[Leonidas' point of view]

 One evening when we were practicing our Magic Energy control inside because outside was raining cats and dogs, our aunt suddenly got up and left us there alone without saying a single word as to where she was going and when she was coming back.

This wasn't the first time when she did something like this, but usually she would tell us to stop and wait for her to return. We took that time as a break. My guess was that she went out to hunt something or someone, seeing as she more than once returned with a few drops of fresh blood spilled on her armor.

This time, because she got up and left without a warning, the two of us stopped our training and looked at each other a bit confused.

In that moment, the sound of thunder come from outside, catching our attention. The rain wasn't showing signs of calming down any time too soon.

“It's brother's fault. Always glaring.” Cassandra accused me when she looked back at me.

I received a small shock when I heard this because the one who was usually glaring and looked upset was none other than my little sister. As for me, I couldn't say it wasn't true, but... I wasn't glaring at aunty all the time, only when Cassandra was fussing over her like a teenage girl who finally got to meet her idol.

“I'm not.” I retorted and pouted.

Well, I was a child, what was I supposed to do? Give a speech to a three-years-old about the subtlety of glaring?

A few minutes later, the door was suddenly opened and right at that time, a lightning cracked the sky, offering a scary shade to the one standing there: our mother who wore her usual charming smile.

“KYAAA!” I screamed like a little girl, but I quickly covered my mouth with both hands.

With a slow motion similar to a broken doll, I turned to look back at my little sister. She was narrowing her eyes at me.

“Ara?” mother tilted her head to the left a little. “Did Cassandra just scream?” she asked, but the little girl immediately shook her head vigorously and then pointed at me “Is that so? Did the lightning scare you? Come to mother, Leo.”

Without having the right to complain, I was taken into her embrace and had my head patted by her in order to 'calm down'. I was already calm, so this was very embarrassing. My manly pride took a severe blow to the gut. As for that little sister of mine, she was trying hard to abstain from laughing.

After mother was sure I was alright, she placed me back down on the floor. Another lightning cracked the sky, but it didn't affect me at all. I kept looking forward with a poker face. What happened before was nothing but an unfortunate accident, a mistake, a judgment error! There was nothing that could scare me, nothing! Because I was a brave man... erm toddler!

“My little cutey seems to be fine now.” mother said after she was sure I didn't even flinch at the lightning.

At that time, aunty returned to the room. She walked past us without saying a word and sat down on the floor a few steps away from us.

“Leo, it came to my attention that you have been glaring at your aunt quite often recently. We think it's because you're either scared of her or... you hate her. Is this true?” mother asked as she gently patted my head.

Meanwhile, our no-good aunt was sitting there, looking down at the floor and fiddling with her thumbs.

You went and told on me to mother? What are you, nine? I rebuked her in my mind and unwillingly tossed her a glare.

Although, technically speaking, I was three...

“See! He probably hates me!” she cried out.

“That does seem to be the case...” mother nodded. Snapping her fingers, she caught my attention “Now, Leonidas, it's not polite to glare at other people like that, especially at your own aunt.” she told me.

“I'm sowy...” I said, hoping it would be enough for her to get off my back.

“Well, it's a good thing we know just the right 'spell' to fix this!” she said with a smile.

“Spell?” I titled my head to left.

I was confused... There was an anti-glaring spell?

“Yes! Luthecia, come out now, you must join in as well. You remember what you have to do, right?” she asked.

“Yes, Madame Melissa.” our maid showed herself and entered the room, closing the door behind her, while me and my sister looked at each other confused.

With her eyes, Cassandra was telling me that whatever was about to happen next was going to be my fault alone. I could only silently apologize.

The three grownups surrounded us, but despite trying to sense the flow of magic and be prepared for when the spell was cast, I couldn't feel anything.

“Are you ready?” mother asked.

“Yes, madame.” replied Luthecia with an elegant nod.

“Yup!” replied our aunt, pumping a fist in the air.

What's going on? I thought as I was getting more and more confused by their actions.

Then, they all raised their hands up to the ceiling, and I gulped in expectation. This was rather intense. It frightened me a little.

What if it's like a curse or something? I thought.

What happened next was that the three of them lowered their arms slowly and stopped only when the wrists reached the top of their heads, leaving the whole hand pointing upwards.

I gulped, seeing this weird posture, and so did sister.

“Are you ready?” mother asked.

Ready? Ready for what?! I thought.

The three of them stuck their wrists to the back of their heads and waved their fingers two times as if trying to mimic the twitching of animal ears.

“Bunny! Bunny! Bunny ears!” they all said at the same time.

“Huh?” my mind's gears went to a full stop.

Crouching down, they chanted again.

“Bunny! Bunny! Bunny ears! Hop! Hop! Hop!” they jumped three times to their right, going around us.

“Bunny! Bunny! Bunny ears! Hop! Hop! Hop!” once more they chanted and jumped.

I was no longer capable of experiencing any sort of cognitive function. With a blank stare, I watched the three grown women perform this astonishingly ridiculous chant. No, correction, this wasn't just ANY chant, it was a curse! A ritual designed to summon the darkness of the world and cover it in fluff!

Then, at the fourth round, father opened the door and asked “Is everything alright? I heard some... thing... strange...”

Everyone was now staring back at him, and he slowly closed the door as if he had witnessed something he wasn't supposed to.

When the door clicked, my sensitive ears picked up the sound of his voice “Ah yes, nothing there... Must have been my imagination! Yes, my imagination!” he then rushed back to his study.

Father, you coward! Get back in here! Don't leave me! I called out to him in my mind.

“Shall we continue?” mother asked with a gentle smile while maintaining that ridiculous posture.

Oh, the horror... I thought.

The chant continued for another half an hour, during which I was left to slowly die on the inside, while my sister was laughing her cute little cheeks off.

This is your fault, S.A.R.G.E... I muttered in my mind.

Meanwhile, in the realm of the gods:

“Like... I... said... HOW am I to blame for THAT?! And stop using that name to call out to me! Please... I beg of you...”

Thus, a part of my suffering was transmitted to a certain goddess.