"Aponia, are you enjoying life here?"
Elysia tilted her head slightly, her gaze pulling back from the distant sea to rest on the woman beside her. Her voice was soft.
Her eyes held a note of concern, as if she cared deeply about Aponia's feelings.
"Yes, it's quite nice."
Aponia's face warmed with a faint smile.
"Although we've left the Sunset District, life here is more peaceful. It carries a sense of security. I'm quite content," she said slowly.
"And... what about truly joining us?"
Elysia didn't let the matter drop, pressing further, her eyes now holding a glimmer of anticipation.
She truly hoped Aponia could become one of them.
Aponia didn't answer the question directly.
She lowered her head slightly, thinking for a moment before speaking unhurriedly, "There are times when I cannot simply stand aside. But within my capabilities, I will help as much as I can…"
She lifted her head, her eyes looking far into the distance, as if seeing beyond the sea to somewhere more remote.
After all, she knew in her heart that the next calamity would likely arrive soon.
A ripple passed through Aponia's eyes, as if she were truly seeing an unusual scene, a trace of worry flickering within her gaze.
"Well, I believe in you♪~"
Hearing Aponia's answer, Elysia smiled, a brilliant, sunshine-bright smile that seemed able to dispel any gloom.
She gently patted Aponia's shoulder in reassurance.
"Mhm."
Aponia returned a gentle smile of her own, her gaze drifting unconsciously toward Vya.
Ever since that operation, she had clearly felt a peculiar connection form between herself and Vya.
It wasn't the grand, fateful intertwining she was accustomed to sensing, but Aponia could perceive it distinctly.
She felt this connection wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Moreover, somewhere deep down, she sensed it was a good thing.
This premonition didn't stem from her "gift"... it came simply from her own heart.
…
Meanwhile, Master Kalpas sat alone before the grill, chewing on the last skewer, savoring this rare moment of quiet.
But the peace was soon shattered by a group of uninvited guests.
"Meow, meow, meow~"
"Mrreow?"
"Mew…"
Instantly, a chorus of various feline cries rose and fell around him. Kalpas felt as if he'd been surrounded by a tidal wave of cats.
Before him was a veritable rainbow of cats—black and white ones, orange ones, pure black ones—a dizzying array.
The sight made Kalpas's head throb. His mind immediately jumped to that little thief—Pardofelis.
It turned out Pardofelis had settled these cats here, claiming the spacious area was perfect for them.
And in the end, Aponia had actually agreed.
The absolute worst part, the thing Kalpas couldn't stand, was that Aponia had dumped the responsibility of looking after these little creatures squarely onto him!
Kalpas couldn't help complaining inwardly. He was busy enough as it was, and now he had to tend to this horde of cats.
Fortunately, these cats were former strays, tough and resilient. They could survive on scraps, so it wasn't too much trouble…
"Quiet!"
Kalpas said with a trace of impatience, his voice laced with a hint of anger.
"..."
"..."
Hearing the anger in his tone, the cats all seemed momentarily frightened into silence.
After all, none of them wanted to be flattened into kitty pancakes by Kalpas.
Kalpas shook his head resignedly, picking out a few small fish from the remaining ingredients and tossing them toward the cats.
The cats immediately swarmed, snatched the fish, and trotted off quietly, as if the earlier commotion had never happened.
Finally, peace was restored…
Kalpas stood up and returned to his own small cabin.
Sitting on the edge of his bed, he suddenly remembered his earlier conversation with Vya.
…
"Aww, Brother Kevin never has time to come."
Vya stood beside Kalpas, watching him grill the skewers, her voice tinged with regret.
"Brother Kalpas, you and Brother Kevin are friends now, right? Do you want him to come?"
Vya lifted her adorable little face, asking Kalpas with childish innocence.
"Whatever."
Kalpas replied offhandedly, his focus still on the grill, his hands continuously turning the skewers. He didn't seem particularly interested in the topic.
"Oh, Vya will tell him next time she sees Brother Kevin."
Vya blinked, stating earnestly, as if making a promise to herself.
"Mhm."
Behind his mask, Kalpas's expression didn't change. In truth, he wouldn't mind continuing that last bout with Kevin.
He considered Kevin a worthy opponent to cross hands with. Of course, he could also be an enemy.
…
If anyone thought this organization had no deeper reason for keeping them here, Kalpas absolutely didn't buy it.
Leaning against the bedside, he carefully reviewed his own experiences, from that destroyed village to the current sanatorium…
He remembered the feeling upon waking from that unconscious state, his heart filled with a cold calm and fury.
Even at the sanatorium, those moments of inner peace were fleeting, and there was always Aponia droning on in his ear.
But when his mind was no longer consumed by rage, no longer haunted by the obsession of "home," and no longer swayed by that "Kalpas-heart"…
He found he was capable of thinking about quite a lot.
Just as beneath a calm sea surface, turbulent waves might be hidden. And beneath those waves, perhaps there lies only endless stillness…
…
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