Chapter 329
Although Aldraya often responded to conversations with sharp, emotionless sarcasm, her signature flat tone ironically created a sense of balance.
Theo found that he now had someone to engage in real-time discussion with, to test his theories, or simply to share observations, something exceedingly rare within his usually calculated solitude.
'There are moments that are completely beyond my control.
Aldraya refusing to be left behind when I went to buy drinks, the necessity of holding her hand when I panicked on the spinning-plate ride, all the way to her clingy behavior when she rested her head on my chest in the middle of surveillance.'
Shuuuh!
'And what disturbs my mind the most is that incident with the leaking pad.
Even now, I still feel a chill remembering how I had to put it on with my eyes closed.'
Hiiiih!
'Her gasps—combined with the RWIA reports I never asked for—are details I never wanted to know, yet they now linger stubbornly in my head.'
Several of the things Theo recorded led him back through a chain of events that were utterly unexpected and difficult to control.
He noted how it began with Aldraya's reluctance to be left alone when he went to buy drinks, a small but unusual display of possessiveness.
Then there was the moment when they had to hold hands on the spinning-plate ride, where Theo's spontaneous cry of fear became the starting point of closer physical contact.
Not to mention Aldraya's sudden display of affection when she placed her head on Theo's chest in the midst of focused surveillance, an interruption that was oddly softening at the same time.
Yet, out of all those moments, one made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end even when recalled.
The incident involving Aldraya's leaking pad in the narrow alley remained deeply etched in his memory.
Theo wrote hesitantly about how he had been forced to close his eyes and attempt to fasten the pad's adhesive in darkness, a task that was both technically difficult and emotionally unsettling.
His unease peaked when his memory circled back to a detail he had only realized later.
From the RWIA report residing within Aldraya's consciousness, it was revealed that during that humiliating process, Aldraya had bitten her own left index finger.
Not just biting it, but intermittently licking it, with the intensity increasing each time Theo's touch strayed off course.
'However, the information Aldraya brought back about Erietta is extremely valuable.
That expression—that Erietta is "like a girl who always wears a mask to hide her past"—is the key.
It aligns perfectly with the background of her transformation into the second antagonist in arc one, episodes eleven to twelve, of the game Flo Viva Mythology.'
Hhhh!
'My suspicions were not mistaken.'
Despite being disturbed by the unease surrounding his intimate moments with Aldraya, Theo's analytical mind continued to function sharply.
He shifted his focus to the most important information Aldraya had managed to bring back from the restroom.
Aldraya's observation that Erietta resembled a girl who constantly wore a mask to conceal her past, delivered in her usual flat tone immediately after returning from surveillance, was instantly understood by Theo.
He recognized that this was not a casual remark, but an interpretative key to Erietta's earlier confession.
Theo quickly connected this information with his deep knowledge of the Flo Viva Mythology scenario.
In his mind, the puzzle pieces began to come together.
Erietta's admission that she could no longer endure maintaining falsehoods, combined with Aldraya's analysis of masks and a hidden past, pointed toward a single, clear conclusion.
This was closely tied to Erietta's dramatic transformation within the game's storyline, where in arc one, episodes eleven through twelve, the once sweet and cheerful character turned into the second antagonist.
The falsehood she had upheld for so long, along with the pressure of a concealed past, eventually reached a breaking point and pushed her toward the darker side of the story.
'Third, I have fulfilled my promise to give her a gift, even if it wasn't a cute doll from a claw machine.'
Fhhhh!
'The Polishing Cloth I gave her may look simple, but its function is vital.
It preserves and protects the special substance within the fusion of the two necklaces she always wears.'
The third and final point Theo recorded addressed the promise he had kept.
He recalled the moment Aldraya's gaze had been drawn to the claw machine filled with cute dolls, and the promise he made to give her a gift.
However, Theo chose a highly unconventional present.
Instead of a cute item favored by most girls, he gave her a Polishing Cloth.
The object looked like a combination of a chamois cloth and high-quality tissue, with a sturdy texture that was resistant to tearing or fading.
This choice was far from lacking deep sentimental or practical consideration.
The uniqueness of the cloth lay in its special function.
Theo explained in his notes that the cloth was specifically designed to preserve and stabilize the special substance contained within the two necklaces now fused around Aldraya's neck.
Those necklaces were a combination of an ordinary toy necklace and the necklace that became bound to Aldraya after her rebellion as a Supreme Angel against the Almighty Quil-Hasa.
The cloth functioned as a protective coating, preventing degradation or interference with the complex energy trapped within the metal.
Theo noted that after being given the cloth long before they returned to the dormitory, Aldraya immediately used it spontaneously.
She carefully coated every side of her necklace with the cloth.
Even now, while sleeping soundly on Theo's chest with soft snores he interpreted as praises for something she cherished, the cloth-wrapped necklace remained firmly in place.
Theo added a small note that the cloth had been treated with a special formula, making it impossible to fade, peel away, or detach once it had bonded perfectly.
It was a gift that might appear simple to others, but to Aldraya—and to Theo, who understood its meaning—its value was profound.
'Her snoring is far from harsh.'
Fiaah!
Fiuuuh!
'It resembles the rhythm of a calm orchestra, as if she and the Supreme Angels were playing a special song for me, directly within my consciousness.
Strange, yet peaceful.'
The silence of the dimly lit room bore witness to an unusual scene.
Theo lay on his back upon the bed, serving as a resting place for Aldraya, who slept deeply atop him.
Although Theo himself had not yet fully surrendered to sleep, his usually busy analytical mind was drawn away by the present situation.
The tranquility emanating from the figure resting on his chest was so complete and absolute that it felt almost unnatural for an ordinary human.
Aldraya's face, usually flat and expressionless, now appeared utterly serene, the lines of rigidity or vigilance that typically adorned it having vanished entirely.
The sound emerging from Aldraya's slightly parted lips caught Theo's attention.
It was not a heavy or coarse snore like that of someone exhausted, but a steady, gentle, rhythmic flow of breath.
To Theo's ears, it did not resemble the snorting of livestock or an ordinary sleep disturbance.
It possessed an almost musical quality, a resonance that felt strangely familiar and heavenly.
In his fatigued imagination, Theo felt as though he had been carried into a grand space, a vast stage where Aldraya and her twelve fellow Supreme Angels were performing a live orchestra.
Each rhythmic inhale and exhale from Aldraya seemed to form a different melody, intertwining into a complex yet deeply soothing symphony.
In his half-conscious state, Theo imagined each Supreme Angel playing a celestial instrument, creating a harmony meant solely for him.
The melody was neither cheerful nor spirited, but filled with profound peace, acceptance, and an unspoken sense of protection.
It was a lullaby from beings beyond ordinary human comprehension.
Theo finally understood.
Aldraya's perfect calm and her orchestra-like breathing might be the natural manifestation of her true essence.
To be continued…