"Let's go again!"

  There's nothing you can do, Alyson. Your fate's sealed.

  Serious as he may sound, the two children were merely playing a game on Alex's bed. It's a game where Alyson would hide a small ball in a cup and switches the position with the other cups, and then Alex would have to guess where the ball was.

  They were playing it normally at first, but it all changed when Alyson started using mana to move faster.

  Seeing the smug smile plastered proudly on his sister's mug, Alex didn't take it well. He, too, burning with petty pride, began using magic to bested his sister.

  "There's no way I'm letting my baby brother beating me!" Said Alyson, burning with excitement as she hopped out of the bed.

  Alex scoffed inside, There's no way? Then what about the last five rounds?

  Alyson then brought over another two cups and placed it on top of the tray they placed on the bed.

  She locked her eyes with Alex and squinted cold.

  "How about this? Are you ready, Alex?"

  Ho, look at you. You're a hundred years too early to challenge me, sister.

  Alex responded without a blink, unlike usual. Instead, he used magic and floated up like a sage hermit, coming out to the world.

  You have no idea who you're dealing with.

  He eyed his sister from two head above.

  Alyson's eyes turned narrow, taking them away from the figure of his little brother, who had prepared himself for their showdown.

  She took a deep breath, reeling in her thoughts, and attuned herself to the flow of mana that was inside of her. She was as focused as she could ever be.

  With the gradual release of her breath, Alyson reached out for the cups and began moving them around.

  She switched them from the left to right, up to bottom, from the center into the outermost, and the speed that was initially slow got faster and faster.

  Sometimes a clear pattern would emerge, but then, she would change it up right at that moment.

  It was so fast, Alex could swear all the five cups were moving at the same time, as though she had five hands. A gentle breeze swirled around them when she was finished.

  Looking up with beads of sweat trickling down her neck, Alyson smirked, "Your turn, Alex."

  Like I said. Your fate's sealed the moment you challenged me.

  At that moment, someone was knocking on the door and entered the room.

  It was a maid in short, soft blue hair, bringing in a tray of refreshments for Maya, who was enjoying her break watching her children play.

  She was someone new, but other than Maya who asked her some questions and Hannah who assisted her colleague quietly, the children didn't seem to notice her.

  They were busy wrapping up their battle.

  Enhance my eyes to see through things and sensor for metals.

  Alex gloated as the world around him turned monochrome. And when he tracked the five semi transparent cups on top of his bed, he saw a small glowing ball.

  Heh, like taking a candy from a baby. Move my hand and--

  Just as he was about to use word magic to move his hand, Alex was caught off guard by something.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  ... Is that a knife?

  ***

  She's got a knife-, no. A frickin' dagger strapped on her thigh and my sixth sense is warning me of her.

  Alex thoughts raced as he kept his eyes glued upon the blue-haired maid.

  She's an assassin! That's for sure.

  This isn't good. Alyson is here on the bed, but the problem is Mom and Hannah. They're too close with her. If I do something reckless, she might target her first.

  Shit! What do I do? What do I do, damn it!?

  Noticing the lingering gaze that refused to leave her be, the maid felt a sense of doubt rising from within.

  In return, the warning Alex received from his sense grew sharper.

  Fuck! Calm down, Alex. Going in recklessly will only put everyone in danger... Think first... Think...

  He slowly floated down to the bed and closed his eyes, drawing a confused look from his sister.

  Do I fight? But, can I even win against her? No, it's too risky, if I somehow fail then everyone's here will be in danger.

  Or do I just leave her be? Maybe she's just trying to-- Fuck! Do you hear yourself, Alex, you fucking idiot!?

  She's a goddamn assassin who entered the room bringing in a freaking dagger, and you want to what? Leave her be and pray nothing happened.

  He berated himself harshly as anxiety inched ever so closer to grip his mind whole.

  I need to take the initiative, but initiative to what? I can't even talk to her.

  And right then, a daring idea found its way into Alex's head.

  Talk? Maybe I can...?

  He began to formulate and plan his approach based on that.

  "Alex? Are you okay? If you're tired, then we can stop here." Alyson asked worriedly, unaware of Alex's internal struggle and crisis they were in.

  Alex's eyes snapped open, and he took a glance at his family.

  He centered his thoughts and used word magic to float up into the air. Finally set his sight once more on the mysterious assassin, who noticed the peculiarity resulting in Alex's sense blaring harsh.

  Alex met that signs of hostility and hardened his heart with rage. He didn't know from where it came from, but it sure helped Alex alleviate the fear that threatened to damper him down.

  He stared and glared at the woman, sharpening his mind to the utmost as he spat inside.

  Press that dagger on her thigh.

  Alex went on, ignoring the shocked expression that emerged on the woman's face.

  Convey this to her. Touch that, you die!

  Alex immediately felt his limit fast approaching as soon as he finished the series of command.

  But he didn't stop there, he couldn't. Because the outcome of his plan depended on how successful he was to threaten the assassin and deter her.

  In short, Alex was trying to bluff his way out by catching the woman off guard. Since he knew who she was, the next step was to tell her that he could end her if he wanted to.

  Unfortunately, that didn't do the trick just yet. Although Alex did notice the warning from his sense grew to fade little by little, it wasn't gone just yet.

  So, he decided to pull one last trick to put the nail in the coffin.

  Squeeze her neck. Alex's body trembled midair, inciting sharp gasps and panic from his family.

  They called out and tried to reach for him, but Alex ignored them and kept his eyes locked on the assassin.

  While the clock ticked by, he then noticed a strange phenomenon took place.

  Alex could tell the shaking of his body, which was severe at first, had grown mild, and even gone as if it was a lie.

  On the other hand, the assassin in question, merely stood there, closing her eyes quietly as colors began to leave her face.

  She didn't even groan in pain, nor showed any reaction to what was happening to her. It was like she had somehow resigned herself to her fate, which puzzled Alex to no end.

  Stop it. Alex chose to release her.

  Not because he couldn't bear to end her, but because at one point, Alex had already noticed that his sense had not rung again.

  And that strange look the assassin gave him afterward as if she was happy about something further plunged Alex into an endless spiral of doubts.

  What in the hell is her deal!?