A Serendipitous Friendship
Oh crap.
This isn't what I meant...
In her panic, some weird words had slipped out.
Why, why did that come out? She had no idea. She clamped her mouth shut and stole a glance at Eugene.
He must think I'm some weirdo now... right?
But Eugene wasn't looking at her like she was some crazy lunatic or anything.
Just a plain, "Huh?" expression.
This reaction was pretty novel too. Normally, anyone else would give her a strange look for spouting nonsense like that.
It wasn't weird—it was the usual response.
But this guy...
"Uh, I mean... not that, but like..."
"Er... get up first. The ground's dirty."
He held out his hand. Not the eyes you'd use for a patient or someone sick.
Just the vibe of, Oh, a curious person, and moving on.
A subtle difference, but maybe because of the comfort and relief radiating from him? She meekly took the hand he offered.
So sturdy...
His palm was thick with calluses.
Normally, she'd hate touching a hand like that, but today—had her head gone haywire or something?—it didn't feel bad at all.
"You okay?"
"Y-yes? Yeah. Um, that... yeah, yeah. I'm fine."
"Doesn't seem like it. Uh... we've still got some time before the club tournament. Wanna hit a café or something?"
A café...? No way. For some reason she couldn't quite grasp, Eugene was the only one who didn't make her feel disgust or revulsion.
Anyone else?
Absolutely not. Her condition could worsen. In this anxious state, just people's stares and voices made her mind reel.
She shook her head vigorously.
Eugene looked troubled, clearly pondering what to do.
She knew she must seem selfish and burdensome, but she still couldn't just leave.
She was desperate in her own way. He was the first person who hadn't triggered her disgust or discomfort. Could she ever meet someone like him again?
Even if I do, the odds are slim.
How much worse had her condition gotten in the meantime?
That terrified her.
A disease whose cause she didn't know and couldn't know. Even seeing priests devoted to gods didn't help.
She retreated into her own world, but if she didn't... at least like this, she could talk in her right mind.
Please don't push me away...
"Then... uh. Nowhere to go?"
"J-just... staying like this is fine..."
"You're bothering people around here. Hmm, you a vampire or something?"
"...Pardon?"
"Figured you hated sunlight or whatever. With the mask and all."
"...?"
Wouldn't most people ask if she was sick? Who straight-up asks if you're a vampire?
Kamel looked up, flustered by his out-of-left-field response that was even more otherworldly than hers.
Eugene scratched his cheek awkwardly, like, Was that not it?
"Nah?"
"N-no... I'm human."
"Feels different though. Hmm, but I've got no time anyway. Gotta join the club tournament."
"Oh... m-me too. I'm participating."
"Yeah? You a student?"
"Y-yes."
More than sharing the student thing, just having something in common with him lifted her mood.
What... what is this feeling?
But it wasn't bad. This ticklish warmth she'd never felt before actually made her feel even better.
Not quite rational affection... hmm, hard to say. But his aura kept drawing her in—she wanted to stick close.
"Got any friends' contacts? Probably better to call a friend than me."
F-friend? Mosik's face flashed in her mind, but he wouldn't help here at all.
"N-no friends."
"...No friends?"
"Y-yes..."
What a ridiculous excuse. Who doesn't have friends...?
"Yeah. Could happen."
"?!"
He bought it?
"Less mysterious than vampire, but still intriguing. Hmm, let's head somewhere less crowded."
But there was a problem.
It was festival time.
Even alleys that should be empty were packed.
Couples getting lovey-dovey, smokers...
"Uh... nowhere to go. What now?"
Kamel didn't answer his question. Couldn't. The energy flowing through their clasped hands mesmerized her, pulling her mind in like a trance.
This... wasn't mana.
It felt like mana at a glance, but rougher yet softer.
Her lack of experience let her recognize it. A veteran who'd seen countless manas and attributes might mistake it for just mana.
But with her limited exposure, she could tell it wasn't mana.
What kind of energy is this...?
Not magic power, and if not mana, then only divine power... but...
The divine power she'd felt once didn't match.
Too unique to dismiss as special mana—her senses screamed it wasn't.
What on earth was it?
"Hey?"
"Y-yes?"
"Mind not fiddling with my hand? Hmm. Better head to where my friend's at. He's got a perception-blocking magic artifact."
He had something that rare?
Hailed as a promising talent, she'd handled plenty of artifacts, but wide-range tricky ones like perception blockers? Barely ever.
His consideration was touching. Truly... but she didn't want to meet anyone else.
"P-people... kinda..."
"But really nowhere else. Tournament's soon, no time. Some condition where you can't be around people?"
"...Yes."
"Gotcha."
Eugene scratched his head, like Is there such a thing? then went, "Ah," remembering something.
"Ah. How about a slime?"
Slime? Like the squishy molrang kind?
Anyone but humans was fine.
She nodded cautiously, and he plunged his hand into his pocket.
Why put his hand in there...?
"Hey. Eodukshini."
"?!"
Why was a slime coming out of his pocket?
Eugene pulled out the white slime and shook it off like a dirty rag he'd just used.
The slime jiggled limply, clutching its "head" with hands—wait, why did the slime have hands?
"You little shit. Did you sneak booze when I wasn't looking? When the hell did you drink?"
"One drink and you're out? Sigh. Useless."
Eugene sighed deeply.
"Where's Ashy?"
Ashy? A friend's name? Sounded like a girl's...
"No way my ass. Just helping someone who's not feeling well."
"Huh?"
Right? As Eugene moved to let go, she unconsciously gripped tighter.
Squeeze.
"?"
Eugene tried to pull away, but she gripped harder without thinking.
What? Her strength was insane.
As Eugene stared in surprise, Kamel ducked her head slightly. She was shocked too.
Wh-why did I squeeze?
"M-my body's... really not well."
"...Says so."
"...Huh?"
"You're the nuisance here, shut it."
Hey, you asked about vampires first...
"Whatever, find somewhere without people."
"There was that?"
"I didn't hear!"
Watching their rapid-fire banter, Kamel stared blankly.
A human and a slime. The most mismatched pair. Yet they acted like childhood friends who'd been together for years.
Was... this possible?
"Hey."
"Y-yes?"
"Gotta go. You probably need to head to prelim roll call too."
"I'm fine..."
"I'm not."
Eugene rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a stone.
What's with all the stuff in his pockets...?
"I'll buy new."
"Yeah, yeah."
Eugene gave a half-hearted reply and channeled power into the sacred stone in his hand.
Kamel was an acclaimed artifact crafter and mage with exceptional talent.
Thus, she could see the "flow" he created.
That's...
Mana—no, some similar energy condensed into the sacred stone.
As he opened his hand, the once-white stone was dyed red.
Whoa... pretty. Like a ruby.
He held the dazed, mesmerized girl out the stone.
"Gift for you. Holding it should help a lot."
G-gift?
For some reason, her cheeks flushed bright red.
First time receiving one. Or rather, the first thing she'd ever perceived as a true "gift."
Everything before had been unwanted burdens.
But this...
"You're dead meat."
Playboy? I'm the wronged one here!
"C-can... I accept this?"
"Yeah. Obviously. You seem really unwell. Should make you feel better."
Infused a bit of my divine power. More and it'd shatter.
Worried she might research or misuse it... but only a tiny bit, and it'd break if tampered with.
Doesn't seem the type.
Her grip nearly crushed my hand earlier—strength's no joke.
No risk of theft.
Normally, wouldn't give something like this. But wanted a connection with her.
Felt like it'd pay off later.
Vmmm!
His sword trembled in his pocket. Like it was yelling "Playboy!"
No, not a playboy!
I didn't flirt!
"Th-thank... you."
She clutched the sacred stone preciously to her chest.
No need to press it to her boobs...?
Holding it carefully in both hands, she finally met Eugene's eyes properly for the second time.
"Wh-what's your name?"
"Me? Eugene."
"Eugene... EugeneEugeneEugeneEugeneEugene..."
Her chanting his name like a mantra made Eugene uneasy.
...Did she hate the gift?
"Yours?"
"Kamel Riglion..."
Kamel? Like chameleon? The pun almost slipped out, but he just nodded.
Kamel nodded back cautiously.
"I'll remember. I-I, and..."
"?"
"Wanna... come to my place sometime...?"
Huh?
Come on, use a blinker before turning.
His place? Suddenly?
"?"
Eodukshini whispered tiny.
"???"
No fuck, I did nothing!
"J-just so you know."
"?"
"I like booze, partying, and beating up bad guys."
Ah, normal guy. Kamel smiled and nodded.
"That's fine. Makes you better."
"...?"
Better how?
"...Anyway, I'll walk you that far. Or want a robe?"
"...Yes. Please."
Didn't really need it. From the moment she gripped the sacred stone, her condition had started easing.
But she wanted it. Anything from him was good.
An awkward, brand-new emotion. But she didn't hate it.
Fate...
A word she'd never believed in. But now, she hoped it was real.
If this moment was fate itself.
She'd gained new will to live.
"What the—this robe?"
"This one?"
"Wh—this why the hell are these in my pocket?!"
But seriously, why so much junk in his pockets?
Like Doraemon's pocket or something—stuff kept coming out.
...Why all girls' stuff?
"My pocket ain't a bag! Why stash this crap... no! Why even makeup?! Tell 'em to carry their own!"
"What does that matter?!"
Girlfriends?
Figured he could have multiples. Capable guys often had multiple wives or whatever.
Objectively, Eugene was hot—multiple girlfriends made sense.
"Sigh. Found one. Kinda cheap, but better than nothing."
"Th-thank... you. Um, can I ask something?"
"Shoot."
"All that stuff from your pocket... girlfriends'?"
...Girlfriends'?
Ah.
Eugene shook his head vigorously.
"Nah. Friends'."
"Why in your pocket...? Even underwear..."
Eugene looked enlightened, resigned.
"Beats me..."
Friends could be that close, huh.
She nodded innocently.
Wanna be friends too. Make someone to hang with casually like that.
"Can I be friends too?"
"Why not?"
"Different academy? Ages different too..."
"How old?"
"19..."
Eugene was surprised inwardly.
Older than me?
Still, 17 and 19 could be friends easy.
Had seen 18 and 22 dating—what's friends? Eugene nodded firmly.
"Doesn't matter. Age is just a number."
"Right?"
"Yep. Friends starting today?"
"Great!"
She'd made a friend. She smiled brightly for the first time.
Eugene thought differently inside.
...Really no friends?
How friendless do you gotta be to ask a stranger? Perfect for bad types to prey on.>