He loves me.
❤❤❤
"The Hidden Floor?" Khun and Lilith's voices rang out in unison as the F.U.G slayer nodded. After the party bid Urek Mazino farewell, they safely boarded the Hell Train. Just as everyone was about to get some rest, Bam told his two companions about what Gustang gave him.
Lilith placed one hand on her hip as the other rubbed the nape of her neck, memories of the Hidden Floor came flashing back. 'If I recall, my data was already deleted before I left...'
"-- Yeah. He said I could get in there using this master key," Bam held out the said item levitating on the rugged palm of his hand.
"... That's some really valuable information. Plus, we can see Jahad when he was younger?!" Khun marveled at the thought. The two were so caught into their conversation about the potential of the key that they remain oblivious to fact that the third member of their party wasn't joining in.
"Though it looks like Sachi and Boro won't be able to tell us about this... so I guess we'll have to figure out how to use the master key ourselves..." The blue haired male placed a hand under his chin as the other boy hesitantly nodded.
"Yeah... but it might be too risky--"
"Or we could just ask the conductor." All eyes turned towards the noirette, whom they forgot was also in the room with them at the moment. Khun's eyes widened in realization. "Wait, why didn't I think of that before!"
***
"It says here that in order to use the master key, you have to get to the 'Room of Time Past'. The room is located as follows and can be entered at 9 P.M. train time," the conductor read from the manual as all three of them hovered around the text.
"In that room, there's a door which can be opened using the masters key. But those with data remaining on the hidden floor cannot enter because of data clash, so they can only enter after erasing their data, and if you fail to find the 'exit' after entering, you are stuck in there forever, so be careful..." Lilith began to drown out the conductor's descriptions as she reminisced about her memories regarding the hidden floor.
Up until she died, she never spoke of it to an outsider. So by its rules, she should still remember it even after reincarnation. Though for some reason, her memories of it weren't wiped when Bam told her about it. Does that mean despite being a regular, she still retained her status in the tower as a potential member of the ten great family heads?
"... So that means we'll have to start finding that room," Khun stated as he noticed the black haired girl lost in thought. "Hey Lilith, are you coming?"
The said girl snapped out of her trip down memory lane as she turned towards the regular. "Yes.."
Ever since she was reincarnated as the daughter of a couple living in the slums of the middle tower, she still retained her memories. Her appearance also remained the same, so she looked nothing like her parents. But what didn't remain the same was her power. She is now a regular, so she came to accept the fact that she wasn't as strong as before.
"'The Room of Time Past'... We're supposed to go all the way there..." Khun sighed.
'Work just keeps piling up huh? Thanks, Gustang' Lilith internally groaned as she followed behind the two.
"Still, at least we found out the location."
"Yeah, it's a good thing he's on our side," Bam added.
"For now, let's keep the stuff about the hidden floor to ourselves. Since we don't know whether Boro or Sachi will want to delete their data," the blue haired male reasoned as the the other two nodded in agreement.
"The next station will be the last one, so we must get there before then."
Khun turned towards the brunette in worry. "But Bam, has your body been okay since you got the 'second thorn'?"
"Ah.. Well, it still doesn't really feel like it's mine... There's also the promise that I made to Rachel... Plus I feel sorry towards those on the Floor of Death. I may have brought it with me, but I have yet to try it out," Bam continued. "I want to use some kind of reasonable method to decide who really gets to keep the thorn."
'He's too kind, even in a situation such as this. Just like Arlene. At this point I can't even tell if it's a good thing or a bad thing,' Lilith thought as she crossed her arms.
"Well, if that makes you feel better."
Just as Khun and Lilith were about to continue on their way, Bam caught their attention. "Ah, by the way-- since the battle with Joe ended... I've been able to do 'this'".
At that moment, Lilith felt a high amount of shinsu concentration from the hall adjacent from them. As accurate as her intuitions were, a giant explosion occurred in that exact area.
"?! What was that? Where did you get that shinsu..?" Khun exclaimed in shock.
"You created a room behind that hallway over there... It's just like--" Lilith muttered as the former boy turned to her in surprise.
"The power of the Red Thryssa..." Bam continued. "My shinsu range and ability to read situations have increased significantly since then."
"Hmm... That's incredible..." Khun hummed under his breath.
"Well, that's great for you and all, but I'm going to head to bed," Lilith yawned as she began walking ahead of them down the hall.
"Alright then. I'll go tell the others about our next objective. Bam, where are you headed?"
The irregular gave a sheepish smile, "I guess I'll go talk to Rachel."
That comment did not go unheard by the female despite being pretty far from the boys already before they part ways.
'He really is too nice. If it's me, I would've killed her already. He really is such a silly boy.'
***
"Lilia! Look what V gave me!" Arlene exclaimed as she ran to her best friend, excitement evident in her tone. The said woman looked up from her lighthouse, an stern expression on her face.
"Arlene, you know I've always told you that it is rude to yell like that," she lectured as she got up from her seat. The brunette ignored her statement before tackling her into a hug, causing both of them to fall to the ground.
"Now now Lilia. You've got to lighten up a bit. Sometimes it's hard to believe that we're even around the same age with you acting like a strict mother in law~" Arlene whined as Lilia grumbled incoherent words as she sat up.
"Well, if you acted more like a lady, I wouldn't always be so grumpy--"
"Lilia~"
"And if that fool would stay off my back..." Lilia muttered as she quickly sat up, pulled Arlene with her. The latter could tell that she was in a rush as she didn't even take time to dust off her robe like usual. "Come along, I want to look at the marketplace before we go," she continued as she ran towards the busy town, towing her friend along.
"Wait-- what about your lighthouse--"
"Tperie will take care of it," the noirette replied, wanting to get away from the incoming blue haired male as soon as possible. "I don't really have the energy to deal with both of you at once at this moment," she muttered under her breath. Arlene heard what she said, causing her to giggling.
"EDUAN! LILIA AND I ARE HEADING TOWARDS THE MARKETPLACE! WANNA COME ALONG?" She yelled, causing Lilia to look back at her in shock.
"Arlene! You--"
"OF COURSE! I'D LOVE TO," the blue haired male yelled back from a distant. His frame seemed to grow as he ran even faster.
"Damnit! That slimy eel..." Lilia groaned as she too, picked up her pace.
"I thought you said it was unladylike to cuss--"
"Quiet Arlene! You've said enough!" She tugged her companion into the busy street, swerving around people and stalls, hoping to lose what was coming behind them. This whole time, Arlene was laughing as she watched cold sweat dripping down the noirette's temple as she ran to the end of the marketplace before huffing in relief.
"... This should be far enough--"
"LILIA!"
"Nope, apparently not." The three then spent the whole day playing cat and mouse around the town, no time was spent looking at the colorful arrays of the marketplace. Before they knew it, their pockets received a message from Jahad saying that it's time to regroup.
"Lilia!" Eduan yelled as he took the chance when she slowed down to look at the message, latched his arms around her waist.
The said woman releases a high pitched squeak as she immediately slapped him, her face red with anger. "How dare you touch me so intimately without permission!"
Arlene ignored Eduan's exaggerated whimpering on the floor, trying to gain pity as Lilia stood above him like a fuming dragon ready to kill. She looked at the message on her pocket before alerting her companions.
"Jahad said that it's time to go back."
Lilia turned towards the brunette in disappointment. "Already? But we didn't have a chance to look around..."
"Well, maybe we can come back again next time."
"Wow Arlene, I'd thought you'd be more disappointed," Eduan added as he got up from the ground, dusting off his clothes.
The young woman simply smiled. "That's because V and I already looked around," she held up her wrist to show a beautiful bracelet. "And this was what I wanted to show you earlier, Lilia."
"Huh... that's a really pretty bracelet he got you," Lilia complimented as she turned towards the way where they came from. "I guess it's just Eduan and I who didn't get a chance to look around."
"Actually... Hon and I looked around earlier today, hehe..." The male smiled as he folded his hands behind his head.
"What?! So everyone got to look around except for me? Wait then why did you want to come along before?"
"Well, maybe if you weren't so focused on looking for information about the next floor, you might have gotten a chance to see it. Besides, it's bold of you to assume I would pass up an opportunity to spend time with you alone."
"But Arlene's here--"
"Pfft. Arlene's just Arlene. Right, Arlene?"
"Yep! I'm just Arlene!"
"That doesn't even make sense..."
The brunette dismissed the lightbearer's comment as she pulled her towards the meeting place by her arm. "C'mon, you know what happened the last time we kept Jahad waiting."
"Alright alright," Lilia grumbled as she allowed herself to get pulled. Noticing that a certain spear bearer wasn't following, she turned around to find him standing there, one arm hidden behind his back. He was looking down on the cobblestone floor, as if deep in thought.
"Eduan, you coming?" She asked as her violet eyes clashed with his cobalt ones. He smiled as he slid something in the sleeve of his robe.
"Yep! You guys go on ahead first. I'll catch up with you guys later." Lilia quirked a brow at the statement but complied nevertheless.
"-- and then when we were walking past this stall, they were selling all these pretty jewelries. That's when V bought me this bracelet." Arlene's preppy tone filled her ears as the woman smiled at the way her companion talked so fondly about V.
"I can't believe I wasted an entire day just so you could tell me this..."
"Well, what can I say? One thing lead to another. Although this isn't a bad way to spend a day."
"Maybe for you, but I just spent mine sitting and running."
Arlene laughed. "Well, at least your legs won't cramp up from sitting so long."
"Always the optimistic one, aren't you?"
"What can I say? I'm practically the sunshine of the group." Both women laughed at the statement before spotting the group gathered outside the town.
"Looks like V's looking for you, why don't you go run along?" Lilia teased, using a tone that a mother would when telling their child to go play with other children. A light blush adorned Arlene's face as she released her friend's arm before running towards the man.
Lilia lightly laughed to herself as she stared at Arlene running happily into V's arms as if she hadn't seen him in years, creating quite a spectacle to those around them.
"That Arlene... she's such a silly girl."
***
"Lilith!"
The woman was woken up from her dream as her eyes immediately opened at the voice. Sitting up, she found herself staring at pair of golden eyes that were all too familiar to her. "Ar--" She caught herself as she took in her surroundings.
Bam was sitting next to her bed, a gentle smile on his face. "Khun said to come wake you up. It's about time to enter the Hidden Floor. You must've been really tired, huh? You've slept for the entire day," Bam got up before making his way towards the door.
"Oh... yeah, sorry about that. I must've been more tired than I thought."
"Ah, I see. Then you should probably just try to take it easy from here. I don't want you to get hurt too... You don't have to come with us if--"
Lilith immediately cut him off as she stood up from her bed. "I'll be fine. I'm going no matter what."
"You sure?" Bam asked worriedly as he watched Lilith tie her long hair up in a half bun and putting on her trench coat. She gave him a reassuring smile before gently patting him on the head, despite him being taller than her.
"Yep. Now let's get going before that door opens."