[Dr. Stein''s POV]


    [Four Years Ago]


    [The Academy Faction]


    Like every other night, I was up studying. It was my fifth and final year at the academy, so I wanted to do my best‐ no... I had to.


    Through the melody of a hardworking student, I had to bring my momentum to a halt at the sound of something calmer and gentler—something far more important to me than my future.


    "Big brother, can I come in?" An angelic, soft, and soothing voice asked behind the door after knocking twice.


    I got up from my seat and walked away from my desk. The door was unlocked, but I wanted to open it for her. Even if she could just tip-toe to pull the door handle down, I still found pleasure and happiness in doing these little things to make her life easier.


    "Big brother...?" She called out one last time before I opened the door.


    My ten-year-old little sister. She''s as tiny and fragile as a baby panda, and as kind as an angel. Truly a young goddess beginning her journey as an adolescent. Further supporting that claim, she didn''t look anything like me. Her eyes were blue like the calm ocean, and her hair was as alluring as a purple butterfly, also perfectly suiting her personality.


    Maybe that is why she always goes on about wanting to be independent despite her age. But, if she grows up too quickly, I might lose my reason to live.


    I rubbed her head gently while conversing with my selfish thoughts.


    But that is just me keeping her in a cage for my own comfort. I don''t want to trap this beautiful and adventurous butterfly when its lifespan is so short.


    She tilted her head, surfing her eyes around my room before frowning adorably.


    "Sorry, big brother. You have to study so hard for my sake," she apologized softly and sincerely while averting her gaze, feeling too guilty to meet mine. However, that didn''t last long for one who had so many cheerful resemblances from their appearance alone. "But don''t worry, big brother! In two years, I''ll be able to enter the academy and take care of myself!" She reassured, looking up at me with a toothy grin.


    "Yeah, I''m sure you H??AEUGH ?AEUGH will," I responded through coughs against my black mask.


    "Hehehe~," she expressed cheerfully and closed her eyes, leaning closer into my touch before opening them again brimming with concern. "But... Are you okay, big brother? Don''t push yourself..." She tugged on my t-shirt.


    "Don''t worry H??AEUGH ?AEUGH it''s just the usual H??AEUGH ?AEUGH."


    "There, there, big brother," she reassured, patting my back.


    "Anyway, did you H??AEUGH ?AEUGH need something? H??AEUGH ?AEUGH!"


    "Nooooo~ I just saw your light still on and decided to remind you to get some rest." She jumped into my arms, granting me a warm embrace, giggling cutely before pulling back. "''Night, big brother." She then pranced to her room.


    Watching her figure slowly fade back into her room, I glanced at my books. A part of me wanted to comply with her worries but after that heartfelt hug...


    I kind of want to study a bit longer before going to bed.


    I left the door open before I decided to tackle my work once more.


    <hr>


    "Mm...?" My eyes fluttered open before shutting closed tightly at the sudden outburst of rays from the window.


    Huh? When did I fall asleep?


    I surfed my hand across the counter, trying to figure out where I was—clearly not on my bed. I then began knocking off my stationary, giving me a hint of my whereabouts.


    Seriously...?


    I sat up straight, opening my eyes again. Ignoring my study material in front of me and the stationery on the ground, what caught my eye was something odd. A blanket was wrapped around me.


    "Good grief, that little sister of mine. Who''s taking care of who?" I murmured, followed by a cough. "That aside..." I looked at my analog clock on the wall, assessing the time before getting off my chair and straightening my blanket on the bed. "It''s time to get ready H??AEUGH ?AEUGH!"


    After leaving my room, my nose caught a whiff of a mouth-watering aroma surfacing from the kitchen.


    I still have a long way to go.


    Stuck between being proud and agitated, I decided to cool my head with a nice, cold shower.


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    What a strong girl you are. I don''t deserve you.


    Devoid of the cold shower''s effects, I rested my back against the wall and dropped to my butt. I slicked my bangs to the back and challenged the light bulb to a staring contest.


    My father was a man of many things, wealth, strength, intelligence, charisma... I could go on and on about how great and admirable he appeared on the surface, but on any day of the week, I would willingly trade any of those qualities for him to have what he lacked—self-control.


    On the other hand, my mother was the complete opposite. The only thing she had at her disposal was beauty and...kindness. Another thing my father lacked dearly. No, he was once upon a time a very kind man—timid, in fact. But what people don''t speak about is the inevitable truth that role models and influencers are also influenced by their fans.


    Greed. The sense of power. The feeling of being above everyone else.


    After he became a teacher at the prestigious academy—now the one and only academy that this nation has to offer—he lost his morals. It dissipated into thin air like his self-control, kindness, and...love. Or maybe that bastard just lost his sense of self-expression and self-awareness, but...


    Are there any words, mental disabilities...any sort of situation that justifies woman and child abuse and negligence?


    I placed my palm against my abdomen, recalling the unsightly scene of my precious little sister—the age of four at that time—becoming a punching bag for that man to test the power of his kicks. I then trailed my hand up to my throat and clenched it. I recalled the days I was forced to play the role of his dummy to test his grip strength. Alas, I covered my face with my hand, recalling the last victim—my mother—taking the force of his punches.


    I wasn''t only covering my face to imitate the area where she was abused, but also due to the shame burrowing into my soul. Unlike my little sister who had my mother''s appearance, I, unfortunately, looked like my father. With my appearance, neither my sister nor I could escape our traumatic past. But even after pushing that aside, I still had one more fear... of becoming that man.


    I try and try, and try my best to be kind and help my sister so that she doesn''t have to be filled with dread every time she sees me. But...


    Distancing my hand from my face, I dropped it senselessly on the ground embraced in cold water.


    She still hates me. She tries so hard to be independent because she''s scared of me. She doesn''t want to see my face. She doesn''t...want me in her life.


    "Big brother, are you okay in there?" She asked in a low tone outside of the bathroom. "You''re going to be late for class."


    Ugh. Good grief. Cold showers clear my head too much!


    I carefully got up to finish my business before exiting the bathroom.


    "Ah, big brother! You''re finally out!" She cheerfully called out, jumping into my arms.


    Even though she hates me, she is just as kind as how our mother was.


    "Come, big brother! I made you a biiiiig, healthy breakfast!" She tugged the hem of my t-shirt, drawing me to the dining table. "Eat up, okay?!"


    I nodded, slowly consuming the breakfast she made with so much care. With every bite, and the intel from my palate, I could tell how much time, attention, and research she dedicated to perfecting this meal. Not to mention that she took my illness into consideration. After each ingestion, my throat and chest felt lighter. Although it was a temporary solution to help me cope, it was sufficient to get me through the day.


    "Mm~ Delicious as usual, little sister of mine." I gave my compliments to the chef after finishing my hearty, nutritious meal. "Now then... I suppose it''s time." I got up and left the dining table.


    I entered my room and dressed myself in my academy uniform. A white shirt, a red tie, and a black blazer. After sneaking on black, casual pants and shoes, I rushed to the exit.


    "Aren''t you forgetting something, big brother?" She called out, creeping from behind.


    "Hm?" I pondered. "Nope."


    She pouted at my negligence and ignorance.


    "Ah~ I see, I see. Sorry." I released hold of the door handle and approached her. I then hugged her but she responded with a tighter embrace as if she was a mother that didn''t want to send her child off to the academy. "Goodbye, little sister. I''ll see you later, okay? Wait for me."


    "Mhm." She nodded and reluctantly weakened her hold of me. "Bye-bye, big brother."


    I pulled the door handle and walked past the open door, but stole one final glance at her heartwarming smile and cute posture before closing the door. I then sauntered my way to the academy building I was assigned to. Everyone was frightened by my appearance, so nobody wanted to befriend me. Well, that was beneficial in its own way. I didn''t have to wait for anyone or match their pace, granting me more control over my time.


    The house I lived in was supported by the king. In fact, every student''s building in the academy faction was. Initially, the academy was an average-sized building with the sole purpose of education. There were many alike, but it was the most prestigious. However, that changed after the Demiurge foretold about a war with the humans.


    The king then decided to prepare as much as possible by burning more funds into education. Furthermore, His Majesty wanted everyone to take the same classes...well, to a certain degree. Thus dawned upon the decision to create a single, big academy. It resided in the Indian Ocean alongside the Assault Faction, so it was easier for the graduates to enter the Assault Faction. It was efficient in various ways but it wasn''t really important to talk about.


    This turned out to be a massive success until two years ago when that incident happened...right...something that''d give any and every student chills when mentioned: The Apple Incident.


    Sounds funny and food-related, doesn''t it? Unfortunately, that wasn''t the case. It began two years ago when a fifth-year student was murdered in his apartment. There were no traces left behind other than an apple painted on the wall using the victim''s blood. The victim''s intestine was used to portray the apple''s stem, and the livers were used for the leaves.


    The knights who were in charge of the academy''s safety brushed it off as murder. But things quickly changed, and became mass murder. Ten students from each course and year were killed. The same as the first victim, there were no traces left behind and the very same decoration used the victim''s blood, intestine, and livers.


    However, it stopped a year later, becoming an unsolved case—The Apple Case. This easily led to the assumption that the culprit was a fifth-year student. This meant that the Assault Faction could anytime fall victim to that student if he or she felt like it. Nevertheless, his or her intentions were unknown. Not only that, everything about the culprit was unknown. To begin, we didn''t know whether it was the work of an individual or a group.


    Well, enough about that. I just said it to kill time instead of skipping my fifteen-minute walk. As I said, they were currently in the Assault Faction, so they were no longer the academy''s problem.


    "Now then..." I walked more attentively, setting foot on the academy''s ground.