"You both took your ti coming down. I was getting worried about you. I even thought about coming up to wake you both once more if that was the case."
Elios Tsurugi sat on the front sofa with her legs crossed. She looked dominating but her voice sounded disappointed in Amane and Sakura.
Amane watched Sakura's body flinch unconsciously at her mother's words. It seed like Sakura was still concerned about her mother's approval. Lessons learned in childhood did hold a lot of weight after all.
"Mother…I.."
"We were late because we have a lot to prepare for. Since our family is in a public position, we cannot make any outside appearances without proper preparation, right? I hope Aunty understands this."
Elios Tsurugi did not even flinch after the accusation that was aid at her. Instead, she looked as calm and collected as before.
She looked even more amused than before. But it was her eyes Amane was paying attention to. And they looked closed off suddenly.
"I see. You do have a point, Yoko. we are in a public position so we need to consider all our actions. Now, if only soone learned this from you, then I would be a lot happier than before."
Elios Tsurugi leveled her calm gaze at Sakura. It made Sakura flinch and she even took a step back in fright. But Amane was standing behind Sakura so that caused them both to bump into each other.
Amane did not realize it at first, but Sakura had almost caught up with her in height. This was a welcoming but unseen thing for her.
"Since both of you are ready, let's head out now. We need to be at our appointnt on ti. As you said before Yoko, we are a family that's always in the spotlight. We cannot give these reporters anything to write ho about."
Amane had to admit that Elios Tsurugi was one shrewd person. She took all the remarks and jabs made at her in stride and remained calm. Her voice did not even waver a single but when she spoke to her.
Not only that, but Elios also seed to be calculating what she should say to turn the situation in her favor. All this pointed toward her behind a good ally or a dangerous enemy.
"A-Anyway we should head out. There is sothing I need to do in the evening so we need to get back swiftly. Let's not spend too much ti outside, Mother."
Sakura interrupted this tense talk with her sowhat nervous presence. She refused to look her mother in the face as she started walking.
"Oh, my dear child Sakura. I told you to always conceal your emotions and not to let your face show what you are feeling. It looks like you have forgotten all the lessons I taught you during your childhood. We might need to revisit that session soon."
Sakura felt sick as soon as she heard her mother's words. She never wanted to visit that dark ti in her life again.
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Her anger was surging, but Sakura took in a few calm breaths and pushed them down. She could not afford to let her mother provoke her.
"Mother, I appreciate you and all, but let's head out now. We are getting late."
Elios Tsurugi was surprised when Sakura ignored her words and walked past her. It seed her daughter was growing up slowly.
"Don't think that Sakura is the sa little girl you could ta in your childhood. That child had grown up and she is no longer soone who will cry and beg you for rcy. If you don't want to be devoured, then I suggest you change your ways of dealing with her."
"Of course, this is rely a suggestion. So, whether you want to follow my advice or not, it is up to you."
Elios Tsurugi might not have shown it, but Amane was getting under her skin. There were so things that Amane could just feel, and this was one of them.
"I see. That's a piece of helpful advice you gave . Well, if my child is ready to have her freedom, then who am I to say 'no' to her? She can live her life as she wants now."
That was what Elios Tsurugi's mouth said but her insides were another story. She hated losing control of any situation but this one was out of her hand for sure.
Amane could only laugh inside her mind as her face maintained its usual carefree smile.
"Hey, let's hurry up and leave. Otherwise, we might be late in coming back ho by dinner ti."
Sakura walked back toward them and asked them to hurry up. Amane was the first one to start walking this ti.
She has her aunt a serious smile as she walked past her and her actions made her aunt clench her teeth in anger. But then her aunt cald herself down and followed Amane.
Amane could not help but dislike Elios Tsurugi on the principles of Sakura hating her. There were just so people whom you could not get along with without having a reason to feel annoyed by them.
And Elios Tsurugi was one such person for Amane.
As for Elios? She hated Yoko Tsurugi as more and more ti passed by. But she also felt fascinated by her at the sa ti.
There was just so air around Yoko that made her feel special and important at the sa ti. This was what Elios had always looked for in her people.
'This feeling would go away once Yoko Tsurugi cos to my side. I am sure I will be able to turn her into a reliable partner once I seduce her.'
Elios had a plan and she had things to make sure her plan ca to a succession.
The place she had planned to take Yoko and Sakura to was a dangerous park. She would make sure that both Yoko and Sakura would fall into trouble.
Then, Elios would save them and cause them to feel grateful to her. It was the first step of her plan to make them both rely on her.
It was human nature to feel grateful and attacked to one's savior. That was what Elios aid to take advantage of.
But first, she needed to get both Yoko and Sakura to lose their powers for so ti. And to do that, she would need to trick them into eating the special pill she had kept in her pocket.
'I will slip this into the snacks we will be served in the the park. After that, my people would make sure to carry out my plan.'
......
"We are finally here. I know that both of you are not amused to see re beast replicas after dealing with the real thing all the ti, but I thought we should co here once or twice. It makes for a fun ti."
Amane looked at the poor imitation of a the park and it's representation of the beasts. These people had never seen a beast in its natural habitat before.
And even if they had, it was good that they did not try to imitate it. Soone would have died if they had gone all out in earnest.
"This place is just as famous and popular as ever, Mother. But I can see that you added a lot of things since the last ti I was here."
Sakura sounded unimpressed with the place. She had been in this the park before and she also helped a lot here when she had been younger.
She knew this place well so nothing could surprise her here anymore.
"Ah, this place must no longer fascinate the both of you. After all, you both are used to dealing with real-life beasts now. But do give this place a chance as well. I poured a lot of love into it."
Elios's voice was soft and heartfelt. If Amane had not been sure that there was a trap laid in this the park, she might have believed Elios's acting as well.
On the other hand, Sakura did not even pretend like she did not notice the obvious trap they were heading into. She just sighed and shook her head.
"Well, I guess it can be fun sotis to check out a fake the park and notice how different it is from the real thing. I am sure we will have fun here."
Amane would make sure nothing goes wrong. Both she and Sakura could take care of themselves.
"I see. Since you both sound confident, it puts my heart at ease. Let's head in now and have so snacks first. I asked my chefs to prepare the best of the best. He, follow inside."
Elios led both inside and presented snacks in front of the pair.
As soon as Amane slled the snacks, she knew that they were drugged. But she still chose to eat them because she was aware of what would happen.
These kinds of drugs did not affect Amane's body. And Sakura's body would just burn away the effect of these drugs on her.
It was not a bad strategy for Eliso to deploy, but it sure was an ignorant one.
'Oh well, she will learn soon that it is a bad idea to underestimate . I wonder what kind of reaction Elios would give once she notices that she has failed.'
People like Elios gave the best reaction when they let their emotions out for real. And Amane could not help but want to force these emotions out.
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