"Give them the invitation."
The assistant stiffened. "But sir, that's against protocol—only the top industrialist families—"
"Are you suggesting we let a little champion's light fade in a box just because of rules?"
"…But the board—"
"Don't argue with me again," the Headmaster said, eyes sharp like cold steel.
The assistant gulped. "Yes, sir."
He handed me a glossy white envelope with a gold star emblem on it. Heavy. Official.
The old man turned to me again and sighed. "Apologies. You saw a… less charming side of me just now."
He stood. "Please. Open it."
I carefully tore the seal and peeked inside.
The top of the letter read:
Morning Star Elite Academy — Personal Invitation For exceptional young minds with unlimited potential.
I blinked. "This is… this school is famous. Isn't this for millionaires and genius kids?"
He smiled. "Exactly. And from what I've seen, your daughter more than qualifies."
He adjusted his glasses. "Bring her in for an interview. If she clears it—and I suspect she will—we'll take care of the rest. She belongs somewhere her mind can bloom."
Then, just like that, he turned and began walking away, his coat flowing behind him like a cape.
The assistant bowed slightly. "We'll be expecting you. First floor. North Wing. Interview Room C. Saturday."
And then they were gone.
I stared at the invitation.
Erza was still holding Elena's cheeks.
Elena was still talking about the frog.
And me?
I was wondering when life got this weird.
Ever since I was a child, standing behind the school gates with scraped knees and secondhand shoes, I had only one dream:
If I ever have a kid, I'll give them the chance I never had.
Now here I was… holding that very dream in my hands.
A real invitation.
Morning Star Academy.
The most prestigious school in all of Lebius country. The kind of place where world leaders send their kids. The kind of place people don't even dare to apply to unless they come with diamonds in their cribs.
And my Elena... she got in. Handpicked. Invited.
My vision blurred. I blinked, only to realize I was crying. But not the messy kind. Just a few warm, quiet tears.
I laughed to myself.
"You've done it, old man. You've actually done it."
Without wasting another second, I turned and ran toward the two most important people in my life.
"Elena! Erza!" I called out.
They were still mid-argument, standing near a bench. Erza looked fed up. Elena was passionately defending a frog costume she nearly followed out of the store earlier.
"I told you it looked real, Mama!"
"That thing was stitched from carpet!" Erza snapped back.
Before they could go another round, I threw my arms around both of them—Elena standing on the bench, Erza beside her. A perfect height for the perfect hug.
"Wha—Yuuta?!" Erza stiffened immediately, caught off guard.
"I have news," I said, heart pounding. "Elena got accepted into Morning Star."
Erza blinked.
Elena gasped. "Papa! I got in the sparkle school?!"
"Yes, you did, sweetheart," I said, laughing.
But Erza's expression changed. Her cheeks slowly turned crimson, eyes twitching.
"I-I told you not to hug me like that… in public," she muttered through gritted teeth.
"Ah—wait—Erza—"
Too late.
She grabbed my collar, lifted me like a sack of potatoes, and hurled me straight toward the nearest decorative tree.
Thud!
I landed in a glorious explosion of leaves, twigs, and one very confused pigeon.
Nearby shoppers paused. A kid clapped. "Mama, that man flew like a superhero!"
Elena twirled happily. "I'm going to school! I'm going to school!"
Erza tried to keep a straight face, but I saw the tiny smile tugging at her lips.
"It's not my fault you hugged without warning," she muttered, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
I emerged from the bush, scratched, leafy, and grinning like an idiot.
But little did we know, joy wasn't the only thing watching us.
From a shadowed corner of the adult clothing section, three men stood still.
"Boss, you saw that invitation?" one whispered.
The man in the middle, with a red scarf and cold eyes, clicked his tongue.
"That invitation… Morning Star, golden seal."
The taller one leaned in. "No way that's fake. They don't hand those to commoners. That kid? That family? Must be loaded."
The third one's eyes glinted. "Let's snatch the girl. Ransom. Easy payday."
The leader crossed his arms. "Quiet. This needs planning. No screw-ups."
He looked at Erza, who was now teasing Elena with frog jumps.
"…and that woman. She's got fight in her."
"We'll handle it," the tall one grinned. "A quick move. Grab the girl. Quiet exit."
The leader narrowed his eyes. "Just wait. Watch. We follow them. Wait until they're alone. Then we make our move."
And with that, they disappeared into the crowd.
The celebration was still going on. Elena danced. Erza rolled her eyes. I was crawling out of the bush, dazed but smiling.
But the shadow had begun to stretch.
And none of us saw it coming.
After brushing off the leaves from my earlier bushy landing, I turned to Erza and Elena with a grin. "How about we head to the food court? I bet you're both hungry."
Elena's eyes lit up. "There's food here too?"
I chuckled. "Didn't I tell you? This mall has everything."
Erza raised an eyebrow. "Where is it?"
"On the upper floor," I replied, leading them toward the elevators.
As we approached, Erza hesitated, eyeing the metallic doors warily. "What is this metal box?"
"It's called an elevator," I explained gently. "It helps us go up and down floors without using the stairs. It works on electricity."
Erza frowned. "I usually prefer the stairs."
I smiled. "Trust me, it's safe and convenient."
She nodded reluctantly, and we stepped inside. Erza pressed the button for the fifth floor. As the doors closed, she looked around nervously. "What the... we're stuck?"
"No, no," I laughed, "it's starting. Just wait."
A few seconds later, the doors opened on the fifth floor with a soft ding. Erza blinked, peeking outside like she'd time-traveled.
"Unbelievable…" she murmured, stepping out in awe.
"See? We humans are clever, admit it," I said proudly.
She puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms. "Yeah, whatever."
We found the food court, the aroma of fries and sizzling patties filling the air.
I pointed to a table.
"You both sit here. I'll go get us something. Don't cause trouble."
"Just don't keep me waiting, mortal," Erza said, flipping her hair like royalty.
I smirked and headed for the counter. The line was long. Too long.
Back at the table, Erza and Elena sat quietly—or so I thought.
That's when three men swaggered over, reeking of cheap cologne, booze, and rotten ego. Their steps were slow, deliberate—like they owned the place. The way their eyes slithered over Erza made my skin crawl.
"Hey there, gorgeous," one of them leered, his grin crooked and yellow. "Sitting here all lonely? Lucky day for you."
Erza didn't even blink.
Another one leaned in, his voice sleazy. "C'mon, don't ignore us. Bet we're better company than whatever loser left you here."
Still, nothing.
She didn't spare them a glance.
Then the third one—the filthiest of the trio—scoffed. "Don't tell me you're stuck with some limp boytoy. You need a real man. We've got experience. Hell, we could wreck you in ways he's never even dreamed of."
"He's not my boyfriend," Erza said, finally looking up.
Her voice cut through them—sharp, emotionless, lethal.
"He's my husband."
The words hit like ice water. The men paused.
"…Tch," the leader spat. "That's a waste. You're built like a damn goddess, and you settled for a twig?"
Another chuckled nastily.
"We're giving you a once-in-a-lifetime offer, sweetheart. Come with us. We'll make you scream so loud your husband'll hear you cry from whatever sewer he's hiding in."
That's when Erza's eyes changed.
There was no fire. No dramatic reaction.
Just stillness.
A terrifying, frozen stillness.
Her face was emotionless—too emotionless. Like something ancient waking beneath her skin. Her rage didn't boil—it froze, a glacial pressure that crushed the air around her.
Before she could speak, a tiny voice rose up like a thunderclap.
"My papa is strong!"
Elena stood on the bench, fists clenched, eyes blazing.
"He'll beat all of you! He's way cooler and stronger than stinky pigs like you!"
The men stared in disbelief.
Then laughed.
"Aww, isn't that cute?" one of them sneered. "The brat's got fangs."
Erza rose.
Slowly.
One hand slid in front of Elena, gently shielding her. Her other hand rested by her side—relaxed. Too relaxed.
"You insects," she murmured, her voice dropping into a deathly whisper.
"You dare speak of my husband... in front of me. You dare look at my daughter with those filthy eyes."
The leader stepped closer, his grin warping into something cruel.
"Well, now that we're being honest... we came for the little genius. Morning Star Elite, right?"
He licked his lips.
"But damn... seeing you in person? We're taking both. One for ransom and One to play with."
And that was it.
The temperature dropped—literally.
The air around Erza shimmered with something unseen, the faint scent of ozone and ash creeping through the grease-stained air.
She took a step forward.
"Try it."
Another step.
"I dare you."
The leader hesitated, clearly unsettled now.
Erza's eyes locked on his—and he flinched. Just a second. But enough.
"Do you even know what kind of grave you're digging?" Her voice was ice cracking beneath their feet.
"I'll give you one chance. One breath. One heartbeat…"
She leaned closer.
"…before I remind you what true fear feels like."
They didn't move.
Couldn't move.
Erza smiled.
But it wasn't kind.
It was cold. Terrifying. Ancient, absolute Domaine.
And then—
To be continued…
Yuuta here. (Thank your for 280 collection)
I know some of you are angry… maybe even ready to set the world on fire for me.
But hey, I get it. You're angry because they said dumb stuff. Total rubbish.
Still, I just wanna say—thank you. Seriously, thanks for worrying about me.
But you all seem to be forgetting one tiny, scaly detail...
I've got my lizard on my side.
Erza: Eyebrow twitching "What do you mean... lizard?"
Hehe... You'll see, Erza.
Anyway, bye!
Erza: "YOU MORTAL—STAY RIGHT HERE!"