"Brother, I also want to become a Beyonder."
Cecilia said seriously to Silas.
But hearing his sister's determination, Silas appeared somewhat hesitant.
Of course, it wasn't from any dark thoughts, begrudging his sister's improvement.
It was simply because, after coming into contact with this extraordinary world, he already knew how much danger, how much despair, and madness hid behind a Beyonder's power.
Rather than setting foot on a path of no return, Silas would rather his sister live out her life safely and happily.
Silas thought for a moment before speaking gently to his sister when he suddenly felt a gaze from elsewhere.
He turned his head to the side and saw Ma'am M watching the Londor siblings' conversation with great interest.
She rested her chin on her hand adorned with the red rose ring, her golden eyes staring at them unblinkingly.
Almost forgot about this woman.
"We siblings want to have a heart-to-heart. Could you please leave for a while?"
Silas said coldly.
"Of course, if you request it like that... But don't forget, even if I leave here, I'll still be monitoring you."
Ma'am M lightly tapped her temple.
"Monitor as you like, just don't sit here. Seeing you here affects our mood."
Silas said without courtesy.
"Fine then."
Ma'am M didn't mind as she stood up and walked to the guest room on the second floor.
Only after her figure entered the door did Silas withdraw his gaze.
He knew this was somewhat self-deceptive, but speaking his true feelings to his sister while being stared at by Ma'am M would make the atmosphere somewhat awkward.
"Listen, Cecilia."
He took Cecilia's hand and had her sit beside him, then said earnestly, "Regarding your desire to become a Beyonder, I still maintain my previous attitude.
I hope you'll make this decision carefully."
"Don't be fooled by that crazy woman's nonsense. Becoming a Beyonder doesn't just grant you extraordinary abilities. More importantly, it brings loss of control and danger, a life far removed from normal people."
Since becoming a Secrets Suppliant, Silas had been encountering various unexpected incidents.
If he weren't lucky enough and without the support of his cheat, he would probably have died countless times already.
Naturally, he harbored misgivings about becoming a Beyonder, and by extension, didn't want his sister entering this world either.
Even becoming an official Beyonder meant restricted freedom. Nighthawks like them were generally fixed to guard certain areas.
Leaving their current city required prior application, not to mention the various inconveniences in daily life afterward.
"But brother, I don't want to be a burden."
Cecilia gripped Silas's hand.
Her hand held Silas's tightly, feeling somewhat rough and hard, not soft and delicate like an ordinary girl's.
Silas knew this was because she had previously cared for his crazed self day after day, doing too much rough work.
His heart softened again, but he quickly noticed something amiss.
Strange, Cecilia is gripping a bit too tightly, as if hinting at something to me.
What she's saying seems to have another meaning?
Could it be that my sister has already guessed I'm planning to fight Ma'am M to the death?
The reason she wants to become a Beyonder is so she can participate and help me when I battle Ma'am M?
Very likely, because Cecilia knew Silas's personality very well. She knew Silas wouldn't just wait for death obediently.
Even if it meant mutual destruction, he would try to resist his enemy to the very end.
Actually wanting to fight Ma'am M, this foolish girl, is she seeking death?
"No!"
Silas grew anxious and immediately glared and shouted, "You're not a burden, and you don't need to force yourself to drink a potion! This world has too many dangers; you'll die! I absolutely won't allow it!"
Because Ma'am M was listening, he couldn't be too obvious.
He could only warn his sister obliquely not to participate in his battle with Ma'am M. He didn't want to see his sister die because of him.
Since transmigrating, this was the first time Silas had gotten angry at Cecilia. His voice was somewhat loud, his expression probably quite fierce too.
Cecilia stared at him blankly, her azure eyes blinking, and then tears suddenly fell.
Crystal-clear, large teardrops like pearls flowed continuously, quickly, and silently, sliding down her delicate face, streaming along her cheeks to her round chin, and dripping down.
She neither cried out nor sobbed, just looked quietly at Silas, tears streaming down her face.
"Don't cry, don't cry."
Silas immediately panicked, hurriedly reaching out to wipe his sister's tears. Guilt surged up in his heart, overwhelming his anxiety and leaving him somewhat at a loss.
"I'm not scolding you... Sister, I'm saying, I'm not afraid of death. I just hope that if something really does happen, at least you'll survive."
This was his sincere wish, without a trace of falseness.
A kindhearted, beautiful young woman like Cecilia should have been blessed by heaven with a happy life.
Not like now, following a half-mad brother through difficult days. Just when they'd finally had a few days of peaceful living, they were forcibly dragged into the threat of cultists.
If Silas had no way to defeat Ma'am M, he at least hoped his sister could be saved.
"Brother, do you remember Mother's funeral?"
Cecilia wiped away her tears and asked. Her eyes were red, looking heartbreakingly pitiful.
Silas searched his memories fruitlessly and could only shake his head.
"Father died, and Mother died soon after. After the funeral ended, my only remaining family in this world was you." Cecilia said. "From that moment on, I swore an oath to the Goddess that I would survive together with you, that no matter what difficulties we encountered, we would overcome them together."
"You certainly accomplished that."
Silas nodded. The young woman's strong will made him feel genuine admiration.
"No."
Tears quickly welled up again in Cecilia's eyes.
"I betrayed my oath! Brother, after that, as the days passed one by one, your illness didn't improve at all, the money at home grew less and less, and I couldn't earn more than a few pennies.
In the end, I sold the furniture, sold Father's pocket watch and Mother's jewelry, rented a place close to the lower street, and still had to care for you every day, cook, do laundry, work... I was really too exhausted, I couldn't hold on anymore!"
"Later, when our family was at its most difficult, when I saw you go mad, I even thought about whether I should just kill you and then kill myself, whether that would bring relief..."
Cecilia sobbed, her face bearing an expression of both release and atonement.
"If Sirius hadn't taken us in later, if all those things hadn't happened, if you hadn't recovered from your illness, perhaps we would have died together in the lower street long ago!"
"So, brother, you really don't need to be so good to me. You don't know what I almost did to you! Every day since then, I've felt uneasy in my heart."
"That night after watching the play, I wanted to tell you clearly, to have you scold me harshly.
But because she came, even my last chance disappeared. I could only bottle it up inside, constantly feeling miserable!"
After saying all this, Cecilia covered her face and broke down crying!