Anya suddenly widened her eyes.
"Waku waku!"
She'd just made an astounding discovery. Staring intently at Rei Ao, her eyes shone with excitement:
"Onii-chan, you have psychic powers, too!"
That meant there was someone like her! Not only that, she found that her usual mind-reading didn't work on Rei Ao at all. Just as she was getting excited by this revelation:
"Anya."
A gentle yet anxious voice rang out. Rei Ao turned his head to see a tall, black-haired beauty striding rapidly toward them.
In one swift movement, she placed herself in front of Anya, shielding her from view. Her dark-red eyes fixed upon Rei Ao sharply, as if trying to see right through him.
"Mama!"
Anya's face lit up. The newcomer was, in fact, her assassin mother.
Rei Ao's gaze flickered knowingly. He recognized her immediately: Yor Briar. Just as he suspected.
"Who are you?"
Yor questioned him. Anyone getting close to her beloved "daughter" demanded her utmost vigilance.
"Madam, good day. I'm Rei Ao, guardian of those two over there."
Rei Ao answered calmly, gesturing to Shin and Kanna in the distance.
"Hmm?"
Yor glanced in their direction and, upon seeing Shin and Kanna, a trace of surprise flickered in her eyes.
They're so cute! Just like Anya!
That was her initial thought.
Anya's mind-reading suddenly kicked in; she heard Yor's inner voice.
"Waku waku!"
She beamed, delighted by the compliment.
After briefly assessing the situation, Yor retracted her hostility and bowed deeply.
"My apologies. I misunderstood and thought you might be someone suspicious approaching Anya."
"It's partly my fault. Shin and Kanna told me there was a cute little friend here, so I hoped they might look out for one another."
Rei Ao gave Anya a knowing wink.
Smart as she was, Anya immediately tugged on Yor's sleeve.
"That's right, Mama. Onii-chan was asking if I'd like to be friends with Shin and Kanna."
"I see," Yor said, relief washing over her. "I'm sorry again. My name is Yor Briar – um, Anya's…mother…"
She flushed slightly at the word "mother." She'd only recently adopted Anya and was still adjusting to the role. In fact, it was far more difficult than any assassination mission she'd undertaken.
"Mrs. Yor, if that's okay to call you?"
"Yes, that's fine."
Rei Ao smiled in praise.
"Mrs. Yor, your daughter Anya is absolutely adorable."
"Mhm! I agree!"
Yor gave two enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"Anya's the cutest!"
"Mama~"
Anya's face turned pink, and she hid shyly behind her hands.
"Well, I hope Anya can get along with Shin and Kanna sometime. I won't keep you any longer."
Having accomplished his introduction, Rei Ao was ready to leave. Just before he did, he spoke telepathically to Anya:
"Anya, let me share a secret with you."
"A secret? Waku waku! Anya loves secrets!"
"You couldn't hear Shin and Kanna's thoughts before because they're not ordinary children. Kanna is actually a dragon."
"Eh?!"
Anya's eyes nearly popped out. She watched in disbelief as Rei Ao walked away, glancing between his retreating figure and the quietly standing Kanna in the distance.
A dragon?! And she's that cute?!
"Waku waku!!!"
"Anya, what's wrong?"
Noticing Anya's reaction, Yor—still feeling tense about her first-ever chat with other parents—turned to her daughter with concern.
"…"
Anya pulled her gaze back and looked up spiritedly.
"Mama, do you think there are dragons in this world?"
"Huh?"
Yor was taken aback. Despite her formidable assassination skills and extensive knowledge, she had her share of knowledge gaps.
"Well, dragons…they're probably things from fairy tales, right? Are you interested in reading a picture book about dragons, Anya?"
From what she'd read in child-rearing guides, a mother Shinld pay close attention to a child's interests and encourage them.
She was determined to be the best mother possible—to satisfy Anya's every desire!
But Anya abruptly clenched both fists and Shinted, "Mama, Anya wants to be friends with a dragon!!!"
"???"
Yor was petrified.
"B-be friends with…a dragon?"
She felt like crying. This was impossible, right? Even a "perfect mother" had her limits!
…
Some distance away, Rei Ao, Michiru, and Kobayashi were leaving the school gate. Checking that Anya and Yor were now out of earshot, Kobayashi tentatively asked,
"Rei Ao, can that little girl really use psychic powers?"
Michiru's gaze shone with curiosity, too. Supernatural topics never failed to fascinate.
"Yes. The pink-haired kid named Anya can read minds."
[Name]: Anya Forger
[Level]: 1
[Ability]: "Mind Reading"
That's what he saw.
"Mind reading, huh?"
Kobayashi's eyes gleamed with envy.
"If I had that power, I'd always know my boss's intentions. I'd never get scolded again."
"No, you're overthinking it."
Rei Ao patted her Shinlder in a sympathetic, brotherly way.
"When a boss wants to scold you, they can always find a reason. You can't escape it."
"…"
Kobayashi tugged at the corners of her mouth. Such was the life of a corporate workers.
Since Michiru had never truly been a corporate drone, she didn't share the sentiment. Instead, she worried about something else.
"If that little girl can read minds, won't Shin and Kanna's identities be exposed?"
"It won't,"
Shin answered, puffing out her chest proudly, "Her reading doesn't work on Kanna or me. It's too low-level for that."
"Good," Michiru sighed, relieved. Then Rei Ao added:
"She already knows, though."
"Huh?"
"No way!"
Shin's eyes went wide.
"Her ability shouldn't work on me at all!"
"I told her," Rei Ao said, ending the suspense and explaining the truth of what had happened.
~~~
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