"I'm afraid I won't be able to help you," the statement startled the woman with green hair standing before us—I'd already suspected this, but it was only natural for Mother, who knew nothing beyond the fact that she was Red's twin, to be surprised.
"Why?" Mother demanded an explanation; in her view, helping to find Red was what siblings were supposed to do.
"Do you still remember the person who killed you?" Juliet rose from her chair, her hand slipping into the pocket of her skirt. "He's a teammate of mine." That fact left Mother in shock; her green eyes glanced in my direction and I immediately confirmed it with a nod.
"I've been kind enough to give you this information, so be grateful." Before she could turn away, my hand reached out and gripped her left wrist tightly as I stood up and stared at her sharply. "What do you want? Don't worry—I'm sure my sister will come back when the time is right."
There was one question that had been nagging at me ever since, and this was the perfect time to ask it. "Why did you choose to join The Seven Sins?" The question hung in the air; she hadn't answered yet, and I wasn't going to let her leave until she did.
"Money." That brief answer caught me off guard; I'd never imagined that something so trivial was the reason for her criminal actions, but before I could judge her any further—she continued. "And also, I want to show my father that I'm no longer his weak little girl."
My hands were still gripping her wrist tightly; I still wasn't satisfied with her story—it was as if there was a gap she hadn't told us about. "How long have you thought I hadn't put poison in your drinks?" she asked. My grip immediately loosened—and my eyes widened in surprise at her question.
She pulled her hand back before walking away, leaving the two of us behind. Just as she reached the door, she turned back to face us. "I was only joking, hehe~" she said, sticking out her tongue before stepping out of the house.
A long silence filled the room; Mother and I exchanged glances before I slumped back down onto the sofa. "She's really quite different from Red, isn't she?" said Mother, and I replied with a nod. "By the way, where are Robin and the others?"
My body froze instantly—I'd completely forgotten about them. I glanced away to avoid eye contact and, somewhat hesitantly, replied. "They're… safe, don't worry."
Seeing my reaction, Mother immediately understood what had happened—I then told her everything that had happened after we'd gone our separate ways, and upon hearing the story she seemed satisfied. "Is that so? So it was just Felix who helped you lot?" The name was unfamiliar to me.
"Felix?"
"He's the help I was talking about. Actually, I'd asked for two people… but it turns out the other one's still on a mission."
"So the man who helped us is also a Fable?"
"No, not yet, at least."
Mother must have observed and befriended this man named Felix before he died and recognised his potential. But a question I'd been keeping to myself resurfaced; my blue eyes locked onto hers. "Mother, may I ask you something?"
"Go ahead, dear."
"Could you explain what you meant by what you said at the clock tower back then?" The question made her hand—which had been about to take a sip of tea—stop moving. She'd said I was still a Fable—are there higher ranks above that?
She took a sip of her tea before placing the cup on a small saucer, her legs crossed and a smile fixed on her face. "First of all, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to explain this to you… Because I didn't expect there would be a situation where you'd need to know this so soon." I didn't respond and let her continue.
"When a Fable has come to terms with their mistakes, sins or other aspects of their past that are actually very difficult to come to terms with—"
"—they become a Fairytale"
It was the first time in my life I'd heard that, and I gripped my knees tightly whilst remaining focused on her explanation.
"A Fairytale will gain a special ability known as a 'Book'; this ability allows the user to create a world that can imprison both the user and those around them."
"After making my prediction, the only Book that can be used to defeat Death is Red's Book. I don't know why… My prediction only went that far."
"The world within that Book depends on the strength of its user's Everafter, and given that the card's ability can manifest anything—your Book's ability must also be extraordinarily powerful."
I fell silent; it turned out I could unlock an incredibly powerful ability, and I'd only just found out about it now. "…Is there anything else?" I asked; from his mannerisms, I could tell he was holding back one more piece of information.
"This is still merely rumour with no clear evidence… However, there is a stage known as 'Legend'. I don't know how to attain it, but once you reach that stage, you'll be unbeatable unless you face another Legend."
There was just one more question on my mind—how did she know all this? Mother claimed she was not a Fable, yet she was no ordinary human either; this left me wondering—who was this woman standing before me?
However, I knew she wouldn't answer—or would just make up a story—so I'd better think about how I could get onto the Fairytale stage. "Mother, can I sleep with you tonight?" That sudden question made her choke on her tea.
"Of course, but why all of a sudden?" she asked, her eyes already sparkling.
"I feel lonely sleeping in my own house," I lied.
"Of course! I'd be delighted to sleep with you!" She was far more enthusiastic than I'd expected; in her old body she couldn't move this actively, which is why, whilst she still had a young body, she'd make the most of it. "Would you like me to read you a bedtime story? Or a pillow fight first? Or—"
"No need, thank you."