This old man didn’t use his full strength to the very end, which left Malin feeling somewhat regretful. He knew this was because Gaiate was afraid he couldn’t hold back his power, but how could the old man know that his son also refrained from using all his strength to avoid beating his father to death with a single blow.
Without any blessings, and with his power somewhat restrained, Malin simply didn’t want to kill his foster father with one strike.
Well, anyway, he had done his best, whether this old man would die out there, that was up to fate to decide.
With that thought, Malin felt he had done all he could, just like Maya, although she was reluctant, she eventually watched her father get on the train—the weekly service to the Central Administrative Province. There, Gaiate would take the train to the human heartland, and then he would travel eastward to the Eastern Kingdom, near the Great Death Zone.
Malin had no desire to go to the night market for fun; he stayed at home with Maya, while the Leopard Girl sat silently in front of the fireplace.
Malin looked at the book in his hand until he noticed Maya had crawled up to him, the Leopard Girl leaning on the couch, "Brother, aren’t you worried about dad?"
"He’s already a fifty-year-old adult, I don’t know what there is to be worried about." Malin reached out and patted Maya’s little head.
"But Maya is very worried..." The Leopard Girl pouted, her once lively round ears drooping and her beautiful tail tightly clutched in her hand, "Ever since I became sensible, dad has often been out, and Maya has been taking care of herself... Brother, will you also be going out all the time like dad in the future?"
Malin fell silent, not knowing how to explain or comfort her.
He could only pat her shoulder.
The little Leopard Girl pursed her lips, stood up, ran to the bookshelf, took down an album, and sat beside Malin, "Dad was very handsome when he was young and had a very beautiful sister. Then she disappeared, and I suspect that all these years father has been searching for an answer, for why the beautiful sister vanished."
Following Maya’s lead, Malin saw the young people in the yellowed old photo, a young girl with light-colored long hair sitting in front of a chair, with a young boy standing behind her.
Just like Malin and Maya at this moment, the Leopard Girl sitting on the carpet, leaning against her brother’s leg, while Malin bent down to look at the album in his sister’s hand. He reached out and flipped the photo over, "To Jelent... Sophia."
"Father has never mentioned the name Sophia," Maya shook her head.
"It’s okay, I’ll investigate it tomorrow." Malin stood up and ruffled Maya’s head, "Don’t worry, Maya, you still have me."
Maya nodded, crawled onto the couch, and then laid her head on Malin’s leg.
"When I was very little, every time I was home alone, I would wonder if dad would abandon Maya like Maya’s family did," she murmured.
Malin rubbed her ears, "Why would you say that?"
"Maya is a Panthera, dad is human, and I don’t even look like a Half-blood. Ever since I could remember, I knew that Gaiate wasn’t my real father, but all these years, it was him raising me. Although I have been striving to survive since I was young, without the money dad gave me, I would have starved to death long ago... Maya is just an abandoned baby."
Malin knew such pain, he extended his hand and placed it on Maya’s head, "So am I."
"So, I and brother are the same kind of people, children hated by our parents, so I want to help dad. In this life, I will only ever be Gaiate’s child." Maya turned her head, looking at her brother, "Malin, if one day you become very strong, if by then dad hasn’t returned, and Maya is no longer here... can you go find dad and bring him back to Maya’s side?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Malin inexplicably thought of his sister who had turned into the Black Bride, "Are you thinking of another version of yourself?"
"Yes, brother. Everyone says mortals inevitably die, this world is so dangerous, Maya doesn’t have your strength. If I died one day, it would be normal, right?" she said with a smile, though it looked as if she was crying.
Malin had no choice but to help the Cat Girl up. He reached out his hand and wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes, "Trust me, as long as I am here, no one can harm Maya, okay?"
"Hmm, Maya trusts big brother," the little leopard girl smiled, her eyes squinting happily.
Looking at her feigned smile, Malin sighed, "I feel like you don’t believe me, it really breaks my heart." After saying that, Malin also pouted, feeling truly unhappy inside.
This damned world, this haunted multiverse, why can’t it just let my sister live happily ever after?
No, I won’t have it, nobody can allow even the slightest bit of regret to creep into my sister’s heart.
With that thought, Malin noticed his sister coming over to kiss him.
Malin swore, it was just a peck.
"Dad said if you make your most beloved person upset, just give them a kiss," Maya explained with a smile, looking at Malin: "Big brother, you are my most beloved person. You saved me in that strange Carterburg, and you will surely save me in other places in the future. I trust you, brother."
"Trusting me is the right choice. Tomorrow I’ll take you to the city hall to properly inquire about this person named Sophia, and then we’ll plot our next move," Malin stood up, lifted his sister high with both hands.
The next second, a large tail slapped Malin’s face.
"Malin didn’t come to school today." As a top student, Logan sharply noticed something was amiss.
Then, after the first class ended, he went to check with the great Divine Master, only to see the adorable little master enjoying some glutinous rice wine, with no sign of Maya anywhere.
"Maya didn’t come to school today either." As a top student, Logan swiftly picked up on another clue.
Then he noticed that Faye as usual was sitting through class as if nothing had happened, noticed Jessica peek into the classroom and then leave, noticed Miss Clovis’ teleportation circle opening at previously anchored coordinates, yet she ducked back in after popping her head out.
The clues piled up, drawing closer to the truth—Malin! You must have done something to your sister!
Transforming himself into detective mode, Logan turned his gaze toward Faye—he had to remind His Respectable Highness Faye to give that food thief Malin a good lesson. It’s a bad habit, after all.
Then he saw Faye open a portal—indeed, as expected of His Highness, being capable of using his own power to open a portal.
"Oh, Faye, are you planning to find Malin? Tell him, I’ve got a big deal for him." Although he intended to report Malin’s misdeeds, as soon as he spoke, it was business he mentioned, the epitome of ’the mouth protests too much, methinks,’ which described Logan perfectly.
"Alright, I’ll pass the message along to him," Faye said and jumped into the portal.
Left behind, Logan nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly jerked his head up—wait a minute! She’s going to find him!
With that thought, the reason why Lillim didn’t show up became clear—they all knew why Malin didn’t come to class today and had decided to find him!
...Malin, have you really taken action against everyone?! You scumbag! I’m so jealous!