[SLAYER SYSTEM PROFILE]
Name: Alexander Shen
Codename: Conqueror
Slayer Rank: D-Rank Slayer
Fabel Ranking: Chronicle (Deep Arcana)
Skills: 5/4
Memento Recollection
Rank SSS
Type: Item Accumulation
Description: You possess the special power to materialize your interpersonal relationships as physical items. These items are called [Mementos], created when you have established a significant bond with an individual (the holder). Each [Memento] is ranked from F (weakest) to SSS (strongest) depending on the relationship.
The rank is dynamic. If the holder is deceased, the [Memento] will remain but its rank cannot be changed. There is no limit to how many [Mementos] you are able to acquire. You can receive a personal description of each [Memento] upon selecting it. You cannot use duplicate [Mementos] simultaneously unless explicitly stated.
This is an [Awakened Skill] and is thus always active without taking up a [Skill Slot].
Certain Shot
Rank A
Type: Concept Application
Description: Apply the Certainty Principle to any launched projectiles. They will hit their determined target in a theoretical reality, however still obeying natural law and logic in the real world.
Forged Skin
Rank A
Type: Body Enhancement
Description: Through brutal conditioning conducted by your uncle, your skin has become harder than steel and resist damages of almost every type.
Intimidating Presence
Rank C+
Type: Presence Enhancement
Description: Apply mild intimidation to any weak-willed individuals around you. You are able to toggle this [Skill] on and off at will.
Mana Impact
Rank C
Type: Internal Energy Manipulation
Description: Condense mana in a determined point inside your body and release it upon impact. You are able to control the quantity of mana condensed. Higher concentration will produce a more powerful result.
Acquired Skills
Home Cook
Rank B
Type: Cognitive Enhancement
Description: You are able to remember all recipes you have cooked previously down to the individual ingredients and measurements required.
Algebraic Mind
Rank C
Type: Cognitive Enhancement
Description: You can mentally perform difficult algebra without the use of a calculator.
Note Transfer
Rank C
Type: Reality-System
Description: You are able to transfer all contents from your [Notes] into physical documents or electronic files and vice-versa.
Undeveloped Skills
Anti-Slayer Techniques
Rank SS
Type: Nested, Pressure Point Techniques
Linked Skills: Sixteen-Point Obliteration [SS], Sixteen-Point Incapacitation [SS] [?], Momentum Kill [S] [?], Flow Reversal [S] [?], Phenomena Negative [S] [?]
Description: Created by Alistair Romanos, your uncle, these techniques were specifically designed for a single purpose: to eliminate Slayers as a regular, Systemless human. Today, the Anti-Slayer Techniques are said to be the greatest and most coveted countermeasure against Slayers.
Acquisition Requirement: You must attain adequate mastery over all five linked [Skills]. Current progress: [4/5].
Dual Dragoneyes
Rank S
Type: Martial Art Technique, External & Internal Perception
Description: The foundational technique of the [Zhenlong School] series. One eye peers inward into the internal world, piercing through bloodstream and qi and entering the schema of the body. The other eye leers outward into the external world, marking the ebb and flow of the natural way.
Acquisition Requirement: You must discover a method to obtain the [Dragoneyes].
Zhenlong School
Rank SS
Type: Nested, Martial Arts Techniques
Linked Skills: [Tears…] [S], [Ruinous…] [S], [Dust…] [S], [Blades…] [S], [Casket…] [S], [Earth…] [S], [Spirit…] [S], [Sparrows…] [S], [Graveyard…] [S], [End…] [S]
Description: The techniques belonging to the Zhenlong Tactical School, created for the sole purpose of killing cultivators of the Jianghu. Assassins from Zhenlong are some of the most feared amongst the land for precisely these techniques.
Acquisition Requirement: You must attain adequate mastery over all ten linked [Skills]. Current progress: [0/10]
The Fool’s Many Faces
Rank ???
Type: ???
Description: Its effects have not yet been revealed…
Acquisition Requirement: Unknown, though as you continue on your journey, the [Skill] may open itself to you.
Mementos
Chain Gauntlets
Rank A+
Holder: Bastien Romanos (deceased)
Memento Type: Gauntlet
Description: The [Memento] of your father, taking the form of tightly-wound chains. His wisdom and teachings are crystalized within these hands. Above all, they contain his sins, his regrets, and his responsibility. Much like how your own hands have scars.
Special Effect: You may unravel the [Gauntlets] into long chain-lengths.
Yuzhou
Rank A+
Holder: Shen Xingyu (deceased)
Memento Type: Armor
Description: The [Memento] of your mother, taking the form of full-body armor. This [Armor] is protection. Warmth. Security. It will protect you from the outside world and endure as a constant reminder of her bright spirit. Always look towards the light, she says, and remember who made you smile.
Special Effect: When paired with [Chain Gauntlets], [Technique Daggers], or [Nightingale Watch], increase the rank of this [Memento] to S.
Technique Daggers
Rank A
Holder: Althea Shen
Memento Type: Dagger
Description: The [Memento] of your younger sister, taking the form of silversteel daggers. You’ve been through everything together, from the moment you held her tiny hand to today. Even if the world is falling down, you would crawl through Hell for her.
Special Effect: When using [Technique Daggers], you may summon additional [Daggers] up to the number of [Techniques] in your sister’s possession. The maximum is currently 5.
Nightingale Watch
Rank A
Holder: Alistair Romanos
Memento Type: Magick Firearms
Description: The [Memento] of your uncle, taking the form of matte-black magick firearms modeled after their real-life counterparts. He imparted you with many things: his infamous Anti-Slayer Techniques, his combat experience, and his philosophy. Violence can only be subjugated through extreme violence. That’s the way of the horrible world for people like us.
Special Effect: This [Memento] takes the form of individual firearms: [Nightingale Pistol], [Nightingale Rifle], and [Nightingale Shotgun].
Solitary Demonblade
Rank D
Holder: Leona Ryu
Memento Type: Sword
Description: The [Memento] of your colleague and unwitting roommate, taking the form of a demonic blade. She brought you into Angels Guild and helped your family that’s almost impossible to repay. Perhaps you don’t need to reconcile the debt, however. As long as she’s in your company and you in hers, life in the ivory tower might not be so insufferable.
Special Effect: N/A
Conviction
Rank E
Holder: Angels Guild
Memento Type: Wings
Description: The [Memento] of Angels Guild, taking the form of angel wings. Everyone in your team has their own reason for joining: protection, the truth, a home. For you, it’s not so different: you’re fighting against the idea of a tragic ending—more than that, you’re fighting for a future brighter than the sun itself.
Special Effect: You are capable of flight.
*
Current Loadout
Weapon(s): N/A
Armor: [High Intensity Combat Suit]
Accessories: N/A
High Intensity Combat Suit
Rank A
Type: Armor
Description: Manufactured by team engineer Sage (that’s me!), your [High Intensity Combat Suit] is a lightweight combat bodysuit that’ll serve you well in the field! On Celestial Empress’s recommendation, your [Combat Suit] is paired with additional clothes so you don’t have to fight wearing only a skintight bodysuit. For additional information, please tap on this link.
*
Weekly Commission: First Order Special Task Force
Weekly Pay: 52,100smp
Description: You are a member of the Special Task Force inside Angels Guild working directly on the behalf of its Guild Masters and Kosmos. Complete your assignments as they are ordered.
***
“I need your help.”
“Oh, look at you, interrupting our morning coffee date for a fight,” Leo scorned, though she was joking. Her rivalry with the orthodox cultivator had no bad blood. Mostly. Well, they weren’t actively killing each other, so I considered them good friends.
I hissed, though, my breath breaking the surface tension of my coffee. “This is one terrible date, then.”
“You need to lower your expectations, lovely. I asked if you wanted coffee at the cafeteria, you said yes, and now we’re sitting together. Did you expect flowers?”
“Flowers would be nice,” I said, then took a punctual sip. "I like flowers."
Leo sighed and turned to our third-wheel. “I apologize for his behavior. Ever since his little sister abandoned him, he’s been incredibly depressed.”
Chunhua took a seat at the table, eyeing how pathetic I looked. “We’re well-aware. I’ve heard her mission had positive developments.”
“And very negative ones.” I slammed my coffee down on the table. We should’ve anticipated that Thea would pull a bloody stunt, but somehow, she had escaped severe consequences. As much as I complain and worry, her mission was out of my hands. I followed up, “Because of her, my coffee has whisky.”
Leo sat back in her chair, offended. “You didn’t spike your coffee.”
I stayed silent.
“You didn’t spike your coffee, right—?!”
“What’s going on, Chunhua?” I changed the conversation, taking a healthy gulp of my definitely-not-spiked coffee. “Must be a big deal if you’re asking for help. Either you’re in severe debt, or it’s about Kotone.”
Chunhua swallowed her pride and nodded. “It’s Kotone.”
Leo laughed at her face, hiding her upturned lips using the paper cup. “Roomie troubles? A surprisingly mundane problem for a cultivator.”
“Quiet, and this is a serious problem. She’s…in one of her moods again. Alex knows what I’m talking about.”
Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.
“Alex?”
“Why do I have to explain—? Ugh, fine.” I leaned back and crossed my arms. “Kotone has her…depressive periods. She gets antisocial. Doesn’t go out of her room, doesn’t talk to anyone, doesn’t take care of herself. I’m guessing that’s why she called off work for the past few days, not because she’s ‘sick.’”
Chunhua nodded throughout my explanation. “I’ve tried all my usual tactics to cheer her up, but she’s been more unresponsive than usual.”
“Do you know why?” Leo asked. “Like, is it training or something personal?”
“If there’s a reason, she hasn’t told me. I’m…” Chunhua became pensive, gently resting her arms at her belly. “I’m concerned. I know our silly and ridiculous Kotone will return, but I don’t want to sit around and do nothing.”
I hummed in the affirmative. “But what can we do about it? If us three show up to her door—four, counting Vic—she might isolate herself further.”
“I don’t know, but… Try to make contact,” Chunhua said. “Through [PMs] or text, call her maybe. I’m sure that she’ll appreciate everyone reaching out, and maybe we can see Kotone come back sooner.”
Before I could answer, Leo had in our place: “We’ll do our best. And maybe our resident detective can get to the bottom of this mystery? Hmm? Hmm?”
I loudly groaned and downed more “spiked” coffee like any gritty detective. “Detectives don’t solve matters of the heart, dumbass, but yeah, I’ll bug her. If all else fails… I guess we can break her door down and drag her lazy-ass out of her room.”
Leo blew air out of her nose and shook her head. “That’s all you guys. I’m not risking a fight with an esper.”
Nor was Chunhua, which was exactly why she requested our help.
Now, whether or not we could pull Kotone back to the light was another problem.
***
[Conqueror]
Hey Kotone you good?
[Conqueror]
Rector wants to know what’s up
[Conqueror]
Your roommate has a boyfriend
[Uprise]
shut up no she doesn’t
and i’m ok
[Conqueror]
You sure?
Hadn’t responded since.
I tried, but we would have to figure out another strategy tomorrow.
For the rest of the night, I was going to do what I’d been doing for the past week: late-night training. While Thea was demonstrating her skills in Baekyong, I had to continue honing mine. Got several on my grocery-list: developing a combat style with [Memento Recollection], practicing the [Anti-Slayer] techniques, and generally conditioning my body for systemic combat.
I was far from the level I needed to be at, especially if we were going to fight Taeyang in the future. The Lee Family were all powerful Slayers in possession of an SS-Rank hereditary [Skill], not to mention the literal army of swords they got too, either directly hired or directly funded. If a confrontation was inevitable, I’d rather not get burnt to a crisp within the first few minutes.
So I’d been sneaking into HQ at skeleton hours, using Pinion Training Hall as my favorite spot. Big open room, high-tech training dummies, and an easy-to-work-with simulation system. Coincidentally, it was the same hall that’d been under renovations when Aiden first fought me. Now, not a lick of our spat was seen.
Tonight, however, I wasn’t the only one who wanted to perfect their craft.
An esper had taken over my territory, having summoned a simulated giant whose virtual head nearly touched the high-ceiling. She was dressed in what was basically pajamas, yet the twelve [Psionic Pylons] levitating behind her provided an interesting contrast. The [Pylons] were flat, black-plated machines, with the inside surfaces resembling a radiator protecting a sleek, bright blue material underneath. They were tools specifically made to resonate with psionic energy, acting as both a “booster” and “paintbrush” for the esper to better focus her output. What that meant exactly, she was going to show me.
In three sets of four, the [Pylons] floated over her head. In each set, three [Pylons] quickly rotated in a triangle formation with the fourth in the center. The “barrel” spun faster and faster until they blurred in my vision. Inside the gap, the air fuzzed, dangerously crackling with energy, and pencil-thin electric bolts shot between the things—a psionic field.
Then, once the field was aptly generated, the fourth [Pylon] was launched—all the designated "bullets" had—with the force of a railgun. The sounds were deafening, like I was standing on an aircraft carrier as they launched anti-air missiles. Said rails tore through the simulated giant, opening three massive and gaping holes. The damage was “regenerated” a few seconds after, but that thing was dead thrice over.
That was the Railgun Configuration.
Her [Psionic Pylons] allowed her to generate psionic fields, and through them, she knew a few tricks. Railguns like what she just showed, defensive barriers, and even mobility.
That’s the power of [All-Machine Resonance], her SS-Rank [Skill], letting Okano Kotone use her fancy ESP abilities to connect with virtually any technological machine. She was a glorified technomancer in spirit, but an esper through and through. An ultimate power for a signature perfectly created for her—in other words, one of the few things able to handle her max output.
Scary, wasn’t it? In OU, she used to constantly prank us by remotely turning on the TV or shutting down our phones—she stopped after realizing her [Skill] did permanent damage to our electronics (learned that the hard way)—and tonight, she instantly killed a breacher that would’ve taken an entire team to accomplish.
But she didn’t look happy with herself at all.
Our cheery Kotone had deep, dark bags under her eyes. Her hair was more of a mess than usual, and she was skinnier.
Looks like fate was fond of me after all.
I loudly cleared my throat.
Kotone startled and jumped up, her [Pylons] coming around and creating a shield. Then, she saw me. Her sigs disengaged. Good instincts. “Alex?! How did you find me—?!”
“You stole my idea,” I said, approaching her with the same tiredness in my voice. “Late-night training is my thing. You should be sleeping.”
“I…” Kotone hissed at herself. “You think I’m sleeping? I thought that maybe by making my brain bleed, I’d finally get sleep that way.”
“Or maybe you’ll put yourself to sleep permanently.”
“I wish.” Kotone’s eyes widened after saying that. “D-Don’t take it seriously. I didn’t actually mean that—“
I raised my hand. “Chill. I’m not accusing you of anything—“
“I know, I know, just…” Kotone gulped and rubbed her shoulder. “I—ugh, do you wanna just sit down? Are you tired of standing? I’m tired of standing, so yeah, let’s just sit!”
Deciding for me, she went ahead and marched toward the nearest wall. Along the way, her [Pylons] were banished into her [Loadout]. We sat together on the dirty ground, back to the wall, as the simulated giant stood unmoving as a decoration piece to our conversation.
If we ever decided to talk.
Kotone was silent.
I was silent.
We were both silent.
It lasted a while, but only one of us had problems with silence. They needed noise, sound, just anything because they’d go crazy in a world where they could only hear themselves think. I obviously wasn’t talking about me.
“So…” Kotone broke first, her legs bouncing. “You’re depressed, I’m depressed, wanna start a band together? I know the perfect instrument for you: the cowbell.”
I laughed and adjusted my posture. “I don’t look that bad, right?”
“Dude, you’ve been in a slump since Thea left. More grouchy than usual, and more, uh, messy than usual—“
“I get it. You…” I stared at her. “You look like a dogshit.”
Her neck slouched. “Least you’re honest…”
“You’d slap me if I lied.”
Kotone nodded and stretched her legs out. “Mhm, I would. Just… I look like this because I’m switching my meds and y’know how that’s a pain in the butt.”
I looked at her state again. “Is that fully the reason why you’ve gone no-contact? Chunhua’s worried sick about you—“
“I know!” Kotone raised her voice before tapering down. “I know. I just… I just don’t wanna let her see me in this state.”
“She’s a cultivator. What hasn’t she seen?”
“You don’t get it. Chunhua is pretty and cool and really pretty. Literally the coolest person on Earth, a total badass you’d see in wuxia movies, and there’s me. Just a weird, disgusting girl who’s too schizo to even look her in the eye.”
“Don’t say that.“
“Look at me. I…” Kotone pulled her legs in and buried her face in them. “As it is, I can barely handle this conversation without wanting to run away. I’m a freakin’ mess, Alex.”
I never liked how she depreciated herself; guess that made two of us. Softly, I told her, “You and literally everyone else on the team. I mean it. We can catalog a whole new DSM with how many wackjobs there are on our team.”
“But I’m not like you guys—“ (“Bullshit, you’re not.”) “—I’m serious, you jerk! Aiden has his angsty thing going on, Chie and Rei are so sweet, Vic’s working his ass off at the hospital, and Leo—“
“Leo’s the biggest mess on the team, take it from me. We basically live together at this point.”
Kotone lifted her head out of her thighs. “Even still, she’s Cheonma’s niece. Compared to everyone in the team, I’m nobody. Yeah, I lucked into an SS-Rank [Skill]. Yeah, I’m a super scary esper, but I don’t have psychokinesis like Hunter or any cool and powerful abilities that actual espers have.“
I pointed at the simulated breacher. “You put three holes in that guy earlier. I’d say [All-Machine Resonance] has some oomph.”
“But without my [Pylons], my psionic powers are useless outside of making battery bombs outta cell-phones. Literally. Without my sig, I become a weirdly fashionable mannequin. Can you imagine being stuck with a narrow SS-Rank [Skill] like mine?”
Something like that, but if I did share the true nature of my [Skills], Kotone would actually kill me. Instead, I said, “I imagine being stuck with a pretty awesome one like yours.”
“Oh shut up, you’re saying that ‘cause of your fancy S-Rank. I mean, creating weapons from relationships? That’s an anime-tier superpower. I wish I was in your shoes sometimes.”
Please don’t wish that.
“It doesn’t matter what we have or what we are, you idiot,” I sternly said. “We’re all walking disasters. We’re a team. Just…talk with us when things get tough. Talk with Chunhua or Vic or even Chie. They’ll say the same thing, just nicer.”
“Heh. That… That means a lot, Alex.” Despite her current stress, Kotone had the same stupid smile she always had. “I… I haven’t been completely honest either, about why I’m… Y’know.”
I faced her, attentive. “What’s up?”
Kotone deeply inhaled. “My brother’s coming to Ordo on Saturday. There’s, uh, there’s this engineering conference thing at OU, so he wants me to tag along.”
…Right.
Kotone didn’t have a good relationship with her family. She never talked about them much, but it wasn’t something you should ask about.
“Are you tagging along?”
“I kinda have to.” Kotone rested her hands on the floor, tapping nervously. “I’ve been ignoring him throughout the last couple months, but I can’t use ‘excessive training’ as an excuse anymore. We have a lot to talk about, especially ‘bout my career at Angels.”
Saturday, though…
I asked just to get the invisible offer out of the way: “Is this the part where I volunteer my Saturday to attend a conference?”
Kotone quietly laughed. “You don’t have to come, but if you do, I’d appreciate that.”
“I’ll come, don’t worry.” I’d rather not leave my uncle alone on Saturday, but knowing him, he was going to be out of the house all day. In fact, I probably would only see him in the morning. “I’ll make sure Chunhua and Vic tag along too.”
“It’s gonna be a boring engineering conference, though. Apparently, we have a ‘super special guest’ that my brother had to reserve seating six months in advance.”
“Don’t try to chase us away. And uh…” I stared at her oddly. “Should we have made an RSVP or…?”
Kotone pursed her lips. “I mean, I think so? Look, we’re alumni. We can ask our old professors for seats and we’ll be good.”
“Fair. Fair…”
“Yeah…”
Kotone became silent.
I became silent.
We both became silent.
It lasted a while, but as I said, only one of us had problems with silence.
For no reason at all, then, Kotone sprang to her feet. “Okay, heart-to-heart over! Are you sure you don’t wanna start a band?”
I shrugged. “Talk to Chunhua first and I’ll consider it.”
“But I don’t wanna—!”
***
Another morning, another spiked coffee, another errand to run.
“Where is this jackass at…?”
I checked his “office,” asked around, but nobody had seen the fucker anywhere—
“You looking for Victor Taslim?” a woman said behind me. I turned around and a nun was confronting me. Well, I was using the word “nun” loosely; her habit was colorfully white and gold and a little too exposing to be considered proper. It was a creative interpretation of a nun, which should be complemented by a sunny disposition and a welcoming attitude. Not for her. The nun was the opposite of sunny; she was all gloom and darkness. A goth forced to wear bright colors.
She squinted at me through thin locks of her ashen hair. “Conqueror, tell me why you’re here."
“You know my name—?” Wait, something about this nun was familiar. Where have I seen her before…? I got it, I remember. “You were my healer after Primordial Plaza.”
The nun sighed and snatched the files out of my hands. “Yes, I was. Please never enter my hospital again.”
I cleared my throat. “Yes, ma’am…”
“Also, whether or not you’re spiking your coffee, stop mentioning it to your friends. Your reputation’s bad enough as it is.”
“Alright—wait, how do you know about that—?”
“Yo, Alex? What the hell are you doing here?” Victor hurried down the hospital hallway, wearing scrubs instead of his usual [Loadout]. “I—oh dammit, why.”
“Hey there, slave.” The nun handed the files to him. “Here. Review and sign these forms quickly. When you’re done, deliver them to Sundrop as soon as possible.”
Vic reluctantly took the forms but his expression read: “I wanna jump off the roof.” He said to me, “Alex, look, whatever she told you, it’s wrong. I never sexually harassed her—”
“What the fuck are you talking about.”
“Oh, right.” The nun curled a few gray strands around her fingers. She was trying to act traditionally cute despite her clinically dead face, but ironically, that fact added an unexpected charm to her. “When he was first assigned—” (“Don’t explain what happened!”) “—when I was assigned to be his supervisor, he kept commenting how ‘young-looking’ I was.”
I had many, many questions but let’s take things one step at a time.
Victor’s infamous supervisor was the same nun who’d healed me during the Summer Scare. This was the same chick who had nothing but bad things to say about him.
Carefully, to not also sexually harass her, I asked, “Can I ask…?”
“Twenty-four, I’m a chief resident.”
“What. This dumbass is thirty—” (“Twenty-fucking-two!”) “—and you’re his supervisor? How fast did you get through med-school?”
The nun sighed several years of her life away. “Fast enough that I feel like I’m thirty. I’m going to murder someone at this rate.”
“That… A nun shouldn’t say that, let alone a senior resident.”
“My subordinate shouldn’t comment on my age, then.” (“You’re hardly any older than him.”) “Nor should his friend. I’m being sexually harassed by two manchildren.”
“Right.” I leaned over the little lady to find my friend. I suddenly understood why he had his grievances. Least she was pretty. “Does she do this often?”
Vic glumly nodded. “Misunderstand everything then hand out death threats? Yeah. Everyday.”
“...I’m being libeled by two men older than me.”
Vic commented, “At least she understands what ‘libel’ means.”
“It’s slander.” (“What’s that?”) “Jesus Christ.”
“Can you both stop talking about me as if I’m not standing here? Ugh, this is why I want to—never mind, another one of your friends is joining the conversation.”
That friend ended up being a certain black-haired esper. In the span of a single night, Kotone went back to looking like her normal, dopey self. Besides being slightly thinner than usual. She joined the group smiling and waving as if everything was right with the world.
“Okano Kotone, reporting for duty—huh?” She looked down at the nun, then at both of her friends. “Wow, she’s pretty.” (“Thanks. I'm blushing.”)
Vic mentioned, “She’s the supervisor I was talking about.”
“You’re her?!”
Said supervisor looked absolutely disgusted at the energy Kotone brought, and of all people she retreated toward Vic. “I have a name. Stop calling me ‘nun’ or ‘supervisor.’”
We waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
“Right, I’m supposed to introduce myself.” What the hell is wrong with this woman? “Amalia Elsher, codename Vita. Call me whatever. Lia, Vita, I don’t care.”
“Well, it’s good to meet ya, Lia!” Kotone exclaimed happily as if she hadn’t been depressed the night prior. “And you guys too. I know I’ve been acting kinda strange lately, but I’m back now and ready to actually work! And and, before I forget, I gotta ask you something, Vic. Remind me in the afternoon or whatever.”
Vic raised his thick and overgrown eyebrows. “Why not right now since we’re here?”
“I mean, I kinda wanna talk with Lia about how you’re doing—”
“No, thanks. I’ll pass.” Lia squeezed herself out of the group. “This girl’s energy is too much. I need to counteract her sunshine by standing in the dark—”
“Wait, I’m here for a reason…” Kotone stopped the nun from leaving altogether, looking suddenly nervous. “You see, I was helping Chie with something and uh…”
Kotone looked down at her shoes.
We all did.
There was a screwdriver going right through her shoe and into the meat of her foot.
Vic’s mouth dropped. “How the…”
All Lia could do was drop her head and loudly groan. “I'm actually gonna kill someone at this rate.”
“I’M SORRY!”
***
In a certain team engineer’s workshop, a girl had her head down at a table, quietly crying.
Amamizu Rei gently patted her shoulder. “Kotone-chan will be alright! It’s a minor accident!”
Yet the man standing opposite from the boy scowled. “Eh, she deserves it.”
“AIDEN, NO!”
