"How does that even happen?" I frowned slightly. "A guy turning into a girl out of nowhere?"
Across from me, Anathasia leaned back against the couch beside Liscia while Arianne finished braiding Fran's hair. Arianne nodded, setting the brush down on the table before looking between Liscia and me.
"That was actually why I brought him up," she admitted. "I was wondering if any of you had an idea why that happened."
Her gaze drifted elsewhere, becoming distant.
"And my niece is apparently considering turning bisexual because of it."
A small sigh escaped her.
"She has quite a crush on him."
"It's not exactly a problem," she continued. "But Marianne might not take it very well if she finds out."
Both Liscia and Anathasia immediately froze at the mention of Marianne.
They exchanged a brief glance. Then very deliberately looked anywhere except Arianne.
...
I wasn't even going to ask. Whatever they did in the past, I already knew it was probably bad.
"Marianne, huh..." I murmured.
After a moment, I looked back at Arianne.
"Wait. Where is she living these days anyway?"
A pause.
"And she already has a daughter around Fran's age?"
Arianne nodded and leaned back into the couch.
"She got married not long after college."
She tilted her head thoughtfully.
"To a man named Hilbert Venturini, if I'm remembering correctly."
I nodded.
Meanwhile, Anathasia and Liscia suddenly looked oddly impressed. They even started giving a few quiet claps.
"Wow."
Liscia raised both hands.
"Alright, how should I put this?"
She looked genuinely pleased.
"I'm glad your older sister finally found her happiness."
"Same here," Anathasia added, raising a hand before lowering it again.
A small smile appeared on her face as she looked out the window.
"But she has a family of her own now, huh..."
For a brief moment, her expression softened. Then Liscia ruined it immediately.
"That's actually disgusting, by the way."
The smile vanished. Anathasia slowly turned toward her.
Deadpan.
"Can you shut up for, like, five minutes?"
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Alright, alright. Enough bickering."
Both of them turned toward me. I sat up slightly before gesturing toward Arianne.
Anathasia cleared her throat.
"Anyway."
She pointed toward her.
"The boy turned into a girl, you said?"
"Like those gender-bender novels I've been reading lately."
Her finger moved to her chin.
"Kind of like what I've been suggesting to Kyle recently."
She nodded to herself.
"Turning him into a girl."
I stared at her.
"Okay, now you're getting off topic again."
"And why am I the subject this time?"
"I thought we were talking about the Disvinadiya kid."
Across from us, Liscia suddenly looked thoughtful.
Then she nodded.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Before holding out her hand toward Anathasia. The two immediately clasped hands in agreement.
"A fine imagination you have, Anathasia Veridielle Augthoria."
"Of course."
Anathasia looked proud of herself.
"Our tastes have always been top-tier."
Liscia nodded solemnly.
"Couldn't have said it better myself."
A sigh escaped me. I ran a hand through my hair while Lena gently patted my back.
"It's okay, Dad."
She rubbed my shoulder reassuringly.
"Fran and I are still normal."
A pause.
"We didn't inherit Mom's weirdness."
Somehow, that actually made me feel slightly better.
"Lena..."
At that moment, Lena and Fran genuinely looked more like angels than daughters. Meanwhile, Anathasia and Liscia resembled the tiny devils that sat on cartoon characters' shoulders.
"Okay, okay."
Anathasia finally waved her hands.
"Enough joking around."
The room settled down. Or at least as much as it ever could.
"A boy turning into a girl..." she mused.
"That's definitely strange."
Her expression grew thoughtful.
"But not completely impossible." she stopped briefly.
"Well. Impossible for normal humans, maybe."
"A very unusual phenomenon," Liscia agreed.
Her tone had shifted entirely now. Leaning forward against the coffee table, she rested her chin atop her folded hands.
"But are we actually going to interfere?"
Her gaze swept across the room.
Silence followed.
Lena had already moved to the floor and opened a chess set.
Egrathiel quietly sat across from her. Fran had somehow switched roles with Arianne and was now braiding her hair instead.
As for Anathasia...
She had somehow shrunk herself down to a plush-sized version of herself and was waddling across the couch.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
No one answered.
Liscia buried her face in her hands and groaned.
"Fine."
Her voice came out muffled.
"No interfering."
The tiny Anathasia immediately hopped off the couch and waddled toward me.
Both arms raised expectantly.
Without much thought, I picked her up and set her on my lap. She adjusted herself comfortably before shrugging.
"It's probably best not to interfere anyway."
Her tiny voice squeaked slightly.
"Who knows?"
She leaned back.
"Maybe it's another Author trying to write something."
A casual shrug followed.
"Depends, I guess."
Then she yawned.
"I'm not really interested in getting involved."
A small sigh escaped me as my hand gently brushed through Anathasia's hair. She remained perched comfortably on my lap, staring off into the distance at something only she seemed interested in.
Or perhaps nothing at all.
With Anathasia, it was hard to tell.
Across from us, Liscia already sprawled across the couch again, occupying far more space than necessary while staring at the ceiling as if she exhausted herself simply by participating in the conversation.
The room gradually settled into a comfortable silence.
—
Somewhere within the city.
A daycare.
Warm sunlight filtered through the large windows, illuminating the room where dozens of children busied themselves with drawings, toys, and endless conversations that seemed to overlap into one cheerful blur.
Rhea stood quietly near one side of the room. A small smile rested on her lips as she watched the children play.
For a brief moment, everything felt peaceful.
Then a young boy hurried over to her, clutching two crayons in his small hands.
"Miss Rhea! Miss Rhea!"
He raised them toward her.
"How do I make the color green? My crayons don't have one..."
The little boy looked down for a second before lifting his gaze hopefully toward her.
Rhea blinked.
Then smiled.
"Give me the blue and yellow crayons for a moment."
The boy looked slightly confused but handed them over anyway.
Rhea casually materialized a small piece of paper on her palm.
The boy didn't even question it.
At this point, most of the children had simply accepted that Miss Rhea occasionally did strange things. Using the blue crayon first, she drew a thick line across the paper.
Then she carefully colored over it with yellow.
The boy's eyes widened.
The colors blended together.
Green.
A bright, vibrant green.
Rhea handed the crayons back before gently patting his head.
"That's how, little Thomas."
Her smile softened.
"If you ever have more questions, just come ask Miss Rhea, alright?"
The boy immediately nodded.
His entire face brightened.
"Okay!"
Then he ran off toward the other children gathered around one of the tables. Rhea watched him go, her smile lingering.
Then—
"Miss Rhea Solenne?"
A voice called from the doorway.
She turned.
An elderly woman stood there, one hand resting against the frame.
"Yes?"
"Someone's looking for you."
The old woman smiled.
"They said they're an acquaintance of yours."
A brief flicker of confusion crossed Rhea's face.
Still, she nodded and made her way toward the doorway. As she stepped closer, the elderly woman gently patted her shoulder.
"I'll watch the children for now."
A quiet laugh escaped her.
"They seemed rather important."
Then she tilted her head.
"Eirydra, was it?"
Rhea froze.
Just slightly.
"That was the name they gave."
The old woman smiled warmly.
"Goodness, Miss Rhea certainly has some impressive acquaintances."
She rested her cheek against her palm while observing the younger woman.
"Honestly, it's still surprising."
Rhea glanced back.
The old woman continued.
"You're friends with the Abes."
"You're talented."
"You're capable."
A small shrug followed.
"And you're young and beautiful enough to have become a model if you wanted."
The old woman chuckled.
"Though don't misunderstand me."
"I appreciate everything you've done for the daycare."
For a few moments, Rhea remained silent. The breeze gently stirred her silver hair. Eventually, she looked back over her shoulder. A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"I just enjoy taking care of children, Mrs. Lilith."
Her voice carried a simple sincerity.
"Helping guide them."
"Nurturing them."
She glanced toward the classroom.
"It feels more fulfilling to me than simply earning more money."
Mrs. Lilith blinked.
For a moment, she found herself speechless. A strange warmth spread through her chest.
...How noble...
Rhea turned around and began walking away.
Then—
Thud.
She immediately tripped and landed face-first on the pavement. Mrs. Lilith's expression flattened. The warmth vanished instantly.
...If only she wasn't so airheaded.
"Ow..."
Rhea groaned softly.
Pushing herself back up, she dusted off her shirt and knee-length skirt before quickly fixing her hair.
As though nothing had happened.
Outside the daycare, a sleek black BMW sat parked by the roadside.
Leaning casually against it was a woman with striking red hair and golden eyes. Her arms were crossed as she watched Rhea emerge from the building. A whistle escaped her lips.
"Wow."
Her gaze traveled from head to toe.
"For the Original Creator, you really seem..."
She paused.
"Not particularly put together."
Rhea's eye twitched.
"Why are you here exactly?"
Her expression flattened immediately.
"Eirydra Virelai?"