[Whitehall Tribunal – Office]
A newspaper lay before Letisia, with the bold black letters of Fountain News in the upper left corner. The front page featured a large article on Ashley’s “heroic deeds.”
“Heh…”
The woman extended her slender fingers, picked up the receiver of the desk phone, turned the dial, and after connecting, said softly, “Hello, is this the Abbott House?”
Before long, a disheveled Amber with dead eyes appeared before the desk.
“Tell me what happened that day.”
“Ashley… to save me… drank the Undying Potion… and turned into a mindless loli… waaah…”
After listening carefully to her account, Letisia let out a deep sigh and said,
“Silly girl, the one who turned into a mindless loli isn’t her—it’s you!”
“Eh?”
Amber looked at her teacher with a bewildered gaze.
“Even without ‘Revolver,’ Ashley’s experience, judgment, action, and thinking abilities were exceptionally strong—not inferior to the Tribunal’s cadres at all, let alone her cunning, ruthless, cold, and suspicious nature. And as for ‘Revolver,’ that monster ability on the level of legends—the four types of extraordinary abilities are destructive, mysterious, domain, and functional. But in actual combat, single-type abilities have clear strengths and weaknesses and are easy to counter, so composite abilities are always the most terrifying. The City Lord’s ‘Twilight Eternal Extinction’ and my ‘Time Sequence Heterostructure’ are both composite types. Generally speaking, combining two is the limit, but Ashley’s ability is at least a three-type composite, and it can satisfy four-type composite most of the time. Her extraordinary ability is the most unique in history. Do you think someone like that would be forced by a dozen armed thugs to drink the Undying Potion?”
Amber’s mouth hung open as a ray of clarity pierced the chaos in her mind.
Though she had little concept of top-tier extraordinary powers, she knew well the strength of the Tribunal’s cadres—the trial officers, search officers, and inspectors second only to the Trial Judge, the absolute backbone. The threshold to become a cadre was to handle incidents in isolated areas alone, facing unforeseeable dangers and malice single-handedly, piecing together the threads, and resolving the case—a true one-man army.
“She… tricked me again?” Amber showed pitiful little eyes, her voice lacking any real anger—she was too weak to muster it.
“She’s a complete bastard through and through. This time, I absolutely won’t let her off.”
Letisia tenderly straightened her disciple’s hair, then took out a handkerchief to wipe her face.
The two left Whitehall, where a four-seater carriage waited at the door.
In the carriage, the more Amber thought about it, the angrier she got. She clenched her little fists, her teeth grinding.
“Figured it out?” Letisia glanced sideways at her, her tone full of exasperation.
“I get it now… Ashley is a big liar!”
“If you’re tricked again next time, does she upgrade to super big liar?”
“Teacher, don’t tease me.” Amber shyly pursed her lips.
The carriage stopped at the entrance to Saint Dormer Community, and the pair, big and small, hurried straight to the dorm.
The blue-haired loli lay on a recliner by the window, basking in the afternoon sun like an old grandma, with a blanket pulled up to her chest, her mouth askew and eyes crossed, making “aba aba” sounds.
Hearing the familiar click of high heels through the door—Letisia’s steps were particularly heavy—Ashley’s cheeks twitched involuntarily.
Oh no… she’s here again?
Tricked the little loli, now the big sister shows up…
Little loli’s easy to fool, big sister’s hard to deceive…
Damn, targeting me again?
At this point, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and keep acting. After all, people and their constitutions varied, so the effects of the Undying Potion weren’t uniform.
Ashley’s mind settled a bit, and she continued her role.
“Though the Tribunal regrets Miss Ashley’s plight, per regulations, undying ones must be recovered. No choice— the law is heartless like that.” Letisia announced, holding a document.
“Recovered?” Flora blocked the recliner, her fingers clenched tight, her little face paling.
“The Undying Corps is a vital force for Union City. The people’s safe and stable lives depend on their protection.”
“She gave everything for the justice in her heart! And you want to enslave her? I won’t agree!” Flora shouted hysterically, but knowing Ashley wasn’t actually mad, her conviction faltered a bit.
“Sorry, it’s the rule. Besides, Amber will take good care of her.” Letisia said sincerely.
Her again?! Flora glared puffily at the dark-haired loli.
Amber gazed deeply at the crooked-mouthed, cross-eyed blue-haired loli on the recliner and raised her hand in oath:
“I swear, in this life, to be by her side, whether in poverty or wealth, sickness or health, I will love her, protect her, comfort her, respect her…”
“Hey! You can’t…”
“Flora Dora, obstruct any further, and you’ll be charged with interfering with official duties.”
Ashley quickly shot a look to the golden-haired loli, signaling her not to get worked up. After all, pretending crazy for a few days then faking recovery was no big deal.
“What snacks did she like… er, before she went mindless? Or what music?” Letisia asked.
“I often heard her muttering about figs. Probably likes eating them.” Amber recalled and said.
“Go buy some.”
At the order, Amber dashed out and soon returned with a basket of figs.
“What should I do, Teacher?”
“Know how to train a dog? Condition its reflexes—perform the action, get a fig.” Letisia instructed on the spot.
“Got it!” Amber ran to the blue-haired loli, calling out, “Fig time!”
She rushed up, rubbed a fragrant ripe fig on her nose tip, and smiled, “My little mindless one wants a fig!”
Ashley’s nose nearly twisted in rage. An unbearable shame surged in her heart, scorching her pride.
Stupid loli, just you wait!
Daring to do this to me!
Unforgivable!
“Come, help Miss Ashley into the wheelchair!”
Ashley was lifted onto the wheelchair, and Amber pushed her back to her home on Ramhorn Street.
The bedroom was on the second floor; the wheelchair couldn’t go up easily, so Abbott Dad came to help. The two actually carried her upstairs.
Ashley gradually sensed something off because whenever she sneaked a peek at Amber, the girl’s face bore a gentle, bashful smile—like a warm little wife.
Did the stupid loli go yandere?!
Nooo!
Ashley panicked. Though she wasn’t powerless to resist and wouldn’t fully become a yandere’s toy, any resistance meant exposing her fake madness.
Amber wheeled her into the room, to the window with a gentle breeze, then circled in front of her.
“Alright, let’s start with the simplest: clapping.”
She first hummed a cheerful tune, then sang in a light, sweet voice:
“If you’re happy, clap your hands~!”
Ashley was utterly speechless and glanced out the window, bored with the street view.
“Clap your hands, why aren’t you obeying?”
Amber grabbed her wrist and forcibly clapped the soft, limp little hands.
“Clap, Ashley, clap your little hands… Sigh, you were so nimble stealing stuff, what’s wrong now? Come on, clap, clap and you get a fig!”
Amber was incredibly patient, teaching the simple clap over and over from day to dusk, then into the night. Her voice grew hoarse, but she kept repeating.
Ashley finally couldn’t endure it and clapped weakly.
She realized Amber was absolutely capable of doing this every day—nothing but eating, sleeping, and teaching this. Fine, you win. Better cooperate. This state of hers is kinda scary.
“See? You can do it. Here’s a big fig as reward!” Amber beamed, lifting a fig to her lips.
In Ashley’s view, that overripe fig had a big hole in the middle, and something wriggled out—a fuzzy caterpillar covered in green prickly hairs!
Foreign invader!
