From Trash to Demon Lord: I Can Turn Heroines Into Villainesses

Chapter 76: A Brother’s Visit...

The house remained completely silent.

Only the sound of the clock hanging on the wall broke the calm atmosphere of the living room.

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Nox calmly held his teacup with both hands.

But his attention wasn’t on the drink.

His eyes remained fixed on the front door of the Pyrell Household.

His danger sense was still active.

It wasn’t a strong warning.

He couldn’t sense killing intent.

It was...

A strange feeling.

As if something important was waiting on the other side.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

The three knocks echoed once again.

Tessa smiled.

"It must be Leo."

Without wasting a second, the redhead stood up from the armchair.

Senna also rose to her feet.

Her expression had completely changed.

The worry she’d worn only minutes ago had vanished.

Now she simply looked like an excited mother.

"It’s been so long since he came home..."

she murmured, almost to herself.

Tessa opened the door.

A figure completely wrapped in a black cloak quickly stepped inside the house.

A large hood concealed his face.

The first thing he did was close the door behind him.

Then he let out a quiet sigh.

"Excuse me, little sister."

His voice sounded exactly the same as always.

Leo.

Tessa smiled.

"Is everything alright?"

The knight slowly lowered his hood.

His crimson hair appeared beneath the candlelight.

"Yeah."

The redhead studied him for a few seconds.

"Are you sure no one followed you?"

Leo chuckled softly.

"No one."

He shrugged.

"Besides, it wouldn’t be strange for me to visit my old home—or my mother—after my sister’s supposed death."

Senna was already standing in front of him.

Her eyes were slightly misty.

"Leo..."

The young man smiled warmly.

"Hello, Mother."

He bowed slightly.

Just as he had done since childhood.

"I’m happy to be back home."

Senna hugged him immediately.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

Leo gently returned the embrace.

After a few moments, they stepped apart.

Only then did the knight notice Nox.

For a brief instant...

His eyes remained fixed on the supposed human.

There was still something about him that felt strange.

He couldn’t explain exactly what it was.

But every time he saw him...

He felt as though he was standing before someone he wasn’t sure he could trust.

"...Good evening."

he finally said.

Nox smiled as he adjusted his suit.

"Good evening."

Leo nodded uncertainly.

Then he slowly looked around the room.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Everything is exactly the same."

He looked at the fireplace.

The armchairs.

The old family portraits hanging on the walls.

"Just like the last time I was here."

The atmosphere relaxed once again.

Tessa cleared her throat softly.

"Mother."

Senna looked at her.

"Yes?"

"Could you give us a moment alone?"

The woman understood immediately.

She nodded.

"Of course."

She smiled gently.

"I’ll go start preparing dinner."

Then she looked at Nox.

"Will you help me later?"

The demon set his teacup down on the table.

"Of course."

Then he shook his head with a small smile.

"But first, I’ll go check if the others survived today’s training."

Tessa laughed quietly.

"Good idea."

Nox began walking toward the stairs.

"If you need anything..."

He briefly looked at the siblings.

"...just call me, and I’ll be here."

Leo watched the supposed human as he climbed the stairs without the slightest hint of concern.

He waited until he disappeared onto the second floor.

Only then did he look back at his sister.

His expression changed completely.

The smile vanished.

Only seriousness remained.

"Tessa."

The redhead already knew what was coming.

"Yes?"

Leo crossed his arms.

"The plan was for you to escape that night."

Silence.

"Not turn half the city into a battlefield."

Another second of silence.

"And certainly not..."

He took a deep breath.

"...murder several Inquisitors."

Tessa blinked.

"...Ah, right."

Leo stared at her in disbelief.

"’Ah, right’?"

The redhead absentmindedly scratched her cheek.

"Well..."

She made a small face.

"...things got a little complicated."

Leo let out a long sigh.

"I noticed."

Tessa smiled apologetically.

"By the way..."

She raised an eyebrow.

"...did the new Phoenix Inquisitor survive?"

Leo sighed once more.

"Unfortunately for her..."

He slowly shook his head.

"...yes."

Tessa’s smile widened.

"She’s going to need a long time to recover."

"I’m glad."

Leo looked at her in surprise.

"You’re glad?"

"Very."

The knight slowly shook his head.

"You haven’t changed as much as I thought."

The redhead laughed under her breath.

Leo grew serious once again.

"But there’s something I can’t understand."

Tessa’s smile faded.

"What happened..."

His voice became much quieter.

"...to the Lightning Inquisitor."

He paused.

"And the Hunt Inquisitor."

He slowly lowered his gaze.

"That was..."

He searched for the right words.

"...inhuman."

The room fell completely silent.

"The Berserker was the only one who got lucky."

Leo frowned.

"Although..."

He slowly shook his head.

"...it seems she doesn’t remember much of what happened that night."

Tessa remained perfectly calm.

"They ambushed us. It’s entirely their own fault."

Leo looked back at her.

"They left us no other choice."

Her voice was firm.

"They were already at a disadvantage. We outnumbered them."

She crossed her arms.

"It was obvious it would end like this."

Leo remained silent for several seconds.

Then he sighed once more.

"Tessa."

He looked directly into her eyes.

"Let’s stop going in circles."

The smile disappeared completely from the redhead’s face.

"Explain..."

His voice became utterly serious.

"...how in the world you’re still alive."

He paused briefly.

"...and what you need from me."

The room fell silent once more.

Only the crackling fireplace accompanied the siblings’ breathing.

Tessa looked at Leo for several long seconds.

Then she let out a deep sigh.

"...This is going to sound completely absurd."

Leo crossed his arms.

"After this week, nothing can surprise me anymore."

The redhead smiled bitterly.

"That’s exactly what I used to think."

She settled into the armchair across from him.

"I’m going to start from the beginning."