The next day, when the group reunited with Elysia, aside from Sakura—who had taken Rin to rest early—and the ever-composed Su, everyone else was yawning.
Seeing them all bleary-eyed and half-awake, Elysia tilted her head curiously.
"You guys… spent the whole night playing that game?"
They actually played so much that none of them looked like they'd slept.
"Heh…" Pardofelis let out a yawn, looking a little listless.
"That game was just too addictive. At first we thought we could wrap things up after rescuing the princess."
"But Silas and Kevin had zero intention of rescuing her," Dystopia added, squinting at the two men, "instead they just kept diving into side quests."
Silas retorted, "Come on, the point of a game isn't to just rush the main story. The side quests are just as fun, aren't they? Besides—who was it yesterday that got so excited and begged us to head to Jötunheim to fight frost giants?"
"Cough, cough… Well, the frost giants did look cool, and I heard they dropped top-tier weapons…" Dystopia averted her gaze guiltily.
Kosma, although looking a little worn out, still had the previous night's memories lingering in his mind. The further the story went, the more engaging it became, and the art style was right up his alley. In the end, he couldn't resist and joined in too.
And so the scene became: Silas and Kevin, the veterans, carrying along the two newbies, Pardofelis and Kosma.
"Sounds pretty fun," Elysia said with a smile, her eyes settling on Silas. "You'll take me to play sometime too, right?"
Silas rubbed his temples. "Maybe… when I have time. Ugh, no, I need coffee. I'm way too tired."
Su frowned slightly at him. "Silas, drinking too much coffee isn't good for your health."
In their previous lives, Su had seen Silas down countless cups. But that was under special circumstances—the Fallen Angel squad was always running missions, suppressing rebel forces or slaying Honkai beasts. And as MANTIS, their bodies could take it. Now, though, things were different.
"A little once in a while won't hurt," Silas waved him off.
Just as Su was about to say more, Kevin yawned and spoke up:
"I'll grab a can too…"
Su: "..."
Kevin… if you keep this up, I'll be tempted to bury you alongside him. Silas already has a pile of bad habits—don't go picking them up with him.
Pardofelis glanced at Kevin, then at Silas. The two of them yawning like that was such a far cry from the mighty image of the Fire Moth's strongest warriors in her memory. Maybe heroes really were just like ordinary people sometimes.
"In that case, Brother Silas, can you buy one for me too~?" Pardofelis asked. She hadn't had coffee before, but if both Brother Silas and Boss Kevin drank it, then surely trying it once wouldn't hurt.
"…I'll take one as well," Kosma said.
(Coffee, huh… come to think of it, I often saw Lilith buying some, and Silas drinking it… Kevin too, sometimes. Guess I'll try it. Shouldn't be a problem.)
"Big sis, what's coffee?" Rin looked up at Sakura.
"It's a drink for grown-ups. You're still too young for it," Sakura replied, though truth be told, she herself had had her fair share of cups.
And so, Silas and Kevin walked over to a nearby vending machine to buy some coffee.
"You actually like this bitter stuff?" Kevin asked as Silas fiddled with the machine.
After selecting his own can, Silas answered, "Yeah. Guess it just became a habit. What about you? How much sugar do you usually put in?"
In his last life, compared to the constant searing pain that gnawed at every nerve, the bitterness of coffee was nothing—if anything, that bitterness helped him grow accustomed to the suffering.
"Add plenty. I can't stand the bitterness," Kevin replied.
"Fair enough… Pardofelis and Kosma are probably trying it for the first time, so we'll add even more sugar for them." Silas pulled two cans out from the machine and handed one over. "This one's yours, and this one's for Kosma."
Kevin accepted his, then asked, "By the way, yesterday—what did you and Elysia get up to in the afternoon?"
He'd gotten too caught up in the game to ask at the time.
Silas took his own and Pardofelis's coffee, then stood up.
"Didn't she already say? We went to the aquarium, watched a movie, and rode the Ferris wheel."
"That's not what I mean," Kevin said. "I meant… it feels like the two of you got a little closer, didn't you?"
Silas froze for a moment, glanced at Kevin, then turned away, heading back the way they came.
"It's nothing. Just… a promise. One whose result can only be known at the very end."
A promise whose outcome could only be revealed at the end of all things?
Kevin thought of that final banquet, and of the figure who vanished upon the moon. He didn't press further, instead saying:
"This time… we'll make sure there won't be such helpless sacrifices like in the last life."
Silas didn't look at him, only replying quietly:
"Elysia aside, even you—who've faced the Finality—are being this naive? Kevin, when the Finality descends, if we're to protect the countless lights behind us, someone will inevitably have to fall. And that someone… I don't want it to be anyone else."
"But none of us want it to be you."
"…Then just wait and see."
When they returned to the group, everyone sensed an odd heaviness between Silas and Kevin, as though the two had quarreled over something. Silas's expression was unchanged, but Kevin's face was clouded.
"Here, this one's yours, Pardofelis." Silas smiled as he handed her a can. "Since I figured it's your first time, I picked one with sugar."
"Mhm, thanks, Brother Silas!" Pardofelis took it eagerly, popped it open, and took a sip—only for her face to immediately crumple.
"So bitter!"
"You'll get used to it, and then it'll taste sweet," Silas chuckled.
Kevin, meanwhile, silently handed Kosma his coffee before opening his own and drinking without a word.
That day's plan was just to tour some of Puglia City's famous sights. Silas had never been interested in such things; his appreciation of art extended only to music, and even then, he was tone-deaf.
Instead, his mind wandered to what he should bring back for Mobius, for Kalpas, and for Ato, who had helped out this time. Now that there was finally news of Griseo, he ought to bring her something too.
He wondered, though—did Griseo still have her memories from the last life? If she did…
He suddenly pictured a newborn's very first words being: "Roar, Kosma."
That image…
Cough, cough… He almost lost his composure.
"What is it, Silas? Did you think of something funny?" Elysia asked, noticing his sudden grin.
The others turned to look as well.
"Nothing, nothing," Silas waved it off. "I was just wondering whether I should bring Dr. Mobius a fitness calendar or something…"
"A fitness calendar for Sister Snake? Haha—that does sound hilarious." Pardofelis was the first to laugh, already imagining Mobius's expression when Brother Silas handed her such a thing. And knowing her, she probably wouldn't be able to refuse, either. That woman who always shut herself away in the lab, caught completely off guard—Brother Silas really had her pinned down.
Strictly speaking, they were all rivals in love… but Snake-sis truly had it rough.
Elysia joined in the laughter, picturing it herself. "Then maybe I'll bring her back a pink dress~. Last time I only managed a tiny one because of her small body, and I still haven't seen her wear it. No, this time I have to bring a proper gown for Mobius."
"To think… the only people who can keep Mobius in check are you and Silas," Su said, smiling as he glanced at Kevin. He didn't say the rest aloud—that only Silas could actually make her listen.
Best not to have Kevin charge in headlong and get himself killed.
Kevin nodded, but stayed silent. His thoughts were still on Silas's words earlier. Too naive? If this was a second chance, then the future was uncertain—so why couldn't they change the ending? No matter how strong the End was, so what? This time, they had the time to prepare.
"Silas, I'll prove you wrong," Kevin vowed inwardly.
After a while, he suddenly thought of something and asked Su, puzzled:
"We're leaving tomorrow, and today is when we're shopping. So why did you all tell me to buy things yesterday?"
Su: "..."
Because we were trying to stop you from walking straight into your own death flag.
But Su kept up the pretense, calmly saying:
"Because today's for buying gifts for everyone. Mei is your girlfriend, so it's not a bad idea for you to have bought her something separately in advance, right?"
Kevin thought it over. That made sense. "Since Silas is getting Mobius a fitness calendar, I guess I'll buy Mei a pair of dumbbells or something."
Su: "...Kevin, maybe don't."
Silas and Elysia—one the person Mobius loved, the other the one she simply couldn't refuse. They could get away with such things. But you, my dear old friend… absolutely could not.
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