On her way home, Madalyn's steps felt heavy. The haunting memories of the recent incident replayed in her mind, tormenting her tranquility. She tried to distract herself, but the image of Luna's calm outstretched hand lingered, tightening her body and quickening her heartbeat. Meanwhile, the anger simmering beneath her initial fear began to surface.

As she reached the grand Naventhius estate, Madalyn quickened her pace, striding into the echoing silence of the hall. Once inside her room, she shut the door behind her, struggling to control her ragged breathing. But every time she closed her eyes, she could still feel the phantom pain from her "severed" hand, even though she knew it was just an illusion. She shivered, not from an actual injury but from the emotions she tried to suppress: a mix of fear and embarrassment.

"Damn it," she muttered, clenching her fists on her large study desk as she recalled Luna's gaze—calm, as if the whole incident had been nothing but a source of amusement for her—watching Madalyn as she fell into terror.

Never before had anyone made her feel this way. And it wasn't just about the sudden illusionary attack; it was an insult. A deep, humiliating insult, as if Madalyn were nothing more than a child playing with magic beyond her control.

In her mind, Luna's mysterious, faint smile resurfaced, igniting a fierce urge within her to retaliate. "How dare she… a mere Interferer… from Neoforge," Madalyn muttered angrily, emphasizing the last word with rising contempt.

Yet, she knew Luna was not just an ordinary Interferer. Madalyn bit her lip, fighting the overwhelming surge of emotions. "I should have seen that something was off… But she was so calm, too calm." Luna showed no signs of fear. Every reaction was calculated, every movement deliberate.

Madalyn gripped the edge of her desk, feeling the rough wood press into her palms. As a witch from the Naventhius family, she had been trained to face all kinds of magic. Countless hours of practice and tests had honed her skills. She had even mastered advanced light manipulation techniques, a feat only a few witches in her generation could achieve. Yet, with ease, Luna had flipped her greatest strength against her, making Madalyn feel like a novice.

"My pride… shredded just because of that ordinary girl," she hissed. Anger boiled within her. She couldn't accept being humiliated like this, not after all her hard work and accomplishments.

Unable to bear the feeling of helplessness enveloping her, Madalyn rose from her chair and began pacing her room, searching for a way out of this uncomfortable emotional turmoil. "I need to find out who she really is," she murmured. "There's no way a regular Interferer could possess such power. Not with illusion abilities that can penetrate the deepest thoughts…"

Curiosity began to chip away at the fear still clinging to her heart. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that despite feeling insulted, she also felt an odd attraction to Luna. There was something more, something beyond ordinary magical power. Perhaps Luna held secrets that no one else knew. And maybe, if she could uncover them, she could use that knowledge to defeat her.

Luna had baited her into getting involved deeper.

Madalyn paused, staring at her reflection in the large mirror in the corner of the room. Her face was earnest, with a hint of madness beginning to spark in her eyes.

"I won't let this slide," she said quietly, as if speaking to her own reflection. "I, Madalyn Naventhius, will not be outdone by a lowly Interferer girl. I will show her that I am stronger than she is. That she cannot toy with me."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to steady her bubbling emotions. Yet the haunting image of her "severed" hand returned, serving as a stark reminder that Luna was not an opponent to be underestimated. Madalyn bit her lip, feeling a tumult of embarrassment and anger swell within her. The deep curiosity mingled with the urge for revenge put her on the brink of losing control.

"I need to find her again," she murmured. "I'll uncover who she really is. Where she got that power…" The only way to redeem this humiliating defeat was to expose the secrets of that girl. If she were just an ordinary girl, Luna wouldn't be able to hide anything from the thorough investigation of a Naventhius.

Ultimately, a strong resolve began to take shape within Madalyn. She would do whatever it took to prove she was stronger, tougher. Luna had made a grave mistake by humiliating her like this.

Madalyn fell silent, her eyes blazing with a growing determination. Luna might have had the advantage in their previous encounter, but Madalyn would not be caught off guard again.

Suddenly, Madalyn remembered a simple investigation she had conducted on Luna a few days earlier, sparked by her curiosity about the girl. She had merely wanted to know more about the student who had caught the attention of a member of the Yoshitsuki family, but now that investigation had taken on a new purpose after the humiliation Luna had inflicted.

The flickering flames danced in the dim light, illuminating her face as she clutched a stack of documents just handed to her by an elderly man, one of the loyal servants of their family—a silent shadow from the history of the Naventhius clan.

She stared at the documents, reading each page carefully, her eyes narrowing with rising impatience. The first page contained basic information about Luna: her full name, birth date, and some unremarkable educational details. However, the following pages piqued Madalyn's interest further.

"Luna… and Lilianne?" she murmured, her brow furrowing slightly as she read that name quietly, almost as if trying to trace the hidden connections between their families. "Interesting…"

With keen focus, Madalyn continued reading. It became clear that Luna lived with two other girls: a sister named Lilianne and someone named Arianne. The different family names from Luna's led her to suspect a deeper connection among the three. The gnawing curiosity morphed into something more profound—more strategic.

"So, they're not biological siblings, huh?" Madalyn said with a smirk. She turned her gaze to the old man standing rigidly beside her, awaiting instructions with unwavering blind loyalty.

The old man paused, studying his mistress's face, which was now illuminated by an ambitious gleam, before giving a slight nod, hesitant to speak until prompted.

"Then…" Madalyn exhaled deeply, grinning as a devious plan began to form in her mind. "I'm certain… if I can capture one of them, Luna will be much more… forthcoming, don't you think?"

The elderly servant nodded silently, then replied in a low, serious voice. "Miss Madalyn, if you wish for one of them to be brought here, I will arrange for our people to do as you desire."

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Madalyn's smile widened. She knew that this old man, along with the other loyal servants of the Naventhius family, would not hesitate to carry out her commands without questioning her decisions.

"Now, who should I have them bring… hmm, who would be more valuable?" Madalyn mused, pretending to think hard. She already knew the answer but deliberately kept the old man waiting, relishing the sense of power it gave her. "Lilianne, the younger sister. She will be perfect. Bring her here as discreetly as possible. Don't let Luna suspect a thing. But if necessary, don't hesitate to use force."

The old man nodded. "I understand, Miss Madalyn. I will dispatch the most trained team to ensure everything proceeds according to your orders."

Madalyn smiled in satisfaction, crossing her arms over her chest. "Good. And remember, don't let anyone know this is connected to me. Make them think it's just an incident… perhaps a random kidnapping?"

The servant regarded her seriously, then gave a small bow. "I will ensure this command is carried out with utmost care, Miss."

As the old man turned to leave, Madalyn suddenly called out to him again. "Wait," she said, her tone shifting to a slightly softer, yet still icy intensity that made him stop in his tracks.

"There's one more thing you need to know," she said, her eyes glinting with calculation. "Don't hurt Lilianne more than necessary. We don't want Luna too angry or, worse, losing her wits, do we?"

The old man nodded silently, and after noticing that Madalyn had no further instructions, he turned and exited the room with quiet, measured steps.

As he left, Madalyn gazed out the large window of the room, her eyes staring blankly into the moonlit garden. Beneath her cool smile lay a deep satisfaction. Luna had made her feel an incredible fear, but now it was Luna's turn to experience something similar. Her heart raced with anticipation at what would happen when Lilianne was in her grasp and how that would force Luna out of hiding.

"I can't wait to see, Luna… how you'll react this time," she murmured softly, her voice barely audible to herself.

She imagined various scenarios where Luna would arrive at the Naventhius estate, her face filled with despair and fear. Just thinking about it made Madalyn feel a sense of relief. In her mind, this was the first step toward reclaiming the pride that had been torn apart by that girl.

***

The quiet and dark atmosphere enveloped the small street near the minimarket as Lilianne made her way home, both hands clutching a shopping bag. The silence was only broken by the rustling of leaves and the occasional chirp of nocturnal creatures. Lilianne—known as Lily to her friends—had no idea that the peaceful night would soon give way to deep fear.

Her steps suddenly halted when a group of dark-clad figures emerged from the shadows. Before she could scream, one of them swiftly covered her face with a thick black cloth that carried a strange odor, causing her head to spin. Lily struggled, fighting with all her might, but the strength of her captors was overwhelming. Her vision began to fade, and within moments, her body went limp, and she fell unconscious.

The kidnappers quickly lifted her unconscious body and shoved her into a vehicle, shutting the door tightly behind them. They exchanged knowing glances, and one of them took out a communication device to report.

"Target is secured. We're heading to the designated location."

Without further ado, the vehicle sped off, navigating the empty streets and turning toward a hidden area not far from the Naventhius residence. The location was secluded, within a small building rarely used by anyone other than the family.

Upon arrival, they pulled Lily's limp body from the car and carried her into a dimly lit room illuminated only by a few flickering candles. There, Madalyn awaited them, arms crossed and wearing a cold, determined expression. The kidnappers placed Lily in front of her and stepped back, waiting for further instructions.

Lily, the sister of Luna, lay with a pale face, her eyes shut and a piece of black cloth still tangled around her features. Madalyn gazed at the innocent, helpless face, seeming to relish the sight of the young girl now under her control.

After removing the cloth, Madalyn gently patted Lily's cheeks to wake her. The girl slowly opened her eyes, glancing around in confusion and fear. The moment she realized she was in an unfamiliar place, her expression shifted dramatically, her face now a mask of terror.

"Wh-why am I here?" Her voice trembled, barely above a whisper, and she pressed herself against the wall, shaking violently.

Madalyn sighed, a note of annoyance creeping into her tone, then leaned in closer, speaking directly in front of Lily's face, almost mocking her fading courage. "You're quite the obedient little sister, aren't you? With just your tears, I'm sure Luna will be very shaken and… will rush to save you."

Lily could only stare at Madalyn with teary, bewildered eyes. "I… I want to go home. Please let me go. I don't know what you want from me."

"I want you to do something for me," Madalyn replied coldly, pulling a small communication device from her pocket. "You just need to call your sister and clearly say you need her help. Of course, you can also add… how terrifying your situation is here."

Lily swallowed hard, hesitating to take the device offered by Madalyn. Seeing her reluctance, Madalyn scoffed dismissively. "Don't make me sick. If you keep wasting time, I might just decide to not give you this opportunity at all, understand?"

Lily nodded in fear, taking the device with trembling hands. She dialed the number she knew by heart, listening to the ring that felt longer than usual. Soon, a calm voice she recognized well came through.

"Luna…" Lily whispered, her voice trembling with panic and held-back sobs. "S-sis Luna… please… help me. They took me to a place I don't know. They said… I can't go home unless you come."

Luna's voice came through, gentle and steady as always. "Stay calm, Lily. I'll be there. I promise."

Madalyn snatched the device from Lily's hands as soon as Luna finished speaking. Her previously cold expression was now twisted into a sly smile, reflecting her satisfaction at having someone so helpless before her.

"Luna…" she said with an arrogant tone. "Hurry to the location I'm about to give you. Don't keep me waiting too long, or I might start to feel the need to… teach your sweet little sister a lesson."

Luna's voice remained steady on the other end. "Alright, I'm coming. I just ask that you don't do anything you'll regret later."

Hearing Luna's last words made Madalyn clench her fist, anger surging within her at Luna's calm demeanor, which she found incredibly dismissive. With a swift motion, she turned off the device and looked at Lily with a victorious gaze.

"Did you hear that, Lily?" she asked, almost whispering. "Your sister is coming, but do you really think she can save you just like that?"

Lily swallowed hard, her voice barely audible as she replied, "I-I know Sis Luna will come. She… she will come for me…"

"Oh, I'm sure she will," Madalyn shot back, her gaze menacing. "But I'm not sure you'll be leaving here without a little… bitter memory."

Madalyn stood up and began circling Lily, who pressed herself further against the wall, breathing heavily.

"You know, Lily," Madalyn began, her tone cold but laced with menace. "I'm curious to see what Luna will do when she sees you in such a pitiful state. Maybe a few injuries will really make her understand how serious this is."

Lily's face grew even paler, tears streaming down her cheeks uncontrollably. "Please… please don't hurt me…"

Madalyn regarded her for a moment, relishing the fear radiating from Lily and satisfying her ego. However, before she could say anything else, one of her henchmen approached to report.

"Miss Madalyn, we've ensured this place is safe and isolated. No one can enter without our permission."

Madalyn nodded and waved her hand, dismissing him without further conversation. After that, she crouched down in front of Lily again, speaking in a tone as if she were talking to a child.

"Lily… don't be afraid," she whispered, her cold smile still plastered on her face. "This is just a small step to ensure your sister learns something. You just need to cooperate, and everything will… go as I desire."

Lily said nothing more, sitting there, increasingly suffocated by fear. Unconsciously, her body began to tremble violently. She felt trapped in a game too dangerous for her to play, a game where only Madalyn knew the rules.

Before long, the silence in the room grew thicker. Madalyn stood up, taking a deep breath to calm the excitement bubbling within her as she imagined what would happen once Luna arrived. In her heart, she envisioned the expression on Luna's face upon realizing her sister's helpless position, and it brought her immense pleasure.

"Get ready, Lily," she finally said, her tone cold and flat. "Your sister will be here soon. Just remember, unlike what you hope for, this might not be the… rescue you imagined."

***