Dad?

While Violet and Claus's match was taking place, back in Esdeath's dorm room, Selene's small body stirred. Her eyes fluttered open as she let out a soft yawn. Slowly sitting up, her tiny figure stretched as she extended her small limbs. She rubbed her sleepy eyes before fully opening them.

Her body had changed again. She noticed it right away. She had grown a few centimeters taller, and the small horns hidden beneath her silver hair were now starting to peek through. She touched them lightly, her fingers brushing over the sharp tips.

"Mother… where are you?" she mumbled softly, her voice carrying a mix of longing and confusion. She looked around the room, but it was empty, as quiet as ever.

Selene sat on the bed for a while, her little legs swinging back and forth. "Should I go outside?" she wondered. Her gaze turned to the door, and she slid off the bed, padding over to it. Her hand rested on the doorknob, but she hesitated.

Esdeath's warning echoed in her mind: "Don't go outside without permission." The memory made her pause, and she withdrew her hand.

Feeling restless, she began to wander around the room, circling it aimlessly. She ended up at the window, peeking outside. The sunlight was bright, and the academy garden below was calm. Only a few people wandered about, most having gone to the arena to watch the competition.

As she stared out at the people walking outside, a wave of emptiness washed over her. It felt like she was trapped, her freedom locked away in this small room. She really wanted to go outside, to feel the open air and explore.

Her eyes shifted back to the door. She glanced at it several times, debating with herself. Finally, she made up her mind. "Just a small peek… a very small one. Nothing more," she whispered, convincing herself.

Cautiously, she cracked the door open and peeked outside. Her wide, curious eyes darted left, then right. "Left is empty… right is also empty. All clear!" she thought with a mischievous smirk.

With deliberate care, Selene stepped outside for the first time. Her bare foot touched the cold floor, sending a small shiver through her. It felt both exciting and nerve-wracking, like she was committing some kind of crime.

"I'll find where food is and come back. Easy peasy!" she decided with determination.

Selene walked carefully through the corridor, her tiny steps almost silent. Every movement was cautious, and her small figure made it easy for her to hide behind the tables placed along the walls. She would pause, peek out, and analyze if it was safe to move forward.

But her journey didn't go smoothly for long. She suddenly spotted two girls talking up ahead.

One of them was a human with long, straight hair, while the other was a beast-kin. The beast-kin girl had human-like skin and features but also had a fluffy tail swaying behind her and cat-like ears poking through her hair.

"Okay then, I'll be going, Melia. Be careful—students are getting kidnapped by some unknown person," the human girl said with concern, waving goodbye as she walked away.

The beast-kin girl, Melia, smiled casually. "I'll be careful," she said, turning to head in Selene's direction.

Selene's heart skipped a beat. She was hiding behind a table where decorative showpieces were placed. From where she crouched, Melia couldn't see her yet, but once she walked past the table, it would be impossible to avoid detection.

"What do I do? What do I do?" Selene thought in panic, her mind racing. But she had no time to come up with a proper plan.

Without thinking, Selene shut her eyes tightly and covered them with her tiny hands, as if that would make her invisible.

A few seconds passed. No sound came.

Selene peeked through her fingers cautiously, only to see that Melia had stopped right in front of a door nearby—the door to her own room.

"Ugh! Why isn't it opening? Today's my date and my clothes are in there!" Melia complained, visibly annoyed as she fiddled with the door.

Her frustration grew as the key refused to work. In her anger, she accidentally snapped the key in half, making it completely useless.

"Ugh, great! Now I have to find the duplicate key," she muttered with a sigh, dropping her bag to the floor and digging through it for the spare.

Selene watched nervously from her hiding spot, her forehead covered in sweat. Time felt like it was crawling.

"She's taking too long! What if Mother finds out I'm not in the room? Should I go back?" Selene's thoughts were in chaos as she considered her options.

But then, an idea popped into her mind. Her eyes lit up as she remembered something she had read in a story once.

"In stories, doesn't the protagonist knock someone out from behind and sneak away without being caught?" she thought, her tiny fist slamming into her palm as if she had just discovered a brilliant plan.

Selene moved quickly, her tiny steps silent as she approached Melia. Her heart raced, and her small figure was almost a blur as she jumped into the air. Melia didn't even notice as Selene arced toward her, aiming to knock her out from behind.

But the moment her foot connected, Selene's breath hitched. She had made a mistake.

No—two mistakes.

First, she couldn't reach Melia's neck as she had planned. The kick landed awkwardly on her upper back instead.

Second, Selene didn't know how to control her strength.

BAM!

A deafening explosion echoed through the corridor. The force of the kick was so strong that Melia's body smashed straight through the door. No—through the entire room.

The door, the walls, and even the furniture inside the room shattered into pieces. Debris flew everywhere, scattering wood and personal belongings across the hallway. Melia's body was sent flying through the room's window, disappearing outside.

Selene stood frozen, her face pale. Her eyes widened as she realized what she had done.

"Oh no... no, no, no! I messed up! I really messed up!" she muttered, panicking as she heard voices approaching.

"Is the academy under attack?!" one student shouted, rushing toward the sound of the explosion.

Selene didn't wait to see what would happen next. She turned and bolted down the hallway, her small legs carrying her as fast as they could.

"I'll just go back to my room and pretend none of this happened!" she decided, her heart pounding with fear.

When she reached the dorm room, she grabbed the handle and tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge.

"What?! It wasn't locked when I left!" she gasped, tugging on the door.

She quickly realized it was sealed with a magic circle. The glowing symbols on the door confirmed it.

"It's a magic lock," she whispered, her panic growing. "What do I do now?"

Selene touched the door and channeled her mana into the circle, trying to figure out how to unlock it. After a few moments, she discovered something.

"It's asking for a code... numbers," she murmured. "What numbers could it be?"

Her mind raced until she remembered something important.

"Mother's birthday!" she thought, her eyes lighting up.

Esdeath had once told her about the birthday of her current body, Esdeath Crimson. Selene had a habit of asking questions all the time, she was the one who asked that question and as for the answer she remembered it clearly.

She carefully input the numbers and held her breath.

With a soft swish, the lock released, and the door creaked open.

"Success!" Selene whispered excitedly, a relieved smile spreading across her face.

But her excitement was short-lived as she hurried inside and closed the door behind her, leaning against it with a sigh.

Selene's eyes widened as she stepped into the room. The atmosphere was unfamiliar, and the air felt heavy.

"This… isn't my room," she whispered, her tiny voice trembling.

Her gaze wandered cautiously, and on the right wall, her eyes landed on a massive portrait. It depicted a tall woman with flowing silver hair and piercing crimson eyes. Her beauty was striking, almost divine, but the menacing red sword in her hand gave her a commanding presence.

Selene froze. "Who is she?",she muttered, confused.

Realization struck her like a bolt of lightning. "Oh no! I got into the wrong room!" she gasped, her small hands clutching her chest. Her heart raced. "But why did the door open with mother's birthday? That doesn't make sense."

She shook her head, deciding not to linger. "I need to leave before someone finds me," she whispered.

But as she turned to leave, something on the left wall caught her attention. It was another large portrait.

Selene hesitated, her curiosity overpowering her sense of urgency. Slowly, she turned back and looked at the painting. Her small mouth parted in shock.

In the portrait, two young girls lay together under a sheet.

The younger girl looked about eight years old, with black hair and skin so pale it resembled freshly fallen snow. Her eyes were closed, and her expression was serene, but there was a subtle exhaustion etched on her delicate face.

Beside her was an older girl, maybe eleven or twelve, with long silver hair and crimson eyes. Her features were eerily similar to the woman in the first portrait. Unlike the younger girl, her eyes were wide open, her gaze intense and possessive. Her tongue was touching the younger girl's lips, and the look in her crimson eyes was chilling.

Selene felt her body freeze as her gaze locked on the silver-haired girl. It wasn't just the way she looked; it was the way the painting seemed to radiate a silent message.

"This girl is mine," the crimson-eyed girl seemed to say.

Selene's gaze shifted to the younger girl, and her heart sank. Her hands trembled as recognition struck her.

"Mother?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

It was unmistakable. The black hair, the pale skin—there was no one else it could be. The younger girl was her mother, Esdeath.

But then her eyes returned to the older girl in the painting. Her silver hair, her crimson eyes, and the way she looked at Esdeath… her instinct were screaming only one word in her mind

"Dad?"