Unfamiliar ceiling (MS)

"Unfamiliar ceiling..."

One of the few lines I always wanted to say. And that is the first thing that comes out of my mouth the moment I opened my eyes. I tried moving my limbs but I feel the lack of energy in my body so severe that I immediately stop any intentions of getting up. I look around and saw Emy and Elly sleeping on the sofa leaning their head to each other as they sleep comfortably in each other's shoulder. On my left I saw Velvet sleeping with her head on the bed while kneeling down the floor as she hold my hand.

"Velvet... " I gently rubbed her head while feeling her hair on my skin with my right hand.

After rubbing her head for a while, Velvet slowly raise her head as she rub her eyes. She just woke up and slowly once her eyes adjusted infront of her, she starts to raise form kneeling and immediately hugged me.

"Sorry Eris... I failed my job... And because of me..."

*Sobs*

Velvet continue hugging me tightly while offering forgiveness with tears flowing from her beautiful face.

(This is the first time I saw her shaken like this.)

I gently pat her head as I return the embrace. I wait for a while till she calm down before answering her plea.

"Don't cry Velvet... It ruins your beautiful face... The Velvet I know always grins and teases me. Are you truly Velvet?" I asked her with a grin.

"But... I am supposed to be the guardian of our party yet I am the first to fell..." Velvet slowly let go form my embrace and sat on the bed beside me with her head lowered.

"Certainly what you said is true. But it is also my fault for encouraging you and everyone in our party to attack something stronger than us. As the leader I failed my job in making sure we are all secure." I replied as I touch her cheeks and gently wipe the tears away.

"That's not true!" Elly suddenly run towards me. It seems she just woken up from our voice. Followed by Emy behind her.

"You always prioritize our safety and even make sure we return right away when we are in danger!" Elly corrects me.

"Elly is right. I the cleric failed to do my job. Instead of helping our guardian I got taken by the slime as well. Because of my fear I dragged everyone down." Emy lowered her head as tears drip on my bed from Emy.

"No! Because I lowered my guard and got taken out first. I am the one who dragged us!" Velvet replies right away to Emy.

"Ok guys calm down." I slowly raised my body and sit on the bed with my back on the wall and open my arms urging them to come closer.

They all snuggled up to me and we all had into one huge embrace.

"Let's just say we all failed. No need to point fingers at blaming and no need to feel like we are dragging each other. We all failed today and what matter is that we all survived. We can always learn and make ourselves better so next time this won't happen again. Okay everyone?" I told them while gently hugging everyone.

I can feel the three started sobbing more after hearing what I said.

"I... Promise... *Hicc* that I will... Overcome my fear... *Hicc* and become useful..." Emy cries in my arms as she snuggle harder on our embrace.

"I also promise to never fell again...I will always stand and protect you all...so please... don't force yourself again..." Velvet also cries as she hugs us together.

"Me too... I will strive... And become better... *Hicc* and help you all... *Sobs* can't let Eris... Handle everything alone..." Elly also rubs her eyes as she return our embrace.

"That's right... We will train more and do our best. So no more blaming ourselves okay?" I return their embrace and we all snuggle together in the bed.

"Yes!" Everyone replies as we stay together like that for a long time.

After snuggling together for god knows how long we got startled by a knock on the door. Everyone quickly wipe their face and sat beside me before I reply.

"Come in."

A girl entered the room. She is someone familiar to me so I can't help but call out on her right away.

"Maki?!"

"Yep Eris it's me~" Maki replied with a v sign in her finger as she walk towards us.

"You're back? Since when?" I asked her as she sat at the end of the bed.

"Actually she is the one who saved you Eris." Elly answered.

"EH?!?" I got surprised and look at everyone alternately.

"Told you I'm strong you know?" Maki smugs.

"I see. Thanks Maki for the help." I bow my head and gave thanks.

"Don't worry I told you I like cute girls so I will always save them if they are in trouble you know?" Maki smiles at me.

Everyone stares at me after hearing Maki's reply.

"Ahem... Anyways why are you here? Anything wrong?" I asked while changing the subject.

"Nothing much. Just thought to come here since you or they might want to ask some questions." Maki replied while looking at us.

"I see." I simply answered.

"Umm miss Maki?" Elly calls on her.

"Just call me Maki. I hate honorifics." She replied.

"Then um.. Maki? Do you know what is that slime? It's absurdly strong for a normal slime." Elly asked.

"Yes about that. It seems a normal slime managed to enter the cave and somehow obtained a trait." Maki explains.

"A trait?" I asked.

"Yep. A trait called 'greed'. You do all know that dicers like us have something in status called 'title' right?" Maki asked.

"Yes." Everyone except me answered.

"For monsters they can also gain such thing but in their case it's called 'trait'. And there are a bunch of traits. The known traits varies but one of the strongest traits out there that is known to us is designated as part of series." Maki explained further.

"But series are learned through skill dice series right?" I asked.

"That is also true. But the 'series' are not only found in skill dice. They can also be obtained by non dicers. Like that slime. It obtained one of the evil series which is greed." Maki added.

"I see."

(So that means even without rolling the dice monsters can also receive a series.)

"By the way, may I ask how did you defeat it exactly? Since it have a greed series, that means you also have something strong right?" I asked curiously.

"Oh my Eris. It's bad to ask for private information you know? What's more you are asking a lady for her secrets. Are you perhaps into me?" Maki chuckles as she reply.

"Stop teasing me geez." I replied back.

"Oh well it's not a secret anyways. I am one of the singularity. To be precise I am the nature singularity. I wield the holy series 'Flora' which can control flowers and nature. Together with my lost god series 'deus ex machina' which senses future, I protect zone 1."

"Not just one but two series?" Velvet reacts surprised.

While the three of us, Emy, Elly and me our eyes wide opened from the revelation.

"It's nothing special really. 'Flora' is the only one designated as singularity for it's control to nature while 'deus ex machina' are more of a support type skills. The more you travel the more you will obtain this kind of skills." Maki explains.

"I hope we get one someday." Elly said as she looks at us.

Everyone nods.

"Anyways I am glad you are okay now Eris. I apologize but I am quite busy so I will head for now. Let's chat again later if we meet again." Maki stands and waves at us as she walk towards the door.

"Bye bye thanks again for your help Maki!" I replied.

"Thank you!" Everyone else thanked her as we all wave at her before she exit and closed the door.

"Phew... First time meeting a singularity." Elly sighs.

"Same here..." Emy also sigh.

"Yeah..." Velvet also joined them.

They all look at me and said. "But to think Eris are friends with one..."

"I don't even know she is a singularity myself." I answered the three.

"That said we are really glad she saved you Eris..." Emy once again hugs me.

"Not fair sis!" Elly also joined.

"Want me to hug you too?" Velvet grins at me.

"Don't pretend you didn't do earlier! Also I don't mind!" I replied as I open my other arms urging her to join in.

"You're helpless you know that? But fine." Velvet finally joins and we all laughed together while hugging like weird idiots in bed.

(Can't wait to go back to adventure again and train. Maybe we can try going to another zone. That said, how what does other zone look like? If this zone is called land does that mean there are zones called air or water? Would be funny if there is one called candy xd.)

We all stayed together snuggling until we heard Emy's stomach groan. We then all laughed before heading out for dinner.