And then age thirteen rolled around.
Finally, real action.
Alpha and I both turned thirteen, and my sister Claire turned fifteen.
Thirteen wasn't a special age.
Fifteen, though?
Oh, fifteen is IMPORTANT.
When a Kagenou hits fifteen, they have to attend a Holy Knight Academy for three whole years.
Basically the kingdom's way of saying:
"Congrats on surviving childhood. Now go fight monsters for our military-industrial complex."
My sister Claire?
She's practically the prodigy of the Kagenou household.
So of course my mom is going all-out preparing a massive farewell party.
Yep…
Claire, the shining hope of the Kagenou family.
Meanwhile, I'm just over here training in abandoned villages, inventing cool alter-egos, and pretending I don't enjoy being mysterious and overpowered in secret.
Honestly?
Fair trade.
All that was fine and all, really.
But the moment Claire actually had to leave for the capital?
She just… vanished.
Poof. Gone.
No "goodbye," no letter, not even dramatic violin music.
And so the Kagenou household is currently in maximum chaos mode.
"When I came into the room, it was already like this,"
my father says in his suave, deep, unnecessarily sexy voice.
He isn't bad-looking either.
"There are no signs of a struggle, but the window was forced open from the outside. The fact that neither I nor Claire noticed the intruder means the kidnapper is very skilled indeed."
He places one hand on the windowsill and looks dramatically into the distance, like the opening shot of a detective film.
All he's missing is a whiskey glass.
And, well… hair.
"So?"
That voice could freeze the blood of demons.
It belongs to my mother.
"So they were very skilled, so there's no helping it? Is that what you're saying?"
Dad straightens up so fast his spine cracks.
"N-No, of course not! I was merely stating the facts—"
His sentence does not finish, because Mom cuts him down with the full fury of a woman whose daughter has just been kidnapped AND whose husband is bald.
"YOU STUPID BALDYYYYYYYY!!"
Her roar shakes the entire house.
Somewhere, a vase shatters in fear.
Dad flinches like he's taking 200% effective damage to a type weakness.
Honestly, if the kidnapper is smart, they'll return Claire immediately before Mom hunts them down next.
"Hiii, I'm sorry, I'm VERY sorry!!!"
That's my dad, being verbally annihilated by Mom.
Meanwhile, I am simply air.
Expected of nothing, blamed for nothing.
I intend to maintain this status until death.
Still, it is a shame about Claire. She was a good person… mostly.
The kidnapping happened while I was out training at the abandoned village, so there's nothing I could've done.
Which is perfect.
I quietly slip out of the battlefield known as the living room and return to my room. I put my hands together and pray in the direction Claire vanished.
"…RIP, Nee-san."
Prayer finished, I flop onto my bed.
Then—
"You may come out now."
"Yes, my lord."
My curtains ripple, and a young girl in a black slime bodysuit steps out like she's materializing from the void.
"Beta, huh."
"Yes, my lord."
She's another elf girl—silver hair, cat-like green eyes, and a beauty mark that gives off "dangerous secretary" energy.
She was the third stray Alpha dragged into Shadow Garden, despite my very clear instructions of "in moderation."
I swear, Alpha collects people like Pokémon.
"What about Alpha?" I ask.
"Searching for traces of Claire-sama."
"Fast reaction. You think Nee-san is still alive?"
"Highly likely."
"Can she be saved?"
"Possible, yes… but it may require Shadow-sama's power."
Ah yes. Shadow-sama. The master of Shadow Garden. Fufufu…
"Is that what Alpha said?"
"Yes, my lord. She stated that because the enemy possesses a hostage, it would be best to mobilize our full force."
"Heeeh~"
I see.
If even Alpha needs backup, then someone strong is involved.
My blood boils…
I clench my fist and release a burst of magic with a small boom.
It has absolutely no functional purpose, but theatrics are 70% of being a power in the shadows.
Behind me, Beta breathes, "As expected of Shadow-sama…"
Lately, I've had plenty of sparring partners, Alpha, Beta, Delta, and every other Greek letter Alpha keeps dragging home but a new opponent is always refreshing.
And more than anything, this is the perfect chance to play the role again.
"It's been a while since I last got serious…" I murmur, letting shadowy aura spill around me like I'm posing for the cover of an edgy light novel.
Oh yes. This is going to be fun.
Also, lately Alpha and Beta have taken to fleshing out our own lore even further, so honestly it's been a blast.
"The criminal is, as expected, part of the Order of Primordials. Even more, he is one of their upper echelons," Beta reports with full gravitas.
"One of their echelons, huh. So why did they kidnap my sister?"
"They suspect her of being a Descendant of the Heroes."
"Hmph… those sharp-eyed bastards…"
I cross my arms and nod like a mastermind who expected this from the very beginning.
So yea, like that.
The problem is—they've gone absolutely all-in on this setting.
They show up saying things like:
"As expected, your words were entirely correct…"
"About a thousand years ago, the Chaos descendants…"
"From this stone monument we can glean clues that point to the existence of the Order of Primordials…"
Like… what stone monument?
I can't read ancient letters.
I'm 90% sure they can't either.
They probably just gathered every old rock, dusty book, and vaguely spooky object they could find and arranged them dramatically so it looks like an investigation.
Honestly? Respect. That's commitment.
"Please take a look at these documents," Beta says.
She then thunks a massive stack of papers onto my desk—like, an actually back-breaking amount.
"These are all the possible hideouts Claire-sama might be held in, based on our latest intel."
I stare at the mountain of paper.
More than half of it is in an ancient language and the rest is filled with indecipherable mathematical equations or something. Damn, you guys have gotten good at making up this kind of stuff. I'll admit, you all have gotten even more pro at it than me.
I have absolutely no idea what to do with this.
I mean, sure, I could sit down and analyze everything like some kind of responsible organization leader…
…or I could point vaguely at one and dramatically say,
"This one. My intuition whispers to me."
You already know which one I'm choosing.
While ignoring Beta's entire dramatic monologue about "cross-referencing ancient texts," I quietly pick up a throwing knife and flick it at the giant map pinned on the wall.
Thunk.
The knife embeds itself into some random place I definitely did not aim at.
"There."
"That place? What is there?" Beta asks.
"That's where my sister is."
"But that location, there's noth—no, wait. Could it be…!"
Here we go.
Beta dives into the mountain of documents like a scholar possessed, papers flying, eyes wide. She looks like she's trying to speedrun academic research.
I mean… yeah… I literally threw that knife with the precision of a bored toddler. I couldn't repeat that shot if my life depended on it.
But watching Beta act like I just solved the Grand Unified Theory of Everything?
Priceless.
"In conclusion," Beta says, slamming down the last stack of papers, "after comparing various sources, it seems there is indeed a high possibility of a secret hideout at the location Shadow-sama indicated."
Called it.
"But to read through this enormous amount of materials in an instant… and deduce a hidden base…" She trembles with awe. "As expected of Shadow-sama."
"You still lack training, Beta."
"I shall redouble my diligence!"
She says that with such sincerity I almost feel bad. Almost.
Honestly, her acting is dangerously convincing. If she ever auditioned for a theater troupe, she'd become a national treasure.
"I shall inform Alpha-sama at once. Will we move tonight?"
"Mm."
Beta bows so deeply her hair nearly brushes the floor, then marches out with the aura of someone who just received divine revelation.
Through the door crack I see her fist pump once, like she's hyped to be part of something monumental.
All I did was throw a knife at a wall, but sure, let's pretend it was a 10,000 IQ deduction.
Shadow Garden acting level: Oscar-worthy.
A man walked alone through a dark underground tunnel.
He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with a well-trained body and sharp, calculating eyes. His grey hair was swept back, and he wore red, glistening armor that seemed to shine even in the shadows.
His footsteps stopped at the end of the tunnel. Before him stood a door, guarded by two soldiers who looked almost identical to him, though their armor was less polished.
"Is the Kagenou girl inside?" he asked.
"Yes, Brunor-sama," one soldier replied, saluting as he unlocked the door.
"Sir, please mind yourself. Though restrained, she is extremely aggressive."
"Hmph. Who do you think I am?"
"My apologies, sir!"
Brunor opened the door and stepped inside.
The room beyond was a dimly lit, stone-walled jail. A single girl was affixed to the wall by glowing magic chains.
"You must be Claire Kagenou," Brunor said.
At his voice, the girl lifted her head. She was stunning her black hair fell straight down her back, her thin negligee revealing far more than it concealed. Yet her gaze was fierce, unyielding, filled with strong-willed determination.
"I've seen your face at the royal capital before. You are a Holy Knight, correct?" she asked.
"Hou… you were with the Kingdom of Liones previously," Brunor's gaze narrowed at the comment.
"Oh yes. When you challenged a Holy Knight for his title… who was it… oh yes! Dreyfus cut you to pieces that time," Claire laughed lightly.
"Hmph. That was within the limits of a match. It didn't mean anything. In a real fight, I would not have lost to her."
"Nothing would be different in a real fight, oh Holy Knight Brunor, who lost in the first round of the tournament," Claire countered, smirking.
"Fool. You don't even know the honor it is to simply stand on that stage at such a level of power, ignorant girl," Brunor retorted.
"I will stand on that stage in just one year," Claire said confidently.
"Too bad for you… you don't have a year left."
The chains restricting Claire clinked ominously. Her teeth snapped just inches from Brunor's neck. Had he not tilted his head, his carotid artery might have been severed.
"The one who won't live for another year will it truly be me? Or you? Care to bet?" she taunted.
"No need for bets, Claire Kagenou."
She crashed onto the stone floor, yet her eyes never wavered from his. Brunor lowered his fist, surprised by the lack of expected resistance.
"You jumped back," he muttered.
Claire smiled dauntlessly. "Was there a fly in the room?"
"Hmph. Seems you're not just riding on your large magic capacity," he observed.
"I was taught magic is not about quantity, but control," she said.
"What a good father you have," Brunor remarked.
"I've never learned a thing from that baldy. It was my little brother," Claire said mischievously.
"Brother?"
"My impertinent little brother. Every time we fight, I win but I learn from his sword. He never learns from mine. That's why I pick on him every day."
"What a pitiful younger brother. I'd be an ally of justice saving him from his tyrannical older sister. Anyways, enough pointless banter."
Brunor cleared his throat. "Claire Kagenou. Lately, have you felt anything strange with your body? Magic slipping, health instability, sharp pains when using magic, or black rot appearing anywhere?"
"After all that trouble of kidnapping me, you want to play doctor?" she sneered.
"Answer honestly. It will lead to the best outcome for both of us," he said.
"Ooo, is that a threat? My personality makes me rebel at threats, even if logic tells me otherwise."
"So you won't cooperate?"
"I wonder~"
Brunor and Claire glared at each other.
Finally, Claire spoke. "Very well. Nothing big, so I'll tell you. You mentioned instability, right? I'm perfectly fine now… aside from these chains."
"'Now'?"
"Yes. Those symptoms happened about a year ago."
"You mean they went away on their own?"
"Not exactly… my little brother had me do something he called 'stretches.' I don't know the details, but my body returned to top condition."
"'Stretches'? Never heard of it… but the fact that you had those symptoms means you are indeed compatible."
"Compatible? With what?"
"No need for you to know. You'll be broken soon enough… Ah, I must investigate your brother too."
Suddenly, something smashed into Brunor's nose, cutting off his words.
"Guh?"
Brunor recoiled, blood trickling from his nose, glaring at Claire.
"Claire Kagenou, you little—!"
All four of her limbs were supposed to be restrained, yet her left arm hung free, blood dripping from it.
"You scraped off your own flesh and dislocated your finger?!"
The chains were magical Claire had used brute strength to chafe her skin and crush her finger bones, freeing her arm to strike Brunor. He was shocked.
"If anything happens to him, I will never forgive you! I'll kill you, your loved ones, your family, your friends… everyone you hold dear!"
Brunor's full-power punch slammed into her stomach. Bound by chains, she could not evade.
"You brat!"
He spat on her crumpled body, blood pooling beneath her left hand.
"No matter. You should now understand…"
As he reached for her blood, a soldier burst breathlessly into the room.
"Brunor-sama! It's terrible! We have intruders!"