Chapter 032: Real Brother and Fanboy

A plan?

Leo was bewildered. At Seraphina’s signal, he opened it to look.

Just after scanning the contents of the cover page, Leo’s mouth couldn't help but twitch. Undoubtedly, this was a plan aimed at him. As the heir of the Pierce family, there were many things he needed to learn; having a new study plan was not unfamiliar to him.

A new plan regarding physical training and combat skills wasn't strange either. But the fact that the person training him to improve his skills was his dignified, "proper young lady" sister made him a bit unsettled.

Yet, Leo knew Seraphina well enough to know she wasn't someone who liked to joke, and she certainly wouldn't be bored enough to write out a whole plan just for a prank.

After a long hesitation, Leo asked, "Sis, did you... write this?"

Seraphina nodded. "Yes, I wrote it. Take a good look. Clear out two hours every night to come to my training room."

Seeing Seraphina speak so calmly, Leo became even more confused. "No, Sis, you’re going to teach me? Are you sure?"

Seraphina saw his skeptical expression and her eyes filled with a smile. "What, you don't trust me?"

"It’s not a matter of trust..."

"Sis, we learned similar things growing up, but after we found our own interests, most of our time was spent on those. Yours was music and instruments. Although I spend most of my time learning other things, to be honest, you haven't studied under a martial arts master as long as I have."

Furthermore, to this day, he still had two martial arts classes every weekend. Looking at her, she hadn't had a single martial arts class since she was ten. He didn't say the rest out loud, feeling it would be too direct and might embarrass her.

"I know what you mean." Seraphina didn't waste words. She turned and opened the door to the practice room, saying to Leo, "Care to spar a few rounds?"

Leo was still in a daze even after he followed her inside and closed the door.

The practice room was large. Since it was Seraphina’s personal space, various musical instruments were placed there, mostly folk instruments. The most striking was the Konghou placed right in the center. This Konghou was custom-made for her by Xenia. Not only was the master who built it legendary, but every component used was meticulously selected.

A conservative estimate of the Konghou’s value was 180 million.

This wasn't Seraphina’s only Konghou. She had two more in the Starry Orchestra, specifically for her performances. They were also valuable, but none compared to this one. For ordinary performances, she wouldn't use this one, mainly because for a player of her level, the difference in sound between her orchestra instrument and this one wasn't significant.

There was no need to go through the trouble of transporting it. Her performances weren't limited to Sea City; she was a frequent guest at international music festivals. Traveling the world with such an expensive and cherished instrument was unnecessary.

The first thing Leo saw upon entering was the Konghou. He didn't often come to her practice room for fear of disturbing her work. But occasionally, he would come—mostly at night to bring her hot milk or a late-night snack. Every time he came, he saw her fully immersed in her music.

In this room, Seraphina saw nothing except her instruments and the equipment needed for her creation. Every time he brought something, he would leave it and go. On the few occasions he entered with her, he always saw that the first thing her eyes locked onto was always that Konghou.

But now?

From the moment they walked in until now, Leo saw her glance at the Konghou and quickly look away. She didn't look at it for more than ten seconds! After that, she didn't cast another glance at it!

This was abnormal, very abnormal!

More than confusion, Leo felt worry.

"What are you dazing out for? Get ready, let's spar."

Leo’s thoughts were pulled back. He looked over and saw Seraphina standing there in a combat stance. He realized she wasn't wearing her usual dresses tonight, but a set of athletic loungewear.

So she had planned this from the start. Why hadn't he noticed earlier? Thinking about it, it was the sudden plan she handed him that shocked him and shifted all his attention, leaving him no room for anything else.

Suppressing his complex thoughts, Leo looked at her. "...Sis, you’re serious?"

"Could I be joking?" Seraphina had expected Leo wouldn't be able to accept her skills immediately. She assumed his daze was just shock and didn't think further.

She didn't even realize that her ignoring her favorite Konghou was such a shocking thing.

In her past life, after her family was destroyed, she rarely touched the instrument. While Silas Sterling was still alive, she would play a piece or two in her leisure time, but after he left, she touched it even less. Therefore, in her subconscious reaction now, the Konghou wasn't that important.

Perhaps it was still important, but it was buried in the deepest part of her heart. After all, stepping into this familiar room after many years, the first thing she looked at was the Konghou.

Yes, this was the first time she had stepped into this room in years. Since her rebirth, even though the room was right next to hers, she hadn't opened the door. Whether music was no longer important to her, or she didn't dare touch that pure and innocent past, Seraphina couldn't say. Perhaps it was both, or perhaps neither.

Right now, what mattered most to her was taking revenge and protecting everyone she cared about.

"Fine," Leo sighed. "Since you’re in the mood, Sis, I’ll have to accompany you."

Although he knew she wasn't joking, Leo thought that he would try to hold back during the spar so as not to accidentally hurt her.

However, when Leo rushed forward, intending to play along, and was neutralized by a single move that left him unable to fight back, he began to doubt his life.

No fancy moves; she directly and swiftly gripped his throat. Her hands were so slender, yet he didn't know where the strength came from, making him feel the approach of death. At that moment, he clearly felt that the person in front of him wasn't the sister he knew, but a stranger.

A stranger who could take his life at any second!

Inexplicably, he broke into a cold sweat.

It wasn't until Seraphina withdrew her hand and said "You lost" that Leo snapped back to reality. Looking at the elegantly smiling young lady in front of him, if it weren't for the cold sweat on his body, he would have thought it was all a dream.

His eyes were full of disbelief as he stared at her. "Sis, how could you..."

Seraphina didn't explain much, only saying, "Leo, I originally planned to hire a skilled bodyguard to stay with you twenty-four hours a day. On second thought, I realized that isn't a long-term solution. No matter how good a bodyguard is, there are times they can't cover everything."

She knew that even if she didn't say it clearly, Leo was smart enough to understand.

Leo moved his lips, wanting to ask something. But catching Seraphina’s smiling yet faintly chilling eyes, and remembering how she ignored her instruments earlier, the words died in his throat.

Forget it, why ask so much? When she wanted him to know, she would tell him. Regardless, his sister would never harm him. In the end, it was because he wasn't strong enough that she had to worry so much, even to the point where hiring a bodyguard wasn't enough to ease her mind...

"You’re right, Sis. Even a great bodyguard has gaps. My own safety is better guaranteed if my own skills improve."

Saying this, the handsome youth smiled, his expression appearing very relaxed, which eased the heavy atmosphere. "From now on, I’ll clear two hours every night to train according to your plan. I’ll have to trouble you for your guidance, Sis."

Glancing around, Leo said, "But Sis, it’s rare for me to be in your training room. I haven't heard your music in a long time. Could you play a piece for me?"

Following his gaze, she saw the Konghou. Seraphina’s gaze suddenly froze. Her eyes held an emotion Leo couldn't decipher, but it vanished quickly.

She gave Leo a faint smile: "Trying to slack off on the very first day?"

Leo: "..." Well, it seemed his attempt to let her relax was a failure.

Fortunately, there was one thing he could be sure of: she was still the sister who loved music and instruments, especially the Konghou. He just didn't know the reason why she had buried that love so deep.

But it didn't matter. He believed that one day, he would make her the carefree Eldest Miss of the Pierce family again, doing whatever she wanted.

After that brief spar and being crushed by Seraphina, Leo knew her skills were good. However, as the training progressed, his understanding was gradually rewritten. Shock couldn't even describe his mood. Her skills weren't just good; they were superb!

An expert among experts!

The way Leo looked at her began to change. She was no longer just the sister he trusted and loved; his eyes were full of deep admiration, almost like a fan looking at an idol. He thought, no wonder so many people praised her. She was indeed excellent. Sometimes he even felt she was omnipotent.

Seraphina saw the change in his eyes. she didn't say anything, nor did she intend to remind him. In her view, as long as Leo followed her training and didn't ask why she was so skilled, nothing else mattered.

Though sometimes being stared at like that by Leo made her feel a bit uneasy.

Was this a younger brother or a fanboy?

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, a week ended, and the Sea City First High centennial anniversary arrived.