Chapter 187: Sibling Night Talk and the Long-Awaited Arrival
Chapter 187: Sibling Night Talk and the Long-Awaited Arrival
"Big Brother?"
After stepping out of the back room with a clean little cloth bag, the doll-faced girl was nowhere to be seen, leaving only Lyon still standing by the door. Anna couldn't help but ask curiously, "Where's Miss Amy?"
"I don't have much time to stay at home, and there are some things I need to ask you about, so I sent her home first."
Turning to glance out the window, Lyon saw that the strong old man was almost inside, so he prepared to be brief. He grabbed his sister's shoulder and spoke earnestly, "Anna, you and I need to talk..."
"You and Miss Veronica, when did it all start?"
"Huh?"
Seeing Lyon's slightly startled expression, Anna, who had asked the question first, bit her lip lightly and then whispered with a hint of reproach, "It's just... how did you two meet? How did you decide to get married? Why didn't you tell me anything about it?"
"..."
"Can I say that I'm still confused about it too?"
After a brief hesitation, Lyon began to explain, "Anna, you should know that in this world, there are many things that don't fall within the 'normal range.' Just like your photograph, there are all sorts of incredible abilities.
Miss Veronica, she was influenced by something similar, causing everyone in the kingdom to lose their memories of her, including you and me."
What? Everyone forgot about her?!
Hearing about the photograph, Anna's heart tightened instinctively, and she tugged at her skirt. But after learning about the princess's experience, she exclaimed in both surprise and sympathy, "So... she lost everything?!"
"Yes," Lyon confirmed.
Upon hearing this from Lyon, Anna fell silent.
If such a sudden loss had happened to her, she might have completely broken down. Yet, Princess Veronica not only showed no signs of distress but had even chatted happily with her the night before.
Apart from slightly heavy eye circles, indicating a less-than-ideal night's sleep, there was no visible sign of distress on the surface. She was truly...
"She's so strong..."
"Yes, she's indeed a very 'powerful' person."
Understanding what his sister was marveling at, Lyon, who had witnessed the princess's soul, nodded in agreement.
In the old man's soul vision, each person's soul had its own 'base color,' which wasn't a literal color like red, orange, yellow, or green, but rather a feeling that was closer to their essence.
Anna's base color was one of longing and warmth, while Police Officer Isha's was one of compassion and responsibility. Princess Veronica's soul, on the other hand, had an unparalleled base color of extreme resilience. Her conviction was so strong it was almost frightening, as if she was born without the concept of despair.
Moreover, this conviction wasn't just a self-assured belief in her success but a determination to keep moving forward even when the odds were slim. She would continue until her legs were worn down to nothing, with death being the only possible end.
Hmm... In a sense, her brother's soul also had this quality. The two royal family members Lyon had encountered both had incredibly 'hard' souls.
However, if Princess Veronica's base color was conviction, then her brother's could only be described as arrogance. Even after being on the receiving end of a mixed doubles attack from Lyon and Emma, resulting in the loss of several teeth, he still maintained his innate arrogance.
Perhaps this was a hereditary trait of the royal family!
...
Lyon shook his head slightly, no longer dwelling on the peculiar soul of the spotted prince. He checked on the old man's progress as he climbed through the window and then turned to look at his sister, who was both admiring and envious. With a serious expression, he asked, "Anna, can you tell me what you were thinking after seeing Miss Veronica yesterday?"
Huh? What was I thinking?
Slightly startled by Lyon's question, Anna hesitated before answering, "I was... envious of her?"
"Just envious?"
"And a bit... wanting to be like her..."
Unconsciously glancing at the papaya in the kitchen, Anna whispered with a hint of admiration, "I'm not in the best of health, but Miss Veronica is so healthy and full of life. I'm a bit too skinny, but her... figure is amazing. And her personality too.
Unlike me, who isn't very good at talking, she's so sociable, cheerful, and has this natural charm that makes people believe in her... She's a lot like Mom in that regard."
Recalling past events, Anna's eyes filled with warmth as she said, "Ever since I was little, I've wanted to be like her and Mom, but I just can't seem to make it happen."
"..."
Therefore, Princess Veronica was Anna's 'ideal,' and her admiration for the princess after meeting her, along with her desire to be like her, led to a sense of 【Warmth in the Home】.
After being repaired, it became a substitute for others, but with an added "what if" scenario. It seemed reasonable, but the degree of change seemed a bit off.
If the ability to alter anomalies could change like this, then the thought, "If only I were her," would likely be incredibly strong. Would Anna have such a strong thought if it were merely admiration?
Frowning in contemplation, Lyon wondered if returning the photo to Anna would actually make her replace the Princess. So, he didn't take out the photo but instead grabbed Anna's shoulders and spoke seriously.
"Is that all? Think carefully! Are there any others?"
Other than that...
The frail girl bit her lower lip upon hearing this. A crying face flashed through her mind, along with the figure of a man.
Anna spoke with a hint of envy, "If I had gotten a photo of my family, and if that man got hold of it, he would restore everything. You, William, and Melanie would regain your original lives, and I would no longer be your family."
"If something like that actually happened, I would revert to being alone. Your family would only consist of Sister Veronica. I'm so envious of her..."
"But it was because I used that photo six years ago that I took away your original lives and separated you from your true families. Do I... do I have the right to stop that man and prevent him from putting everything back on its original track?"
Anna's lips moved slightly, and her expression grew slightly dim. She shook her head and murmured, "I don't..."
"You do! Anna! You're definitely hiding something from me!"
Even without using Soul Vision, Lyon could sense the hesitation in his sister's heart.
"If it were someone else, I wouldn't mind. Everyone has their secrets. But what Anna is hiding is likely related to the anomaly created by the Water Bottle Director, and that's something I can't afford to be vague about!"
"I don't know why you're hiding it from me, but it's connected to that photo, right?"
Lyon activated the power of the Holy Spirit Pendant and threw out the intruding old man. Then, grabbing his sister's shoulders, he stared into her eyes with utmost seriousness.
"Anna, listen to me!
Whether you want to escape your past mistakes, believe that keeping secrets is better for me, or have other reasons, you must never do this!"
Lyon paused briefly, then continued, seeing that Anna wasn't denying it.
"I'm your brother. If you've made a mistake, tell me directly! I'll do my best to help you make amends! If you're doing it for my sake, there's even less reason to hide it from me! I'll decide what's best for me, and you can try to convince me, but don't make choices for me!"
"I... I just..."
"Don't say anything else. You can only choose to tell me or continue hiding it."
Lyon secretly touched the horn of the black sheep, checking Anna's soul state. His expression softened slightly as he spoke gently.
"As I said before, the choice is yours. I can't make it for you, but I hope you'll tell me what's going on.
"Anna, you need to prepare yourself. If you keep hiding it from me, I'll be very angry, extremely angry! But rest assured, I'm your brother, and no matter how angry I get, I'll eventually forgive you. You can start choosing now!"
Although the choice is yours, if I've made my stance this clear, and you still choose to hide it, I'll go find the Director and borrow an anomaly that can read minds!"
"I..."
Unaware of Lyon's devious plan, Anna's eyes welled up with tears at this moment. She sniffled softly and said, "I choose to tell you! I'll tell you everything!"
...
"What? The Water Bottle Director has already been to the Royal Capital, and he visited your home too?"
Even the usually composed Red-Haired Director was startled by Lyon's selective revelation.
"Yes, and it was very recent, the night before the Bureau's investigator arrived."
After hearing about Anna's encounter and her conversation with the Water Bottle Director, Lyon, looking pale with fear, clenched his teeth and said, "Director, this man is extremely dangerous, and he might be plotting something highly risky. Can't the internal inquiry be moved up any sooner?"
"It's not possible." The Red-Haired Director shook his head helplessly.
"The Year-End Review in six days is the earliest I can manage. There's no way to bring it forward..."
"Hmm... If you're worried about your family's safety, you can have your younger siblings take a break from school and stay at the Bureau for a few days. I'll protect them, and they can return home after the Year-End Review."
"I think so too... Thank you, Director!"
After expressing his sincere gratitude to the red-haired Director, Lyon felt the pressure on his body finally ease up a little, and he couldn't help but heave a long sigh of relief. Then, he took out the photo and handed it over.
"Director, I don't know why Water Bottle wants it, but what he's trying to do is something we should stop. It's best to keep this with you; I'm afraid I can't guarantee its safety."
The photo that could replace one's identity?
After glancing at the photo of Princess Veronica, the red-haired Director didn't take it but instead pulled out a small, dirty mirror from his drawer and held it up to the photo.
As the photo flickered slightly, it unexpectedly transformed from one into two identical copies. Lyon was surprised and widened his eyes at the unexpected duplication.
What is this? A replicating abnormality? Could the Director be planning...
"This is called Copycat, one of the private abnormalities I possess and a numbered-grade abnormality. Its actual strength is around thirty."
As for its ability, true to its name, it can replicate any object, including abnormalities, creating an exact duplicate. However, the ability of the duplicate will be slightly diminished, and only one duplicate can exist at a time.
Additionally, as long as the duplicate remains intact, it will continuously drain my strength. The longer it persists, the more power it consumes. It's a troublesome abnormality with many limitations... But its effect is quite useful, especially when it comes to baiting."
After pushing one of the photos towards Lyon, the Director noticed a flash of realization in Lyon's eyes, as if he had understood something. The red-haired Director smiled and said, "It seems you've guessed it. Regarding Copycat, I haven't reported it to the Bureau. Water Bottle is likely unaware of it, so it's perfect for setting a trap for him."
To prevent him from having any ability to sense the location of abnormalities, I'll use some peculiar abnormalities to steal the item. As a precaution, I'll keep the fake photo here, while the real one will be placed in the small mirror you carry with you.
Don't worry about safety. For non-mirror world entities, everything in the mirror is just a mere illusion, without any physical form. He won't be able to discover it unless you take it out."
Impressive! The sober Director is so reliable, able to both bait and provide double insurance.
"Alright!"
Lyon looked at the red-haired Director with admiration and was about to put the photo away when he saw the Director take out a small box and place it next to the real photo, pushing it towards him.
"What's this?"
"The heart of that sheep... Hmm... Isn't it called Wild Gaze Heart?"
The Director's eyes lit up as he looked at Lyon, and he said with a smile, "Although the evaluation was frighteningly low, you did pass the Bureau's investigation. It was around the time you and Emma slapped Joshua Prince when the Bureau received the item."
"Hmm..."
"Were you the one who took the lead in beating him up?"
Noticing Lyon's embarrassed expression, the red-haired Director's smile faded, and he narrowed his eyes, saying, "Emma said she did it, and you were just standing up for her. But do I need to spell out the truth? Do you know how many pages the foolish prince wrote in his complaint letter to the King, which was then sent to the Bureau?"
"..."
"He complained that our Bureau was negligent, violating the agreement between the Purification Bureau and the Kingdom, disregarding the safety of royal family members, failing to apprehend illegal abnormality holders, and acting recklessly by assaulting the heir to the throne. He also complained about the collateral damage caused during the purification mission, almost leading to the extermination of an innocent family... He wrote a total of thirty-something complaints!
Fortunately, you punched him today, and the complaint arrived before the year-end review. Otherwise, with the intensity of his complaints, we might have been at the bottom of the rankings next year!"
"..."
After some grumbling, the red-haired Director habitually reached for the wine bottle, wanting to take a sip to ease his worries. But he changed his mind, put the bottle down, and instead picked up a cup of hot tea. With a smile, he said to Lyon, who looked embarrassed, "Little Lyon, you've caused me so much trouble today. Shouldn't you take on a slightly more challenging task to make up for it?"
"..."
Seeing the Director's mischievous smile, Lyon instinctively felt that something significant was about to happen. However, having just been caught in a compromising situation, he could only resign himself and nod in agreement.
"Okay..."
"Good!"
The Director tapped the photo on the table and said with a smile, "Once I use the review to lure Water Bottle away and ensure there's no danger, how about you use this to infiltrate the rogue gang?"
(End of Chapter)
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