Although Sarah Lin was not a Descendant of the Fang Sisters, she had been one of Baochai Fang’s closest allies when she first rose in power. Without her help the Amrita Corporation would not be where it was today.

Therefore her name carried an incredible amount of respect, and Ren was under no delusions that she could claim birthright when it came to interactions with the woman. As a freshly trained operations specialist who had nearly botched her first assignment, she was well-aware of where she stood in the clan hierarchy.

Nevertheless Sarah greeted her warmly and they exchanged bows while Ren attempted to regain her composure. “Good afternoon Mrs. Lin.” Ren said graciously as Sarah took a seat behind her mother’s desk. “I did not realize that you were here. I apologize for missing you in Philadelphia, I was on an errand.”

“That’s quite alright, I find your charity work for that Speck Commune to be quite admirable. Not many young ladies your age would spend so much time helping others in such a way.” Sarah responded reassuringly. “Madeleine Lacroix mentioned that you bring them food, clothes and the like.” She remarked.

Where is she going with this? Ren thought in confusion, but nodded in affirmation. “Our family wishes to change the world, and end the suffering of humans at the hands of their brethren. To that end the plight of specks is an unfortunate necessity for the greater good.” She proclaimed. “However, I would like to alleviate their suffering as much as possible in my own way. Until we can save them all when Operation Deliverance is launched of course.”

“A very noble reason. You’ve grown up to be a fine young woman, I’m proud to say.” Sarah said graciously. “However I’m sure you are curious to know why I wanted to see you. I’ll get straight to the point, I believe you are not the kind of person interested in unnecessary formalities.”

“I appreciate that.”

“For the past few months you have been in contact with Eren Klein, a friend of Madeleine Lacroix’s who you got to know shortly after Jisoo Chen disappeared.” Sarah recapped, to which Ren nodded. “As you’ve most likely heard, Eren Klein was transferred out of China and to Hawaii to recover from the emotional turmoil involved with his relationship. Per the orders of Grace Chen, who had taken him in after Jisoo left.” She concluded.

That’s the story we were told. But now I’ve started to believe that Maddie is right and that’s all bullshit. Something else is going on that is being kept a secret from me for some reason. Ren thought, but considered a more tactful way to voice her reply. “I could not help but notice a few discrepancies in that version of events.” She replied in a neutral tone. “Eren suddenly refused to use video chats or even make phone calls when he supposedly reached Hawaii. Even from the brief time we got to know one another, I could tell that he was not that kind of person to switch preferences so quickly.”

“Have you considered that he is decompressing after a messy break-up with his fiance? Young love can be a fickle thing.” Sarah suggested.

That’s what I believed for months… Until Maddie pointed out that Eren did the exact opposite before he stopped calling us. To ‘decompress’ he always wanted to talk to Maddie on the phone for hours. Then out of nowhere that changed. Ren thought dismissively. “I have considered it. However my intuition is telling me that more is going on here than I had originally known.” She said pointedly. “I came back home for the truth.”

“Oh? So it was you who figured out that things did not add up? It was your idea to speak with your mother about this?” Sarah asked knowingly as Ren blushed. “I only spoke with Madeleine for a few minutes, and I could determine her brilliance from just that conversation alone. Do you mean to tell me she did not even sway you in the slightest?”

“I… I am unsure what relevance that has. Yes, I suppose she did notice these things first and then convinced me that they were at least looking into. That much is true but it does not change the reason why I am here.” Ren replied a bit more firmly.

Sarah cocked her head as Ren appeared to become quite flustered. “Madeleine is a rare gem among humans. It’s a shame that she cannot be convinced to work for us in earnest, she would have been a great asset.” She remarked almost despondently. “To think, with just a few choice words she was able to convince you to brazenly defy orders to remain in Philadelphia until your novice skills were required yet again.”

“T-That order came from my mother. As a Descendant of~!”

“Hmm? You mean to tell me that gives you authority? Are you implying that your ancestry gives you any authority over me, a lowly human?” Sarah asked pointedly as Ren squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. “What makes you think someone of your age and feeble ability has any right to order me what to do?”

“I… I…” Ren stammered, completely unsure of how to respond to the sudden change in direction to where the conversation had gone. 

Sarah appeared unimpressed by her desperate attempts to regain her composure and continued. “Every order given to you by your mother comes directly from the higher-ups. Those related to you. To defy her is to defy the will of the Amrita Corporation.” She explained as if addressing a whiny child. “You have no right to march in here and demand explanations for anything. Know your place, and accept what you are told without question. From now on you will have no communication with Klein while he is being healed.” She commanded sternly.

Left with no other option, Ren could only nod meekly. “Yes ma’am. I apologize for my rudeness. I overestimated my worth and will not make the same mistake again.”

“See that you don’t. You’ve been assigned on a single mission to rid the world of a few cockroaches, and somehow managed to fail at such a simple task. You involved a witness and could not even be bothered to eliminate her. Instead you kept her. Unbroken. Tell me, who exactly is guarding Madeleine, a remarkably resourceful and intelligent captive, while you are here? What is preventing her from escaping? Has it occurred to you that perhaps she has played you for a fool to send you away for a few days, while she enacts an escape plan? If someone like her was set free I strongly doubt we would catch her. After all, unlike the other one, Madeleine has both legs.”

So Maeve really was found! She’s alive! A more optimistic part of Ren thought as she endured the scolding. “I took measures to ensure she could not escape.”

“Hmph. For your sake I hope you took better care to do that than tidying up after yourself. We had to silence several witnesses who were alerted to Madeleine’s disappearance, before you shrank her she tried to alert employees within her company. Have you any idea how much damage you nearly caused through your own incompetence? Yet somehow you’ve gotten it in your head that you deserve to be treated like a queen because your father is distantly related to Baochai?” Sarah muttered. “But I digress. I am sure in the future you will be more prudent. For now you will simply make amends for your mistake, and tie up our loose ends.”

“O-Of course ma’am. I will happily hunt down any remaining witnesses.” Ren promised. “I assure you that this time I will be thorough.”

“Well, I believe that this particular mission will be considerably easier. All you need to do is finish the job you began….” Sarah said as Ren’s veins turned to ice. “...and execute Madeleine Lacroix.”

Immediately after the death of Suyin Chen, Aunt Min had taken measures to expedite long-term schemes related to Operation Deliverance. Many of those plans were on a strictly need-to-know basis and only a select few individuals were aware of all the moving pieces involved. 

Although she was technically considered one of the highest ranked alchemists within the dynasty, Nang Yai “Jade” Saefong was rarely in a laboratory nowadays even as the production of microspeck formula reached an all-time high. Grace supposed that most of the employees who knew of Jade’s reputation were probably relieved they wouldn’t need to be anywhere near her. 

However for a woman who most spoke about only in hushed whispers, Jade was actually very friendly. Bubbly might be a good word to describe her. Unfortunately due to her unique affliction, which meant only those who could communicate with sign language could actually get to know her. 

It had been a pleasant surprise to learn that both Eren and Maeve were fluent in the language, at least the American version. Grace had occasionally glimpsed them making the gestures, which had contributed to her theory that they were playing a role. Now she knew the truth for certain, and unfortunately that meant taking drastic measures. 

The limousine that carried Jade arrived shortly after breakfast the morning after she disposed of Keiko. Evidently they wanted to be finished with this as soon as possible, so Jade could return to her work. This was a request given to her by Aunt Min herself after all. 

As per usual, her cousin was very over-dressed even in spite of the hot summer weather. She wore a long black skirt, several layers of sweaters over a turtleneck, a pair of cotton gloves, and of course a fabric medical mask which covered her mouth and nose. Jade left the interpreter in the car while she strolled up the lawn towards Grace, who welcomed her cousin graciously.

“It’s so good to see you again, I greatly appreciate you coming to help.” Grace said, and accepted a hug from Jade who lovingly buried her head into the gap between her neck and shoulder. 

She felt a slight shudder as the woman held onto her very tightly throughout their entire embrace. All that time spent on her own doing Aunt Min’s bidding must have left her touch-starved. Poor thing… Grace thought sympathetically and reciprocated the gesture.

Since Jade couldn’t touch anybody she did not want to afflict, so to speak, she normally had to be very careful to never make physical contact with the majority of people. Only those related to her by blood were safe. As a result she greatly treasured interactions with her relatives and typically welcomed them with a hug as opposed to a bow or wave. 

Of course, that peculiar habit of hers was poorly understood by most and even some of their own cousins found her too strange for comfort. It was a shame really, for someone so gifted to be excluded by her own family at times. 

Don’t worry, you’ll get a chance to have some fun today. Grace thought as she welcomed Jade inside. “I’ve dismissed my servant. Other than the two I discussed with your interpreter, nobody else is here.” She remarked. “You must be burning up with all of that on. Please, let me get you something to drink.”

Jade simply nodded, but nevertheless glanced around the house somewhat nervously before she actually began to remove some of her stuffy clothes. She pulled off her scarf and hung it up on a coat rack, then began to slip out of what Grace realized was around four different layers of sweater. 

The young woman exhaled in relief as she removed the last one to reveal beneath all of that she still had on a long-sleeved shirt. It was almost thirty-five degrees celsius outside, how she was even able to breathe was nothing short of remarkable. 

Her skin was quite pale, likely due from a lack of proper sun exposure. Jade rolled up her sleeves, but chose to leave her gloves and mask on for the time being. “I appreciate your hospitality.” She said in sign to Grace as she accepted a glass of water. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You can talk aloud if you want to. I guarantee you that neither Eren or Maeve have ever~.”

“You can never be too careful. Statistically speaking there is always a chance they’ve been in contact with someone I’ve touched before.” She remarked with a shrug. “We’ll get to them soon enough. I’m more curious to know how this all started. Your message was cryptic, to say the least.”

“It’s a long story. I wouldn’t want to waste your time going over all the details.” 

“I assume this has to do with Jisoo’s departure? Hmph. I’ve heard a few things through the grapevine and wondered how much of it was true. If Eren Klein is here and not in a luxury resort in Hawaii as you claimed earlier this year, then it means you’ve kept him hidden for a reason. I can guess what that is.” Jade responded. 

Grace raised her brow. “Do you disapprove?” She asked, surprised. “I only did what was necessary to keep him safe and in a loving relationship when Jisoo returns.” 

“If that was the case then I wouldn’t be here helping you out… You were tricked by Satsuki, weren’t you?” Jade replied knowingly. “Don’t look so surprised. It’s exactly the kind of thing she would do. She does despise Jisoo after all.”

“Regardless, what’s done is done. And I don’t exactly feel sorry for what I did to Jisoo’s lover. He needed to be fixed. The only issue is now I’ve driven a rift between myself and Jisoo.” 

“So you want to have your cake and eat it too?”

“You’re one of the only people in this world who can make something like that happen, and you did come all this way already. Does that mean you’ll help me or not?” Grace asked, slightly exasperated by the scolding she had not expected to receive. 

This time Jade merely chuckled. “Relax. I’m just surprised to see you of all people needing help. You’re always so many steps ahead.” She proclaimed teasingly. “Moreover, I would like to end whatever torment you’ve needlessly put Eren through. I will help you for his sake. And the girl as well, of course.” Jade promised. 

Grace breathed a sigh of relief as Jade turned her back on her for a few moments to lower her mask and take a sip of water. After she was finished, the shorter woman rose to her feet and glanced around the house. “Now where are they?”

Eren perked up when he heard the unfamiliar footfalls of a titan coming closer. He fought off the grogginess that had plagued him due to a lack of sleep the night before, and along with Maeve prepared for whoever was on their way. 

It was not Yuxi, or whoever she really was. Apparently she had been dismissed after her treachery was revealed. Although whether or not she was still alive or Grace had killed her out of spite, he was not sure. He took a deep breath when the door opened, and allowed his facial expression to gloss over like an obedient slave. 

However, when the door swung open it was not anybody he had expected. Grace was nowhere to be seen, instead it was a slightly shorter woman with a fabric medical mask which obscured much of her lower face, and a pair of gloves. Her complexion seemed healthy, and her eyes were vibrant so it was clear that she was not sick. 

We’ve met before. She’s the other cousin who was supposed to judge the marriage proposal months ago. Eren recalled. “J-Jade…?” He said in confusion, struggling to remember the nickname she apparently preferred. 

From beneath her mask she smiled as her eyes widened slightly, clearly elated that he remembered her name. She glanced at Maeve, who looked very confused indeed to see the complete stranger. 

Oh yeah. She only uses sign language. Eren remembered and raised his hands to communicate with her. “Good morning Jade. It’s a pleasure to~?”

“There’s no need for that. Nobody else is around so I can speak freely.” The normally mute woman said reassuringly. 

Her voice was not what Eren had originally expected. She spoke in clear, crisp English with only the faintest trace of an accent in her smoky tone. When he had first encountered her, Eren’s original impression was that she was rather cute, almost bubbly. Perhaps he had not inspected her to have a lower-pitched, sonorous voice which left him enamored by every syllable. 

Eren blinked and realized that his heart rate had increased noticeably. What’s happening? Why are her words so… I can’t even begin to describe it. 

It was a very strange feeling as he listened to Jade speak. Her words seemed to cut through his auditory senses, as if they went deeper than that. Sweat formed on his brow and he cleared his throat. 

Jade noticed his sudden change in demeanor and raised a brow in concern. “Are you alright?” She asked.

“I… I believe so.” Eren said and coughed. “Just surprised to see you here is all. Are you visiting Mistress Grace?”

“Sort of, although I am here for business rather than pleasure.” Jade replied, then turned her attention to Maeve. “We are not acquainted. You are Maeve, correct? It’s nice to meet you. I apologize for the very brutal treatment that you’ve survived so far. You must think we are all terrible monsters, I’m sure.”

“Mistress Grace has only educated us on the true nature of the world.” Maeve said defensively, the words leaving her mouth instinctively. 

Is this a test? Eren thought and nodded in agreement. “Both of us were lost before Mistress Grace showed us the future the Amrita Corporation will bring. There is nothing to apologize for.” He proclaimed.

To the speck’s mutual surprise, the giantess sighed in disappointment and rubbed her temple in response to their affirmation of loyalty. “It’s barbaric that we still use this ancient technique on innocent people.” Jade muttered sadly, and removed one of her cotton gloves to reveal a small, dainty hand. “I prefer a softer touch. Please; would one of you come closer?” She asked and lowered her hand into the terrarium in front of the two specks. 

Jisoo mentioned once to make sure that I never make physical contact with Jade. She never specified why, but she was rather insistent. Eren recalled, and hesitated to take a step forward into her seemingly innocent platform like hand. 

The appendage was enormous, but also very soft and inviting. She clearly wore the gloves quite a bit and as a result her skin was smooth and completely uncalloused. Moreover there was a welcoming comfort in her words that soothed Eren’s reluctance. 

Several times he shook his head and warded off the strange fixation he felt. As if he was being drawn in by a deadly predator. No… Something is wrong. 

Before he could do anything, Maeve had already taken action. Her eyes seemed glossy, and she was also strangely transfixed by everything Jade had said. Eren blinked several times and attempted to prevent her from hobbling any closer, but was too late to stop her from placing her tiny hand on Jade’s proportionately enormous fingertip. 

Immediately Maeve pulled her hand away in response to the physical contact, as if she had been burned by a hot stove. Jade cocked her head to the side. “Step onto my hand and stay still.” She commanded.

Her voice sounded very different. There was a layer of authority to it that had not been present before, one that Eren had never heard before from anybody in his life. It was as if they had been addressed by a truly divine figure.

At once, Maeve clambered onto the giantess’s palm and remained motionless. Her movements were robotic, almost alien in nature. It was as if she had been controlled by the strings of a marionette puppet. 

Maeve appeared very confused. “W-What did you do to me?” She asked in concern. Fear flashed across her eyes. “I… I can’t move!”

“I suppose I should explain myself. You must be quite confused.” Jade remarked softly as Maeve began to panic. “There’s no need to worry. Calm down.” She ordered.

Right away there was a significant change in Maeve’s demeanor. Her eyes became relaxed and her posture softened to be more comfortable. There were no longer any visible signs of fear, and she suddenly became quite casual about everything. 

Eren looked on at the display in horror. “W-What did you do to her?!” He exclaimed. “Why is she acting like that?”

“The moment she touched me, the physical contact triggered an alchemical reaction which flooded her entire body with nanites which are produced by my skin cells.” Jade explained as she rotated her hand to scrutinize Maeve. “The nanomachines multiply quickly when they enter the body of a new host and quickly begin to latch onto as many cells as they possibly can. They do so within the nervous system, musculoskeletal systems, neural systems… every conceivable part of the body down to the last atom.” She proclaimed and carefully set Maeve down back where she had been before. 

Maeve remained perfectly still, and relaxed. Just as she had been ordered by Jade who admired her handiwork. “They are perfectly harmless, I assure you. You would never even know they were inside of you until I spoke which would cause them to activate.” She continued. “I can command the nanites to do anything with my voice, however my control over them is not perfect so I must be careful with what I say lest they act uncontrollably. Hence my silence to protect others from an unintentional accident.”

“H-How is something like that even possible…?” Eren asked, dumbfounded. 

“To put a long story short, years ago I spearheaded the Amrita Corporation’s attempts to mix our alchemy with newly created state of the art nanotechnology. There was a great deal of potential, but also much we did not truly understand. During one such experiment I unintentionally found myself with this ‘affliction’ as some call it.” Jade told him as she reminisced what were clearly old, painful memories of hers. “Ever since then I’ve been a bit of an outcast. Please pardon how talkative I’ve become, I rarely get to just speak with people like this.” She said with a pleased sigh.

It was almost as if she enjoyed the sound of her own voice. Eren glanced up at the giantess fearfully, and was uncertain how to read her gaze. She did not have the same violent, cruel determination as Grace. Nor the indifferent, calculating glare of Satsuki. Jade seemed kind, and even gentle. 

The way she held Maeve was to ensure her comfort. She idly stroked Maeve’s back with her gargantuan thumb to further put the girl at ease. “Many of my own cousins believe that it is unethical for me to use my powers like this.” Jade mused. “However the real issue which I can agree with is the way the nanites spread. Apart from my own touch, people who I’ve come into contact with can also spread them whenever they touch others. I’m sure there are people all across the world who have been exposed to them by now… Millions? Maybe even billions? Hmm… One day I hope the entire world can be like this, in the palm of my hand to nurture and cherish.” She said as she continued to play with Maeve. 

This entire time, Jade was on a mission from Aunt Min. Grace mentioned that she was going around to meet high-ranking members of militaries from all around the world. Eren thought as his blood began to freeze over as the realization dawned on him. If the nanites she transmitted were also transferable by her victims, then everybody those generals touched belonged to her. 

Other military leaders, prominent politicians, presidents and prime ministers. Every single one of them with but a command would belong to Jade. “Why are you here? What are you going to make us do?” Eren asked. “This is wrong… You can’t do this to people.” 

“Do you believe it’s unethical? You wouldn’t be the only one to think like that. Personally I see nothing wrong with it. I use my abilities sparingly, in situations when I can stop further harm from being done.” Jade proclaimed gently. “I am not like Grace. I do not take pleasure in causing pain. As a matter of fact I’m here to end yours.”

“W-What?”

“I will erase the memories of what Grace did for you over the past months, you’ll never have to think of that horrible ordeal ever again. Instead you both shall have nothing but sweet memories of this time.” Jade said reassuringly. “Then I will reach into your mind and remove those pesky feelings you have that Grace wanted so desperately to crush. Your animosity to the Amrita Corporation, your negative feelings towards Jisoo’s brutal actions. You and Grace can be best friends again, and you can be the ideal husband for Jisoo.” She promised him.

Erase my memories?! Eren slowly backed away from Jade. “No… I…” He stammered as she watched him look for a way out. “J-Jade, please don’t do this. I won’t be the same person!”

“Of course you won’t. You will be better than you are now.” She replied insistently, her voice nearly pleading. “All of the trauma that you’ve endured… I can feel strong memories in Maeve’s mind. She’s been through so much.” Jade murmured as she continued to press her fingers lovingly into Maeve, like massive tree trunks. 

The one-legged speck seemed to enjoy the treatment, and her eyes were half-lidded and her mouth agape slightly. Something was being done to her mind even as Jade spoke with Eren. “Maeve never told you everything about what happened after she lost her leg. She had nightmares of the day for weeks, and only when she was with Madeleine could she rest easy.” Jade explained as she read through Maeve’s subconscious through their neural link connected by the nanites. “She’s in love with her… It’s such a shame that Grace ordered Madeleine to be killed. I believe they could have been happy together.”

What?! Eren opened his mouth to protest but was silenced by the strange look that Jade gave him. Her kind, warm gaze had morphed to become haunting. “Don’t worry.” She murmured as she reached for Eren. “I’ll erase all memories of that woman from you as well so you can finally be at peace… Although, I can’t help but want to have some fun together first.” Jade said with a dark glare in her eyes.

Eren backed away as far as he possibly could from her encroaching hand which rapidly gained distance. There was nowhere to run inside of the enclosed terrarium, but he refused to just sit down and let her control his mind without a fight.

There was a booming giggle from above as he narrowly avoided the appendage by a mere centimeter. Once more she reached for him, and this time Eren ducked away at the last possible moment. Jade appeared impressed by his actions, and smiled down at him. “If it matters, Grace gave me her permission to do whatever I want to you. Shouldn’t you listen to your mistress?” She guffawed. “I promise I’ll be very gentle with both you and your cute little friend here.”

“…Just let Maeve go. Wipe her memories if that’s what it takes, but just leave her alone. She had nothing to do with this.” Eren begged and glanced back towards his friend, who remained nonplussed by his words.

Jade raised her brow. “Have you asked Maeve what she wants to do?” She asked. 

“It’s not your place to dictate what she wants. Tell us what you want to do, Maeve.”

“She’s right, you know. After all, this all could have been avoided if you had not rejected Jisoo and openly opposed the Amrita Corporation. We could both be happy… And Madeleine wouldn’t have to die.” Maeve said with a shrug as she regarded Eren. “But there’s nothing we can do anymore, Eren. Grace knew about us lying to her. She could have kept torturing us both forever, but instead she gave us this painless way out. We can’t save Madeleine, but we can save ourselves and forget the pain of her loss.”

“That’s not you talking Maeve, that’s whatever bullshit Jade is filing your mind with.” Eren replied desperately. 

Maeve simply sighed. “Perhaps it is. Or perhaps it’s simply given me a new perspective? I don’t really know anymore, all I do know is that we gain nothing from fighting this.” She remarked. “Let’s say we reject Jade’s offer to have our memories wiped of what’s happened. Grace will torture us relentlessly, and as a matter of fact she’ll probably kill me. Unlike you I’m completely expendable. However with this alternative, we would forget all the trauma. We could live blissfully unaware of what’s happened to us, and live long happy lives. You could marry Jisoo, have some kids, and be happy again. I could undergo physical treatment and maybe have my leg restored somehow with Amrita Corporation medical technology. Please Eren… Tell me why this choice is so difficult to make? Why do you cling so desperately to whatever semblance of control you think we have?”

“I-I…” Eren stammered as Maeve hopped off Jade’s hand and limped towards him with a steely expression.

Is this mind control? Or is it really Maeve? Eren thought to himself. No, it's mind control. This is exactly what Jade wants me to believe, she wants me to question whether or not I can trust this or not. 

Maeve seemed to read his thoughts and crossed her arms. “If she was going to just grab you and wipe your memories clean, she could have done it whenever she pleased.” She mused. “Instead she’s letting you plead your case.”

“Don’t act as though I have any choice. You’ll do whatever you want no matter what.” Eren shot back, this time his gaze glanced upwards to Jade.

The giantess cocked her head to the side mirthfully. “You still haven’t answered Maeve’s question. Now I’m curious to know as well, but what is it that keeps you so foolishly defiant? Why do you insist on suffering instead of just letting all the pain go? Sure, I understand that you consider me an enemy, I don’t blame you for that after all the torment Grace put you through. But now, what’s the point? It’s over. You don’t need to suffer anymore, you can just live an idyllic life with the woman you love.” She stated.

Eren shook his head. “Because it would all be fake, built on a lie.” He replied swiftly. “That’s no way to live. I would rather die than live like that, where my thoughts are not my own.” He proclaimed.

Jade sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine, if that’s how this has to be.” She muttered. “I had hoped you would listen to reason, but I suppose I overestimated you.” 

This time Jade moved faster than the human body was capable of reacting to. Her dainty fingers, each nearly the same size as a school bus torpedoed towards Eren and before he could even blink, pinned him to the floor of the terrarium. 

Instantly he felt a sensation most similar to an electric shock, and for several seconds his body tensed up and spammed from the discomfort. He was blinded, and his mind went blank almost immediately. 

While he recovered, he looked far above and realized that Jade had begun to tug at the hem of her blouse. “Like I said, Grace gave me permission to do whatever I wanted to both of you as payment for my services.” She proclaimed and dropped her blouse onto the ground. “I don’t usually get to enjoy things like this due to my affliction… So do your best to satisfy me.”

Once the command left her lips, both of her toys immediately motioned to obey. 

Jade knew the extent of her control could be as specific or as vague as she wished. The victim of her nanotechnology would fulfill her wishes to the best of their ability depending on how they interpreted her orders. Although she could of course demand they get her off exactly how she liked, there was something particularly exhilarating about seeing what they would do.

She already had Maeve in her hand, and Eren still appeared to be fighting desperately against her control despite the futility of his actions. Slowly she could see his eyes glossing over to shift from pointless rebellion into something more primitive. An expression of pure lust as his mind was reprogrammed to fit her desires. 

Carefully, Jade brought Maeve towards her now bare chest once she unclipped her bra. The speck dutifully took as much of her nipple into her mouth as she possibly could and began to suck and nibble on it. Jade purred in delight; she was very good at this.

Grace mentioned she had trained her exceptionally well. Ahhh, this is so nice. Jade thought to herself in ecstasy. It had been months since she had been intimate with anybody. Rarely was she ever afforded the pleasure of simple touching, much less cuddling. 

Physical intimacy like this was something she greatly craved, but it was also a luxury she was rarely afforded. A pity that prolonged physical contact like this drove most insane eventually, so it wasn’t like she could keep a pet or two to keep her needs satisfied.

And that was precisely why she had every intention to make full-use of these two while she had the opportunity. Neither of them would remember a thing, so she could do whatever she wanted. 

Eren was next, and he willfully stepped into her hand at her bidding. He was not as beautiful as when they had last met. The poor thing had been put through the ringer by Grace a few times and it had left him somewhat frail by comparison. Still, he was quite handsome and she looked forward to seeing how he felt.

She placed him on her other breast and set him to work. There was a bed in the room across from the terrarium where she reclined in, and as her two toys continued to obey her commands to please her to the best of their ability, she slipped off her skirt and undergarments. 

“Both of you will forget Madeleine Lacroix ever existed. You will wipe her from your memories and never think or speak of her again.” Jade demanded in an authoritative voice which made them both shudder as their minds worked to erase all memory of their old friend from their minds. “You will also forget the training that Grace put you through, along with everything that I am doing to you now.”

By now she had worked herself up into a frenzy, and desired an intense urge to feel even more. Jade grabbed Eren between her fingers and placed him right above her belly button on her taut, toned tummy. He needed no further instruction and began to walk in a trance-like state towards her womanhood.

To get there he had to push through a small bush of neatly trimmed pubic hair. Jade smiled once she noticed the unmistakable arousal between his legs. Both his mind as well as his body had accepted her, it would seem. 

Just as she had hoped, his experience from being Jisoo’s little toy had prepared him well to please a woman many times his own size. Quickly he located her clitoris and set to work to establish a consistent, pleasurable rhythm which made her toes curl in ecstasy. 

I wonder how many nanites have infested him by now? Every second we maintain physical contact, millions of them continue to flood his body and latch on to every cell they can. Jade ruminated. “Eren, you will now love Jisoo unconditionally regardless of anything she does. You are her loyal husband as we as her slave. Her words are absolute.” She decreed, then turned her attention to Maeve who was still on her breasts tending to her nipples. “Maeve, you will love Grace unconditionally and worship her as a goddess. You will never speak out against her and work tirelessly to fulfill her every carnal desire without question.”

Her moans became closer together, and Jade could feel that she was close. Before she screamed in pleasure, she managed to utter one final command. “Both of you are now dutiful servants of the Amrita Corporation and Fang Dynasty. You worship us and truly believe in our mission.” 

Finally with a deafening shriek, Jade tensed up and came with a near explosive power that sent Eren flying out of her womanhood where he landed a few inches away between her soft, warm thighs in a pool of her fluids. Maeve continued to lick all the way through the ordeal, and kept at it obediently even as Jade basked in the warm afterglow.

“Both of you now belong to us.”

Ever since her older sister had taken up residence at the monastery, she had essentially served as the unofficial chef for the populace. Food had always been seen simply as nourishment, and although it was never particularly unappetizing, the meager dishes that either Suji or her mother could cook were rather bland. 

In her mother’s defense, she had spent the majority of her time before she defected as a pampered rich girl who had a slew of servants to cook for her. Then she went on the run and never had any opportunity to learn. Likewise, Suji was better suited to make something edible out of scraps she could scrounge up while traveling. 

Needless to say, Jisoo’s masterful cooking was greatly appreciated by the temple residents who always looked forward to their next meal. Unfortunately, Jisoo had not felt very well after her meditation earlier that day and requested some time to herself to recover. 

Throughout the day her symptoms only worsened until Jisoo was bedridden with a fever. She nearly collapsed at tai chi. That left Suji to cook.

The lack of ‘nutrients’ in her diet is to blame for it… It’s been weeks since she has consumed a human. Suji thought as she clumsily chopped some onion into uneven chunks. 

Devouring shrunken humans had a potent effect on those in their bloodline who had ‘ascended’. It increased their power and enhanced their abilities gradually over time. For years, Jisoo had made artificially created specks a part of her routine diet. Then she had briefly stopped while in Norwich, and now just a few months later was once again depriving herself.

On top of that, she had given up on alcohol entirely. Between those two sudden changes it was only natural she felt unwell, Suji surmised. I just wish I had listened more closely to her instructions on how to make this damn stew. 

Around half an hour later Suji had a piping hot bowl of soup ready which smelled quite spicy and pungent. She filled a bowl with some and grabbed a spoon, then walked across the breezy house before knocking on her sister’s bedroom door. 

It took a few moments for Jisoo to reply. “C-Come in.” She croaked weakly from the other side of the door.

She’s still really sick. Suji realized and walked into the dimly lit room. 

Jisoo was nestled under several layers of blankets to keep her warm in the frosty Himalayan Peaks, and there was a warm towel that had been placed on her forehead earlier to help break her fever. 

Her skin was very pale, and her breaths labored. Only after a few seconds did she even register that Suji was there. “Y-You made soup?” She asked faintly as the strong aroma filled the room. “T-Thank you… I’m s-sorry I *cough* couldn’t c-cook today…” 

“Please save your breath, we don’t know how long this will last so save your strength.” Suji chided and pulled up a stool towards the bedside. She helped Jisoo move up a little bit at an angle so she could eat, however she knew in her current condition her sister would need to be spoon-fed.

To think just a few months ago she considered herself a god. Now she’s in this pitiful condition. Suji thought with some measure of amusement. Her sister was trying her best, but it would be a long-time before she let Jisoo entirely off the hook. “After you’re finished I’ll get you a new towel. This one had gone cold.” She said and held up a spoonful of soup for her sister. “Take small sips.”

“I r-really appreciate~!” Before she could express gratitude for the meal, Jisoo spat out the stew the moment it touched her tongue. She ducked her head to the side and coughed, some of the liquid she had not swallowed dribbling down her lips. After she recovered she looked at Suji incredulously. “…how m-much salt and gochugaru did y-you put in t-there?”

“Um… Just a few spoonfuls of both.” Suji replied and blushed deep scarlet. It only now occurred to her that she had not actually tasted the soup before she gave it to Jisoo. 

She gathered up some of the broth in the spoon and took a sip, and the moment it passed her lips she had a near identical reaction to her older sister. Suji’s eyes went wide as she tasted a mouthful of what could best be described as enough fiery chili pepper to kill a horse blended with an ocean of salt. 

“Yeah… I guess I used too much.” She remarked and placed the bowl of inedible stew aside. “And I used up a lot of your seasonings and ingredients to make a whole pot of it… I’m really sorry, I’ll make you something else.” Suji promised. 

To her surprise, her sister only laughed weakly. Somehow she looked a bit stronger than before. “You tried your best. I’m sure you can fix it by diluting it somehow.” Jisoo suggested. “But before you go, I have a question about the memory echoes.”

“Hmm? Did you access one while you were lying here?”

“I tried to, but for some reason it just felt very different. I could feel or sense… It was almost like I could feel someone else’s presence in the memory echo. It almost felt like Eren was there.” Jisoo remarked. 

His presence? Suji frowned and crossed her arms. “What memory were you trying to access? Did it involve him?”

“No. I was trying to see through Daiyu once again and out of nowhere I could hear his voice in the echo.” Jisoo explained. “But it’s weird. I didn’t remember hearing him ever say things like what he was talking about. He sounded… frightened. Like he was in trouble, someone was hurting him.” 

“I’m sure that it’s nothing but I wanted to ask you about it. I just miss him a lot and I guess my memory echo became more of a fever dream.” Jisoo said.

Suji thought carefully for a few moments before she responded. Although she had used memory echoes several times, this was a unique event she was only slightly familiar with. “Normally when you feel another presence within a memory echo, it is a result of a ‘bleeding effect’ which is caused by another subconscious entering the same core memory as you.” She explained. “This can be several things, but usually it is either your own subconscious looking at the same memory from either the past or future, or, it is another Descendant of the Fang Sisters dreaming and triggering a bleed effect unintentionally.”

“So we are all on the same network so to speak?”

“Precisely. Think of it this way, every Descendant of the Fang Sisters exists as both our ancestor and descendant simultaneously. Our shared blood allows us to experience their own dreams as memory echoes, although not to the same capacity as how we can freely take over our past bodies in an echo.” Suji continued. “So while a bleed effect like what you’ve experienced is not uncommon, there is now way I can think of that you could sense Eren’s presence. And it’s not like memory echoes are illusory. They are memories, occurrences, and other incidents that have actually happened at some point. Either in the past, concurrent to us or in the future.” She mentioned. 

Jisoo seemed uncomfortable at that thought. “But that can’t be right… It had to be a dream then!” She insisted. “Eren is not a Descendant, so he isn’t on the same network as us. How could I sense his memories? A-And wouldn’t that imply that him being afraid and in trouble is real, and not just a nightmare?”

“Don’t write anything off. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that almost anything is possible when it comes to the women of our bloodline. Moreover, while there is a blurry line between dreams and memory echoes, from how you describe this it was the latter.” Suji said pointedly. “We should ask mother about it when you are well.”

“But if Eren is in trouble then I need to help him!”

“Look, let’s not jump to any conclusions based on that. I know how much he means to you but who knows how your current condition is affecting your ability to experience memory echoes?” Suji asked. “Besides, you left him with someone you trust. Isn’t Grace Chen one of the Amrita Corporation’s top killers? I doubt he’s safer anywhere else in the world than at her side.”

“…That’s just the thing. In the memories I saw from Eren, Grace was the one he was afraid of.” Jisoo murmured as she began to slip out of bed, even in her sickly condition. “I have to know for sure. I can’t focus on my healing unless I’m sure Eren is safe.” She insisted.

Despite her condition, Jisoo still forced herself from under the covers and stepped past Suji to get her clothes. 

If she goes back now in this current state, I don’t know what will happen to her.. Suji thought and hesitated to stop her sister. She’s weaker than she has ever been, at least physically. I don’t think she’s really caught on to how little trust the Amrita Corporation has in her… They’ll brainwash her again. But it’s not like I can really stop her, she came here willingly and can leave whenever she wants. 

Suji sighed deeply and then tossed Jisoo a jacket. “I’ll come with you.” She proclaimed. “It would be nice to meet Eren. Plus I can swipe some more intel on the Amrita Corporation while I’m in Beijing.”

“That’s too dangerous. If they find you~.”

“Tell me something, how much do you really trust the Amrita Corporation? How much do you trust the rest of our family? Everything that we have undone that was wrong with you in the past few months has been what they programmed into you.” Suji said pointedly. “What exactly is your plan? Will you go back to your old work and just kill people a bit more mercifully? You’ll eat people only on special occasions?”

“Of course not! But it’s not like I can just walk away from the Amrita Corporation, or the rest of my family.”

“You have a family here!” Suji said and raised her voice in exasperation. “You have me, mom, and everybody here who wants you for who you really are. Not the monster. Jisoo please, let’s go to Beijing and find Eren then bring him back here. If you had a vision that he was in trouble because of something Grace did, then it’s not safe for him anymore with them and it will never be.” She plead.

Jisoo glanced away in discomfort at the proposition. “It’s not just Eren. It’s Grace who has been my best friend all this time, I can’t just abandon her even if she pushed me to become what I am now. And Lihua, who did her best to be a mother.” She remarked. “I told you that I would never go back to my old ways and I meant it. Once I go back I’ll request to be placed into a different field that doesn’t involve death.”

“…Fine. If that’s what you want to do then I can’t stop you.” Suji said as she began to look for a bag to put their things in for the journey ahead. “But just remember that if you go back to the Amrita Corporation, you’ll become my enemy eventually.”