Challenge (2)

Breakfast was mercenary styled food. Hard bread with some odd mushroom-like soup thickened with wheat or flour. Some strips of rock hard smoked bacon and a few badly grilled grey wolf meat that Prune had to re-cook just in case. We also had a weird dried fruit called 'apple', which tasted nothing like an apple. It was chewy and candy-like, as if grass fibres had been mixed into it. Last but not least, coarse salt as a flavour enhancer if needed.

The crude look of the food stuck in contrast to the clean eating table.

Cannibalism. Prune didn't seem to mind as she chowed on a piece of wolf meat.

The food-- I wouldn't say it was bad but it wasn't really good either. However, because of the situation we were in, it felt as if we were trying a new cuisine. Honestly, that made the taste just amazing. So this is what mercenary rations taste like huh? The less than delicious meal ended up as an interesting experience if you asked me.

The hard break and bacon was certainly hard but dipping it in the warm mushroom stew helped soften it enough to not break our teeth. In fact, Prune, who had a strong jaw due to her biological constitution was able to tear the hard pieces into bite sized chunks even without the soup..

The cost of the entire breakfast ended up below 150 points. Which was alright but-- i wish it tasted better since it was both Liliath and my hard-worked points.

Liliath also told me that she bought a new tea. Loxiblue tea leaves. Poisonous-- apparently. But it's fine consumed after being heated so I have no saying there-- except that Liliath shouldn't bring this to school. Definitely.

After breakfast, the four of us proceeded to school as usual. Well, almost as usual.

I made eye contact with someone--okay..

I thought I didn't think too much about it until I made eye contact with another student.

I realized that unlike normal days, there were quite a few stares directed at us. Something was fishy.

"Today is weird," Nine said.

"I agree," Prune voiced her uneasiness.

"Uh… I apologize. The fault is mine, please forgive me. I had to remove my concealment due to this week's special quest. A portion of my magic repertoire will remain sealed until the end of this week. On that note, I will not hesitate to abandon the quest if said magic is needed in desperation."

Hm? Liliath just told us her special quest?

"Noel, I would appreciate it if you didn't think too deep into it. In fear that my choice of word may provoke an answer that would in turn bring an end to the quest, I apologize. I should have notified you earlier."

"A half-lie?" Prune asked.

Liliath nodded.

"So we'll have to go through this week without Liliath's magic huh?" I said under my breath, wary of the looks we were getting as we neared the school grounds.

For the past few weeks, we've been relying on Liliath's magic. I never really noticed the significance of it until now.

I wonder what's Liliath's special quest is.. but if there's no mention of her quest being terminated, i guess her round about way of phrasing what she needed to do is doing a good job covering it. That's actually pretty smart.

"What if we used magic tools then? Yeah."

I brought my UI up as I walked and typed in a concealment magic tool.

A number of options showed up. The accessories type magic tools caught my eyes. There were a number of them, effects ranging from weak to extremely strong. The price range was around 200 points to 2000 points a piece.

"There isn't any problem if we use magic tools right? Liliath?"

"I don't think there would be.. Is that possible?"

"Yeah, but it'll cost some points."

"Um, I think I'll walk ahead first since.. I should be fine without any barrier. See ya!" Nine said and quickened her pace.

"I think we should find somewhere quiet-er to think through our next course of action," Prune suggested.

"Yeah,"

We ended up backtracking to one of the small gazebos.

"Are the weak ones enough? How strong is the concealment barrier you usually use, Liliath?"

"I lack any form of comparison. I have no clue. I'm sorry."

"Then maybe we should just continue this day without any concealment magic? We'll come up with a better solution once we return home later. If we make a rash decision here, we might just end up wasting your points," Prune said.

"So we'll attend class normally huh? I guess.. just for today. If you two are alright with it?"

"I believe there isn't much of a choice? Prune's conjuncture is the most rasional."

Concealment barrier is something that has more to do with Prune and Liliath than it does me. Those two depend on it quite a lot so that they don't stand out. That notion will be broken today.

"Liliath and I will just have to do our best. Maybe we might find that we don't really need the magic tool at all?"

"Okay then."

Finishing our discussion, we entered the school grounds. Prune walking ahead of us so that it doesn't look as if two beauties are stuck together with me. Liliath on the other hand..

Well.. Let's just say she wasn't too good with the stare and held onto my sleeve as we walked. I tried to talk her out of doing it with consoling words since-- she's attracting even more attention by doing so than by not, but it was impossible. I had no choice but to let her do as she pleases.

Sigh.

Luckily, Prune who noticed that proactively pull Liliath away and had her accompanied her instead. So I was left tailing them from behind.

The moment we entered class, unlike normal days where only a few students would turn to look at us-- everyone turned their attention to our direction. Obviously, who wouldn't? The two class beauties with silver and velvet hair respectively, standing side by side.

Attention slowly dispersed and the weight of the stares disappeared. Hm, looks like it's alright after all.

"Morning Voux, morning Saria," I said, placing my bag down.

"Mornin' Noel, Liliath, Prune."

"Good morning~"

"Did something happen? It feels as if Liliath and Prune have become clearer for some odd reason," Voux asked.

"The absence of concealment magic. It's inevitable," Liliath explained.

"What?" Voux didn't seem to get it but no further explanation was given as Liliath, together with Saria, made her way over to Wendy's table.

Voux sat down on Liliath seat, Prune remained where she was as the three of us continued chatting about various non-essential topics.

"Have you heard this rumor? The grand water mage Miss Tsu is coming to our school today. I think it's for the demonstration we have later this morning," Voux notified us.

"Miss Tsu? Wait. Could it be that she's the reason why the rain kept pouring?" Prune's expression was as if puzzle pieces in her mind had clicked.

"I was thinking that too. Can you imagine that? She actually came to see this year's students. The upper classmates are actually making a fuss about it-- so I've heard."

"Is that so-- Noel?"

Hearing Prune call out my name, I pressed my finger to my forehead.

"What's going on?"

"It's called a flag."

So this is the premonition I felt? The tsunami stopper and storm disintegrating Miss Tsu is coming to school? IT WAS A FLAG AFTER ALL!!

"What flag?"

"I don't think you would understand even if i explained it to you."

"Noel, maybe you're just overthinking things?"

Voux showed confusion, I heaved a sigh while Prune's statement could perhaps be correct. Then again, I can't shake off this feeling that something big is going to happen today. Another arc, or scenario. Not to mention, this coincides too much with Liliath's Special Quest this week.

Hm?

I saw a girl scanning the class from outside. It was the person Liliath asked me about last time we were in the library. The girl Kai hung out-- flirted with. She had bandages wrapped around her hand for some reason.

She was probably looking for Kai. Too bad he didn't come so early today.

"Is there any homework we missed?" I asked.

"Even if there was, today's demonstration will take up the whole day. Noel, do you think you'd be part of the combat and stealth category?" Voux returned another question.

"Maybe. Then you and Prune would most probably end up in the physiological metamorphosis category?"

To explain it briefly. Troublesome TALENTS were divided into 5 categories.

Combat and Stealth.

Combat and stealth based TALENTS that are important for national security.

Physiological Metamorphosis.

TALENTS that cause one's biological buildup to change. Voux who could change size is also part of this category. Also, Nine who can change genders.

Psychic and Mental Abilities.

Examples being Elyja, Eunice, Rishell and Kai who had abilities to use physic, mental or measurement abilities.

Medical Support.

Individuals who can heal parts of the body to an extent. UNfortunately I'm not very close to anyone possessing this type of TALENT.

Last but not least, TALENT influencers.

Like Saria, Enoch and Keaton who have the ability to read or affect TALENTS to an extent.

That's the basics. Now, for today's demonstration, the students would be divided into these few categories. Some individuals may have to visit more than one category due to the nature of their TALENT. Putting that aside, I have no idea what this event is for-- but I heard that it's to recruit new people into the government. Which might be a big deal.

Especially when Lieutenant Sanders is looking forward to Liliath's performance. She can't use magic can she? That might be a problem.. but also good to make sure we don't stand out-- but also bad because it's already inevitable that she'd become a potential target.

"Hm? What is it?"

Prune's eyebrows were furrowed, her ears twitching and tail stood erect.

"Noel. Is this the doing of your TALENT?"

"My TALENT?" I trace Prune's line of sight-- to that girl still standing at the entrance.

She gave me a good few second stare before leaving.

"Weird. Kai told me that he was hanging out with a girl lately. I think she's the one-- Lyndia is her name," Voux said. "What do you mean your TALENT? Noel's TALENT has to do with that girl?"

"It's complicated.. but that's what I think?" Prune said.

"Well. Whatever.."

"Hm? There's something on your face."

"My face?"

"It's a cut," Voux narrowed his eyes.

You know, I just realized there's this tingling sensation on my cheeks. I touched the spot with my finger-- blood.

I don't remember getting any cuts-- wait. What if it's because of that girl? The one Kai flirted with?

Honestly, what's her problem with me? I don't even know her. And she just used some sort of TALENT to attack me? What the fuck..

There was one thing I knew however-- a new scenario was about to begin.