Encountering Sabrina was almost entirely by chance.

Despite scouring the party venue, I couldn’t find her, and with a mix of desperation and resignation, I had ventured down to the underground parking lot, where David’s plan would begin.

I hadn’t expected to see her alone, struggling to persuade David without anyone’s help. It was clear that in this worldline, Sabrina and Raven hadn’t crossed paths.

“Well, I guess it’s still a bit of luck. If she wasn’t here, we’d be in real trouble.”

The worst-case scenario would have been Sabrina getting injured, captured, or otherwise unable to come to the hotel.

At this point, she was the only person who knew the truth about the terror plot and Nemesis’s conspiracy. All I had to do was ensure she met Raven, and the events would likely resolve themselves.

“Alright, this is my chance. Let’s go.”

As David rejected his sister’s pleas, stepping into the elevator, and as Sabrina, tears streaming down her face, collapsed in front of the closing doors, I made my move.

Using telekinesis, I silently lowered myself from where I’d been clinging to the ceiling, landing softly on the floor behind her.

“Sniff… Onii-chan… Wh-what?! Who are you?!”

Her tear-streaked face twisted into shock as she scrambled backward on the floor, her fear momentarily cutting off her crying.

Well, nothing stops a child’s tears faster than sheer shock. I hadn’t planned to give her such a scare, but here we were. Straightening my posture, I stood tall and confidently met her gaze.

Once the initial panic subsided, she wiped her eyes on her sleeve and stood up, though her expression was still wary.

“Who… Who are you? A guard? No, you’re just a little kid…”
“….”
“Wait a minute! Were you eavesdropping on us just now?! Are you going to snitch?!”

She clenched her fists, taking a defensive stance. Her threatening posture was almost comical coming from someone my size, but I had to admit her technique looked solid.

“Oh wow, that’s the Iron Bear Fist style,” I thought to myself, briefly impressed. For someone my height and build, her presence was as commanding as an actual bear.

“No, focus! You need to clear up the misunderstanding first,” I reminded myself. “You need to let her know you’re here to help and guide her toward Raven.”

But just as I formulated my plan, I realized something critical.

“…Wait. How am I supposed to tell her any of this?”

“Answer me! Or I’ll break your face—mask and all!”
“…!”

Panic shot through me. I had completely forgotten that I couldn’t speak.

This was bad. Without the ability to explain myself, there was no way to avoid a beating. Shaking my head frantically, I raised my hands in surrender, then gestured with crossed fingers at my throat to indicate that I couldn’t talk.

“Can’t talk? You expect me to believe that…?”

Sabrina’s suspicion didn’t waver. Well, that was expected. Growing up in the underworld, she would naturally be cautious of any stranger, especially in a situation like this.

I needed to convince her otherwise—and quickly.

Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

I took a deep breath and began moving my hands in a specific pattern, forming round ears with my fingers and mimicking a bear’s playful motions.

Sabrina’s eyes widened.

“Wait… That’s… Reyne’s…!”
“…!”

That’s right! This was the bear imitation Reyne had created.

For Sabrina, who had faced prejudice even among other beastfolk due to her unique bear-like ears, Reyne had come up with this silly little dance to cheer her up.

This dance was a cherished memory, a private symbol of their bond. If Sabrina recognized it, she’d know I was on her side.

“…You… Reyne-neesan sent you?”
“….”
“I see… If you know that, you can’t be an enemy.”

Her tense shoulders finally relaxed, and she took a deep breath.

Phew. Looks like the bear dance worked. I allowed myself a moment of relief before considering the next step.

“But…” Sabrina’s voice was heavy with guilt. “I couldn’t stop him. You came to tell me it’s my fault, didn’t you?”
“…!”

No! That’s not what I was here for!

She cut me off before I could shake my head more vigorously.

“Even Reyne-neesan would have tried to stop him… It’s impossible to win against Nemesis. Fighting them is just… smashing an egg against a rock.”

Her voice was somber, her gaze fixed on the elevator doors.

And then, as if realizing something, she gave a small, bitter laugh and turned back to me.

“But you know what? I think Onii-chan already knows that. He’s not doing this because he can win—he’s doing it because he has to.”

I froze.

Wait a minute. Don’t tell me she’s about to—

“I’m going to help him.”
“…?!”
“I’m probably useless, but… maybe I can do something.”

No, no, no! That’s not the takeaway here!

If you don’t want your brother to die, this is the moment to look for someone who can help! Why are you suddenly deciding to join him instead?!

Did she misunderstand the bear dance? Did she think Reyne was still alive and fighting in captivity?

I was on the verge of panic, but the resolve on Sabrina’s face made it clear I couldn’t talk her out of it.

Ding.

The elevator doors slid open, and Sabrina stepped inside without hesitation.

Realizing the disaster that would unfold if she went alone, I bolted after her and slipped inside just as the doors closed.

“What are you doing? You’re supposed to stay here! Someone needs to tell Reyne-neesan what’s going on!”
“….”
“Fine. Do what you want. Don’t blame me if things go wrong.”

Though her words were sharp, I could tell by her expression that she was relieved I had followed her.

I sighed. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

If only I could use my telekinesis to drag her back to Raven—but if I did that, my secret would be out, and I’d risk drawing too much attention.

I racked my brain, searching for a solution as the elevator hummed upward.

And then it hit me.

“…Wait. Do I even need to stop her? What if I just help her make David’s plan succeed and lead him straight to Raven afterward?”

It was a reckless idea—throwing out the original sequence entirely and focusing only on the end result.

Sure, sticking to the original story had its merits, but hadn’t I already deviated too much for that to matter?

If I could just eliminate the two biggest obstacles—Lexi and the combat robots—David might actually pull it off.

And who better to deal with those obstacles than me?

I followed Sabrina out of the elevator, my mind spinning with possibilities.

“If I can use telekinesis strategically… keep myself safe and avoid revealing my powers… This might actually work.”

A mischievous grin crept across my face. For the first time in a while, I felt like I was in control.

*

The host's voice echoed across the hall as the product presentation paused for a break.

["That concludes the product introduction. Please take a short break, and we’ll resume shortly with a presentation showcasing groundbreaking innovations for the future of metahumans!"]

In the bustling banquet hall, Raven leaned against a pillar, a faint smirk curling his lips.

“Innovation, my foot.”

Alice, intrigued, turned toward him with wide eyes.

“Why? Isn’t a prosthetic usable by non-humans pretty groundbreaking?”

Raven scoffed, casually flicking his ear as if brushing away her naive enthusiasm.

“From what I’ve heard, this isn’t new. This technology already existed—around ten years ago, back during those blood-soaked wars.”

“Ten years ago?!”

Alice was visibly startled. She had assumed this was a revolutionary breakthrough, yet it seemed to be nothing more than recycled tech from the past.

When she gestured for him to explain, Raven shrugged and began.

“Why do you think non-humans couldn’t use prosthetics until now?”

“Well… because machines don’t interact with mana, right?”

“That’s part of it. But the bigger reason is that non-humans have vastly different body structures. No two species are alike.”

He gestured broadly, illustrating his point.

“Humans are different from orcs, just as orcs differ from elves. And that’s just scratching the surface. There are countless species out there, each with unique physiologies. How could a single prosthetic suit all of them?”

“Oh… that’s true. Now that you mention it, a wooden golem and a merfolk wouldn’t use the same prosthetic. It wouldn’t make sense.”

“Exactly. But this thing claims it can work for everyone. Why do you think that is?”

Alice tilted her head in thought, but no answer came to mind. She looked to Raven, silently asking for the answer.

“They’re using mana,” Raven explained. “Both golems and merfolk have mana flowing through their bodies. By interpreting the mana signals that occur when they move, the prosthetic reacts accordingly. It’s not impossible.”

“Whoa, that’s amazing! Because they have mana, it works!”

Alice clapped her hands in admiration, but Raven remained unimpressed.

“There’s a catch. If it reacts to mana, that means it also consumes it. Using a prosthetic like this drains the user’s mana just by wearing it, not to mention the strain it places on their body.”

“That… does sound like a serious issue.”

“Exactly. That’s why those desperate enough to use it eventually discard it. It’s not sustainable—it ends up doing more harm than good.”

His gaze darkened as he glanced toward the stage where the host had been speaking.

“Nemesis must know this. So why would they push something like this onto the market? What are they really after?”

Raven’s fingers twitched, his instincts itching as his thoughts deepened.

Meanwhile, Alice, who had been glancing around nervously, finally voiced her concern.

“By the way, Raven… Yuria still hasn’t come back from the restroom. Could she be lost? Maybe she’s turned into a missing kid…”

“Huh? Now that you mention it, where is she?”

Scratching the back of his head, Raven frowned. Yuria wasn’t the type to wander off aimlessly. She was responsible, calm, and hardly someone you’d worry about.

And yet, she was an employee under his care. No matter how capable she was, it was his responsibility to look out for her.

“Alright, I’ll go check on her. No point sticking around here anyway. Let’s take a quick look outside and then grab something to eat.”

“Yay! Let’s go!”

With a leisurely pace, Raven and Alice exited the banquet hall. Neither seemed particularly alarmed, their confidence in Yuria’s resourcefulness lending a sense of calm.

After all, what trouble could that small, seemingly innocent girl possibly cause?