Ryn looked at her in surprise, as did the little boy. The four bullies exchanged glances, confused, thinking she was on their side.
"We're just teaching this genius a lesson—he forgot nobody likes him!" one of them mocked.
Katrina stepped forward. Ryn tried to stop her, tried to say something… but something about her voice, or maybe her posture, froze him. A chilling, old feeling he'd buried deep inside clawed its way back, and he didn't want to remember it.
Katrina's gaze fell on the little boy who had lowered his head in helplessness, then shifted to the four bullies. One was overweight, another's face was covered in pimples, the third stared blankly, and the fourth tilted his chin up with obvious arrogance.
(Each of them carries something... yet they gang up on someone weaker.)
She took another step and inhaled deeply before saying:
"Let's start with you guys, shall we laugh together? You—looking like a popped popcorn kernel—mock someone else's body and don't see your own?
And you—laughing like your face is going to explode into acne.
As for you, standing there in silence like you don't understand a thing, it's clear your brain has packed up and left.
And you, with the smug face like you're royalty, but can't string a single decent sentence together."
They froze. Fear slowly crept into their eyes.
Even Ryn was taken aback by his sister—by Leona's—reaction.
Katrina bent slightly to be at eye level with them, her voice low and cold, her expression terrifying in its calm.
"Before you go after others, look at yourselves first. Don't bully people—you're the last ones who have the right."
Silence.
Then she added with a sarcastic smile, "I'm a witch, by the way. But I'm in a good mood today, so I didn't turn you into frogs."
The boys froze for just one second… then ran. For real.
They bolted like they'd seen a ghost. Katrina burst out laughing—a genuine, hearty laugh.
"Oh my God, did you see how fast they ran? I didn't even say anything scary!"
Ryn stood there, staring at her in awe. Then he raised his eyebrows and said with admiration,
"What happened to you? Leona, you've… gotten strong?"
She smiled and looked at him, gently ruffling his hair.
"Your sister has always been strong… maybe you just never noticed."
Katerina stepped toward the little boy, crouched down in front of him, and looked at his dirty, confused face. Then she said in a softer tone:
"Do you know why they made fun of you?"
He shook his head no, so she continued calmly:
"Because you're different. Because you don't look like them. Because you have something that scares them… and you don't even realize it."
The boy blinked slowly. Katerina smiled and said:
"I'll tell you a little secret… There are three smart ways to protect yourself without ever raising a hand."
He was intrigued. He whispered:
"Really? How?"
Katerina held up three fingers and said:
"First: Psychological Mirrors. When someone mocks you, don't get angry. Just repeat their words back to them, like you're holding up a mirror. If they say 'You're weak,' say: 'At least I don't need to hurt others to feel strong.'"
"Second: The Guilt Switch. Ask them a question that forces them to face themselves. If someone says something harsh, ask: 'Are you okay? Because you seem angry about something… that has nothing to do with me, right?' — That'll throw them off."
"And third, the strongest of all: Use your calm as a weapon. A bully wants you to explode. If you don't, they'll feel small. Just look at them — silently, for a long moment — like you're analyzing their psychological issues."
The boy stared at her like she was a sorceress and whispered in awe:
"But… that's grown-up stuff."
Katerina chuckled gently and said:
"You're smarter than you think. The earlier you learn this, the stronger you become — without ever hurting anyone. That's called… 'the power of the mind.'"
The little boy was still standing there, unsure of what to say.
Katerina continued gently:
"I know you don't have the strength right now to defend yourself physically. But work hard. Be patient. Grow stronger. They attack you because you're smart — because you have something they don't. Use that. Develop it. And never let their words define who you are."
The boy stayed silent for a moment. Then suddenly, he lifted his head, trying awkwardly to hold back his tears—so much so it almost made Katrina smile.
He managed to hold them in, bowed deeply, and said in a hoarse voice,
"Thank you… Thank you so much. I promise—I'll get stronger. You'll see me again."
Then he ran off, light on his feet, as if his heart had become weightless.
Katrina stood watching him go, a soft smile of pride on her face.
Ryn turned to her, beaming with pride.
"My sister's strong… and wise, too. I hope you stay like this forever!"
Katrina laughed and said, "Finally noticed, huh? In that case, allow me to celebrate this victory with another pie."
They both laughed and continued walking together… heading home, as the sun quietly dipped lower in the sky—as if, for a fleeting moment, the world had grown a little gentler.
•••
The sun leaned ever so slightly toward the horizon, scattering its golden light across every corner of the "Heavenly Courtyard"—the serene patio at the heart of the home. It was as if nature had decided to create a private realm filled with peace and stillness.
Katrina sat on the wooden steps, her torso leaning forward, her head tilted to the right. Her fingertips gently touched the water in the rectangular pond beside the stairs, caressing the gold and white fish as if she were searching for something familiar… anything.
The breeze passed softly, carrying the scent of the flowers planted beside the young trees. Light filtered down from above.
But Katrina didn't feel peace.
She was Katrina, inside Leona's body—a girl who wasn't her, in a world unlike anything she'd ever known.
She murmured to herself:
> "I'm absolutely certain this isn't a normal isekai. I didn't die—I just fell into a deep coma. First, I literally went through a real black hole. Second, I don't remember this world from any book I've read, anime I've seen, game I've played, or manhwa I've browsed. It's too real to be fiction. And finally—and this is the kicker—I wasn't even depressed or hopeless like most isekai protagonists."
She swirled the water gently with her palm. The fish scattered softly. She sighed, watching the surface of the water, as though waiting for it to give her answers that never came.
Up in the hallway, two aunts passed by, chatting quietly, unaware of her presence. A heavy-footed uncle followed behind, glanced at her briefly, then continued on without a word.
Katrina raised an eyebrow.
> "Okay… So I'm not the only one playing the role of the family ghost here."
Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of small footsteps approaching.
"Leona?"
She looked up and found Ryn standing in front of her, his face wearing an expression far too serious for his age. His features were tinged with sadness—like life had somehow disappointed him.
"Come, sit. What's bothering you?"
He sat beside her, hugging his knees, eyes fixed on the fish. He let out a sigh and said:
"People still love our bakery… but they want something new. We've been selling the same pastries for ages… and Mom's scared we'll lose our customers if someone opens a rival shop."
Katrina looked at him, her eyes soft with sorrow, her heart tightening for his sake.
Katrina's POV:
> "Ah, right… Ren had mentioned before that his family owns a famous bakery. His mother is proud of it. Seems like bread isn't just food to them… it's heritage and history."
End POV.
Katrina fell silent for a moment, her eyes watching the nearby trees. Then suddenly… an idea sparked in her mind.
She remembered. Her older sister—the quirky chef—who used to spend hours learning Asian recipes. Specifically… mochi.
Suddenly, Katrina stood up with newfound energy, shaking off the stillness.
– "Where's your mother?"
Ren blinked at her, confused.
– "In the kitchen… with the others. Why?"
– "Come with me. I've got an idea."
– "Huh?!" He jumped up and ran after her. "Wait! Where are you going?!"
– "To your mother."
– "Okay, but wait for me!" He ran to catch up, trying to understand what was going on. But the eager spark in "Leona's" eyes made his heart race.
Katrina didn't look back, but a slight smile curled at the edge of her lips.
> "If I can't escape this world… then at the very least, I can make a difference in it."
She walked with steady steps, and beside her, little Ren ran to keep up… as if a new adventure was about to begin.
To be continued…