I always thought I would be alone. The world around me could burn to ash. My flesh kindling, my bones steeled, and my heart void. This existence is meaningless.
"Murdererbastardkungratefulasshholeblasphemeranimalsavagebackstabberbarbarianbitchfacecuntdemonpureevildevil!"
Sometimes, I see hanging heads. I remember every expression. They scream at me. Some were fearful, others filled with rage, or fear. Whichever doesn't matter.
I remember every life I take, whether it's from a monster or the innocent. I told myself I was freeing the innocent from despair and sending monsters to hell. But I knew.
"—Why… why couldn't you save them!?"
Why indeed. Even though blood hasn't reached these hands, I've spilled an ocean's worth.
But even so. I want something unattainable. Is there a place for me? Whereat warmth can thaw this ice?
There is. But what if it's all a wish dreamed of? If so… I suppose it's karma.
But… The moment Noel dragged me around, the moment I realized Emely deeply cared, the moment Miu fell in love with me, a beaming sunshine of a girl, the moment I met a kindred spirit in Luna, and…
—sniff…
The moment a strange girl sniffed me at the park.
"W-wait… I-I'm not… someone i-indecent…"
So she said, her eyes teary. I laughed a little. What a strange girl, I thought at the time. She held her breath just to escape confrontation?
She could've just left. I'm glad she didn't. I… was oddly comfortable leaning on her. She seemed conflicted at the time. Shame or whatever it might've been, the comfort of staying won her over.
I can't believe I fell in love at first sight. But then again, it was somehow mutual.
Amethely, I'll tell you I love you. Although we were strangers not too long ago, I want to convey it properly. Even if I don't deserve—or whatever, worthy of it.
I don't care if I deserve it or not. When she gives me that warmth, it's mine.
..
It was quite the festive mood that was usually not witnessed at the base. Most had taken time off to participate in the barbecue. Rigeld, the head command, stood, his arms crossed by the grill, grinning as he meticulously perfected his craft.
Some made a show out of it, slicing meat into art before it landed on the grill, while others taught each other the craft.
One of those people being tough was…
"No-nonono! Wait, Al! The meat's on fire!" Noel exclaimed as a burst of flames erupted from the grill.
"I'm aware," Alum replied, leaning his head to the side. "I've seen it on television—it should be fine," he added.
"No… well, just no… oh and it's gone…" Noel sighed as the meat was but a crisp black.
"Mm… it is…"
Amethely giggled at the sight, smiling warmly as her eyes tenderly watched him with affection—I didn't know he couldn't cook… so cute… she thought and clenched her chest, exaggeratedly falling to her knees. Of course, in her mind.
"Ahaha…" Emely giggled lightly as she watched the two—there was a reason she banned him from the kitchen.
"And I thought you liked burnt marshmallows when we went camping last time… so you're just bad at cooking?" Miu teased, looking all smug.
"Hm? Well, they're fine," Alum replied nonchalantly. "How's it going for you, Luna?" he then inquired of the girl next to him.
"As you can see—it's raw," Luna said, staring blankly at the grill as she took a bite of what she'd just made.
"Luna-chi—I mean Princess! You shouldn't eat that then!" Miu exclaimed, handing her a tissue to spit it out.
"—Gulp…"
"…"
"…It was medium rare."
—We don't know if you're messing with us or not… Princess, the others thought.
"No! You clearly said it was raw!" Miu protested, lightly panicking.
"Isn't she just built different?" Kevin interjected briefly.
Daniel and Kurt sighed inwardly again as they exchanged eye contact—it's like Kevin was going to have them killed one day with his words alone…
"How's it going, Lena?" Kurt asked as he glanced her way.
"I-it's going well," she replied somewhat shyly. "Um… want to taste? I've mixed some of the spices from there. It smelled nice, but I'm not entirely sure about the flavor."
"Sure…"
Just like that, Lena blew on the hot skewer and carefully gestured for him to take a bite. Kurt did just that, albeit awkwardly.
"It's good…" he said, averting his eyes.
"Really?" Lena asked.
"Yeah," he said, taking the skewer off her hand, but then fed her too.
"…!?"
"It's good, right?"
"…You tease~" Lena giggled, bopping him on the nose.
""…""
And watching from the sidelines were Lova and Julia. Lova, especially, grinned, almost forgetting to turn over the nearly burnt vegetables that Julia had to turn over promptly.
"Oh, I'm gonna tease the hell out of her later~" Lova cackled to herself.
To which, Julia giggled softly. "They're cute. To think it took them that long to get together. But they've always given the domestic vibe, right?"
"Yeah, well… was gonna happen eventually," Lova shrugged. "What about you, David, got any interesting love story going on?"
A pair of amber eyes rolled as Lova asked the question. "No," David calmly replied.
"I figured," Lova shrugged. She then asked, "What about you, Daniel?"
"Hm? Me?" Nothing really, broke up with Ex a year ago."
"Oh? That one," Lova said nonchalantly as she put some more meat on the grill.
"Yup…"
..
Meanwhile, as Alum struggled to make something decent, Amethely hummed a soft melody, soothing those around her. She shopped the vegetables into cute shapes of different spirits and didn't waste any of the rest by making a dip sauce out of them.
Noel watched with intrigue as he himself prepared the seasoning mix and sauces—he wanted it to taste somewhat like home, and made the taste as similar as possible.
"My~ looks fascinating," Amethely voiced softly, her eyes sparkly as she watched what he was up to.
"Right? I'm just emulating the taste of our world as best as I can, but… well, I feel like some of the mix don't interact the way they want them to—even though they have similar tastes, the chemistry's just different, I guess?"
"Is that so? Please let me know what sort of herbs or spices you need."
"Really? Thanks, you're a big help, 'Sis,'" he said, winking.
"Pff," Amethely chuckled lightly. "It's a bit soon to be calling me that, isn't it?" she teased. "Hm? Are you not older than me, Noel?" she inquired.
"Based on this world's month and year, I am by a month, aren't I?"
"Then I guess I'll call you Brother one day?"
Noel clenched his chest as his face scrunched. "Doesn't sound bad at all," he said, quivering.
"…Hmm~ you seem to be getting along," Chely spoke with a commanding tone as she approached. "Well… that's good, I guess…" he added, averting her eyes.
'Sis seems happy we get along," Amethely whispered.
'Really? Does that also mean you approve of me?' Noel teased.
'Of course!' Amethely smiled.
What is this brightness…? I literally can't see! Noel exaggerated as he looked away.
"…"
I heard you two, Chely commented to herself as she crossed her arms and let out a huff. But… It's so endearing to see Ame so eager to learn about Al's taste. Isn't she too sweet?
Then, as the day continued, Rigeld organized a few events. First off was archery, Emely took part and didn't do too bad, surprisingly. Consider the fact that she had nothing to do with archery until arriving in this world.
Everyone was at least required to join one event—Alum joined the magic arts event to the surprise of everyone. He painted a vivid world—his water magic painted colorful glowing trees, warm and soft to the touch, the leaves swaying, flower petals falling.
Sea creatures swam in the air as if they were in an ocean, and mammal-like water creatures roamed around peacefully as they ate the grass and leaves, and none of it was illusion magic.
""…""
Seeing his craft, a loud round of applauds erupted. It was unique in the sense that most contestants performed explosive magic, making fireworks or beautiful illusions, but when it came to Alum, they could clearly tell it was pure water magic. Some tried doing what he did, but it was tedious and demanding, as most didn't have nearly the amount of mana he did.
Noel and Amethely were in a cooking event; both performed well, but couldn't beat the professionals at the base. The same was for Miu when she participated in the baking event.
As for Luna… She was one of the judges during many of these events.
Then, Oliver and his group were also doing exceptional well in archery and magical arts, as did Noel's and Miu's friend group—they were considered gifted back in their original world, after all.
..
By the time it was evening, the stash of alcohol withheld for celebrations was fully out in the open for anyone to grab. Although everyone at the base was considered an adult, there was an age restriction of twenty years old—twenty-five in the past.
So while everyone lowered their poison resistance and had a good time, the few exceptions were Luna and Alum… Even Chely had some wine with Amethely—it being the first time they'd be drinking together.
However… Amethely got more drunk from her first drink than anticipated—her mana foundation was damaged after all, thus her resistances were basically zero toward these sorts of things.
"Big siiis Elly~" Amethely dizzily called her sister by nickname. "Huuug~!" she adorably declared as she tightly hugged her.
"Sniff—so cute~" Chely squeezed her back.
"Oh? Do I get one too?" Noel teased as he watched the scene.
"In your dreams," Chely huffed but reluctantly wanted to say yes.
"Oh~" Noel feigned being drunk. "I'm so dizzy and can think straight? Am I… in a dream?" he said, adding a wink.
"Pfft… Hah-haha," Rigeld laughed. "You're forward, my boy," he said, patting Noel on the back.
"Well, she likes it," Noel replied smugly.
"Hahahaha, I seeeee." Rigeld nudged Alver with his elbow. "What'cha think?"
"I will politely refrain from any comments," Alver said, sipping his whiskey.
"…" Chely glared and Noel and the old men, huffing dryly, "Hmph."
"Njy-hehe~ Noel, she's going to punch you one day~" Miu teased with a mischievous grin as she nudged him.
"I bet a million Lech on it happening this week," Luna bluntly stated.
"Do I get the Lech if you lose the bet?" Noel asked.
"Why not?" Luna shrugged, although she smiled, it was cold, but in a smug way.
"Right, I'm on—"
Just as he declared, Chely gently handed Amethely over to Alum and lightly punched Noel on the shoulder.
"…" Noel stared blankly at Chely, who chuckled and ran away.
"So? And what do I win?" Luna inquired, her half-lidded eyes filled with amusement, almost laughing aloud.
"Ugh… I'm broke, so… maybe a 'Make me do anything you want' ticket?"
"My? That is precious. I can upsell it to The Hero—I mean, sounds good."
"…"
"…Luna." Miu stared at her with a blank expression.
Meanwhile…
"Al… ehe~hehe~heee~ please spoil meee~" Amethely purred as she nuzzled against his chest.
Alum, with arms wrapped around her back, nodded. "How would you like to be spoiled?" he inquired.
"I dunno… but huuug~ nuzzle…nuzzle…nuzzle."
"…"
With a flushed, deadpan face, Alum supported her weight and was just there, letting her cling to him. In the end, he sat down on the picnic rug. Amethely clung to his neck, sitting in his lap. Her chest rose and fell, breathing steadily in her sleep.
"Hmm~ that certainly looks comfortable," Rigeld remarked as he sat down beside them. "Or at least for her," he chuckled, taking a shot of the clear liquor in his hand.
"Not especially," Alum bluntly replied, watching as the others cast magical spells, creating visual spectacles.
"That so?" Rigeld raised a brow. He poured another cup for himself, looking at his own reflection with a somewhat nostalgic expression.
Alum caught a glimpse around the corner of his eyes but refrained from commenting.
"Either way. I'm glad for her. I used to pity this little girl. Well, not that she's a child anymore."
"…?" Alum tilted his head.
"She lived her whole life in her sister's shadow. Besides that, she wasn't as brilliant as her parents when she was young. As a daughter of the Ilis family, how did you think others in high society reacted?"
"…"
"And to my and everyone's surprise, she passed The Saint's Trial a few months after the previous saint's passing. So, instead of pitying her, she should be praised for her work, don't you think?"
"I'm not good with that sort of thing. She chose that path. I doubt she's looking for praise. Hence, acknowledging her hard work is enough."
"…" Rigeld's eyes widened for a moment, then a soft chuckle followed. "Haha… I reckon you're right."
"I don't know what her motivations were, but I'm certain her insecurities didn't dictate her decision."
"…" Rigeld chugged the liquor; it burned, and the alcohol was starting to kick in. "You know… I sometimes wonder if you can read minds," he commented and poured himself another drink.
"If I could, I wouldn't pry," Alum stated bluntly.
"…" Rigeld handed him a cup. "Want some?" he grinned, clearly drunk.
Alum took the shot and gulped it down—it scorched his throat, clearly stronger than he anticipated it'd be.
"Hahahaha!" Rigeld burst out laughing. "It's punchy, right? Well~" he slurred a little. "It wouldn't make someone with my resistance drunk otherwise," he added, laughing some more.
"Damn you—Hic…"
"…"
"—Hic."
Before he knew it, his body was on fire. Although he was used to overheating, this time was different; his thoughts weren't clear as his vision blurred—suddenly everything became heavier.
"Oh? Was that the first time you've had anything to drink?"
"No…" Alum clasped his throbbing head. "I should be resistant to most drugs, but… are there magic crystals in this?"
"Of course there is," Rigeld said, giving him another cup.
Alum took it and downed it instantly again. He sighed as his eyes hazed. "I see… this is how it feels not being sober—I'm not doing it again," he groaned, clenching his teeth.
"Wahahah, you'll get used to it," Rigeld ruffled his hair.
"…"
Before he realized it, he fell asleep.
"Now then," Rigeld mused cheerfully. "How long will you sleep, Lady Saint?" he calmly spoke.
"…Since when?" Amethely reluctantly opened her eyes.
"Since when did I notice you were awake? Hm, let's see, the moment I sat down? You're a mischievous saint, aren't you?"
"I am sorry. I did not mean to eavesdrop."
"That's fine, he knows as well," Rigeld grinned. "Here," he handed her a cup.
"…I-I will refrain."
"That so?" Rigeld chugged it all down. "Either way, you seem happy. Was it what he said?"
"It was…" Amethely sheepishly responded, looking at his sleepy face. "But he was also wrong. I do want his praise!" she added, puffing her cheeks.
"Then tell him," Rigeld casually suggested. "Either way. You should take him back. You're going on a date tomorrow, right?"
"We are…"
Rigeld casually reached his hand towards them—powerful coral flames burst as it cleansed them from any discomfort.
"Well then, go."
"Thank you," Amethely smiled elegantly as she gently picked Alum up, carrying him in her arms.
"Pffts…" Rigeld chuckled lightly
"Hm?" Amethely tilted her head.
"No… nothing."
…
..
The next morning, when Alum woke up, he realized the ceiling was slightly different, and the desk had a bunch of organized blueprints. There were plants by the windows—rather, all over the room. And also…
"…"
"Hehe, good morning."
A girl resting her head on top of his chest, smiling giddily in her pajamas, kicking her legs in the air as she stared at his face.
"Good morning," he replied, smiling softly as the sun's gentle rays made his golden eyes more captivating. "I didn't think I'd fall asleep."
"Nn~ the liquor Sir Rigeld gave you is known to be quite strong," Amethely said, but then poked his cheek. "Bad boy, you shouldn't drink alcohol."
"Can't turn down my supervisor," Alum chuckled, shrugging a little.
"Liar," Amethely pouted. "Well… it was your choice."
"Such a lenient saint," Alum said, stroking her head.
"Nn~" Amethely leaned into the touch, nuzzling her cheek against his chest. "I'm not lenient, I scolded you, did I not?"
"But you forgave me, too, no?"
"That's—that's right, hehe~" she giggled, then asked, "Al, where are you taking me today?"
"A date."
"…" Amethely stared, her expression deadpan yet adorable.
"I was thinking—just an ordinary date if you don't mind."
"Hm… I don't know what that entails exactly… I've never been on a date before."
"I'd be surprised if you've been on one before, considering society's norms and all," Alum teased.
"…" Wanting to tease him back, Amethely sheepishly and devilishly grinned. "Al… do I excite you…?" Although she was the one asking, her face was bright red.
"…" Alum scratched his cheek and averted his eyes. "Well. Considering you're lying on top of me, the pressure your body, combined with your sweet fragrance, and the way you endearingly try to tease me, yet it backfires—"
"A-Al… s-stop dummy! Stop dissecting and lay it all out there!" Amethely protested, hiding her face behind her hands.
"Pfft… hah~haha," Alum chuckled. "Simple answer. Yes, you excite me," he bashfully confessed, wrapping his arms around her.
"Then…" Amethely murmured, it was muffled yet concise. "When will you kiss me? When can I kiss you?"
"Before that. Do I excite you?" Alum asked, his expression remained deadpan when she peeked, yet teasing.
"Meanie!" Amethely protested, burying his face with a pillow. "…You do, okay… but I don't want to tell you!"
"It's my scent." A muffled murmur could be heard from underneath the pillow.
"I-it is," Amethely confessed bashfully before realizing her mistake. "—W-wait! That's not the only thing!" she stammered.
"Do I keep guessing?"
"Nooooooooo~!" Amethely exclaimed. She rolled away to hide and rolled herself in with the blanket.
And as she sensed Alum move, she snuck a peek—he was on top, pinning her down. Trapped in her own creation, her eyes began to spin as her heart thumped ever louder.
"About the kiss," Alum warmly voiced in a hushed tone. "You gave me an okay, right?"
The question made her hide half her face behind the blanket. Her eyes darted toward his lips—a gulp escaped her as she shyly nodded.
"Y-yeah… I want to kiss you—and you to kiss me…"
"…" Alum took a deep breath and got off her, his heart beating rapidly.
Amethely, sensing that him not kissing her at that moment didn't mean rejection, she mustered up the courage and crawled out of the blanket, sitting on her knees facing him.
She fixed her silver-gray hair that was slightly messy from all the fooling around—from his perspective, she was pretty regardless. The soft rays made her hair shiny, her amethyst eyes illuminating in the shadows cast on her face.
She tilted her head slightly, exposing her face to more light. Her cheeks were pink; her soft-looking lips were slightly parted as her chest rose and fell, and her eyes shook with anticipation. She looked so tender and vulnerable, he couldn't help but lean closer.
He grabbed her hand, they were smooth and soft despite her being a sword master—his, on the contrary, must've felt more rugged than before, yet Amethely didn't mind as she shifted slightly, intertwining their hands as her fingers snuck between his.
—Chu
Their lips softly met—there was this indescribably fuzzy feeling inside their chest. His eyes melted her as much as hers did to him. Slowly, they closed their eyes. Their lips met once more.
—Nn…mm…nnh..
Their breaths grew more ragged. Eventually, Alum gently lay her down onto the bed, her hair spread all over the pillow, her head between his arms, their hands still intertwined.
"More…" Amethely urged, her chest moving up and down as she almost seemed breathless.
"Of course," Alum whispered, leaning in for another kiss.
"A-again…" Amethely demanded sheepishly.
"Was gonna," Alum replied.
His eyes were more tender than anything she'd seen from him, not to mention that he didn't even realize how his destructively adorable smile was killing her. As they kissed once more, their lips naturally parted.
—Nn…mm…nn….n… ah…haaa…hah…
With their hearts heavily thumping in their chest, they both realized just how sensual they both sounded—yet, shared another deep kiss.
—Paahh… haa… ha…
As their lips parted, they continued to look into each other's eyes, both shy, seeing the saliva at the corners of each other's lips. Alum released her hand and brushed the saliva off her cheek—although Amethely wanted to hide, she had to fire back and did the same, reaching a hand toward his face to wipe it off.
"…"
"…"
It was awkward but in an indescribably pleasant way.
"I-I wanted to ask for one more… / I was about to ask for one more, but…" Both said at the same time. "E-ehehe~ / Pffts…" and both laughed.
It wasn't said aloud, but… had they kept this up, they'd never get ready and head out for their date.
"…Al, I love you, ehe~hee~" Amethely giggled sweetly.
"I love you, too, Ame," Alum said as he swiftly stole her lips for a brief moment once more.
"Not fair…" Amethely sulked in protest; she grabbed his collar and returned a quick peck.
—Chu~
A/N
Thanks for reading. If you're wondering about the date itself… well, I figured it was better to end it here for this Arc. There will be one, of course, basically the opening of the next Arc lol. But yeah, the next one will be more action-oriented. So, I hope the action scene I've written so far is good enough for you guys to stay~