—
Lynn glanced at Avrora's spirit, then at the unconscious girl sprawled across the icy floor.
His brow twitched.
Wait a second... Now I remember.
That spiritshe must be the original Fourth Primogenitor.
And the girlthat has to be the real Avrora, the one I remember from the show.
So from one future familia member to two?
I'm so lucky.
He hadn't expected the Fourth Primogenitor's soul alone to be a worthy candidate for his familia.
But now that he thought about it, Avrora and the Fourth Primogenitor were originally two separate beings.
So, it made sense.
"Change of plans," Lynn said to the soul he was holding. "You're Cyrora Florestina."
"This girl who has the body there will be Avrora Florestina. Yeah, that's perfect."
The Fourth Primogenitor (Cyrora) was starting to panic. She still couldn't shake off Lynn's grip.
She shouted urgently, "Number Twelve!"
"You should be awake by now, right?!"
"Hurry up and freeze this guy into an ice sculpture!"
She knew all too well
Once her soul left Number Twelve's body, that girl's original consciousness would resurface and retake control of the vessel.
"Stop sleeping, damn it!!"
Cyrora almost swore in frustration.
"Ugh..."
Avrora, the real one, stirred with a groggy noise, her sleepy eyes slowly blinking open.
She looked around in confusion, still not quite sure what was going on.
"You idiot, hurry and help me!"
Cyrora was practically shrieking now.
Hearing the yelling, Avrora instinctively turned her headand her eyes went wide in shock.
"Th-The Original?!"
"Quit staring! Freeze him before I reclaim your body!"
Yeah that was a bluff.
"A-ah, okay!"
Avrora flinched and nodded instinctively. She tried to get up
But couldn't.
She blinked, lowering her gaze to her belly.
A foot was firmly planted on it, pinning her down like a mountain.
She looked up at the owner of the foot, then muttered seriously, "Dirty."
Lynn: "..."
Yep, still liked Avrora's airheaded innocence the most.
"You idiot, what are you just standing there for?!"
Cyrora was fuming, her little ghostly feet stomping the air in rage.
Honestly?
She looked like a brat throwing a tantrum.
Lynn made a fair judgment.
Avrora shrank back at the scolding, nervously pointing to Lynn's foot with a pitiful look. "I-I can't get up"
Cyrora: "..."
She looked at Avrora's helpless state and was speechless.
"You're getting held down by a single foot?!"
"Use your power!"
Avrora's eyes flicked to the hand that was holding Cyrora's soul in place.
And quietly muttered, "You're also stuck with just one hand."
Cyrora: "..."
Damn it! Just because she mumbled doesn't mean I didn't hear that!
Cyrora was furious.
How dare a lowly vessel talk back to her!?
Still, given the situation, she needed Number Twelve right now.
Once she got that body in her hands, she'd be the first to reclaim it!
"Use The Bewitching Princess of Azure Ice!"
After grumbling internally, Cyrora forced her tone to sound calm, though her rushed pace betrayed her anxiety.
"R-Right..."
Following her instruction, a phantom-like projection formed behind Avrorapart mermaid, part mythical siren.
In an instant
The already chilly crypt was flooded with icy cold air.
Whoosh
A biting wind whipped through the space, coating the frozen ground in even thicker layers of frost.
Liana and the others instantly shivered, eyes widening as they stared at the projection.
"Twelfth Familiar — Alrescha-Glacies! (Pisces Dodekatos)"
Liana gasped.
As someone who had once followed the Fourth Primogenitor, she'd pored over every scrap of information availableand she knew the familiar beasts well.
ButNo written description could ever compare to the real thing!
Even the ambient cold leaking from its presence was enough to make her, a seasoned vampire, feel like she was going to freeze solid.
Terrifying.
This was the power of a true Progenitor.
—
On the other side of the room
Gajou Akatsuki was hugging his son and daughter, teeth chattering, as if dunked into a frozen lake.
Frost gathered on his eyebrows and hair.
He had the sinking feeling he was going to end up an icicle at this rate.
Shiiiiver
Just the aftershocks of this ability felt like death was right around the corner!
This was insane!!
—
Back on Lynn's end
Cyrora finally relaxed a little once Avrora managed to summon the Bewitching Princess of Azure Ice.
She lifted her chin arrogantly.
"Now freeze him into a popsicle for me. But keep him alive."
That body was way too perfect to waste.
Even if she didn't get to enjoy it, it could still make an excellent vessel.
Avrora replied meekly, "U-Understood"
But just as she was about to move
She froze.
Wait a second
Why was she listening to the Original again?
Avrora suddenly had a moment of clarity.
If the Original fully regained control, wouldn't she just absorb her?
Avrora, having connected the dots, stood motionless.
On Lynn's end, he gazed at the Princess of Azure Ice behind Avrora, a glint flashing in his eyes.
...
Inside his system interface
Within the space labeled [Devil Piece], the Pisces constellation symbol began to pulse and flash wildly.
At the same time
Stella's voice whispered sweetly in his ear.
"Master~ Master~ That familiar would be great for Pisces~"
Not that Lynn needed the reminderhe'd already noticed something unusual.
In fact, he'd long suspected this.
Anything tied to the Zodiac seemed to trigger a response from the Devil Piece system.
If he took Avrora in as a familia.
What would happen to Pisces?
Lynn felt a surge of anticipation.
His eyes lit up as he looked at Avrora again.
At the same time, he lifted his foot from her belly.
This was his future familia member, after all.
Gotta treat her with care.
Besides, all of this was Cyrora's fault anyway!
"????"
.
.
.
Zodiac Familiars
Avrora blinked, tilting her head as she looked up at Lynn, her eyes full of confusion.
Her expression seemed to say: "Why did you pull your foot back?"
She rubbed her belly instinctively, and just like that, the pangs of hunger hit her full force.
"Um!"
She pouted, clearly a little upset.
"So hungry"
She'd already been starving, but after unleashing the power of her Princess of Azure Ice form, her hunger had only gotten worse.
Stupid Original! How could he make someone work on an empty stomach?!
—
Meanwhile
Cyrora watched as Lynn released Avrora from her restraints. Her eyes blinkedsurprised and a little suspicious.
He actually let her go? Just like that?
She couldn't wrap her head around it.
But thenOpportunity!
Cyrora quickly tried to signal Avrora with her eyes.
Unfortunately, she might as well have been glaring at a wall.
Avrora, still consumed by hunger, didn't notice a thing.
Cyrora was so furious she could barely breathe straight.
This IDIOT!!
"Yammpf!"
Lynn casually clamped a hand over Cyrora's mouth, silencing her completely.
"You're being a bit annoying."
"Mm! Mmm!"
Cyrora's eyes widened as she let out muffled whimpers, her soul form struggling violently.
But no matter how hard she fought, Lynn's grip didn't loosen in the slightest.
With an annoyed glance at her stubborn resistance, Lynn gave Cyrora a rough little shakethen straight-up tossed her into his Devil Piece Space.
. . .
"???"
Cyrora froze, suddenly drifting through a vast, endless galaxy.
What the hell?
Where did he throw her?!
Gulp.
No no way.
Cyrora swallowed hard, completely stunned.
He just flung her into another space like it was nothing?
What kind of godlike power is that?!
Nowait. Maybe it's some sort of spatial manipulation?
Even so this is outer space!? Right?
She glanced around.
That familiar blue planetEarthwas nowhere to be seen.
Can she even go back?
The thought sent a chill down her spine.
Exile.
That was the word that popped into her headand it scared her.
No way!
She had to find a way back!
Cyrora clenched her fists, her eyes burning with determination.
But then, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hey~ we got a newbie?"
Descending from what looked like a cosmic palace of stars, a girl named Luna floated over, curiously circling Cyrora.
""
A child?
Cyrora blinked, surprised by Luna's appearance.
She was about to ask somethingbut then it hit her: A kid? In space?
And on top of that she didn't smell human. Not even close.
There was no scent of any known race coming off her.
Instantly, Cyrora's guard went up.
Just then, another girl drifted into viewStella.
Glancing at Cyrora, she explained lazily, "Just a newbie on probation. Guess Master tossed her in here to cool off?"
That last bit sounded more like a guess.
Luna rolled her eyes.
Obviously. Stella was just making it up.
Luna shook her head and ignored Stella's nonsense. Instead, she leaned toward Cyrora with a bright look in her eyes.
"So~ you were being naughty?"
""
Stella gave Luna a strange look. "Hey have you developed some weird kink or something?"
Luna shrugged. "This place is boring. Master totally knows thatso he probably sent her in to entertain us."
"Uh"
Stella hesitated. "You really think so?"
"Mhm!" Luna nodded confidently. "Definitely!"
Cyrora: "???"
Wait a damn minute.
Do they seriously think I'm just some easy target?!
She may be stuck in space, but that didn't mean anyone could just walk all over her. She was the Fourth Primogenitor, dammit!
Cyrora was just about to act whenSnap.
A hand suddenly locked around her arm.
Her body went stiff.
This feeling it was way too familiar.
It was likeThat guy had done the same thing to her before.
Cyrora looked up at the girl gripping her arm
And for a split second, she saw a breathtaking, dazzlingzodiac Star chart!
More specificallyCapricorn?!
Cyrora's eyes went wide.
Capricorn's Astral Core?!
It immediately reminded her of her own Familiar Beast.
But no. Something was off.
Cyrora shook her head.
This wasn't her Capricorn. But it was incredibly similar.
A zodiac Star Familiar What was it doing here?
Weren't those supposed to be exclusive to her?!
Cyrora's expression turned grim and uncertain.
Master!
She recalled the earlier conversation between Luna and Stella.
Their so-called "Master"
Could it beLynn?
It didn't take her long to connect the dots.
After all, she wouldn't be here if not for him.
SoWas this place actually a different dimension?
The more she thought about it, the more details jumped out at her.
For exampleWhy was the sun so small?
And why were there pieces floating aroundlike some kind of chessboard?
Still, even if she'd figured out the truth
It wasn't like she could escape.
Worse still
The fact that Lynn had a zodiac Star Familiar like she did... that alone set off alarm bells in her head.
That bastard.
Could he be planning to eat her?
The more she thought about their matching abilities, the more it made sense.
If it were her in his placeShe'd absolutely do it.
Absorbing a familiar of the same origin could cause an explosive leap in power.
SoWhat now?
Convinced she had uncovered Lynn's intentions, Cyrora fell into deep thought.
She didn't even notice the other "constellation girls" starting to gather around her.
And after getting blasted by Luna's star chart just now, she finally realized: Lynn's power totally eclipsed hers.
Well, that was mostly because she hadn't fully recovered her strength yet.
If she had access to all her power, she'd be confident in going toe-to-toe with him.
He had a zodiac Familiar? So did she!
No big deal!
But right now, she was definitely at a disadvantage.
Which made it all the more suspicious: If Lynn wanted her gone, he could've easily finished her off while she was still weak.
Instead, he threw her into this space.
There's gotta be something he's not telling me.
Cyrora's eyes lit up with certainty.
And truth be told, she wasn't that far off the mark.
The only thing she got wrong?
Lynn wasn't planning to eat her. Well, maybe, but not like devour.
He just wanted her to join the familia.
Or more preciselyHe wanted to claim her Familiars.
In the underground tomb
After sending Cyrora into the Devil Space, everything quieted down.
Lynn crouched down in front of Avrora, who was sitting on the icy floor like a pouting duck.
He gently ruffled her golden hair, then pulled out a bottle of milk.
YUP, that milk.
"You want some?"
.
.
.
MVP Marikawa Shizuka
"...Huh?"
Liana stared at the scene before her, completely baffled.
Waitwhat?
Did something just totally change?
Even the vibe was off now!
What happened to that soul from earlier?
Was that the Fourth Primogenitor?
Then who's this girl sitting on the ground now?
Her brain struggled to process everything.
But thankfully, she'd read enough of the old records to spot some clues.
Taking a deep breath, Liana murmured, "Just now could that have been the legendary Original?"
And this clueless-looking girl in front of her nowwas she the 12th doll, the 12th Kaleid Blood, the one that holds the Original's soul?
So, where did the Original Fourth Primogenitor go?
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Meanwhile, Gajou was also scratching his head, clearly just as lost.
But if there was one thing he could figure out Kojou and Nagisa seemed to be safe now?
He could tell: that blonde girl's body had housed two separate consciousnesses.
The arrogant one from earlierthe one who wanted a taste of Nagisawas probably wiped out by Lynn, right?
Thinking that, Gajou finally let out a breath of relief.
On the other side, Avrora hadn't even noticed the disappearance of the Original.
The moment Lynn pulled out a can of milk, her entire focus zeroed in on it.
Staaaaare
She was completely locked on, throat twitching as she swallowed hard.
She was practically drooling.
Honestly, she looked way too much like the Original Fourth Primogenitor (Cyrora) just now.
Except, the Original was all about blood.
