75: When The Protagonist Monologues (Overshares)

75: When The Protagonist Monologues (Overshares)

Everyone from both tables froze for a couple of seconds. Several people from the other table jabbed Kallix while everyone but Conrad paused their form filling out. Angelica, among the more level-headed, looked over to Nyssa and Celeste while raising an eyebrow. As a faint flicker of recognition flashed behind her eyes, she asked. “When did you two meet this team of hunters?”

“Earlier today while we were on the beach,” Nyssa looked over towards the other table and flashed a peace sign. “Do you know them, Angelica?”

“I know of them, they’re a fairly famous team,” Angelica shrugged before waving to them as well. “Nice to meet you all, I’m Angelica, I’m the teacher who’s watching over these students.”

“Nice to meet you too,” Mira murmured with a nod, her voice a little scratchy from overuse.

As the other team members gave a short introduction, Kael waved down Nyssa and Celeste before pointing to a well-groomed bearded man. “By the way, this is Orin, he was the one binding the monster on the beach earlier.”

“A pleasure to meet you all,” Orin raised his glass. After pantomiming a toast, he took a sip from his cup. “What brings you all here tonight?”

“Registering!” Conrad leapt out of his seat while pumping his fist. He flexed one arm and pointed at Titus and Albion with the other. “GET WRECKED! I’m done!”

“... Wow,” Albion applauded with slow claps and a subtle eyebrow raise. “You’re so cool for finishing your government form faster than the rest of us. I’m just... astounded... I’m sure every woman in this building wants you so bad right now.”

“Oh yeah, I can’t think straight,” Electra added in a flat tone while picking her pen back up to fill out the form. “Why don’t you make conversation with our new friends then. While we finish our own forms. Thanks in advance Conrad.”

“You’re... welcome,” Conrad sighed while sitting back down. Before he could turn to talk though, Nyssa asked for his pen, while also taking the extra one Angelica had been holding. He stroked his chin. “Why do you even need so many... pens... ah.”

After watching a third arm stretch out from the center of Nyssa’s chest, Conrad shook his head to clear his mind and turned to the hunters. He explained their purpose for coming to the north, and answered a few basic questions, ranging from small talk—“what do you find the most different so far?”—to more substantive ones—“So you prefer hunter work? What would you say draws you to hero work over hunter work then?”

Conrad, not one to turn down an opportunity to talk, answered each question and replied with his own as Angelica listened in on the conversation while checking over Conrad’s now–filled out form.

“I’m glad you’re living a better life,” Angelica took a long sip as the conversation came grinding to a halt.

Everyone else though, by now, had their curiosity piqued. Both Seraph’s teammates and Angelica’s students all exchanged glances. Each glance seemed to ask the same questions and give the same replies:

Do you know anything about this?

Since when did they know each other?

I don’t know anything, don’t ask me.

I have no idea either.

“Spill the beans, Seraph,” Mira coughed, her voice still in pain.

As a few chuckles left her lips, Seraph shrugged. “It's nothing special. I attended a different academy, one similar to Luminary Institute as you all know. The one located in the capital of the Lionheart Kingdom. I was a year older than Angelica, but I knew of her since... well, she was the leader of her year, and the student body president before she even became a senior.”

“We just knew each other in passing,” Angelica took a long swig from her cup. “Nothing special.”

“Yeah, nothing too special I’d say...” Seraph agreed before diverting the conversation elsewhere. “You’ll probably be doing a first expedition out tomorrow right? Would you like for us to accompany you? We have nothing planned. Just a normal patrol route.”

“That’d be great, I’ll take you up on that then, is that alright, Kael?” Angelica turned to ask the team leader.

“Fine with me,” Kael flashed an ‘ok’ hand symbol. “See you all tomorrow then.”