"We are in your brother’s lab."
Kirstie was confused by her mother’s statement. Then she thought of something, and her head automatically jerked to the side. There, she saw the one she has only seen in pictures.
Zed.
He also looked at her, and their gazes met. Hers was soft, full of warmth and tenderness, while his was complicated.
He has no warmth or feeling for her, but he wasn’t totally indifferent to her either; he couldn’t after meeting with her as Kiba.
"You are really my brother!"
Kirstie exclaimed and stretched her arms out for a hug.
She kept her open arms in the air, waiting for him to arrive in between so she could wrap them around.
Since she couldn’t walk, her actions seemed both awkward and cute.
Zed internally sighed.
This was awkward for him.
"There’s no reason for me to be petty."
Zed told himself and stepped in between her open arms. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his back.
"It is so good to finally meet you!"
She rested her face on his c.h.e.s.t.
Zed once again sighed inside before smiling and closing her arms around him.
"Likewise, Kirstie."
She was untainted by the corruption of this world and thoroughly naïve. Most people would find such people lovely and cute.
But he found them gullible and stupid. Perhaps it was due to his cynical upbringing in the slums.
But after hugging Kirstie, he felt it wasn’t such a bad thing to be naïve...
On the side, Rebecca’s lips broke into a warm smile. She couldn’t hug him, but her daughter could. This was enough for her.
Kirstie lifted her head from his c.h.e.s.t and looked at Zed.
"You remind me of Kiba!"
She exclaimed in a matter-of-fact tone, shocking everyone in the lab.
Zed turned stiff, Sophia’s eyes widened, Rebecca’s face went rigid, and Katherine’s jaw dropped.
Zed lowered his gaze and stared into her eyes.
Don’t tell me she has some divine intuition like Red Tiger?!
So far, the only one who could guess both his identities without him revealing details was Red Tiger. That was because she has a unique ability that allowed her to smell his source of power. Most likely, it was due to some resource she has consumed originating from the Celestial Elysian Plane.
But what about Kirstie?!
"Kirstie, don’t ever say such a thing again!"
Sophia declared as her fists crackled with energy.
"Kiba is a villain while Zed is a saint!"
Even Rebecca nodded slightly as if to agree with Sophia’s words. Sophia took it as encouragement and explained to Kirstie how wrong she was.
Zed has donated almost his entire wealth for the benefit of Delta City and its people!
What about Kiba?
Despite being from the same city and wielding so much power, he was absent during Exterminations’ rampage.
Didn’t that prove her mother’s old-age wisdom – villains often support each other, directly or indirectly!
Sophia only said this much, but she knew many more details.
Like, even if one can forget Delta City by saying he was somewhere else during the rampage, what about the countless husbands out there?!
"Don’t forget what he did to Steve!"
Sophia reminded Kirstie.
Rebecca flinched. Sophia has unknowingly reminded of her failure to protect her son from being cuckolded.
Katherine shivered, not from disgust but taboo excitement at what Kiba pulled off.
After all, he didn’t even spare his own brother’s wife! He f.u.c.k.e.d her in front of everyone, even his own birth mother!
"What more could he do!?"
Katherine internally wondered while glancing at Zed. She was getting giddy from anticipation.
Kirstie blinked at Sophia.
She has only compared Zed and Kiba.
And what did he do to Steve?!
He only wrapped his wings around his wife to protect her nude body from coming into the sight of everyone!
So she was truly confused by Sophia’s anger.
"I didn’t mean to say they are one and the same," Kirstie clarified. "I’m only talking about the intelligent, kind vibe they give!"
"Villain and kind!?" Sophia’s jaw almost slacked from disbelief.
"Yes, Kiba has been kind to me," Kirstie explained. "In fact, not only to me but even to Leyla!"
Leyla squirmed, and her face went white.
Young miss, please spare me this time!
"Your maid? How?" Sophia was curious.
"He told me he is an expert in biological matters!"
Kirstie explained.
"And he agreed to treat Leyla of the disease that makes her spend time in men’s magazines!"
Sophia, Rebecca, Katherine, and Heather turned to Leyla.
He’s going to treat her with his expertise in biological matters?
Dr. NTR’s clinic flashed in their minds.
"............."
Leyla collapsed on the floor.
Oh, god! I’m done for!
There’s no way the mistress would spare me this time!
She started sobbing.
"So you know Mr. Kiba?" Zed suddenly asked Kirstie, breaking the eerie development.
"Ah yes!" Kirstie nodded and said. "He’s a great man whom everyone misunderstands!"
Zed was starting to grow fond of this sister of his.
Her heart was genuinely unbiased, and her eyes were perfect!
She could see things very few were capable of!
Now, even if there was no Rebecca’s promise, he would make sure she was cured!
"Don’t believe her, Zed!"
Sophia’s figure flickered, and she appeared next to Zed.
She closed her mouth to his ear and said, "He stole your brother’s bride on the day of his marriage!"
She knew with Zed’s personality, he would be unaware of the deeds of the great villain. So she explained subtly, without using words she found embarrassing to use.
"He did such a thing?" Zed’s complexion changed in surprise.
"Yes!" She exclaimed before whispering again. "I only heard it from rumors, but the act of stealing was R.-.1.8!"
She might be barely audible, but except for Kirstie, everyone could hear her through their superior senses.
Rebecca flinched again while Katherine broke into a sweat. The latter felt nervousness hitting her belly.
"I can’t believe he would do such a thing!" Zed replied to Sophia.
"That’s because you don’t know him!"
Sophia explained as her eyes glinted with a sharp light.
"I know him, so I can say without any doubt that... he’s a far bigger threat to the world than Extermination and aliens combined!"
"Oh!" Zed gasped in disbelief.
Her impression of Kiba was so low that she misunderstood the savior of the world as its biggest threat?!
Katherine’s face went pale. Now she dreaded the day her daughter might learn who Kiba truly was!
Zed turned back to Kirstie and said, "In this world, there’s no one truly good nor truly evil."
"!" Kirstie was surprised, and so was Sophia. The latter more as she felt he might be defending the shameless villain.
"Mom was right!" Sophia realized in her heart. "Kind people would try to defend even the evilest of men!"
Zed didn’t say anything more. He ran a finger in the air, and a giant virtual window flashed into existence.
On his command, the window split into different sections related to the aspects of the body.
"Kirstie, lie down."
Zed told her, and she nodded. She didn’t need to be told why she was here.
Zed then tapped into the section containing the symbol of DNA 🧬.
"Claudia, scan her core fibers of her DNA," Zed commanded. "And also check if there’s artificial scarcity in her genetical bonds."
[[Understood, sir.]]
Claudia’s voice rang in the lab.
Kirstie was startled, and before she could enquire about anything, the examination table flashed with rays of light.
The rays pierced through every fiber and cell of her body, scanning through her every element. She didn’t feel any discomfort or pain, so she was relieved.
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed. Her hearing couldn’t be wrong, so surely Zed asked the AI to check for ’artificial scarcity.’
Why would he do such a thing... unless he suspects foul play!?
Her heart jolted with a possibility.
No! That was impossible. She has consulted with multiple labs and doctors, many not even related to the House of Hestia and the government.
There was no way they all could be wrong!
Or maybe they could be...!!
After all, they all failed to find a cure, so what was to say they couldn’t be wrong?
On the window, pictures of Kirstie’s genetic bonds began to emerge along with rows of texts. Zed quickly scanned through them before pressing his finger on a particular bond.
"Enlarge TR-SX bond in the peripheral area."
Zed instructed. Claudia affirmed by flashing out the holographic projection of the TR-SX bond.
"What’s TR-SX bond?" Sophia turned to her mother.
"......" Katherine was speechless. She might be good at giving her daughter wisdom, but that didn’t mean she was all-knowing and could answer such a thing!
But if she didn’t reply now, her image would surely take a beating!
"Ah!" She thought of an idea and connected with Zed through telepathy. Given her strength, except for Rebecca, none would notice this. So, without any shame, she asked what her daughter asked her.