A Sister’s Defense

“This is my seat.” Chloe stood before Tia, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster’s.

“How can you prove it? Your name isn’t written on it,” Tia retorted, a roguish grin spreading across her face. Had her looks not been so striking, this entire scene would have been nothing short of schoolyard bullying!

Chloe attempted to yank Tia from the seat with all her might, but her slender arms exerted such negligible force that it was like trying to budge a massive tree. Chloe even began to suspect Tia might have secretly employed magic. As Chloe tugged at Tia’s arm, Tia suddenly released her grip. Chloe’s hand slipped, causing her to lose balance and stumble backward. Behind her loomed a solid wall; given Chloe’s delicate physique, hitting her head would have had dire consequences. Night Moon felt her heart leap into her throat.

Just as Night Moon was about to intervene, Tia, with surprising swiftness, acted first. She seized Chloe’s wrist, then gave a powerful tug, causing Chloe to tumble into her arms like a weightless piece of paper. While Chloe was still reeling in bewilderment, Tia hooked both hands under Chloe’s armpits, lifted her directly, and settled her onto her lap. Then, crossing her arms, Tia held Chloe securely in her embrace. This rapid sequence of actions not only stunned everyone present but also left Chloe momentarily unable to process what had just occurred.

“Senior’s movements are so fast!” Night Moon exclaimed in involuntary awe. Even to her discerning eyes, Tia’s movements were as swift as lightning. Senior Tia truly excels in every aspect, Night Moon mused. Losing to someone like her wouldn’t be so hard to accept.

Hiss… I’ve suddenly been cradled like a doll, right in front of the entire class! Chloe thought, feeling utterly trapped and mortified.

The classroom instantly erupted into a cacophony of voices. Most students were speculating about the relationship between Tia and Chloe. The lone girl who had remained standing suddenly became flustered.

Having successfully secured Chloe in her embrace, Tia covered Chloe’s indignant, sputtering mouth with one hand. Her gaze then shifted to the other girl.

“You’re the one who started the rumors about my sister, aren’t you?”

‘Sister?’ This appellation immediately reignited widespread discussion. The girl under scrutiny, however, had no leisure to ponder such matters. In her eyes, this seemingly gentle girl was far more terrifying than Night Moon. Tia’s violet eyes, like those of a malevolent spirit, seemed to grip her throat.

“N-no… it wasn’t me! I only… I only heard about it! I don’t even know if it’s true!” With that, she fled the classroom as if her life depended on it.

“Hey! Watch out!” Her hurried escape was so frantic that she nearly tripped over another student’s desk.

And so, the farce concluded in this absurd manner.

“Running quite fast, aren’t we? Cough, cough! Some of you might have heard of me. My name is Tia, I’m a third-year high school student, and Chloe’s older sister.” Tia stated, all the while idly twirling Chloe’s hair as she addressed the class.

“I’ve come today because my sister has encountered some trouble. Someone maliciously fabricated rumors about her. I won’t bother to pursue who exactly started them. What I need to clarify is that Chloe often misses class because she isn’t in good health and occasionally suffers from acute symptoms, requiring frequent hospital visits. Some of you might wonder why our hair colors differ; this, too, is a consequence of Chloe’s illness. You should all feel ashamed. When a frail classmate was being unfairly bullied, not only did you fail to offer assistance, but you merely stood by, watching as if it were entertainment. Only Night Moon was willing to defend her. Had I not been pushed to this point, I wouldn’t have disclosed this matter publicly, as Chloe certainly doesn’t wish to be seen as a sickly individual.”

The students, surprised that their ‘cute’ classmate harbored such a secret, flushed crimson under Tia’s lecture. They dared not cast their gaze in her direction again, instead burying their heads in various tasks.

Chloe, however, was utterly bewildered. What acute symptoms? I’m not some sickly person! My beautiful golden hair is natural, alright?

Though back then people called me “blondie,” this explanation certainly helped resolve the crisis, so I suppose the good outweighs the bad. Nevertheless, Chloe remained deeply displeased with Tia’s sudden public embrace. She aimed for Tia’s palm and bit down hard.

“What an unruly little fox~” Yet, Tia showed no change in expression. She even managed to free a hand to pinch the girl’s nose. With her airway obstructed, Chloe’s vision blurred, and she was forced to release her bite. In that instant, not even a single tooth mark remained. Chloe even felt a slight ache in her gums.

Could it be that magical girls, upon reaching a certain stage of cultivation, achieve physical invulnerability? How terrifying!

What was originally Chloe’s act of retaliation, in Night Moon’s eyes, transformed into an intimate sibling interaction. Isn’t Senior Tia just Chloe’s senior? How did she become her sister? And what about this illness? Is it really true? The sheer number of questions filled Night Moon with anxiety. The feeling of being completely out of the loop was deeply unsettling.

Moreover, the “intimate interaction” happening beside her left her feeling even more choked up. Finally, unable to contain herself any longer, she blurted out all her questions to Tia.

“Oh, Chloe’s illness? I made that up,” Tia explained. “Though her health isn’t perfectly robust, it’s not quite to that extent. As for the sister question… well, we’re just like sisters.”

“Biological, or…”

“Ah…” Tia pressed her index finger to her lips, her eyes sparkling with an air of mystery. “That, my dear, doesn’t need explaining…”

Night Moon’s brow furrowed slightly, and she reluctantly nodded. “Mm…”