Steampunk Era: Mad Abield

Watching Malin and Maya wake up almost at the same time, Faye finally let go of the anxiety that she had been holding on to. She glanced at Lillim beside her, stretched out her hand to poke the little lamb’s forehead and said, "I told you not to cry, aren’t Malin and Maya awake now?"

Sniffling and snorting, Lillim then shot Faye a look, "The one who’s been daydreaming since just now has no right to say that to me."

Faye was silent for a moment before she finally gave up on using her future status in this family to suppress this little rebel—just as she had said, after hearing the news, Faye had not been able to free herself from fear—unlike Lillim, she knew the dangers involved. The awakening ritual was extremely risky; according to the lucky few who had managed to complete it, they said it was like a dream, but it felt more like being trapped in the narrow gap between two worlds. They had to confront a target from another world, defeat it, and only then could they bring back the goal from this world.

If they failed, both would die.

Their souls would not be able to return, and their soulless husks would eventually truly die.

"I’m back," said Malin, sitting up with a smile directed at the two girls.

Faye smiled, then cried and hugged him.

"What’s wrong?" Malin seemed curious, and Faye leaned her head closer to his ear, whispering words only they could hear, while pinching his waist lightly, "I almost thought I was going to be the widow of the Gaiate family."

"The moment I hear you say that, I feel so relieved. To spare others the pain of domestic violence, I took Maya and came back from that damned world." After speaking, Malin added, "Is it you who taught Maya to pinch the waist?"

"How do you know?" Faye wondered.