Regarding Trigger's invitation, Andrew, who naturally hadn't broken the harmonious atmosphere and wasn't in a rush time-wise, had no reason to refuse.
Following Trigger's lead, they arrived at a side room furnished with a sofa for receiving guests. Only then did Trigger gesture for Andrew to take a seat.
Once Andrew sat down, she spoke up to inquire:
"Apologies. Since this is a temporary garrison, we don't have many beverages for guests. There is only tea, coffee, juice, and hot milk."
Oh?
Andrew hadn't expected the variety of beverages equipped in this military camp to be so rich. To have this many types in a newly established garrison?
However, just as this thought arose, Andrew saw the reality.
With practiced movements, in this tent where the lighting wasn't very bright, she naturally pulled out four bags of instant powder with different colors from a storage cabinet to the side.
That skilled appearance... one could tell at a glance this wasn't her first time doing this.
Subsequently, she shook those bags of instant powder in her hand in front of Andrew and asked again:
"Is there anything you'd like to drink?"
And what was labeled on those powders were exactly the types Trigger had just asked about.
Alright.
Sure enough, he shouldn't have held too many inexplicable expectations for the beverages equipped in a military camp.
After casually selecting the hot milk, which was the most normal and least likely to go wrong, Andrew looked at Trigger, who was still wearing that eye mask resembling sunglasses even in this dimly lit room.
Unable to hold back his curiosity, he couldn't help but ask:
"By the way, back at the command center, I faintly felt it... were you watching me the whole time?"
"And this time you specifically waited for my arrival at the door. Is there something you need from me?"
Hearing these words, Trigger couldn't help but tilt her head slightly.
The meticulously combed golden ponytail bounced gently with her movement, drawing a perfect arc in the air.
Trigger, who had completely not expected her gaze to be detected, had the lights on her eye mask light up with an orange glow representing shock in the next instant.
Subsequently, she covered her lips lightly in some embarrassment and said in surprise:
"My, should I say, as expected of a legendary Hunter of Agents? I thought my movements were concealed enough, but I didn't expect to still be discovered?"
However, regarding Andrew's question, Trigger just shook her head and said:
"But I actually didn't have any specific purpose in looking for you. The reason I noticed you in the command center earlier was actually because..."
Speaking to this point, Trigger lowered her voice and spoke in a tone that only Andrew in front of her could hear clearly:
"Because of your Proxy, Belle."
"Hmm?!"
The moment he heard Belle's name, Andrew instantly became alert.
She didn't use the title, but said the name Belle?!
What is this?
A demonstration of power?
One had to know that during this assistance to the Defense Force, he had never revealed Belle's name. Yet, this sniper in front of him actually said it directly!
At this moment, Andrew's fingers couldn't stop starting to tremble slightly.
This wasn't because of nervousness, but because of his worry for Belle. He was subconsciously considering whether to take action directly to forcibly subdue the other party, and then rely on his strength to forcibly figure out exactly where the secret was leaked.
Wait until he figured it out, then based on whether Belle was currently safe, consider whether to follow this line directly and make everyone unable to speak ever again.
And the instant Trigger's voice fell, she felt herself being locked onto.
Based on the aura Andrew displayed, guessing that her words just now had likely caused some misunderstanding, she unhesitatingly raised both hands to her sides immediately to show her harmlessness.
At the same time, she quickly explained verbally:
"Sorry, I might not have spoken clearly. The reason I know is actually that I am an old friend of Belle and Wise from long ago."
"Before I accepted the invitation to become a member of the Obols Squad, Belle and the others had just moved to Sixth Street not long before."
In order to reassure Andrew, Trigger quickly added a sentence:
"Rest assured, I haven't told anyone about Belle's intelligence, including my friends currently in the Obols Squad."
Don't blame Trigger for acting so submissively.
If anyone else were locked onto by a Void Hunter-level powerhouse, being able to explain the situation clearly so quickly and methodically could already be said to show strong psychological quality.
It was just that, regarding Trigger's words, Andrew didn't choose to believe them immediately.
He couldn't help but frown slightly, asking somewhat suspiciously:
"How can you prove it?"
Feeling Andrew's lock on her weaken, Trigger couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief slightly. Subsequently, she said with a touch of complex emotion:
"You can confirm it directly with Belle."
When mentioning sad matters, Trigger couldn't help but feel somewhat downcast.
But she still said seriously:
"The code name I used when cooperating with them was 'Chiron,' the code name of my original squad captain. We cooperated together to solve the serial killer targeting the Defense Force, Vulture."
But many years had passed, and she had never had any contact with them.
Although she had always been concerned about them, since so much time had passed, whether Belle still remembered her was probably an unknown.
Harboring hope, Trigger asked Andrew, who was confirming with Belle through Knock-Knock:
"I wonder if Belle and the others still have an impression?"
And what didn't disappoint her was...
Very quickly, the inquiry Andrew sent out through Knock-Knock received Belle's incomparably excited confirmation. Following closely right after was a bombardment of text messages curious about Trigger's current situation.
Then, Andrew, feeling that the current situation didn't seem quite suitable to talk to Belle, changed the topic and promised to tell her everything after he went back.
Until the very end, Belle was still constantly sending calls, asking Andrew to tell Trigger that she could come to the video store on Sixth Street to hang out with her when she was free.
Finally managing to get Belle to calm down, only then did Andrew, having confirmed that it was his misunderstanding, gradually relax again.
Looking at Trigger, who had just put down her raised hands, Andrew apologized with some embarrassment:
"Sorry, Miss Trigger. Just now, I overreacted because of preconceived notions."
Trigger, however, didn't show any intention of being angry from beginning to end.
Not only that, she actually felt even more pleasantly surprised that Belle still remembered her.
Regarding Andrew's apology, she just shook her head gently and continued to speak very gently:
"It doesn't matter. Rather, seeing that you care so much about Belle's safety makes me very happy instead."
Looking at how incomparably reasonable the other party was, Andrew sat on the sofa he had only taken a seat on after Trigger's earlier invitation.
He couldn't help but feel even more awkward.
Sitting somewhat uneasily, his eyes darted around, and he began attempting to shift the topic:
"Uh... speaking of which, Trigger, doesn't wearing an eye mask all the time in a dimly lit room like this indoors affect your vision?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing this, Trigger couldn't help but be somewhat surprised.
But very quickly, she realized she had never told Andrew what her real situation was. For someone meeting her for the first time, asking this question was actually quite normal.
So she shook her head to deny it, then replied very seriously:
"No, it won't~"
"Because my eyes suffered from Ether corruption, my vision has already deteriorated to the point where it has almost completely disappeared. So even wearing an eye mask won't affect it!"
?
Vision deteriorated to the point of almost disappearing... wouldn't that be no different from a blind person?
No! Why is it that every time he tries to make small talk with someone when there's nothing to say, the first sentence he tries to use to strike up a conversation steps on a landmine?!
What kind of mine-clearing expert is he?!
But then again, since she has no vision, isn't Trigger really a blind sniper?
Blind person, sniper.
How exactly do these two words combine together?!
No wonder he couldn't feel a gaze at all back in the command center. Turns out the true reason is that there was no line of sight at all?!!
Looking at the other party's expression, which looked as usual, and her incomparably skilled brewing movements, Andrew only reacted with hindsight.
Wait, why is this Obols Squad so bad? Letting a person with no vision brew things!
Just as he wanted to stand up and take over to help, he suddenly heard Trigger, who was clearly facing away from him the whole time, speak up:
"Ah, there is no need to give special care because of my vision."
As the hand pouring the hot water lifted gently, the water level of the brewed milk in the cup could be said to be incomparably perfect.
Perfect to the point that it didn't look like it was brewed by a person without vision.
Placing this cup of hot milk in front of Andrew, Trigger then continued to explain:
"Although my vision suffered a large degree of deterioration because of Ether corruption sustained during a previous battle..."
"However, this also allowed me to train a sense of hearing and touch that is extremely acute compared to ordinary people because of it."
Saying this, she gently gestured for Andrew to taste it, while continuing to speak:
"So in daily life, I am almost no longer affected by my vision."
Picking up the milk and tasting a mouthful lightly, Andrew discovered it was indeed as Trigger said.
This cup of hot milk—whether in temperature or concentration—was controlled perfectly. Perfect to the point that it really didn't look like something a person without vision could brew.
And looking at this appearance, it didn't look like the proficiency one would have from doing it just once or twice occasionally.
Looking at Trigger's proficiency in taking care of people...
Could it be that in this Obols Squad, Trigger, who is blind, has always been the one responsible for taking care of the others?
Could this be the legendary 'They didn't treat me as a disabled person, but they didn't treat me as a human either'?
Listening to Andrew's sighs, Trigger felt a little embarrassed for a moment and said:
"This is actually something I do voluntarily."
"After all, ever since Old Sid went dormant, Captain Ghostfire in the current Obols Squad has no way to take care of others in daily life. Orpheus and Sid are children in terms of mind and daily life. Unknowingly, it just..."
Looking at Trigger's appearance of enjoying it, Andrew roughly understood why he hadn't noticed it before.
Usually, the others in the Obols Squad never treated her as a blind person, and coupled with the fact that her performance in ordinary actions was almost completely consistent with ordinary people... It was no wonder he hadn't realized it before.
Although the doubts regarding daily life were resolved, another doubt was not.
This made Andrew unable to resist continuing to ask:
"Then, during the interception battle earlier, your movements in combat could be performed so smoothly, and you could even achieve sniping targets hundreds or thousands of meters away amidst so many Ethereals."
"Could that also be because of your excellent hearing and touch?"
Hearing Andrew's very straightforward praise.
Trigger couldn't help but freeze for a moment, then immediately shook her head and said:
"Ah, it isn't. I should say, that can only be said to be a part of it..."
Accompanying the lights on her mask lighting up slightly with a pink glow, Trigger continued to explain:
"At the same time my eyes became like this, I also obtained a relatively special ability."
As if to prove her words were not false, Trigger reached out directly and grabbed Andrew's hand, which was attempting to wave chaotically in front of her eyes to verify if she really couldn't see.
Subsequently, she continued:
"Although I can't see most things clearly, I can see the Ether fluctuations emitted by nearby humans, Ethereals, and even objects."
"I call this ability 'Ether Vision.'"
Hearing Trigger's explanation, Andrew also couldn't help but widen his eyes slightly.
This kind of visual method of observing through the energy on other existences' bodies... why did it sound like it had an inexplicably familiar feeling...?
But this also made Andrew unable to help but sigh with emotion:
"Such eyes should be able to be of much use on the battlefield for a sniper... and to be honest, that sounds really cool."
"Cool... is it? That is really the first time I've heard such a description."
Hearing Andrew's evaluation, Trigger's face couldn't stop revealing a smile of emotion, as if she recalled something through this answer.
It was just that, very quickly.
Andrew's next question completely exceeded her expectations, so much so that it directly made her somewhat stunned.
"Since that's the case... just in case I do a bad deed out of good intentions, I think I should still ask for your thoughts."
Speaking to this point.
Regarding this friend of Belle, Andrew's expression had already become extremely serious.
He looked at Trigger and opened his mouth to ask a question that had never been asked since she lost her vision.
"Do you feel that recovering normal vision is more suitable for you, or is this current visual method more to your liking?"
"What?!"
This question was too sudden, so much so that she couldn't help but feel somewhat at a loss.
Ever since she lost her vision, questions related to visual methods had disappeared from Trigger's world.
Except for the malicious mockery from her enemies, attempting to disturb her shooting hand by ridiculing her as a blind person.
All her friends and teammates, even if they knew she didn't mind, would without exception choose to deliberately avoid topics about the feelings before losing her vision.
But Andrew asked it.
And in Trigger's perception, she didn't detect the slightest malice.
The heartbeat coming into her ears had been peaceful and steady from beginning to end, never generating any emotional fluctuation because of this question.
As if he was really just purely asking for her thoughts.
But the hidden meaning expressed in these words caused Trigger's hands, which as a sniper had always been incomparably stable in the face of any situation, to uncontrollably show a trace of trembling.
Andrew's words proposed a possibility that she had completely lost after the fall of the Old Capital, and placed it together with the status quo in front of her.
Asking her which one she was actually more inclined towards with a casualness, yet carrying unparalleled credibility.
This was a multiple-choice question.
A multiple-choice question that had never appeared in her life before.
After all, whether in the past or now, all damage suffered by a human body when subjected to Ether corruption was completely irreversible.
So after that war ended—a war she didn't wish to mention again even now...
Facing these eyes that had almost completely lost their vision due to Ether corruption, regardless of whether she was willing or not, the only thing she could do was strive to accept and adapt to it.
This was a scar forcibly bestowed by fate.
She had once lived in a muddle for many years because of hallucinations seen due to excessive longing after losing her vision, and later reconciled with it during the battle with Vulture with the help of Phaethon, her first friend after losing her teammates.
But, a scar is a scar. Its essence will not shift because of personal thoughts.
Reconciling with it was, in the final analysis, just choosing to accept and tolerate it; it could not change the true meaning it represented essentially to the holder.
____
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