POST_METAMORPHOSIS

Chapter V/4 - Tormented angel, arise!

Aleister and Emma were in Saki's residence at her working desk. They were sitting in front of each other in a comfy armchair. Aleister, who by then helped Saki renovate her suite with her half-room yesterday, was next to Emma. It was noon already.

- I hope everything's clear now... About opening up and living a social life, I mean.

- Yeah...

- We think we need to focus on your social skills, as well as your judgemental skills... - Emma said.

- I'm sorry if I may sound rude from your perspective in some places, even though I intend neither to offend nor to harm you.

- Yeah... Correct me if needed, though... I think having these kinds of conversations helps me out... I didn't talk this much in my life before all of this... And I had to lie to them... or shake them off... Only to find a way out of nearly everything related to social interactions...

- You were only afraid of them, Saki. And honesty is way more profitable.

- Yeah... I thought we'd also run realistic simulations or something like that.

- He'd preserve it until the end if you don't mind... - Emma said.

- So you have one of those as well?

- Yes, but let's chat for now.

Saki nodded.

- Could you conclude yesterday's topic on your own?

- I should gather my courage and open up to the right people...

- That's right.

- But I don't know how I should start...

- You can practice it anytime, especially right now... I also heard you went back to your home and wrote a letter to your mom...

- Yes, I did...

- Saki, you're so brave.

- Uh... Not really..., but... thank you, I guess? - Saki was a bit flattered by Emma's statement.

- You ARE. You dared to go back where it all started so you would drop that "bomb of [REDACTED] truth" right under your mom's nose... That's bravery if you ask me.

- Thanks... She... She also wanted to die... I... didn't let her.

- Another reason why you're brave. "She saved her mother from death... Even though she hurt her..."

- I believe I made the right decision with this... "When I stopped her from hanging herself... Is she feeling better now?" Do you indeed see me as a "full-blown angel?"

- Yes.

- Not just that, but also royalty.

- Emma...

- What's the deal with this "royalty" thing and calling me "Your Majesty" anyway? I'm not that classy...

- You see-

- Emma... - Aleister looked at Emma like he didn't want her to share his private info.

A few seconds of awkward silence later:

- <sigh> Do you want to know about it? - Aleister asked Saki.

- Yes.

- Alright then. My father was a member of the Scourgemist family, full of politicians, bankers, and military representatives from the upper echelon. They are full of noble people.

- Wow... "Does that mean... he's rich??" - Saki started fantasizing about her living a posh life with his fortune.

- But since the nobles here only care about growing their wealth at all costs, I rejected my nobility after converting to pacifism.