At fourteen pm, another message pings saying that class was over and to go work independently.

The two larger groups left immediately, along with Mr. Smith. The other two boys exited the classroom together, growing closer as friends.

I’m happy for them. Being able to make friends is great and I’ll do it too with Sophia! I just had to be normal and be charming like Papa always says I am… though I have some doubts.

I got a message from Papa saying that he’s in a meeting, and he’ll be back as soon as possible. That’s a little worrying since I thought he’d be here with me, but it should be fine.

All my preparations, prepared. Just execute them, Ophelia. Just do it.

Okay, Ophelia.

Thanks Ophelia.

A hand appears in front of my eyes, shocking me for a moment before I grab it. It looks like a girl’s hand, but it had rough calluses on it. It was like my Papa when he used to do physical training, but why was it here in front of me?

How mysterious.

Then the hand made a fist, pinching my nose pulling my head up.

“Let us continue our conversation elsewhere.” My eyes met her stoic figure before she let go of my nose. “I do not want this imposter to hear us.”

Imposter?

Looking around and the only ones here were me, Sophia, and the white-haired girl still sleeping.

Did she mean her?

I mean, she was a bit crude, but calling her ‘imposter’ was a bit mean, wasn’t it? I should say something, but knowing me, I wouldn’t get out a word.

“I’ll take us to the rooftop.” Sophia grabs my hand, then in an instant we were there on the rooftop. The chilly wind blows through our hair as we look at each other. Sophia closes the entrance door, and we continue talking.

Teleporting is a pretty convenient ability. If I could clean move pans or heavy stuff around without moving, that’d be so nice.

“There, now no one can bother us. Over here seems like a suitable spot.” Sophia showed me to the left side of the door, where the wind didn’t blow as hard, and we both sat down. On my right was a chain-link fence stopping people from falling off and Sophia sitting on the other side.

Huh?

I feel extremely uncomfortable sitting in such a tight space, but I couldn’t explain why. I mean, even without the cold, I felt anxious more than usual and with her right next to me making less room as she got closer, it only intensifies.

Was it just my imagination?

“O-okay. So, um. I wanted to say that…um.”

Ah. I practiced in my head, right? Why aren’t the words coming out like when I was in class? Just say ‘Will you be my friend Sophia?’ and see the answer. Come on. Do it.

“You’re a strange one, Ophelia.”

“W-what?”

“You really think too much about everything, completely unaware of your situation, commendable, but expected, considering you’re that beast’s child. I recommend you fix that issue, or it will cause you more trouble in the near future.”

Beast? Why would you call Papa that? He appears a little scary to others sometimes but calling him that is a bit much.

“I was a little disheartened when you said your power was simply emotional perception, but not everyone was born the same, so I could not help it. If I made you feel bad, then I apologize.”

What a nice girl! Well, sort of. Her calling Papa that name bothers me though.

She knew all that just from the little interaction with me. It’s so cool how she can be so calm and serious when she talks, but I wish she’d relax a bit. All her seriousness was making me more nervous.

“I will properly introduce myself again. My name is Sophia Kayla, P.A rank two and leading member of the student discipline committee.” She flashes me her patch on her shoulder that looked like an eye staring at you, then signals me to reply.

“Um.”

“Hurry, I would rather not waste any more time.”

“W-why not?”

“I have very important tasks that allow our city to remain peaceful.”

Whoa.

Even though we were the same age Sophia had so much to do already, well, at least compared to me, who’s gonna go home and do nothing. To be honest, as a rank two, that’s not surprising, even if I don’t really know what that means, but it meant you were in line to be the next ace, or at least that’s what Papa told me. But why wasn’t her name Morrigan since they held the power to brand you an ace?

“O-okay. I’m Ophelia Akachi. Daughter of Syrus Akachi.”

Um, what else do I do? Oh yes.

“Cooker of meals!”

“Cooker of meals? Oh, that thing you ate during lunch. I was wondering what it was. Did you make it?”

“Yes! It’s called meatball noodles in gravy sauce and it’s delicious. It comes from the northern region and is tasty, salty and yet sweet, paired with a succulent juicy piece of meat slathered in such a creamy sauce, especially if you pair it with this northern fruit. It makes me hungry just thinking about it again.” I feel my stomach getting visibly hungrier at the thought as my mouth waters.

“That is the first time I have seen something like that.”

“Want some!” I shouted.

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Easy girl. Control. Control.

“That won’t be necessary.”

“At home. I always have extra in case Pa — father gets hungry or we have guests like Gammy. I’m sure I can give you some. I mean only... if you... want...”

“I see.”

I really couldn’t guess what she was feeling. Her face was like jelly where it’s so still until you touch it. If she didn’t talk, I would’ve thought she was a statue.

“Why not have a nutritional capsule instead? I am sure it is a far more convenient, and it provides just as much as your ‘meal.’ It is a wasted effort for something so trivial.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“I can’t.” I reply instinctually.

“Why not?” Her right eye seemed to twitch for a moment, but I wasn’t sure if it was just my imagination.

“Because it’s bland and gross.”

“It is not a matter of preference; it is much more efficient and less time consuming to do anything other than take it. Anyone who disagrees are fools.”

“Then I’m a fool then.”

I knew I had to educate this girl about the ways of cooking. This ignorance could not allow on something as vital as a proper meal.

“If you have a satisfying meal, you should always have the finest one possible. The meal is not just about the food but the experience itself because it’s what separates us from the uncultured. Right!?”

I grab her shoulders, changing her still expression to a wide eye. “Come home with me and I’ll show you the true path to liberation.” Realizing what I did, I pulled back. “S-sorry, I just got a bit excited. I didn’t mean to grab you and…and.”

Sophia, taken aback by my enthusiasm, did nothing, only continued to listen.

“A fool you are, then. Now that we have finished our bantering, I can complete my objective.”

“O-o-objective?”

“Yes. Not like you can understand, but right now, I need you to answer a couple of questions for me.”

“W-what questions?”

Something didn’t feel right. This whole time, my gut was telling me I was in danger and my mind was telling me to run, but I ignored it. Now it was screaming at me to get away.

But why? It was just Sophia here.

“Must I explain that too?” She quickly sighs, then continues. “That beast holds knowledge and abilities foreign to us. I need you to explain to me everything you know about them right now.”

Stop it. Stop calling Papa that. Stop talking like that. Why is this happening?

“With that thing you brought this morning only confirms our suspicions that he has shared some variant of this information with you. I would rather not use force.”

Ah. Of course, that’s what it’s about. It’s what it’s always been about. All cause of this. Papa.

I instinctively slid away from her, trying to get away from her, but then I felt a resistance coming from my waist. The same needle pinned my shirt down she showed me this morning.

Oh. I remember during class. So those needles weren’t an invitation to get closer to me. It was a threat to extract information on Papa.

“Do not flee. Answer my questions so that I can finish swiftly.”

I see. How stupid am I?

In the end, that’s the only value I have to them.

What Papa knows.

How strong is Papa?

Papa’s weaknesses.

It’s always been that way and why I didn’t wanna leave my home. Only ever looking my way when they need something from him and this time it was no different.

My power allows me to see through facades, revealing their true feelings and right now Sophia had nothing but disgust for me. The nastiest slime green radiating off of her like a toxic gas fuming the entire roof.

I didn’t want to use my power. I didn’t want to see it. I wanted to believe that there was someone who wanted to be with me because of me.

But I was wrong again, like always.

To think I ever thought of myself as anything other than Syrus Akachi’s child was too arrogant.

“First, as of right now, does Syrus still have access to his full capabilities? We have noticed that the frequency of its use has declined in recent years. Is this a coincidence or has he degraded? Answer.”

Repeatedly, when it comes down to it, I’m just a failure through and through with nothing of value besides Papa. Even now I’m failing to answer her by just sitting here wallowing in my self-pity.

“Stalling for time is pointless. Your father has a meeting with the other professors, but I’m sure you already know that. Answer the question.”

But even if I knew all those things about Papa, why should I tell her?

All those things belong to Papa.

His power.

His struggles.

His journey.

All his and no one else’s.

If I were to tell her, then that would be the same as betraying everything Papa is. Betraying all the love he spoils me with and, at the very least, I can protect that.

“I would prefer to settle this matter civilly, but you have forced my hand.”

A sharp sound came from above and I shot my head up to the sound and saw seven needles above me stabbing into the concrete in a circular shape.

"Despite how tough the concrete may be, if obstructed, even my tools can break through. Like with you, all it will take is a little pressure and.”

The slab finally broke through, falling toward me. I cover my head, ready to embrace the hit. But then nothing.

“And this is possible.” Sophia held the slab in her hand. “Now imagine what could happen to a person's head using the same principles.”

They’d explode. I need to get away. Now. I slid back, stopped by the chain fence behind me. I finally knew the situation I was in, tricked by a promise of friendship, interrogated just like always.

“You will tell me what I want to know, and we can both finish here. I’ll let you go if you answer me.”

It’s true she would most likely let me go if I just told her. We might even become friends and laugh this off later.

But what if it doesn’t, and she wants more information on Papa and whatever he might hide, then wouldn’t this same thing happen again?

I could see how she felt towards me, and none of it was kind. So, what were the chances do we actually have to become friends?

Next to none.

I remember Papa this morning when he pointed to his right hand and reached for my I.S.D to press the button in the middle, but in an instant my I.S.D was nailed into the concrete with two needles and the screen and buttons completely broken.

That was it. My only escape.

If I had hit that button, Papa would’ve rescued me, but I couldn’t even do that right. It was hopeless, and I knew it too. Even if I had escaped her, her ability would just let her catch up to me instantly.

“No more interruptions. Tell me what I need to know. Now.”

Even as bad as it looks, I want to keep trying.

I shook my head, running to the exit, even if it was pointless. Before I could take a single step, she pulled me back, shoving me against the wall. The back of my head hit the wall, sending a sharp pain throughout my brain. My body went numb, and I could feel my consciousness fading.

All I could think about was how everything had gone wrong.

Was I wrong to want to have someone my age to talk to? To have a bond with someone outside of my Papa. What more could I have done?