Was my recruiting offer that unexpected? Amelia watched me cautiously, as if she wanted to know my intentions. But when he did not discover her, he continued speaking in a somewhat bitter voice. «I... am a looter».
«Naturally, since you're from Noark. But I know better than anyone that your nature is different».
In fact, Amelia let Ainar and me live in our first meeting. The same when we met in the sewer. Hikurod, Rotmiller, Missha, and even Dwalkie, not just me, the barbarian; He gave us all the Blessing of Lethe and sought a different method.
«My information is registered with the Explorers Guild. The palace will also know her-«.
I cut off Amelia's words sternly. «You can always make an identity».
«That's not as easy as it seems. If I am by your side, a nobleman, there will surely be people who investigate my identity-«.
Wow, you have a lot to say today.
«That's why I told you. When I solve all those problems, come join my clan».
«It is... impossible for something like this to happen. If you're planning to act stubbornly when that time comes, we'll both be at a peak...»
«Preparing insurance?»
«Sure...?»
«It doesn't matter, I'm going to find out if that works or not, so you just have to answer».
You had to choose between yes and no. When I summed up the situation well, Amelia hesitated for a moment and then sighed. «Ha... why do you always put me in a bind...?».
«So, your answer?»
«Okay. If a situation comes where it doesn't cause any problems while I work next to you...» Amelia interrupted herself and avoided eye contact, but it seemed like she didn't like her own subconscious action.
Slip.
Amelia raised her head, looked me in the eyes and said: «Then I will be your comrade». The search was established.
[Mission name: Save my sister!
Objective: Sister survival (0/1), Solve identity problem (0/1)
Reward: Amelia Rainwales Recruitment Ticket (SSR)].
At least, that was the basic idea. While organizing this new search, Amelia swallowed the bottle of drink on the table in one gulp.
«I thought you didn't drink because you couldn't get drunk».
«Tengo sed».
Ah, I see. But saying that while swallowing alcohol makes her seem very sexist.
Grifo.
Amelia frowned as she put down the bottle. Seeing this, I couldn't resist asking: «Does alcohol taste bad to you?».
«How can you think this tastes good?».
«No, I was just checking it. It tastes bad to me too». They say that going through hardships makes alcohol taste like a sweet drink, that's why I was wondering. I felt like I had already been through enough difficulties, but it still tasted bad.
«...Enough nonsense, let's get to the point.» Amelia sat in front of me. «You wanted to hear about Nivelles Enze, right? I'll tell you. Your opinion could help me think of another way».
«Okay.»
«Oh, and one more thing. I tell you in advance, but I will only be your comrade if you keep all the promises you made before. Understood?»
«But I didn't ask you for a comrade, I asked you to join my clan».
«Oh, uh...» Amelia shuddered at my words. «That is... certainly the case. I... believed it was the same meaning. If those two are different things, I'll correct-»
«Alright. I think comrade sounds better than clanmate, anyway».
«...Did you just make fun of me?»
How fast. «Of course not». Amelia looked at me with questioning eyes, but couldn't say anything because there was no evidence. So it was time to change the subject. «Hurry up and tell me. Everything I don't know, including Nivelles Enze».
Returning to the main topic, Amelia also erased her jocularity and began to speak again, combing through her memories. «Nivelles Enze was the name of the man who saved my life that day. And Iron Mask was the nickname he used in Noark».
«That's how it was». First of all, the part I had doubts about was now clear: I was that woman's lifeline. No wonder he was so nice to me since I came to Noark in that mask.
«That's why I was wondering if I should tell you this or not. I came here to change my past, but being here, everything seemed to flow exactly in order.»
«I see.» There was no need to say much as this was something I experienced once. «But you said you wouldn't give up. Anyway, tell me when you met m-no, when did you meet Nivelles Enze?».
«I don't know the exact date. But if my memory serves me correctly, in about three weeks. The place is the inner castle...»
After that, I continued talking to Amelia for a while and acquired the information I needed to know. Amelia was no longer cautious or testing the waters with me and told me everything honestly. In a way, it was the first perfect communication between us. Of course, that didn't mean the answer came immediately.
«Do you have more questions?»
«No, I think I heard everything I needed to hear».
«I see, then...»
«I'm sorry. To be honest, I'm still not sure. Let me think about it a little more».
«I see...» When I answered that I couldn't think of anything solid, Amelia looked disappointed, but didn't say anything else. «True, I'm sure you won't think of anything right away».
«It seems like you weren't expecting anything at all».
«...Strange. If I didn't really do it, I wouldn't have told you».
«Hmm, does that mean you believe me?»
«...To some extent.»
«To some extent, huh?» I chuckled as soon as I heard that. Normally I would have considered it a sly response, but maybe because it came from Amelia, I felt a little proud. You know, how a compliment from your parents is often leaked, but a compliment from someone who is usually picky makes you feel recognized.
«Anyway, if you don't have any more questions, it's my turn».
«¿Eh?»
«Why does it surprise you? I... naturally have questions for you too».
«Oh, I guess so. Ask me. What are you curious about?»
«What exactly did you talk about with Auril Gavis? I couldn't ask you in detail then». I thought you'd ask me about the kind of world I lived in or something, but you didn't. I really didn't have any pointless curiosity. Well, that was more convenient for me, anyway.
«To be honest, you tell todo how you could have curiosidad. I want ya you who do know, I will tell you the principle. Cuando wakes me up, stays in a mansión that I say a whispy feeling of déjà vu. Oh, explaining how much a déjà vu is going to be a sore history...»
«Okay, tell me. There is still a lot of night».
«Hey... if you say so, okay».
Afterwards, I told Amelia everything that had happened in the spirit world I visited last month. As a result, I even mentioned some important names: the head of Orcules, the Fallen Scholar Belbev Ruingenes, and an unidentified man named Kagureas.
»Kagureas»? It's also the first time I've heard it». Unfortunately, Amelia knew nothing about that man. However, the other two were different. «The chief of Orcules was there, huh? Rumors spread that it could be an evil spirit, but to think they were true... So, it came from the same place as him?».
«No. Not all evil spirits are of the same dimension».
«Is it the same for the Fallen Scholar?»
«Probably. It was at that time when the people of our town began to be dragged here.»
«Is that so? Looks like I'm hearing some amazing secret stories thanks to you. I don't know about the commander, but that old Ruingenes wasn't rumored to be an evil spirit at all.»
«While we're at it, can you tell me more about those two?».
«I don't know much, but if you want even that, of course».
Once again, Amelia made a disclaimer before telling me the information. It was more useful than I thought because I didn't know much. Whether it was the commander or the Fallen Scholar, there was little known information about them. Compared to Noark native and Orcules member Amelia, there was sure to be a difference in our common sense.
«So, will they call you there again on the fifteenth?».
«Probably. He said it will resolve the issue of fairness or something, so I'm curious how it turns out. Is there anything you want to ask him? I'll ask him about you when they call me».
«...I will think.»
There was nothing left to talk about, so we left after that and I lay down on the bed. Having spent most of the night, the day felt particularly long.
I guess being in bed brought a new question to mind. «Bjon, what was your world like?»
Amelia started asking several questions, which was unusual for her, and I answered them one by one. Democracy, science, cars and planes, missiles, each answer required a long explanation, but it was not boring or annoying. After all, it was the first time that I shared stories of this type in this organization. Unlike usual, where he had to think twice about every word he said because he had to hide that it was an evil spirit, with Amelia there was no need for that. How much time passed?
«It was a very interesting story. Although I knew most of it».
«That? Did you know? But how?»
«There are many evil spirits whose identities are exposed in Noark. You will surely hear several stories as you progress».
«I see... Then why did you bother asking me?»
«That's right...» Amelia interrupted herself and didn't speak for a long time.
«Have you really fallen asleep? ...Stop pretending to sleep. I know you only sleep half as much as a dolphin».
Was this how a student surpassed his teacher? I didn't think I'd use one of two ways to make someone mad at me.
«...Are you really sleeping?»
Look at that, he's even snoring now. Ha, ridiculous. Is this acting or what?
I couldn't be sure, but after that, I stopped talking and closed my eyes. The reason was simple. If she was really sleeping soundly for the first time in a long time, he didn't want to bother her.
«...Good night.» I also lay down with my back to her and soon fell asleep.
***
After that, time passed quickly. Well, maybe that's not the best word to describe it. To be honest, it was a very boring time. Since we strictly refrained from going out so as not to cause problems, we killed all our time in the accommodation. That doesn't mean time didn't make sense.
«Bjon, ve a lavarte.»
«But we're not even going out.»
«...You smell bad.»
We talked all day. The topics were many. Sometimes it was about my hometown, Amelia's memories with her older sister, or stories from the maze. By talking about various topics, I got to know the person Amelia was better. The most important thing was that I was finally able to hear the details of Amelia's essences.
Have you never done a proper team activity? I don't understand why he couldn't get to the eighth floor with those specifications.
Amelia's specs were much better than I expected. To be honest, if it weren't for her long bowed sword and Dragon Speech, she might even be considered of a higher rank than the dragon slayer.
But not only does she fight, she also has talent as a guide.
With this as a base, she was able to perform the scout position, and was a nuker whose aura could quickly cut through physically resistant monsters. Instead, I had the disadvantage of having a fragile body, but that could be solved by my tanking at the front.
«Oh, right. How did it go outside today?»
«As expected, it was a rejection». Getting out of the shower, Amelia answered while drying her hair with a towel.
Huh, so that's how it turns out.
«Hmm, maybe the problem was that we suggested too little...» The attempt to take in the Rainwales sisters, who worked as pastors for another team, was a failure. «How were they? Do you think they would change their minds for more money?».
«I don't know. I can't be sure, but it's better not to do it that way. If they know that we are obsessed with them, they will not only distrust us, but they will try to take advantage of us.»
«That's true. Everyone here is clever».
«Still, we managed to take a natural approach. Luckily, they show interest in us first».
«Interest?»
«They asked us if we were willing to join their team.»
In some ways, things were going according to plan, but we both had grim faces. In any case, all this had happened in the past.
«Everything fits together so well that it's almost suffocating».
In the original story, we joined that team and, after experiencing all kinds of events, we found that incident in about five months.
«What are you going to do?»
«...Join the team as planned. It may be a little uncomfortable, but it is the best way to be around when an incident occurs.»
«Really? So let's do it».
I didn't necessarily object. No matter how he thought about it, it seemed impossible to change the past this way, but it wasn't like he could think any other way. For the moment, I decided to follow Amelia's plan, at least until a better one came along.
I looked at the time again, it was five minutes to midnight. Seeing me do it, Amelia said: «Ah, now that I think about it, today is that day».
«Yeah». After a drink of water, I lay down on the bed.
«Have a good trip».
Saying goodbye? This is very uncomfortable.
«There are still about five minutes until I leave. It'll just be a moment here, anyway».
«Oh, it's true.»
After that, I spent the time having meaningless conversations with Amelia. Was it because we were talking about Auril Gavis? I was a little nervous.
Tick.
Just then, the second hand of the watch ticked and my vision became blurry.
That Sprite was really delicious. I wonder if he will give me more.