We wandered over to the wooden dining table and sat down. I stared down at the dish placed in front of before raising my head towards Arius, who was sitting opposite .
I watched as she scooped a bit of the scrambled eggs, dusted with black pepper, into her mouth. After that, the fork she had used moved toward a sausage
A bright smile spread across her face as she ate. Soon, she began to comnt on how good it tasted.
"Man...! These are pretty good. I was really surprised you had so food inside your fridge. Did you buy them the last ti we went into the Bazaar?"
I shook my head.
"They were inside my apartnt and I believed it would be resourceful to bring them over to the dorm."
"Well, I'm glad for that. Now we don't have to buy anything for breakfast."
I listened as Arius chuckled. I turned my attention back to my plate and held the silver fork to my left and the knife to my right.
Although I'm not proud of it, this will be my first decent al in a while. While my tastebuds have grown used to eating dull and repugnant dishes, it is nice to...
"Well~? Does it taste good?"
Arius asked as I fed myself a portion of the scrambled eggs.
It had a fluffy texture with no overpowering taste.
I could sense splashes of salt she had added and the sprinkle of pepper on top.
The green onions she had added on also added to its texture with a hint of crunch.
"... Well done..."
It is nice to have als like these every now and then—ones that wouldn't cause to retch.
"Heh! I suppose that ans you enjoy it. And this is the sort of thing you can expect with my stay here. Aren't I sooo~ amazing~?" Arius said, turning her head slightly to the side and tilting upwards with a proud look.
I stared at her deeply.
Lillian Ker Arius. One of the only two children in the Noble family, Arius.
Their Family Head, Liaren Ker Arius—a specialist in the field of biochanics—was known to be rather eccentric when it ca to disturbing topics.
His wife, Veronica Ker Arius, a woman who once belonged to the Jacob Family, fell in love with the man's "unique" personality. As such, she had beco quite the professional in the sa field.
She gave birth to two children.
Lillian and Victor. The latter being the oldest and supposed heir of the family.
Having already graduated from the sa academy that we are currently in, he has gone on to be quite successful in the bio-industry.
And lastly... the youngest...
Her first appearance was on a live television broadcast on the news as her brother carried her around when she was still and infant.
She later grew up to be a young spoiled "noble" lady of the household—always being pampered by her family even though she was in her teens and no longer a child.
She always had a habit of going around and spending an exorbitant amount of money on useless items. Although they did indeed highlight the natural beauty it possessed, the bare minimum should be enough.
But... I suppose over-indulgence is fine every now and then if there isn't any backlash. The family is quite wealthy, after all.
"You alright, Marionette? You've been a bit too quiet."
My eyes briefly widened before staring back at Lillian, who gazed at with a curious look before turning towards my surroundings.
The bustling streets of the Bazaar. The first place we fell into once entering the portal to get in here.
While the Items it had to offer were varied and only of decent quality, it was still pleasant to see that people were willing to dive into the Trials to retrieve things for humanity's survival.
Especially with the recent ongoing war in the northern region. If I recall correctly, a high-ranked Gate failed to be completed and had been causing nurous casualties with its monsters.
"Hey! Could you wait for out here for a bit, while I go and fetch sothing?"
I turned towards Lillian and found us standing in front of a building with a conspicuously charming sign that read, "Candelicious!"
I reached into the inner pockets of my blazer and fetched my phone. Despite it being the latest model, it had quite a dull-looking black case.
Sothing I find quite attractive in my opinion.
"It's 8:30. I suppose you can. Don't spend too long ogling at what you can get."
Lillian gave a vibrant nod before pushing open the door. I listened as a pleasant chi of a bell announced her entry.
I sighed and stared at the ground, scrolling through my phone. I didn't have too many interests. Not like I could with my past busy schedules.
But I suppose I could adopt a few hobbies now during my ti here.
"Huuuh~? Is that you, Red Eyes ~?"
"Hm?"
I looked up and found Vellen's playful voice irritatingly calling out to .
She stood next to with a wave, leaning against the wall like .
I didn't have a particular problem with her that would incite my irritation... it was just that...
"You're ugly. Go away."
"W-what the—!? Who the hell starts a conversation like that?!" Millis stamred, pointing at with a twitching face.
"..."
I turned away from her and stared towards the bustling crowds of workers and students passing through the cobblestone streets.
Ugly... to be honest... I'm not even sure if she was in the ugly in the normal sense.
It was just that...
"Wow... aren't they like... really pretty?"
Millis grinned at what she had just heard and just a playful wink at them before turning back to .
"See~! I ain't ugly. Even those cute ladies over there thought I was good-looking."
I stared at one of the ladies she referred to as "cute" and...
... Saw a decrepit skeleton with unnervingly long white hair still growing out from the top of its skull, flowing over its hunched shoulders.
I glanced at the other and saw a deep cut around her neck that was stained with an uncomforting amount of blood that stained her clothes.
This was the sa for everyone I ca across.
A walking body without a head and white twitchy maggots festering their rotten flesh like living pimples.
Skeletons without legs that manage to move forward. Or so without arms that still managed to grab and hold things.
Bloodied corpses still moving as if they were still full of life and their eyes haven't gone fully white.
More continued to flood the streets.
I saw ones with spilling organs. Ones with eyes popped out of their sockets. Ones with their jaw hanging loosely by a flesh thread.
I turned my eyes back down to my phone. No matter who it is and no matter what it is, my eyes would always plague with the horrific sight of their lifeless moving body.
The Head had considered such an anatomical trait of mine to be a positive thing with my profession.
At a point I had believed it to be, ignoring the heavy weight it had on my mind.
But...
"I'm back! Oh, Millis! You're here too?"
Lillian exited the store with a plastic jar of what seed to be flavoured lollipops.
"Yep! I knew ya would be sowhere around here!" Millis wandered over to her, peering down at the jar, "Hey! Could I have so?"
Lillian nodded.
"Sure! Have a pick!"
She then turned the red lid of the jar and held it towards Millis, whose eyes sparkled.
Millis then reached into the jar and pulled out a lollipop in an orange wrapper before tearing it off and placing it into her mouth.
Lillian then held the jar towards with an urging look, "You too, Marionette!"
"... Are you sure?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"I see... then I'll be taking one, please."
I reached into the jar and pulled one with a dark blue wrapper. I scrutinised the cartoony picture on it and discovered it was blueberry.
After unwrapping it and placing it inside my mouth, I couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity with its flavour...
A familiar... flavour...
I then unconsciously glanced towards Lillian's wet lips as they played with the white stick of the lollipop she had in her mouth.
Thump... Thump... Thump...
My lips tightly closed around the lollipop as I dazedly stared at her. I wasn't sure but I felt strange around her... unlike our first eting...
Flashes of our monts inside the Trial had appeared countless tis in my mind. Particularly... the one near the end.
Thump... Thump... Thump...
I'm not certain whether or not the accidental kiss we shared would be the reason for my heart's rapid beating but what I do know is that...
She looked attractive.
Unlike everyone else, she looked... different. Unique. She was living. Full of life.
Her bright blue eyes always seed to shine in the darkness and her pristine white skin and luscious hair.
Nothing about her looked repulsive in my eyes... why...
Why was she the only one different compared to everyone else?
"Hm? You okay, Marionette? You've been staring at for a while..."
Lillian asked with a concerned tone, standing closer to .
I think...
"Yes... I am. Let's just make our way to the designated building. I'd rather not be late again."
I think...
"Pfft! Sure!" Lillian chuckled before slowly bringing her right arm and interlocking with my left. "But let's try and not get lost this ti, okay?"
I stared deeply at her—my gaze softening a bit.
I think... I like, Lillian...
"By the way... what flavour do you have in your mouth?" I asked curiously.
Lillian stared up and drifted her eyes down at the short white stick coming out of her lips before pinching it with her left index and thumb and pulling it out.
The saliva-covered lollipop glimred a pale pink colour under the "sun's" light.
"I got strawberry. What about you?"
[END OF VOLU 1 - Unfamiliarity]
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A/N
My first-ever volu is done :D
Quite the emotional thing for but anyway! I'll be taking a single day off tomorrow ;)
This wouldn't necessarily an I won't be writing chapters. (I still need to get rid of those "chapters". If you know, you know. They're absolutely hideous to look at.)
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