> Kiressara PoV

On second though, this feels like a really bad idea. I have no business out here! Ah, but then again, I can’t exactly make it back to civilization either. I don’t have my staff and it’s going to be nightfall soon. Trying to cross that forest under those conditions is… not a good idea.

For now I’ll keep searching around the place. That vague feeling that seems to have guided me from before has gone, so I just have to work things out the old fashioned way!

*SSCRRRR*

And there we go. As if the strange atmosphere and dim lighting wasn’t enough, now I hear something scraping across the metal floor. I am still without the means to defend myself.

*Toktoktoktok*

“Wah!” (Kiressara)

Something just passed by in front of me! It was white and looked like a spider! I’m sorry, I can’t do it. I’m just going to tu-

Huh?

I said! I’m going to turn ar-

…

Why is it that I can’t bring myself to even consider leaving this place?! What’s going on!?

*Tok tok tok*

Oh, it’s back… It does kind of look like a spider. It’s white, has a spider-like body, six legs sitcking out of the side and two weird claw-like things on the front. The main body is about the size of a human torso.

However, it looks to be a solid shell rather than a flesh-and-blood creature. Its giant red eye flashes a few times at me before it turns around and walks off. I guess it even looks kind of cute with that rounded shape and odd gait.

Hmm? Wasn’t it walking away? It just stopped and turned towards me again. Ah, it’s waving one of its claws at me and- It’s beckoning me to follow it?!

...

Okay, why not? I’m technically trespassing, yet it’s obviously not hostile. If it wanted to attack me, it would’ve already done so. Yeah, I might as well see what it wants to show me.

It leads me further inside. I follow it through a number of corridors and chambers, until we stop at an odd wall. There's several large grooves and a small box on the side that’s lit up.

*Tsuuu*

Okay, the walls slide aside with a low hiss-like noise. I guess it was a door? No, that overly-complicated thing has to be a secret entrance, right? Well, whatever the case, white light pours out from the inside so I might as well go in!

I step into the room. It’s a mess. Bits and pieces of broken things and weird slates are all over the place, however the only impression the room gives off is white. The floor, the walls, the ceiling, the shattered remains of what I assume was once furniture, even the odd light coming out of the walls is all a uniform snow-like white.

Except for one part of the floor. Something black is there. No, someone!

It’s a girl in strange full-body pitch-black armor, with an equally black helmet. The armor is ripped open in several places and covered in blood. The helmet is also badly damaged - it’s obviously dented on one side and the front is… cracked like it was made of glass? Why in the-

No! What she’s wearing isn’t important! She’s clearly hurt! She’s lying motionless on the ground and covered in blood after all!

“Hey? Hey! Are you okay?! Can you hear me?!” (Kiressara)

I quickly go to her side and kneel down next to her so I can examine her. I can’t treat her - I’m not a priest and the vials that were holding my healing potions broke from earlier - but at least I can confirm her condition!

Now that’s odd. There’s blood all over the armor, but no wounds. I guess she already got treated? Her modest chest is gently moving up and down so she’s obvious breathing and definitely alive.

"I’m glad..." (Kiressara)

Relief washes over me as I relax my shoulders. Regardless of who she is, I’m seriously glad she’s alive. Nobody deserves to die alone in a gloomy place like this…

“Khn!” (Black Figure)

She moved! She let out a small groan and moved! Her slender hand weakly raises in the air towards me!

I grasp it with both my own and hold my breath. Please be safe! Please don’t leave me here! Somehow, I feel like if I were to let go of her now, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life!

I don’t know what’s causing this feeling, and I know I’ve been acting weird today, but an adventurer should know when to trust her guts, damn it!

Okay, she’s slowly waking up! She moves her legs around a bit and slightly shifts her body! Good, it looks like everything is in working order, right?

The other hand slowly moves to her helmet and grasps the front.

A faint clicking is heard and she slowly raises it.

Wait, please don’t tell me she’s going to impart a dying wish? Please spare me from that sort of responsibility! No, actually, there’s nobody else but me! Okay, be brave Kiressara. Don’t jump to conclusions! She just came back to life or something so her drifting away immediately after would be just too unfair, right?!

The black figure slowly sits up! Yes! She’s not actually dying!

She turns to face me, the faceplate on that weird helmet now completely revealing her features. I lock eyes with her, both unable and unwilling to look away.

"..." (Kiressara)

"..." (Girl in black)

Oh, now I understand!

It’s a dream! It’s clearly a dream. It’s one of those ‘lucid dreams’ I’ve been hearing about! The ones where you’re actually asleep, but completely in control of the dream, right?

Well, now that I know about it, I can safely wake up! Mystery solved!

How do I wake up though? Let’s try the classic - pinching myself!

“Ow!” (Kiressara)

Okay, that didn’t work. How about laying down on the ground and falling asleep. If I sleep in my dream I’ll wake up in the real world, right? Sure, why not! It doesn’t make much sense, but it’s still more logical than the other things that happened today!

I mean, tonight!

I lie down on my back and close my eyes. You can do it Kiressara. I have faith in me!

This is a dream, it’s all in my head. It’s all in my head. This is not real, because it’s just in my head. Therefore, when my eyes flutter open they will immediately recognize the ceiling of my regular room at the inn!

I got this. I totally got this!

I focus my consciousness and then-

The eyes open suddenly!

And immediately close tight!

That’s right. Rejecting reality is bad.

I got carried away. Please forgive me.

Right, deep breaths.

Hii Hii Fuu.

Alright.

I can do this.

The eyes open slowly! I sit up and turn towards the other person in the room.

The girl in black is, as expected, still there. She’s sitting while hugging her knees and smiling pleasantly at me. She looks a bit cute like that… Okay, let’s break this down into smaller bits I can comprehend.

What happened in the city? No idea. Moving on.

What happened in the forest? Again, no idea. Moving right along.

What’s happening right now? This… this I may be able to deal with.

Let’s carefully assess the situation one step at a time.

First of all I’m awake. That much is obvious.

I don’t sense any mana in the air so it’s likely not an illusion.

I don’t remember going crazy or eating anything strange. So not a hallucination either. Probably. Ah, but that’s something a crazy person would say, isn’t it!? But just the fact that I’m considering the possibility I’ve gone completely insane is a good thing, right?

Not unless I’m double-extra crazy! Argh! This is meaningless! Okay, let’s just put that thought away for the moment and examine the suspect in front of me!

Short blue hair. Only elves can have blue hair, right? However, her ears aren’t pointy and she doesn’t look like a soft breeze will knock her over. So she’s an elf and yet not an elf? Do half-elves even exist?

Well no, they don’t.

Mix-breeds are impossible. Maybe she dyed it? But it looks so natural... Oh well, it’s my loss if I mind the details, after all.

Next are the eyes. The left one is red, the right one a pale blue. The red one is clearly abnormal, though the blue one seems familiar… Come to think of it, isn’t it a lot like my own? Ah, I wish I had a mirror with me!

No, that can wait! The hair color you can explain, but the eyes themselves are way too irregular! They’re clearly not human! That peculiar shape and inner light are definitely the eyes of a cat-kin!

However, she has neither fur nor a tail! Not to mention the all-important and soft cat ears are missing!

So she’s part cat-kin?

Mix-breeds are impossible though.

I said a second time. Because it’s important. And it would still be my loss if I minded it. Moving on-

She seems a bit shorter than me and a lot more slender. Especially the chest area.

Ah, she’s glaring at a part of me with a difficult to read expression.

Is it the chest?

It might be the chest.

It’s definitely the chest, huh?

Looks like I’m undefeated today as well. It’s like comparing the mountains to the valleys, absolutely no contest! Huhuhu, I don’t know where you came from, but you won’t beat me when it comes to that place!

"..." (Girl in black)

What? Glare all you like, but it’s your own fault for reading my mind like that. It’s rude you know!

"...!" (Girl in black)

Huhuhu, my Rank C isn’t just for show. What happened to me in town is somehow connected, and now that I think about it, those were definitely the people’s thoughts, right? Yep, looks like I’m right.

Or rather, of course I’m right! Don’t underestimate adventurers! Even if you’re pretty, I won’t forgive you if you take me lightly!

Oh wow, you’re actually blushing! Are you really that unused to compliments?! That embarrassed look is almost too adorable to be legal you know!

Fufufu, the way she fidgets makes me want to tease her even more!

Ah come on, don’t make that face. I was just fooling around. I promise I’ll stop so please stay out of my head. It’s really not okay!

She nods once.

Did you seriously stop?

…

Okay, good. Whatever’s going on, we seem to be able to communicate properly. This is important. I have many questions for what happened today, after all.

So many that I’m not sure where to even begin! Actually, let’s address the most pressing issue first. Something that made me seriously doubt my sanity just a while ago.

*Ahem*

"Why do you have my face?! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a cute face. Gorgeous even, if I do say so myself! As expected of me, right? Of course I’m a fan. I can’t help it. I mean, it’s exactly like mine after all!” (Kiressara)

I wave my arms around frantically as I let loose the complaints I’ve been holding back! The hair and eyes I’m willing to overlook, but something like having my face is way too much!

“Please! Please explain it properly! Without the mind-reading! You have to do something about all of this! Aaaah! This is the worst day of my liiiiife!" (Kiressara)

*pat pat*

I suddenly felt a gentle touch while I was writhing around on the ground. She’s patting my head while smiling pleasantly and nodding her head slowly. I don’t need to be a mind-reader to know she’s going ’there, there’ inside her mind!

Well… It’s a bit shameful to be comforted like a little kid at my age, but it’s been a REALLY long day.

“Waaahaahaaaha! Huk! Huk! It was horrible! Huk! Why did this have to happen to meeee?!” (Kiressara)

So, just this once, I’m going to allow myself to sulk and cry without holding back!