"Fran, we're visiting your little sister from Aegea," I called out, peeking from the bottom of the staircase. "Wanna come with?"
Silence.
My eyes narrowed slightly as I stood there, arms crossed.
"What's wrong?"
Anathasia's voice came from behind as she stepped out of the kitchen, still untying her hair while walking over.
"Fran's not answering... maybe she's still asleep?"
"Asleep?" she tilted her head a bit, crossing her arms. "Didn't she go out shortly after we left for our date yesterday?"
"Why?"
"To clear her head," my eyes stayed on the staircase above. "Or at least, that's what she told me..."
"Does it have something to do with the confessions and... other stuff she was complaining about yesterday?"
I nodded lightly, letting out a quiet sigh as I leaned against the wall beside the stairs.
"Confessions can take a toll on people too. Especially the guilt that comes with rejecting someone..."
From the corner of my eye, I saw Anathasia tilt her head, her eyes closing for a second.
"Really now... but it's not her fault they like her, right? Didn't they do it knowing they might get rejected or something?"
She gestured vaguely, an arm resting over her chest.
"That's what I always did back then."
I slowly lifted my gaze, staring at her flatly.
"Girl..."
"What?"
I shook my head slightly, about to say something-
when a sleepy voice came from Fran's room.
"I'll stay behind..."
A pause.
"I'm still really sleepy..."
Anathasia and I exchanged glances before nodding.
"Alright then. Sleep well."
"There's food on the table too," Anathasia added. "You can heat it up later if it gets cold, okay?"
A muffled hum came from inside.
"Eat well, alright? Don't go hungry."
When no response came, she glanced at me.
"Is she really fine...?"
"Weren't you just talking about confessions not being a big deal earlier?"
She frowned and lightly hit my chest.
"This is different, alright?"
She pulled her hand back slowly, her other hand wrapping around her fist as she stared at the floor.
"I'm not sure what... but it bothers me for some reason..."
My expression softened a bit as I looked back at the staircase. I reached out, ruffling her hair lightly before heading up.
"I'll check on her for a bit."
She nodded.
I made my way to the second floor, stopping in front of the first door in the hallway. A small sign hung in front of it-
Francesca.
I knocked gently, tapping three times.
"Fran? You okay over there?"
The sound of sheets shifting came from inside, followed by slow footsteps.
Then the door opened a moment later.
"Dad...?"
Her hair looked like she had just gotten out of bed. White strands sticking out in every direction, completely uncombed. Loose ends fell in soft waves as she rubbed her eyes.
"Is something wrong...?"
Francesca lifted her gaze, eyes still half-lidded as she let out a soft yawn, stretching her arms over her head.
The tinge of worry in my stomach eased seeing her like this.
But something still felt off...
Maybe it was just what Anathasia said earlier.
My hand reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face before gently pinching her cheek, making her wince a little.
"Whash goin on...?"
"Nothing," I shook my head lightly, letting out a small chuckle. "Just checking on our little princess."
Her face scrunched up, her cheek puffing slightly.
"Dad... come on, I'm already sixteen..."
A soft laugh slipped from me as I ruffled her hair.
"And you're still our little girl."
Her eyes widened slightly at that, then softened as she looked down. The corners of her lips lifted just a bit, even as she avoided my gaze.
"Dad's so corny... I just woke up..."
I smiled faintly, pulling my hand back and taking a step away from the doorway as she yawned again.
"Anyway, we're heading to Aegea. Just come find us if you feel like it, alright?"
Francesca raised a hand and gave me a lazy thumbs up, her other hand covering her mouth as another yawn slipped out.
"Mhm... will do..."
"Night night..."
She turned around and closed the door with a soft click, followed by the sound of sheets shifting before everything went quiet again.
A breath slipped from my lips as I turned to leave-
-only for Anathasia to suddenly materialize in front of me, not even trying to hide the worry on her face as she grabbed my hands.
"Well...?"
I glanced back at Francesca's door before meeting her gaze again.
"She's fine."
A pause.
"Or at least... that's how it looks. But-"
"There's something that doesn't feel right... right?" she cut in, already turning as she started pacing.
"Did we miss something...? Or am I just overthinking it...?"
Before she could circle me again, I reached out and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her back against me. Her body stiffened for a second.
She turned her head slightly, shooting me a glance.
"You-"
"Calm down, idiot. You're spiraling faster than a centrifuge."
Anathasia flinched, then visibly deflated as her body relaxed, her back pressing into my chest.
"I can't help it, okay...?" she mumbled. "I don't wanna make the same mistake with Francesca..."
Thud.
I lightly tapped her head with my knuckle.
She froze.
"...What was that for this time?"
"You won't make the same mistake, genius."
I buried my face into her hair, my hand idly running through it.
"You already moved past that, didn't you? Stop dragging it back."
"And there's two of us now. Lena and Egrathiel too."
I breathed in slowly. Something soft and floral lingering in her hair.
"We've got people we can ask for help now."
A small pause.
"And you've changed. A lot."
Her hand tightened around my arm for a second-
then slowly loosened.
But she never let go, her gaze drifting back toward Fran's door.
-
Later in Aegea.
After calming her down earlier, we arrived to find ourselves standing in front of what looked like... some kind of metallic monster. It rested along rail tracks that stretched far into the theocracy's territory.
"This is the prototype locomotive the academy scholars managed to build within a year," Roselia said, looking up at the towering exhaust chimney.
A pink-haired girl stood beside her, leaning against the machine as she traced its surface with her finger.
"Hm..."
She pulled back slightly, arms crossing as she gave it a once-over.
"I'd say it's more than ready for its first voyage."
Then she turned-
and her expression instantly lit up.
"Mom. Dad?"
Grace.
In the next second, her form flickered and she was suddenly right in front of me, arms wrapping around me before I could react.
"Oof-"
"Were you here to check on me?? I learned a lot from Aunt Roselia!"
She spoke fast... maybe a bit too fast, her eyes practically sparkling as she looked up at me.
"Yeah... something like that..."
I managed to say before she let go and turned to Anathasia.
Her expression softened.
She pinched the sides of her skirt, lowering her head politely.
"Welcome, Mom."
She lifted her gaze again, a small smile forming.
"I assume you're not just here to check on me, then?"
Anathasia stiffened slightly, raising an eyebrow before shooting me a quick glance.
Then she looked at Roselia-
who immediately turned away, pretending to check the machine.
When her gaze returned to Grace, a small smile formed on her lips.
"In a sense...? But-"
"It's about the student Reina, isn't it?"
Grace cut in before she could finish, a flicker of feigned cluelessness crossing her face.
"I've also noticed she's been digging a bit too deep into the historical tomes at the Academy of Elements and History lately," she added, crossing her arms as she glanced toward the academy tower.
"The air around her has been feeling strange too... something like coiled potential, just waiting to explode."
A small pause.
"Or perhaps awaken... in a sense."
Anathasia and I stared at each other, slightly dumbfounded.
[How does she even know...?] Anathasia's voice echoed in my mind.
But just as I was about to respond-
"Mom must be wondering how I know this, right?"
Grace tilted her head slightly, smiling.
Catching us off guard for the second time.
She held our gaze for a moment before continuing.
"I looked back... to the moment when Mom implanted my consciousness into Gungnir."
A small pause.
"But consciousness doesn't just come from nowhere," she added. "Not like physical or even metaphysical things do... at least not under normal rules."
Anathasia's gaze narrowed slightly, her fingers brushing against her chin as she thought.
"What exactly are you trying to say...?"
Grace's smile widened.
She took a step back, walking past me before spreading her arms out fully, her back resting lightly against the locomotive.
Then she turned to face all of us again.
"Demiurges aren't beings," she said.
"They're consciousnesses."
A pause.
"Self-aware laws that maintain the structure of a Demiurge's Image."
Her arms slowly lowered.
Anathasia's eyes widened.
"You-"
"That's right, Mom," Grace tilted her head slightly.
Then-
"I'm the Demiurge of this Image."