Anomaly

Before I knew it, the little tour my sisters and I gave Charlotte ended up becoming far more meaningful than I'd expected. What had started as nothing more than a way to show her around and help her get familiar with the place unexpectedly brought her closer to everyone else. The biggest surprise, without a doubt, was Tenebrya.

Charlotte and Tenebrya developed a rather curious bond in no time at all. It all started because of Tenebrya. From the moment she laid eyes on Charlotte, she could hardly stop watching her, following her every movement with an interest that was impossible to hide. Most of what I sensed from her was curiosity mixed with a subtle hint of uncertainty, but above all, childlike excitement.

Tenebrya's emotions were as clear as day, so it was never difficult to understand what was going through her mind. That excitement, in particular, came mainly from the fact that yet another member had joined the family. To her, Charlotte's arrival was simply a reason to be happy, regardless of anything else.

And honestly, that told us a great deal. If even Tenebrya had accepted Charlotte so naturally, then neither my little sisters nor I had any doubt about who she was. As far as we were concerned, Charlotte was unquestionably part of the family.

That said, Charlotte inevitably had a good point. Why did she look so different? So... human? Althea was naturally an exceptional case, but that had far more to do with her own desire to live among her children as one of them than with anything else.

Even though I had no concrete proof to support that conclusion, I was absolutely certain Althea's situation bore no resemblance whatsoever to Charlotte's. There was another important detail as well: Charlotte definitely wasn't like me or my little sisters. We have never left the Cradle of Creation.

What others called our "bodies" were nothing more than vessels, fragments separated from our true existence and sent into the material world to act on our behalf. Our real forms had always remained where they belonged, untouched.

Just like Eryanis, all we did was extend a more focused "gaze" toward Earth, directing a greater portion of our consciousness there... and to those who lived in this world, that simple gaze took the form of a physical presence. That was what we truly were.

Charlotte, however, felt different. She didn't give off the same impression, nor did she fit the same principle that governed our existence. There was an unusual authenticity to her form, as though Charlotte's body truly was her, rather than merely a vessel created to interact with the world.

If I had to put it in simpler terms, Charlotte was what would happen if I, or any of my little sisters, instead of separating a piece of our true selves to create a new vessel, simply chose to look through a vessel that had been born alive from the very beginning.

Considering the far-from-subtle conversations I overheard Emily having about Charlotte and her family, that theory actually seemed fairly plausible. Simply put, Charlotte was born because Selyra, my youngest little sister and the very embodiment of hope, needed a pair of eyes on Earth.

I'm not going to lie... saying it like that makes it sound much worse than it really is. But it's simply impossible that Selyra would have done something like that out of malice. It would go completely against everything she represents. Selyra is the embodiment of hope. She can grant it, nurture it, and help it flourish, but she could never take it away from someone.

Charlotte is, without question, a living, complete, and independent person. She simply shares a direct connection with Selyra, one that has existed since the day she was born. That doesn't mean Charlotte is destined to be replaced someday, nor does it mean her life is nothing more than a temporary vessel.

If that were the case, her parents' hope would be shattered in an instant, and I can't imagine anything that would contradict Selyra's very existence more profoundly.

Anyway, setting those thoughts aside, I turned my attention back to what actually mattered. I left Charlotte in the care of my little sisters, or rather, almost all of them. Tenebrya, in particular, remained firmly attached to Charlotte's hand, as though letting go simply wasn't an option.

Well, Charlotte was still a relatively new member of the family. It was only natural that Tenebrya had become so attached after finally meeting someone new to shower with affection. I'm sure that, given enough time, she'd eventually become a little less clingy.

Without giving it any more thought, I let my body slowly sink, allowing the shadows to completely envelop me as I entered the shadow world. I swam through the silent darkness until I emerged on the other side, within the artificial expanse that had gradually become our own landscape.

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As soon as I stepped out, I found Emily and Laura chatting peacefully together. A short distance away, Victor stood beside Chronas. Chronas's usually impassive expression carried the faintest smile at the corners of his lips, while Victor gestured animatedly, completely absorbed in whatever he was saying.

I had no idea what they were talking about, but judging by Chronas's rare reaction, it had to be at least somewhat interesting. I made my way over to the four people standing away from Charlotte's cabin, keeping a respectful distance as they discreetly kept watch over the place.

Charlotte was inside with the rest of my little sisters, and for the moment, everything seemed peaceful. I silently emerged from the trunk of a nearby tree, making sure my presence didn't immediately draw anyone's attention. That was when their voices reached me.

"How long?" Charlotte's father asked. His voice was low, but the seriousness behind it was unmistakable. Without looking away, he kept his eyes fixed on the cabin.

Through the partially open window, Charlotte was visible. A shy, almost imperceptible smile rested on her lips as she listened to whatever Althea was saying. In contrast, Althea looked like she was having the time of her life, laughing so hard she was nearly clutching her stomach, completely oblivious to the eyes watching from outside.

The contrast between the two scenes was almost comical. Outside, a small group stood in silence, weighed down by concern and anticipation. Inside, carefree laughter filled the cabin.

Setting aside whatever Althea was up to, I focused entirely on their conversation. I kept myself partially hidden behind the tree I'd emerged from moments earlier, using the shadow cast by its trunk to stay completely out of sight. From there, I could watch them without attracting the slightest bit of attention.

"Three days... a week at most" Emily replied after a brief pause, as though she'd mentally gone over every calculation before reaching that conclusion.

Her tone was entirely professional, calm, composed, and devoid of any obvious emotion, perfectly reflecting the mindset of a scientist accustomed to dealing with facts, numbers, and probabilities.

It wasn't that Emily saw Charlotte as nothing more than an experiment or anything like that. Quite the opposite. I knew she genuinely cared. It was simply how she chose to interact with anyone who wasn't directly involved in the organization's operations.

Naturally, that included much of its upper management. Most of them were little more than investors who poured money into the organization while remaining comfortably removed from the fieldwork and the actual research.

Emily had never made much effort to hide the difference in how she treated the people who actually did the work and those who merely signed the checks.

Without changing her tone, she continued: "Most likely, that's how long it'll take for the readings to reach a critical level. That's why it's important for Charlotte to remain here during that time"

Charlotte's parents remained silent after Emily's explanation. Neither of them found the words right away. Their worried gazes eventually drifted toward the cabin where Charlotte sat, as though simply seeing her might somehow provide an answer.

Charlotte's mother was the first to break the silence. She took a deep breath before speaking, her voice quiet but unable to hide her anxiety: "Is... is there really nothing we can do?" Emily remained silent, waiting for her to continue: "Don't you have some kind of technology that could stop this?" she asked, tightly clasping her hands together: "Some way to let Charlotte stay... just Charlotte? And not... whatever she's... turning into"

The last few words came out with obvious difficulty, as though saying them aloud made the reality even more terrifying. Silence settled over the group once again. Emily carefully considered her response. After a few seconds, she let out a quiet sigh: "I'm not sure our technology would even work on Charlotte" Her expression grew more serious: "She's an extremely... unique case. Everything we know about this kind of technology was developed for situations completely different from hers"

She paused briefly before continuing: "And honestly... trying to block or delay this transformation could end up causing even more problems. We don't know how the process would react to outside interference. There's a real possibility that it would only make things worse instead of fixing them"

Emily paused once more before continuing, this time folding her arms as she met both of Charlotte's parents' eyes: "If the situation changes in any way, we'll act immediately to help her, depending on what happens. And..." Her voice softened ever so slightly, almost imperceptibly. "Even if this ends up beyond our ability to handle... there's still someone who, without a doubt, will be able to help her"

"The [Angel of Death]" Laura answered without hesitation. Keeping her calm expression, she added: "The first anomaly you met earlier today"

The certainty in her voice was absolute, as though she'd never once considered any outcome other than me showing up to protect Charlotte if something went wrong. Well... she wasn't wrong.

Even so, it always surprised me just how much Laura trusted me. It wasn't merely confidence, it was absolute certainty. To her, my help wasn't a possibility. It was a guarantee.

Charlotte's father frowned, clearly skeptical: "And how can you be so sure of that?" he asked, crossing his arms: "As far as I know, anomalies are chaotic. At least that's what everyone sees whenever one shows up"

Laura remained silent for a moment before answering: "She's... different" She paused briefly, carefully choosing her words: "In fact, she's been responsible for resolving most of the recent incidents involving anomalies. And honestly... she's also your daughter's best chance if things spiral out of control" Laura spoke with absolute sincerity. There was no exaggeration, no pride, and no attempt to persuade him. To Laura, she was simply stating the facts.

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