?: “Uugh, big brother, when are we going to find them? All mother told us before sending us here was that we co-created this...special human! Why did I ever share my creation experience with you?!”

?: "I share your sentiments, little sister. How...repulsive of a thought. To think I was so weak in the head that I actually collaborated with another, especially my little sister. Ugh...disgusting.”

?(little sister?): “Hey! I am by no means repulsive! You take that back right now!”

?(big brother?): “I feel obligated to mention this, but you're wrong to think we must first locate our target. Mother mentioned one final 'hint' before we left, remember? To find...”

?(little sister): “Ah! To find the book holder, right? I remember now~ but that's not all too helpful when you think about it, huh Mor? How are we supposed to find a single girl in this entire city?!”

?: “Well, Mar...we'll know who the book holder is by checking if said book responds to our energy.”

Mar: “And where do you suppose we check, hm? There are lots of mortal kids who resemble our appearance, but they seem to be hurrying off to someplace...”

Mor: “School.”

Mar: “Hmm? What's that?”

Mor: “It is a place of learning. Most humans gather together for group sessions where they gain general knowledge of the world. Or so it seems.”

Mar: “AAh! How horrible! No-No personal TUTORS? The lessons aren't...tailor-suited to your strengths and weaknesses?! How do they cram everything important into these poor, innocent, young humans? Their methods seem so...outdated.”

Mor: “Mm. Well, it isn't our place to judge. Let's see...according to my intuition, somebody that can lead us to the book, will show up in front of this 'school gate' any moment now...there!”

---

{Finally! School!! My family has put me through SO many hoops over the past 2 years, especially my brother, Aeron. He kept making me go through countless training missions inside Herotopia while singing the excuse 'I'll fail you if you don't meet my specific conditions each time I assign you a task.' He said things like: perform this mission in 15 minutes or do that one without receiving a scratch! Ugh, and I don't even wanna remember my time shadowing Angelica or the quintuplets. She was nicer than them, but...

Whatever. Today, I'm free! It feels nice just walking around at my own pace, without owing anybody an explanation every second. Still, I can't be late! Brother said-}

Mor: “Excuse me! Could I borrow a moment of your time, please?”

{Hmm? Suddenly, as soon as I picked up my pace to enter Hero High school's front gates, a pair of strangely dressed twins appeared in front of me. I didn't even sense they were there until they called out to me!

Whoever they are, they're extremely skilled.

...Father's better though.}

Mar: “Oh, I know, you must be terribly confused about our identities, but trust me when I say this: We are not here to antagonize you.”

Noel: “...Then, what do you want?”

Mar: “If you'd be willing to spare a little bit of your time to help us find someone-”

Noel: “Are you guys kidnappers?”

Mar: “Wha...Obviously Not! We-”

Noel: “Well, my answer is still no. Now, move!”

Mar: “...What?”

Noel: “I said no! If you're not kidnappers, then what? You want my time for some missing person search? Well TIME is exactly what I don't have!”

Mar: “Brother...didn't your intuition tell you...that this person would willingly lead us to the girl?”

Mor: “...He...He IS willing....or at least, he will be soon.”

With a kick to his step, Mor vanished in a flash. Noel's senses went on alert, however his body didn't move.

Or rather, it couldn't move.

The next thing he knew. His arms were already being held in check behind his shoulder blades by Mor, as Mar approached them both.

Mar: “Does hypnosis count as a 'power'? It's more of a psychological tactic or technique, no?”

Mor: “I don't know, honestly. I guess we'll find out once we -”

Naturally, Noel wouldn't just stand there and allow himself to be hypnotized by some strange duo.

Noel: “3 seconds.”

Mar: “Hm~?”

Noel: “You both have 3 seconds to let go of me, before I decide to kill one of you.”

Killing intent rolled out from him like wave of threatening pressure. He was dead serious about eliminating the two preventing him from attending class.

Yet, surprisingly enough, the twins didn't feel the least bit perturbed by his beastial aura. If anything, it felt more like they'd just witnessed an interesting animal at the circus.

And then, Mor's eyes flashed for just a moment, before returning to their previous lack of luster.

After that, he let go of Noel.

Mor: “...Okay. Sorry for scaring you.”

Mar: “Brother? Why did you...”

Mor: “Shh. Hold on, I've got a strange feeling, again.”

Mar: “...You're intuition doesn't sound all that reliable, brother...”

{...Wh-What? Really?! They let go so easily?

I mean, that works out for me since I'm trying to avoid killing while I'm living in Herotopia...but then...why grab me in the first place if a simple threat was all it took to scare 'em off?

Do they just...suck at kidnapping people? I..I guess so, since they're also asking complete strangers to help them search.}

Noel: “Ahem. I don't really get what's going on, but if you want help searching for somebody just call the police. If you're kidnappers, then I suggest you leave before the heroes come here to beat you up.”

Mor: “...We aren't kidnappers, kid. We urgently needed to speak to a girl attending this school. We only wanted you to help bring her here.”

Noel: “Do you honestly think I'd willingly help somebody who just attacked me? You're not that smart.”

Mar: “Oh come on~ it wasn't an attack! That was just...my brother's way of giving your arms a massage!”

Noel: “...”

Mor: “Look, it isn't actually important anymore. If you happen to see a girl carrying a book hidden on her body, just tell her Derian's descendants said hello. That doesn't seem all that difficult, right?”

Noel: “I don't get why you can't just enter the school and search yourselves, but...maybe I will, if I'm feeling up to it by the time school ends...or you could, y'know, just wait out here until she LEAVES TO GO HOME! Now let me through! Don't you two realize that something terrifying is going to happen to me if the bell rings and I'm not in class by then?!”

After saying his peace, he shoved his way past them while making sure to call them both weirdos under his breath.

Mar: “Brother...your intuition failed us and made us both look like kidnappers to him. I hope you're ready to make it up to me.”

Mor: “I-It's fine, Mar. No worries. More importantly, did you feel that? The strange feeling when that kid got angry?”

Mar: “Hmm? Are you talking about when that cute little boy threatened to kill one of us? Yes, I felt my heart tighten at his sudden change, but that's all it was. I do feel attracted to him, for some reason...maybe he will lead us to the girl~”

Mor: “You idiot! Let's go. I think I've found our answer. The 'main character' our Fated book was missing, the human we created in this future...The girl mother mentioned and that boy...You can stay if you wish sis, but I'm heading home.”

Mar: “Wh...Already?! You don't wanna sight-see a little longer?! Once we go back, we'll be stuck up there practically FOREVER! Are you sure you don't wish to tour around, even a little bit?”

Mor: “....Okay, maybe a bit of touring wouldn't hurt. You're right this time, sis.”

Mar: “Hehe~ I'm always right!”

Mor: “...Whatever."

…

{...Jeez! Because of those creeps I almost didn't make it past the front gate! Luckily the doorway's just a few steps ahead of m-}

?: “Drop dead already, you ugly bitch!”

Noel: “...Don't tell me...”

{Ignore, Noel. Just ignore it. There's heroes all around. Surely someone else will come, right?}

?: “Ain't nobody comin' to rescue you~ No one wants your ugly figure ruining our school! Take that...and that! That's right bitch! Hahahaha!”

Noel: “...I guess I can...just take a look, right? I-I'll still make it in time, right?”

Around the side of the building, next to some bicycles were a group of four boys surrounding a girl. She was hunched over, with her hands covering her face, but even those long sleeves of hers were dirtied by uncaring shoes. Fists pounded away at her head, but she didn't whimper once.

Her eyes looked down, not too visible behind her long hair That one of the men began to heavily pull at. Even so, she didn't whimper, nor did she release a single tear. Just shield some of her hair with her rough hands.

?: “Not responding, eh? Don't think that we're being heartless, you giant freak. We normally don't hit girls, but, heheh, quite frankly, I'm not even sure you qualify as one! Are those muscles of yours just for show?!”

---