Chapter 26

A warm bed. Aria positioned herself at the edge of the bed right as she regained clarity from being asleep.

She looked around, not finding the supposedly unfamiliar surrounding any weird.

Her hand reached out towards the small shelves positioned right beside her bed.

'Need to turn off the A/C unit… They're getting more expensive nowadays. Plus, I'm cold.'

While she didn't remember since when they had been on, she didn't take her time and immediately pressed the power button on the remote.

After doing so, her eyes moved over to the closed curtains.

Suddenly feeling lethargic, she thought of laying back down but decided against it as she walked over and opened them.

Bright light entered through them, illuminating everything around her.

This was her bedroom.

The place she had slept in for the past 20 years.

"...Is Aria awake yet?"

A yawn escaped her mouth as she spoke of those words.

Something felt… off.

But she can't seem to make out what it could be. Everything seemed to be in order.

She looked outside for a few more moments before making her way to the living room.

The sounds of plates clashing against one another could be heard far before she reached the living room.

As she looked at the empty couch, her eyes lingered there, feeling something amiss.

But her thoughts were interrupted the moment a voice was heard from the open kitchen barely separated by a counter with the living room.

"You're finally awake. You know how late it is right now? And yesterday you promised me we'd go to the theme park… sobs sobs."

There it is again. The gnawing feeling in her chest.

Short structure, standing on a small stool as she washed the dishes.

Along with a sense of Deja Vu, Aria muttered,

"...Aria."

—

A clanking sound could be heard from far away, seemingly from the kitchen. It sounded like plates and cups falling on the floor.

"..."

A familiar ceiling.

While getting used to the groggy feeling of waking up, she thought to herself of something a bit funny.

At some point, she'd expected a certain nun to start waving her hand right in front of her face while asking how many fingers she's pointing out.

Almost as if it was not obvious.

But she waited there, not knowing how quickly time had been passing.

"Am I admitted to a mental asylum yet? I feel like I've been living so many different lives…"

She thought that she might have a couple different personalities sleeping deep inside without her own knowledge.

"Hah…"

A sigh escaped her lips.

Suddenly, a pressure built up in her throat.

Pressing her palm against her mouth, she coughed into them.

Cough Cough

After a few more coughs, they stopped.

Looking at her palm, they were practically covered in blood.

Although she didn't find this appealing, she also didn't find this disgusting.

At most, she'd feel taken aback, as if this was a natural thing that'd happened to her.

Click

The world turned gray.

[The ownership of the title [Sacrifice] has been successfully transferred to Subject '⬛'.]

[Due to the subject not resisting, the process had become very simple. Due to this, the System had decided to give subject '⬛' its own reward.]

[Rewards: Magic suppression earrings]

[Reward can be claimed anytime as it was not an incentive given by an Administrator.]

Aria no longer looked around the gray world, she's practically used to it appearing suddenly.

Instead, her attention was fully committed to the first panel.

"Ownership transferred… It's probably from Rachel, right…?"

Did she just unknowingly steal from her?

She looked at the only source of light in the room, the open window.

She thought of moving but decided against it.

Aria just wants to rest, right now.

But she's not sleepy.

So she just sat there.

Click

The color returned.

Blue strands began flying around as the wind from the outside picked up speed.

'Speaking of which… What happened to that cure?'

As she thought so, something small fell from the sky, landing on her lap.

Feeling confused, she looked up, the ceiling was still there.

'Where did this come from?'

But as she picked it up, a panel appeared.

[Otherworldly Cure: Due to a sudden change, the cure can now only be used on the subject 'Rachel'.]

"Ah?"

Surprised, she read the same sentence again. 'The description… is it bugged or something?'

"Also, is the cure complete? But I didn't get all the materials yet?"

She tried to recall what the final material was but before she could do so, the door opened.

Blond hair, pale skin, white overalls and most prominently the shut eyes.

Rachel entered the room.

"Oh, hello. Did you need something?" Aria spoke out.

"...No. I just wanted to check up on you. How are you feeling?"

"Other than tiredness, I'm practically at full health. Don't worry about it. Speaking of which, what happened to you? Did you not sleep well?"

Indeed, there were bags under her eyes.

Quite weird since they were never open.

"I am fine. Thank you for your concern."

She walked closer and took a seat at the edge of the bed, right beside Aria's legs.

Rachel's back was now facing Aria.

As the Saintess, she doesn't need sleep. But as a mortal, it's a necessity. So even if her body doesn't feel like it, she would still need to reset her mental health everyday.

Otherwise, it'd feel like the pressure would keep on building up. One day, it might overflow, causing havoc if she lost control.

"..."

"I had a good sleep." Feeling the awkward atmosphere, Aria voiced out.

"2 months. You have been asleep for that long."

"Is that so?"

"...Yes."

Wait, what did she say?

Panicked, Aria looked over to the sides.

'System! How much time is left until the quest ends?!'

Click

[Time Remaining: 1 minute and 21 seconds.]

'What the fuck!? Why'd you make me sleep for that long!?'

Click

Aria started getting anxious. If she doesn't cure the Saintess in a minute, there's a chance she might actually lose her vision! (partially)

"Rachel!" In a hurry, Aria didn't think much of how she'd be able to convince this girl, but she needs to.

Her vision is on the line here!

"Yes?" Confused, Rachel turned her body around to face Aria.

Looking at the small pill in her hand, she thought of a way to get Rachel to eat it…

But she recalled the description of the pill.

[-To be used, make sure the subject 'Rachel' consume the cure alongside the fluid of the subject '⬛'.]

'What the fuuuuuuckkkk!?'

Doesn't that mean…

"Ahhhhh, Whatever! I'll handle the consequences later!"

"?"

While the Saintess was still confused about Aria's sudden behaviour, Aria grabbed Rachel's shoulder.

Aria took one final look at the pill in her hand and swallowed hard.

Strengthening her resolve, she placed the pill inside her own mouth.

Rachel just watches all this happening, every detail not missing from her.

But even she wouldn't be able to predict what happened next.

Smooch~!

Two lips met.

A second passed, and then two.

Rachel felt something attacking her lip, trying to force it open.

Not knowing how to react, she simply let it be, knowing it was Aria's.

'So she was into this sort of thing… That is alright. I do not have a problem with it either.'

Suddenly, something hard entered her mouth. Before she did anything about it, she scanned Aria.

Taking one look, she swallowed it, alongside Aria's saliva.

After what felt like an eternity, the two parted.

A string of liquid still connected them.

Aria was blushing, but she still looked over to the left.

'Please please please…!'

Click

[Time Remaining: 20 seconds.]

Click

She felt like she knew how to summon this panel now.

Since time doesn't move inside the gray world, she's able to know how much time she got left in the real world.

But that's not important right now.

The important thing was…

"Rachel? Do you feel anything different?"

While she did sound a bit calm, her inside was a lot more different.

'Please work please work please work please work please work please–'

"..."

She did not respond.

Aria knew she had crossed a line.

It was the line.

…but the consequences of her social relationship could stay behind her physical needs.

She doesn't want to be blind. (partially)

Eyebrows fluttered.

Rachel felt something happening inside her body. The mana were condensing itself, controlling themselves as if they were sentient.

And they all moved towards one location.

Her eyes.

"What… what did you do?"

Rachel exclaimed in astonishment.

Meanwhile, Aria was clenching her own hands so hard the original blood might've been replaced by new ones from the wound.

She looked to the left.

Click

[Time Remaining: 4 seconds.]

Click

Her heartbeat quickened even more.

She started counting down.

'3'

'2'

'1'

She waited in anxiety.

"I… can see…?"

Aria moved her attention to Rachel. Two eyes met her own.

Two golden orbs met her very own blue iris.