[EX] Uncertainty (2)

Home.

Liliath, being the front in front, gave the door a good two knocks. After a while, a girl with silver hair, two fluffy ears that replaced her human ears and a bushy tail-- Prune came out to greet us. The warm heat of the apartment air could be felt in contrast to the cold outside world.

"Welcome back," she said with a pink apron on her, a slightly stunned expression on her face when she saw me.

"We're back."

"So what's for dinner?"

"Spaghetti," Liliath was the one to reply instead. I was confused how she knew but realized that I didn't pay attention to the obvious smell of tomato and flour the moment Prune opened the door.

"You have a good nose."

We went inside, Liliath and I parted to our respective rooms to get our bags off our backs. And since I was all worked up by all the 'exercise' just now, I decided to take a bath. Liliath took her's after mine.

"How did it go?" Nine's deep voice boomed. A short haired male with a sauve face sitting in the living room, apparently reading a book..

What happened to him?

"Couldn't find a single one. Even though Liliath dug half the field," I heaved a heavy, despairing sigh.

"Are centipedes really that rare?" Prune asked in a hushed voice. Maybe she's afraid Liliath could hear this conversation from the bathroom? That's a possibility actually.

"I don't know-- maybe all of them got scared away. But that wouldn't make sense because there were other creatures like worms and millipedes around."

"Must just be your luck, too bad," Nine tried to laugh.

"Nine, why are you a male today?" totally suspicious, so I had to ask.

"I was thinking, like it's it bad to keep depending on my female form? I've been relying on it so much I feel like the male me is becoming weaker. I'm trying to run away from my problems, is what I realized. So that's why I've decided to sort through the issues and not just escape from reality."

"I see.."

I guess it's because of my influence huh? Nine's been reading self-help books lately, which was quite a surprise.. or not. Since we talk to each other a lot lately.

To summarise Nine's words into tangible, and easy to understand context, when Nine switched from his male and female form, habits and neurological patterns did not carry over. That includes the subconscious and emotional states. Though, this proved there is something else besides the emotional and rational brain that makes us: us. Nine could probably be the catalyst to the research of human souls-- just kidding.

Whatever it is, the main point is that Nine can swap between genders, in the literal sense.

"What? So you prefer three girls in the house?"

"I didn't say that.."

"I actually do prefer the female you, I'm more used to that," Prune said.

"Speaking of which, thanks for making the dinner Prune," I can't forget to say this.

"It's alright," She smiled.

Nine looked at us with an empty gaze. If he were a female, he would've said something inappropriate by now.

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Dinner was bolognese, the tomato gravy with chopped onions and oyster mushrooms, meatballs made from Basilisk meat, a side of unusual broccoli-like vegetables that glowed in a yellowish hue. I swear both these ingredients are edible because we tried some of it yesterday.

My TALENT also provides me with a shop function where I can exchange points that Liliath and I harvest into items-- be it items that exist here on earth or items from Liliath's world. I remember exchanging points for a solid state drive for Nine, and a new anti-stick pan for Prune's kitchen use. Of course, let's not forget spending points to increase Liliath's collection of tea.

Because we had so many points to spare and didn't think too much about what to spend it on, most of it was spent on food items.

The main reason why we have Basilisk meat and Gold Glow Pucker-- the name of the glowing broccoli— was because these two items were on a discount just the other day. So I bought it and then kept it in the fridge.

Speaking of the fridge, it has become a sort of divine food box. If I remember correctly, there's still some dwarf-village booze, life fruit and megalodon meat left that we haven't eaten. All of which I got because of the discount the previous days.

"Are you excited for the school field trip? Rather than a field trip, I think calling it an all-expense-paid vacation is more accurate," Nine said, stuffing his face with spaghetti, "This tastes delicious, Prune would definitely make the perfect wife."

To his words, she grimaced.

"Oh yeah, it does sound weird if I put it that way," Nine hung a frown, continuing to eat silently.

It's a lie to say Nine didn't sound like her lover when he said that.

"It's really weird to hear something like that from the male you."

"I know. I know. So? What's your impression? You two don't seem all that excited at all?"

"I wouldn't say I'm not excited. I'm looking forward to what experience it would bring," Liliath said.

"Kinda?" I said.

"Not feeling so well huh? Want a centipede to cure you of failure disease?" Nine remarked.

"No thanks," shut up Nine..

"Why a centipede all of a sudden?" And Liliath asked.

"I don't know?" Nine titled his head. Seeing him do that as a male just brings an awful combination. You know what? He's better off a female.

School holidays for the semester starts this week. And the school had planned a 4 day trip to Gilgamesh's Urban Green House, UGH in short. Pun not intended. It's a tourist spot and man-made jungle in Gilgamesh located close to a marsh area with mangrove trees and pristine beach where the government had turned into a heritage site, complete with lodging, campsites, fishing spots, bird sighting, jungle safari, the beach, etcetera. It's not supposed to be a heritage site but whatever, it's called marketing.

If you're wondering how exactly the jungle was made-- I'm sorry, but I have no clue. Everything in Gilgamesh was said to be imported, from the trees to the livestock. But my guess is that the jungle was unnaturally grown with the aid of someone's TALENT. Something like translocating part of the amazon forest just sounds way too illogical.

The school booked the one sector of the entire place to accommodate those in the first and third year students. Well.. those in the third year are no longer in high school but a special advanced education programme but let's just leave it at that.

Because of how the students are to be divided by class, Nine would most probably be separated… I felt a finger poke my cheeks.

Ding.

'Liliath's Special Quest complete,'

"Really now?" I turned to her and asked.

Liliath nodded while smiling cutely. I guess her special quest for this week is to poke my face? Maybe.. I'm not too sure because of how there are underlying conditions.

"How about we go to the autumn festival tomorrow?" I asked, remembering how my parents would bring me there once a year.

"The autumn festival is quite far from here isn't it?" Nine said lazily.

"But it's a public holiday right? There's bound to be a lot of people," Prune stated.

"I'm just asking, how about you Liliath?"

"I'll join," twirling her fork in the spaghetti before bringing a small bite into her mouth.

"If that's the case then let's just leave the two on a date," Nine said. Liliath twitched.

"I feel like going too actually," Prune said with a wry smile.

"Okay, so Prune is in. You joining or not, Nine?" I asked again.

"Fine, I'll join too," Nine grumbled.

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Done, finally.

My fourth art commision of the month, and yes, it's anime. It's just got to be.. I suck at every other generic subject matter. I'm fine with doing basic environmental sketches but I'm not as good at it as I am drawing cute girls-- that isn't a joke by the way.

While the file was in the process of saving, I took a glimpse at Liliath. She sat on the couch observing me while I drew, no longer reading the biology reference book she had on hold.

Saying nothing, she continued to stare at my laptop.

Hey, this is a good opportunity isn't it?

With the drawing pen, I moved the cursor to the taskbar and pulled up the internet explorer, using the on-screen keyboard to type: Insect.

You get where this is going-- I scrolled the screen slowly..

Ants, praying mantises, snails, slugs, HOUSEFLIES, ladybugs, a guy in an insect suit, ugh..

"What are you doing?" Liliath asked.

"Searching for reference," I lied. Come on now.. just show me a centipede already..

"I thought you'd prefer to draw girls though?"

"Yeah but.."

I kept scrolling.. and there it was-- the centipede. Success! Since the quest is-- have Liliath find a centipede-- moreover not specifying what centipede and from where, this could work..

But nothing happened.

I turned my head to look at Liliath-- just to notice her staring right at me at almost zero distance, her nose touching mine.

"Uh.." I pulled back slowly.

"There's something wrong with you, Noel.."

"Okay," Not averting my gaze, I stared right into her ruby coloured eyes. I don't have a bug fetish okay?

"Could it be that.." Liliath then shifted her attention to my laptop screen.

Ding.

'Noel's Special Quest Complete'

Liliath opened her eyes wide. I made a smug face in response.

"It seems I was half correct."

"What was the other half?"

"Your interest in drawing a bug-girl."

"..."

Her misunderstanding was understandable. There was this one time Liliath asked why I used an actual crocodile as a reference-- the commissioner wanted a half-alligator girl, that's why I looked it up. Not that the commissioner realized that it's a half-crocodile girl.

"And the other half?"

"You."

"Hm? Me?"

"There's something you're unclear about."

"I suppose.."

"So what is the problem then?"

"I don't really know either actually," maybe I should ask for her opinion too, "Liliath.. what is 'life' to you?"

"Life to me is.. us? Noel, Nine, Prune and me, together as one family, as Nine calls it," she tilted her head. Oh damn that's cute, my heart string got pulled at but.. it wasn't the answer I was searching for.

"Thanks."

"So that's what you're troubled about?"

Raising my head up to look at Liliath again-- on all fours, she crawled in front of me, bringing her face close to my own. With my hands placed on the floor, I bent myself backwards..

"Why are you moving away?"

"Why do you think?"

"I don't know?" Liliath smiled and brought herself closer in one go as if she was about to kiss me..

I lost balance trying to dodge and fell to the floor with a soft thud. Liliath didn't miss the opportunity and pushed me down, blocking all my escape routes. The hell kind of development is this?!

"Why Noel? Do you not trust me so much?" she asked in a strained voice.

"Trust you? What do you mean?"

"You're trouble.. I'm the only person you're trying to hide it from isn't it?"

"Ah.."

I've been consulting Prune and Nine about this foreign feeling inside me, leaving Liliath out of the loop. Not that I didn't trust her.. I didn't want to worry her.. no, heck. In the first place, if I wanted to not worry her, I should've told her about it. I guess this is a natural reaction isn't it? If I'm not wrong, this phenomenon is like I'm trying to deal with my problems myself and not troubling my significant other-- a natural male condition… because I don't trust Liliath enough to not worry about me?

I wonder if Liliath came here to talk about my problems.. or to vent her feelings. Maybe it's both.. but I can't tell which she's hoping for more.

"You know, the more I play around with my thoughts, the more I realize I don't know anything.."

"Noel, why?"

"I don't know either.. Sorry Liliath."

"..."

I placed my arms to her shoulders to push her up but she stuck onto me. The heat of her body pressing against mine, her loose clothing leaving her cleavage exposed for me to see..

Now then-- what should I do about this?

"Noel, there's no other purpose in life than love right?" Liliath asked softly, her body scent tickled my nose.

"I don't know.."

That's the truth is, even with Liliath here-- I still feel.. how should I put it-- empty? If love really was the answer, I wouldn't really be feeling so sentimental. Perhaps this is depression? But it's not like I'm facing any big trouble or thinking suicidal thoughts so maybe it's something else?

I could hear Liliath's soft breathing.

"Back when you were captured and became a slave. Besides survival, what else did you think about?"

"Back then," Liliath pondered a while, "Back then I thought about living.. exploring the world. I also had a wish to experience what it's like to meet the hero."

"Oh really? Meet the hero? I actually thought you'd want to avoid him or her though?"

"I was really interested, so I would even be willing to put my life at risk to meet the hero."

What if it's the natural condition for demon lords to want to meet a hero? Like a magnet attracted to each other, natural enemies.

I also realized, the reason why Liliath became a slave in the first place-- beside the shitty plotline my TALENT created Liliath is because of Liliath's willingness to contribute to society. She wanted peace, not war. And with it achieved in my world..

"Liliath, is there any goal you want to achieve in this world?"

"My goal.. are you really sure you want to hear it? It might shock you.."

"Yup."

I'm pretty sure it isn't world domination right? That would be scary..

"It's to marry Noel."

Hah? HAH? HAAAAHHH?

I blinked in stupor-- Liliath staring into my eyes. She pressed closer and brought her mouth to my left ear.

"I want to marry you.. Noel.." she whispered.

"..."

There's the thing to do with Liliath's constitution as a demon lord. Right-- how could I have forgotten? As a demon lord, she can only find a suitable partner, another demon lord. No matter how I try to come up with an explanation, I could only think that female demon lords, unlike male ones that can make a harem, could only marry another male demon lord. Or perhaps it's possible for a demon lord to marry a hero too?

Basically, I'm just a normal human without any special title what-so-ever. Liliath is in this position where she can't accept me but wants to be with me. So close yet so far.. I'm sure she's the only person who can truly experience the significance of this phrase.

She hinted about her life goal before.. I didn't think it would become such a big and difficult task for her. I should probably do something about this too.. no. I have to do something, I can do something about this but.. I'm scared.

"Don't you think you're too young to say something like that?" tilting my neck, I whispered in reply.

Kacha.

Huh?

I looked up-- Nine holding his phone at us with a raised eyebrow as he looked at me and Liliath on top of each other.

"Sup?"

"You.."

"Delete that right this i-instant!!" Liliath vanished and appeared behind Nine-- holding him in a deadlock.

"Ow, ow, ow ,ow, ow! STOP! STOP! I'll delete it so let me go!" Nine cried.

"Do it now," Liliath released her arm bar and glared at him. I got up to a sitting position.

With a wryly smile on his face Nine deleted the image.

"There, done. Are you two good now? Or should I give you some more space?"

Liliath and I glanced at each other.

"I think I'll go to bed now.. you two have something one later?" I said.

"No-- but I have to stream, Liliath, wanna join?"

"If there are no interferences, I don't see any problems.. Noel, if anything, you can tell me about it alright?"

"Yeah, got it." I need to talk to her about it in detail some time soon.