In a certain laboratory, white lights clinically illuminated the room, and a girl wearing a white and gold coat and a red silk ribbon tied to her hair slumped her head over the desk.
She tapped her finger rhythmically. Reflected in her pink amethyst eyes, the tip of her index finger came into contact with the cold stone desk, again and again.
"Hmm…"
The girl couldn't help but let a sigh escape her lips. Her initial inspection of the wanderer's technology had finished faster than expected, and the others were excitedly thinking about how to make something of it.
Amethely had been excited too, but that excitement hasn't been there since yesterday.
The atmosphere at HQ has been strange lately. Big Sis has been noticeably restless the past few days, and there hasn't been any contact from Alum at all.
I know I'm just an outsider in the military's affairs, but… I can't help but be anxious.
I can relate to Big Sis' anxiousness, but it feels different from how I felt when Alum was out on his first missions, yet at the same time… I can't help but worry that something big was going on.
..
Just before midnight, Amethely tended to her plants in a daze. As if to notice her emotional state, the plants almost looked shriveled.
Yet another sigh escaped her lips.
Unable to bear the oppressive gloom in her heart, Amethely decided to take a stroll.
It's not like I can fall asleep anyways, she thought while walking around aimlessly.
As of late, Amethely felt as though her daily life had been filled with so many new experiences. She was rarely bored.
"…"
Looking back on it. I didn't do much when I lived in the monastery, did I? I would wake up early, tend to the plants, and practice my sword. Most days, I was free from any duty, as the clerical duties were mostly handled by the others.
I had time to study magic and research all I wanted, but Kei would come and check up on me to make sure I wasn't overworking myself.
"…"
Kei… I miss you.
Even though Amethely's days had been fulfilling over the past months, she couldn't help but feel lonely sometimes. While rare, she felt that way even when Alum was around.
Over the past eight years, Keilyn had been on her side, and for that to suddenly become just a few times a month made her realize just how emotionally dependent she was on her best friend, and that feeling only grew stronger when Alum wasn't around.
Just like now. The loneliness surfaced like a tidal wave again when her feet suddenly stopped at the beach.
Under the moonlit ocean, waves crashed on the shore. The scent of the ocean stung her nostrils. But that wasn't what left her with the indescribable feelings.
A picnic blanket was sprawled out on the sand. Two girls sat there quietly. A petite girl with black and silver hair held a book in her hand, reading while leaning on the girl with white hair and an enviable figure.
Amethely had known Luna and Miu had gotten close, but to this extent, she didn't know. Even though she was a little lonely herself, her lips couldn't help but curl toward her now-relaxed eyes at the sight.
Then, Luna soon spotted Amethely. She waved at her, and so did Miu, who turned to see who Luna waved at. Amethely returned the gesture and continued her walk as if not to disturb them.
…
..
—Present Day: Ilifelen calendar, year 5212, Hishen, 20th
It was an ordinary morning in Ilifel, as usual. The bustling metropolis was filled with life and noise that one could forget there were quiet places in these lively districts.
The bell rang as a customer walked through the door. Instantly, they were greeted by a homey scent of wood, tea, and coffee. The wooden plank floors and the retro decor aesthetics reminded Miu of one of those old fancy cafés.
Café Lestia was one of those referral cafés. As for how she got the invitation… well, she happened to run into the café's owner, Bettlon.
That day had been fairly normal, except for her hanging out with Chely alone.
Chely wanted to learn more about girly stuff, and Miu was the most girly girl Chely was close to and knew.
Amethely had also been an option for this, but she didn't want to appear less reliable as an older sister in front of her younger sister. It was an older sister's pride, after all.
That they, both of them, had gone out incognito, so Chely got to try a bunch of different styles. Chely also got to learn a lot about Noel at the time, but mostly only surface stuff, since Miu figured it would be more fun for Chely to discover more about Noel's preferences herself.
And while they were in line to try a new item in a popular sweet stall, they ran into Bettlon, who'd been out shopping and now craved something sweet and new ideas.
He instantly recognized Chely but didn't say anything. Chely was clearly flustered by how easily she'd been seen, though.
Miu wondered how, of course. After all, Chely was in a frilly dress and had a bunch of cute animal accessories. Even her hair/eye color was different. The eyes had gone from light green gems to red-pink. And her hair had gone from pale ash brown, almost gray, to vibrant sky blue.
In her opinion, Chely, with this look, was simply adorable, no questions asked.
Someone she knows? Has he seen through her? How? Noel wouldn't want to hear this, but I bet he wouldn't be able to figure Chely out, especially in this getup, Miu thought.
Just as that crossed her mind, she met the stranger's eyes.
"Hello. Are you Miss's friend?"
"H-Hello?" Being suddenly called out, Miu couldn't help but stammer. "Yes, we're friends," she answered somewhat clumsily.
"I see." He pondered for a second before turning to Chely, whose face was completely red, then turned back to Miu. "My name is Bettlon. I own a café. Your friends frequent it sometimes, but since we have a single-person invite rule, the customer base isn't that big. How about you swing by sometimes? It's an invitation from me, of course, so the rule doesn't apply, haha."
Miu was a little surprised, then inevitably nodded.
"Here," Bettlon said, handing her a card.
"Thank you."
Having received the card, Miu turned to Chely, and so did Bettlon.
"Miss, I'll make some special preparations for your date, kay?" Bettlon winked.
"…"
Chely could only nod in reply.
After parting ways, Miu just had to ask about the café owner. Curious as to why Chely reacted the way she did.
"Ne, ne, Chellichi, who was that? And what was this thing about a date?" Miu inquired, her red eyes sparkly.
"…" Chely winced a little before averting her eyes. "That was the café owner of Café Lestia. A few years back, Keilyn invited me, and that's how I got to know the owner." She heaved a sigh. "The last time I visited the place was when you first arrived in Ilifel."
"Huh? Then? What was this date plan about? Don't tell me you and Noel were already… like that back then? Kyaa~! And you just met!"
For some inexplicable reason, Chely couldn't figure out why Miu had started to swoon and blush. However, she could tell she was happy for them.
"Ahem…" Chely cleared her throat. "Actually, that day, I went to check up on Amethely, but she had gone to the park, and since she wasn't with Keilyn, I assumed she wanted to be alone. Keilyn and I then went out to catch up, waiting for her to return to the monastery."
"…"
Miu couldn't help but smile warmly as Chely began to explain.
Are you starting from all the way there? she thought, unable to contain a chuckle since she found her sweet.
"So… when we were at the café, Keilyn noticed me being a little different, and since we weren't using a private room, Mr. Bettlon let a remark slip that made Keilyn barrage me with questions, leading her to learn about Noel."
Chely paused, fidgeting as her feet drew circles on the ground before continuing.
"And so… if there was a day I managed to charm Noel, the owner promised me to make something special if I took him there for a date using my one invite…"
And when she finally looked up, Miu's elbow leaned on the closest wall, clenching her chest.
"I don't know whether to cringe hearing all this about my childhood friend or be happy—är det båda? Eller???" she murmured to herself, leaving Chely utterly bewildered.
Now, back to the present, Miu entered the café for the first time; she had invited Luna, who seemed down since yesterday. She'd tried to comfort her in various ways, but it didn't work. But Luna, being the sweets lover she was, being able to go into an exclusive café would be something even she couldn't turn down. Surely this would lift her mood. Surely!
However… Miu ran into someone unexpected.
Luna, who was right behind her, peeked through the gap between Miu and the door. There, she saw a man with white hair and blue eyes.
"A—"
Just as Miu was about to mention his name, only a single vowel came out. She shook her head and puffed her cheeks.
"So you're here too, Mr. Bully?"
"Hmph." Alester glanced at her. He almost chuckled, which left Bettlon speechless. Then, in a calm and almost indifferent tone, he said, "I'm a regular. Of course I'm here."
"That so?" Miu huffed but then turned to the owner. "Hello, Owner, I came with a friend. The card said I could invite one person, so I did!" she beamed.
Hearing her call out to him with such a bright smile, Bettlon snapped out of his brief daze. "Why, yes, I'm glad. Please, take a seat," he replied warmly.
But just as they were about to walk past Alester, Luna stopped and looked at him. Alester returned the gesture with blue, frostbitten eyes.
Luna involuntarily gulped. As a soldier, she was good at measuring strength, but even so, she didn't feel anything from Alester. Even knowing he might be a god, she should at least feel something from him, but not sensing anything at all made it all the more eerie.
But even so… even if this was an audacious request, Luna did not want to lose a precious friend. Ever since she heard about it from her uncle yesterday, she hasn't been able to think of anything else.
"If… possible. Please." Luna looked him in the eyes, finding herself being stared down like she was an insignificant insect on the roadside. "Please find Al…"
But as those words escaped her lips, Miu's eyes widened, but before she was able to utter a word, another person jumped out of their seat, their amethyst-pink eyes shaken.
"What? Luna, what? What do you mean by "find Al?!""
In an instant, the girl who'd quietly gazed out the window in one of the booths nearby approached.
""Ame…?""
Both Miu and Luna were surprised to see Amethely there; worse, she heard Luna ask Alester to find Alum.
But just as the girls could ask more questions, the reality around them began to crack, catching them all off guard.
"Very well, I'll indulge that wish," Alester said coolly.
And before any of them had time to process any of it, they found themselves in a dark space where pillars stretched into the endless dark above.
"""...."""
Amethely conjured light. The three looked at one another, stretching the silence on until they heard the buzz of something approaching. And from the sound of it, it was a swarm.
Instantly, Luna materialized a runeblade and a gun; meanwhile, Amethely summoned [Celestial Construct]. At the same time, her outing attire disintegrated into light, turning into light and easy-to-move clothes.
"…"
Miu, on the other hand, stood there awkwardly as she still hadn't caught up on the situation.
Mou… what is this?! she exclaimed inwardly before materializing her divine weapon, [Pure Feather's Edge].
..
Meanwhile, Noel and Boail found themselves in front of the entrance to the ruin.
"Are you ready, cadet?" Boail asked.
The other soldiers stared at Noel; some knew him but weren't too familiar with him. Keeping a rookie around was a detriment to their force, but they also knew his usefulness.
"I am, Sir."
Noel took a deep breath and steeled himself. He was going to rescue his best friend, but little did he know that Miu, his childhood friend, was already ahead of him, accompanied by a saint and a princess.
…
..
Deep inside the ruin, the group has tried various ways to find a way out, yet nothing has come of it. The idea was to climb the tower or explore the surrounding area.
However…
"Strange, is Captain not waking up?" Viona asked the other two.
It has been around 5 hours since Alum fell asleep. He'd returned with Aetlise, the S-rank, when he, Jan, and Lyn went out to inspect the rising smoke.
"Hmm…"
Soliette, feeling mischievous, approached Alum. But just as she was about to poke him, Ottah grabbed her by the scruff.
"What are you doing, elf?"
"Mh, I just wanted to poke the Cap a little; what's the harm?"
"I've called out to him, but it doesn't seem to work…" Viona sighed.
"See?" Soliette smugly grinned. "Don't worry! I'll shake him awake!"
"…"
Well… I guess she can take the blame if he wakes up angry, Ottah sighed inwardly as he released her.
And yet… even after being shaken vigorously by Soliette, Alum did not wake up.
"""..."""
The three looked at one another, and it dawned on them—something wasn't right.
In a rush, Ottah scooped Alum up and carried him, rushing over toward the others. And sensing the severity of the situation, Emerine and Ethym froze.
Aetlise watched with wide eyes as they sought to find the cause, but to no avail. He still had brain activity, but it was low. He's alive and still breathing, but there was no sign of consciousness.
Seeing this, something sharp struck her heart. And for some reason, Alum's face overlapped with the face of Al, even though she didn't know what Al looked like; their sleeping face overlapped.
"Get away from him." Before she knew what to do, a cold voice escaped her lips. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
Mana enveloped the area, and those who couldn't handle the intensity fell unconscious.
Swift on her feet, Sarah had directed a sword toward Aetlies, and so did the other parties and soldiers, blocking her way toward Alum.
"S-rank. What's the meaning of this?" Sarah scorned.
"You're in the way!" Aetlise exclaimed and blasted them with a starburst.
Lyn and the others erected a barrier instantly, but even before the blast connected, it dissipated, leaving them stunned as they watched rising frustration on the girl's face.
At that moment, it became clear to them. Aetlise didn't want to hurt Alum in the off chance their barriers didn't hold.
Aetlise's mana levels instantly dropped. "Let me through." She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "Please…" she muttered, eyes sorrowful.
"We cannot," Turen said sternly.
But before he could properly scold the S-rank, Sarah shrugged.
"Why not? She's calmed down. Besides… he's awake"
At her words, everyone turned around. Alum was on his feet, but something was clearly different about him. His eyes had turned blue, and his hair was pure white.
"Greetings. My name is Monochrome," the youth said, lacking any emotion. "Alum Miller has fallen into a deep slumber. Sensing danger, "I" awakened."
The youth then slowly approached Aetlise with the watchful eyes of the others.
"Liss, huh? Nice to finally meet you, Al's first friend."
…
..
While the cadets were in the middle of training, Princess Luna and a man who looked just like Alum swept their attention like a storm.
After things were made clear, their saint was crouched down on the floor, covering her face. Of course, many of the recruits weren't too happy with Alum's declaration.
Because if they were to believe such nonsense, that would mean that their pure saint could have feelings for such a man.
Alum Miller, in their eyes, was just an average guy. During the drills, he'd fall behind slightly; his magic wasn't impressive, nor were his weapon skills.
The only thing he had going for him was his good looks and that he was close to the leaders, Miu, Noel, Emely, Ottah, Soliette, and Viona. Not to mention that he dated one of them, that being Nanase Miu, a girl who'd essentially taken the base by storm due to her popularity and skills.
And now he's saying that, back in his world, he dated the saint? Ridiculous. Miu had been a stretch, but Amethely? No chance.
Sure, Miu had been out of his league, but they were friends even before the spatial quake took them to this world. He might've been a genius back in his world, but he didn't show any of that here. Some even thought Miu would leave him eventually.
But even those who found him lacking thought it was rather cool that he took the kiss back, however weird it was.
"Hey, Alum!"
Suddenly, Soliette called out to the native Alum.
"What is it?"
"You're pretty cool, huh?" she said, grinning as she put out her fist. "Still, are you going to let them talk behind your back like this? Why don't you stop holding back? Don't you pity Miu? She has to constantly hear how average her boyfriend is in this elite unit."
Alum frowned. "Well, that guy is here," he said, looking at the mirror image of himself. "There's no point in me watching, considering how he's with the princess and all."
"Then why don't you request a duel? Aren't you curious how strong the other you are?" Noel asked, grinning, but then turned back to see how Chely was comforting Amethely while glaring at the other Alum.
"Hmph." Alum shrugged. "I suppose I'll show off a little," he said.
Knowing how the other me trusts the princess and the saint made me realize I might've been too cautious of this world. I was aware they're decent people, but… the cat's out of the bag either way.
Thus, with steady steps, Alum walked toward Alum. Miu watched with cautious eyes while Chely curiously gazed at him.
"Alum Miller. Have a spar with me," he said.
At his words, the crowd began to murmur. Wondering if it would be interesting to watch, considering how average one of them was. Sure, they knew that their Alum was okay, but what about the parallel Alum? Now that piqued their interest.
"Just call me Ailz instead," Ailz replied, his hair shifting from jet-black to pale-gray.
Seeing the shift before them, the spectators couldn't help but be surprised.
"…Got it, Ailz."
"So? Why do you want to spar all of a sudden?"
Alum grinned. "To show off to Miu, of course."
"…" Ailz stood there, bewildered.
Did I take after Noel too much in this world? I don't know how to feel about that…
While he thought something along those lines, he knew there was probably another reason.
Miu, however, blushed and hit his arm. "M-Mou! What are you saying!? Isn't he just going to beat you up? Look at him; he has custom attire and insignia; he was clearly respected enough to earn it back in his world!"
Alum's eye twitched. 'Beat me up?' he thought while frowning.
In that instant, everyone there froze. They'd been too caught up in the whole ordeal to notice, but what Miu said was true.
Luna, Amethely, Chely and Noel were the only ones not surprised. Chely knew Alum was holding back, and so did Luna and Amethely. And Noel knew Alum was no joke, considering how effortlessly he'd handled things before coming into contact with inhabitants of this world.
Naturally, Alum knew his skills better than anyone, even if it was a slightly different version of him.
"Sigh… got it," Ailz finally agreed.
..
When Amethely heard that there was going to be a duel between Alum and Ailz, who proclaimed to be the fiancé of her other self, she was curious.
She knew that Alum was decently strong, but he was never a show-off, so many probably assumed he couldn't keep up.
Before she knew it, everyone had their eyes on the two, forgetting they were still in training. But because neither Chely nor Luna stopped it, it proceeded smoothly. After all, they were probably just as curious as the others were.
The two were inside a barrier, and both wore a badge per sparring rules. Once the badge broke, the spar would be over.
Alum unsheathing the rune sword and pointing it towards Ailz, the air around him was different from all the other times he'd dueled someone.
Ailz, on the other hand, just stood there.
"Aren't you going to draw your weapon?" Alum asked.
"About that…"
Ailz materialized Depth Cutter, and once he did, the shards fell to the ground, making a metallic noise. The only part of the short sword that had been intact was the small edge close to the hilt.
"I see," Alum replied.
But just as he requested the duel to start, the shards began to tremble as threads of mana pulled the broken pieces together, yet there were gaps as the shards levitated in proximity to one another.
"Is that a feature?" Alum asked out of curiosity.
In the distance, Amethely's eyes sparkled; she could tell it was a magitech, but it was unconventional and not very effective to make a sword out of shards held together by mana.
"No. It broke, but I couldn't bring myself to discard it," Ailz replied, casting a subtle glance towards Amethely.
Meeting his gaze and hearing those words, Amethely's eyes widened as she felt her face grow hot all of a sudden.
Did the other me make it for him? She wondered; her head spun with ideas. But when she took a closer look, the broken mana circuits inside the shards did look like something she'd make.
"I see… Ready?" Alum asked, then tapped the badge on his chest.
"Ready," Ailz replied, mimicking the gesture.
—Boom!
In an instant, Alum appeared behind Ailz, his sword coated in blue, crackling lightning. And just as the strike was about to hit, Ailz's instant [Abyssal Depth] sheath shattered, slowing down the accelerated blade.
Ailz was then able to steer the blade's trajectory with the broken Depth Cutter in a swift motion and spun around to kick Alum.
Alum instantly stopped the advance and blinked in front of Ailz, but during that acceleration, he'd crashed into a small abyssal sheath the size of a playing card. He gasped and distanced himself.
"Haaaah… ugh… haa…"
Ailz looked at him with indifferent eyes; he was in combat mode and was focused on winning.
Everyone who saw the less-than-a-second exchanges was surprised. Some could barely keep up, but for those who could… they were left rather impressed by the two.
Ailz was a mage, and Alum's sword was way faster than they thought. Some even doubted they'd be able to counter in time.
"Well, I'm not surprised," Chely commented. "Ailz seems to be used to fighting opponents stronger than him. And from the looks of it, it isn't the same for Alum Miller."
Hearing those words made Luna oddly happy. After all, Ailz seemed a bit too used to fighting lightning swordsmen, and she knew that the other her were good friends with him; thus, she could only conclude they must've sparred a lot for him to be able to counter the way he did.
Because…
I'm glad… if the other me was able to be close to someone, then I too… can…
Amidst the tense duel, nobody paid her any attention, thus missing sight of her precious smile. All except for Amethely.
Why… is Princess Luna smiling like that while looking at him… why? D-Don't tell me… with Princess Luna? While claiming to be lovey-dovey with the other me? I-I mean… he seems close with the princess and apparently was close enough with Miu to let the accidental kiss happen… was he a flirt?
While Amethely's thoughts went in a strange direction, Alum glared at Ailz, trying to find an opening.
Why isn't he attacking?
He didn't assume they'd have the same fighting style, but for Ailz to be a complete mage instead of a magic swordsman like him caught him off guard.
Besides that, Ailz barely used any mana, but it was so efficient that there hadn't been a need, thus revealing how much of a gap there was between them when it came to magic.
But that was all there was to it; Alum adapted fast, and just in the brief exchange, he thought of a better way to fight Ailz.
Meanwhile…
Kgh…
Ailz's body was burning from intense heat. His mana foundation cracked even more. His body screamed for him to rest, and his skin began to tear as blood seeped out.
—Clang-clang-clang…
Just like that, the mana threads weren't able to keep Depth Cutter intact, and the heavy shards crashed down onto the floor with great force.
"Huh?"
Everyone, including Alum, was caught off guard, seeing as Ailz began to bleed from his nose and skin.
"Guh…"
Moments later, blood gushed out of his mouth.
Before Amethely and the other healers could rush over to treat him, Ailz began to laugh. "Pffts… ha… hahaha… pathetic… how pathetic am I to be reduced to this state…" he remarked as if the pain was nothing to him.
Just like that, he collapsed to his knees.
"…"
Alum could only stand there and watch in shock. He knew he'd been outmatched by Ailz, but to see another him be reduced to a lethal state of his own doing made his skin crawl.
—KABOOM!
But before anyone realized it, the whole training facility shook, and cracks began to appear throughout the structure, metal pillars bent, and materials began to float.
"But even so," Ailz got to his feet; blood ran down his eyes.
"You've always been on top, having never fought anyone stronger than you… You're intelligent, arrogant, and powerful. Yet you've grown utterly weak, Alum Miller."
He staggered, then continued to speak as each step crushed the barrier and metal beneath his feet.
"So weak you can't even beat a demigod's subordinate, so weak you end up in another world again, and so weak you fear you won't ever make it back," he said before adding, "So make sure you don't end up like me," in a more chilling tone.
He raised his hand; instantly, the barriers cracked as the loud boom echoed throughout the facility.
Crackle—BOOM!
Alum was found crashed into the barrier; his badge was broken, and he gasped for air.
A psionic outburst…? You…? Didn't you lose most of your original powers too? He wondered, seeing as the rampant psychic energy ravaged the area.
But in the same instant, without any delay, Chely had restrained Ailz, hands behind his back, his face kissing the floor, and her knee against his back.
"Don't resist," she sternly said.
"I won't," Ailz sighed.
In just a moment, the wounds all over Ailz's body began to regenerate, and he appeared uninjured, except for being covered in blood. Even Chely was taken aback by the regenerative ability, eventually letting him go and walking away as Luna and healers approached.
"I'm fine, go tend to him," he said, standing back up as he nudged them towards Alum.
He then heaved yet another deep sigh.
"Here." Luna approached him and tapped him on the cheek with a handkerchief.
"Thank you, Luna."
Why isn't she casting cleansing magic? He wondered, but wasn't going to linger on it.
Meanwhile, Alum was surrounded by healers and the other recruits.
"Geez, I told you not to be reckless!" Miu puffed her cheeks and sulked.
"Sorry…" Alum placed a hand on her cheek. "I didn't think I'd be beaten that badly," he chuckled.
"… Please save your flirting for another time," Viona sighed, exasperated that he still had the energy to flirt.
"But I'm impressed. I see you in another light, Alum Miller," Ottah joined in.
"Yeah, same here!" some of the other recruits added.
"Sorry…" Alum apologized sincerely. "I had my reason."
"Hmph, even so, we're elites; don't think you can overtake us that easily by showing some promise," Ottah scoffed.
"Hahaha, you heard that, Al? No more resting on your laurels!"
"Mm…" Alum sulked. "Thanks for the snide remark, Noel."
"Pffts!"
At his reply, everyone burst out laughing.
"…"
"They seem to be getting along," Luna said, watching them from a distance.
"They are…" Ailz replied, his eyes then began to wander toward the girl who awkwardly stood close by. "Is there something on your mind, Saint Amethely?"
"O-oh… um… No? Wait, that's not it! Are you okay?" she asked as she closed the gap. "Your mana foundation is broken, isn't it? Why were you so reckless? You could've died!"
"…" Luna's eyes widened upon hearing those words. "Is that… true? Is your mana foundation broken?"
Ailz shrugged. "Yeah, it completely broke just now."
"Are you stupid? You must be, right? That's not something to shrug off!"
"Don't worry, I'm fine, Ame—I mean, Lady Saint. Even without a mana foundation… you can tell, can't you? I'm more than capable without the use of magic."
Even with barely any psionic energy, I'll be fine. As a mage, I'm just slightly above average in this world. Using mana is similar to using psionic energy, but I'm nowhere near as good as the native elite mages when it comes to mana manipulation.
"Mmngh! Don't look at me with those gentle eyes! I-I'm not your Ame…" Amethely averted her eyes, her cheeks slightly puffed.
"I know."
Amethely glared at him. "Hey… Why didn't you show me the sword instead of revealing something that embarrassing?" Still sulking about it, she had to ask… it wasn't because she was curious or anything, nope, not at all.
"I showed you a photo. If I showed you the sword, you'd likely think, "Oh my! The magic inscriptions and circuits look like something I would make, but it's still not enough evidence!" or something along those lines," Alum said in a flat tone as he shrugged.
"Th-th-th-th-tha-that's—okay… leave it at that." Amethely covered her face. "Meanie," she added.
For a moment, Alum blankly stared at her. "…That's something she often said too," he said, chuckling with a genuine smile.
"…"
Watching the two banter back and forth, Luna clutched her chest; a dull ache settled in, and she felt tears welling in her eyes.
Why… does my chest hurt? she pondered.
SS:
"Uh… Master? Was it okay to send them off like that?" Bettlon reluctantly asked.
Alester shrugged. "I wonder?" he said.
At his master's reckless remark, Bettlon's eyebrow twitched.
Even after fifty thousand years, I still don't understand him… sometimes, when he acts on a whim like this, I wonder if there's an actual reason or just a whim…
A/N: Well, you guys know me by now; I'm a spontaneous uploader XD