Chapter 227: The Restless Night

[ Name: Ren Arken

Age: 14

Race: Human

Strength: 400,000 (+4,300,000 [Mana])

Agility: 500,000 (+7,300,000 [Mana])

Vitality: 1,000,000 (+10,200,000 [Mana])

Mana: ~~~

Spiritual: ~~~

Intellect: 700, 000

Unique Skills:

-Magic cards -Appraisal -Evil gaze -Strengthen -Leap -Basic magics -Magic mastery -Grimoire of death -Real Clone [Heavenly Slime] -Eye of Wisdom -Sword God -Fenrir Arken -Reo Arken -Predator of the sky -Wild Beasts Skills -Knight’s soul -Defiler of the banished, Ataraxia -Slime Soul Diversion -Slime technique: Split -Tarot Emperor -Master of The Dragon King, Atlas]

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It’s in the middle of the night, the sky above the Grandaria kingdom’s capital had become dark, and the beautiful moon radiates its warm light as if giving blessing towards the world.

But somehow, for several people inside the royal castle, they’re feeling restless despite the peaceful and beautiful night.

“Something’s weird…” said Sera as she rise up from her bed.

“Can’t sleep?” Asked Edreale that has been writing something in her notebook.

“Yeah… Writing new songs? Poem?” (Sera)

“Yup. But I don’t think I’ll be able to make something good tonight,” said Edreale as she closes her notebook and stared right into Sera’s eyes with her usual emotionless face.

“I see…” (Sera)

Even though tomorrow is the day where their party will embark towards the beast kingdom together with the party of heroes, she couldn’t help but feel kind of restless even though she should be having a rest for the travel.

“Something bothering you?” Continued Edreale.

When Edreale asked her that question, she unconsciously flinched a bit. Even though it’s just a simple question, and she isn’t really thinking about anything currently, but the face of two people suddenly appeared inside her head.

One of them is the person that had saved her lots of times before, both mentally and physically. While the other person is a person from another country that had saved their kingdom from a perilous state.

Both of them have the same mysterious bearing that is completely identical to each other. And to add that she’s having the same reaction on her chest whenever she talked with them is making her even more confused.

(Don’t tell me… The both of them are…) (Sera)

“Sera?” (Edreale)

“Y-Yes!?” Sera jumped out in panic as Edreale’s face suddenly appeared closely in front of her face.

“Is there something bothering you?” Edreale gives off the same question as before. Even though she knew that there must be something bothering Sera by judging from her reaction just now, the fact that she still asks her again shows how much she appreciates their friendship and how she’s concerned about her but still know that she should only meddle with Sera’s privacy if she allows her to.

(She saw right through me, huh…) (Sera)

“It’s just that… Going to the beast kingdom tomorrow, somehow made me think some unnecessary things…” (Sera)

“I see…” (Edreale)

After that sentence, a moment of silence enveloped both of them. They have become best friends and had leaned towards each other, but it doesn’t mean that they didn’t have any secrets from each other.

(It would be strange if I suddenly said that I suspect Ren and Mr. Slime to be the same person, right? Wouldn’t she be worried that my mind gone nuts!?) (Sera)

“Me too…” (Edreale)

“I see…” (Sera)

“Eh?” Sera exclaimed in surprise towards Edreale’s unexpected response.

(W-What does that mean? Does it mean that she thought that Mr. Slime and Ren is the same person like me? But I barely ever saw the both of them talk with each other, though? Did they talk with each other when I didn’t see them?) (Sera)

“You’re feeling uneasy too?” (Sera)

“Yes,” Edreale gave an immediate reply.

Even though Edreale’s expression didn’t change much, Sera notice that her eyes went clouded after she answered ‘yes’ towards her. It’s been quite a long time since they’ve become friends, and since they are the only girls inside their circle, they’ve become close best friends.

(I see… Well, this time the quest might be a long time, isn’t it? The last time we had such a long adventure with a small group is when Ren is still together with us, isn’t it…?) (Sera)

The both of them had grown accustomed to each other’s habits, even though there is the same person that exist inside their heart, rather than colliding and dragging each other down, the both of them chose the path where the two of them could stand together with the person they love.

And since the person they love’s location is currently unknown, they could comfort each other and try to fill the gap inside their heart with each other since both of them are feeling the same pain inside them.

(Now that I think about it, I’ve been busying myself with the kingdom’s affairs. Helping Peter- big brother Chris to stabilize the kingdom and other stuff. It helped me to forget the worry inside my chest. But how about Edry? Since we’re definitely feeling the same way, could writing songs even fill the gap inside her chest?) (Sera)

Sera take another glance towards Edreale, and somehow, she could finally see the sadness hiding inside that expressionless face. Even though her expression is always the same, Sera realizes that Edreale’s eyes represent her emotions greatly after getting much closer to her.

Looking at such expression of her best friend, Sera’s chest tighten as an act of strange courage suddenly appeared inside her.

“Edry… Are you thinking about Ren?” (Sera)

Both of them considered that name taboo. Not only for the both of them, for Alfred, Sen, Peter, and Albus, that name is something that shouldn’t be mentioned in front of them. Only when it’s at the right place and the right moment that they may mention that name.

Since the owner of that name had given too much impact on them, it’s painful for them to didn’t know anything about him. They didn’t know his current situation, they didn’t even know whether he is alive or not, and even if he’s alive, they couldn’t offer him any assistance.

“Yes…” Answered Edreale as an unusual sad smile appeared on her face.

“Edry…” Sera immediately rise up and hugs that best friend of hers.

As they hug each other, they could feel each other’s warmth. Even though it’s not the warmth that they dreamt to feel, the feelings of care from their friendship seem to transfer to each other from that warmth. As time passes, their tight chest finally starts to loosen.

They didn’t know who shed a tear first, but after they separate from each other, they saw that both of them have a pair of swollen eyes.

“”Pfft!”” (Edreale and Sera)

Looking at the unusual swollen eyes of each other, the both of them burst into laughter together.

They’re best friends. But since both of them are the type of people that rarely talks about the heavy things weighing inside their heart. It needs a lot of preparation and time for them to be able to share the things that worry both of them.

And because of the sudden burst of tears and laughter, they’ve finally reached the rare moment where they feel like they could share with each other everything they thought without hesitating.

“It’s been very long since we saw him. I don’t really understand with my own feelings, my I believe that I don’t worry about his wellbeing since you know how he is,” (Edreale)

“Well, that’s true…” The image of Oz holding his cards as he smirked appeared inside Sera’s mind.

“I think… This is the feeling of longing… I heard the term in lots of poems and songs, so this is how it fees… It’s unsettling and uncomfortable…” said Edreale as she clenches her fist in front of her chest.

“Well… You’re right. It’s not a pleasant thing to feel, isn’t it?” (Sera)

“Yup,” Edreale nods.

“But, Edry,” (Sera)

“Hm?” (Edreale)

“Did those feelings of yours get even worst after Mr. Slime from the Tarot empire came here?” Sera decided to ask her directly.

“Yes,” Edreale responds with an immediate reply.

“I see…” (Sera)

(So she does feel the same way… But she never initiates a conversation with him unlike when we’re together with Ren… I wonder why?) (Sera)

“The vibe he’s emitting, the way he talks, the way he walks, the way he smirks, the way he dominates people in conversation, the comfortable feeling when he’s present, and the feeling of being protected whenever his presence is near. Everything is the same, but somehow…” (Edreale)

“Somehow it’s scary,” Sera complete Edreale’s sentence as she thought exactly like the same thing as her.

“Nn. I’m afraid that I’m just looking for his replacement, what if it turns out that they’re a different person, and if it’s him, why does he keep a secret of his identity. And if we know about his identity, will he disappear from us once again?” (Edreale)

Everything that Edreale mentioned had passed through Sera’s mind as well. As if the both of them are twins, it seems like they have been wondering and worrying about the same thing.

But hearing Edreale’s words, an unexpected emotion surged inside Sera.

(I don’t know why… What is this… Anger? Why am I angry?) (Sera)

Sera contemplates for a moment, and she finally calms down.

(I see… I’m mad because that idiot made my best friend hurt like this, huh…) (Sera)

“Edry,” (Sera)

“Hm?” (Edreale)

Sera gritted her teeth as an unexpected idea appeared inside her head.

“Wanna try looking for the truth together?” (Sera)