Two more weeks had passed.
Grey sat on the bed, stroking the fluffy white head that pressed endlessly against his chest. The little fox had just run to him and nimbly leapt into his arms. Lately, they had been spending every single hour together, twenty-four-seven.
Their closeness irritated little Grace to no end. Grey and Alice reminded her of a young couple in the honeymoon phase. The little fox not only refused to play with her despite all her coaxing, but, worse, monopolized most of the attention of her beloved brother.
Grace could not accept such behavior. Soon, hurried footsteps sounded outside. A second later, the door opened, revealing the silhouette of the previously mentioned white-haired girl.
"Brother, why does Alice always run away from me?" she complained immediately, jumping onto the bed.
"Woo-woo-woo (You're always teasing me. I'm scared of you.)"
Neither the brother nor the sister understood the fox's response. They continued their conversation as if they hadn't heard her lament:
"Now do you understand how I've always felt about Lucky? By the way, where is he?"
"How can you even compare them?! Alice is so sweet, fluffy, and soft. You just want to squeeze her to death. And Lucky! That little rascal ran off to the chicken coop again! Seems like he enjoys chasing Aunt Morgana's peacock. He's always such a mischievous one."
"Don't you think you two are alike in some ways?" Grey asked, with a hint of sarcasm.
"Mm. You're right, I'm just as cute as Alice. Even our hair is similar in color. Eh, Mom was right — opposites attract." Grace answered proudly, comparing her brother's hair to that of her Cerberus pup.
Grey was at a loss for words, hearing her shameless declarations. Could it be that his sister still didn't understand what he was talking about?
"Brother, do you remember that we still have to complete Blind Grandpa's assignments? Classes start tomorrow," the girl asked, stretching wearily.
"What? Why didn't you remind me?" Grey suddenly jumped up.
"Weren't you always the first to rush through every assignment? I thought you were busy, developing another theory to make your calculating device. Seriously, you're still thinking about that crazy idea?" Grace replied, genuinely bewildered.
"My little older sister, why are you like this? We have a lesson tomorrow, and we haven't done a thing. Tomorrow! Don't you understand that the old man will be really upset if we don't complete the assignment? Let's go right now—we need to interview the villagers. And yes, my idea is not crazy at all."
"As you say, as you say. But you're right, we need to hurry."
Having convinced the fox to stay in the barn with the other animals, the children hurried off to complete their homework.
Blind Grandpa's assignments had nothing to do with rote memorization or reading. Most often, the tasks were centered on research. He would give the children a topic and provide a list of questions they needed to explore by the next lesson.
How and where they found the answers was none of his concern. The blind old man used this method so the twins would understand the true value of knowledge and learn to access it independently.
Unknown to them, each week Blind Grandpa sent the same list of questions to the villagers. The elders' task was to obstruct the children's progress in every way—assigning extra tasks, speaking in deliberately convoluted or even ambiguous ways.
Every time, the search for the correct answers quietly turned into a full-fledged quest, packed with side missions.
And that was exactly how it happened on the very last day.
Characters: Grey, Grace
Time: 9:00 AM
Hours until sunset: 6
Location: Village of the Forsaken, Nightingale, Planet Eridania
Questions completed: 0/9
Available energy points: 100/100
"Do you want to learn the geography of the continents? Grey, my dear grandson, it's such a complicated topic, and I'm so tired. Could you massage Grandma's shoulders while Grace brings me some herbal infusion?" Grandma asked before beginning her lesson.
"Of course, mm, Grandma Cornelia, take your time," the twins replied, getting to work.
"...Thus, the Elf Continent is the largest and is filled with the richest flora and fauna. Oh, I've been sitting here with you two for far too long. I still need to weed the garden," Grandma Cornelia complained.
"Nonsense, Grandma, just keep talking. Grace and I will finish quickly," the boy replied before running off to the garden.
The twins didn't notice the sly smile that appeared on Grandma's face as they continued working around the house.
Characters: Grey, Grace
Time: 10:00 AM
Hours until sunset: 5
Location: Village of the Forsaken, Nightingale, Planet Eridania
Questions completed: 1/9
Available energy points: 85/100
"Where to now?" Grace asked her brother.
"We need to figure out the hierarchy of power in the Magical Empire. Mom always said it's better to know your enemy than your friend. The best place to start is with Aunt Albedo."
"Umu, let's go."
The twins approached the hut that had haunted Grace's nightmares at night. Even now, seeing the sign swaying in the wind, she wasn't eager to enter. It was in this very hut that she had suffered the most, studying the runes and spell formulas she hated. But a task was a task.
"Aunt Albedo, can you tell us about the hierarchy of power in the Magical Empire?"
"Ugh, kids, you're so inconvenient. I'm right in the middle of a complex magical experiment. How about you act as my assistants while I tell you?"
"All right," the children replied in unison.
Characters: Grey, Grace
Time: 12:00 PM
Hours until sunset: 5
Location: Village of the Forsaken, Nightingale, Planet Eridania
Questions completed: 2/9
Available energy points: 55/100
"Types of demons on the Demon Continent and their strengths," Grey read aloud from the paper.
"Let's ask Aunt Morgana," Grace blurted out without thinking.
"Let's go."
"Ugh, kids, you don't really think I'll help with your homework just like that, do you? Demons don't work that way. Bring me some forest blueberries and water from the waterfall, and then I'll tell you," Aunt Morgana replied without getting up from the couch.
"Fair enough."
Time: 1:30 PM
Hours until sunset: 3.5
Questions completed: 3/9
Available energy points: 40/100
"Vampire food and their diet. This question is for Konstantin and Konstancia," Grey read aloud, slightly out of breath.
"Hurry, we're running late—Mom will be waiting for us at lunch."
"Ohhh, that's easy, but I was hoping to have a romantic candlelit dinner with my dear one. Will you help me decorate the room?"
"Of course."
Hours until sunset: 2 hours 45 minutes
Questions completed: 4/9
Available energy points: 25/100
Exhausted from all the running around, the twins trudged toward lunch, debating which question to tackle next. They were so worn out they could barely gather their thoughts.
"We need to find out the most sought-after types of ore in the Industrial Empire. That's a question for Grandpa Clark. He's a dwarf, so he should know about this stuff. Ugh! I'm so tired," Grey read aloud the next question, sounding dejected.
"Brother, let's take some spirits from our house before going to Grandpa's forge—he does like a drink," Grace suggested, her steps a little unsteady.
"Sounds like a good idea."
After lunch:
Hours until sunset: 2 hours 15 minutes
Questions completed: 4/9
Available energy points: 50/100
"Brother, let me handle the conversation this time, and hide the paper somewhere out of sight."
"Are you plotting something again?"
"Just trust me. Stand nearby and watch how I handle everything," the girl replied.
The boy hesitated but didn't see any problem with it. He simply decided that Grace wanted to take a more active role in their lessons. In the end, he agreed to let her take the initiative.
Approaching Grandpa Clark's hut, the girl pulled out a bottle of spirits and spoke in a cheerful tone:
"Grandpa Clark, don't you want a little drink? We brought a bottle of 'Cruel Love,' brewed by Grandma Cornelia."
"Sister, we don't have much time…" Grey tried to intervene.
"Quiet and watch," Grace whispered, nudging her stubborn younger brother with her elbow.
"Of course, ahahaha, I'm always happy to drink, but why such concern all of a sudden?" the dwarf asked, squinting slightly.
"Ahahaha, mm, Grandpa Clark, you know me better than anyone! You're so attentive, you won't be fooled at all. I just wanted to add a Wind Stone to my chakras. That way I can throw them much farther. You'll help your favorite granddaughter, won't you?" Grace pleaded, making a pitiful little face that melted the dwarf's hardened heart.
"Of course, it won't take long," Clark replied, taking a sip from the bottle they had brought.
"I knew I could count on you," Grace sang in a sweet voice as Clark set to work. "Grandpa Clark, what metal are my chakras forged from?"
"It's a mix of steel and vermet, a light and airy metal, to make your throws smoother."
"How interesting! And what metals were used for Grey's sword?"
"Mithril as the base, steel, and vibranium—the strongest but heaviest metal. That's why I added just a little, to keep the balance of lightness and strength. Moreover, since Grey's innate element is darkness, I included Tenebrum in the alloy," Grandpa Clark explained without hesitation, flattered by the girl's sudden interest in the blacksmith's craft.
"Oh my, Grandpa Clark, you're such a master! And what metals do they use in the Industrial Empire? I've heard their blacksmiths are skilled enough to build an entire city out of steel."
"That's all tales. To build such a city, you need more than just steel—you need a lot of adamantium, vibranium, and, most importantly, living metal and solidified mercury…" Grandpa Clark trailed off mid-sentence, as if on the verge of tears.
"Grandpa Clark, I knew you were the most knowledgeable."
"Little Grace, y-you… you're… such a curious girl," the dwarf stammered.
By the end of his words, his voice trembled slightly. He was deeply upset that he had accidentally spilled "valuable" information without receiving any compensation.
He finally understood why the little rascal had been so attentive and curious today. She had simply wanted to trick him!
The blind elder had been using this method to teach for several years. Every villager had long since grown accustomed to relying on the twins' help whenever they asked "special" questions. It was a common practice—almost a habit.
Grandpa Clark hadn't expected that today the twins would finally uncover the flaw, and that he would be the first to blurt out important information for nothing, falling for their tricks.
When he realized this and looked at Grace's radiant smile, he felt deeply betrayed, as if someone had stabbed him in the back. He wanted to cry, but no tears came.
Quickly finishing his work, the offended dwarf silently grabbed the bottle of "Cruel Love" and returned to his hut, slamming the door behind him.
Time until sunset: 2 hours. Questions completed: 5/9.
Available energy points: 70/100
Once Grandpa had disappeared from sight, the girl spoke:
"Did you get it, little brother?"
"Yes, it seems someone's manipulating us from the shadows," Grey replied, clearly impressed by his sister's wit and insight.
"He-he-he, I've got a trump card. Want to hear it?" Grace whispered conspiratorially into her younger brother's ear. Her voice was sweet and promising, as if it could solve all their problems. She looked like a tiny temptress demon, luring an innocent soul.
"Tell me, little big sister," Grey fell into the trap without a second thought.
"He-he-he. I knew you weren't a coward, little brother. Remember, Celine is still in our village—she won't leave for another week. Do you think she knows about our homework?"
"You want to…?"
"He-he-he," the girl laughed.
"He-he-he," the younger brother echoed.
Characters: Grey, Grace
Achievement "Trick the Trickster" unlocked.
You have uncovered a hidden truth of the world.
Users have been granted the status "Enlightened."
===================
He-he-he, I admit, I experimented a bit with this chapter and added a "system" tag.
I hope you enjoy this twist in the genre—a little break from the intense atmosphere I've been building over the last few chapters.
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments. I'd love to hear your opinion.