Chapter 458 Chapter 454: 1 Month
"One Month. I should be able to make the gate to the Outer Gods in a month."
The long battle had ended splendidly, after an enormous after-party in the world of the Giants, this was what Mamon told us.
In one month, the war against the Outer Gods would change form. This battle against eight of their twelve elites where they invaded us, was going to be flipped on its head.
It was truly time to Dive in and Attack. Just the way I liked it.
Whether we would come back, or we won't. Whether we would win, or we won't. There was no guaranteeing anything. Even though we had decided for only the strongest of the groups to go and fight, the number was quite large since we also needed to deal with the lesser Outer Gods and the remnants.
For quite a few people, this could possibly the last month they would have.
"Is that why you're here? For you last month?"
The head receptionist of the Deep Down Branch pushed a fork filled with chocolate cake toward me.
I took a bite and leaned with a hand on the table.
"Not really, it's not going to be my last month."
"I like the confidence."
"It's just a factual statement."
The receptionist took a tissue and wiped some of the cream that stuck to my lips before offering me another bite.
"Why are you wearing those glasses all the time?"
"I am not used to my eyes yet," I said as I pulled the sunglasses out. The receptionist gazed at me and leaned back.
"Keep them on."
"Haha…"
"Those are less like eyes and more like danger. I can see why you're wearing them."
While we talked, another serving of cake and coffee was placed over by Miss Glasses.
"Here you go, Lord Dark Moon."
"Thanks," I waved my hands in thanks and took a sip of the coffee.
"Ack. Bitter."
The receptionist chuckled and slid me the cup of sugar cubes. I did want to ask why she was still single, but I decided to refrain. It was a different matter when we had met last, but I was practically 22 plus a thousand myself. It was a shitty question no matter how one looked at it.
"It was quite a surprise, Dusk. Seeing you back."
I tilted my head to the side and grinned. It certainly was, in more ways than one. Most people let it pass easy, but quite a lot of them had very troublesome reactions.
Maria, for example, was ready to kill me this time for certain since Albert had a clue. She tried to stab me and her knife broke into bits, just patting her head was surprisingly enough to calm her down, though.
Then came Lily, who just cried for a long time. It wasn't troublesome, but I did feel bad.
Miss Irina was forced to 'grow up' so she didn't make it an issue, but I had to go on an outing with her to make her accept things.
By outing I meant back to the academy, in her private office. We only returned the next day.
Lady Sophia and Miss Rio were fairly shocked, but they didn't say much. The lord of Asahi and Ikuro Asahi both have been holding a returning celebration for the last three days in pure joy.
It was not as bad, minus some major hiccups in the Hall duchy after hearing about things. Billy was holding down the Duke and Vienna from blowing up and heading straight for me somehow since I wanted to take some time.
The worst…
Was probably Dawn…
"I really thought I was the strongest, but I still got miserably defeated."
Just thinking of it again was enough to scare me, I really didn't want to. Dawn may as well be the strongest person in the world when it came to one-on-ones, but thankfully she was not going to battle with anyone other than me.
"It's a strange question, kid. But since you say you have become one with Cataclysm, aren't you a bit dangerous?"
I looked away at the receptionist's question. "I am not, its really weird to talk about that with you."
"Is that so?"
"It's like discussing performance with your parents."
The receptionist coughed as a chuckle left her. She laughed the topic away and started biting into her cake again.
"So, have you met everyone?"
"Most of everyone. I'll step out, but I am planning to spend the rest of the month here in Apollon. Back at my estate. Others have decided to stake out here too."
It was the only time that every person in all the worlds would be sharing a similar sentiment. A unique air filled one's daily life during big events, maybe a court date, a family member's death, a departure to a distant place.
A similar air had coated all the worlds once more, one that would linger the entire month.
"I had wondered, is the month here the same as everywhere else?"
I crossed my hands and leaned back. It was a tough question to answer, but I had heard the gist of things from Mamon and Albert. I too, was a researcher once. In a different life.
"Practically, the answer is yes. Every day is twenty-four hours and every year a little over 365 days in all the worlds in our world tree. That was why you can see the sun in any world and guess the time."
It had led to other theories too, maybe this is what separated the 'realms' that the Outer Gods talked about? I had no idea, but it was a strange coincidence that would definitely be investigated.
"But you and that place… three years."
When I came to this world, I hadn't experienced nine years in the span of three, but instead my memories had gone much farther back. It was all possible only thanks to Eugene.
But I didn't want to tell anyone other than Lethe that everyone in the world had regressed. It was a risk I didn't want to take.
"The timings only align when you have a passage," I said. It wasn't wrong anyway, just not the complete truth.
The receptionist nodded.
She placed a hand down on the table and stood up.
"What are you going to do now?" I asked.
"We are still preparing for more invasions, you know? And there are also things to deal with after the battle."
I nodded at her words.
She placed a hand on top of my head and gently rustled my hair. "I only came to see your face for now, and to make that delivery. I'll come back next week with the manager, so give me good news then, alright?"
A smile left me. In my pockets was a box that I had luckily handed to the guild while I was working as an adventurer, she had come here just to deliver that.
"I'll keep a date picked."
"I'll see you soon, Dusk. Enjoy your month."
The receptionist walked away from the cafe. I stretched on the chair and leaned back, my head hanging behind the chair.
A sigh left me.
"One month… huh?"
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