A strange silence descended upon Ser’s words.
Tap- Tap- Tap-
Over that, Hermila’s fingers drummed on the table.
Hermila often did this… Maybe it’s a habit…?
Tap- Tap- Tap-
When the seventh sound echoed out, Ser, with an enigmatic smile, opened their mouth.
“Well, I won’t say I’m definitely right. But, it’s something to keep in mind, Noah.”
“Uh… okay.”
And Rubia’s arms wrapped around me tightened.
“Moreover, it might not end there.”
“Huh…?”
“Even Jur has two unique powers: Claire Vision and Transonic.”
“Oh right. Jur, Alex, Mia… and even I.”
Hermila has two?
Ser and Rubia seemed surprised too, quickly glancing at Hermila.
“Ahaha… Well, those who know are aware, but I thought it was about time to say it.”
Indulging in our glaring stares, Hermila bitterly chuckled and slowly spoke up.
“Um… it’s Longevity. My second unique ability.”
Longevity…?
Living for a long time…?
“So… Hermila, does that mean—”
“Hermila, are you our grandma?”
“Gah… Se, Ser…!”
“Ser, you shouldn’t be so blunt. What if she actually is old and gets hurt?”
Clunk-
“Oh, is that it? Hmm, then Hermila, are you our ancestor?”
“No, no. That sounds bad, how about… senior? A life senior.”
Crack-
As Ser and Rubia continued, ominous sounds erupted from Hermila’s mouth.
Yet, Ser and Rubia seemed to enjoy Hermila’s reactions and continued chattering excitedly.
Just when Hermila’s jaw began to bulge with red veins.
“But, Hermila’s age doesn’t matter. Age isn’t important among friends, right, Rubia?”
“Right! I don’t care at all. You look like you’re in your 20s!”
I quickly sealed her temper before it could explode.
“…Yes. That’s right. I’m… eternally in my 20s.”
“Given that you’re caught up in age, it seems you’ve lived quite a bit. Heh.”
Crack- Finally, Hermila smashed her coffee cup and jumped up.
“Ser, won’t it hurt if you keep talking like that?”
“I think it’ll hurt, so I’ll dodge. Even if I’m not the closest combat type, I’m not slow enough to be hit by the punch of a life senior who’s lived far longer than me.”
“…Life… senior. Ugh… Right. As Ser said, there are those with two unique powers. However, the second is usually recognized later than the first. That’s because it amplifies abilities you already possess.”
Hermila, who had raised the white flag first, slumped back down and continued with the main topic.
“Um… Given the circumstances, I think Noah’s unique ability falls into that category. It’s not a newfound ability, but rather an amplification of something they already possessed.”
Tap- Tap- Tap-
Hermila started drumming on the table again, just like before.
“Of course, as Ser said, it could very well be two. It’s still unclear, so it’s good to keep possibilities open.”
Tap- Tap-
[That’s not it.]
Suddenly, Cartia’s voice sprang from the bracelet, halting Hermila’s fingers.
“Cartia, do you know something?”
In response to Ser’s question, Hermila’s face tightened slightly.
[It’s not that I know. It’s more like I feel something since it’s connected to this guy. But it’s not that. More like… um…]
Scrunching her face and shaking her head, Cartia let out a deep sigh and sprawled out on the table.
[Ah, damn it. I can’t figure it out. Every time I dig into it, I feel something really unsettling and don’t want to. So I’m not doing it.]
At that moment.
“Oh my.”
Pop-
Carpen’s ears and tail popped out.
Following him were small ice cubes that chilled the remaining strawberry milk and feathers floating around.
Why all of a sudden?
Feeling a little pushed aside by Rubia’s tail, she chuckled and started ruffling the tail sprouted behind me.
Meanwhile, Ser, with a strange expression at the sudden appearance, gulped down the remaining coffee and spoke up.
“By the way, Noah. I’ve been curious about something for a while.”
“Uh? What is it…?”
“The Monster of the End residing in you… What’s your relationship with them—”
But Ser couldn’t continue.
Clang- Clang- Clang-
With the sound of a bell signaling dinner.
“Baaaaaap!!! It’s time to eat!!!!”
Heinzel’s booming roar echoed…
“Cough, let’s save that for later. Like I told Rubia earlier, I’ll say it again. After midnight, come to the outpost where I’m staying. I have urgent matters to discuss.”
With that, Ser bowed and walked away in a different direction from the dining hall.
Isn’t he eating…?
“I should probably get going too. I have to help with the meal distribution. Let’s finish up what we have to do and meet at midnight.”
Hermila also got up from her seat and headed quickly towards the tolling bell.
Then she paused.
Turning around awkwardly, Hermila shouted.
“Today is the day for delicious food! Steak! Not monster meat, real beef!”
“Gah… Be, beef…!”
“Hehe, be sure to come and eat!”
And with that, waving her hand, Hermila walked away even quicker.
“Noah, do you want steak?”
“Yeah! Rubia will eat it too, right?”
Rubia, smiling, shook her head and helped lift my body. Then she whispered softly in my ear.
“Shall we go eat something else?”
“Gah… Wh-what…?”
“Something far more delicious than steak.”
“Is, is there… something like that…? In a situation like this…?”
“Of course.”
With a confident smile, Rubia tightly grabbed my hand.
“How about it? There’s dessert too. Shall we go?”
“Yes, yes!”
Grin- A bright and creepy smile appeared on Rubia’s face.
At that moment, the feathers floating in mid-air and the ice soaked in strawberry milk vanished with a hit from Carpen’s tail.
[…You’ve got good stamina.]
The tail also vanished without a trace alongside Cartia’s voice.
*
“Is Hermila still not here?”
“Well… I don’t really know since we moved separately earlier.”
“I heard it’s steak today. Aren’t you having dinner…”
Ser, tilting his head, looked at me nestled into Rubia’s embrace and clicked his tongue.
“Eat your food while you can. At least be sure Noah gets fed. Can’t you see that miserable sight?”
“Oh? Don’t get me wrong. I’ve eaten plenty. And Noah enjoyed it a lot… uh, it wasn’t forced or anything. Don’t misunderstand. Hehehe.”
“Yikes… You, enjoyed it…! Rubia! Don’t say such things…!”
“Hmm… if both sides wanted it, I have nothing to say… but right now, it’s a situation of military governance. Please, hold back a little.”
“Military… That’s true. I’ll hold back?”
That response was clear, but it felt packed with a lot of disdain.
Rubia has definitely become more cheeky…
“Phew… Do as you wish. Hermila hasn’t shown up yet, so let’s put the main topic aside and I’ll ask Noah something I’ve been curious about first.”
Ser handed us a large mug and a small coffee cup.
“The Monster of the End. Noah, what’s your relationship with the Monsters of the End connected to you?”
I immediately dropped Tylant’s ice into the mug with a plunk and tilted my head.
“What do you mean…?”
“Are you on good terms?”
On good terms?
“Oh, of course. I’m not asking to pry into anything. Just pure curiosity, so feel free to answer.”
Pop- The tail that had emerged began swinging in the air following the feathers.
“…I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel it’s a bit strange. Leaving Tylant and Valoran aside, Carpen… isn’t he the Monster who killed Luci?”
Pause-
The ice swirling around the mug.
The feathers twirling along with the tail.
The tail that swung this way and that.
In an instant, all their movements ceased.
“Maybe not now, but back then, Rubia was cautious of that Blood Aura. I felt the same way as Rubia. But you didn’t show any sign of that at all, Noah. What feelings do you harbor towards those Monsters?”
“…Ugh.”
Ser’s words… are right.
Once beings I thought I should kill upon seeing.
But now… it’s more like…
Squeak-
As complicated thoughts filled my mind, the outpost door creaked open, revealing Hermila.
“Um, did I come at a bad time?”
“…No. Please sit down. Noah, think about what Ser just said later.”
“…Yes.”
Nodding heavily, I sank into Rubia’s embrace. Rubia also tightly held me.
“Now that we’re all here, let’s get straight to the main topic.”
With a readjusted posture, Ser took out a palm-sized letter from the spatial pocket.
“Rubia has read it, so Hermila, please read it.”
Hermila nodded, cautiously reaching out to take the letter.
“This is… a letter from Sirin?”
With a swish-, the letter unfolded in Hermila’s hands.
At the same time, Hermila’s face twisted.
“The End of the World. According to Sirin, she felt the presence of Laila, the first Monster of the End, who began awakening there.”
Ser’s mouth opened again.
“The full awakening of Laila will occur right after Brunhilde’s demise.”
“So that means…”
“Yes. We need to split the subjugation team.”
