☀️ Arselia and Akonia

- ...
- ...
- ...
- I take back what I said. Kraken should learn a thing or two from you... she mumbled, barely audible, not having the strength to meet his gaze, and then finally said. - It's funny. This priest would definitely suspect something and accuse me of all mortal sins for such words. But I still don't think he's a good judge of character. One day, your dark soul will brighten, and he will immediately change his mind and stop calling me a "bandit." And if he needs such an event for that, maybe he should gouge out his eyes and replace them with pig eyes, anyway, they are useless, - she sighs, reproaching herself. - It's not right to talk like that. But I can understand rudeness directed at me, but he clearly doesn't know you at all, - these words might sound strange, given the history of their acquaintance, but they still came from the heart.

Something like that.

- You painted a bleak picture, Edgelord-kun, - Aiyano smiled sadly. - Perhaps you are the first who accepted my essence - without unnecessary factors, as it is. I am not offended by meaningless insults, but when all the previously unknown laws of the universe begin to lift the veil under which the only open path is to jump in front of a moving locomotive, then this... raises doubts. You have supported the natural course of things all your life, only to renounce it at the moment of the decisive test? For you, this may sound silly, because you are a more practical person, but if I went into that church alone, I feel that I would never leave its walls. And not because I wouldn't be able to beg for mercy, but because I wouldn't find any moral justification or strength for it. But your words at that moment gave me at least one reason. So... I already thanked you for that, but I'll say it again - thank you. You pulled my soul out of the pit at the darkest moment of its existence on this earth, - if they were in a room and it wasn't an unseemly, lascivious gesture, then perhaps she would, contrary to her nature, place her palm on top of his in that moment to confirm her words, but since none of these conditions were met, she simply smiled with the maximum warmth she was capable of. - And as for the city people... that was the problem that caused your melancholy? The question here is completely different. For them, I am nobody - an imperial from the outside, that's all. Even if you walk through the weeds of their doubts with a whirlwind of sincere feelings, they will most likely be temporarily pinned to the ground, but not uprooted, such a process requires their personal effort, which may never arise. Therefore, their acceptance was surprising to me. Your attitude gave me faith in your uniqueness, theirs - in my position in humanity and in a broader sense.

- It's a little interesting what made her give you such a gift.

- I have a guess, but I can't get into her head, so... let's just say it was out of the goodness of her heart.

And I remember - you asked me this question once, and I didn't answer you... Was there such a thing, or not? I think so, but it doesn't matter. I opened a chest without a code, so I can't know for sure. - Looks at the priestess. - Spirit? Unwavering confidence in one's views and a willingness to go with them to the end, despite common sense and possible danger.

- Well, let's assume that you answered.
- Oh-oh-oh... - she clapped her hands - as much as possible, given the burden they carried. - Not bad. If I were in Nadia-san's place, while she is taking this interview, I would be embarrassed by the reversal of this question in relation to me. But I would definitely answer exactly like that. It's probably funny and arrogant to hear from a woman. Maybe it's a derivative of my profession - when there is an awareness of the transient nature of life, and circumstances almost daily confront you with something that shouldn't exist, then some natural emotions fade away. Or maybe it's just stupidity, because, as they say, the absence of fear is a sign of a short-sighted mind... But let the philosophers argue about that.