Diya and Ren lifted their hands as if an invisible force was guiding them together in unison.

Sakuragi blinked beneath the bright light and began to focus her vision, that is when…she noticed them.

A teenage girl. While she was curious, her brows were furrowed which was not directed at Sakuragi but at Ren.

Yuna tilted her head. “Maa, this is the guy I told you about. His vast space is different from Haruki-san’s.”

Sakuragi’s breath hitched, and with a shudder, turned to Ren. “Ken, are they…?”

His response came with a faint nod, his eyes soft but serious as he pointed, “Look at her… you don’t feel anything?”

Sakuragi’s brows knitted together and her gaze returned to the girl. Her head tilted, as if her body was trying to catch up to her heart.

“Maa, is this the gift? But I already know him, right?”

“Wait! Maa, actually he….” and her voice trailed off. Her hand covered her mouth. Her eyes scanned the area.

Diya positioned her hands gently over Yuna’s shoulders. “She’s your mother.”

Sakuragi remained motionless, as if her entire form had turned into ice.

Hisagi slowly stood as well, blinking as confusion played across his features.

“Huh?” Yuna let out a quiet laugh, “What are you saying Maa? You are my mother right?”

But Diya remained silent as she gently turned her, slowly rotating her face towards Sakuragi.

“She is your real mother.”

Sakuragi turned to Ren, eyes wide, glistening with pain.

With a single, deliberate nod, he responded.

As her legs shook, she took one tiny step, and then another.

But Yuna stepped back, her arms wrapping around Diya and clenching tightly.

“You… you abandoned me, right?” Yuna’s voice quivered.

“Then why are you coming to me now?”

“You’re not my mother!” Yuna exclaimed as she shook her head, burying her face into Diya’s shoulder.

Sakuragi stopped mid-step. Her gaze remained glassy, yet void of moisture.

Diya spoke, “It’s a misunderstanding... she didn’t—”

But Yuna cut her off. “No Maa, don’t say that.”

“You’re my mother.” She further held Diya’s arm tightly.

Sakuragi looked at them… a mother and daughter standing like one. She smiled gently, like she didn’t want to break that picture.

“I’m happy,” she said with a faint smile. “You were raised with care,” she said as she gracefully turned with a straightened spine, though her gaze remained fixed on the floor.

As such, she kept walking toward the door.

Rina and Miko remained queit.

“Hey… stop.” With a low and commanding voice, Ren took a step closer.

She halted and her hand over the door was shaking, as if an invisible force was doing it.

Then, she turned a little, enough so they could glimpse the trace of her smile, which was faint but dazzling in its own way.

“She’s happy. That’s all I need.”

Touching the door, she said, “Then I’ll go.”

Sakuragi stepped outside and paused a second, as if her fingers were still clutching something invisible.

But Ren was already standing in her way, waiting like a quiet storm.

Though his arms were crossed, his voice was gentle. “Where are you going?” he asked.

His gaze had already shifted beyond her and through the door to where Yuna was still standing.

“So, if she doesn’t want you, you’ll just leave?”

There was no anger in his words, only pain, layered beneath frustration, thick in his throat.

Suddenly, a voice echoed within his head, calm and grounding.

Kazuma activated Mind Voice. – We can’t blame either of them… Yuna was raised by Diya. If out of the blue, a random woman shows up saying ‘I’m your mother,’ how does she process that? And from her view, she thinks she was abandoned…

Ren’s eyes lowered. His jaw clenched. – I understand that, but… everyone said it was just a possibility, right? Not confirmed.

He glanced toward Sakuragi, his voice falling like heavy rain. – Even then… she didn’t argue.

Didn’t beg.

Didn’t even blame.

She just smiled… and said ‘I’m happy,’ and tried to walk away.

His voice cracked faintly at the edge. – Idiot…

Sakuragi, still near the door, turned back slightly, just enough to see her daughter again.

Her smile was soft. Not sad. Just... full of things she couldn’t say. “One thing I want to say,” she said.

“I didn’t abandon you.

Why would I…?

You’re my daughter.”

Yuna’s gaze shifted. Only for a moment. Yet she remained silent.

“Rina-san…” With a slower and more serious tone, Ren turned to her. “Take her.”

“I think she could feel a bit… but… go.” He glanced between Sakuragi and Yuna. “To me, she matters. Not her.”

He moved in close and, with his fingertip, tenderly wiped away Sakuragi’s tears.

“Don’t cry,” he added in a soft voice. “You told us you were happy, right? Sakura, Hisagi… even A…” he took a moment to pause.

“Stay with us… see us.”

Inside, Diya glared at Yuna, sharp and piercing.

Yuna, almost a whisper, looking down, voiced. “...Maa…”

“Get out… if you don’t understand what this means,” Ren’s tone sliced the air.

Neither Rina nor Miko spoke. Their silence, heavy as the eyes that bore witness to the disintegration of the situation.

Then someone moved.

Hisagi stepped forward, his expression confused but concerned. He walked over to Yuna.

“You’re Aunty’s daughter?”

“You look like her… quietly,” he added, his voice soft, unlike his usual playful self.

“Do you know… just how much Aunty worried about you?”

Yuna remained quiet.

“She tried every way she could to search for you,” he said, gently caressing Yuna’s quivering hand. “Even at this moment, all she desires is your joy.”

Yuna buried her face deeper into Diya’s arms. Her hands were still trembling.

“Maa… I want to be with you,” her voice came out broken. She cast a glance toward Rina, a glimmer of hope mixed with confusion. “Aunty… please say something…”

“Hmm… if you don’t have to leave, then you do not feel that way, right?” came the voice Rina’s, soft and steady.

“What… are you saying?” Yuna said, still trying to process what she heard. “Aunty, I need to go, right? But I want to be with Maa… then Granny, Gramps, Dad, and Rezu…”

“Just don’t… don’t be angry at me,” Sakuragi whispered, her voice barely audible. “I never wanted you to come to me.”

Diya frowned, gazing towards Sakuragi. “What are you saying?”

Her voice had that older-sister sharpness. “We already decided, you’re staying with us.”

“And you too, don’t have to leave anyone, Yuna.” She wrapped her arm protectively around Yuna.

“Um… but…” Yuna hesitated, eyes darting between the two women.

“She’s staying with us. That’s decided,” Rina added softly, moving closer. “You don’t need to leave us.”

“You… you won’t break us, right?” Yuna approached Sakuragi, her voice quivering. “Maa’s nice to me all the time… Granny cooks my favorite foods… I want to have fun with my sister…”

Sakuragi, already trembling, shook her head.

“No,” she said, and then gathered the strength to pull Yuna into a gentle hug. Streams of tears fell gently down her cheeks. “I won’t.”

But Yuna did not move. Her hands remained frozen.

“You don’t need to hug me… I understand,” she said, gently pulling Yuna back to meet the eyes of the child she once lost. “Even if you don’t want to live with me… that’s okay too.”

“Just once,” she whispered, gently brushing Yuna’s hair with trembling fingers. “Call me Mom.”

“Mom said… you’ll live with us,” Yuna said while blinking her eyes slowly.

“But, tell me one thing though… You didn’t abandon me because of that, right?” she asked, pausing hesitantly before calling, “Mom…?”

“Huh? What are you saying?” Sakuragi blinked, eyebrows knitting as she shook her head. “Why would I ever…?”

“Nothing… she’s just… she’s talking nonsense,” Ren said softly. “Don’t think too much.”

“No. What is she talking about?” Her voice cracked with urgency. “I just… I only remember conceiving, resting… then…” Her words tumbled out. “I never saw her beside me again.”

“T-That’s…” Ren stammered, struggling as his voice caught in his throat.

“…Tell me,” she said, turning to Yuna as panic filled her voice and her hand cupped Yuna’s cheek. “Were you born with any defect? Is there anything wrong with you? Is that the problem?”

Yuna’s face froze, unsure what to say.

Rina and Diya stood still, watching, silent, eyes heavy.

“I’ll say it,” Ren said, voice soft but firm. “But don’t panic.”

He glanced toward the surroundings, then met Sakuragi’s trembling eyes.

“She has… a cursed eye.”

Sakuragi tilted her head, confused. “What…? Wait, cursed? You mean…”

“Is there something wrong with her eye? A defect?” she asked, looking at Yuna again, her eyes searching desperately.

“No. No, don’t worry,” Ren said gently, pulling her into a firm embrace. “She’s fine.”

“But… but her eye… is it okay?” she asked again, pointing at Yuna with a shaking hand. “Is there really nothing wrong?”

“I said it, didn’t I?” Ren looked her in the eye. “There’s nothing to worry about. Don't you believe your brother?”

****

Inside the room, Hisagi tugged Kazuma’s sleeve and leaned in close, whispering.

“Master… what is a cursed eye?”

“Sometimes… if they don’t know how to control it, it becomes a curse to them,” Kazuma murmured, glancing sideways. “People stay away. But she’s controlling it.”

“But how do you know she’s controlling it?” Hisagi asked, eyes wide with uncertainty.

“Your master said it… got any doubts now?” Kazuma smirked, ruffling Hisagi’s hair as his voice dropped low. “Of course… sometimes it can be…”

His voice trailed off.

Hisagi looked back toward Yuna and Sakuragi, eyes softening.

****

“If you’re his sister… then you’re important to us too,” Diya said, walking over and gently taking Sakuragi’s hands. “She doesn’t have anything wrong with her. She’s just… an idiot.”

But Sakuragi’s gaze drifted to Yuna. “I didn’t abandon you because of that.”

Yuna looked down for a second, then slowly glanced up. Her lips moved quietly. “...Okay… Mom.”

Just then, footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Arata came strolling around the corner, munching something, hands in pockets. His eyes lit up when he spotted Diya.

“Oh! Diya-san! What brings you here?”

He stepped closer and blinked as he noticed Yuna beside her. “Huh? she’s here too… By the way, Diya-san, she’s sixteen, right? Then why didn’t you let her enter the tournament? She’s eligible, right?”

“She did participate and passed too. Now go away, idiot.”

“Eh?? But I never saw her even once,” Arata said, tilting his head in complete confusion. “I watched almost all of the matches!”

“How would you see her when she wore a mask and changed her name, huh?” she teased, crossing her arms with a smirk. “You’re not even a Sensemitter. Her name was Reha.”

“R-Reha!? I saw her!!” he gasped, jaw slowly dropping. “But wait… why the name change, Diya-san?”

“Our choice,” Diya said casually, raising a brow. “We wanted to surprise everyone.”

“Surprise…?” Arata blinked, buffering.

Diya proudly nodded.

He stared blankly. “A surprise?? Even though you can introduce her like that… but, why?”

“Some people might say I won’t pass,” Yuna said softly, stepping forward with a tiny smirk. “But if I show up as someone else and still qualify… they’ll see what I can really do.”

He stared, stunned. Then turned slowly to Diya. “So… was this your plan, or… her idea?”

“She’s my daughter,” Diya said, smirking as she brushed invisible dust from her shoulder. “Who do you think taught her tricks like that?”

He twisted his face uncomfortably, squinting at everyone in the room. “Why are you all here?” he grumbled, confused.

“For something important,” Rina called from inside, her voice calm with a smile underneath. “We’ll explain everything to everyone later.”

“Okay, okay…” Arata sighed, dragging his feet. “I’m going, whatever it is.”

He wandered off, still scratching his head.

Once he was gone, Diya clapped her hands softly. “Well, let’s go then.”

“You all go ahead,” Sakuragi said quietly, her steps frozen by something unspoken. “I’ll come later.”

“Huh? Is there a problem?” Rina asked, pausing mid-step with concern. “You don’t need to worry… we’ll take care of everything.”

“I just want to talk with you,” Sakuragi said, turning to Ren with quiet resolve. “After that… I’ll go.”

He nodded. “It’s your choice. You can go anytime.”

“I’ll bring her,” he added, glancing toward Diya with a half-smile. “Don’t worry.”

After they left, Miko glanced around. “Well, I’ll go too. Everything’s okay, right? Is there anything else you need from me?”

Suddenly, Kazuma slipped up behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders and pulling her cheeks from behind. “My dear aunty, because of you, everything worked out today,” he teased.

She glared sideways at him. “Oii…”

Kazuma backed off, waving his hands like surrender. “Okay, okay! Senpai, don’t hit me!”

“Idiot…” Miko muttered, rubbing her cheek with a pout. Then her lips curved into a soft smile. “Well, call me whatever you want. I don’t mind anymore.”

She turned and walked out.

****

Hisagi’s face lit up the moment Sakuragi stepped in. He grabbed her hands excitedly and he started spinning her around.

“Aunty! Finally, you found your daughter!”

“H-Hey! Don’t spin me like that!” she gasped, stumbling a bit as she clung to balance.

“Stop it, idiot,” Kazuma said, walking over and whacking Hisagi lightly. “She needs to rest… I mean after all that happened, she might not be feeling well.”

“But Master… this is a moment to celebrate!” Hisagi grinned, rubbing his head where Kazuma whacked. “She called her ‘Mom,’ didn’t she?”

“Could you please… step out?” she asked, turning to the others with a quiet tone. “I want to talk to Ren-nii, alone.”

They quietly nodded and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind them.

She spun around, her expression anxious.

“Nii… is there a problem with her eye? Why did she ask that? That I abandoned her because of that? Is it—”

He gently cut in, calm but steady. “Didn’t I already say it clearly?” he asked. “You still don’t believe my words?”

“T-that’s not it,” she stammered. “Please, just tell me… Did she get that because of me? Is it my fault…?”

“I don’t know how it came,” he said, exhaling slowly. “But no, it’s not your fault. And because of that… she has no problem. If anything ever comes up, I’ll take care of it. Okay?”

“Please say it clearly, Nii…” she begged, curling her fingers tightly around his hand. “You’re still not saying everything, right?”

He paused… then answered truthfully. “I’m not hiding anything.” He looked her in the eyes. “With her cursed eye, she can blind any number of people… for a few seconds.”

Her eyes widened slightly.

“If she loses control and it activates in public…” he continued, “people will instinctively avoid her. They’ll be scared. But Rina-yenge is a healer, they know, and I think they’re all helped her learn how to handle it.”

She narrowed her eyes, trying to read him. “Really…? That’s all?”

Author’s Note:

There will be no chapter tomorrow, apologies for the delay.

The next chapter will be released on Monday. And it’s going to be very interesting!

I’m also considering a change in the present schedule, which I’ll share in Monday’s chapter.

I hope you’ll understand, and thank you as always for your continued support.