A lighthearted quarrel had broken out in front of Al, this time between Clarista and Yura. To him, the whole thing was nothing short of foolish. He had grown accustomed to the members of the Virellano family refusing to acknowledge him, and while that rejection was irritating in itself, what truly bothered him was being dragged into arguments that served absolutely no purpose.

Al lowered his head slightly, his fingers drumming lazily against his thigh, the small motion betraying the irritation simmering within. He let out a long, heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging as though weighed down by exhaustion, and his half-lidded eyes narrowed as if he wished he could simply erase the noise surrounding him.

At last, with clear reluctance yet also a hint of firmness, he raised his voice to cut through the useless chatter.

"I am the youngest child of this family!" he declared, loud and direct.

But—

"HWAAAAA!!"

A piercing scream erupted, cutting him off completely.

The sound tore through the air like a bolt of lightning, shattering the fragile calm of the morning. Birds exploded into the sky in panic, construction workers nearby dropped their tools with clattering noise, and in an instant the atmosphere quivered with dread as everyone instinctively turned toward the origin of the cry.

Yura, Clarista, and the others followed the crowd of startled gazes, their attention yanked away from the pointless argument.

Several figures came running toward them, and among them was Aurielle. She was screaming at the top of her lungs, still clad in her nightclothes, her steps unsteady as if her body could no longer properly carry her weight. Her pale face was streaked with tears that poured endlessly down her cheeks, and her sobs carried raw terror.

Behind her, Vianna moved in a far steadier stride, every motion sharp with combat readiness. Her vigilant eyes repeatedly flicked toward the eastern side of the mansion—the source of the terrifying disturbance that polluted the morning air. She looked around with the intensity of a predator scanning for its prey, her entire posture leaning forward, prepared to strike at any danger.

A few bodyguards rushed close behind them, ensuring the safety of the young mistresses. From farther away, more of the Virellano security force could already be seen mobilizing, heading toward the eastern side as well. Only those sensitive to mystical energy would truly perceive the ominous aura radiating from that direction, but the sheer weight of it unsettled even those who could not fully grasp it.

Aurielle reached them first and immediately threw herself into Clarista's arms, still sobbing uncontrollably.

"Big sis, what's wrong? What happened?" Clarista asked in panic.

"T-There… the house… danger… uwaaa!" Aurielle stammered incoherently, pointing toward the mansion with trembling hands as her words dissolved into cries.

Clarista held her tightly, shaking her shoulders gently in an attempt to calm her down. Her worried eyes, however, darted toward the rest of the group rushing closer.

"What is going on, sis?" Clarista pressed, growing more and more confused. She knew Aurielle well; her eldest sister was both one of the strongest and at the same time the most easily frightened when it came to genuine threats. That fact alone meant that if Aurielle was crying like this, then the situation was unquestionably dangerous. It was enough for Clarista to make a quick deduction—whatever was happening, it was not something trivial.

Vianna arrived a moment later with several more guards. She was slightly out of breath, perhaps still drained from prior exertion, but her body remained taut and prepared to defend. The bodyguards instantly spread out, forming protective positions around the young mistresses.

"Where is David?" Vianna demanded.

"He… wasn't he just inside the house? He went... Um, what's going on, sis?" Clarista replied nervously.

Vianna and Aurielle exchanged a brief glance. That short meeting of eyes lasted no more than a heartbeat, yet it carried a thousand unspoken worries. Both seemed to understand instinctively that whatever was waiting in the east was nothing ordinary.

Aurielle, even through her tears, caught the tension written all over Vianna's face. Her instincts as an elder sister told her that Vianna was about to rush into danger to save David, convinced he was in peril.

Aurielle quickly broke away from Clarista's embrace and stepped in front of Vianna to stop her.

"Vianna, don't! You said Dedy and Uncle Acok already went there. Leave it to them. They will protect David." Her voice cracked, trembling with fear even as she barked the words.

"But sis, David is in danger," Vianna retorted firmly.

"I know that, but… you too…" Aurielle tried to explain, stumbling over her words, her unstable emotions making it even harder. Of course she wanted David safe, desperately so. But the thought of Vianna charging recklessly into that unknown danger was unbearable. Both of them were her younger siblings. And judging by how Vianna described the situation, it sounded like something truly dire. There was no way Aurielle could simply allow Vianna to go.

Vianna clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her body screaming at her to move, to fight, yet her respect for Aurielle kept her frozen in place.

Impulsive as she was, Vianna had always respected and obeyed Aurielle. Even though she was fully capable of acting on her own, in this moment she hesitated to go against her elder sister's orders.

Clarista stepped closer, her curiosity overflowing and her anxiety rising.

"Sis, what's going on? What about David? Why are you all running like this, and why are you crying?" she rattled off a series of questions without pause.

Not far from them, Al stood still, his earlier declaration buried under this sudden storm of chaos. He looked at the scene with visible boredom, his jaw tightening slightly, his eyes flat and uninterested in joining their panic. His hand lifted faintly before dropping back to his side, as if he outright refused to be drawn into the whirlpool of fear.

Yura, still holding onto Al's arm, glanced at him and asked in a sharp tone,

"Did you say something just now?"

"No. What could I possibly have to say?" Al replied curtly, his expression dripping with annoyance and disinterest.

Yura studied him for a second, unconvinced, but chose not to pursue it further. Instead, she turned her attention back to the three sisters. She could sense that something was terribly wrong around the mansion, though she couldn't yet put her finger on it.

Her gaze shifted toward Devy, but Devy only shook her head, equally uncertain.

At that moment, Vianna finally explained to her sisters.

"Something dangerous is emanating from the eastern side of the house. I don't know exactly what it is, but Dedy and Uncle Acok went ahead. Mother and Father should already be secured. I just hope they and David will be safe." Her voice trembled, yet her words carried unwavering firmness. And the instant the word "danger" left her lips, a collective chill crawled down everyone's spines.

Clarista's eyes widened, disbelief painted on her face. The explanation was short, but coming from Vianna, it was enough for her to accept. She recalled the discomfort she had felt earlier, right after David was slapped by Yura and ran inside. That memory only deepened her confusion.

"But sis, David was just here with us. He ran inside only moments ago. Didn't you see him go in?" Clarista asked.

Both Vianna and Aurielle shook their heads. But then Aurielle's gaze caught on something that froze her thoughts.

Standing before her were Fani, Al, and two beautiful young women. One of them was clutching Al's arm tightly.

Al stood with his usual indifferent posture, as though the storm around him was none of his concern. Yet the sight of Yura gripping his arm created a visual tension impossible to ignore. The contrast between Al's nonchalance and the panic around him only made the scene more surreal.

Aurielle stepped closer, squinting to examine the familiar-looking girl. It took only a moment before realization struck.

"You're Yura… Yura Atenri, aren't you?" she said cautiously.

Her words immediately drew Vianna's attention as well. Only now, amid her panic, did she finally notice Al and the others. The name Yura Atenri was one she knew very well.

Yura nodded politely.

"Good morning, Sister Aurielle, and Sister Vianna as well. I'm glad you still remember me," she said with a small bow.

"You… you're really Yura?!" Aurielle gasped. "Wow, you've changed so much… you've become even more beautiful. I almost didn't recognize you." Despite the dire situation, she couldn't help blurting out her admiration.

Yura smiled and nodded again.

But both Vianna and Aurielle found themselves struck with renewed disbelief. What they were witnessing was something that should have been impossible—Yura Atenri holding hands with Al.

Their eyes widened, the very air around them seeming to freeze. For a fleeting moment, their fear of the danger at the mansion was eclipsed by sheer shock at the absurd sight. Their hearts pounded in their chests as though the very foundation of their understanding had been shaken.

Aurielle, her swollen eyes still red from tears, stepped closer, her voice trembling.

"You're not lying, are you? Are you truly Yura? Why do I find it so hard to believe?" she pressed, desperate to confirm what she was seeing. To her, the idea that the real Yura could share such intimate closeness with Al was beyond reason.

Vianna, meanwhile, locked eyes with Al, staring at the boy she had always dismissed.

Al met her gaze with indifference, silently wishing there would be no more family drama thrown at him.

Fortunately, Vianna's mind was still occupied with David's safety, leaving her no time to pick a fight with Al. Still, it was undeniably strange to see such a beautiful girl willingly stain her hands by holding onto him.

"Yes, she really is Yura, sis," Clarista interjected.

Aurielle and Vianna turned toward her, still unable to fully accept it. But Clarista's next words made reality seem even more surreal.

"…and apparently, she and Al are dating," Clarista added with a flat tone.

Aurielle's hands flew to her mouth. She simply could not believe it.

But before they could process it further, the ground shook violently. A thunderous explosion echoed from the direction of the eastern mansion.

Everyone turned toward the blast, eyes wide. Without a single word, Vianna bolted.

This time, Aurielle didn't try to stop her.

Because she knew—this was real danger.

Meanwhile, Al, who had seemed indifferent until now, suddenly widened his eyes.

Without Yura noticing, he slipped his arm free from her grip. But instead of running toward the east, where the explosion had erupted, he dashed in the opposite direction—toward the west side of the estate. Whatever he intended, it was not the action of someone careless. It was a calculated move, one surely rooted in a plan of his own.

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