Chapter 4

I took the bag and stared at the ID inside, still not able to make sense of it.

The thing I'd dreamed about for over a decade had just happened on this ordinary night.

"…When did you do this?"

"I've been right next to you the whole time. How did I not notice?"

Marianne ruffled my hair, grinning, pleased with herself.

"Your big sister's got serious powers now. Something this small, I don't even have to lift a finger!"

She tossed the delivery box into the trash and hurried me along.

"Your bag's already packed. I left it in the security booth. Go, quick."

"Remember. No matter what happens after this, you never give up on yourself."

I nodded hard, my eyes red, clutching the bag as I headed for the front of the complex.

Behind me came two questions, cold and furious.

"You little brat! Where do you think you're going this late!"

Fear I'd carried in my bones came rushing up.

I froze on instinct, and Marianne shoved me hard.

"What are you standing there for? Run!"

I stumbled, didn't dare look back, gritted my teeth, and threw myself forward.

But my body was weak from years of neglect. After a few steps my speed dropped no matter how I fought it.

Just as I was about to reach the gate of the complex.

A great force yanked me from behind.

Mom and Dad had my hair in their fists like they wanted to tear the whole scalp off my head.

"You filthy brat! You actually tried to run away from home!"

"Your sister never once fought back when she was alive, and she never ran away!"

"We've been far too soft on you! We're sending you to boot camp right now, and we'll fix you properly!"

I was so scared I couldn't even get out a scream.

As my mind went to pieces, Marianne pulled me out of my body and slipped back into it herself, shrieking at Mom and Dad.

"Let go! I'm Marianne! I've come back!"

The air went dead still.

I drifted off to the side, watching, dazed, as the color drained from their faces bit by bit.

I couldn't help letting out a breath.

Once they knew who Marianne was, surely they'd stop losing their minds…

Then, the next second.

A hard slap landed across Marianne's face.

Mom and Dad looked at her and sneered.

"So now you know to use that excuse to trick us into going soft?"

"Let me tell you. This time nothing you say is getting past us!"

Marianne froze for a moment, her face full of rage.

"I really am Marianne! Not your other daughter!"

"You've scared her half to death, do you understand!"

But no matter what she said.

Mom and Dad hauled her, still fighting, into their so-called training camp.

I watched Marianne get strapped down and put through shock treatment, and I paced around her frantic.

"Sis! Switch back with me, hurry!"

"This is my fault! I'll apologize to them!"

"You don't have to go through this for me!"

Guilt swallowed me whole, like a tide.

I dropped to my knees in front of my sister and broke down sobbing.

She only gave me a weak little smile.

【Silly girl. You're my baby sister. How could I bear to watch you suffer because of me?】

【And I'm a reaper now. This much pain… what is it, really?】

The moment she said it, a cold wind swept up all around us.

And in front of Mom and Dad and everyone in that training camp, their faces frozen in terror.

My sister's form rose slowly out of my body and turned her cold eyes on them.

"Mom. Dad. You already killed me all those years ago."

"And now you're going to use the same methods to kill my little sister too?!"