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Wind flicks the cheek through the clouds like a soft touch of cold fingers. The shining scenery falls into the eyes as the attitude rises. From red into orange, filling the sky with the color of sorrow and end, finally turns into blue at the edge of the sky.
Among lines of contrails, the vanishing dawn shines on the waving surface of the sea, as if to paint for souls have gone and the spirit that will never disappear, engraves the scenery with the 'Aria of Start and End' resounding.
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The sinking sun draws the illuminating edge of the world, dividing the sky and sea. Infinite light reflection of the setting sun sprays on the wave, sparkling as if lines of lantern light up our way home. The disappearing trace of life let the wind cradle the lullaby sweetly and softly, carry the depression and melancholy in the Aria.
“It’s a sad scene,” I whispered after a few moments of blinks.
“So many people die in this but we can’t stop the one who causes it.” The dawn engraving in my eyes reflects the sorrow of war, lamenting the sacrificed warriors. They won’t be back, leaving the living phantom in memory. A moment of sadness I have caught after the war temporarily stopped now. Nothing has been solved, the temporary break after war lures my lost emotion overflowing my mind while looking into the scenery.
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"It is, but you won’t forget their sacrifice and you won’t give up.” The person, who carried me in his arms, moved his sight from the shining view and turned to me.
Maybe it is the effect of sunlight, his figure shines slightly as the sunlight sprays on the silver-white cloak.
“We will face him again very soon, that’s my instinct, so you should take a proper rest before you go doing any reckless things.” He smiled softly with his tender green eyes looking into me, the male voice and female voice synthesis as ‘they’ speak.
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There’s a moment I thought the scenery became tender and beautiful, more than the sadness in it. It’s a strange sense of comfort present with ‘2 people’ here, evoking the forgotten feeling while with my family. Those are disregarded fragments of feelings I iced once I had been a daemon when I completely devoted myself to my vengeance.
The burning sunset into the ocean of life, a nostalgic view I had watched with my little brother, that we sat beside on the cliff and overlooked into the vast ocean at dawn, chatting about everything before we went home. A typical time with ordinary reaction, my heart once filled with peace like now. A weird thing to feel after the war, but it doesn’t feel strange beside the person here.
“Let alone these matters, don't you think this is a great view?”
The boy gave a cheerful smile with his silver hairs and emerald eyes shining with the beautiful dawn.
The scenery of burning dawn engraved into my eyes, peaceful but surging, an unforgettable view I have seen. The far wave sound vanished with wind blown on my arms.
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“Yeah, it is...beautiful……” I said and slowly gave up on maintaining an open eye, letting the heavy eyelids fall down. Maybe I am just too tired, I do hope it will be alright when I open my eyes again.
-----------------------a moment earlier----------------------
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“Tch, he escaped.” Velvet stood on the upper floor and watched the last moment of the battle. If her body wasn’t that bad, she would have fought Tartarus herself. And she chose to rely on her companion at the last moment when her body is not in a condition to fight, barely to walk either.
The plan worked as planned, Velvet acted as bait to distract Tartarus and Sorey pushed Tartarus over the edge to give an ultimate attack. Yet the target doesn’t die but escapes. Velvet is unamused, she must admit Claudin’s word regarding Tartarus and to admit he is similar to her. He won’t give up easily, not until his core and pillar are destroyed, until despair. Velvet doesn’t know if there’s a chance to defeat Tartarus, but their condition is not good, their Trump card has been revealed after all.
The floor crunched as the fighter jumped and stamped on the floor from the ‘invisible bridge’ below. His form is still in ‘full armartization’, the special status granted Sorey the ultimate strength knocking down Tartarus critically in the raid. It is normal for him to jump from the lower floor to the upper floor even at a 7m-height.
Velvet turns her head to recognize the sound source, seeing Sorey there.
She looks at him for a few seconds, remembering the case last time Sorey has armatized with 4 seraphim, the armatus has brought a huge burden to the user, so she asked with her concern: “Are you alright in this status?”
“Eh? yes. I am alright, it seems that I have got used to it.” It doesn’t take Sorey a long time to figure out Velvet's concern. He felt weary last time but he doesn’t feel that’s a matter at that moment. Fighting under a weary condition may be the reason. It is only a short sentence, Sorey appreciates the warmth it brought. Despite herself having very weak health at the moment, Velvet doesn’t forget about him.
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“How about you?”
“I am fine.”
Velvet answered quickly and as usual with her indifferent tone, her standard of ‘fine’ is surely not trustworthy. Sorey is not surprised by the usual answer, only gives a wry smile while sighed inside his mind.
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Velvet looked down the invisible bridge where Tartarus disappeared, she released a light sigh of frustration. Sorey knows the reason as he has a similar feeling too.
Next seconds, 4 different light particles fly out from Sorey’s body spirally when the armatus finally defuses. The lights re-appear in a humanoid respectively and stand beside Sorey and Velvet, while Alpha and Eleanor manage to meet up there.
Seeing everyone is still in a piece is great news that they may feel relieved, except for one person they can't ignore.
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“Velvet, maybe you should take a rest."
Lailah approached Velvet and exclaimed her worry.
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As the role of health manager in her past journey with Sorey or in the present journey with old-and-new-faces joined, she can't ignore the happened incident. Despite her role of Shepherd's guidance, she accepted Velvet with the good sides she has recognized with her true name given. She believed Velvet would try not to commit the sins she had with her deep regret, always expressed unconsciously, so she would see no difference from other team members and would care for her health too. Velvet was in a dangerous dying condition before her eyes during the battle. As Eleanor retreated with the unconscious Velvet from the frontline, Lailah is switched to substitute Eleanor's position. She saw the bloodstain in the last spot Velvet fainted out.
The blood deeply soaked the soil in an area that Lailah would consider as fatal bleeding. The scene is horrible enough to evoke her worry with the terrible memory when her companion died in front of her. Even now Eleanor has amazingly brought Velvet alive, she is afraid that it is not a complete treatment. She simply doesn't want to see anyone die before her eyes.
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"It's not necessary."Velvet said flatly, despite her stance shaking, and buzz noises ringing and spinning in her head. The anemia didn't vanish in the short time, still, Velvet expresses no weak calls.
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"Are you sure?" The healer doubted Velvet with disagreement when she observed the unstable stance. Eleanor expected no more from her answer but she wants to disagree when she knows it is no way to be fine.
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"You know, you don't need to force yourself," Zaveid commented as he saw Velvet's face-- still pale. The facial expression has shown reminded him of the weak moment of Beta as they shared a similar reaction when they were trying to force themselves. In the period of time Zaveid took care of Beta, Zaveid learned to accept the existence of the lady calamity in his memory. Since Beta’s appearance reminded him of Velvet a lot when they are almost identical, they actually shared similar properties sometimes, letting him realize Velvet’s action from different points of view other than a selfish daemon. That’s one of the reasons he has been more nice to Velvet than he used to be, and he supposes he would worry Velvet too as a companion now.
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“Honestly, how is it?” Edna steps closer and glares at Velvet without losing dignity even in the certain height difference. Edna is obviously expressing her dissatisfaction towards Velvet, for a human to be injured badly so fast just after her opened-wound healed by her after the human has made a promise to survive.
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The silent air suspended, it wasn’t a pleasant experience to see Velvet dying, hearing her claim like she was fine just irritates Edna. She is unpleasant with Velvet’s attitude, she expresses her disagreement in silence. Edna may guess how bad Velvet’s condition was at this moment, she knew it would not be enough to recover the body strength with only Eleanor’s treatment. Eleanor is not the only one to notice Velvet’s anemia, Edna too, she hopes this idiot doesn’t get any further injuries than the existing wounds.
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Velvet blinked as she felt the dissatisfaction of Edna, she knew Edna was serious. There is no meaning to pretend like she is fine actually, she doesn’t want to further get Edna mad when she has helped her once during the battle. Eventually, she sighed and reported honestly: “........Dizzy and losing strength.”
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“I see, at least you survived,” Edna commented in a flat but a little taunted tone.
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“Your only task is to be a vessel then. That would be necessary when we fly up the cliff.” Edna continued.
“....okay, what do I need to do?” Velvet asked, not really realizing what it meant to be a vessel.
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“You do nothing,” Edna stated silently.
“huh? what do you mean?” Velvet asked, confused.
“YOU DO NOTHING,” Edna repeated with an intensified tone.
“.....fine.” Velvet agreed in confusion and just shut up.
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“Sounds like you already have the idea to get up the cliff, Edna,” Mikleo said.
“Fly up there would be the fastest way, I agreed with the girl.” Zaveid agreed with his arm putting behind his head and stretching.
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“Isn’t that a bit tricky for one person to fly and carrying two people to fly?” Lailah expressed her question.
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“Yeah, and that’s leaving us completely defenseless, we don’t know about the situation above.” Mikleo analyzed.
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“Nope, it is two people flying at the same time,” Sorey said.
“How?” Mikleo asked.
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“I think the Void armatus is capable of flying, isn’t it, Eleanor?” Sorey turned his gazes towards Eleanor. He remembered he saw there were wings present when Velvet first armartized with Eleanor.
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“Yes,” Eleanor admitted with a nod.
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“Oh, I thought the wing was a decoration, Velvet never flew in battle.” Lailah gasped with surprise.
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“Because I don’t know how to fly and it is unnecessary to use it in the battle.” Velvet answered.
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“You both don’t know how to fly then.” Zaveid chuckled.
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Eleanor admitted quickly and Velvet nodded embarrassedly.
“Wow, and you dare to jump off the cliff without any preparation.” Edna taunted while expressing her exclamation in a completely flat tone.
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“I plan to land with an attack whether it hit Tartarus or not.” Velvet responded.
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“I feel sorry for Eleanor….” Lailah whispered as she heard the vague plan and the other expressed a sheepish smile with that.
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“Well, then this would be a good opportunity to learn flying by feeling it,” Zaveid said cheerfully while putting his hands on his waist.
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“......What do you mean?” Velvet hates to understand the hint interpretation in words.
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“Don’t worry, I would teach you two how to fly.” Sorey smiled.
“After all, the fastest way to learn is to experience and remember it through your body.” Lailah understands how they are trying to do and just expresses a smile, claps her hand, and agrees with them.
“What should I do?” Velvet tried to clear her confusion in the conversation full of hinting.
“You should not armatize again at this moment,” Eleanor instructed with a hard tone and with a deadly serious expression on her face.
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“I already said you need to be the vessel, to carry seraphim that can’t fly, and you should DO NOTHING. Don’t make me repeat again.” Edna repeated with a hard tone too.
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Even though they would figure out a way all people here go up the cliff respectively with their own technique, flying up would still be the most efficient option.
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“Okay.” Velvet responds unamused and helplessly, she stops wondering what they really mean, cause they are not going to tell her.
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“Hmm, Eleanor, I would need your true name in this case. Would you mind giving it to me?” Sorey approached and tried to ask the girl nicely.
He understands a true name is an important thing to every seraph, he would like to ask it in a better moment but sadly he needs it now so he has to ask for it directly.
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Eleanor blinked for a moment, surprised that she hasn’t given her true name to Sorey.
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“I wish I had given it to you earlier.” Eleanor shows a helpless smile.
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She closed her eyes, remembered the first time she heard of Sorey from Velvet, she was surprised that there is a person Velvet cares about, though she seems doesn’t know it well.
Till she met the Shepherd in person, seeing him fight hard to bring back Velvet from the despair that had turned her into a daemon. He is always determined to help Velvet like Velvet has been determined to try to help Sorey, and this has motivated Eleanor to fight and sort out her true thoughts. And this person also saved her once when Velvet lost her consciousness under the influence of the berserk effect of a curse. It is not a long time they know each other, but she has known Sorey as an earnest and reliable friend to fight side by side. There is no reason to refuse Sorey’s request, she is grateful to know Sorey, not to mention to give out her true name.
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“I bear my true name.”
Their consciousness enters an empty place in the deep ocean-like place in the mind created by the squire pact connection.
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“Liwyeamesv Umuabiw.” the sound of words rang inside Sorey’s head.
When they both open their eyes again, they return to the true place they were in reality.
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“I am grateful to have it, Thank you.”
“You are welcome.”
“Are you ready?” Sorey asked if Eleanor is ready to armatize with him.
“Any time.”
Sorey then looked at Zaveid, the wind seraph. The wind seraph gave a nod and put his arm behind his head to stretch his muscle.
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“Have a nice time with the girls, boy,” Zaveid smirked and walked towards Alpha.
“We will be your guardian.” Zaveid patted Alpha’s shoulder and Alpha nodded and accepted the mission.
As the roles decided, the other seraphim flew into Velvet.
Alpha spells Zaveid’s true name and Sorey spells Eleanor’s true name tenderly. Both armartized with their respective seraphim.
The whole body is painted into silver, but only their eyes left their common and unique emerald eyes crystal clear.
Velvet stands still as she doesn’t know what to do and she was told to do nothing strongly as Edna repeats it 3 times. Meanwhile, Mikleo, Lailah, and Edna have entered Velvet as their temporary vessel.
Sorey approaches Velvet slowly and Velvet turns to him. Silver light shines softly in dark with their soft green eyes, gaze at Velvet smilingly.
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“May I?” Sorey asked nicely yet he didn't mention what he would do next. Velvet is confused by that, she is trying to ask: “Yes?”
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“Great, I would take this as a ‘yes’.” He smiles boyishly and then bends his body.
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Velvet wants to protest, that was a ‘Yes’ but it wasn’t a ‘yes’ at the same time, but she is shut up by the next moment.
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The next moment, Velvet felt lifted up as her legs were not standing on the floor, she felt losing balance and falling to the back.
“huh?” She leaves a weak exclamation while closing her eyes and slightly rolls up.
However, her head didn’t hit the ground, instead, an arm backs her back to prevent her head from hitting hard; her body is lifted up by an arm at her knee, catching her thigh and another arm at her back, catching her shoulder.
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Velvet is tensed up by the ‘close touch', she rarely had felt such kind of touch like her whole body is controlled by another person, she hasn’t had such experience since her sister died. The last time would be at her 9-year-old age, brother Arther carried her and Laphi to escape from the bandit. That day, Arthur encouraged her with an apple to stay in the forest to hide from the bandit, but they lost Arthur and Celica on the very same day. Velvet never let people other than her family carry her like that, she didn’t express her weakness to anyone easily. That’s why she has a little nervous feeling right now.
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“The battle is finished, you don’t have to drag yourself hard. Relax, alright?” Words are told like feathers, softly touching the tensed heart. Velvet slowly opens her eyes and sees the carrier’s face, she sees the eyes soft like water.
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“What’s wrong?” The eyes show worry when the carrier sees a hint of doubt and fear in Velvet’s eyes.
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“It is just……… I have never had such an experience other than family. It feels…..kinda uneasy.”
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“Then you may see me as a family of yours.” The carrier said with a synthesis voice of Sorey and Eleanor when telling words sincerely from both of them.
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Velvet blinked as she heard those words, unexpected and insured.
Hmm, perhaps not that unexpected, this is like words they would say to her wholeheartedly, yet, she doesn’t think she deserves it.
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It was the words trying to relax her tensed up nerve, but it seems to be causing an opposite effect.
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Sorey realized Velvet is nervous and she is having a low sense of security, but he can't just put her down and let her drag herself further.
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“Anyway, we have to get going.” He smiles and looks into the front view again, to find the way out of the ruin while carrying Velvet in his arms.
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In deep ground between high cliffs, warriors slowly leave the ruin after a fierce battle. All light went out but tiny sunlight fell into the Abyss of dark, precious silence followed and left them a moment of rest.
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In time uncertain to be felt, the icy strike of wind blush Velvet awakened from thought and nervousness, when she noticed she was in the air with Sorey there carrying her.
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Not falling but dancing with the wind, fusing with the wind, Sorey flys up like a rocket, completely free from gravity. The feeling of flight suspended her nervousness and deep thought about things but drowned into the wild and fierce flight experience until the light reached them.
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The orange light bleeds out as they fly up from the deep ground. The view of wrecking slowly filled the vision, it's a field of destruction after the war. No longer a trace of enemies, but casualties everywhere. The color of dark red and burnt smell of corpses tainted the field while the people slowly got up, trying to support each other to go back to their place.
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The sun has gone down and a long day passes, the morning they join the battle has been colored by the fading dawn. Half a day passed, the seemingly endless battle finally finished with the curtain of dawn, stars faded, lines were taken for the happiness and peace they wished to protect. Sorrows are laminated and stacked when the view is viewed. They are not happy with the victory, neither one are. That's why they left the land silently, the land once filled with the blood and flesh of their friends, full of terrible memories.
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The scenery of sorrow, of lives, lost and left, lures the feeling inside Sorey and Eleanor, unconsciously holds Velvet tighter, doesn't want to lose her. They want to fly into the distant future with her accompaniment, to see the light they searched together.
The longing dawn is like the light to lament the dead silently, wishing them all have gone peacefully. The touched heart of the former therion softened and fell for the scenery, pain engraved lightly with heat. The heart is no longer iced and indifferent, the unnecessary sympathy picked up on the way back to a human place.
Pleasant and sorrow deeply recorded into their eyes while watching the scenery together.
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“It’s a sad scene.” Velvet stated silently while watching the vanishing light.
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The shepherd widened his eyes a little as he heard, look at the person in his arm surprisingly and amusedly. To hear this person share her thoughts and feelings with him is a rare experience. She never likes showing weakness and feelings so the other may have mistaken that she has no feeling at all….and that may make her mistaken herself as a monster without feeling. Yet, she is just avoiding looking at her own feelings deeply. It is a good start that she recognizes a feeling of her own.
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He looks at the amber eyes of the former therion, they reflect the repentant color of sunset when she talks about her depression. It was a beautiful color, but he thinks the bright color will suit her more. Two shepherds here in the past, they both want to give Velvet comfort, light her a lantern in the darkness.
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"It is, but you won’t forget their sacrifice and you won’t give up.” Sorey and Eleanor speak together while looking into the distant view, trying to find words of comfort. Expressing their thoughts to the sort of person they see her, to deliver their trust, to give her strength.
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“We will face him again very soon, that’s my instinct, so you should take a proper rest before you go doing any reckless things.”
The eyes on Velvet again, see if she felt uncomfortable, then they have seen her tired eyes, the eyelids half-dropped but still maintaining herself to be conscious. After things that happened, serious and continuous events, they are not surprised. The only thing they can't help is that Velvet is not willing to rest even when she is in such a weary state. She probably thinks that she can’t be the only one resting when the other isn’t somehow or simply like to drag herself to the extreme. Thus Sorey and Eleanor hint her ‘it is okay to sleep’, as a common will in the sentence, it is said by a synthesized voice of two people as result.
Still not seeing their friend rest, Sorey decided to distract her focus on the scenery, it is indeed a beautiful view. It would be a wonderful moment if nothing that bad happened if that’s a simple flight to bring her to look down the sunset from above clouds.
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“Let alone these matters, don't you think this is a great view?” Sorey said with a nice smile.
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In the arm, definitely holding her tightly, the former therion slightly turned her head to see the view. Looking into the distant sun sinking into the sea horizon, her eyes brim with tender and nostalgic slowly. Maybe it is the tender of the two shepherds has the charm to soften the atmosphere around, or the light particles emitting lightly from the armatus in the air waving are simply mesmerizing, the tensed nerve gradually loosen the caution, making her stop struggling between the border of slumbering.
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“Yeah, it is...beautiful……” Velvet whispered sleepily and somehow powerlessly, her eyelids slowly closed, dropping the curtain of the window to the seraphim housing inside her body right now. All they may hear is the steady rhythm of the breath.
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“Finally rest, huh,” Edna commented quietly inside Velvet’s head after a few moments she sure Velvet was sleeping.
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“Haven’t seen you for a while but to see you attached to a human,” Mikleo smirked when he recalled several moments Edna was trying to say good things about Velvet to persuade him to trust the former Lord of Calamity.
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“.....She just reminds me of Eizen that I don’t hate her.”
Edna answered after a few moments of silence. finally, come up with an answer.
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“But she is not my brother.” She added evenly.
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“But a nag little sister?” Lailah claimed with a soft smile.
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Those years she stayed at the Rayfalke Spiritcrest alone, hating humans even when her brother liked them a lot. She kept waiting at the spot for someday her brother came, for his message sent on his way of exploration, but he returned as a dragon. Then she waited for someone who could ‘save her brother’, that one took her and saw the world with her. Humans are always disappointing that much she expected, yet she met idiots like Sorey that she doesn’t hat. She returned to her place again once their journey ended. The boys slumber with the Empyrean to purify him. Somehow she thought they wouldn't meet again. Yet she stayed at the mountain and waited again, irrationally, for a day to meet the boy or wait for no one.
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The shepherd has come to her again, that she is happy with that, even to meet someone she grew interested with.
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Time waits for no one. After every time things go away before her eyes, Edna finally learns to take a step forward herself, to grab the things she is interested in and attached tightly before they flow away again. She requested to go on the journey with Sorey and Velvet. It surely is not a successful journey when all the things mess up when it just gets started. Yet she has not regretted joining their journey and she won’t let one she attached to get away from her easily. She is not going to let two people here who had her true name, left her easily.
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Velvet is devoted to protecting her, once she claimed it as her reason to live. Edna has noticed the former therion may feel responsible for protecting her because of Eizen and probably live by her sense of ‘responsibility’, to not let anyone be sad because of her death. Somehow looks like a saint and acts like a saint, but the truth is she is doing it out of the sense of guilt and responsibility when a saint is doing it out of pure goodness. There may be a long way to bring her back to ‘normal’, but the earth seraph has determined to accompany this person while knowing Sorey is trying to help her too.
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After a moment of deep thought, Edna thought that it may not be wrong that Velvet is somehow like a little sister to her, constantly irritating her somehow.
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“Maybe.” She closed her eyes and admitted it nearly soundlessly. She has never thought of herself to be that attached to anyone after Eizen and Sorey, but she doesn’t hate this feeling.
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The female seraph is calmly sitting and leaning back at the bar table, the self-reliant attitude made contrasts with the chaotic world outside. She picks up the cup of tea, still smokes and takes a light sip, slowly starts the conversation with the guy in front of her.
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“Is the kid still there?” She distantly looked at the door on her right-hand side that not so far away from her. The room is tagged with ‘meeting room’ with the indicating board on the door, they usually greet the guest there. Basic compositions like sofa and table are inside the room, so it is fine even to put a seriously injured person to rest there.
Not so long ago, a guild member carried the seriously injured President to the guild building, with his team member and the girl protected by the president. The girl has recovered her consciousness, from the look of her frowned expression, it may indicate that the girl feels responsible for the injury on the President. From that moment, she stayed beside the President when the president lost her consciousness, she cares nothing other than the status of the President.
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“Yes, still there.” Before the President awakens, the girl doesn’t plan to leave her a second beside.
“It shouldn't be surprising, she felt guilty towards the president, since the president protected her." The female seraph takes another sip of tea, the necklace of golden eye shines on her neck making her atmosphere mysterious.
"If she felt guilty from this, can't deny the chance of hellionize, Ophelia, I am surprised that you act so indifferent." The old man that was talking to the female seraph chuckled.
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"And so are you, Mayvin. I won't deny that possibility, you better look after her carefully….Before she turns into anything worse." The female seraph named Ophelia smiled without warmth.
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"Any--Thing, huh.." Mayvin crooked his head slightly, meaningfully repeated the word.
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"After all, her 'ancestor' was a Lord of Calamity, they would have similar tendencies," Ophelia said while taking another sip of tea.
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"How do you know that?"
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"I know when I saw her strange wavelength that may synthesize with the Earthpulse, Maotelus indicated that with her ability to extract mana from the earthpulse. Normal beings won't be able to do that even for seraphim, they won't have the Fragment of Earthen Historia as their existence core." Ophelia said flatly.
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"Do you know about the technique?"
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"That's Melchior's study for the rebirth of Clautin's existence, yet failed at last. This looks like an advanced version with that study as blueprints, the girl is just one of the products under this technique." Ophelia said with a teasing tone when she mentioned Melchior, Mayvin can’t feel like she is treating the girl like a human, but not like that he cared.
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"I see, she really looks like a human." Mayvin replied meaningfully, thinking the girl maybe even more 'human' than him from what he observed, he was thinking Ophelia’s unbelievable.
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"After all, she is raised like a human. You should not think too deep, Mayvin. What I Said here is just that she may easily hellionize. The more pure person, become darker easily when they are fallen." Ophelia said with a hardened face, with her memories as Magilou, she saw not a few amounts of Shepherd fallen at last and the legends avoided recording that dark history.
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"You know I am not good at emotion and caring, not to mention taking care of such a girl. I am just a weird old man out of a human group."
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"Then you may just watch over her, we never interfere with anything,” Ophelia said carefreely.
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"Okay, it is basically our creed." Mayvin chuckled.
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"Well, can't keep that creed while our home is on fire though. How is it outside? I bet our President would like to hear that when she awakens."
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"Surprisedly doing good. Although not many people left to be able to fight, the amounts of the hellions and dragons dropped to another level with the effort of Alisha and Rokurou. Another thing is that the giant dragon that attacked Rose had no movement since then."
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"It may be a dragon from some sort of special seraph. Those eyes, don't you think they are special?" Ophelia said with a certain interpretation.
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"Now that you mention it, I saw something like a mythical glyph in those blue eyes…." Mayvin was recalling her observation in the details of the giant dragon when Ophelia said.
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"The Orb Of Oath," Ophelia stated.
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“I have seen a similar case on an ancient seraph when he used mysterious power. Now we see it happens on a dragon, this means even the existence of malevolence and the loss of free will is not gonna affect the oath while it still provides the power.” She continued.
“Sounds like it is getting more complex than my imagination,” Mayvin said.
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“It may be not that complex, despite the complexity in the origin and identity, these things change nothing related to the situation,” Ophelia said calmly. It may be true the origin of the dragon is special and a complex story behind it but it never changes the fact they need to defeat it or the fact their enemy is so powerful.
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“Which is why you never mention it?” Mayvin chuckled.
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“Yeah, sometimes, unnecessary information would guide you wrongly. Though I know you would like to know the juicy piece of information.” Ophelia laughed.
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“Ophelia! President-----wake----” The door ‘ban’ opened, with a worrying girl.
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“I see, coming now. Just calm down, Beta.”
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Sorey pov
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Tik Tok, tik tok, time flows away slowly as the firewood burns in a regular rhythm of cracking noise and I flip another page of my book. That was the latest version of Celestial Record I bought with Edna in Marlind. However, I have no enough time to read it or stick my own label on it.
Neither we have been to many places, we have rushed into ‘the storm’ so suddenly. When all the things end, we would travel again, filling the book with a new label of remarks of the places we have been.
It is a rare moment of peace allowing me to do it, a short break after the war.
Lively noise leaks through the window with path crunching noise of wheel sounds like the people are starting to transport goods to repair the frontline. It is a big casualty resulted, I have no idea how the people take the fact. For now, defeating the enemy as quickly as possible may be our only choice.
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I turned my gaze to the slumbering person, she is now sleeping calmly and peacefully, her serene sleep face is pure like a baby, it is a relatively rare expression of her in sleep. Not denying the fact that watching one’s face in sleep is good behaviour, I am just worrying, last time I noticed, she frowned, tossed, and turned in sleep like having a nightmare, coiled her whole body into a roll hugging herself. It is just too horrible if she couldn’t get a peaceful rest when things are just bombarding to happen.
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Suddenly, her eyes frown slightly, and slowly opening her eyes, looks exactly into my eyes. She would not realize that I was watching in sleep, would she?
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“........” Velvet moves away her eyes from me slightly, a light red shadow painted on her cheek as she seems to remember something.
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“Sorry, I have troubled you.” She slowly gets up, leaning on the wall to sit up, she muttered.
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As I know her not used to relying on others, she would consider that as ‘trouble’ but I would tell her that it is not no matter how many times.
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“Not at all, it is rare to have seen you relying on us, I am glad. You usually planned everything alone, so I am really glad that you rely on me.” I responded sincerely.
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‘Although part of it is you……’ Despite some complaints on her face, she doesn’t say it eventually.
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“Anyway, thank you,” she muttered, saying words with gratitude buried in shyness, by the fact she is not used to it.
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“No problem, but you gotta fight with the horrible wounds unhealed, that's really worrying.” I frowned a little bit. Not that long ago, I may still recall the scene, and I can only feel horrible for it like if I didn’t hold this person tightly, she would disappear before my eyes. I am afraid this is also related to her misfortune and the unconscious choosing tendency.
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“..............I am….overestimating myself in body strength, overwhelmed by the thought to defeat him. I should have planned it more carefully.” Velvet shows her face with an apologetic expression as if she has seen my expression change.
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“But we also knock him down because of your plan.”
“It wouldn’t succeed if not with you guys, how are they doing?”
“Apart from exhaustion, everything is good, don’t worry,” I assured.
“In that amount of Malevolence, is Laphicet alright?” Velvet asked with her worry. As I have expected from her since Maotelus is a very important person to her too, I have researched how the other is doing and make sure to deliver it to her when she wakes.
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“Also for Rose?”
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She is surely a tender person to care about all people here even when they didn’t know her long.
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“She is alright, but maybe can’t leave her bed easily herself.”
“I see….” Velvet closed her eyes silently and accepted the fact they lost a significant force.
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“Hmm….Are you here all the time?” Velvet changed the focus in conversation suddenly.
“Yeah, after realizing how the others are doing, I am requested to stay here not to let you go,” I answered while remembering Eleanor’s request to me, she was afraid that Velvet would go down the bed and walk away randomly when she awakes. To make sure Velvet rested properly, she asked me to watch over Velvet.
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Velvet shows an unsurprised expression of helplessness, maybe she already has an idea of whom.
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“You…..you don’t look at me all the time, do you?” She continued to ask with embarrassment….Mmm, I guess she does care about me looking at her sleeping face…..Well, she is a girl, I should not be surprised that she cares when someone looks at her defenseless moment.
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“I do read books!” Defending myself stiffly, I raised the Celestial Record in my hand, but Velvet showed distrust in her eyes, making me give up defending.
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“.....Yes, I did look at your sleeping face, because I want to make sure that you don’t have a nightmare.” I give up in hiding it, being honest to that not good behavior.
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“...only for such a thing?” Velvet blinks and widens her eyes.
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“That’s an important thing! You have your spirit only after having enough rest. And...I feel bad when I see you having a nightmare.” I recall the night in an inn in Ladylake, she was struggling in the dream like a restless sleeper.
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“And you did it not only once.” Velvet stated flatly with narrowed eyes that I thought she was mad.
“I am sorry, I am not doing it on purpose!” I immediately apologize for my not-very-gentleman act.
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“It is fine, I am not angry.” She chuckled amusedly, giving me a forgiving look.
“You won’t do anything strange…..Still, I suppose it is embarrassing…..That I just fainted….in your arm.” She continued with a light red shadow on her face.
“It is not, it is just a normal thing when you are tired. You haven’t fully recovered and you had a large blood loss, but still, you fight till the end, I think that is dazzling.”
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“.........To hear you say that only makes me feel embarrassed in another way….” She said it with shyness and a further reddened face while her eyes looked away somewhere but not me. I chuckled as I saw that reaction: “Sorry, my bad.”
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She responded nothing but looking into the sky distantly, like thinking in something, eventually she came up with a question that surprised me.
“Sorey, before we’ve been here, you said you want to save Tartarus. In what way would you like to do it?”
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“What? Why are you surprised? You have said that.” She continued as I didn’t respond because of the shock to hear the question.
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“I am just surprised that you are interested in it. You didn’t oppose the idea, but I felt like you disagreed with it.”
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“.....Indeed I don’t like to agree with it, I hate him even when I know all of his past, won’t change a thing of my thought. The more I realize that he is similar to me, the more I hate him.” Velvet expressed her hatred towards Tartarus nakedly, not trying to hide her self-hatred in words.
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“Velvet…..” It just makes me feel bad to know she hates herself.
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“It is the fact he is powerful, I guess his stubbornness is also that strong, as strong as me. Therefore, I know he would just stand up again every time we defeated him, to continue his will to destroy the world, to continue his revenge.” And she doesn’t deny that she is stubborn.
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“Thus, to let him give up wholeheartedly, that the Despair or the Salvation will do. Despair is his motivation now, so only the salvation left as the option.” There she said to save him purely without a will to save him, like how she looked herself not deserving a chance.
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The reason she wanted to save Tartarus is not unpredictable. Defeating Tartarus is her target, she searched for a way to defeat him, that is ‘salvation’. And my target is to save him, and defeating him is my way in doing so. It looks similar but practically different in-depth, our thoughts aren’t exactly the same. Still, I am glad that we are now fighting side by side on the same path.
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“I was planning to make him calm down when he is defeated, so we may talk.” Honestly saying that I have not really a rigid plan and I was not confident with it, it just feels like my feeling and thought is not gonna reach Tartarus because he avoids listening.
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“Simply saying out my dream will be pretended as a joke. I felt like ‘destroying the world that seraphim and humans may co-exist together’ is not his true thought……...it is that he wants to destroy the world ‘ have no place for him’.”
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“I think that the correct direction, the old man Claudin, had displayed his memory to me and hinted me a similar point as you stated. That there was one accepting him but he didn’t know and didn’t understand. If we let him know that…”
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“We may try, maybe you are the most suitable candidate to persuade him.”
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“...You said the same thing as Claudin had.” She stated helplessly.
“Since you have a position in Tartarus’s mind…..But when did you talk with Claudin?” I asked out of curiosity after I knew Claudin died a long time ago.
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“In the last battle when I was dying, he came to talk, forcing me to listen to his story with Tartarus.” She said while rolling her eyes.
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“I see, so you start to consider a way to save Tartarus then.”
“.....yes, but it doesn’t mean we may avoid an acute fight with him.”
“.................”
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The conversation was once into silence until an elegant sound of door-knocking breaks the silence.
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As I heard the sound, I went to open the door while stopping Velvet to get down from her bed. She gave me a complaining look like she was saying ‘I am not weak like I can’t go open the door’ and I just smiled helplessly to open the door.
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As I opened the door, I saw Eleanor takes something for us. There are 2 bowls of warm porridge on the tray.
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"Thank you," Eleanor politely stated her gratitude and looked in the direction where the patient should be.
"It seems that the patient is obedient, for now," Eleanor smiled and Velvet just rolled her eyes.
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"Yeah," I responded with a helpless smile.
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Eleanor took the tray to the small coffee table beside the bed and put it down.
"This is a congee for health. Eat it while it's still hot."
"Thank you." Velvet politely thanked her. After she took the porridge, Eleanor also brought me a bowl. I quickly thanked and took it.
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Carefully eating the congee, Velvet seems to be in deep thought, so as Eleanor. I continued eating, not planning to disturb them.
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"I should have stated my gratitude towards you. If you were not there, we would have died." Eleanor said.
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"That's nothing, we are companions, it is normal to do it. I believe you would do the same thing for me." I responded carefreely.
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"Even so, I must deliver my gratitude." Eleanor looked at me straightly and seriously. The seriousness reminded me of Alisha. Velvet mentioned Eleanor when I talked about Alisha with Uno in the sanctuary, and said something like 'she's a piece of work'. That was the first time Velvet talked about her and I suppose she was right in terms of her seriousness.
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"Alright, I have received your gratitude. I am counting on you in the next fight."
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"Yes, I would not let you down."
Hmm, really, a very serious type.
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To let the conversation be more relaxing, I tried to change the topic.
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"One thing I want to ask if you don't mind. It is not like I want to remind you of horrible memories. How did you do that to bring Velvet alive from that state?"
Apart from the reason to change the topic, I must admit that I hold my curiosity in it too, after all, it was nearly a miracle.
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"About that… Shamefully, that wasn't my power at all, mainly because of a present my gramps gave to me. I couldn't do the second time without it." Eleanor holds a pendant to display it in precious, I may feel weak mana inside it, the same mana when she released the arte and the same kind of familiar feeling I felt that time.
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"Gramps? What kind of person was him?"
"He was more like my father, yet when seeing him from age, he is my gramps. He had been teaching and taking care of me when I was just reincarnated into a seraph, a strict and tender person." Eleanor stated as she recalled her memory, showing soft and joyful eyes when she talks about her gramps.
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"Sounds similar to our gramps! He was horriblewhen he was angry, he would strike lightning on us. However, most of the time he was a tender seraph."
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"....what did you and Mikleo do to make him angry like striking you two with lightning?" Eleanor sweated as she heard, asking me about the horrifying punishing education. So I talked about the stuff I did with Mikleo together in childhood, like some pranks we did, that was pretty much our treasure and beautiful memory although it ended up with a lightning strike most of the time. As they are listening, Eleanor is looking at me with an unbelievable expression and Velvet shows an expressionless face like she doesn't bother to make a comment.
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"Sorey, your childhood with Mikleo…..is...having a great vitality." Eleanor tried her best to give a positive comment.
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"Boy's thought is just difficult to understand." Velvet commented flatly.
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During the cheerful conversation, the congee is finished and Eleanor is about to leave after picking up our bowls.
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"Eleanor, Sorey, I have something to tell you two."
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--------------------------Velvet POV---------------
Few minutes of dreamless slumber, pull me into the ocean of memory. When I noticed, we were in the middle of the ‘storm’.
Fate is strange like a prank on me, when I tried to avoid it, I was involved, when I tried to die, I lived, and was saved again and again.
All things are out of expectations, but be in a good way somehow. I did not intend to live in the beginning, just to meet Laphicet once and that was enough as my last moment. Yet, he wishes me to see the world with Sorey, so I go on with his wish.
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Ever since my awakening in this Era, Sorey has been my first and only companion early, and he was always there to help when he could. When I recall, he has saved me a couple of times. A shepherd dares to say to bear the sin with a Lord of Calamity, he is surely the first one and maybe the only one.
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Maybe it is because I stay with him for a certain time, a despicable person like me would try to think of saving Tartarus, not a pure intention though.
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To think I could have a moment of pondering while sitting on a bed, still, live with a healthy body, I must thank my friend, especially Eleanor and Sorey.
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They would save me like a million times, I can't abuse their sincerity when I already have. It feels only right to treasure my life.
The peaceful night evoked a deep thought in my mind for controversial and significant decisions. It seems it is unavoidable to use the prohibited drugs given by Rose if I need to fight.
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However, I am well aware it may cause me larger damage to my body than it already had now. And after that, my friend is gonna worry about me and felt angered, untrusted. Last time, I wasn’t planning to survive, I keep everything hidden from my companions before I seal Innominat with myself.
I guess I will be totally honest this time, that is something they should know, for someone saved my life a couple of times and as close companions. I will go through ‘the storm’ with them together.
----------------------------3rd POV-------------------------------
“What do you want to tell us?” When Eleanor got back to the room, she raised the question. It is a rare moment like Velvet is going to tell important things, so she chooses to finish all the work on her hand to clear her mind and listen to it.
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“Aa all of you may know, my body can’t sustain an acute and long-lasting fight.” Velvet heads into the topic straight, stating the fact with a certain helpless tone, and both Eleanor and Sorey agree and nod.
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“Yet, I have an item to lengthen my lasting time to move in such battle.” Velvet took out the small bottle from her pocket. In the dark room, the items in the bottle release weak light. Even if it is a soft gold color, the fact that it is illuminating makes it weird.
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“What is this?” Sorey asked. As Velvet stated the effect, he was worried when he saw the item.
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“It is a prohibited drug given by a reliable person.” Velvet doesn’t hide any, she said all information obtained from Rose when she is given the drug, on both good and bad sides, clearly explains all the risks in this. Though she keeps the giver untold since Rose gave her privately and she doesn’t want to bring her trouble as she knows Rose doesn’t want her to use it too.
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"The effects of it…." Eleanor has noticed something bad about the drug.
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"It would happen to lead you to a feeling worse than death….and there's still a risk of death," Eleanor stated her conclusion as she pondered.
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"Sense not only includes the touch. Let not talk about the cell-regeneration effect, your senses would be sharpened extremely after use, I don't think your brain may easily handle it well."
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Sorey recalled the knowledge he learnt when he lived with Velvet in the doctor's house. Since the doctor suggested giving Velvet a metal prothese, he asked for information about it and the doctor gave him a book related to the nerve system. He doesn't know about all the words, but somehow understood some of the content with his own talent in language and with the aid of the doctor. He understood all the sensation transmitted to the brain by the signal generated by the nerve.
Velvet has stated that the prohibited drug could cause catalyzes to cells, which would mean it affects the nervous system too, to be more sensitive. When all the light sensations magnified and mixed in the brain, it is just like hell to imagine what it is like.
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"Velvet, if that drug may really cause death if you use it in a long time," Sorey stated his conclusion solemnly and with caution.
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Using the drug is like a countdown to death.
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Velvet silenced, gripped the drug bottle tightly, and re-evaluated the drug carefully, still, can't find a way not to use it.
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The time is not rich enough to let her fully recover her body before joining the fight. If Tartarus repeats the raid on such a scale, they are doomed. The option of escape is meaningless, and it only makes things worse.
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It is not like her power is necessary so she joined the fight, she feels responsible for it after all the things that happened. She can’t let herself stay away from the fight even when her body is a mess now.
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Her broad frown continuously, clenched her teeth, worrying.
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Eleanor sees all the expressions of Velvet, she sees the eyes of void that are not that afraid of death, she has been dying many times, intentionally or not. The eyes nearly dead but shining the obsession of something. Not living by the will to live, but the obsession of the own life saved ---She can’t allow herself to abandon the life saved by others meaninglessly. Even when the facade changed, it didn't change her deep-down self-hatred core. Maybe she should be glad that Velvet is now troubled by how to survive. She would just try her best to guide her obsession in a good way.
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Eleanor gripped Velvet’s cold hand.
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“Fine, it is okay to use it.”
“Eleanor?”
“You agree with that?”
Not only Velvet, but Sorey is also surprised by Eleanor’s response.
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“You would take it even if we disagree, you would fight even if we stop you, won’t you?” Eleanor narrowed her eyes, glared at Velvet.
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“....Yes.” Velvet looked at her eyes, answered flatly.
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“Then I better let you be in the place we may see. I would try to delay the time you needed to take the drug, so let me fight instead of you.” Eleanor stated resolutely.
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Velvet frowned, flatten her lips unsatisfactorily, seemingly not pleasant to hear it, a few moments later, she said: “In this case, your burden is huge."
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“I am your servant, I swore to be your lance, to hold your fate in mine. I shall protect you. Even when you have won me once, doesn’t mean I am weaker than you.” Eleanor looked at Velvet unwaveringly.
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“I clearly know that.” Velvet closed her eyes, pondering.
Trying to be brave is just meaningless. Since she can't help it, she thinks she should rely on her friends. Eleanor is strong and is trustworthy, there is no reason not to rely on her.
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“Okay, I am counting on you. Be my lance.” Velvet looked at Eleanor with trusting and determined eyes.
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“I don’t want you to use it, but you really need to use it, use it at the last moment.”
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“I know since I don’t know what is gonna happen after actually using it.”
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“As Eleanor has said that….I would try my best not to let you have the need to use it too, and I would be aware of your status once you used it.” Sorey said.
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“Glad to hear that, but mind the enemies.”
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“I will, and I am glad that you tell us about it, thank you.”
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“It is me who shall state the gratitude.” Velvet sincerely expressed her gratitude to two people here.
When the conversation just ended, a gentle sound of door-knocking rings, Eleanor opens the door and she finds the sudden visitor is Mikleo.
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"Oh you are here too, Eleanor." the visitor said when he saw Eleanor.
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"Yes, I came to visit Velvet, are you coming for Sorey?"
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"Yes, but also for you."
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"Me?" Eleanor puzzled, tilted her head. She doesn't remember anything unsolved between Mikleo and her and she can't think of a reason he would come for her.
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"The dinner is ready, you haven't taken a good rest after the battle. Maybe you should rest." Mikleo stated his concern towards the girl.
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"Eh, haven't I?"
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"You are helping with the goods delivery, helping with the cooking but not rest, that is worrying." The girl is similar to both Sorey and Alisha, and they are now companions, Mikleo thought he should be concerned about the new friend.
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"As always, a piece of work." Velvet chuckled.
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"I don't want to be told by you, Velvet." Eleanor rolled her eyes when she thought of Velvet's action during the battle, Velvet is just another piece of work as much as herself.
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"You wake, Velvet." Mikleo, who is standing at the room entrance, looked into the room and found Velvet woke up. He smiled nicely, the gentleman tone shocked Velvet, she thought he hated her and he should be.
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"I have something to talk with you." He said. Velvet blinked a moment, puzzled like Eleanor, she too thought there was nothing to discuss between themselves.
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"What is it?"
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"I had a bad attitude towards you and I am sorry about that," Mikleo admitted he held hostility towards Velvet by the fact that she hurt Sorey. Yet, he saw how Velvet tried to save Sorey and Edna so badly, remembering the time they explored the ruin for traps to defeat Tartarus, as she claimed to bear the risk of her own plan. He thought she must be a gentle person that wouldn't want to let her friends bear risks and she knows the pain of the people she hurt, remembers it as she continues to live. He claimed he would give her the true name and now he thought it was the time.
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"Your untrust and insecurity are right. After all, I was a Lord of Calamity. I did bad things that would be hated in this era too."
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Sorey frowns as he hears that Velvet has the habit to put herself in the position of the Lord of Calamity even when she is now not anymore. What she said is the truth but it doesn’t have to be like this. He knew this can’t be changed immediately, then he would go through it with her until a day she doesn’t see herself as a monster.
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“.......Even knowing this, I apologize, as a companion.”
Velvet looks at Mikleo who sincerely wants to apologize, she shows a wry smile, finding out that the people around her are all like that, stubborn and sincere, but she still doesn’t think she deserves it. Still, she is happy that she is accepted as a companion.
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“Fine, I truly accept your apology. As I said, I don’t care, so you don’t need to care about it too.”
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“Thank you, as I trust you as a reliable companion, I bear my true name to you….”
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“You brought them here as expected, Meebo.” Edna sees Mikleo and shows a satisfactory smile.
Looks like Mikleo’s visit is not only because he wants to find Sorey but someone pushes him. Can’t say that person is not being too lazy to go there, but let’s suppose she wants to create a chance of conversation.
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“Now, three of you, so late, the dishes are cold. As a punishment, Meebo, perform the Normin Dance.” Edna added.
“Why is that?!” Mikleo is opposing the idea.
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“Well, the dishes are cold indeed. You don’t get a chance to eat it if you come later.” Zaveid chuckled.
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“Phi isn’t here.” Velvet looks around to find a trace of Maotelus but she doesn’t see any.
“It seems like he is preparing something with the other, and he kept it a secret. So sad that he does not tell me either.” Zaveid exaggeratedly presented a smugshrugs with a sad expression as he said.
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“Then you are untrusted.”
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“It’s not like that, I am just like his brother you know~”
“Well, you better are.”
“So cold lady, I am hurt. Just you don’t have to worry about it, it is no dangerous stuff, it is man’s romance.” Zaveid pretended to be sad but then be one like a mature brother to comfort a friend.
“I see…Thanks, Zaveid.”
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“Good evening, Edna, Zaveid.It is my first time to see these kinds of dishes, who prepares them?” Sorey politely greets his friend and observes the dishes on the table. Fresh fish is sliced and placed on an ice tray in a flower shape. Next to it is fresh fish placed on a small rice ball. These are dishes that Sorey has not seen before during his travels, which made him feel curious
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"This is prepared by Lailah and the Yasha in foreign clothing over there. These seem to be called sashimi and sushi." Edna pointed to the kitchen.
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Velvet: “It’s Rokuro as a chef, it’s great that he didn’t cut the fish into powder..”
Rokurou shouted from the kitchen to respond: "It's not sashimi if it becomes a powder, but I have worked hard on the thickness."
Velvet then noticed that each seemingly whole piece of sashimi was actually made up of several thin slices of fish like bacon.
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"I SEE..." Velvet just said helplessly.
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"LAILAH COOKS?" Eleanor immediately recalled the previous hell curry incident, showing a stoic expression of desperately trying to prevent bad things from happening.
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"Eleanor, it's very rude, even Lailah doesn't mean that she makes difficult dishes every time." Velvet said.
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"I heard it all, Hey! It hurt! I have to follow along and learn." Lailah places the dishes lightly on the table and complains.
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"I have tried it. It is very refreshing and melts in the mouth." Edna came out to express her thoughts.
"Really? Great, thank you." Lailah smiled happily.
"After all, the food in our country is relatively simple, and it is easier to learn to cook. The taste is guaranteed." Rokurou slowly walked out from behind the curtain with a dish.
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"So that's it, are these made by Lailah?" Sorey pointed to some sushi with slightly burnt marks on the surface.
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"Yes! I did it." Lailah admitted like a kid who wanted to be admired.
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"Yes, the whole raw food dinner is too unbalanced. We also prepared some hot food. They are all good dishes to go with the wine! Lailah's fire control is very good, which is a really big help." Rokuro said as he went in and took the first place. For the second course, Lailah, who was admired, became as shy as a girl.
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"Lailah unexpectedly got along well with Rokurou." Mikleo sighed admirably. He thought Lailah who had traveled with Shepherd for a long time would be more resistant to daemons.
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"After all, Rokurou is attentive and easy to get along with except when fighting. When I was a human, he took care of me very much when I was suspected in the team." Eleanor said naturally with a happy smile.
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"I see." Although Mikleo doesn't know much about what happened between them, it seems that Rokurou is a good person.
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"How come they are all marine life?" Sorey took a look and found that the dishes were all seafood.
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"To put it simply, this battle has caused a lot of marine life to be stranded, and I dealt with them by the way. Frankly speaking, some of them were demonized, and I placed them away from normal dishes, like this dish from a huge octopus.
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“Oh...is that okay if seraphim eat it?” Sorey asked with his worry.
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"Eizen and Phi didn't seem to have a problem eating a little before..." Velvet recalled.
“The taste is just like normal dishes, I tried it when I was a human,” Eleanor said.
“Just what kind of meal your team had in the past?!” Mikleo asked in an awful expression.
“It is a normal dish. Just because of Eizen’s curse, those hellionized seafood keep coming after our ship so we have them as our dinner.” Velvet announced like it was a normal thing.
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“I doubted trying at first, but Rokurou and Velvet made them smell very delicious so I finally tried to taste it, it is surprisingly delicious.” Eleanor shows nostalgic eyes as she recalls the journey memory with the Calamity team.
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“Phi had called for more but I am afraid that he would be affected by malevolence so I stopped him there tho, Eizen just ate them normally.” Velvet said with a chuckle.
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“but…”
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"I have burned it with the purifying flame, and I have tried it so it's okay." Lailah showed a pure smile.
"I don't think this usage is right..." Mikleo commented and showed a bit of astonishment.
"But this uses the value of their corpses, fills up the hunger of those who are exhausted by the war, and boosts their morale. Again to stand up and protect the place."
As soon as Velvet said this, everyone was speechless.
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Until the last two people arrived late, the sound of wheels pressing the floor came from the entrance, and everyone looked towards the entrance. Alisha pushed Rose in a wheelchair to the dining room.
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"You said something very interesting, Velvet. I am glad to know that you are fine." Rose said.
"This is my line. You can still get out of bed. This is good news." Velvet responded.
"Yes, the only bad thing is that you always say something disappointing." Rose teased.
"Wha--"
"Ha... I'm sorry, Rose looked happy to see you." Alisha said with an apologizing look.
"It doesn't matter now, just eat a good meal to reward yourself," Rose said and then she lifted a glass of wine on the table and held it up.
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"Cheers!"
Everyone looked at each other and laughed, and they all picked up the cup at hand and lifted it into the air.
"Cheers!" An enthusiastic voice sounded in the hall.
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-----------------------------TBC-------------------------
A.N.
I originally planned to write it for Christmas and New Year. But I couldn’t catch up. I also felt that the quality at that time was not good. I changed it a few times. I deeply experienced that it is not easy to turn the outline into a story. Even if there are many clips I want to show, they must also have corresponding scenes. I think these chapters as transitional chapters are very important because the interaction of the characters is in them. I admit that some of the clips are joined because of my girly mind, and I work hard to Rationalize the plot. When I was writing, something I didn’t intend to write developed in the end, like the part of Edna. I always felt that writing her was not reasonable enough, so I added another explanation... But still, I am very sorry I don’t have enough ability, I just tend to explain it with the settings. I have to keep flipping to the front to see if there are any wrong settings. I feel more and more need to review what I wrote before, it is also quite interesting. (but also feeling like many dark history and OOC, and ‘chunibyo’)16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYq9GJ5YT6c
Although I want to write Sorey/Velvet, my ultimate goal is to make a team feel like a family, so I want to connect different characters. But because there are too many people, it is a fact that I cannot write well.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvkxIdLcHd
Finally, although it is late, I still wish everyone a wonderful new year!.
Extra talk, at first I said that Eleanor is not the protagonist, but I seem to write her more and more protagonist-like LOL.
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