Cloudy space filled with a satisfying breeze. Mechanical noises extend to shut as the cloud becomes opaque. With a huge grin on my face, I reach out to the light and yell out, “D-Sect! Your Dola is BACK!”

This wide grin of mine stays still for a whole minute as I’m wondering why my surrounding feels odd. Is it because I slept too long in the capsule to the point that I got adjusted to it so much that I couldn’t recognize the place I live in?! No.

The moment I open my eyes, I see not a broken never-attended wall, but a golden one in its prestige form. The small place that I was in... it's not this.

‘Clean flowery decoration. Not your typical kidnapping hideout, but,’ narrowing my eyes down as I breathe to keep myself calm, ‘What’s behind that curtain feels familiar somehow.’

The bed, someone is resting on it. They would’ve woken up thanks to my stupid shouting, and that is indeed true as I see them lifting their upper body. How great it is for both my in-game self and real-life self to be kidnapped.

'Being the diva that I was, I’ve already had my fair share of this game already.'

So, I open the curtain, revealing myself. But to my surprise, I see a goth girl in front of me. Though, her demeanor is not as attractive as she looks. Hiding her face behind a mask, she rests her leg on the other as she stares at me.

“…”

I was about to ask who she is, but I noticed something in my surrounding. This room is as barebone as it gets despite how extravagant it is. But, the familiarity. That bed, the shape of the mirror on that desk. There used to be a lot of accessories there. I used them to doll up my things. And it seems that I have returned to the unpleasant place that is the Mithra Household.

When I shift my attention to the girl, I see a panda doll in her hands. My eyes narrowed down as she stood and approaches me. I was taken aback, anticipating a sudden action, but she stretches her arms and presented me with the doll. Sudden rage fuels me.

*Slap*

I feel my hand numbed from the impact of trying to slap the doll away. It hurts. At that point, one thing comes to mind, ‘She’s kitted. A cyborg perhaps?’

Her brown eyes, those circular lines of motion on her irises resemble something from my previous life. I saw the news, an augment that can control another’s action. They can take another's life simply by sending an order to unalive themselves. But the reason it’s on the news is that a wanted criminal has been spotted using it.

The girl retracted the doll to her embrace and pats it.

“It has been some time, Siola.”

“…” her eyes, “Who are you?”

“I’m…” paused for a moment, but I don’t. Keep looking at her eyes still, I follow them, giving every bit of my attention, but then she says, “It’s me. Your sister.”

Eyes peeled. Though it shocked me, I don’t want to show it, “Hah,” I really don’t, “You think I don’t know what my sister looks like? What are you? A Proxy or something?”

“Yes.”

Chuckles as I turned around, swaying my head as I look at the ceiling, “Okay then, prove it.”

“…”

‘Please…’

“Back when you were little. You used to tell me how you would become the brightest star in the whole wide world. Shining the whole family in your radiant light.”

‘… Don’t… Please…’

“You remember, I know you do. There is not a single person in the Mithra household who can have that much confidence in themselves while also proving that they have what it takes to make it a reality. Siola, it’s me. I’m the same person who embarrasses you in front of the whole crowd in college, the one who took your fiancé, and the one who erased your last name.”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

My fists clenched.

“Siola, I’m your sister. Rosa—”

“Haaaaaaaaaaaargh!”

*Punch *Punch

Flashes of unsavory memories finally come back to haunt me. The time when I was smeared from head to toe with food and vegetables. The time when I was left alone, cold in the rainy streets. And the time when even my own mother no longer holds me when I cry.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHH!”

“Siola! Your hand! Please stop!”

Softening my every punch, ‘If only I have my augments, I would’ve… I would’ve…’ the rage in my heart, deep inside... No, I couldn’t even think of what I'll do. I know it myself... That I won't do it. I know that I wouldn’t do anything.

“Whyyyy…” Sob, “Why did you bring me baaaaaaaack?!”

“Siola.”

“I gave you everythiiiing… So, please… Leave me alooone! Hick.”

*Sob*

“Whyyy…”

My eyes peeled as I feel tightened by a hug, “Hrnngh,” but no, I don’t want this. I don't want it, but I find myself crying my eyes out in the comfort of her chest. I see a panda looking at me. Many things run through my head, but it's all a jumbled mess.

…

*Pat *Pat

Glaring daggers at her feeling my head, “Don’t touch me.”

Shrugging as she stood.

“What do you want? Bringing me here.”

“…”

“What, you can’t even answer that?”

“I would like to make it up to you. You can have Leon back. I’ll even convince grandfather to reconsider your status. But in return, I want you to stay here. At least, until I can get back.”

“Heheh, making it up to me by imprisoning me? Out with it. Just what are you up to?”

“We really have grown that far apart, huh, for you to ask my intention,” she said as she walks up to the sun ray passing through a window. The panda doll she holds glues itself to her arm, “This is not a prison, Siola. Do I really have to answer that?”

“You want to make a deal with me, so, yes. But I’d like it best if we don’t even have to talk in the first place. Seeing you makes me sick and if I had seen your real body right now, I’d vomit the cheeseburgers I ate two days ago.”

“Wow. Quite the repulsive one you’ve become.”

“Just tell me already!”

“…”

Shifting her attention to the view outside, “Just like you back then, Siola. I’ve been thinking about becoming the brightest star of the family.”

“…”

“The Capital.”

My eyes peeled, “What?”

“I will bring the name of our family to the Capital. The Mithra. I want to let it be known throughout the world, the significance of that name. So, until then, I want you to stay here and witness it. I… I will take you to the most beautiful place in this world.”

Her eyes, ‘She’s not playing around. Just what the hell is going on? What’s driving her? And for me to be brought here by her. This didn’t happen in my previous life. So, why?’

Suddenly, my hands were held. Rosa suddenly appears in front of me and I couldn’t even react to it. The proxy she’s using, it's not normal. Just what exactly, “I never viewed my sister as the type that can get physical.”

“Things happen, and this is the result of it.”

“You’re right,” I said as I retracted my hands from her grasp and stood. Rubbing my wrists as I glare at her, “Things did happen.”

Her eyes narrowed, “I will not be involved in whatever it is you decide to do from now on. In the upcoming days, I will also send a letter to the Visthan family, informing them of the cancellation of—”

“No, you can have him,” that prick who shot me dead, “I’m just gonna keep playing games so don’t even bother me.”

“…” a moment, “Of course, but first, lunch is coming up. I can't keep you to myself for too long as I’m sure the family is getting… rowdy, no thanks to your sudden uninvited and unplanned arrival.”

“You did not just…”

I can tell from behind her mask, she’s smiling. Especially with those twitching cheekbones, ‘To think she would do this without even informing the family. This is going to be... hard.’

I’ll be facing everyone. Mother, father, Sadrin, and grandfather. My legs hardened. The anxiety fills me up as quickly as it appears.

“Let’s go. Two days with nothing but medicinal rations wouldn’t do any good for you. And to think you’d actually borrow yet another sum from Aunt Linda of all people. Then again, you are her favorite.”

“Yeah well, thanks to a certain infatuated dumb poo poo who got me removed not only from the house but the whole sky sector itself. I didn’t have a choice.”

“Ouch.”

“Not to mention, Aunt Linda is the only one who cares about me.”

“...”

“Fufu,” opening the door, she chuckles as she tilts her head, “With your intellect, you could’ve easily gotten a job there instead of deepening your debts. Especially so in a place they called the Waste of Society.”

“Hmph.”

Before I step outside of my room, I caught a glimpse of sparkle bouncing off a windowed wall in the corridor. I turn around to see the capsule behind the curtain. Shined by a reflected ray of light. Lessening the anxiety inside, the bright and colorful view made me smile.

‘Ekolia.’

I can’t wait to meet everyone again.

‘Ludwig, I wonder if he has something for me when I get back or maybe I can get more intimate with Avarice and Malice, or even settle the score with Replica.’

With a smile on my face, I see the shine on the capsule.

‘Hehe, I’ll be back soon.’

To the beautiful world within.

{***}

TO BE CONTINUED