A knock interrupted him.
Then the door opened.
Mr. Saad stood outside, "Miss Maya."
Maya lifted her head, "Yes?"
"Dinner is ready."
Rahi straightened slightly, "Dangerous."
Mr. Saad blinked, "Sir?"
"Whenever a butler says dinner is ready in a mansion like this, something terrible usually follows."
The butler's expression remained perfectly professional,
"I can assure you, sir, the dinner is fully harmless."
Maya stood , "Ignore him."
"I've been trying, Miss. " Mr. Saad replied smoothly.
"Let's go. "
"Hump.... Ok. "
A few minutes later, they descended the staircase together.
The dining room was brightly lit.
The entire family was already seated around the long table.
Every conversation stopped the moment Maya and Rahi entered.
Rahi immediately noticed,
"17 B, why the entire family just stopped talking? "
"That's because you're here."
"Exactly."
Rahi pointed triumphantly, "Evaluation."
Nahi snorted, "I kind of like him."
"Don't encourage him, " Fahan replied.
Rahi sat down,
"See? This one understands me."
"No, I don't."
"Excellent. We're already friends."
Nahi immediately regretted speaking.
Farhan covered his face with one hand,
"This is exhausting."
"You've known him for ten minutes."
Fahim said.
Fahad studied Rahi for a moment,
"Are you always like this?"
"According to several governments, yes."
"...Several governments?" Ohi repeated.
Rahi reached for a glass of water,
"That's not important."
"It sounds important."
"It's only important if you're one of those governments."
Fahan sighed heavily,
"Why do I feel like every answer creates three new questions?"
Fahim adjusted his glasses,
"I have a question."
"You knew Maya before she came here."
"Yes."
"How long?"
"A long time."
Farhan leaned forward, "What was she like?"
Everyone looked toward Rahi,"Crazy."
A pause.
"ABSOLUTE DEVIL."
Nahi nearly choked on his drink,"WHAT?"
Mahi frowned, "What does that mean?"
Rahi looked genuinely confused,
"It means exactly what it sounds like."
Fahan said, "It absolutely does not."
He pointed toward Maya,
"And an impossible genius."
"...You're serious?"
"Unfortunately, " Rahi replied.
Farhan stared at Maya,
"The same Maya who spends most of her day drawing?"
"Yes."
"The same Maya who looks like she weighs less than my backpack?"
Rahi took a sip of water,
"Never underestimate small people."
Fahad narrowed his eyes, "What happened?"
Rahi pointed at her,
"She was seven and I underestimated her.
I assumed I knew exactly what she would do."
"And?"
"And I was wrong."
"Then. "
"Let's just say she turned the entire exercise upside down."
Several family members exchanged looks.
"I'm being generous, by the way."
"You have a distorted definition of generosity."
"No. I have firsthand experience."
Fahad looked unconvinced,
"I don't believe you."
Rahi looked personally offended,
"You think I'm lying?"
Before the discussion could continue, Maya turned her attention toward the butler,
"Mr. Saad."
The butler appeared immediately.
As though he had materialized from the walls.
"Yes, Miss?"
"Does this estate have a training ground?"
Mr. Saad blinked once, "It does, Miss."
Across the table, Rahi looked at Mr. Saad.
The look was remarkably helpless.
He understood immediately.
Unfortunately for Rahi, that understanding offered no salvation.
"No."
She said calmly,
"Some people have had too much free time."
Fahad suddenly became very interested in his food.
Farhan studied the ceiling.
Fahan examined a spoon.
Rahi looked betrayed, "Mr. Saad."
"Yes, sir?"
"Help me."
"I'm afraid I cannot do that, sir."
Rahi stared at the ceiling.
He pointed dramatically at the entire table,
"See? Crazy devil."
"How are you two even friends?"
Rahi's smile faded. The humor left his face so suddenly that several people noticed.
He looked down at the glass in his hand,
"The past can be a frightening place."
He turned the glass slightly between his fingers,
"Maybe we met while trying to survive it."
"Sometimes people meet in normal ways.
And sometimes they meet because the world has become a very ugly place."
Silence settled over the table.
Because everyone understood there was more behind those words than he was willing to explain.
Maya's gaze dropped briefly to the table.
Then she changed the subject,
"Mr. Saad."
The butler appeared from nowhere once again.
Rahi jumped slightly,
"How does he keep doing that?"
"I've worked here for twenty-three years, sir."
" That's not an answer."
Mr. Saad ignored him professionally,
"Yes, Miss?"
"The training ground."
Rahi immediately pointed at Fahim,
"Doctor."
Fahim looked up, "Yes?"
"I need medical protection."
"No."
"Why not?"
"You're healthy."
"I won't be healthy tomorrow."
Even Mahim's mouth twitched slightly.
A rare occurrence.
Then Maya pushed her chair back.
The soft scrape of wood against the floor drew everyone's attention.
Rahi immediately became suspicious,
"Why are you standing?"
Maya ignored him, "Mr. Saad."
The butler appeared almost instantly,
"Yes, Miss?"
"Where is the training room?"
Mr. Saad maintained his professional composure,
"The main training facility is located behind the east wing, Miss.
Accessible through the lower courtyard."
Maya nodded once, "Thank you."
Mr. Saad cleared his throat politely,
"The training room is available whenever Miss wishes to use it."
Rahi looked at the butler,
"Help me this once. "
"I'm afraid helping is not part of my current assignment, sir."
Rahi stared at the ceiling for a moment.
"if I survive this, I'm filing a formal complaint."
Maya didn't even look back, "Survive first."
That answer caused half the family to laugh and the other half to become concerned for Rahi.
"Show us the way."
Rahi looked around the table desperately,
"Nobody is going to stop this?"
"No,"Fahad replied immediately.
"Absolutely not," Nahi added.
"In fact, we're coming too."
Within minutes, half the family was on their feet.
Eventually, Mr. Saad opened a set of large reinforced doors.
The training ground beyond was enormous.
Floodlights illuminated the space.
Practice dummies stood in rows.
Targets lined distant walls.
Training weapons rested neatly on racks.
The entire facility looked less like a private training area and more like a military academy.
"...Father," Farhan said.
"Why is your training ground larger than my school?"
Mahim didn't answer.
Faha raised an eyebrow,
"You're asking why it's so big?"
"Yes."
"You've barely been here."
Farhan immediately pointed at his father,
"Because he never lets me come here."
Several heads turned toward Mahim.
Farhan continued,
"Every time I ask, he says, 'Later.'"
A pause.
"Do you know how many years 'later' has been?"
Rahi stood near the center of the training floor, looking around,
"This family is fascinating."
Meanwhile, Maya stepped into the center of the floor.
Rahi remained near the entrance.
His expression suggested a man walking willingly toward disaster.
Farhan noticed, "You're actually nervous."
Maya slowly removed her jacket and placed it neatly on a nearby bench.
The room grew quieter.Even the cousins stopped talking. Because something about her demeanor had changed.
Maya looked at Rahi, "Are you coming?"
Rahi stared at the ceiling, "Unfortunately."
"Then attack the ."
The instant the word left her mouth—
Rahi moved.Gasps erupted around the room.
One moment he was standing still.
The next, he had crossed half the distance between them.
THUD!
His foot struck the ground. His body twisted.
Maya turned slightly and the attack missed by inches.
He attacked again, faster.
A combination of strikes flowed together seamlessly.
The sound of movement echoed through the hall.
STEP.
TURN.
SWISH.
Maya blocked the first. Redirected the second. Avoided the third entirely.
The sound of impact echoed through the training ground.
Fahad stared, "What the—"
Farhan didn't even finish breathing.
Because neither fighter seemed humanly fast.
Rahi suddenly changed rhythm.
His body dropped low, A sweeping attack followed.
Her foot lifted, the sweep passed beneath her.
As though she had known it was coming before he moved.
The spectators collectively took a step back.
"How is she doing that?" Nahi whispered.
Fahim didn't answer. Because he was wondering the same thing.
Rahi attacked again. The pace doubled.
The room became a blur of movement.
Strike.
Counter.
Block.
Evade.
The rhythm accelerated.
Rahi drove forward relentlessly.
Then suddenly—
she stopped retreating and the entire fight changed.
Rahi immediately noticed,"Oh no."
Maya moved.
He twisted away at the last possible moment.
The attack missed barely.
His eyes widened, "That was rude."
"You started it."
Farhan had stopped blinking.
The same person he had seen quietly drawing in the corner of the mansion was now moving like someone trained for a battlefield.
"That's Maya?"
His voice was full of disbelief.
"The same Maya who spends hours drawing?"
Nobody answered.
Because everyone was thinking the same thing.
Fahan slowly lowered the spoon he had been holding earlier, "I owe Rahi an apology."
A few people looked at him.
"He was actually telling the truth."
Maya changed direction.
One moment she was several feet away.
The next she was standing directly in front of him.
TAP.
A precise strike to his forearm.
Rahi immediately grimaced, "What—"
Before he could finish—
TAP.
Another perfectly timed hit near his shoulder.
His arm momentarily weakened,
"Hey!"
TAP.
A controlled strike to another pressure point.
Three precise movements.
Rahi took a step forward, then stopped.
His expression changed,
"Wait, Ow... ow... ow..."
He tried to raise his right arm.The arm lifed halfway and refused to cooperate.
Then his leg gave an alarming twitch,
"Ow.... Ow.....Ow.... That hurt so much. "
Then—
THUMP.
He collapsed onto the training mat.
Flat on his back, Staring at the ceiling.
The entire room erupted, "WHAT?!"
Farhan looked horrified.
Rahi pointed—or at least attempted to point,
"My arms aren't working. My legs have also submitted their resignation."
Several people tried very hard not to laugh.
"What did you do to me?"
"Nothing."
Maya crouched beside him.
Rahi looked genuinely offended, "Fix it."
"No."
"Seventeen B."
"Hm?"
"Please."
Finally, Maya sighed, "Fine."
She placed two fingers against his arm.
Then another near his shoulder.
Rahi blinked, "Oh."
He sat up immediately, "My arm works."
The training ground remained completely silent.
Everyone was still trying to understand what they had just witnessed.
A few minutes ago, they had walked in expecting to see a friendly sparring match.
A little teasing, a little competition.
Maybe Rahi showing off.
But what they saw was something entirely different.
Farhan was the first one to break the silence.
He slowly looked at Rahi, then at Maya.
"Wait..."
His voice was almost a whisper.
"That was supposed to be a normal fight?"
Rahi, still sitting on the floor, raised a hand weakly.
"No. That was Maya being polite."
Everyone turned toward him.
"...Polite?" Nahi repeated.
Rahi nodded seriously, "Yes."
He pointed at Maya.
"When she's not being polite, it's much worse."
Fahad stared at Maya.
The girl standing there calmly, fixing her sleeve, looked nothing like the fighter they had just watched.
His expression was a mixture of disbelief and curiosity.
"You mean to tell me...That this entire time she was capable of doing that?"
Rahi sighed.
"Yes."
"And you never thought to mention it?"
Rahi looked offended, "I did."
Everyone looked at him.
"You called her a crazy devil."
A silence followed.
Fahan slowly nodded.
"Actually... that was accurate."
Nahi looked at Maya carefully.
"How are you so calm?"
Maya looked at her, "Why wouldn't I be?"
That answer somehow made everyone more speechless.
Farhan pointed at the training floor.
"You just defeated someone who is apparently feared by governments."
Rahi immediately corrected him.
"Several governments."
Fahad looked at him, "That detail is not helping."
Meanwhile, Rahi finally stood up and stretched his arms.
Everyone immediately looked at him.
Fahan raised an eyebrow.
"Are you going to challenge her again?"
Rahi looked horrified.
"What kind of person do you think I am?"
A pause.
"Not that stupid."
The room immediately laughed.
Rahi walked toward Maya.
He shook his head.
"You know, most people try to impress their new family."
Maya looked at him.
"You challenged me."
"Yes."
"And lost."
He pointed at her.
"That is exactly why I am complaining."
"Anyway, I would like everyone to remember...She is dangerous."
Maya raised an eyebrow.
Rahi immediately corrected himself.
"Very dangerous."
Finally, Fahim broke the silence,
"...Was that some form of advanced nerve-targeting technique?"
"Something like that."
Nearby, Mahim stood with his arms folded.
His eyes remained fixed on Maya.
On her composure, the discipline, the control.
The instinct.
A slow breath left him.
A faint, rare curve formed at the edge of his mouth.
For a moment, he said nothing.
"Hm."
Mahi glanced at him, "What?"
Mahim's gaze never left Maya,
"That girl .... there is my blood in her veins. "
A pause.
"I spent years training soldiers.I've seen talented fighters. I've seen exceptional fighters."
His gaze narrowed slightly.
"But what I saw just now wasn't talent.
That was something built through countless hours of training."
Rahi laughed softly,
"Countless doesn't even begin to describe it."
Mahim took a step forward,
"Who taught you to fight?
This level… even trained soldiers struggle to reach it."
Rahi glanced toward Maya, then back at Mahim,
"Just be careful what you ask, General."
Mahim's eyes sharpened,
"What do you mean?"
Rahi shrugged, "Nothing. "
One by one, the brothers looked at him.
Not with amusement, not with surprise.
With pure sympathy.
Farhan slowly walked closer and looked at him like he was looking at someone who had just returned from a dangerous mission.
"Rahi..."
Rahi looked up, "Yes?"
Farhan placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Be careful."
Rahi blinked.
"Why does that sound like a goodbye?"
Nahi stepped forward, his expression unusually serious.
"No, really. Be careful."
Fahan nodded beside him, "Very careful."
Rahi looked between them.
"What exactly happened to everyone? Five minutes ago you were laughing at me."
A pause.
Everyone's eyes moved toward Maya.
Rahi followed their gaze.
Then he understood, "...Oh."
The realization slowly crossed his face.
"You all think I'm the victim here."
Nobody answered.
Fahim walked forward calmly, carrying the same expression he always had when analyzing a situation.
Rahi immediately looked relieved,
"Finally. A sensible person."
Fahim adjusted his glasses.
"If you need anything..."
Rahi smiled.
"See? Someone who cares."
Fahim continued,
"Any bandages, medical supplies, or treatment after training..."
The smile disappeared.
Rahi stared at him, "Doctor."
"Yes?"
"Why did you say 'after training' so confidently?"
Fahim looked genuinely confused.
"Because injuries are a possibility."
"A possibility?"
Rahi pointed toward Maya.
"She just disabled my arm with three movements."
Fahim nodded, "Exactly."
"And your solution is bandages?"
"Yes."
Rahi looked at the others in disbelief.
"Nobody is planning to stop her?"
Silence.
Then Fahad crossed his arms.
"To be fair...You challenged her."
Rahi immediately looked offended.
"I made a mistake. Yes, I may be stubborn, but not stupid."
The brothers exchanged another sympathetic glance.
Farhan shook his head.
"We should probably keep a first-aid kit nearby from now on."
Fahim added calmly, "I can prepare one."
Rahi looked at him, "Doctor."
"Yes?"
"You are making this worse."
"I am being practical."
"You are accepting my defeat before the next round even starts."
Fahim looked at Maya, then back at Rahi.
"Based on previous results..."
Rahi immediately raised his hand.
"No statistics."
Fahim stopped, "Understood."
Rahi stared at him.
"...I really should have stayed away from this family."
Farhan smiled, "Too late."
A faint hint of amusement appeared in Maya's eyes,
"You've become lazy."
Rahi looked personally attacked, "Lazy?"
"Yes."
"I run an organization."
"Still not training."
"I work eighteen-hour days."
"Also not training."
The training ground remained silent.
Everyone was still trying to process what they had just witnessed.
Rahi flexed his fingers one last time.
Then Maya looked at him, "i am not finished."
Rahi froze, "...What?"
"We can continue."
Several members of the family immediately looked at Rahi.
His expression became one of pure disbelief,
"Continue?"
"Yes."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I enjoy having functioning limbs."
"You have functioning limbs."
"That is a temporary condition around you."
A few people laughed.
Rahi looked around, "Nobody is helping me."
"Correct, " Fahad replied.
"Unbelievable."
Maya took a step forward,"One more round."
Rahi stared at her for several seconds.
Then—
he laughed, "Absolutely not."
Before anyone could react, he turned.
Running straight toward one of the large windows overlooking the gardens.
"What are you doing?" Farhan asked.
"Surviving."
He pushed the window open.Cool night air rushed into the room. The entire family watched in confusion.
Then Rahi placed one foot on the sill.
"13A ," Maya said.
"No."
"Come back."
"I choose life."
And before anyone could stop him—
he put one hand on the window frame.
And jumped.
Several people rushed forward, "What is he doing?!"
He landed neatly on the lawn, dusted off his sleeves as though jumping out of second-story windows was part of his daily routine—
He grinned, "Good night!"
Then he sprinted. Fast , very fast.
Everyone crowded around the window.
Nahi doubled over laughing, "He ran away!"
"He absolutely ran away," Farhan agreed.
Fahad shook his head,
"I've never seen someone retreat with such confidence."
"He really jumped out a window!"
"To avoid another fight!" Faha added.
Fahis stared out at the disappearing figure,
"I have never seen anyone flee so enthusiastically."
"That's because you haven't met Maya before,"
Rahi shouted from somewhere in the darkness.
Farhan leaned out of the window and shouted,"Rahi!"
Without slowing down, Rahi raised one hand.
"Present!"
"Why are you running?!"
"Because I have dreams!"
The room fell silent.
Then Rahi added,
"And I'd like to stay alive long enough to achieve them!"
The entire training room burst into laughter.
Farhan shouted again,
"She's not even chasing you!"
Rahi glanced over his shoulder for half a second."Exactly and I'd like to keep it that way!"
He immediately ran even faster.
Fahan folded his arms."...He just accelerated."
Nahi pointed toward the garden.
"I didn't even know people could panic that efficiently."
Rahi shouted back,
"This isn't panic! It's advanced tactical withdrawal!"
Fahad called out, "You lost one spar!"
Rahi gasped dramatically.
"One spar? Did you not see what she did to my nervous system?"
Farhan laughed, "Come back!"
"No!"
"Why not?"
"Because the moment I step back inside, she'll say..."
Rahi suddenly lowered his voice and perfectly imitated Maya's calm tone,
"'One more round.'"
He shuddered theatrically, "I refuse."
The family laughed even harder.
Nahi wiped tears from his eyes.
"You're unbelievable!"
Rahi pointed toward the mansion while jogging backward,
"No. I'm experienced."
Maya finally spoke from the window.
"13A."
Rahi froze for exactly one second.
Then turned and ran even faster.
"Nope! Not falling for that! If you can't catch me..."
He grinned, "...you can't train me!"
Farhan doubled over laughing,
"He really thinks running will save him!"
Rahi's voice echoed through the gardens one last time,
"It doesn't have to save me forever! It just has to save me until breakfast!"
"Your guest escaped."Fahan informed her.
"I'm aware."
"Should we go get him?"
"No, leave him as he is . "
Even Mahim looked amused.
Maya watched the disappearing figure for a moment.
Then she let out a slow breath,
"He's ridiculous."
"No argument there. "
Mahim glanced at the clock mounted on the wall.
Past midnight.
"Enough."
His voice carried easily through the room.
Everyone looked toward him, "Go to bed."
"Honestly," Nahi admitted, stretching his arms,
"I think my brain stopped working three hours ago."
"It was working before?"
"That's rude."
"It's also a valid question."
Nahi pointed accusingly at him.
Farhan laughed quietly.
Mahi rose from her chair,"Good night, Maya."
Maya nodded, "Good night."
Mahi's smile widened slightly.
One by one, the family began leaving.
Farhan stopped beside her,"Good night, sis."
A small pause.
"Good night."
Farhan left looking noticeably happier than before.
Soon the training ground emptied.
The great mansion slowly settled into silence.
Footsteps faded.
Eventually, even Mahim and Mahi retired to their rooms.
The corridors became still.
And one by one, the lights across the mansion went dark.
Leaving only the soft glow of moonlight beyond the windows and the deep, peaceful silence of a house at rest.