CHAPTER 191: TAKES ANOTHER HARD HIT

"Master... Master, I’m okay. You can put me down now."

Just as she was about to pass out, Demi suddenly got it—she still had a shot!

As long as Young Master Carlos was still in town, she still had a chance!

A second invitation!

Pergina set Demi down but kept her hands ready to catch her.

"You sure you’re alright?"

Demi waved her master off.

"I’m fine now. I’ve got it figured out. The dinner hasn’t even started yet—I can’t give up now!"

That last part came out loud and fierce, with a look that screamed she wasn’t backing down till she got what she wanted!

Pergina felt the knot in her chest loosen.

Anyone who could talk like that had to be okay.

From what she could sense, aside from her student being a little worked up, everything else checked out normal.

The two rounded the corner and headed down the street where their shop sat.

The second they turned the corner, a dark blur came flying at them!

"Look out! Master!"

Someone was going after Master!

Demi’s heart jumped—her senses hadn’t picked up a thing!

"What the—?"

Pergina just felt something soft slam into her arms, wiggling around like crazy.

"Master! I missed you so much!"

"Hey, it’s alright now. Master’s here."

Pergina found herself automatically stroking the mystery girl’s long hair, trying to calm her down.

"What the hell?"

Hearing this, Demi wondered if her ears were playing tricks on her.

"Master???"

This girl was calling her master... Master?

Could Young Master Carlos have been telling the truth?

Had Master been hiding another student from her this whole time?

"Hold up—who are you exactly?"

Pergina snapped back to reality, her hand freezing mid-stroke.

Who was this person?

In all her years, she didn’t remember taking on any other students.

"Master, I’m Kiri. Nice to finally meet you—I’ve missed you like crazy."

Kiri breathed in that faint, special scent from her master.

Sweet, but with just a hint of salt.

The kind of fragrance that only came from flowers blooming in fresh blood.

Nobody else could smell like that!

"Huh?"

That sounded really weird.

Pergina’s brain started working overtime, trying to remember.

Kiri?

The name meant absolutely nothing to her.

She didn’t remember tricking... er... taking on any other students.

Could someone really be pretending to be her?

Pergina scratched her head. What was there to fake about her current life anyway?

"Let’s get inside."

Pergina couldn’t make heads or tails of it, but she knew they couldn’t just stand around on the street.

Nosy neighbors were already gathering:

"Pergina’s kid is that big already?"

"Wait, didn’t everyone say she’s been single this whole time?"

"Look how happy that little one is—definitely has to be her real daughter!"

"But the kid doesn’t really look like Pergina..."

"Maybe it’s..."

"..."

"Whatever you say, Master!"

Kiri buried her face in her master’s arms, wanting to stay like this forever.

"Ugh..."

Pergina had no choice but to let Kiri cling to her as she hustled toward the shop.

Just as she was shutting the door, she spotted her actual student still standing there like a statue, white as a sheet and mumbling something.

"Demi, get in here!"

"Yeah..."

Demi shook herself out of it and hurried after them.

She had to get to the bottom of this mess!

"Slam!"

The shop door banged shut. With no more drama to watch, the gawking neighbors started wandering off...

Inside the shop.

"So... Kiri, right?"

"Yeah! Master, I’m right here!"

"Think you could let go for a minute?"

She wasn’t heavy, but the death glare from her actual student nearby was making Pergina’s skin crawl.

"Nope, don’t wanna."

Kiri acted all pouty, burying her head completely in Pergina’s chest like some baby bird clinging to its mama.

"This kid..."

Pergina threw up her hands. Stroking that soft hair, she couldn’t help but smile fondly.

That feeling...

It brought back memories.

How long had it been since the last time?

So long that Pergina’s memory was getting fuzzy.

She remembered someone else acting this clingy once upon a time.

Just like that, a warm feeling filled the air...

Demi ground her teeth.

She really is Master’s student!

Master lied to her!

She’d sworn up and down that Demi was her one and only student!

Demi felt like the world was spinning out of control.

Why was this world... why was everything working against her!

Why!

"Squeak squeak squeak!"

"Huh? Master, sounds like there’s a mouse!"

Kiri’s ears perked up as she looked around, all alert.

"Is there?"

Pergina’s eye twitched.

"That’s weird, it stopped."

Kiri looked everywhere but couldn’t spot any sign of mice.

"Maybe you heard wrong."

Pergina snuck a glance at her real student.

"Hmm..."

Kiri was dead certain she hadn’t imagined it.

She knew that sound way too well—every time she’d come to train, it would go off like clockwork.

But she could never catch whatever was making it.

Right then, a super sweet voice piped up:

"Master, when exactly did you take on this student?"

Demi’s pretty eyes curved into a smile, her face the picture of politeness as she asked her master.

"Senior!"

Senior was here too!

Kiri heard that familiar voice and launched herself forward!

Something came flying at her.

Demi caught it on instinct.

"Oof!"

Her chest took a direct hit.

"Ack!"

She could barely breathe.

"Senior, I missed you so much!"

Whatever was in her arms kept nuzzling around, making Demi’s face go bright red.

"You... who are you..."

She was completely lost—this was the first time the girl had ever dealt with something like this.

"It’s Kiri! Senior!"

Kiri had half her head buried in Demi’s chest, her voice all excited.

"Ki... Kiri?"

All that genuine joy and affection left Demi totally confused.

Kiri?

When did she get such an enthusiastic junior?

Had she lost her memory or something?

Side effects from pushing her brain too hard?

Kiri’s nose twitched a little.

Huh?

Where was that familiar smell of engine oil?

Wait...

Why wasn’t it hard at all?

Kiri looked puzzled and lifted her head, reaching out to poke around experimentally...

"Hey!"

"Whack!"

"Ow!"

Kiri grabbed her head, rolling around on the floor in pain.

"That hurt!"

A huge bump swelled up right before their eyes.

Pergina felt bad and pulled out some precious healing salve, carefully dabbing it on.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!"

Kiri looked like a kicked puppy, with tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes.

Pergina couldn’t help but scold:

"Demi, you hit her way too hard. Kiri’s a girl too."

"Master!"

Demi’s face went completely red as she crossed her arms over her chest, totally embarrassed and ticked off.

Sure, they were both girls, but that didn’t give anyone the right to go grabbing whatever they wanted.