floor.
"Wait."
Riveria was long accustomed to Ais's impulsive, headlong behavior. She'd cleaned up after the girl more times than she could count, so she was already prepared. The moment Ais's bare feet touched the ground, Riveria caught her by the back of the neck.
With her fate firmly in Riveria's grasp, Ais couldn't move. She simply stared back in confusion.
Her clear, slightly foolish eyes were filled with the question, 'Why are you grabbing me?'
With a helpless sigh, Riveria pointed at Ais's current state.
"You're planning to meet someone looking like that?"
Ais was wearing a white silk nightdress embroidered with cute little floral patterns—adorable at a glance.
But because it was silk, the nightdress was far thinner than regular sleepwear, and under strong light, it could become somewhat sheer.
It was extremely comfortable, yes, but without undergarments beneath it, the outline of her chest was visible.
And since Ais's development was… quite good, she was bound to draw stares.
Wearing this to meet someone was absolutely out of the question.
"Ah… I forgot."
Only then did Ais realize her situation. She quickly slipped out of Riveria's hold, grabbed the scattered clothes from the floor, and changed in a fluster.
Watching Ais fumble and lose track of things, Riveria's eyes filled with worry.
'I really hope this child won't stay this scatterbrained forever.'
'If she leaves me one day… what's she going to do?'
Despite never having been in love herself, Riveria had a decade of experience raising this troublesome girl—and even felt maternal anxiety over Ais's future.
'I shouldn't be too harsh. No matter how strong she becomes, Ais is still just a sixteen-year-old child.'
'…Although Bell is only fourteen this year.'
The most dangerous thing for humans is comparison. Once you compare, the differences become painfully clear.
Riveria couldn't help thinking that if Ais had even a fraction of Bell's qualities, she would be perfectly capable of growing on her own—with little need for anyone else's help.
While Riveria was lost in thought about Ais's future, Ais had already finished changing out of her nightdress and put on the clothes she'd worn yesterday.
This time, Riveria didn't stop Ais from bolting out of the room.
But seeing her hair still a mess and her clothes not properly adjusted, Riveria clearly had plenty of opinions she didn't voice.
With just a few quick steps, Ais left the inner bedroom and immediately spotted Bell sitting at the round table, quietly sipping tea.
She walked straight toward him.
"You're here."
"Mm."
Bell set down his teacup and silently sighed at her appearance. A rune formed in his hand.
"Splash!"
A surge of water burst from the rune—but instead of falling to the ground, it hovered in midair and swept swiftly toward Ais.
"???"
Ais tilted her head, utterly confused by the drifting water.
It flowed across her face and hair, washing away the lingering dirt. A moment later, the water carrying the impurities evaporated into mist, swept away by a sudden breeze.
That same breeze dried her damp face and hair...
"Pay attention to your appearance next time."
"Oh."
Ais responded dazedly. Bell could tell from that blank look that nothing would change next time.
"You just woke up—your mind's probably not fully clear yet. Should I wait a bit?"
"No, I—"
"Ais!"
Just as Ais was about to refuse, Riveria cut her off sharply. Ais stared at her in confusion; Riveria never interrupted others like that.
"Ais, the next part is extremely important. You need to be fully awake before you listen."
Ais didn't understand, but Riveria—who already knew a portion of the truth—couldn't afford to be unclear.
There were things Ais needed to think about carefully. This matter involved her deeply, and she would have to face difficult choices of her own.
Even though she didn't know why, Ais obediently adjusted her breathing, forcing her half-asleep mind to properly wake up.
Bell, sitting across from her, wasn't in a rush. He quietly sipped his tea, waiting for Ais to regain focus.
Riveria did not sit beside Ais. Instead, she stood behind her.
She knew the upcoming topic would likely push Ais into losing control. She needed to be in a position to restrain her instantly if necessary. Sitting at her side wouldn't have given her enough reaction time.
Seeing Ais slowly settle down, Bell finally set his cup aside.
"It seems you're calm enough now. Then let's continue."
"We'll pick up where we left off yesterday."
Ais nodded slightly. She'd wanted to continue this conversation yesterday, but it had been delayed until today. There was nothing to complain about now.
"I've already discussed this with Vice Captain Riveria, so I'll get straight to the point.
Ais Wallenstein, do you want your parents to survive?"