True to her word, the ancient dragon spirit returned control of Noah's body to their shared room with ten minutes to spare on the two-hour limit.
"See? I am a dragon of my word," the spirit declared with pride.
"Haha… How do I know this isn't just a trick to earn my trust?" Noah replied skeptically. "It's like borrowing money: first, you borrow a small amount and pay it back promptly; then you borrow a larger sum and repay it. But the third time, you borrow a fortune and disappear with it."
"How dare you! Comparing me to a common swindler! I keep my promises and owe debts to no one!" the old dragon huffed, deeply offended.
Noah ignored the rebuttal, continuing their mental banter until they reached the room. They carefully turned the doorknob and slipped inside, closing the door as quietly as possible to avoid waking the two sleeping sisters.
"Alright, I'll return control of your body now," the ancient dragon said.
"Mm-hmm."
Noah took off her shoes, feeling the familiar sensation of her own limbs returning to her command. But just as she turned around, her vision went completely dark, as if a black cloth had been thrown over her head.
Startled, Noah tried to defend herself.
However, a sudden, sharp blow landed on the back of her head, leaving her dazed and unable to mount any resistance.
Even the strongest young dragon is vulnerable to a sneak attack, and Noah was no exception.
Just before losing consciousness, she heard two very familiar voices.
"Little Light, if we're wrong about this, big sister is definitely going to make us pay."
"Don't worry, trust me, second sister."
As she drifted into unconsciousness, Noah managed a faint mutter: "What are these two idiots up to…"
When Noah finally came to, the room was still dim. A glance at the window told her it was still the middle of the night, far from dawn.
She shook her head to clear the fog and looked down, realizing she was sitting on a chair.
When she tried to move, she found her wrists bound tightly behind her, secured to the chair's back. The ropes were snug, and their texture felt unusually slick against her skin.
Looking up, she saw her two adorable little sisters standing before her.
"Muen… Little Light, what is the meaning of this?"
Muen took a step forward, cupping Noah's face in her hands with an unusually serious expression.
"Big sister, you've suffered a lot lately."
Noah: ?
"What are you talking about?"
"Little Light thinks… that maybe you're not the same sister we know anymore. So tonight, we're going to test this theory."
Noah blinked. What was Muen saying? "Not the same sister"? Who else could she be?
Just as she was about to ask, a thought struck her: had Little Light somehow sensed the subtle changes when the ancient dragon took control of her body?
This pink-haired little sister of hers had a knack for being wherever interesting things were happening, so much so that even their dad called her a "natural-born troublemaker." To earn that title required sharp observational skills.
If Little Light had noticed something off during the old dragon's control, it wouldn't be surprising.
"Hey, kid, your sisters are quite sharp," the old dragon's voice chimed in from Noah's mind, adding to the pressure.
"It's one thing for them to be sharp, but it's another for you to sneak around in my body and do things that tipped them off."
"Hmph, my disguise was flawless. There's no way I could have been noticed."
"Then how do you explain what's happening right now?"
The ancient dragon, caught off guard, hastily changed the subject. "It would be best if your family didn't find out about me. It would only bring unnecessary trouble. Your top priority right now should be to keep your two sisters from discovering the truth."
Noah somewhat agreed.
If her dad and mom found out an ancient ancestor was living in her mind, they'd probably worry themselves sick. Noah didn't understand grand strategy or warfare very well, but she knew that with Constantine as a looming threat and internal issues within the Silver Dragon Clan, her mom already had enough on her plate.
She decided to handle this on her own for now and only seek her parents' help if it became absolutely necessary.
Blinking to pull herself fully back to the present, Noah smiled at her two sisters.
"That's silly. I'm still the sister you know."
She twisted her wrists, putting on a pleading expression. "This rope really hurts. Muen, can you untie me?"
Muen blinked her big, innocent eyes. "Big sister…"
"Be a good girl, Muen, and untie your big sister, okay?"
"Sister~"
"Mm-hmm, good girl~"
"Nope."
"…?"
Muen's face was stern, even the cowlick on her head seeming to stand at attention. "Since the rope might make you uncomfortable, I coated it in aloe juice. This way, you won't feel any pain, but it's still too tight for you to break free."
So that's why the rope felt so slick—it was coated in aloe juice.
Noah couldn't decide whether to praise her younger sister's thoughtfulness or be concerned about her extensive "preparations."
Well, if kindness wasn't working…
It was time for a little force.
She knew that being too patient and explanatory would only make her seem more guilty. She understood Little Light well enough to know how clever her sister was.
"Muen, Little Light, if you don't untie me right now, when I get free, both your little bottoms are getting spanked."
The "threat" didn't faze the third princess in the slightest; she just crossed her arms and smirked.
"No use, big sister. That rope has anti-magic properties."
"Anti-magic?…"
Noah tried to summon her lightning magic, but her magic circuits felt completely blocked, utterly unresponsive.
"Give it up, big sister. I told you the rope blocks magic."
"Where did you even find anti-magic rope?"
"In mom and dad's room."
Little Light explained, "After I noticed something strange about you, I started planning this operation. It took me days, but I finally found the right tool in their room."
She paused, looking slightly puzzled. "Though I'm not sure why they had something like that in their room to begin with…"
Noah's eye twitched slightly.
So, the rope her parents were looking for earlier… her sisters had taken it.
Now she was even more curious—why did her parents have anti-magic rope in the first place?
Could it be related to that… "captive play" they had mentioned?
"Forget about the rope. What matters is fixing whatever's wrong with big sister before it's too late and she's possessed forever," Little Light said with the utmost seriousness.
Noah was about to refute this, but the old dragon in her mind protested loudly.
"Possessed?! What nonsense! The soul in your mind is none other than the great me!"
Well, well, someone was getting agitated.
But agitation wouldn't help them now.
Ignoring the dragon's complaints, Noah tried once more to convince her sisters.
"I'm not possessed. I've just… been a bit off lately. Give me a few days, and I'll be back to normal."
"People who are possessed say that too. I read all about it."
"…"
"So, big sister, I prepared a professional exorcism kit just for you!"
With that, Little Light pulled out an assortment of random items from who-knows-where.
Bells, candles, a mirror, and various little trinkets Noah had never seen before.
"…Isn't this a bit much?" Noah sighed.
"For your mental and physical health, it's essential."
"…Alright."
Little Light handed a bell to Muen. "Alright, second sister, let's begin."
"Mm-hmm!"
"W-wait, what are you doing?"
For the first time, Noah felt genuinely flustered.
Who knew what these two little troublemakers had planned for this "exorcism"!
Jingling the bell, the two little dragon girls began circling Noah.
They even arranged a ring of candles around her chair.
As they circled, they chanted in a rhythmic, singsong voice:
"Ghosts and goblins, go away~ Ghosts and goblins, go away~"
Muen & Little Light: 🥲
Noah & Ancestor: 😓
After about twenty rotations—well, seven full circles would have been the plan, but Muen got too dizzy—they finally stopped.
Little Light put down the bell, leaned in, and held Noah's face, examining her closely.
"How do you feel, big sister?"
"I feel like laughing."
"You're still not better. Continue!"
"…"
"No more, Little Light, I'm so dizzy 😵💫"
Muen flopped onto the carpet in a starfish shape, weakly waving the bell. "Let's… let's try a different exorcism method."
Little Light pursed her lips. "Alright."
She then took an oversized mirror and set it directly in front of Noah.
"What's this now?" Noah asked.
"A holy exorcism mirror."
"That name sounds made up."
"No way! That's what it says in the book!"
Little Light placed one hand on her hip, holding the mirror upright with the other. "Now, look into the mirror and tell me what you see."
Noah glanced at her reflection, but before she could speak, Muen's head popped up beside hers in the mirror.
"I see the cutest little dragon ever!"
"Second sister, stop messing around."
"Oh…"
Muen backed away sheepishly.
With an internal sigh, Noah decided to play along. "All I see is myself. No ghosts."
"Do you feel any discomfort?"
"No."
"Any guilt?"
"No."
"Ughhhh~~~"
Little Light threaded her fingers through her pink hair in frustration. "This… this can't be! Did I misjudge?"
Muen froze for a second, then quickly clasped her hands over her bottom.
"Sister, if you're going to spank us, could you go easy on us this time?"
Noah looked at Muen, a gentle smile finally playing on her lips. After a moment, she replied with sincere warmth.
"I was only teasing earlier. You two are my beloved little sisters. How could I ever bear to spank you?"
"Really, big sister?"
"Mm-hmm, really."
"Little Light, let's untie her then. We've confirmed she's not possessed."
Despite a thousand lingering doubts, Little Light had to admit that all their exorcism attempts had failed to reveal any sign of possession.
Which meant Noah really wasn't possessed…
But then, how could she explain her sister's strange behavior over the past few days?
After a brief moment of contemplation, Little Light decided to let it go for now. She would pretend that "big sister is fine," while secretly keeping a close watch for any future anomalies.
"Alright, let's untie her."
The little dragon girls quickly loosened the anti-magic rope.
Noah stood up, sighing in relief. She rubbed her wrists before taking a towel from Muen to wipe off the sticky aloe juice.
"Heehee, big sister, I knew you'd always be the best sister ever!"
"Mm-hmm."
"So, big sister, you'll keep your word, right?"
Noah raised an eyebrow. "What did I say?"
Muen's face instantly filled with anxiety, and she took a cautious step back, curling her tail protectively over her little bottom. "You said… you wouldn't spank Little Light or me."
"Did I say that? I forgot."
"W-what?!"
Crack, crack—
Noah cracked her knuckles as she took slow, deliberate steps toward her sisters.
The little dragon girls clung to each other, shivering.
"Big sister! You said you'd spare us!"
"Next time, for sure."
"Well, then, let's face this together, right, Little Light?… Little Light? Hey?"
Turning around, Muen saw her pink-haired sister already darting toward the door.
"Little Light, where are you going?!"
"Second sister, haven't you heard the saying 'every dragon for herself'?"
"Don't worry," Noah said, her voice sweet but firm. "Neither of you will be able to escape."
.
.
.
Next morning,at breakfast table
Leon glanced at his two younger daughters, who were both standing as they ate their breakfast, a look of confusion on his face.
"Muen, Little Light, why are you eating standing up?"
"Because… because our bottoms—" Muen started nervously.
Little Light quickly interrupted, "Because standing while eating aids digestion!"
"…Really?"
Leon didn't press further, simply returning to his own breakfast.
"By the way, Dad, where's Mom?" Noah asked casually.
"Oh, she had breakfast early and said to meet her in the front courtyard later. Apparently, she has something important to discuss."
"Oh, I see."
Come to think of it, her mom had been in unusually high spirits that morning, almost as if she had received some good news.
Inviting him to the front courtyard so early… what could it be for?