The Genius of Cloning in the Academy City

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During the ride to the hospital, my mind became a jumbled mess.

I couldn’t figure out what to do next.

To be honest, I’m scared. I don’t know what to do anymore.

As the heat of anger and excitement slowly faded from my mind, I faced the cold reality that my victory in this duel was purely a stroke of luck.

I was consumed by rage and blinded by baseless confidence in my abilities. I had thrown wisdom and reason out the window. Despite the pleas of those around me, I charged headlong into a wall. All my previous resolutions and determinations were nothing but empty promises I couldn’t keep.

And then I realized. I had deceived myself. I was just busy fleeing.

In my fight with Martina, I recognized my own level. A B-rank Hunter in this world was nothing special. After struggling so much, how could I even hope to face the more powerful beings above me?

I had to admit it. I was too weak. Weak mentally and physically. Confronting this truth that I had desperately tried to ignore was so unpleasant and sad, but I could no longer deceive myself.

And not just that, I had been living aimlessly, without any motivation. I moved only relying on my shallow strength.

As a result, the person I faced every day was hurt. She was always so kind and loving towards me. I knew in my head what the cause of the problem was, but I still resented my own existence. I was trash, an idiot, a fool!

Let’s face it. I, Violet, am just a pathetic and foolish girl.

Now, what should I do going forward?

I didn’t want to stay at school any longer. I didn’t want to face any larger disasters or incidents, or the flow of this world any longer.

“Violet, do you want to go in first? I’ll stop by the dance department for a moment.”

After parting ways with Irene at the hospital, I got into the elevator.

As I opened the door to the hospital room, the silver-haired girl sitting quietly on the bed in the middle of the white room turned her head. Daphne’s blue eyes brightened with joy, and a small smile blossomed on her lips.

“You’ve come! I woke up!”

“D-Daphne. Are you okay?”

“Oh, Miss Rugilinn! Don’t worry about me. The doctor said I can be discharged right away. Aagh…! My waist. Could you lift me up for a moment?”

Despite having gone through something bad, she showed no signs of concern. I should have been happy at that sight, but I couldn’t feel that way.

Overcome with emotion, I hugged Daphne tightly.

“Ah…? Aah? Miss Rugilinn?”

“I’m… sorry!… I’m sorry…”

For some reason, tears began to pour out uncontrollably. I closed my eyes while held in her embrace.

“It seems you’ve had a tough time.”

“…”

How embarrassing. Here I was, like a child in the arms of a patient, throwing a tantrum. I am such a fool.

She gently patted my head.

“Can you tell me about it? If it’s too sensitive, you don’t have to say anything.”

“Well, the truth is…”

I slowly opened my mouth.

***

A few hours before Violet visited the hospital.

Daphne had a dream.

She could immediately tell that she was dreaming. It was an all-too-familiar scenery that had been repeated annoyingly many times.

This was an indelible childhood nightmare, a terrible curse intertwined deep in her heart like an inescapable chain.

Daphne found herself waking up in the backseat of her parents’ car during her elementary school days.

Beside her, her innocent little sister was rummaging through a bag of snacks.

‘…This again.’

It felt too real to be a dream. The warmth, sensations, and even smells were vividly perceived.

The car was filled with a familiar lavender scent, the perfume choice of her mom. They had used it so much that it lingered throughout the house and even in her dad’s personal car.

At this time, Daphne was out on a trip with her parents and sister. Their destination was an amusement park in the Eastern District.

One day, her dad received a small bonus at work, and just then, her mom also got some discount tickets to the amusement park from her job.

When these two small coincidences aligned perfectly, their usually busy parents—too occupied to spend time and money on their little daughter—eagerly took their two daughters to make some memories, despite their exhaustion.

What they had overlooked was the notorious traffic congestion on the route to the amusement park. With it being the weekend, the family had been stuck on the road for hours.

Young Daphne, unable to bear the cramped car, became irritable, and her hungry sister, Laurel, turned her gaze towards the cookie bag that Daphne was holding.

“…Aren’t you gonna eat that? Give it to me.”

“Hey! Are you a pig? You had a huge breakfast this morning! You got snacks from mom too. Where did you put those?”

“I don’t know! Just give it to me! I want it!”

Laurel had long since finished the bag of snacks that her mom had given her. Daphne couldn’t hide her annoyance at her sister’s greed for her portion.

“Ugh! Fine, just be quiet!”

Young Daphne tossed the cookie bag at Laurel. The bag unintentionally hit Laurel’s face, causing her to let out a short scream. Their mom, watching the scene, got angry.

“Daphne! What are you doing to Laurel? Throwing things at your little sister like that!”

“What? I just gave it to her because she asked! She keeps asking for my stuff!”

While the mother and daughter argued, Laurel forgot about getting hit and happily started munching on the snacks.

“Hehe, delicious. Tasty…”

Current Daphne thought as she watched this scene.

Laurel, my spoiled little sister who loved snacks.

You’ve been frail since childhood. Your immune system was a mess due to the improperly exposed Ether waves.

Mom and dad were always busy working to pay your medical bills. Every night, you cried in your sleep, and every time, our parents rushed to your side.

Sometimes, you would wake up and rummage through the cookie jar when mom wasn’t around. During meals, you always tried to take my share along with yours.

Now I understand that for you, who had been isolated from the world due to illness, snacks were your only happiness.

After one argument with mom, a pouting Daphne shot a resentful glance at her sister. Laurel, either aware or unaware of her sister’s anger, continued to eat her snacks with satisfaction.

Daphne noticed the small doll her sister had tucked under her arm. It was the doll Daphne cherished.

“What is that? Hey! Laurel! Why do you have that?”

“This…? It’s mine!”

Daphne tried to snatch the doll from Laurel’s hands. Laurel pulled it back with difficulty. Annoyed, Daphne slapped Laurel on the forehead and confidently reclaimed her doll.

Laurel burst into tears.

“Waaaah…!”

“Are you okay, Laurel?”

“Daphne Grace! What are you doing?!”

While their mom comforted Laurel, their dad, who had been quietly holding the steering wheel, shouted at her. Daphne protested.

“Dad! She took my doll!”

“You could have resolved it with words. Hitting your sister? I’m very disappointed in you.”

“Ugh… why are you acting like this?”

When her parents scolded her, young Daphne felt a sinking sadness. But she thought, she started it first.

“…Daphne. Apologize to Laurel right now.”

“I don’t want to!”

Young Daphne shouted back.

“She was in the wrong first! Why should I have to apologize?”

“Daphne. Right now you…”

“Why do mom and dad always side with Laurel? Why do I always have to apologize!”

She was sick of hearing the phrases drilled into her ears.

You should understand your little sister because she’s sick; Laurel is still young and it’s hard for her, so couldn’t you just be a little more understanding?

“Why is no one on my side?”

The frustration from the long car ride exploded, and Daphne unleashed all her pent-up grievances.

“Why didn’t you come to the last school event? I was the only one whose parents didn’t show up! You said it was because of Laurel.”

“That, that was…”

Her parents stammered, taken aback by the unexpected accusation.

The current Daphne wanted to close her eyes in sorrow as she watched her past self.

Now I understand. At that time, Laurel had been rushed to the emergency room due to respiratory distress.

“You didn’t come to my birthday last year until late at night! Wasn’t that also because of Laurel?”

I cried a lot back then. I spent the night wide awake.

I can understand this too. I only came to realize later that my frail sister once suffered from cardiac arrest.

Young Daphne vomited out all her bad memories as if she wanted some kind of compensation.

“I was really sorry then. But…”

“You promised but didn’t keep it! You said you would help me with my homework but didn’t! Why is no one on my side?”

The current Daphne desperately wanted to defend her parents.

That’s right. They prioritized Laurel.

But they never ignored me. Even if they were late, they still tried to take care of me in every way possible. They bought a cake and gifts for me the next morning and never forgot to apologize. I understand my parents’ situation now.

Now, Daphne knew very well what her past self would say.

She had seen this scenery countless times.

So please, don’t say it. Not that.

“Daphne, I’m sorry. But…”

“I don’t want to! I hate mom, I hate dad! I even hate her!”

Despite her pleas, the unwanted dark history played back once more.

“I don’t need a sick sister like you! Why are you even here? You’re so annoying! Just disappear!”

“…!”

“Daphne!”

The current Daphne wanted to cover her ears.

Losing control of herself, the girl burst out of the car and ran into the stalled road.

She ignored the sounds of her parents calling her. Dodging between cars, she jumped over a nearby fence and crouched down to hide. She could hear her parents searching for her, but she remained unresponsive.

“…Sister! Where are you?”

After hiding for a while, she heard a familiar voice and peeked out.

Laurel was walking down the road holding the doll. Daphne wanted to hide quickly, but Laurel was quicker to find her. Dashing over like a puppy who found its owner, Laurel tripped and fell.

“…Ugh, Waaah!”

“You idiot! Stay in the car! Why did you jump out like that…!”

Unable to bear the sound of her sister crying, young Daphne climbed back over the fence and onto the road. Laurel sniffled and handed over the doll.

“This… I’m sorry…”

“…”

“I just liked how soft it was to hug while sleeping… I’m sorry for taking it without asking.”

“I-I don’t care! The road is dangerous, why did you come out here?!”

Young Daphne was mad but couldn’t shake off Laurel. Their parents, having spotted the sisters, were making their way toward them. Daphne thought that because of Laurel, she’d get scolded again.

Suddenly, a siren blared on the road.

Her parents’ expressions turned grave as they hurried over.

“…Daphne! Laurel! Let’s get back inside! Honey, take care of the kids!”

“Mom? Dad? What’s going on?”

“There’s a Level 2 emergency alert! Get inside the car now!”

Without realizing it, she grabbed her parents’ hands and ran back to their seat, but from nearby came a spine-chilling sound like the air was tearing apart.

-Pachichiz!

Gates of all sizes began to appear one after another in the middle of the road.

Out from them, monsters filled with hostility began to burst forth. Daphne realized for the first time what it was like to feel malice.

“Hurry up…!”

Explosions, screams, incomprehensible roars,

The Grace family ran for their lives with all their might.