interlude

That girl sure has an attitude.

Reaching my sleeping chamber, my body liquifies onto the bed. Fortunately, it is soft, otherwise it would have crushed my dreams of a pleasant slumber after hours of battling with Hayami.

True, as she depleted all my stamina pent up from my temporary coma. The image of our encounter is still vivid. Sweat drops from both of us dropping into the gravel, hands red from the blood pumping, instincts screaming at my body to stay adamant through adrenaline and gasping for breath.

She is a warrior, through and through. Stronger than Jules, even. Lacks in temperament, unlike the new Primordial White. Hayami has a beast dwelling within her that can be terrifying at times.

Her technique is polished to the limit. I would even say that with katanas, she is far better than me. My reliance on trickery and using every method at hand threw her off at first, but grew accustomed quite fast. Regardless, seeing her surprised face many times was fun.

My yawning is interrupted by a knock on the door. “Come in.” The creaking of the door reveals Hayami in black pyjamas, as she is about to go to sleep, too. Facing to her left, a slight blush reddens her cheeks. Umm what?

“Y-you know, you are not as bad as it seems. I respect you in battle.” Squinting and closing her eyes, she showed that courage that was omnipresent in our sparring.

“O-okay. That’s good to know.” Taken aback, that is all I can muster. Is she acting like a normal girl? I mean, I haven’t talked to many my whole life.

“But! You still are a murderer. I can’t let that slide.” Fair enough.

Unexpectedly, she whispers something but my ears can't catch it. Then, she just leaves.

“At least close the door!” Yelling at her, footsteps running towards me reverberate through the hallway. In a short notice, the door gets closed with a kick.

“Good night!” After shouting for her to hear me through the walls, sleepiness runs through my body as my eyes start to close by themselves.

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After getting up and equipping my whole attire, Hikaru comes to my room as I am leaving. No, rather, he was hiding until I got out. What is it that he wants?

“Oh, you are Hayami’s brother, aren’t you?” as he approaches me, I throw him a question which the answer is obvious.

“Yeah… Umm… are you Hoover's son?” My oh my. The boldness of children is something that I can’t grow to dislike.

“No, I’m just a regular person.” I could play with the kid for a bit but… clock’s ticking.

“Ohh… okay.” My shutdown of his gleaming eyes from before is just soul crushing. Sorry kid.

“Then… are you Hayami’s friend?”

“I could be, in the future.” A little white lie can’t hurt, right?

After pondering for a bit, he then sprints to the stairs and goes up.

“Sigh… I've gotta get going.”

Going up the stairs to the garden of Miss Hisa, the door is seemingly open as the sun blinds my eyes as I’m getting closer. Shouting from a girl’s voice can be heard. Hayami’s voice, in fact. Man, it’s too early for a ruckus.

Entering the top of the castle, alongside the jungle of flowers and vines, Hisa and Hayami are arguing about something. Near them, a boy and a girl around my age are taking a seat, while calmly talking to each other.

“Why are you both arguing when there is a beautiful sun shining at us?”

“How come these two are the ones to go with us!?” Hayami’s beauty is put on hold as the beast inside her takes control.

“I told you already. They were disciples of mine long ago that just decided to part ways from me. Nothing to be spiteful at.”

“Ughh, fine!” After shouting it, she furiously looks at me and then sits down near the other two that they were discussing.

Slowly getting to Hisa while I put on the hood that she gave me, greetings from her are followed by a deep breath. Stress coming from her is not something expected but rather, assumed for her position as the leader here means taking unpleasant decisions for her subordinates. Such is the case with Hayami, it seems.

“Good morning.”

With a smirk at my comment, she orders me to sit down with the rest. Looking at them, they seem to be twins. The boy has a mediaeval sword on his side, in contrast with his modern attire. Besides him, the girl has a pair of daggers in her waist.

Both of them are redheads, with their faces actually being similar too. You could almost confuse their names if it weren’t for their length of their hairs being different. An aura of seriousness envelops the twins, with blank faces with no showing of emotions whatsoever.

Don’t actually tell me this is the squad to steal the archives.

“This is the team that is going to get inside Innsperta.” This is just depressing. Divine punishment?

 While being in between Hayami and the two brothers, the contrast of characters is just abysmal. Personalities not matching in a team is sometimes a sign of ‘doomed from the start’ type of operation. My only desire right now is for everything to go alright.

“They have their ways of defending themselves, but prowess in combat is not their forte. You’ll have to defend them as they decrypt the files.” An escort mission inside of infiltration. Being in an unknown place plus protecting a VIP. That is not too much at all.

“When can we start?” Sucking up my insecurities and doubts, faith resides in my ability to adapt.

“Right now, if you want to. I already sent you the location of the institute.” In a quick response, she signals my sunglasses.

“Consider it done.” Standing up, taking the role of the leader is just natural as I don’t want my destiny in other’s hands.

“Well, ladies and gentleman. Should we get going?”

“Hmph, fine.” Hayami positions herself beside me. The other two follow along with a shrug.

“Good luck, Kingslayer. May the universe conspire in your favour.” Bowing to our squad, she farewells me. Will I be able to see this place again?

Also bowing to her is appropriate. After doing so, departure ensues. At least everyone is following me, for now. The twins seem to just want to finish this, as they have no intention in talking with me or Hayami. If they just follow my lead, then there is nothing wrong.

Now at the entrance, before taking my leave from the castle that treated me for four months, I take a last look at the castle. In the gardens at the top, Hisa is waving at me.

No time for doubting now, my way is now decided. Forward into adventure. This thrill inside me, is it what Hoover felt too? Is that what drove him to his eventual disappearance? I might end up at the same destination as him, but a promise is a promise. Triumph is the only option.