━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Chapter 8 ━☂

╰┈➤ ❝ [New Friends] ❞

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☆

Standing still beside Elizabeth (Y/n) carried a closed-eye smile glued on her face, expression composed yet jubilant as her pointer finger was held closely by the infant that was being carried by Mother who didn't seem to offer much recognition to the crowd before her, but to the radiant lady next to her. With vivid orange hair that seemed remarkably soft for even the air to influence and sky-blue eyes as transparent as a lake, the adolescents that were standing eagerly couldn't help but coo at the new arrival with affection.

"Let me introduce her. This is your newest little sister, Carol. And this is Sister Krone. She's here to help me." Hearing her name being introduced, Krone gave the youths before her a gentle smile, mirroring the exterior expression that (Y/n) presently had. Even with the timid infant beside her, (Y/n) couldn't feel even an ounce of comfort as she stood next to someone who she now considered as an enemy.

"A-An adult?"

"Another enemy."

The murmurs could only be picked up by (Y/n) sensitive ears as the uncertainty and dread that the two had were perceived by her clearly, driving her to worry about what was to develop with the thought processes of those children. Perhaps the current opponent would serve as too much for the two of them...

"I will be living here with all of you starting today. It's nice to meet you." Statements of greeting soon chimed up as the only thing the three chief guardians of the Grace Field House could be spotted wearing were loving smiles and welcoming stature. (Y/n) didn't even need to open her eyes to know that Isabella was mockingly staring at the two geniuses, already realizing that she had secured an upper hand. Which the two were bitter to state; that she had undoubtedly achieved an influential card in her hand.

─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

"I was distracted by the tracking devices that I didn't think we would get another adult." Sheltering inside of the deserted library, all four of them settled around, thinking of their new opposition as they all struggled to shed some light upon the situation, which wasn't going that excellently as both Emma and Norman were dismayed by the recent appearance. Fixing Ray's collar with attentiveness in her eyes (Y/n) barely paid any mind to what they were debating as of the moment, as she was more worried about the appearance of Ray. No sibling of hers is going to look like an uneducated youth whilst she lived!

"Actually, we should be happy about this."

"What? Be happy?"

"Do you think it is ever pleasant times when the enemy has gained more power? War is all about how much strength another has—that and some other things—but mostly power." Absentmindedly mentioning this (Y/n) didn't glance away from the choker as she alleviated the wrinkled edges, gradually becoming annoyed by its inflexibility to submit.

"Carol and Sister Krone. We have to more sources of information." After hearing his statement (Y/n) couldn't help but agree with her thoughts, yet still didn't wish to admit it because of her awareness of Ray's integrity.

The eyes are the window to the soul.

"I see."

"First, where do those two come from?"

"Carol is Conny's replacement. So they're replenishing the merchandise."

"Yeah, if this place is a farm, they must have a site where they prepare one-year-olds for replenishment."

"So, do all of us come from there originally?"

"Yes." Jerking their heads towards the beaming (Y/n) the three of them couldn't help but note the assurance behind her words as if she knew where it was. Noticing their building suspicions (Y/n) covered her mouth with her gloved hand and chortled, pacifying the three down immediately. "I recall arriving there once, but I have never met Sister Krone. We just mainly studied how to care for our future siblings with no understanding of the outer world. It was a rather... dull system if you could think of it." Opening a random book (Y/n) studied the layout of a butterfly with its diverse qualities mentioned down on a journal by hand.

"But don't we already have a Sister? Why would we need someone like Krone?" Crossing her arms over her chest in disdain (Y/n) smiled as she patted Emma's head in satisfaction. "Another Sister hurt no one if they were inattentive to the truth. Besides, Mother might see me as a newbie to the system—of which I am—and has picked someone more sophisticated for the role. So we can't particularly denounce her—especially if the elderly Sister knew nothing of the actual reason she was there." Shutting the book softly (Y/n) smoothly placed it back, her eyes closed as she dawdled near the bookcase for a while longer.

Though Emma didn't seem to listen to her as she brooded in the corner, a firm frown on her lips as she refused to acknowledge the new Sister. Emma knew well for what the new Sister was there for, yet the thought that she was there to take (Y/n) place infuriated her to no end. Maybe this was a way for Mother to get rid of (Y/n) by putting someone else in her place...

When she thought about the possibility, her heart couldn't help but turn icy as her entire body froze in shock.

'Sister is more competent than Sister Krone, so Mother demanding a new one is superfluous. So maintaining two Sisters here would also be unreasonable, so that would mean that one of them would have to go...'

"There might be other farms just like here, so are the adults that obey the demons under the control of demons from birth, or after they're captured? After we escape, things will change depending on that. But first, we need to figure out how to escape with everyone."

"And the locations of the tracking devices."

Hearing the two thoughts of the boys (Y/n) wandered over towards the table and sat on top of it, her eyes scrutinizing the library as a sour smile emerged. "If Mother is already apprehensive of the three of us, then wouldn't that mean that her working out that we are all in the abandoned library at night is the least bit questionable?" Putting forth her opinion, the three of them seemed to freeze for a while before they stopped, their bodies relaxing as they all turned to her with cheerful expressions—well, more like Emma and Norman did whilst Ray just stared at her with hollow eyes.

"That is where you, my dear Sister, come into play. You are the one who Mother depends on the most on this farm, and so if you were to notify her that since we were more mischievous than past few days because we went too far away from you, you have punished us by helping clean the library at night." Saying this with a sly smile (Y/n) just chuckled in enjoyment. Of course, the plan had a few plot holes that could be filled, and so she found it not much of a problem for her to fix. She would just tweak it here and there, no problem; but the serious problem wasn't this, but Ray...

Even when she already knew where Ray's loyalty truly lay, she couldn't help but feel dissatisfied by the way he went about it. There was seldom a choice, (Y/n) knew that, and so she figured she could only put aside her discomfort and go along with their arrangement.

"Well, I searched all over my body, but I didn't find any traces of something implanted."

"And nothing in our clothes or shoes."

"Based on humankind's existing technology, it probably uses radio waves, but that requires batteries. Something really small that wouldn't leave a scar, and with batteries that will last over ten years. That kind of product wouldn't exist in 2015." The explanation of Ray's seemed rather hollow for (Y/n), but who was she to complain?

"Meaning?"

"It'll be burdensome to predict the mechanism, find the location, and figure out how to break it, and we might as well give up if its technology originated from demons."

"What's so different from demons matched to humans in brainpower? I think you are giving too much credit to our foreign enemy. If we don't know how far their technology has reached, then why not try to think from our enemy's point of view instead? Where and what would be the most convenient place to implant a device?" Staying behind Emma as she meticulously braided her hair, (Y/n) watched as the three bowed down their heads and thought earnestly of where would be the least thinkable place to implant a device so great?

Whilst they were thinking (Y/n) glanced outside the window and towards the imposing wall, already seeing the smoke from a mile away.

"Carol!"

"Since she just arrived, she might have one."

"A mark..."

"... for the implant from the device! (Y/n)! This is it!" Turning around and hopping into her arms in joy, Emma smiled merrily up at her, only for that smile to waver as she ultimately understood what she had said. Not disliking the new term (Y/n) rubbed her head gently and smiled, showing a beatific expression on her face. "That was the first time that you have ever called me by my given name, Emma." Even when she said this with such a jubilant tone, Emma felt remorseful for saying her Sister's name, already covering her reddened face in her chest.

Snickering at her display (Y/n) kissed the top of her head, not perceiving the heat that converted her body, and she slowly tore away, staring down at her tenderly. "Do call me that more often. It felt nice." Watching as Emma nervously nodded (Y/n) smile increased.

"Well," Looking up towards the other two, (Y/n) gave them an appreciative smile. "are you ready to take the next step towards your freedom?"

What freedom?

𑁍┊𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐀 ˎˊ˗

⠀ ⠀________

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⠀⠀┊ ⊹ ⋆

⠀⠀┊. ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀

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ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴅᴀʏ/ɴɪɢʜᴛ ᴍʏ ʟᴏᴠᴇꜱ!

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