After that meeting, we were then sent to our rooms. The exploration will start tomorrow so the Spirit Queen had us rest first.
With how huge their palace is, we were given individual rooms.
We should be alone in the room but…
"Can I stay here for a moment?"
Jayna asked when I opened the door for her. She's not in her usual dress, she's wearing a tight-fitting shirt that really shows that body of hers and a pajama pants that was made from fabric native here. I guess it's soft and comfortable to the skin.
"You're already here. Come in."
I nodded and led her inside. Since this palace and rooms were made by the Spirit Beasts, the design is quite simple. At least they put a bed and a quilt to ease the hardness of the bed.
"Daisuke, tomorrow. Can I stay by your side?"
Jayna opened her mouth when she settled herself on my bed.
"Of course, you can. I see no problem with it."
I smiled at her and answered.
I'm already planning to do that, anyway. Her skills can complement mine very well. Even if she ran out of Spirit Energy, I can easily throw a Spirit Boost to her.
"Thank you... Uh… One more thing."
Ah. This. I had a premonition that it's about that…
"Hmm?"
"Are you still interested in me?"
With a voice that could be compared to a whisper, Jayna asked me.
This is her real purpose for coming here. She's here to hear me say it again.
"I am. Say, is this enough to show my interest in you?"
Answering truthfully, I reached for her hand and clasped our fingers together.
"Eh? This..."
Jayna was almost speechless as she lifted our entwined hands. Her curiosity kicked in again while looking at it interestingly. Though I've already held her hand a lot of times during our infiltration mission, those were all situational.
After that confession by Yumiko, I felt like I shouldn't keep restricting myself since it would still eventually lead to this. Call it destiny or something but this is really part of my nature…
"What about you?"
Throwing her question back at her, I tightened my hold on her hand. She kept looking at it and slowly, her face was turning into a shade of red. She's probably starting to realize what holding her hand means.
But upon hearing my words, she looked up and mustered enough courage to give me an honest answer. She drew her lips closer to my ears before whispering…
"Don't tease me about this, Daisuke. I feel the same..."
Right after saying that, Jayna hurriedly took her hand and ran out of my room while cupping her blushing cheeks.
I didn't even have the chance to call out to her to ask her to repeat it.
Err... How can I tease her when everyone already noticed her interest in me? That girl…
Should I blame the destiny which the Spirit Queen kept talking about? The one that was soon to converge is obviously Jayna.
She doesn't have that much experience with the opposite gender. There's Ren but he's an older brother figure to her and her father is just a doting old man.
I guess it's better this way. She doesn't need to rush this kind of thing or she'll just be more confused. Admitting our interest with each other is enough.
She's a pampered daughter of a Noble Spirit. Unlike Avelin and Erin, she didn't have any inkling about it, not until I showed up before her. I could blame the orb but we were already bound to meet because of Yumiko.
Does this mean the convergence of our destinies happened just now? I don't know. Only the Spirit Queen can confirm it. To base it to something like that, it's kind of stupid, no?
Leaving my thoughts at that, I started to think that coming here and meeting the Spirit Queen is a mistake. I shouldn't have known about her eyes and the destiny she was seeing.
Before the night deepened, Yumiko also visited me.
Tomorrow's exploration will be filled with the unknown so she probably wanted to be spoiled by me before plunging into that unknown ruin where she'll become our vanguard.
Ah. It's also possible that she's thinking about what will happen when we go back to Earth. By then, I'll be accompanying Yuko again.
Is she thinking that I won't have time for her that's why she's taking all the chances she can get here?
Err… Knowing Yuko, if I tell her about Yumiko, she'll even urge me to spend some time with her as well.
"Yumiko, about the communication equipment you were using…"
After spending our time in silence that's slowly turning the atmosphere awkward for us, I asked her about the thing I wanted to acquire.
I know, my motive for asking it was to have a way to communicate to those girls again but yeah, it can also be used for us to stay updated as to what was happening in their respective world.
"You mean, this? This is made by someone from this world, she's quite a legend at equipment crafting, however, it's hard to find her. She's a wanderer."
Yumiko brought out a piece of equipment that somehow resembled a walkie-talkie but yeah it's not run by a battery and there's no antenna to it. It's even made from some unknown metal. On how it was forged, I don't know.
I asked Yumiko if I could hold it and she immediately accepted.
Upon touching it, my Adaptability immediately told me its functions. Using Spirit Energy, it's creating a mini-portal but only sound can pass through. There's no battery in it so one needed to pour their own Spirit Energy to use it to send and receive the message.
For someone to create something like this, there's no wonder she's called a legend. It can even be used in a different world.
"I see. Why didn't she make a lot of it? It can make communication here be easy like on Earth. Even if worlds apart, one can talk to each other."
I gave it back to her. I can't ask her to give it to me, it's an essential tool that she's using here.
"She's actually an eccentric. I only encountered her one time and because I granted her a favor, she made me three of these. Here's one and you already know who have the other two."
The twins and Harlan. I couldn't ask for those as well. Harlan was deep inside the leadership of the Spiritas while the twins were her scouts whenever she's back on Earth.
"Is there no way to contact that eccentric wanderer?"
If I can find her, whatever favor it is, I'll try to complete it to get this kind of equipment.
"None. But if you want, we can look for her after this. While we were travelling to erase the other traces."
Using this opportunity, Yumiko moved even closer to me, just like earlier. And like a cat snuggling to her owner, Yumiko used my chest to support her head.
"Thank you, Yumiko."
I put my hand on her shoulder to pull her even closer.
"Don't thank me yet, besides I'm already getting my reward here."
Yumiko giggled cutely as she rubbed her cheeks on me. With the awkward atmosphere cast off, a new relaxing atmosphere replaced it.
Her face drew near me again and this time, our lips met and kissed. It's only for a moment but Yumiko flashed a satisfied smile before she fell back to my chest, not mentioning what just happened.
I also didn't comment about it. It's probably her first kiss. She hurriedly buried her face in my chest, but she forgot that I could see her ears. It's as red as an apple, indicating that she's blushing from ear to ear.
Letting her be relaxed for tomorrow's expedition, Yumiko almost fell asleep.
I could let her sleep here with me but she probably didn't plan to do that so before she drifted off to sleep, I woke her up and walked her back to her room.
I felt like this day was even longer than when we didn't sleep during the Fortress Battle... Yumiko and Jayna confessing to me. Learning about destinies. And me accepting these things.
Err… Let's cultivate now and prepare for tomorrow.
The sun was already shining brightly when we reached the place where the Ancient Ruins is located.
With the Spirit Queen in the lead, followed by the Spirit King, she reminded us again to take care.
With Yumiko in front and me behind her, the others also placed themselves accordingly to what we agreed before coming here.
Everyone who has a weapon already took it out. And of course, it's the 5 of us. The 5 Transformed Spirit Beasts didn't have any. They could just transform back to their original form and their limbs will be stronger than a weapon.
I learned their names and got to know them one by one. Starting today, they're also our companions.
It's also good to see that Jayna and the twins didn't have any ill feelings towards them or them to us. Maybe it's because they're not in the frontline during skirmishes between the Spiritas and the Spirit Beasts or maybe it's also the influence of Yumiko. Either way, it's already better that this didn't turn out into a competition just like what was always recycled in those novels.
"Yse, Ezyn, see you later."
Yumiko bid farewell to the couple before she stepped foot inside. Following behind her, I didn't tarry and chased behind her back.
As soon as I stepped foot inside, even with my Adaptability, I couldn't help but be startled by the series of notifications which my System sent.
[You left the World of Spirits]
[Automatic Accumulation has stopped]
[The World Bonus has expired]
[You entered a new dimension. Unknown Ancient Ruins]
[Receive +20 Strength, +20 Endurance as Dimension Bonus]
[Will expire upon leaving the Dimension.]
[Detected a higher form of energy]
[Identifying…]
[Identification Failed.]
[Adaptability Level is insufficient.]
[Flux Energy Automatic Energy Conversion has been activated.]
[Current Conversion 1 unit of Unknown Energy= 9 units of Flux Energy]
[Conversion Debuff : -45% Strength, -45% Endurance]
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