Chapter Twenty-Six: Reunion
Residential Area
"Finally, we're here."
Maya stretched her arms, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.
The same, however, couldn't be said for the person trailing behind her.
If she were to rank her worst days, today would definitely make the top ten.
3:23 P.M
That was the time.
She'd spent the entire afternoon running around on pointless errands.
Of course, Maya was the one to blame for all of it.
Now, here they were, standing in front of the door to her supposed nephew's house.
It wasn't too big, but not too small either.
A modest place, just enough to fit a couple of people.
But now that they were here—
"But… how would we even get in?"
"Hehe~ leave that to me~"
With a way too excited expression, she heard those words.
By the time she would pay her any attention.
She saw the woman digging her hands into her pockets,
pulling out a single key before inserting it into the door's keyhole with ease.
"Wait, that's not…"
Certainly, that wasn't how it was supposed to work.
Yet—
Click… click…
"...Eh?"
Mana was speechless.
Completely stunned, to the point that she couldn't even formulate words.
"Hehe~"
Maya giggled to herself,
Swinging the door open without so much as a second thought, striding right in.
Now, even Mana was questioning everything.
How was this any different from burglary?
Even if she was his aunt, how had she even gotten a spare key?
In the end, Mana decided that the less she thought about it, the better.
…Right.
With that in mind, she followed after her superior.
Kicking off her shoes on the porch,
Mana stepped inside, straight to the living room, where Maya was already admiring the space.
Grown-ass woman, by the way, mumbling nonsense under her breath like,
"Ah, that's his smell…" and so on.
Choosing to ignore her superior's behavior, Mana glanced around instead.
The living room was tidy, neatly arranged.
Even the dining area and kitchen were just as well-kept, everything in its place.
Still, Maya didn't relent.
One could only admire her attitude.
"Even if you hide it~ Auntie knows~"
She said in that singsong tone of hers,
"In the end, you're a teenage boy. I'm sure you've been looking for some outlet to let it all out, ufufu~"
Maya has lost it,
Mana thought flatly, watching the woman dash out the living room with hurried steps heading upstairs.
Tap~ tap~ tap~
Sounds of her footsteps vanished, becoming thinner as Mana listened.
Following that train of reasoning, there was no mistaking her destination:
His room.
Placing a palm over her head, Mana released a soft sigh.
Regardless of this,
A single Mana couldn't possibly hope to stop the Tyrant, that is Maya, single-handedly, right?
Yes.
At the very least, an outsider couldn't.
Bam~!
"Now then, show me everything you're hiding~"
With that chipper voice, Maya flung the door open vigorously.
But much to her disappointment, the room was… spotless.
She froze at the doorway, slowly, drawing her eyes across the room.
For another moment.
She froze.
Disbelief clouded her expression.
Then began her investigation.
From the shelves, to under the bed, even down to the old, dusty PC in the corner.
"Nothing. There's nothing…"
Her expression screamed disbelief clearly this time.
To her, it was like the law of the world was overturned on its head.
Like that, the woman stayed there. Lost.
It wasn't until several minutes later that Mana finally went upstairs after her.
After all, that bubbling energy, or noises or shouts, could no longer be heard.
Something must be serious, the studious girl had thought.
But when she reached upstairs, across the dark hallway, she saw light coming from one side.
Carefully, she strode towards it.
"Uhm…"
When she looked through the door–
She found Maya sitting at the edge of the bed, staring blankly into space.
Muttering incomprehensible words to herself.
"Unbelievable. He doesn't have it."
Have what, exactly?
Mana wanted to ask.
But she knew better.
She really, really knew better.
"I can't believe it!"
"Uhm... I just want to let you know that he'll soon be back from school."
Since she had no clue how to console.
—Okay, "console" is a strong word.
Rather, since she had no words to say to this woman.
Mana decided to go with the most logical argument she could think of.
Her nephew.
And.. It worked.
"..oh! Right!"
That gloomy, clouded look instantly vanished, replaced with a sweet, radiant smile.
Like she had completely forgotten her earlier motives or breakdown.
Scary, very scary.
But from that alone, Mana understood something:
This Morgan… was her weakness.
Yet... Mana should have known better.
"Wh—wh—what are you doing!?"
Mana froze, waving her hands frantically as she watched her superior start to undress.
Her jackets had already met with the floor, followed by her skirt.
Now currently unbuttoning her shirt.
"W-wait, stop! Go do that in the bathroom, you Alabama-loving woman!"
Her voice shot up an octave as she pointed toward the hallway with eyes tight shut.
The older woman blinked at her, then, feigning pity, puffed out her cheeks and sulked away,
Shuffling off like a scolded cat.
Of course...
"She left her clothes."
Mana's expression twitched.
With a sigh of absolute resignation, she bent down, picked up the suit and skirt, and gathered them into her arms.
And just as she turned to leave—
It hit her.
'Wait a second… I'm standing inside a guy's room!'
The realization hit like a truck.
Well, to be fair, the room was plain enough to make her wonder if the guy even was a guy.
Even the books by the shelves were...
• Understanding physics 101.
• Chemistry book even a monkey can understand.
• Sign language for idiots.
• Quantum Science.
…Wait.
Why does he have a book on sign language!?
'No… don't question it.'
For the sake of her own sanity, she decided not to.
After all, one Maya was already more than enough.
With her mind slightly renewed, she stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
From there, with a quiet sigh and made her way downstairs.
Reaching the door that led to the bathroom, she turned the knob and peeked inside.
For bathrooms like this, there were usually two sections.
The first being the laundry and prep area, the second beyond another door for bathing.
Around her were washing machines, folded towels, and a few cleaning supplies neatly arranged.
From the other side of the inner door came the faint sound of running water.
Shaa~
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ
One little two little three little pigges~
Four little five little I'll get you killed now~
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ
…And someone humming.
'...'
Mana ignored it.
Best ignore that.
Quietly, she tossed the bundle of clothes into the laundry basket and backed out.
Returning to the living room, she collapsed onto the couch.
"Haah."
That one sigh left her lips as her body sank into the divine softness of the couch.
Okay, she would have to give this one to the male.
Still, that didn't change the fact that today has been hell.
Truly, she had never felt more drained in her life.
Once more,
She felt she'd gladly take hunting that pain-in-the-ass Spirit, "Nightmare,"
..over whatever this was.
Hello!?
Just as she was lost in thought,
mentally calling Maya names in every colorful way the Japanese language could manage…
Click~
Faintly, the sound of the front door unlocking reached her ears.
Mana straightened up.
'That must be… the Commander's nephew.'
Composing herself, she adjusted her posture on the couch, sitting prim just as the sound of footsteps closed in.
Tap… tap… tap…
..slowly, he then came into view.
'That's... the nephew.'
At first glance,
She had nothing to say.
It wasn't that he looked so breathtaken that she was speechless or anything along that line for that matter.
Rather, it was simply because.
Too different.
Way too different.
Normally, family members would share at least something.
Probably a facial feature, or a trace of resemblance.
Hell, even if they were distance relatives, at least, there has to be something.
But this one?
Nothing.
"Where is she?"
The first words he spoke weren't Who are you? but rather… where is she?
Not to menrion, that expression and his tone were way too natural.
Mana blinked.
She didn't know whether to applaud his calm composure or question his priorities.
Still, she stood up and gave a short nod.
"Hello, Comm—ahem… the Mrs. is currently using your bathroom, and I am her escort."
"…You don't say."
Despite saying that in a surprised tone, his expression lacked surprise as he let his gaze drift off.
As he did, a soft thud followed as he dropped his bag to the floor.
Mana titled her head to the side.
Thump~
Excuse me?
"Oh, sorry. I just didn't think she was the kind of big shot who needed an escort following her around."
Saying that, the male casually removed his blazer, folding it neatly over one arm—
Again, she noticed.
But before she could even dwell on it.
Creak~
The bathroom door creaked open.
"Iyaa~ that was a good bath."
Accompanying the steam that rolled out of the door was a figure. Yes. A naked one.
Maya, with only a towel draped lazily around her shoulders, strutting out as if she were on a runway.
Just about two steps away from the door, she finally noticed the awkward silence and perhaps the tense air.
"Mhm?"
She tilted her head.
And finally… her gaze found Morgan.
Immediately, her eyes lit up, almost glowing, as a smile played on her lips.
"Ahh! It's Clair!"
Mana could sense it.
The not-so-airhead and not-so-commanding or obssesive tone of the woman.
But something friendly, almost warm.
That made it hard for Mana to grasp which part of Maya was actually true.
But what met her wasn't a warm tone.
It was a stare so stern that it would make any kid shiver if their parents looked at them with such a look.
That look was accompanied by:
"Put some clothes on, you shameless woman! After all this time, you still haven't changed!"
With godly aim, Morgan threw his blazers half across the living room, hitting the woman.
Thwack!
"Oof!"
"That—That was mean! This is our first reunion in years, and that's the first thing you say to me!?"
Staggering, nearly slipping, Maya clutched the still-warm blazer to her damp skin.
On her face was a pout?
No, really, she was really pouting.
"Pipe it woman, go get dressed first then our talks will come after that."
Still from across the room, he pointed to her with an unyielding tone.
Hopeless.
To him, this woman, Maya, was absolutely, irredeemably hopeless.