At the final moment before waking from her dream, Elysia only vaguely remembered reaching out in a fit of rage, her massive Imaginary branches instantly crushing the blood-stained giant.
But when her fingertips made contact, they met soft bedding rather than freezing ruins.
She snapped her eyes open, gasping for breath. Her hand instinctively clutched her stomach as she scrambled out of bed and flicked on the light.
There was no blood. Her skin was pale, smooth, and unblemished. Elysia sat quietly on the edge of the bed, supporting her slightly trembling body. She pressed her rounded, shapely legs together, lightly rubbing them as her bare feet rested on the carpet. Her arches were elegant, with faint veins visible beneath the delicate skin of her insteps.
Elysia didn't bother looking for her slippers. The air conditioning kept the room at a comfortable temperature, so she didn't feel cold.
In the silence of the late night, her corner of the small apartment was the only place with a light on—like a lonely island in a vast sea.
An inexplicable urge to confirm something surged within her. She stood up, padded softly to Kaito's door, and gave the handle a careful tug.
It was locked.
"..."
Her already irritable mood instantly hit rock bottom. Who are you trying to keep out!
The next morning, Kaito stretched luxuriously as he threw open the curtains. He pushed the window wide, letting the fresh morning breeze rush in, invigorating his spirit which was already high from a solid night's sleep.
Even if his "hack-and-slash" session yesterday hadn't ended on a high note.
He checked his phone. It was 6:42 AM.
"Boss Bronya is definitely up by now."
He dialed her number immediately.
Eden's singing served as the ringtone. After about four or five seconds, the call connected.
"Speak."
Bronya's voice was as calm as ever; she disliked bringing emotions into professional matters.
"Boss, I'm taking the day off," Kaito said, getting straight to the point.
Bronya: "..."
Kaito could have sworn he heard the sound of knuckles whitening over the phone. He could practically visualize that cold face with its brow furrowed in a sharp frown.
"Boss?" he ventured cautiously.
"The project just started, and you're taking leave?"
Bronya sounded like she was speaking through gritted teeth. If he was skipping out at the start of the project, would he be leading the entire company on a strike once things were in full swing? This wasn't a matter of how well they got along anymore; this was a matter of professional conduct. A "heavy strike" was required.
Wait, where did Kaito list his home address again?
"I'm taking my sister to see a psychiatrist."
The sound of heavy breathing on the other end ceased instantly. Bronya's mouth hung open, the lecture she'd prepared in her mind completely stalling.
"Is one day enough?" her tone softened.
"...I'm not sure, but if there's work, I'll try my best to finish it remotely."
As Kaito gave his assurance, he pulled open his door. Today, the door felt heavier than usual. As it swung fully open, Elysia—who had been curled up asleep against the doorframe—was jerked awake by the movement.
But in reality, her body wasn't invincible like it was in her dreams. Her head collided squarely with Kaito's knee, and the impact forced a muffled groan from her.
"Ugh..."
The call was still active, and Kaito's mind went blank.
"Whose voice was that?" Bronya asked, her sharp ears catching the faint moan.
"My sister," Kaito answered instinctively.
"You two sleep together?!" Bronya's voice shot up several octaves, filled with pure disbelief.
Kaito, is this that 'sister' of yours?
"...No! Of course not!" Kaito recovered and shook his head frantically.
"Then why did I hear her moaning the second you pushed your door open?"
Sometimes Bronya felt she was simply too good-natured, which was why her subordinates always thought about slacking off. Kaito was the worst—he didn't even bother drafting a good lie. If he had a "sugar sister," he should just say so, but playing these games and trying to skip work? He wanted to have his cake and eat it too!
"She's having some mental health issues."
Kaito could hear a faint sneer on the other end of the line, but he didn't have time to soothe the boss's ego. Snapping back to his senses, he quickly scooped his sister up and carried her into the room, where the bed was still warm.
"The phone is dying, Boss. I really have to take her to the doctor today. Talk to you later."
After hanging up, Kaito quickly felt Elysia's forehead. It was burning. She likely had a fever from catching a chill.
"Lie down for a bit, Sis. I'll go boil some water. We have fever reducers in the cabinet."
He sighed, feeling a mix of helplessness and genuine worry.
In this era, water boiled almost instantly. Medical technology had advanced at the same breakneck pace as everything else. Kaito rummaged through the first-aid kit.
A minute later, he returned to the room. Looking at his sister's flushed cheeks and glazed eyes, his voice softened.
"Come on, Elysia. Let's take the medicine. It's not bitter, I promise."
The medicine really wasn't bitter. In fact, Kaito hadn't tasted a bitter medicine since he was a kid. Perhaps that was one of the perks of high-tech society. In this world, besides Kaito, there might not be anyone else who would coax someone to take medicine so gently.
He gently propped Elysia up, holding the pill in one palm while testing the water temperature with the other. It was a bit hot, but drinkable if sipped slowly.
"Yesterday... you made me angry again..."
Elysia's head was swimming. Her voice was raspy and thick with congestion.
Being sick did have one advantage, though: because her consciousness was so foggy, the frustration she'd been harboring all night had mostly dissolved into a blur of grievance and dependency.
Kaito didn't know what to say. If he had to guess, she had gone to bed angry, but... he never imagined she was so sensitive that a few game setting discussions would push her over the edge.
He spoke warmly. "Take the medicine first, Sis. Then you can have a good sleep, and you won't be angry when you wake up, okay?"
As the medicine went down, Kaito could feel her slipping back into a stupor; it seemed she hadn't had enough sleep. But before letting her go, he gently pried her teeth apart to ensure the pill had actually been swallowed.
In the next moment, her teeth snapped shut. Kaito hissed in pain. Fortunately, she wasn't fully conscious, even if the bite was still heavy.
He struggled to pull his finger out.
"I wonder what psychiatrists charge these days."
Once certain she had fallen back asleep, Kaito began searching for prices. Even in an age of advanced medicine, the fees for top-tier psychological experts remained steep. He carefully filtered through hospitals, looking for specialists with the best qualifications and reputations.
He finally booked an appointment for 2:00 PM, figuring she'd need the morning to sleep.
"Life really is just one giant trash game. As soon as you save up a little money, some 'random event' pops up to make you spend it all."
Thinking about it another way, though, he felt a bit more grounded knowing he'd earned enough to handle these family emergencies.
At least I have the hack-and-slash game to decompress.
Kaito let out a short laugh and soaked a towel in warm water to wipe Elysia's forehead. He considered wiping down her arms and feet too, but she was wrapped so tightly in the duvet he didn't want to disturb her.
"Sleep well, Sis," he whispered, tucking the corner of the blanket in.
Man, just how villainous was I in her dream to make her this upset?
Even now, he could faintly hear her mumbling things like "die" and "go to hell."
It was actually pretty scary.