Chapter 21: First Friend

"What are the two of them doing? They aren't answering us when we say something to them. Also, why are Luscia's eyes glowing?"

"Do not worry Madam Irene. Miss Luscia is using her ability on young Alex right now. However, since the both of them aren't moving, it means that she is telling him something through their link. We should just wait until they are done talking to each other."

"Well, if you say so."

********************

Wait wait wait.

Hold up.

Older brother? Is she calling me her older brother!? Isn't she older than me by a year or so?! Also, what does she mean 'a greeting she hasn't said in a long time'!? Does that mean that we both know each other from even before the attack!?

While I was still panicking and debating the possible reasons why she would know me, Luscia then said started talking again.

"Hey, haven't you figured it out by now? I guess not, going by the way you stayed silent the whole time. It is me, remember? I am your little sister from our past lives together. I am Psi, the 23rd General of The 1st Hero's Army, reporting to duty!"

...

OH MY DEATH GOD!

Luscia just said something that was so surprising it was like an explosion. Yeah, it could even be called a 'blast from the past'. She just declared that she was my beloved younger sister from my past life.

In circumstances like this, people tend to not believe the other party because of distrust, however, I believe her because I haven't told anyone regarding my past life. Plus, she even said her title and her name from her past life. Thus, I am inclined to believe her. While trying to stop my surprise from showing up on my face, I answer her.

"N-now, this is pretty... surprising news."

"Yeah, if you didn't yell out your name when you were fighting that monster, I might have never known you were actually Zeta. You look so different from how you used to look like. You used to have dark brown hair and black eyes. Now, your hair has black, red, and white mixed all over it. Plus, your eyes are silver now. Your personality didn't change that much though."

"You changed a lot as well. When and how did you become so refined and bold in the way you talk? You are kind of like a princess now."

"I am the niece of the King. If he gets a daughter, I would be her cousin. So, it probably isn't totally inaccurate to call me that."

After saying that, Luscia started laughing. We just reunited and we are already talking just like old times. That fact alone made me happy.

Wait a minute.

"Luscia, what did you say earlier about me?"

"About the fact that you were still pretty much the same in terms of personality?"

"The part before that."

"How you have weird hair that has black, white, and red? And that your eyes are silvery?"

"Yeah, that part."

"Why is that part important?"

"It is very important because those aren't the correct colors. I didn't have white hair before and I am very sure my eyes weren't color silver. Those must be the effect of using Death God's power for too long."

I mutter the last part quietly, as to not let Luscia hear me. The white hair must be there because of the stress Death God's power put on my body. The silvery part of my eyes might be there because of a cataract. I don't even know how that happened but, the stress on my body manifested in different ways, ways that seem weird.

Anyway, lets not think about that right now. I can hear Luscia already asking if I am still here and not spacing out.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am alright. Actually, how about the others? Is this happening in accelerated time or in real time."

"This conversation is happening in real time. Are you saying that we should go back?"

"I am. It might make them think that something weird is happening."

"Fine. I will cancel the link. There are two conditions, though. The first is that you should give me a tour of the town and play with me tomorrow."

"Don't you have lessons?"

"Tomorrow is a weekend. Since there are no lessons, you have no excuse for not coming, alright?"

"Alright. I swear that I will, for sure, give you a tour around the town."

This condition isn't so bad. It gives me the chance to talk to Corvin and Miria. I wonder what her second condition. I hope it is not something very absurd. Luscia then cleared her throat and suddenly looked a bit shy.

"The second condition is that we can exchange gifts with each other to commemorate our reunion. It doesn't have to be today or anytime soon. So, will you accept?"

"Sure."

Gifts, huh?

And it doesn't have to be anytime soon?

I will gladly accept.

"Now, we shall both sign the friendship contract with a nice hug."

"Contract? Hug?"

"Yes. Don't you want to do that?"

Her voice contained clear sadness when she said that. When she says it like that, I just can't not do it. I open my arms wide and speak.

"Fine. Bring it in."

"Yay!"

As we both hugged each other, I suddenly remembered something. Luscia was the first person I hugged aside from my family, right? Though she was my family before.

After our hug, Luscia then severed the link and I felt my consciousness get pulled back into reality. When I came back, I hurriedly checked myself if something happened to my physical body. Luckily, I didn't detect anything abnormal.

"So, you finally came back."

I heard mother's voice behind speaking in a tone that sounds like I am about to get punished for something I did.

"What were you two talking about? We waited here for you to be done for 10 minutes already."

"10 minutes!?"

We were talking for that long?!

"That is a secret, Teacher."

I heard Luscia's voice answering mother in a voice that sounds almost like teasing.

"So, Alex, I will be the one coming to your house, so you just have to be waiting here until afternoon. When that time comes, make sure you do a good job of showing me around town."

"Okay, Luscia."

I can imagine from her voice that she must have a huge smile on her face. While I was thing that, I enter my home and chuckle a bit.

********************

"Was that really Luscia?"

"It definitely was her. However, I almost didn't recognize her at first. She never behaved like this before. What did they talk about?"

"Right!? My first impression of her was a girl who doesn't really show her emotions and very serious with her studies. I never thought that I would see her so happy."

"Yes. The person who was showing off a brilliant smile just now was like an entirely different person. She said that she will be going on an outing with your son tomorrow. That could be the reason why she was so excited."

"That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Aren't they supposed to be strangers? And here they are acting like they are childhood friends."

"They just might become childhood friends. Maybe a bit more."

Carros whispered that last part to himself to not anger Irene.

That was the day Luscia von Roscelto found not just her past-life brother, but also her emotions that she swore to suppress.