Chapter 60 - Promises to Keep [2]
「You mean to tell me that some brats managed to escape from a Type Zero Domain alive?」
"I can guarantee you this information once you meet her."
In a dimly lit space, he lowered his head in respect to the person standing before him.
「Hmm~? Once I meet her, you say. If someone like you is saying this, then they must really be interesting.」
—Tinkle Tinkle!
The person in the hologram spun their wine glass around.
Their coat fluttered under the dim office light, illuminated by the orange sunset streaming through the window.
「Orion, did you pass her our emblem?」
"Yes, I trust I made the right choice."
「...Hmm, as long as it's used at the right time, it's possible.」
The silhouette stood up from the table and gazed out the window at what remained of the land.
A once flourishing territory—now reduced to a deserted wasteland.
Trestkania.
「You're cruel. Are you certain she'll survive the trip without you?」
"That… no. It's something she will inevitably encounter with her determination."
「And why is that?」
"Children will always find themselves facing obstacles they cannot confront directly."
Orion stood up and gazed at his superior on the hologram.
A fearless, all-knowing genius he both revered and feared.
An Overseer.
Orion locked eyes with them, who were smirking as if they understood everything.
In a world that's about to end, those who prevail until the very end were those who willingly stepped into insanity.
And in Orion's eyes, Aria was one of them.
"…That's right, children are never at fault."
He faced a mirror and gently touched the scars that had accumulated over the years.
Each scar was large enough to make it feel as if he had been caught in a shredder, only for the skin to heal over time.
“—It's us, the adults," he clenched his hands.
His superior had already left in silence.
Whether or not Aria holds the key to ending all of this...
"May the god who has forsaken humanity fall."
…
…
—Ring Ring Ring!
"Umgah…" I yawned and rolled over to the other side of the bed, hoping to get more sleep.
—Ring Ring Ring!
Trying to ruin my blissful sleep, my alarm blared loudly, disturbing my slumber.
"Fine, fine..."
—Tink!
I turned off the alarm and sat up, my thoughts empty.
If I could see myself in a mirror, I would probably burst into laughter at how ridiculous I looked.
This feels like déjà vu... hehe... heh...
—Ah.
"Wait a minute… isn't today…!" I suddenly jolted awake, panicking as I checked the time.
After a rude awakening, I rubbed my eyes and glanced at my phone, feeling relieved after I checked that I wasn't in a hurry.
"Nevermind, today isn't garbage day, thank god..." I sighed in relief.
It wasn't garbage day... but something more significant, the day that I've been waiting for—
It's the day I go to Trestkania, actually.
"Ah, I don't want to get up more now," I grumbled, scratching my stomach without any shame.
Two months have passed since I escaped from Arcadia.
I went to the training grounds to enhance the mastery of my abilities, learned about new events that had transpired, and spoke with Orion about a "safety contingency" that could aid me.
He hasn’t revealed what it is yet, but based on Erina and Orion's reassurances, I've decided to trust them.
I also spent time with Erina and Camellia when we were all free, and they really were a lot of fun.
...The issue was that I'm now a girl, being invited to things only girls usually do.
There was one time when Camellia barged into the house and noticed how risqué my appearance was since I wasn’t wearing any underwear at home...
I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal, as I used to dress the same way when I was a guy. But seeing how flustered she got whenever I leaned in closer, maybe it was?
I've been living for myself for so long that I completely forgot what familial love feels like… But is it normal if they cling to me too much?
I… I’m not sure. It’s probably best if I don’t think about it too much before I do something that could ruin everything.
On another note, people have started opening up to me, especially the five kids who are studying under Scarlett.
It was annoying when they watched me from a distance, so I chased after them to see what they wanted.
They wanted me to join them for training purposes.
Seeing how they were always together, it was clear that Arcadia hadn’t truly been revitalized, as there were only a handful of students—barely reaching three digits.
These five kids were, how do I say this, the main protagonist group in this present day?
If such a group were to form, of course, they would all be strong, each standing out in their own way.
It felt like a force of nature compelling me to team up with them, since I was stronger than they were, people who were the best in their grade.
Now that I think about it, if I hadn’t been aware of the world’s future and had different circumstances... I would have joined their group as well.
“Ugh…” I grimaced in horror, unable to accept that thought.
Even now, my preferences remain straightforward: I like women.
The idea of being attracted to men… Cyan and Simon?
Never mind; if it’s those two, it’s hopeless.
“Alright, I think I’ve gotten everything I need,” I said, clasping my hands and placing them on my waist.
"I have to thank Erina again for giving me this house.” I smiled, feeling a bit sad about leaving.
It wasn't long, but I spent many sleepless nights wishing I could stay here...
But that defeats the whole purpose, right?
"Hah," I scoffed as I turned off the lights, recalling something like this already happening.
"Just like back then, my old house." I picked up my bags and found myself going somewhere again.
—It just dawned on me that bright, sunny days like this keep changing the course of my life.
"Are you sure that damn midget is coming here?" Simon scowled, squinting his eyes to find a small, familiar silhouette.
"Did you not hear she's travelling to Trestkania?" Cyan replied, shaking his head as if stating the obvious.
"Tch, I know that. But going to Trestkania...? Isn't it—"
"Dangerous? Yes, even I don't know how she'll manage," Eshana quickly interjected.
"W-Well, if it's Aria, then…" Momo nodded, believing that if it were her, she could make it.
"We've learned so much from her. I was going to visit her today before she leaves, but… It's wonderful of you to give her a farewell! Good job, good job~!" Diane caressed Simon's head.
"S-Stop that!" Simon slapped her hands away from his head but hesitated to do so a second time, grunting in response.
In an odd silence, Cyan, Eshana, and Momo exchanged glances, all sharing an expected expression.
After all, when Simon and Diane first met Aria, they loathed her immensely.
'''What a hassle…''' they all collectively thought.
“Tch, Aria should be here by now—”
"Hey Simon, being doted on by Diane again~?"
—SLAP!!!
I slapped Simon's back as hard as I could, enough to at least startle him, even if I was weak as hell.
"Ouch! Where the hell did you come from?!" Simon exclaimed as he turned around, surprised to find me there the whole time.
"D-Did you see all that?" His face turned red as he looked into Diane's innocent gaze.
"Yep, I saw the entire thing. I bribed Cyan with snacks so he wouldn't tell you either." I patted Cyan's shoulder and smirked.
"Peace," Cyan said, holding up peace signs with both hands.
He was enjoying the situation as well.
"Oh, you son of a…!" Simon raised his voice, clearly enraged, his forehead creased with anger.
…But he clenched his fists and squinted his eyes, taking deep breaths to calm himself. Now wasn't the time to create trouble for everyone.
'At least he learned some self-restraint,' I thought, nodding in satisfaction—a flimsy excuse, really, as my true intention was to make a fool of him.
Hmm, am I becoming a bit too annoying myself? Or have I always been like this, just more noticeable because of my appearance?
Like how Camellia rubbed off on me, the opposite was happening as well.
"A-Aria…!" Momo exclaimed, repeatedly bowing her head when she saw me, flustered by my sudden arrival.
"Ah— hey Momo, you doing okay?" I walked over to speak with her directly.
"Mhmm!" She nodded vigorously, her lower face hidden behind her fluffy pink scarf.
"And is your cousin okay as well?"
"Penny? Yeah! She said she wanted to see you, but there wasn't any time, and she had to go to school, hehe..."
—Swish swish!
Staring blankly at her, Momo's fluffy tail swung from side to side, like a chipmunk excited about gathering acorns.
The other four didn’t say anything, as if they were also appreciating the sight—except for Simon, of course.
As expected of a man with no style, tsk tsk.
"Ah, I almost forgot! I have a gift for you!" Momo fumbled around, as if recalling something important, and started shuffling through her bag to find it.
"H-Here, I made this for you..." Momo handed me a scarf made of the same fabric as hers.
"Whoa... Am I really allowed to take something like this?" I asked her, wondering if it was expensive.
"N-no, it's fine! Even after we tried to kill you and take your head as proof... You decided to forgive us, and it's so nice of you!" she said, nodding to indicate that she liked me.
"A-Ahaha! It's fine; everyone deserves a second chance, right?" I nodded, choosing to ignore her earlier statement.
"But thank you! I’ll make sure to treasure this, Momo." I smiled and patted her head, feeling a moment of bliss as I sensed her little ears tremble from my touch.
Seeing her makes me want to pat her head and admire her fluffiness and cuteness.
"Hehe..."
"Mmm..!"
The two of us looked at each other with fondness, enjoying the moment.
"Aria, are you really leaving so soon?" Eshana suddenly asked me.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah." I nodded in response.
Momo's hair was so fluffy that I lost track of time. If it weren't for Eshana, things might have gotten awkward.
“…I see. Then here, I have something for you as well.” She walked up to me and handed me a small box.
“Can I open it?” My eyes sparkled with anticipation.
The box was adorned with intricate designs in gold. At first glance, its luxurious appearance made me mildly concerned about what was inside.
“No problem, this is my gift of gratitude for you, after all.” She nodded in approval.
—Rattle Rattle…!
As I opened the box, I found a golden ring embedded with runes. There were so many that the level of precision in this ring seemed nearly impossible.
“No way— is that…!” Cyan immediately approached me and examined the ring closely.
"A Spatial Ring!"
"...A what?"
I looked back and forth between the ring and Eshana.
When I asked what it was, everyone else frowned, as if they anticipated something might happen.
"This is a ring that allows you to store your belongings in a pocket dimension the size of a storage space—no! With this many runes imprinted on it, it could even be larger! It even features a locking mechanism that only recognizes the first bearer of the ring! With runes that the naked eye can barely see, it is an artifact from an ancient era… Eshana! Where did you get such a precious item? Are you someone of high status after all, like we all thought? Wait… this ring must be… it must be crafted by the greatest alchemist in Yorsela—"
"Enough, enough." Eshana covered his mouth to stop him from rambling on.
"Surely this barely compensates for what you gave me, right?"
I would have been happy with any gift, but this ring must be something special if it made Cyan drool.
“...Yeah, I guess that makes us even.” I placed the ring back in the box for later use.
"It’s nothing; I will treasure what you taught me in the coming days." She placed her hands beneath her chest and maintained a calm demeanour.
It took me a while to figure out who Eshana is, but now I know after speaking with Erina.
This group will take some time to fully understand, but little by little, Eshana has grown attached to these circus members.
It'll be fine once I return here, in Kleinford, as I plan to go to her homeland next.
“Fufu, I guess I’m next?” Diane approached me and bowed her head.
"You have a gift for me as well?" I tilted my head, curious about what was happening today.
“Yes… I truly apologize for doubting you that day.” She lowered her head as she spoke.
“To be fair, it wasn’t the best time for us to cross paths,” I scoffed.
Rumours about me being a Morzen Cultist still haven’t disappeared, and people remain cautious around me.
This was Erina's fault, so I decided to smack her on the head for that.
“But still, I want to express that what I did was wrong,” Diane said as she handed me a small gift from her pocket.
“I bought you a pendant as a souvenir. It may seem insignificant, but it’s something for you to remember the time you spent with us,” she added with a bright smile.
Damn… I had assumed she was a demon hiding in human skin, but I was proven wrong.
“As I told you, it’s fine,” I nodded and accepted her apology.
...Wait—what’s with people giving me gifts these days?
Turning around, I noticed two boys fighting while the girls continued handing me more gifts.
When I shifted my attention to them, the three of us exchanged glances, each gazing at my arms now piled with gifts.
Without speaking or making a move, they seemed to know what I was about to say, standing up straight as if communicating silently—
“Why would I?”
“I forgot!”
Simon and Cyan said this in order before resuming their fight.
Well… it was worth a try.
Anticipating this from the very beginning, I had placed all my gifts in a bag made of Ichor and looked at the five of them.
“So, are you guys here to bid me farewell?” I asked after talking with each of them individually.
After they realized that I wasn't just some blood-crazed freak, they began to flock to me like birds, eager to learn more about who I was.
It didn't take long for them to see me as one of their own—almost like an exchange student, perhaps?
“Hah, quite the opposite,” Simon retorted after his fight with Cyan.
“We came here because the next time we meet, we will be rivals!”
In silence, I was baffled by their declaration of rivalry.
Our time together had been short, but during our encounters, they had come to view me in a completely different light.
“Then if you lose, I’ll tell everyone how a brat like me defeated you for the third time,” I snickered, finding his reactions amusing.
Seeing how Simon always gets the short end of the stick made us all laugh together.
From enemies to rivals, it was a relationship worth witnessing—one that I hoped would last.
