Terrania's small hands were tensed, one tightly clutching Leticia's hem, the other firmly grasping Sanguinia's armguard.
She tilted her small face up, her chin tensed into a stubborn arc, gazing at Leticia with an expression she had never seen before.
In those pure golden eyes, the former cowardice and dependence had been swept away.
In its place was a nearly obsessive will, pressing heavily upon the air.
The surrounding clamor seemed to have been muted.
Fogremia's gaze, which had been admiring the new Sister's perfect form, paused. She turned her head with interest, her beautiful purple eyes flashing with the light of someone watching a show.
Angronia also stopped polishing her battle-axe, the heavy sound of metal friction coming to an abrupt halt.
In her amber pupils, Terrania's small figure was clearly reflected, occupying her entire field of vision.
The Sisters were all curious about what Her Majesty, who was usually as docile as a kitten, was about to do.
"What is it, Terra?"
Leticia squatted down, her long black hair falling like a waterfall. She brought herself to eye level with Terrania, her voice as gentle as ever.
A doting smile played on her lips, thinking the little one had made some new discovery or wanted to ask for a reward.
However, Terrania's next move shattered all her expectations.
The little girl let go of Leticia's hem and pointed a slender finger straight at the flawless Holy Angel beside her.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a childish, brook-no-argument declaration.
"Sister Leticia, she is mine."
That one sentence made everyone present freeze for a moment.
Light instantly blossomed on Sanguinia's holy and beautiful face.
That smile was like the sun breaking through the clouds, filled with supreme happiness and glory, almost dispelling all the surrounding shadows.
She bowed slightly, her heavenly voice filled with uncontrollable ecstasy.
"Yes, my Majesty, everything of mine belongs to you."
Hearing this, Angronia gave a low nasal grunt of approval, as if saying "that's only natural."
The smile at the corner of Fogremia's mouth became more playful. She crossed her arms elegantly, seemingly sensing that the good show had only just begun.
Leticia didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She was about to speak and correct the little one's strange logic.
But Terrania made another move.
Her small finger traced a determined arc in the air, turning to point at Leticia, who was squatting in front of her.
With the same serious and brook-no-argument tone, she added the second half of her declaration.
"You are hers, too."
"..."
The smile on Leticia's face shattered, freezing at the corners of her mouth.
She blinked, feeling as if her brain had stopped functioning for a moment.
She is mine.
You are hers, too.
This... what kind of Matryoshka logic is this?
If Sanguinia belonged to Terrania, and she belonged to Sanguinia, didn't that mean... she had become the possession of a possession?
Before Leticia could untangle this hierarchy, which was as complex as a theological debate.
Terrania seemed to see through her confusion. Her small brows furrowed slightly, seemingly dissatisfied with her sister's denseness.
She shook her head gently, her small face written with an expression of "I really can't do anything with you."
Then, she made a gesture that suddenly warmed everyone's hearts.
She let go of Sanguinia's hand, took small steps, and stood right between Leticia and Sanguinia.
She opened her thin little arms, stood on her tiptoes, and tried hard—even a bit clumsily—to pull these two "Sisters," who were much taller than her, into her embrace at the same time.
One of her cheeks pressed against Leticia's warm, smooth skin, smelling the cool fragrance on her sister.
The other side rubbed against Sanguinia's battle-skirt, woven from light and carrying a sun-like warmth.
A look of ultimate satisfaction appeared on her small face, making her squint her eyes comfortably.
Finally, with a voice full of childishness yet incomparably overbearing, she made the final, irrefutable summary of her seemingly contradictory declaration.
"So!"
"What is Sister's, is mine!"
"What is mine, is also Sister's!"
Boom!
This declaration, innocent to the extreme yet filled with supreme possessiveness, exploded in Leticia's heart like the warmest star!
All logic and all confusion vanished at this moment.
All that remained was an overflowing tenderness and doting that almost melted her divine body.
"Pfft—!"
Leticia finally couldn't help but laugh.
The laughter was crisp and pleasant, filled with uncontrollable joy from the bottom of her heart.
"You little rascal..."
She reached out her arms and pulled this little "Empress," who was struggling to maintain her hugging posture, along with Sanguinia, who had approached of her own accord with happiness written all over her face, into a tight, tight embrace!
Warmth passed silently between the three of them.
It was an indescribable, absolute sense of security called "family."
Sanguinia leaned her head gently on Leticia's shoulder and closed her sky-blue eyes, feeling this warmth called "home" that she had never experienced before.
At this moment, the last lingering echo of sadness belonging to Sanguinius, hidden deep within her soul, was completely smoothed over and vanished.
Watching this scene, Fogremia's beautiful purple eyes, which always carried a sense of scrutiny and pickiness, became softer than ever before.
She stepped forward with elegant strides, reaching out her flawless hand to gently rest it on Leticia's back, as if adding the final stroke to a perfect painting.
Seeing this, Angronia also shouldered her battle-axe and silently leaned in.
She didn't speak, but simply used her powerful, broad shoulders to gently brace against Fogremia's back, forming a solid bulwark.
She wasn't good at expressing herself, but this was her way.
Five people, five souls who had once carried different tragedies, huddled closely together at this moment in the most intimate manner.
Only at this moment did the core of the Genesis Sisterhood truly become inseparable.
After a long time.
In this atmosphere warm enough to melt steel, Leticia gently patted Terrania's little head.
Her gaze passed over the Sisters' shoulders and looked into the distance.
On the edge of the battlefield purified by Sanguinia's divine radiance, tens of thousands of red-eyed Blood Angels who had completely lost their sanity were still slaughtering each other like beasts, letting out meaningless roars.
They were the souls most deeply corrupted by the "Black Rage" in this historical slice, whom even Sanguinia's rebirth could not immediately awaken.
Leticia's voice was gentle, yet carried a hint of ironclad determination.
"Alright, my dears."
"Before we celebrate the official joining of our new family member..."
"There are still some 'minor troubles' that need to be dealt with."
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