Volume 4—Chapter 122: Weirdly Compelled
Since my earliest memory, being an actor is something I love. I like being an actor… I can live a different life. A game of pretend, making up stories. It was something I used to do with my mom. Then I became a child actor, which defined the first eleven years of my life.
Those first eleven years of my life were the happiest.
But it did not last.
It began subtly… small arguments between my parents that slowly escalated over time. My father, once a hardworking and kind man, started drinking heavily. His voice, once full of warmth, grew sharper, and his presence became something oppressive in our home.
Then one night, as if possessed, my mother killed my father.
I witnessed it with my own eyes. His blood painted the wooden floor, and his last breath filled the silent air.
Then my mother turned to me.
Her eyes… they were no longer the gentle eyes I knew. They had changed. They glowed red, like they were consumed by madness.
I thought I would die that day.
The only reason I am alive now is that Ariana saved me. She suddenly appeared and alerted the neighbours.
My mother was sent to a mental hospital.
No… she is not my mother, not anymore. From that day, I have considered both of my parents' deaths.
One thing after another, my father’s funeral, and then the Fiolera family came to adopt me.
After that… being an actor became something else.
An escape.
And now… I’ve been told I have a hidden power by a witch from another world.
I remember what she said.
“Syena… inside you is a power to bend the probability itself.”
The witch, Emilia… the one I encountered, the one who brought me back home after getting kidnapped.
“The manifestation of that power may be different for each user. The previous user was your ancestor, Viani Fiolera, my teacher. Her way of using it was like creating a loom. A loom of fate, that’s what she called it.”
Even now… I still can’t understand her.
But the moment I saw Yukari and Ariana fighting, I felt something inside me.
I wanted them to stop.
Then my arm moved on its own.
A small pen appeared in my hand, and I subconsciously wrote a single word in the air.
Stop.
To my surprise… they stopped.
“Why can’t I move…” said Ariana.
“So this is that power…” said Yukari.
Huh?
Did Yukari know something about my power?
Wait… come to think of it, Emilia said this power once belonged to my ancestor.
Then the Fiolera family must know something about it.
“Um…” I want to say something, but I don’t know what to say.
But before I can even decide what to do, the giant dragon from the sky suddenly retreats back into the swirling portal. The only reason we noticed was because of the tremor it made, even as it disappeared.
“The dragon disappeared just like that?…” said Ariana, her eyes still fixed on the sky. “Oh… I can move again….”
Yukari brushed the dust off her clothes, calm as ever. “Let’s head back…”
But before any of us could move, both their smartwatches let out a sharp sound.
A message came through.
“Attention, Esper in Tsukuru, please press the designated button on your smartwatch if you agree to participate in the dragon annihilation. We have confirmed the dragon has moved to another location. If you agree, Teleporter Espers will arrive at your position and take you to the battlefield.”
“I am not participating,” said Ariana.
“Same here…” Yukari replied. “I’d rather we settle some score. Of course, peacefully.”
I should have agreed.
There was no reason for us… No, for me… to get involved.
I don’t know why… but there’s an inkling feeling telling me I need to go to where that dragon disappeared.
“Syena… let’s head back home. I also need to hear what happened to you,” Yukari said.
I looked at her, but didn’t answer.
“Syena?” Yukari called again.
“Are you hurt somewhere?” Ariana stepped closer, her voice softer now. Her hand hovered near my shoulder, like she wanted to check but held herself back.
“Let’s go to the dragon,” I said.
Both of them froze for a moment.
Yukari’s lips curved into a small, amused smile.
Ariana, on the other hand, stared at me like she didn’t hear it right.
“Syena… don’t be reckless,” Ariana said quickly. “You just got back. You’ve been gone for weeks, and now this kind of thing is happening. We don’t need to go there.”
She moved closer, close enough that I could feel the warmth from her flames even when they weren’t fully there.
“Just come back with me,” she added, quieter. “You don’t have to get involved in this.”
Her hand finally settled on my arm, holding it lightly, but not letting go.
“You said you didn’t even realise how long you were gone,” she continued, her voice tightening just a little. “Do you know what that felt like?”
I didn’t answer.
“I’m not letting you disappear again,” she said.
It wasn’t loud.
But it wasn’t something I could ignore either.
Yukari watched the exchange, her eyes narrowing slightly, the amusement still there but thinner now.
“Well… this is interesting,” she murmured, a faint smile forming.
Yukari took out her smartwatch and pressed the button without hesitation. A soft confirmation tone followed.
Then she moved.
Before Ariana could react, Yukari reached out, caught her wrist, and tilted it just enough to press the button on Ariana’s smartwatch as well.
“You… what the heck are you doing!!” Ariana snapped, pulling her hand back.
“This is more interesting…” said Yukari.
“Interesting!!” Ariana shot back. “I knew you were scheming something. You want to get rid of Syena, don’t you? To lessen your competition!!”
Yukari just chuckled in amusement.
A second later, someone appeared.
It was someone I knew. Viola.
“Oh… " It’s you two…” said Viola, then she looked at me.
“And Syena?”
She seemed surprised to see me.
But she didn’t say anything more. Quiet as always.
Without wasting time, she stepped forward and grabbed both Ariana and Yukari by the arm.
“Please, Syena, just go home and be safe,” Ariana said quickly, turning to me.
Instinctively, I jumped and hugged Ariana around the waist.
My sudden movement flustered her.
Then a second later, everything blurred…
And suddenly, we were in a different place.
It looked like a beach area. The wind was blowing hard.
Then I heard another surprised voice.
“Syena?!”
It was Irana, looking at me with wide eyes.
Author's Note
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