Stray

No. Nemo shook his head, intending to empty out his mind from negative thoughts.
He took a deep breath and tried to control his heartbeat.
He succeeded in the first few seconds, but unfortunately this success was not long lasting.
Their heartbeats had just been consistent for half a minute but when Nemo turned his attention to the rune balls, his heart returned to its original beating speed.

The thick darkness aggravated the anxiety in his heart.

Nemo’s breathing unconsciously became more rapid and heavy, and after perceiving this, he simply stopped breathing.
This didn’t make the status quo much better.
In the darkness, the passage of time became unpredictable.
God knows how long they took before they destroyed the first rune ball.

Too slow.

Every time they encountered a desperate situation before, they were able to save the day in the end.
Nemo thought this was the first time he had to face his own immaturity and powerlessness so directly.
When they face Nadine, they only have once chance.
After all, unlike the fluttering rune balls, a life was much heavier.

“Nemo,” Oliver, who had just put down his sword, suddenly spoke.

“Hmm?” Nemo responded as smoothly as possible, “I’m here.”

“You don’t seem to be using your spatial magic.”

“Yes, I’m listening…they make sounds.”

“I’m sorry,” the voice of their leader sounded a little tight.
“…Am I distracting you? Is there anything I can do?”

“No,” Nemo was distracted, and couldn’t help but start breathing habitually again.
He tried to suppress the depression and discomfort in his voice.
“It’s okay, Ollie, we still have time.
We have just started.”

You can’t mess with yourself.
You’re a superior demon. Nemo repeated to himself sternly. A true superior demon. A superior demon shouldn’t have claustrophobia.

“…” Oliver was silent for a while before clear footsteps sounded.
He walked closer and then held his breath, as if he was listening to something.

“Are you uncomfortable?” after a moment of silence, Oliver asked tentatively.
“Is it because of those potions?”

“No, it’s not.
I’m fine.
Let’s continue,” Nemo replied quickly.
“Don’t talk about me… Your heartbeat is a bit fast— Are you too nervous? Don’t be nervous, we will—”

“May I hold your hand?” Oliver interrupted him.
“If you don’t mind.”

“If this makes you feel better.” Nemo stretched out his hands decisively.

Oliver fumbled for a while, wiped the back of his hand with his fingertips, and then simply held Nemo’s hands.

“I’m really nervous.” Oliver held his hand lightly and said with a gentle voice.
“I’m afraid I can’t do this.
I’m afraid I’ll see Nadine be killed by Godwin… I’m afraid I’ll let you down.”

Nemo could feel the caution in his tug.
Oliver pulled on his hands and pressed them against his forehead.

“I’m as nervous as you… Even though I don’t know why you’re resisting.”

Still, Oliver found out.
Nemo sighed in his heart but didn’t pull his hands away.
The other party’s palm was dry and warm, which only meant one thing; his own hands were wet and cold.

He couldn’t hide his anxiety and discomfort.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say… Nemo, you may not know yet, but I’ve sworn a bunch of vows to others.
I know how far am from you,” Oliver continued.
His voice was soft and even had hints of a smile.
“While trying to catch up to you, I can only promise one thing— No matter how bad things are, I will always greet you with a smile.
At least I won’t cry like the first time.”

“You must remember what happened at that time, right? If you want to laugh, you can laugh.
I won’t get angry,” he said very gently.

Nemo tried to hook the corners of his mouth, but he failed to laugh successfully.
Honestly, he didn’t think it was funny at all.
From that cry he no longer even dared to look at the weak human child for fear that the other party would run away forever because of fear, and now Oliver Ramon, who had already grown up, was standing in front of him.

Oliver’s heartbeat was still rapid and irregular with no sign of ease.

That’s right.
Nemo slowly exhaled.

This darkness wasn’t as empty as he’d thought.
It was indeed harsher than he remembered, but from a certain point of view, it was better than what he remembered.
At least this time, his light wasn’t too far away from him.

His breathing calmed.
His lungs no longer seem to be as if they were being squeezed by icy clutches, and he didn’t need to suppress his breathing.
Nemo was finally able to easily adjust his breathing rate to match Oliver’s.

Then there was the heartbeat.

This time he didn’t try to adjust his heartbeat.
Perhaps if had had adjusted it, things would proceed smoother, but Nemo wasn’t sure.
He only knew one thing; his heart no longer beat as smoothly and regularly as it did before, and this wasn’t controlled by his subjective will.

Gradually consistent sound gaps began to appear one by one interrupting the quietness.
The magic of the Abyss exuded a dim light that quickly erupted, like lightning striking the ground from the sky.
The trajectory of the spell solidified in the air, like the dead branch of a shrub that suddenly flourished, and each twig had runes strung up at the end.

“We do have time,” Oliver said, as he plunged the Rest in Peace into the ground.
White silk of light that was a little blue wrapped around the rune balls and after ten seconds, they quietly turned into ash.
“Everything is just beginning.”

Perhaps he was too deeply influenced by the stories in books.
Nemo thought he had carefully analyzed his feelings and was waiting for a clear sign.
It was as if his feelings could grow their own labels and instruction manual after a long time.
It was true he had a lot of problems, but now that his identity had been clarified, he suddenly felt relief.

That unique light; if he had to give that persistence, trust, and warmth a label, “like” was a good word for it.

Things may not be as complicated as he thought.
If he really simulated everything about humans perfectly, then this abnormal heart rate was enough to prove it.

It was rapid and irregular.
There was no need to make any special adjustments.
As long as a little correction was made, it would slowly match the other party.

The rune balls began decreasing from a dozen at a time to hundreds at a time.
The intervals were getting shorter and faster and the sense of unity of fighting side by side felt reassuring.
He had even forgotten the depression that was caused by the airtight darkness.

When the last rune ball turned into ash, the darkness instantly dissipated, but it was no longer the starry sky that greeted them, but the setting sun that had just sunk to the ground.

The author has something to say：

I want them to start falling in love in this volume!!!

Life is too short.jpg

—

Knight commander: …I sent you in for training.
(Stop talking)

Kinky Thoughts:

Ahhhhh Nemo finally realizes his feelings!