Chapter Text
“Nature class?”
Setting the cup of cocoa she had just brewed on the table, Yor blinked her big red eyes. Anya leaned over to grab the cup of cocoa and happily exclaimed:
“Next Friday, Anya’s going camping!” As she spoke, the girl handed her mother the school’s announcement.
“Hehe, you seem really excited, don't you?”
“Because it’s Anya’s first time staying at school overnight.”
“What?” Yor smiled happily at first, but when she heard that Anya had to stay at school, she couldn’t hide her surprise.
“Can I stay the night?”
“Of course.” Though she said that, Yor’s expression shifted from surprise to wistfulness. The voiceless words from her thoughts went directly to Anya’s brain…
Anya Forger is the “Test Subject 007” of a mysterious organization. Because of testing done on her when she was young, she possesses the superpower to read other people’s minds at a close range.
“ Anya is only 6 years old and this is her first time being away from home. Surviving in the mountains is extremely difficult…Maybe we should teach her how to catch and handle prey, or maybe even how to chase bears… ”
Along with the voice Anya heard from Yor’s thoughts, the image her mother imagined in her head gradually appeared in Anya’s as well. The idea of Anya swiftly eliminating and butchering a deer with a sharp knife…Anya shivered as she imagined herself having to participate in that “Tomato Festival”, silently breaking out in a cold sweat.
Mama’s camping style seems a bit off.
Anya’s “Mama” is Yor Forger, a beautiful and gentle woman who works at the town hall of Berlint, the capital of Ostania. But in reality, she is a skilled assassin codenamed “Thorn Princess”. For Yor, hunting a beast was no problem. But as for Anya…
“Let’s see, you’ll need to prepare a very sharp knight and a rope long and thick enough to catch the animal…then, once you’ve caught it, you have to learn how to tie the rope. There’s also trapping…” Yor mumbled. “That’s right, it’s called a nature class but that’s just another name for a hunting class. That’s why…”
Sitting to Anya’s left and slowly enjoying his morning coffee, her papa Loid Forger gently asked, “Excuse me, Yor, can I have a look at the notice?”
“Oh yes.”
Loid, a psychiatrist from Berlint general hospital, is always calm and knows how to say gentle words to soothe others. However, his real identity is of a secret agent that a Western intelligence organization planted in the East during the Cold War between the two countries (codenamed “Twilight”).
Loid doesn’t know his wife is an assassin, nor does Yor know her husband is a spy. The only one who knows their true identity is their young daughter Anya, due to her powers. But this “couple” does not know that their daughter has the ability to read other people’s minds.
And so, the two entered into a totally fake marriage. It must be added that, in fact, Anya has no blood relationship to either of them at all. Loid lied to Yor that Anya was his stepchild and that his ex-wife had passed.
Do you see? The Forgers may seem very ordinary at first glance, but they are actually extremely complicated. Each of them tries to hide a secret from the others in order to maintain “world peace”.
“The trip will be for 2 days and 1 night. The children will be sleeping in tents. But it seems that the tents will contain a bed, table, sofa, carpet, lamp, toilet and even a small bathroom.” said Loid, gracefully flipping through the notes.
“Wow, modern camping has all that?” Yor asked.
“Eden Academy always has more unique benefits than other schools.” Loid smiled at Yor, whose eyes widened in surprise at this “camping” style.
The Eden Academy which Anya attended was one of the most prestigious schools in the East. The students are all children of rich families, many of them children of important political figures. The forest where the children would be camping within was owned by the school in order to protect students from kidnappers. Moreover, each class allocates different study times, class sizes are small, and of course, the security system at night is absolutely perfect.
“The weather will be nice and suitable for relaxing, so it will certainly be a very good environment for a child. Nowadays children’s education isn’t just limited to classroom lectures anymore, right?”
“Oh, then I’m relieved.” After listening to Loid’s explanation, Yor breathed a sigh of relief. She walked into the kitchen with a big smile. “I’ll go grab some sweets!”
“Anyways…” Loid’s gaze continued to focus on the announcement, then turned to Anya. “...The nature class will have some typical activities such as cooking and astronomy observations, so be sure to pay attention to the teacher and get along with your classmates.”
“Clear!” Anya replied. Loid also responded to the girl in a positive way.
“Very well! Going through life together in the wilderness will help friends who often quarrel get along.”
“Oui.”
“Remember to try your best to get along with your classmates.”
Papa always says that.
Behind the smile and dedicated instruction of her father lie the plans of a super spy Anya soon saw.
Loid is on a mission given by the Western Intelligence Service in Ostania (WISE), called Operation Strix. The purpose of Strix is to monitor the activities of Donovan Desmond, a dangerous politician who threatens the peace between East and West.
To connect with Desmond, who is always cautious and rarely appears in public, Loid has to attend a prestigious gathering at Eden, where Desmond’s sons also attend. At that meeting, he will appear as the parent of an outstanding student. The “plan A” that Loid initially prepared was to adopt Anya and enroll her in Eden, and then to make her a Stella Scholar. But Anya’s scores are always low and hard to fix without suspicion. Therefore, Loid also has to consider “plan B”, which is for Anya and Desmond’s second son –Damian–to get to know each other and become close, thereby connecting the two families. But on the very first day of school, Anya had a fight with Damian. So “plan B” likewise became very difficult.
“If Anya can get along with Damian even a little…” With that thought, Loid imagined a dreamlike scenario where Anya and Damian became close and the two children exchanged sparkling smiles of comradeship.
“Papa, leave it to me.”
“Hm?”
“Anya will do her best.”
“Good girl, do your best.” The peace between East and West depends on you.
“Yep.” Carrying Loid’s expectations and firm belief in Operation Best Buddies (“plan B”), Anya happily nibbled on her favorite cocoa and biscuits that Yor had just brought. Anya had a plan to make Operation Best Buddies a success.
Her plan: Start a conversation with the second son → “Anya, you are such a wonderful person! Be friends with me!” → “Come visit my house, let’s play together!” → Papa comes along with Anya → Papa meets the big Boss → “Welcome to my family, Mr.Forger.” “Nice to meet you, Mr.Desmond.” → World peace achieved!
“OMG, I’m so proud of myself!” Anya drank her cocoa while silently appreciating her elaborate plan.
Meanwhile, Bond, the dog adopted by the Forger family, approached Anya, inhaling the sweet scent of Anya’s cocoa.
*snort*
“Oh Bond, don’t drink that. The ingredients in cocoa are very toxic to dogs.” Loid scolds his gluttonous dog. “I’ll go get you some milk.” Loid was just about to lift himself from the chair, but Yor hurriedly stood up instead.
“Ah, Loid, just let me…”
“It’s okay, let me do it. Just sit down and rest.”
“No, no. Let me do it, Loid, you’ve worked so hard already.”
(Playing) A husband who cares deeply about his wife and a wife who also cares deeply about her husband, the two of them stand up and fight each other to go to the kitchen to get milk.
Papa, mama, and even Bond…
Anya, the child who once escaped from that organization, then entered an orphanage and went through many adoptions, finally found an important place in life.
If the world is at peace, then Loid, Yor, and Bond…they can live a peaceful and happy life together.
I really want to stay here forever…
While her parents went to the kitchen to get Bond milk, Anya placed her small hand on her chest, silently making up her mind.
“Anya will do her best!”
To be continued…