Night fell. The bright moon hung in the sky, shining brilliantly among the stars. Streetlights dotted the roads, multiplying until they lit the whole city. Bathed in neon glow, the city welcomed its most beautiful night once more.

"Miss."

Nanami Hayato opened Yuki's room door. Yuki set down her homework pen and turned to her.

"What is it, Nanami?"

She recalled it wasn't time for a midnight snack yet.

"Madam is back. She's in the living room and wants to see you."

Hearing this, Yuki didn't hesitate. She dropped her notebook and rushed past Nanami down the stairs.

Her heart beat with excitement, eager to see her mother.

Reaching the first-floor living room, Yuki took a deep breath and stepped inside. A woman in a sharp black suit sat on the sofa, sipping tea. Her neat short hair added a touch of vigor. Unlike Yuki's stern demeanor, this woman in her thirties wore a warm smile. Time had left its marks, yet her mature charm only deepened.

"Yuki, long time no see. You look spirited—something good happen?" Miyu Shiki set down her teacup, smiling.

"Mom," Yuki said.

"Why didn't you tell me you were back? I could've picked you up at the airport."

"I returned late; didn't want to trouble you. Sit down, Yuki. Let's talk properly—I have much to say."

Yuki obeyed silently, sitting opposite her. Nanami refilled Yuki's teacup.

Yuki's mother often traveled for work. As a child, she'd been told it was business; now grown, Yuki knew her parents' true roles. She wasn't afraid of world-shattering truths.

"I heard the Supernatural Investigation Bureau is displeased with you," Miyu Shiki said, setting down her cup.

So she knew. Yuki realized hiding it was pointless.

"That girl Moyu Manatsu—is she your friend?"

"Yes. A very important friend." Yuki didn't deny it. She knew what came next.

"A Psionic awakened by strange energy postnatally—truly frightening. Psionics haven't appeared in years. Moyu Manatsu is an exception. I'm surprised you're friends with her."

Miyu Shiki stopped drinking tea. Her serious face sent chills—just like at work.

That made Yuki feel less confident.

"Mom, Moyu... is my friend. I can protect her."

"But that doesn't mean we can." She lifted her cup, drank the tea, and gazed at her daughter, thoughts unreadable.

"The Shiki family is powerful, but the Supernatural Investigation Bureau is a US intelligence branch. A direct clash would end badly. You used family authority to seal all records of Moyu Manatsu from the Firefly Incident—that's a major problem."

Dissatisfaction was inevitable. The Shiki family wasn't hers alone. Using its power for one person—even as heir—was highly inappropriate.

"This world isn't peaceful. Faction turmoil persists. My constant travel abroad is due to Adept matters," Miyu Shiki said, setting down her cup.

This world had a hidden side. Even quiet parks held wandering ghosts and spirits, occasionally appearing to people. Today's supernatural storybooks were real tales from these lost souls.

Adepts wielded Mana here, residents of that other side. They learned abilities through training and combat—like Yuki and the Bureau's Sorafarin. Systematically trained, they were this world's mages.

Psionics, however, awakened abilities postnatally. Rare humans gained powers without training, triggered by events. Moyu Manatsu awakened hers during the Firefly Incident.

But Psionics were extremely scarce worldwide. Highly valuable for research unlike Adepts, countless institutions craved them as test subjects.

Moyu Manatsu was exactly what the Supernatural Investigation Bureau sought. Only people like Sorafarin knew of her, thanks to Yuki's sealed records.

"Honestly, changing one's body to female is unimaginable. But history has cases of Psionics altering their physique. Keeping her close is like a ticking time bomb," Miyu Shiki voiced her worry.

Psionics were dangerous precisely because they were precious. Miyu Shiki's own research institute had wanted one for experiments.

"Yuki, I don't mean to discourage you. But our family's strength is limited. Protecting Moyu Manatsu will drag in our entire clan." Harsh as it was, Yuki had to consider it.

She couldn't act on impulse. Her family's future mattered. Moyu Manatsu was an important friend—but compared to the clan, it was insignificant.

If her mother demanded she abandon Moyu, she couldn't refuse. Her every move affected the family's survival.

"Mom..."

"Sorry. I'm thinking of your future. If the clan suffers, your father and I can't shield you anymore."

As a mother, she wasn't wrong. Logical yet harsh, impossible to dismiss.

Yuki and Moyu were just good friends—not deeply close. They'd only bonded after the Firefly Incident.

Abandoning Moyu to the Bureau would save the family. It wasn't a bad choice.

But...

"I won't betray my friend." Yuki's voice was soft but firm.

"If I can't protect my friend, what heir am I? Mom, you're right—Moyu Manatsu clashes with our interests. But that's just an excuse."

She lifted her head, gaze steady. "Preserving the family this way would bring shame, make us a laughingstock. As heir, I'll never do it. Why? Because I'm resolved to fight the future."

Miyu Shiki was slightly surprised, then smiled. "I knew you'd say that." She'd never been wrong about her daughter—a true heir.

"Since you've chosen this path, take responsibility for it. A mother's advice." Miyu Shiki finished her tea, satisfied. This trip back was right.

"Mom, is that all you came to say?"

"Of course not. I'll tell you about my and your father's recent research. Plus, our world has shifted—I think you should know." She set down her cup, smiling. "About recent events in the Inner World we live in."

The night sky grew ever more brilliant...

---

Moyu Manatsu, glued to her game at home, hadn't noticed time passing. When she snapped out of it, it was already nine.

Remembering dinner, she threw on casual clothes to buy discounted bento. Her old boys' clothes still looked girlish on her—blame it on her face.

She pulled out her phone, opening the daily journal. Lunorette wrote this after each body swap, just for her.

"Xiao Mo, I've been meaning to say—buy some bras. With only panties, you don't look like a girl."

Ignoring the otherworldly girl's note, Moyu yawned. Tomorrow's trip to the other world sparked a flicker of excitement. Besides online games, it was another way to pass time.

Annoyingly, she still had to learn magic there.

"Welcome back next time."

Bento in hand, humming a tune, Moyu walked home. Head down on her phone, crossing traffic lights, she chuckled "hehe" now and then.

Car headlights lit her face as vehicles rushed past. Oblivious, she stayed glued to her screen.

When she finally turned it off, she was home. The stars above began to blur.