Esdeath stared at the glowing screen floating in front of her face. The numbers blinked softly in the early morning darkness. It was only 6:30 a.m., and she had just opened her eyes. Like always, checking her SP points was the first thing she did.
The sky outside was still dark, with only a faint blue glow far away in the horizon. Living in a mix up of city and countryside-like area meant the sun rose slowly and the mornings were quiet.
Esdeath stretched a little and let out a soft breath. She had been thinking for a while about whether she should upgrade one of her skills or maybe get a new one. But in the end, she decided against it. Instead, she had made a new goal—she wanted to collect 100,000 SP points first.
And remove the rule that said she shouldn't break the main storyline of Free Life Fantasy
"There's still months… maybe even a year before something major happens," she muttered with a small smirk. "If I reach 100K by then, I can cause as much chaos as I want and take full advantage of the situation without anything holding me back...hehe…"
Her lips curled into a mischievous grin as wild plans danced in her head.
But she quickly shook those thoughts away and decided to start her daily routine. She tried to sit up—
—but couldn't.
Something was holding her down.
No—someone.
Esdeath looked down and sighed. Selene was hugging her again while asleep.
As always, the little girl had grown a bit more. Now her small body reached all the way up to Esdeath's upper abdomen. Not long ago, Selene was only at her waist, looking like a six or seven-year-old girl. But now she looked closer to eight or nine.
Her face… was starting to look more and more like Esdeath too. With the way she was growing, it wouldn't be surprising if one day people mistook them for twin sisters instead of mother and daughter.
But there were still a few clear differences.
Esdeath had long black hair and bright red eyes, while Selene had a beautiful mix of black and silver-white hair. Her eyes were a soft silver color, and the most unique thing—she had a pair of small, cute horns on her head.
"I wonder why she looks so much like me," Esdeath thought, touching Selene's soft hair. "She was supposed to take after Kailith… maybe I used too much of my own blood that time…"
She let out a light sigh and tried to lift herself again—only to find Selene's arms holding her even tighter.
Vein marks popped on Esdeath's forehead. She narrowed her eyes.
"Selene," she said in a sharp voice. "I know you're awake. Let go already!"
Selene cracked one eye open and let out a tiny giggle.
"He‑he‑he…"
She finally loosened her grip, and Esdeath slipped out of bed. "Up you get," Esdeath said, giving the girl's shoulder a gentle tap.
Selene hopped to her feet right away. Side by side, they brushed their teeth, sleepy foam dripping from their chins. Next came the bath.
Their little bathroom had a deep tub and a hot shower built into the wall. Warm steam filled the air. Esdeath slid into the tub first, stretching her legs while her shoulders and feet stayed above the water. Selene lay on top of her like a baby seal, and Esdeath ran her fingers through the girl's half‑black, half‑silver hair.
"You've grown a lot, Selene," Esdeath said, massaging the silky strands. "From now on, you should bathe on your own."
"But I like bathing with you," Selene said in a soft, hopeful voice.
"No means no. Try to act a little older," Esdeath scolded, though her tone was gentle.
Selene puffed out her cheeks and nodded. Her gaze drifted to the black‑ink tattoo that curled down Esdeath's neck. She traced the lines with one small finger. "I want tattoos too," she whispered.
Esdeath shook her head. "You're still too little for that."
Selene rolled her eyes, twisted her body like a playful snake, and buried her face in Esdeath's chest. "But you said I'd grown up," she muttered under her breath, knowing any louder would earn another scolding.
After the bath, Esdeath dried off and slipped into her usual outfit: crisp white shirt, neat tie, tight black pants, and a braid down her back. Selene chose a childish cloth for her childish frame.
Breakfast was simple—fried eggs, toast, and warm milk. Normally Esdeath cooked for three, but Lortell was away, so two plates were enough. While Selene ate, Esdeath skimmed the morning newspaper. Nothing important had happened overnight execpt the same news of M.A.L.I.C E rampaging in Kingdom of Dwarf.
Across the room, Selene practiced swings with a real sword—too big for her but light enough that Esdeath wasn't worried. "I'm thinking of hiring a tutor," Esdeath said, folding the paper. "Someone who can teach you to write, and the other basics."
Selene already knew how to read, but writing still looked like chicken scratches. She nodded, serious and bright‑eyed.
---------
At eight o'clock sharp, Esdeath tugged on her boots, grabbed her satchel, and took Selene's hand. The walk to the academy felt fresh and lively, with birds chattering all around.
Instead of going through the main gate, Esdeath led Selene to the thick woods behind the school grounds. Dark trunks rose like tall guards, and patches of mist clung to the moss.
"Here's your mission," Esdeath said, crouching so their eyes were level. "Hunt three rank‑D monsters before I finish class at noon. No rank‑C beasts—too risky."
Selene's silver eyes sparkled. She gave a sharp nod, excitement bubbling up in her chest. "I'll do it!"
She spun around, waved goodbye, and dashed into the forest, black‑and‑silver hair streaming behind her.
Esdeath waved back, then turned and headed for her own lecture hall, boots crunching over the gravel path.
----------
Esdeath finally stepped into the classroom. The usual quiet morning air was there, but something felt off.
She looked around and saw Maruti already at her seat. Her head was resting on the desk, her shoulders slouched like she'd been carrying a mountain. Her eyes were empty, distant, like a person who had lost all energy to live—just like how Esdeath looked yesterday.
Esdeath walked over and sat beside her, leaning a little closer. "Did something happen?" she asked with a calm voice.
Maruti turned her dull eyes toward her. "Say what didn't happen…" she muttered, sounding like she had aged ten years overnight. "Ugh… I'm completely out of motivation."
Esdeath grinned a little. "Wanna have a history lesson to cheer up?"
Maruti gave her a deadly look. "No thanks. I've suffered enough already."
She slowly sat up straight but instantly grabbed her stomach and groaned. "Ouch… my hips hurt," she whined softly, wincing in pain.
Then she took a long breath and began telling Esdeath everything—how it all started, what Lilith offered, the contract, the surprise, and how it ended. Her voice was tired, but her story was detailed.
Esdeath listened carefully the whole time. She fought hard to keep a straight face. But after hearing it all…
Her lips twitched.
She pressed them together, took a deep breath, and tried to act serious.
Then her expression broke, and she burst out laughing.
"Hahahahaha!!" Her laugh echoed through the classroom.
Maruti's face turned red—half embarrassment, half anger. "Yeah, laugh all you want! My day will come too! May Lortell take my revenge!" she grumbled, crossing her arms and glaring at the desk.
After a while, Esdeath finally wiped her eyes and sat up straight again, calming herself.
Her face became blank and serious.
"So, you sold your body," she said plainly. "But I gotta admit… that was a worthy sacrifice. One thousand years of a longevity essence stone and a piece of divine-rank essence? That's beyond priceless."
Maruti blinked. "It's that rare?"
Esdeath nodded with a firm look. "Of course. Just think—who wouldn't want to live a thousand years? And those longevity stones are used in almost every divine or rank-A essence stone. You can't even buy them with money anymore. What you got is something even nobles would fight over."
Maruti's expression changed instantly. She closed her eyes and rubbed her nose like a proud cat. "Hehehe… well, I am pretty amazing."
But her moment of glory didn't last long.
Esdeath tilted her head and asked, "What about Princess Ravenna? Did you convince her to help us with that certain work?"
Maruti's happy face broke into a tired glare. "Can't I just be happy for five minutes?" she said through gritted teeth. "Fine, I'll do it! It's not like we're out of time anyway."
Esdeath leaned back and looked toward the front of the class, arms crossed. "Good. Just make sure it's done by tomorrow."
She paused, thinking. "By the way… why does Lilith even have a piece of the Fate essence stone? That stuff is legendary."
Maruti blinked, then replied, "You don't know? She told me it was the hero who found it. He used it to make himself the fated one to kill the demon king. But like always, nothing's truly supreme in this world. The hero couldn't kill the demon king—only managed to seal him. Before he died, he gave the Fate stone to Lilith."
Esdeath's eyes narrowed slightly. "So that's where it came from…"
They both sat in silence for a moment before Esdeath broke it.
"Did you have your training with Xing Liang yet?" she asked while adjusting her sleeves.
Maruti quickly shook her head. "No, I haven't gone to him yet. But what's more important is… Kailith is going to start coming to class from tomorrow. What am I supposed to do then?"
Esdeath smacked her own forehead. "If I were you, I would've visited Xing Liang almost every day! You're missing a golden chance to learn from a real master!"
Maruti blinked a few times, thinking deeply about her words. Then slowly, a wide smile spread across her face. "You're right. I can just skip normal classes and take lessons from Xing Liang instead!"
It was like she had found the perfect escape plan.
---
One by one, the lectures ended. The day moved on, and finally both Esdeath and Maruti stepped out of the classroom together.
It was already afternoon. The sun was high, and its harsh light hit their faces as they walked through the academy hallway. After passing the rows of students and tall stone walls, they finally reached the path that led to the academy's front gate.
They were heading toward their own dorms, ready to rest.
But just as they reached the gate, two people suddenly stepped in front of them, blocking their way.
"To think I wouldn't even need to come all the way in… and still find you here! This has to be fate!" a confident male voice called out.
Esdeath and Maruti stopped immediately.
Standing in front of them were two men. One had a mix of green and yellow hair and sharp, glowing green eyes. The other stood a little behind him, with neat blond hair and a sharp jawline, calm and serious.
They were none other than Detective Auren and his partner, Emilyn—the investigators who had been looking for the mysterious author of *The Future I Saw*, the book that had shocked many people.
Auren, always loud and dramatic, gazed straight at girl with a proud grin on his face.
"After a long and careful investigation, I finally found you—the mysterious author of that book!" he said proudly. "Who would've guessed the writer is actually a beautiful girl studying and traning at the Awakened Academy! Haha!"
But then, his face turned sharp. His green eyes sparkled like emeralds as he stared at her.
He took a step forward, lifted his hand, and pointed right at her.
"The mysterious author is you, isn't it… Maruti Vanara?!"