At the base of the Stellaron Hunters, everyone was gathered in the main hall. On the table lay ten large watermelons that Clara had "acquired."
At the moment, Elio and Clara were locked in a staring contest. After a long while, Elio slowly spoke up.
"Miss Clara, might you have any clue about the second bombing incident at the Interastral Peace Corporation's headquarters?"
"Hiss… Something like that actually happened?"
Hearing Elio's words, Clara's face instantly filled with shock.
"That's the IPC's brand-new headquarters! Those scoundrels are truly despicable."
"Go on, Elio—are you planning to have me step in, help the Corporation, and capture those villains?"
At this, Clara even thumped her chest. "Don't worry, with me here, no matter how powerful those criminals are…"
"Be they Pathstriders or even Emanators, I'll bring them to justice!!!"
"I've never met someone as shameless as you." Elio's gaze remained fixed on Clara's eyes, as if trying to see right through her.
"Well, aren't you seeing one now?"
Elio: …
"Ah, no." Clara caught herself and waved a hand.
"What I mean is, the world is vast and full of wonders."
Watching Clara's performance, Elio took a deep breath. He really was meeting someone with skin this thick for the first time.
He then stopped paying attention to Clara and turned his eyes to Firefly.
"Forget Clara—why did you get involved too?"
"Uh…" Firefly fell silent for a moment, then remembered what Clara had told her. She sighed.
"Something like that actually happened? What a shame."
Elio: …
"What did Clara teach you?"
Elio didn't need to think hard to know Clara must have said something to Firefly.
Otherwise, given Firefly's nature, she would never have spoken like that.
'He doesn't ask, you don't tell. The moment he asks, you act surprised.'
'Huh? Something like that actually happened? What a shame.'
Firefly obediently recited the rule Clara had taught her.
Clara: ?
Elio: …
"Alright, Elio, it's not like anything serious happened, right?"
Listening to the three of them, Kafka took a bite of watermelon and chuckled lightly.
"Mmm~ This watermelon is quite delicious. Sweet. Elio, have a few pieces too."
Kafka set down her slice, drew her knife, cut another piece, and placed it before Elio.
Looking at the watermelon in front of him, Elio took a bite.
"It is pretty sweet."
Feeling the sweetness spread in his mouth, Elio's mind settled.
Thinking about it, if Clara wanted to blow things up, so be it. It didn't really affect the script anyway—might as well let her have her fun.
"It really is a 300,000-credit watermelon. Apart from being a bit sweeter, I can't tell any difference from a 300-credit one." Silver Wolf couldn't help but complain as she ate her slice.
A 300,000-credit watermelon, and aside from sweetness, no other difference. Silver Wolf would rather pour all that money into games than give it to the Interastral Peace Corporation.
Hmm… come to think of it, most games she played were made by the Corporation?
Whatever. Games bring me lasting joy, while watermelon only brings temporary happiness.
Choosing between games and watermelon? The answer is obvious.
"Hey, aren't you eating?" Silver Wolf looked toward Blade, who was sitting not far away, eyes closed in meditation.
"There are ten whole watermelons. If you don't eat, we can't finish them all."
Hearing Silver Wolf, Blade opened his eyes, his gaze carrying a trace of world-weariness.
"It's meaningless. The flavors of this world—sour, sweet, bitter, spicy—hold no meaning for me."
"What I seek is only…"
"Enough with the nonsense—eat!"
Clara couldn't be bothered with Blade's deathly prose. She grabbed a slice from the table, appeared instantly in front of Blade before he could react, and stuffed the watermelon straight into his mouth.
Everyone: …
Blade: …
Feeling the sweetness in his mouth and looking at Clara before him, Blade slowly took hold of the watermelon rind.
"Mmm… it is sweet."
His feelings toward Clara were somewhat complicated.
From the first time he met Clara, Blade had known: she…
Could grant him "death."
So, for a time after that, Blade sought release through Clara countless times.
But the answer he received was always the same:
'If you don't want your obsession with death to transform into a desire to live, then by all means, let me grant you release.'
Blade didn't understand these words…
But then, that one time—perhaps because Clara had finally had enough—she used the power of [Remembrance] on him.
She altered the obsession with death in Blade's heart, changing it into a desire to live.
It was the first time Blade had ever experienced that feeling—no longer anticipating "death," but instead yearning for "life."
Blade disliked that feeling; he even feared it intensely.
Fortunately, it didn't last long before Clara withdrew the power of [Remembrance].
After that experience, Blade completely gave up seeking death from Clara.
Elio had promised him, after all. There was no need for Blade to seek release from Clara's hands.
"Sweet? If it's sweet, have some more."
Hearing this, Clara picked up two large watermelons and set them right in front of Blade.
She even kindly cut them into slices for him.
Blade: …
"Mmm…"
Looking at the watermelon before him, Blade picked up a slice and began to eat.
Sometimes, he really couldn't figure out what went on in her head.
"Mmm~" Watching Blade, Clara nodded in satisfaction.
What was really going on in Blade's heart—how could she not understand?
But until Blade truly found the "death" that belonged to him, he was her "family."
And even after that "death," he would still be family.
Clara didn't dwell on it further. That was Elio's domain now.
Before everything truly comes to pass, let me just enjoy this.
"Hurry up and eat. Ten watermelons, three million credits—we can't let them go to waste."
"Each watermelon is about twenty pounds. There are only six of us eating—how could we possibly finish them?" Silver Wolf sounded exasperated.
"Then each mouth eats thirty pounds. Such a simple calculation—can't you do it?"
Silver Wolf: 6
…
T/N: 6
…
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