Bruce leaned closer, his voice steady and reassuring. "Don't worry, Mum. I'll get to the bottom of this."
His eyes were calm, but within them burned a quiet fury. In his past life, he had been an orphan. He never knew the warmth of a mother's tears, never had a sister clinging to him in fear. But now, fate had given him this chance.
Maybe this woman wasn't truly his mother. Maybe this girl wasn't truly his sister. But that didn't matter. He had already made up his mind.
He would protect them. He would experience what it meant to have a family. And whoever dared to harm them… would regret it.
At that moment, Lily's sobs began to quiet. She sniffled, wiped her tears with the back of her small hand, and then her big round eyes shifted curiously toward Sophie.
Her gaze lingered on how Sophie stood so close to Bruce, fingers still intertwined with his, her presence almost glued to his side.
"Big brother! Big brother!" Lily tugged at his sleeve, her voice clear and innocent.
Bruce tilted his head to look at her. "What is it, Lily?"
She blinked at Sophie, then back at him. "Big brother… is big sister your girlfriend now?" she asked, her childish tone loud enough to echo through the room.
Sophie's face flushed instantly crimson.
"W-What?!" she squeaked, almost stumbling forward in shock. She rushed to cover Lily's mouth with both hands, her ears burning red. "Lily! You shouldn't ask such weird questions!"
Her reaction only made Lily giggle, eyes wide with mischief.
Their mother, still weak on the bed, managed a faint smile, clearly expecting Bruce to deflect or ignore the question. But instead...
"Yes," Bruce said. His answer was calm, firm, and without hesitation.
Sophie froze, her hands still hovering awkwardly over Lily's mouth. Her red eyes widened, and her lips parted soundlessly.
Bruce knelt down on one knee in front of Lily, taking her tiny hands into his. He rubbed them gently, his voice low and reassuring.
"Yes, Lily. Big sister is my girlfriend. And don't worry, now that you have both big brother and big sister with you, nothing will ever happen to you again."
Lily's face lit up, joy bubbling over her tears. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "Big brother is the best!"
Bruce smiled faintly and patted her back, warmth flickering in his usually stoic expression.
Behind him, Sophie stood frozen for a moment, her cheeks burning hot. Slowly, her lips curved into a smile so soft it seemed to melt away all her earlier embarrassment. Watching Bruce claim her so openly, in front of his family no less, made her heart flutter uncontrollably.
'He really said it…' Sophie bit her lip lightly, her chest blooming with warmth. He actually called me his girlfriend…
If there had been any trace of doubt about her earlier impulsive claim, it vanished now. No regrets. Telling Bruce she was his girlfriend had been the right call.
But before the moment could settle, the hush of movement echoed from the front door. Someone had opened it without knocking.
Bruce's eyes narrowed. Through his connection to the cycle of life, he instantly sensed it, multiple living presences outside.
He turned to his mother. "Let me handle this."
Sophie bent down to Lily's level, brushing the girl's hair gently. "Stay here with Mother, alright?"
"Yes, Big Sister." Lily nodded, her lips stretching into an innocent smile that made Sophie's heart melt.
"Good girl…" Sophie whispered, rubbing her head softly before rising to follow Bruce. Her expression hardened, whatever awaited him outside, she wasn't about to let him face it alone.
The passage creaked as they stepped forward. A man lingered there, dressed in muted colors, his presence sharp and secretive. The instant his eyes fell on Bruce, alive, standing strong, very much not a corpse, his pupils dilated in horror.
"Impossible…" he gasped.
He spun on his heel, bolting for the door.
But how could an ordinary man escape an A-Ranked Awakened like Bruce?
In a blur, Bruce caught him, one hand gripping the man's collar like an iron vise. With effortless strength, he lifted him off the ground and slammed him against the wall. The wooden frame cracked under the force.
Bruce's gaze was cold, his voice sharp as a scalpel. "What's so shocking about me being alive… unless you're the one behind all this?"
Through the half-open door, Bruce's eyes landed on them. Three coffins. Lined up, waiting.
A chill ran down his spine. 'What the fuck…? He came to collect our corpses. If not for my class, if not for that healing… all of us would already be inside those boxes.'
His blood roared with fury. Without thinking, his hand lashed out, delivering a slap that echoed like a thunderclap in the narrow passage. The man's lip split, blood spraying as his head snapped to the side.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Bruce leaned in, his voice low and deadly calm. "Start talking. Who sent you? And don't waste my time with lies."
The man trembled violently, his eyes darting like a trapped rat searching for escape, his breath coming in shallow gasps.
At Bruce's side, Sophie stepped forward. She crossed her arms, her posture elegant yet commanding, tilting her head ever so slightly. Her crimson eyes glinted with a sharpness that pierced deeper than Bruce's cold fury.
"You might want to answer honestly," she said smoothly, her tone silky yet laced with venom. Then her lips curved into the faintest, dangerous smile. "Because unlike Bruce, I wouldn't hesitate to end your life right here."
Her voice wasn't raised, but it carried a certainty that made the man's blood run cold.
His lips trembled as he stammered, "S-Sophie Reign…"
He knew that name. Everyone did. Considering her family background and her own bloody reputation, there was no doubt she meant every word. If Sophie Reign said she would kill, she would.
Bruce's grip tightened around the man's collar, lifting him higher against the wall, the wood groaning under the pressure. His tone was ice, every word deliberate, lethal.
"You have one chance," Bruce said, his eyes boring into him. "Speak. Before I decide that coffin outside is yours."
The man's face drained of all color. His legs shook uncontrollably. Under the combined weight of Bruce's merciless aura and Sophie's lethal intent, resistance was no longer an option.