A woman stood with her long colored hair that reached her waist, fist atop of her hip, and a hand swiftly moving her hair to the side. A horrifying scar that appeared to be disfigured from the top of her left eye to her lip, curving a little to the right from the bottom.

She smiled so sweetly, her eyes never leaving Drew's face. She didn't even give a glance to the three in his arms. Noticing him slowly backing off, her smile turned into a grin making her hidden fangs go into full view.

"Oh my! What's the holdup? I'm sure we have all the time to ourselves, my sweet warrior~!"

Her remaining eye appeared to be crimson and instead of having normal circular pupils, her eye had a vertically slit pupil similar to a cat's. She softly hummed, stepping towards her in a relaxed manner.

Drew frowned. He didn't like that situation one bit. He was sure if he had to at least keep them in the evacuated space that is clearly hidden from any dedication whether by mana or aura, they would be safe until she comes back.

He suspects that they somehow knew or were involved with the strange mana rampage that attracted the duchess to leave her position to solve it in case of explosion. An explosion can lead to hundreds, no, thousands of lives being taken and towns and villages receiving the consequences of the destruction caused by it.

The twins' bodies trembled under the arms of Amanda's. Linda gritted her teeth as she finally gave a resolved look and looked up.

Before she could observe and strategize a plan, a rush of air was pushed on her face as her hair got tangled up and then was stopped but felt a huge gravity push against Drew.

"Lady Linda."

At her name being called, she stared back at him blankly as he gave her a serious look that she couldn't help but flinch back.

"Please move yourself and take Amanda and Edwin with you. Break a stone."

At first, she tilted her head in puzzlement. Then her eyebrows raised, shocked, nodding in understanding.

But then her eyes lit up and made a firm decision. He grinned at the strong determination that sparked in her eyes. Before he could put them down, a huge impact fell right at them.

Dust flew everywhere at the impact and it slowly revealed Drew who successfully dodged the attack, landing even further back from his previous position. A vicious grin grew even more, reaching her eyes, dangling her sword in her palm.

He went pale at the sight of her face growing unknown veins that slowly were turning indigo rather than her ordinary peach-colored skin.

"Awah! Why are you not looking at me~?"

She gazed at him pitifully still with her grin attached on her face. Drew struggled as he moved away and tightly embraced the three before finally letting go as he moved as fast as possible. But luck wasn't always on their side as the woman grinned manically, sprinting towards him with her hands raised.

A huge earthquake rumbled as her fist, free from her sword, slammed across the marble floor. The shockwave shook Amanda out of her shock as she quickly pulled the two children by hand.

She didn't even look back as thunder sounds were heard to be blowing up making her tremble in fear. Her heart raced making her breathing even more out of order than it already was.

'I need to reach the safe zone as soon as possible! We will be safe there with the citizens! We will wait there until Her Grace arrives!'

Amanda gritted her teeth and thought positively. She stopped trembling and pulled the two arms with whatever strength she had, she didn't even stop to think that her sudden pull would pull a muscle from the children's arms and hold them tightly into her arms.

The twins winced in pain but held tightly into her uniform so they wouldn't fall. Amanda's arms weren't as big as Drew so it was getting hard for her to run. But with a strong conviction in her head, she didn't care about what was going on.

Linda looked up and bit her lips anxiously. She gently rubbed the stones under her dress that was hanging on her necklace. Her necklace that Rebekah gave them to hold onto was still there.

She needs to continue with the plan she thought of before. She stared at the other side to see Edwin silently gaze at her. He wasn't smiling anymore. He just held onto Amanda without a word. She couldn't help but feel eerie. But to have the plan work, she needs to have her brother listen to her.

"Big bro..."

Linda reached her hand and grasped her brother's hand that was held out after her call. Right. He isn't her older brother anymore but a twin...

She didn't like that.

She didn't like this at all.

That's why even if people would give her strange looks at the title she gave him...

"Big bro. I have a way to lower the cause. And it's the power you discovered after playing with the mimic!"

She could feel Amanda flinch and nearly tripped over her feet. She stared down at the two in horror.

"What?!"

Linda cringed and turned back to her brother who widened his eyes in question. She pursed her lips nervously. She hates the look her brother is giving her. It feels so unfamiliar to her. More intelligent and cunning...

"Linda."

Linda slightly trembled at the name of this body being called coldly. She hates this.

"Don't hesitate and tell me what to do."

Linda felt her lips tremble and nodded. If it means saving Drew. If it means going against his wishes. If it means to protect their home...

She would do anything even if right now she didn't feel like she was in front of her warm big brother who would always smile at her and clumsily mess things up.

———

The top of a building's roof, Rebekah silently breathed out, wiping off the blood that was splattered on her face. She glared at the mages and knights' bodies that splatter in front of her and on the road.

"Those insolent ants!"

She gritted her teeth, glaring back at the duke she confronted after causing the mana explosion. That poor girl. She will find a way to try to convince her brother to have his elite guards investigate the duke who was famous for taking in talented mages under him.

"Seeing him to even have a dark mage under him...."

She couldn't help but feel her hands tremble. She silently gazed at her worn-out hands and went into a deep thought. It's been a while since she battled a strong mage. Ever since her parents unknowingly disappeared one day when they were still in the academy, all races including humans have been on a rampage.

She clenched her fist in frustration. She should have reported this to her brother as soon as possible about the recent demonic beast invading territories. If it were just magical beasts, she could've let it go, but demonic ones are a whole different story.

She readied her position and quickly gathered her remaining mana to speed through to the capital but an unsettling mana wave she sensed made her stop in her tracks. She quickly turned her head to the direction it was coming from. Her eyes narrowed in terror.

"No way..."

She's going to postpone what she was doing. She turned her heels and turned back to where she came from...

AKS