After hearing the cold words from his own sister, Sunday felt as if the sky had collapsed on top of him.
He opened his mouth, and for the first time, a crack finally appeared in his flawless expression.
"Robin, you… what are you talking about?"
But Robin gave him no chance to explain. She stepped forward, meeting her brother's gaze head-on.
"I'm talking about Miss Kallen. Stop hiding it from me, Brother."
"Why did you threaten her? Why did you force her to pretend to be a singer from the Iris Family? Why did you use dream prison to scare her?"
Each question landed like a heavy hammer, smashing straight into the perfect mask Sunday wore.
At this moment, his own sister, Robin, was actually blaming him for the sake of an outsider.
Sunday felt as though his heart were about to shatter.
"These things…"
Instinctively, Sunday glanced at Kallen, only to see her hiding behind Robin, peeking out with a pair of innocent, wide eyes as she blinked at him.
Go on. Try exposing me.
Expose me, and I'll smash your head in.
That was very clearly what Kallen meant.
Sunday took a deep breath.
Of course he didn't dare now.
Not because of Kallen's strength, but because…
He suddenly realized that if he exposed Kallen's true nature now, the first one to get hurt would be Robin.
His sister would realize she had been deceived. She would realize that the person she had sincerely protected was actually a shameless liar.
And that liar hadn't even told him her real name.
That was right. After Kallen stormed into Penacony, Sunday had quickly tried to investigate her background.
Yet for the name Kallen, he found absolutely no trace.
That left only two possibilities.
Either she was an extremely low-profile individual who had endured in silence until finally choosing to reveal herself—
But the moment he thought of her behavior, Sunday immediately discarded that idea.
Which meant there was only one explanation left.
Kallen was not her real name. She definitely had another identity—one she could not afford to reveal.
And because Kallen hadn't stopped him, Sunday had been following the two women for quite a while now.
He had seen how they interacted.
At this point, his sister's fondness for "Miss Kallen" was clearly no small thing.
"…Robin," Sunday said softly.
"Some things are probably not as simple as you think."
"Then what is it?" Robin pressed.
"Tell me. Are the things Miss Kallen said true or not?"
Sunday fell silent.
He could say no.
He could tell Robin that this so-called Miss Kallen was actually a terrifying Emanator of Preservation.
That she had been the one to beat Dreammaster half to death.
That she had been the one to threaten him, not the other way around.
That she herself had demanded to pose as a singer of the Iris Family.
But if he said that, would Robin believe him?
His sister absolutely would.
And then what?
She would go question Kallen, and that violent woman would deny everything flatly—maybe even turn hostile on the spot.
With Kallen's strength, no one in all of Penacony could stop her.
And worse still, Robin would realize she had been used. She would discover that all her kindness and sympathy had been poured onto someone utterly unworthy of it.
Sunday did not want to see that expression appear on his sister's face.
"…But I did have my reasons for doing it."
"What reasons?"
"…Some of the details were indeed as she said." Sunday finally spoke, choosing his words with extreme caution.
He glanced at Kallen, who still stood behind Robin.
"The Charmony Festival needs her," he said.
"She has a… very special talent."
"And so you used threats?" Robin's voice rose slightly.
"I know." Sunday lowered his head. It was the first time today he had shown any sign of giving way.
"But you have to understand—Penacony needs this Charmony Festival. The Family needs—"
"The Family does not need coercion to preserve its dignity!" Robin cut him off.
"If Miss Kallen isn't willing, then we should not force her!"
"Brother, you know what you did was wrong!"
At last, Kallen almost laughed out loud behind Robin.
This sibling confrontation was even more entertaining than she had imagined.
As expected, Sunday truly didn't dare expose her.
Since that was the case, all he could do now was silently bear Robin's anger.
At this moment, Sunday's face was full of restraint, while Robin stood like a mother hen protecting her chick, shielding Kallen—the poor "victim"—securely behind her.
"Miss Robin," Kallen said at just the right moment, her voice soft and fragile, as if it might break at the slightest touch.
"Please don't blame your brother… maybe he was just too anxious."
That sentence, unfortunately for Sunday, only made things worse.
"Miss Kallen, you don't have to speak for him. I'll see this through to the end."
Robin turned and took Kallen's hand.
"Starting today, you're staying with me. My brother won't get another chance to harass you."
Kallen nodded obediently. "Then I'll be in your care, Senior Robin."
Sunday stood to one side, watching the whole scene unfold, and suddenly felt a profound weariness.
He wanted to say something, but there was nothing he could say.
"Brother," Robin said, turning back to him again.
"Regarding Miss Kallen, I want you to give her a proper apology."
"…All right," Sunday heard himself say.
"And take back everything you said to threaten her."
"…All right."
"And I'll handle Miss Kallen's lodging and identity arrangements."
"…All right."
Only then did Robin nod in satisfaction.
At least her brother was not beyond saving.
But then Sunday immediately did something that made her withdraw that thought.
"Robin, there are some matters I need to discuss with Miss Kallen alone."
Apparently, Sunday had finally grown desperate. He was still trying to send Robin away so he could create an opportunity to speak privately with Kallen.
But obviously, that only made Robin misunderstand him even more.
"Discuss what?" Robin countered almost the instant he finished speaking, the wariness in her voice completely undisguised.
"What is there that I'm not allowed to hear?"
Sunday drew in a slow breath.
He knew his sister too well.
Robin was usually gentle as water, but once she made up her mind about something, she became more stubborn than even the bloodhounds of the Bloodhound Family.
"It's about arrangements for the Charmony Festival," Sunday said, choosing the most official phrasing he could.
"There are some technical details from the Iris Family that need to be confirmed."
"Then I should be there even more," Robin retorted without giving an inch.
"Miss Kallen is supposed to perform on stage. Shouldn't I, as her instructor, be informed about the specific arrangements?"
"Robin—"
"Or are you trying to threaten Miss Kallen behind my back again?"
That sentence hit him like a knife straight through the chest.
Sunday finally experienced what it meant to have no defense at all.
"I'm not trying to threaten her," he said, forcing his voice to remain calm.
"I only want to confirm a few details with her."
"What details?"
"Her stage blocking, the lighting cues, the placement of the sound equipment…"
"I can relay those to Miss Kallen."
"…"
At last, Sunday had nothing left to say.
He stood there, lips parting and closing like a fish stranded on shore.
Every excuse about stage blocking, lighting, and sound placement shattered into dust beneath Robin's clear and steady gaze.
His sister stood before him like a wall—gentle in form, yet utterly impossible for him to cross.
And behind that wall, Kallen was watching him with something very close to amusement.
As for him?
He was the danger that had to be kept outside.
"Robin, don't you trust me anymore?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Sunday froze.
He should never have sounded so close to pleading.
Robin's response was even crueler than he had expected.
She lowered her head, avoiding his gaze.
"Brother… I just don't want to see you become that kind of person."
What kind of person?
Sunday wanted to ask, but the words never came.
But none of this was his fault.
He almost wanted to shout it.
It was this woman's fault! She was the one who started everything! She beat Dreammaster, she threatened him, this was all her fault!
But for the sake of his dream—his plan—Sunday ultimately still did not dare say it.
Forget it. Let the world burn.
Thud.
With that soft sound, the world did not burn.
Instead, Robin's body went limp and collapsed.
Sunday's pupils shrank sharply, and he lunged forward on instinct.
But Kallen moved faster.
She caught Robin by the shoulders and held her securely.
"You—" Sunday's voice jammed in his throat.
Kallen raised a finger to her lips and gave him a warning gesture.
"Relax. She's just sleeping for a while."
"What did you do to her?" Sunday asked in a low voice, rage almost spilling over.
"I told you. I only put her to sleep for a bit." Kallen freed one hand and casually brushed Robin's bangs away from her forehead.
"Your sister is the type who takes everything way too seriously. If I didn't make her nap, she'd argue with you until sunrise."
But Sunday refused to accept that.
"You could have used a gentler method!"
At that, Kallen finally grew annoyed.
This man was seriously tedious.
"Gentler?" She arched a brow, every trace of contempt plain in her voice.
"Mr. Sunday, you looked pretty helpless just now, getting cornered speechless by your little sister. You really don't strike me as someone capable of solving things gently."
Sunday's face stiffened.
Meanwhile, Kallen tucked Robin a little more securely into her arms.
"Didn't you say you wanted to talk to me alone? Well, now you can."
But Sunday seemed not to hear that at all.
"Give Robin back to me first."
Kallen answered instantly:
"No."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 150)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter190)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter105)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter222)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 190
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 170
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 215
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 200
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 115
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 130
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 105
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 90
My Harem Is Indescribable 85
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 90
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 81
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 65
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 60
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 61
Checking In in Demon Slayer 65
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 80
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 66
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 58
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 65
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 63
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 59
Why did they assign me to Uma 55
MYGO Beauties 56
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 45
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 49
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 36
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 15
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