Chapter 12 Vol.2
Chapter 31:Heart to Heart
It was night when I came out of the castle. Currently, we have no evidence to point Moona's accusation towards the culprit, secondly by stating such accusations, the culprit will make their move. And the move I want them to make has already been decided.
Outside the castle was Noel who looks happy to see me exit the castle in one piece.
"Had you been waiting for me all this time?" [Edge]
"This is nothing compared to the reward I'm going to get." [Noel]
Noel jumped excitedly and held her hands out while looking at me.
"Shion gave it to you right?" [Noel]
I sighed and decided to give her the ticket she's been waiting for.
"Finally! The unlimited gyudon ticket! I can eat to my fill tonight hahahaha!" [Noel]
"We're done then, I'll just get back-"
"Wait! I waited for you for so long, would it hurt to accompany me for a little while?" [Noel]
"You want me to watch you eat while I starve??" [Edge]
"The King said the food is fine, so why not join me after all?" [Noel]
A day after the announcement was made, King Pufflegum denied all the allegations against his foods and water being contaminated. He insisted proof be presented despite hearing the words of Calli. Hence all the food sectors of the Candy kingdom remain active but investigations were still requested to Shion by the King in order to gain wash away all the doubts.
"No, I made a promise. I can't eat any of the food here." [Edge]
"I see..."[Noel]
Noel is dispirited by my statement. But seeing that she did wait for me, I could grant her only wish at least...
"But I could accompany you for your dinner as thanks." [Edge]
"Oh.. you're so sweet Edge. Are you a tsundere perhaps?"[Noel]
"Shut up and take the lead."[Edge]
We walked for a distance and reached a small gyudon store. The gyudon restaurant was full with customers lining up but as soon as Noel cut the queue presented the ticket to the store owner. He asked the customers to leave with those lining up too. Noel was pleased to see the scene and tries to contain her excitement for what's about to come.
"Are ya ready for this?"[Gyudon Owner]
"HAI!" [Noel]
The owner brought out a bowl so big it's almost exaggerating to be called a bowl. He then filled it with rice and cooked all the thin sliced beef with onions and then poured all of them on top of the rice. He then broke a few eggs that have cooked whites but raw yolks on top of the beef and as finishing, a secret special sauce was drizzled on top of it.
Noel had a bright smile as all of that is happening, and I just got even more hungrier as I watched the process.
"Okay! All done! Here you go, Miss Noel! Enjoy!" [Gyudon Owner]
"HAI! ITADAKIMASU!!"[Noel]
Noel began chomping down her meal and manages to finish it within 15 minutes.
"HAI! SECOND BOWL COMING RIGHT UP!!" [Gyudon Owner]
Even the owner is fired up now and passionately prepares for the second bowl. I was bewildered by the rate she consumes food as well as the size of her stomach.
"You actually managed to finish that... " [Edge]
"I have a quick metabolism, I need to eat a lot. You sure you really don't want to have a bite?" [Noel]
"I told you I can't didn't I. Besides, it's contaminated." [Edge]
"For you, it might be but for me, I've been eating this every since I know. Maybe I'm too late to be saved compared to you and the others." [Noel]
"That would explain your recklessness and the King's decision is to prevent panic I guess." [Edge]
"The person you made your promise to, is it Death?"[Noel]
"Yes."[Edge]
"It's nice to have a person of great caliber to put your trust into. Unlike me, I just got duped all the time, not knowingly being kept in the dark." [Noel]
Noel downed a glass of beer after finishing her statement. She began fiddling the ring in her ring finger.
"So, you're married?" [Edge]
"Engaged." [Noel]
The waiter filled up her glass and she downed it in one go again.
"We were going to be married today, exchange our vows. Until all this shitshow happened." [Noel]
"Why? did something happened to him?" [Edge]
"She promised me something, but she went and enveloped with another woman instead." [Noel]
"That's a dick move, but you guys could talk it out right? Maybe it's just a misunderstanding." [Edge]
"Fuck that hot ass bitch, she never told me anything and just left but she decides to promise me to leave this place together before she went and did it." [Noel]
After 5 cups of beer and 3 bowls of gyudon, she's slurring at me now.
"You knooow, she broke her promise, how despicable. " [Noel]
I'm not good at comforting others but I'll try my best at it.
"You know, there was a time I distrusted Calli as well. I once had a big misunderstanding with Calli for years."[Edge]
"Death?"[Noel]
"Yes, and it was about a map."[Edge]
I told her My embarrassing story about the map and then she laughed her ass off.
"East, North, South, West? HAHHAHAHAHA!! What kind of idiot drew such a map HAAHAHAHAHAHH!" [Noel]
"That idiot is the Shachou of Moona that we met yesterday." [Edge]
"Speaking of yesterday why didn't you told me they're nousagis!!!"[Noel]
"I thought there's no way humans wouldn't have their records of nousagis. I mean you should have known that Pekora is the only one that has ever tamed nousagis."[Edge]
"It's not that I don't know but the nousagi in our bedtime story looks like what they look like when they stand up but not when they look all cutesy and fluffy on the ground." [Noel]
We seemed to have sidetracked a little but it's time for me to impart what I learned from that event.
"Anyway as I was saying, when I realized that I was wrong the whole time I didn't felt any guilt, only shame from that. But, it was when it broke Calli I felt wrong, she... believed me all this time but my doubt only deepened as time goes on. If I were to confront her earlier maybe she wouldn't have been hurt that much. If only I asked instead of trapping myself in questions that go in circles." [Edge]
"So you want me to confront her that's it?" [Noel]
"I feel you should at least hear her out" [Edge]
"Or I'll end up like you? Seeking redemption by following her word ever since then"[Noel]
I feel Noel is convinced that the relationship between me and Calli have is not proportional to theirs.
"I still don't fully believe her, if she ever asks me to lay down my life for her I would fight her to live. But I trust her because she didn't lie when she said she will protect me."[Edge]
"But she left you here, nobody's here to protect you now" [Noel]
"That's the trust she has in me in exchange for mine, that I can protect myself here."[Edge]
"Hou..., well said, I can tell that you two do share a deep bond. However, I'm not convinced that a boy like you could protect himself or even step into the woods on your own."[Noel]
"You could test me, whether I qualify or not."[Edge]
Noel had a grin on her face after hearing me saying it out confidently. She finishes the 5th bowl she had today and decided she had enough.
"I'll pick you up at 8 tomorrow morning, you better bring 15 candy coins with you." [Noel]
She then left me at the place...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for following on my story for this far, I'm happy to tell y'all that we made it, the story is now 1st on hololive thanks to the all of you. As thanks I'm releasing this freshly made chapter for all of you who had came so far into the story, Thank you and please keep reading this story.
Btw look forward to the next chapter because it a small TOURNAMENT ARC!!