Episode 150- Twins fall out.

Aernest shook his head. He couldn’t deal with Eugene anymore so he sighed and moved on to a different topic,

“It is a relief that sisters are in good health. You two have no idea how scared I was! One was bleeding internally, whilst the other accidentally bled physically and killed that ‘guy’” aka Commander Kal.

“Bled?” A cold voice, a spine-chilling voice spoke sending shivers down Aernest’s spine.

Eugene jolted as she turned to the person next to her. Her hands moved to her ears to check if she had misheard. Aernest did the same, however, he and Eugene realized they didn’t hear wrong due to an expression never seen before on Euria’s face.

Euria’s expression wasn’t one of happiness and had drastically changed from what it was 5 seconds ago. Her face was hard, pale, and anger could be seen on her face.

“What… What’s wrong with you, Ria?” Aernest stuttered in speechlessness. When Euria’s expression didn’t turn for the better, he couldn’t help but back off slightly from how scary Euria looked.

Eugene froze for a while. Her detective antenna quickly spun around to resolve the situation and she tried to reassure Euria, “... I’m not hurt! I didn’t bleed a lot!” She thought Euria forgot that she was injured, however, she was wrong.

“No.” Euria’s voice was cold. “Did you use your blood?” Her red eyes stared straight into Eugene’s eyes, bringing a chill down her spine.

Because of how terrifying Euria was at the moment, Eugene and Aernest froze in their spots. Any words that wanted to come out got stuck in their throat.

“Did. You. Use. Your. Blood. Eugeneia.” She repeated word by word, sounding incredibly impatient and demanding.

Eugene and Aernest could feel the air around them turning thin as sweat fell from their forehead. It was the first time Euria called her by her first name and it was one of the scariest things Eugene or Aernest had ever heard.

‘... What is wrong with her?’ In the end, Eugene snapped out. There was no good reason she should be scared of Euria. With furrowed brows, she talked back to Euria, “Why? Do you know something?” There was no need to think deeply because Euria’s reaction told her that she knew something, otherwise she wouldn’t react the way she did right now. Not to mention, Euria did know that she was injured. And if Euria was going to be mad that she injured herself, Euria would’ve been angry sooner. However, she didn’t.

Euria hung her head low however anyone could see that Euria’s eyes were narrowed down dangerously. Not to mention, the visible pulsating veins visible on Euria’s tightly clenched fists.

The air around the three was very cold. Not even the sun that shone past the trees could warm them up. It was a dark and negative atmosphere. It was even visible from afar that something was going on between the three of them because of the worried look on Aeselak and Aedelak’s faces that Eugene could see from the corner of her eyes.

Aernest couldn’t take it anymore and he laughed half-heartedly. With hands flailing around, he tried to ease the intense tension, “Ah... Hey… Hey! Calm down!” He said before turning to Aeslak and Aedelak to indicate that everything was okay.

He turned back to Euria when he saw Aeselak and Aedelak sitting back down, “Ria.” He began, his voice slightly serious. “We didn’t tell you because we knew you would be worried. Nia is okay now okay? Just look at her, she’s completely fine! There’s no need to get ma-”

Before Aernest could finish, Euria raised her head and shut Aernest off with a glare. She turned to Eugene and with a threatening voice, she went off, “Do you know what you have done!”

Eugene’s eyes twitched, disliking the accusing tone Euria had used. She stood up slowly and glared at Euria from above, “What is it to you what I do?” Her voice was deep and low, and she spoke with the same demeanor as Euria.

Euria’s eyes narrowed even more before she stood up as Eugene did. She moved in close, close enough for their foreheads to touch, and muttered, “What?” Her voice cols, and desolate.

Aernest’s hands trembled, before standing up and trying to pull them apart. “Euria. Eugeneia. Don’t do this!” Panic could be heard in his voice. His hands trying to pull them apart were useless because Euria and Eugene were rooted to the ground.

“Stop it.” Something in him told him that the good feelings they had towards one another were about to shatter and disappear. There was an unsettling feeling he felt that made him feel as if he was drowning underwater. And he was scared. Very scared.

But Eugene didn’t back down and ignored Aernest’s words, “You’re weird. You’ve been weird since day one in Zene.” She spoke with her eyebrows furrowed, “I didn’t ask why out of respect, which means you should respect me too and not give me this attitude of yours.” Her voice was threatening as she looked up and down at Euria.

Euria’s red eyes flashed with anger but she didn’t reply. There was an odd silence surrounding them which was broken by the sound of something cracking. This sound reminded Eugene of plates. A cracked plate can’t be mended; the same goes with relationships.

All of a sudden, a scream could be heard, “YOUNG MASTERS! WATCH OUT!!”

Before Eugene, and Aernest could react, Euria pulled both of them towards her. Without wasting any time, she grabbed the picnic basket and threw it above without hesitation. No one knew what happened but they heard the sound of something hitting something hard.

Eugene and Aernest automatically glance up but Euria remained still in her place and never once glanced up at what was above them. The picnic basket she threw quickly came crashing downwards, landing a meter away from them.

“Young misses! Young master! Are you alright?!?” Aeselak raised her voice as she rushed towards the three.

But unknown to Aeselak, Eugene and Aernest did not hear her words. It wasn’t that they didn’t hear her words but that her words didn’t register in their mind because they were more focused on the situation at hand. Euria, Eugene, and Aernest stared at the bark of wood that landed after the picnic basket landed, and slowly turned to Euria who had been the one who diverted the disaster.

Just before Aedelak and Aeslak arrived, a whisper could be heard before the figure left mercilessly without a single glance back. Her voice was filled with disappointment, and desolation, sounding as if she had given up on something.

“Do whatever you want.”

“...”

“Young Miss? Where are you going!” Aeselak called out to Euria before following her without hesitation.

“Eldest Miss! Young Master! Are you two hurt?!” Aedelak arrived and quickly crouched down. She did a thorough check on their bodies before sighing in relief.

Eugene and Aernest didn’t reply to Aedelak and only stared at the small back that was walking away.

Eugene‘s eyes flicked as her hands reached over to her chest. For some reason, she felt something clenching and unclenching inside her. She didn’t know exactly what it was but she felt something changing from within. Her heart was beating slowly but strongly. Strong enough for her to hear her heartbeat with her ears.

Eugene’s action naturally alarmed Aedelak and with a panicked voice, she inquired, “Why? What’s wrong Miss?!”

Eugene did answer Aedelak and took a look at her hand over her heart.

‘Ah...I can’t breathe.’

.

.

.

Eugene had been returning to her hidden spot by the cliff regularly while the twins lived their separate lives. It was like a peaceful get-away secret spot for when she needed to be alone. Yes, she has been spending a lot of time alone lately, because it’s never a bad idea to escape the house filled with much hecticness!

Just that…

“Hey, sister!”

A short red curly hair figure popped out from behind the bushes; the expression on this person looked slightly dumb.

Eugene pursed her lips, her overall expression was blank.

“Right…” She muttered before turning around and watching the waterfall again. Though it is a pity Aernest discovered this spot, she wasn’t too bothered by it.

There were rustling sounds before a plop could be heard right beside her. No one said anything and the two only listened to the sound of water hitting the river below. In a way, the sound was intense as if a huge building had collapsed, but it was nevertheless calming and pleasing to the ears. They both stayed in this quiet and calm atmosphere for a good hour.

Aernest exhaled loudly as he stretched his limbs. He's been hanging out with Eugene lately. Though he didn't spend the entire day with her like Euria, he did spend a significant amount of time with her, whether it was studying or training. Sure, he was sad that the twins were no longer close and found it strange that they were being formal to each other, but what could he do? It's not that he never tried to mend their relationship; he did his best, but each time the twins became more awkward. Hence, he gave up.

Eugene turned to Aernest who had sighed many times in one single minute. There was no need to ask to know what he was thinking about.

When she had fought with Euria, she had anticipated that they would become awkward, but that this atmosphere would not last for long. That Euria would return to her usual cheerful and happy self again. Who would have guessed that the fight was the catalyst that caused Euria to become... distant? Euria did not return to her usual cheerful self and became cold, mature, and independent; someone entirely different as a result.

‘No, that’s not it.’ She shook her head. Zene was the catalyst, not their fight. There was something that made Euria change and it all began with Euria’s encounter with the Crown Prince.

‘Crown Prince Nexiel.’ Was seeing his terrible state really what triggered Euria? Eugene couldn't help but be skeptical. If that was the case, Euria would’ve been more triggered when Ario’s head had exploded in front of her. Besides, how did Euria know the Crown Prince’s name?

“I miss brother Dea and everyone…” Aernest said suddenly, snapping Eugene out of her train of thoughts.

Eugene blinked at Aernest. She pursed her lips and glanced towards the sky, watching as clouds moved along with the wind.

Eugene’s mouth moved, “According to Louis, Dea and everyone have arrived in Xenperia.” What everyone, Eugene literally meant everyone; Arie, Aren, Argen, and Con.

She didn’t look at Aernest and continued, “Unfortunately Dea is still sleeping. Con, on the other hand, is in rehab and has shown promising results thus far.”

Aernest turned to Eugene, surprise could be seen on his face! He glanced at his feet when he noticed a book in front of him.

“Is that the book you always write in?” Aernest pointed at the thick book in front of him.  This thick book had always piqued his interest because Eugene had forbidden him from reading or touching it. It was like a realm he couldn’t enter.

‘That’s right’, Eugene nodded as she turned to the book. She's had this book since she was a year old when she 'borrowed' it from Louis' study room. Because it was an empty book that he hadn't used, she decided to ‘borrow’ it. Surprisingly, this book had scribbles and drawings she created.

Naturally, she wasn’t talented in drawings which were noted by Louis who accidentally caught sight of one of her drawings; he ruled it a drawing book for babies ever since then. Her drawings consisted of poop-like drawings which only she could decipher what it truly meant. It was drawings of her former family’s martial arts, something she had been trying to recall ever since coming to this world. Unfortunately, she had forgotten most of the moves she had seen in her former family's martial arts book, but fortunately, she still had some memories.

She'd been marking down the moves in an attempt to remember more of what she'd seen when she was younger. And, unsurprisingly, it had been difficult. Just 7 moves took a lot of effort and dedication to remember.

“What is the book for?” Aernest asked her.

“Defence and Offense moves,” Eugene replied with nonchalantly.

Aernest’s eyes widened, “Moves you thought of yourself?!”

“N-” Just as she was about to say no, she changed her mind, “...Yes.” She pursed her lips. She almost let it slip that these weren’t moves made by herself. If she had said no, Aernest would’ve asked whose moves they were by, and by then, she wouldn’t be able to answer.

Aernest eyes sparkled and twinkled. They looked at Eugene in admiration and love, as if she was an otherworldly genius.

“.....” Eugene’s eyes slowly moved the other way…

All of a sudden Aernest’s eyes widened in realization, “Are they the moves you had practiced yesterday?” His voice contained admiration as he asked.

Eugene nodded, “Yes.” The moves… I failed to recreate it.

Aernest covered his mouth with his hands. He looked incredibly embarrassed and apologetic, “I’m sorry sister. I thought you were just… dancing. But, come to think of it, you'd never break out into a dance during individual training…” He trailed off as he looked at her nervously.

“.....” Eugene's lips trembled and she couldn’t say anything.

Her former family martial arts are hard alright? It was difficult learning without any external guidance, alright? Sure, she made a fool of herself by tripping and falling all over the place while trying to practice this one move that required a lot of flexibility in her legs, but was it because she was still in a child's body and hadn't found a proper balance yet, alright? It's totally not because she was clueless and didn't know what to do... okay?!

Aernest laughed, “I mean... sister, rolled on the grass, attempted the impossible move with your legs raised high to kick a tree that was only a few centimeters away from you, and a variety of other things... I honestly thought you were dancing.”

“....” She was not satisfied that Aernest was targeting her and poked at him,

“And yourself? You stare at the ground and lay there doing nothing most of the time?!” Her chin was raised high as she accused.

Aernest blinked, “That’s just my stupid look…” he refuted instantly.

Eugene’s lips twitched.

Seeing her unsatisfied face, Aernest sighed and confessed, “I was training to listen to vibrations coming from the ground.” It wasn’t that he was laying on the ground doing nothing, but he was focusing his senses on his ears.

Back in Zene, when they were trapped inside the hidden room, his ears were able to pick up sounds through the thick door even when there were many people inside the room with him. He wanted to do that again which was why he had been training his ears.

“...” Eugene watched Aernest carefully before turning away. In conclusion, they both appeared stupid because they were doing their best with their individual training.