The morning sky was overcast.

It didn't seem like it would rain, but the clouds that filled the sky seemed endless.

…Clouds that won't bring rain are darker.

With this newfound thought, I finished getting ready to go out.

Normally, it would be the time to head to Constel.

But today, my steps took a different direction.

Then,

"Where are you going?"

I was caught by Malia.

She seemed to have been waiting for me at the top of the hill road I was heading towards.

"This isn't the way to Constel. Planning to skip out?"

"…Then you're doing the same, Mom."

"Ha, that's true,"

Malia laughed.

It was a genuine laugh.

"How did you know I'd come this way?"

"There's nothing your mom doesn't know."

"Are you going to stop me?"

"No, why would I stop you?"

Malia ran her fingers through her long hair once.

As she slowly walked towards me, a familiar scent wafted from her.

"The monsters' attack is starting, isn't it?"

"…Yes."

"And you're trying to stop it?"

"Stopping it is the job of the other students."

I'm not here to stop the attack.

But to eliminate its cause.

Swoosh-

Malia's hand touched my cheek.

"If it were the old you, you'd have used this as an excuse to run away."

Then I understood. The identity of this familiar scent.

"It's not the look in your eyes from before."

This was the scent of my mother.

Different from the scent of my mother before coming here.

Yet still,

"Go ahead. Instead,"

Malia's hand that touched my cheek moved to cover my right eye.

Avril family bloodline skill

Sensory Sharing

Her hand touching my right eye shone with light.

Yet, I felt nothing special.

But I understand its meaning.

Malia had lived under the name "Malia Avril" until she married Enfer.

And the Avril family has a bloodline skill passed down through generations.

Just as Philly, a descendant of Vala, could "foresee."

Malia's Sensory Sharing allows one to share one of the five senses with another person.

This time, it was my sight that was shared.

Malia could also see what I was seeing through my eyes.

"Lend me your eyes. So that I can come to you whenever."

Malia said this with a face full of affection.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I said,

"Please, don't come to me. Protect Constel instead."

"Of course. As long as you return without getting hurt."

That might be difficult.

I blinked for a moment and then said,

"I will."

Vroom-

Then, from afar, the sound of a car engine approached.

A luxury sedan stopped in front of us, and the rear window opened.

"Are you ready?"

It was Philly.

Philly waved her hand at Malia, who stood in front of me, seemingly unsurprised to see her.

"Let's go then."

"Take care."

I nodded to Malia and then turned around.

As soon as we got into the car, the sedan immediately started moving.

"So, where do we go?"

"3 kilometers west of the royal family. Please stop there."

"Is my daughter there?"

"No. We'll get off there and walk a bit. Send the car back to the royal family."

"We can't drive there?"

"We have to enter the forest, so the car can't go in."

This is one of the reasons to send the car back to the royal family.

The more important reason is that there's a risk Elysia might spot the car and flee.

If that happens, Elysia would head to the royal family, and it would only complicate matters further by possibly framing Philly.

Such a troublesome situation must be avoided.

"Hmm."

Philly seemed to accept this reasoning and nodded.

"I still can't believe it. That one of my daughters could be the culprit."

Philly sighed as he spoke.

Philly still doesn't know that Elysia is the culprit.

"…Philly, may I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Can you really treat your own daughter as an enemy?"

I know how Philly will answer this question.

So, from the perspective of gathering information, it's meaningless.

But it's something that must be said.

For Philly himself, I had to ask this question.

"Of course. If they are my enemy, it doesn't matter if it's my daughter or anyone else. They will be excluded."

...Right.

This answer is correct.

It's the real answer that comes from her own heart.

──But one thing is certain.

Philly's thoughts are still lax.

She will soon realize that it's not so simple.