The apocalypse came, and the world's resources dried up overnight.

Then the battle arenas descended from the sky, and anyone could bond a beastman to secure their own survival.

In my past life I fought undefeated with my ice wolf at my side. Until one two-person arena match.

The ice wolf who had always obeyed me carried me straight into the enemy's killing blow.

"I'm sorry, Hilda. This match has to go to Cassie. But don't worry, I'll die right alongside you."

Only in that moment did I understand. My beastman had belonged to my sister all along.

He would even drag me to my death just so she could take the arena prize for herself.

Back at the moment of bonding, I threw him away without a second thought.

1

"Mom, Dad, look, I pulled a top-tier beastman!"

"A Vermilion Phoenix. Cassie, you're amazing. Looks like our family's going to produce the strongest beast tamer around."

I heard that familiar exchange, and my eyes snapped open.

The scene in front of me was our house. My sister, Cassandra Sullivan, was gleefully showing off the Vermilion Phoenix she'd just summoned.

It hit me all at once. This was the time right after the battle arenas first appeared.

Last life, the apocalypse came out of nowhere and the world's resources dried up. A massive arena dropped from the sky, and only by fighting in arena matches could you earn the resource rewards to survive.

Everyone could also bond a beastman partner as a fighting ally. The things humans fought on the arena were monsters from the otherworld, and the only way to have a chance of winning was to fight alongside your beastman.

I lifted my arm and looked at my wristband. It hadn't bonded any beastman partner yet.

Cassandra couldn't wait to bond her Vermilion Phoenix, then held up her own wristband toward me like she was showing it off.

"Oh, I got so caught up in being happy, we haven't even seen what Hilda bonded yet!"

Cassandra acted like she'd only just remembered me and walked over to my side, putting on a show of concern.

"Huh? Why haven't you started pulling for a beastman yet? Are you scared you won't get a strong one? It's fine, your sister already pulled the top-tier Vermilion Phoenix, so it doesn't matter even if you get a low-tier one."

Inwardly I scoffed. The Vermilion Phoenix was top-tier, sure, but hers was a support-type beastman with no real strength on the arena at all.

I ignored her and raised my wristband, with no intention of pulling.

Seeing that I didn't mean to, Cassandra was quick to tap the refresh for me.

"Don't get all discouraged over this. Your sister will pull for you."

A flash of gold lit up the wristband, and a snow-white wolf with pure white ice crystals shimmering across his body appeared.

At the sight of that familiar snow wolf, my first instinct was to scrap him.

But unfortunately, each person only got one refresh.

"Wow, you pulled a top-tier beast king on the first try? Hilda, you're so lucky."

Cassandra said it, but I knew it didn't sit well with her.

Her Vermilion Phoenix had only come out after she used up Mom and Dad's refreshes too. Three pulls in total just to land that pretty-looking vase of a beastman, and I'd pulled something stronger than her Vermilion Phoenix in a single try. Of course it stung.

"How is that just luck? You're the one who tapped it out for her. When it comes down to it, you're the lucky one, the good-luck charm of this family!"

"That's right. Cassie pulled two top-tier beastmen in one go. She really is the pride of our family."

I watched my parents heap on the praise and felt nothing. From the time we were small, this was how the two of them had always been. Whatever Cassandra did got praised, and no matter how well I did, they'd pick a bone out of an egg.

Cassandra kept a proper little smile on her face, but the jealousy in her eyes gave her away.

"Hilda's always been the lucky one. That top-tier wolf king looks strong just standing there. My Vermilion Phoenix isn't much of a fighter, after all."

Same trick as always. Whenever Cassandra wanted something, she never asked straight out. She talked in circles, then let Mom and Dad step in and put the pressure on me.

And right on cue, the moment she said it, they took her side.

"Hildegarde, show a little sense. Your sister summoned that beast. If she has two top-tier beasts she can win the arena matches, and this family's life will only get better and better."

Neither of them had a refresh left, and here they were, trying to take mine with a straight face.

In my last life this was the favoritism I refused to swallow. The world was already falling apart, and the two of them still wanted to force me to give up everything for Cassandra.

So last time I did the opposite of what they wanted. I bonded the ice wolf fast, and they cursed me over it for days.

"Fine."

Dad, who'd been getting ready to back Mom up, froze. Clearly he hadn't expected me to fall in line before he even had to push.

"If my sister wants him, she can have him."

I walked over to Cassandra, took her hand, and got ready to transfer my ice wolf to her.

Maybe he could hear us. On the screen in the wristband, the ice wolf went wild, howling without stop.

"See, Cassie? He likes you so much he's jumping around, happy just to know he's bonding with you."

Cassandra noticed the screen too and lifted her chin, pleased with herself.

The transfer was quick. In a few seconds she'd bonded the ice wolf.

I let out a long breath. My old partner from the last life. However well the two of us used to fight together, he'd betrayed me. I didn't want him.

The instant the bond formed, the ice wolf leapt out of Cassandra's wristband, and the moment his feet hit the ground he changed into human form.

He didn't spare Cassandra a single glance. He walked straight up to me, grabbed my hand, and demanded through a frown,

"Hildegarde, why won't you bond with me? Why are you giving me away?"

That was all it took for me to understand. This wolf had come back with his memories too.

I gave a cold little laugh and threw off his hand.

"Frostgale, you actually have the nerve to ask me? You betrayed me. Why would I choose you again? So you can kill me a second time?"

He rushed to explain.

"It wasn't like that. Cassie needed that win. The reward from that match could cure her heart condition."

Yes, Cassandra had a heart condition. But that heart condition was a lie she'd told to compete for Mom and Dad's affection at home.

I was the one who'd actually taken a grave wound protecting Frostgale, one that left lasting damage. That reward was really my lifesaving medicine.

But so Cassandra could have that victory all to herself, once the enemy was dead he'd walked me by the hand straight into the harm array the enemy had left behind, and taken us both to a mutual death.

"So, since you can't stop thinking about her, this time I'll grant your wish. I'm sending you to her side. What else could you possibly have to complain about?"

Cassandra and my parents stood watching us argue, lost, unable to work out how the two of us even knew each other.

"I had no idea you and Frostgale already knew each other, Hilda. If I'd known, I'd never have taken what was yours."

Cassandra's face was all guilt, though she'd already started hating me inside.

I rolled my eyes.

"Please, don't. You two are already bonded. Locked together for life."

Frostgale still wouldn't let it go.

"Who's going to look after you without me? Who's going to protect you in the arena?"

I turned and scanned the room, found my target, and pointed at the doghouse without a second thought.

"Him. I've made up my mind. I'm bonding Shadow as my partner."

Shadow was the stray I'd picked up a while back. Right now he was curled up in his little doghouse, fast asleep.

"A dog? Hilda, have you lost your mind?"

It was exactly what Cassandra and my parents wanted to say too.

"What's wrong with a dog? At least a dog is loyal. Not like certain ungrateful mutts who bite the hand that feeds them the moment an outsider comes along, no matter how well you treated them."

Frostgale had nothing to say to that, but he still thought I was joking.

I ignored him, walked straight over to Shadow's doghouse, crouched down, and raised my wristband to scan.

"Bonding standards met. Do you wish to bond?"

The prompt caught me off guard. Bonding Shadow had been a spur-of-the-moment idea. I hadn't expected that animals in this world could be bonded at all.

I glanced back at Frostgale. He was still certain the bond would fail. After all, no one would turn down a powerful beastman for a weak household pet.

The next second I tapped bond without hesitation, and the wristband confirmed it. Shadow and I were bonded, the connection established.

"Hildegarde, you'd really rather have a dog than me?"

Frostgale looked wounded, but I didn't have a second to spare for him. I opened Shadow's detailed stats.

Every number was terrible, just as I'd expected. Next to Frostgale's impressive figures, Shadow's were painful to look at.

"Hilda, stop trying to prove a point. Let me give Frostgale back to you. That stray is far too weak. How could he ever protect you?"

"Sure."

I agreed just like that, and Cassandra froze, stunned that I'd actually say yes.

Frostgale, on the other hand, lit up, his joy plain on his face.

My parents frowned and launched straight into scolding me for being difficult.

Looking at the way each of them reacted, I smiled.

"Even if you give him back, I'll just toss him out to live as a stray beastman. Do whatever you want."

With that, I wanted nothing more to do with the mess. I scooped up Shadow and went back to my room.