74. This World is Our Home

74. This World is Our Home

Frost’s display of power and ingenuity became a canard overnight. The truth circulated the town as taverns and inns opened their doors wide to welcome all for tonight’s triumph, and the miracle they witnessed at the main gates.

Healer’s Dilemma had tragically claimed many lives in the past. It was considered an untiered disease, meaning incurable, with no real known origin or cause. For it to be so casually dispelled by Frost like it was no easier than writing down her own name instantly propelled her status into a legend in this town.

But this truth was no more than a small rumor in the face of the other myths and legends of the world, and the Nex Megalopolis which held countless more within its urban sprawl.

The name of the Amalgam proved to also be a source of confusion to many, and it hardly resonated with the people. It didn’t roll off the tongue or accurately depict her appearance and contradictory existence.

If one thought of the Amalgam; then the last thing they’d think of is a black-coated woman capable of healing and… fighting. They would imagine a monster as the Amalgam. A non-humanoid creature of some sort. Even a Corrupted.

Although in truth Frost was all of these.

Ultimately, the Amalgam was a name only useful to those who either knew of its meaning or were in some way connected with the Nexus. Otherwise, it exerted little power in the greater parts of the world.

And so, Frost was therefore appointed with a name by these people as they chugged on spirits and gossiped throughout the starlit night, whether in their homes, the Guild or along the flame-lit streets.

This name circulated the town along the roaring winds throughout the night. The name was a contradiction in of itself. Doves were normally white and were what the healers were normally referred to. A black dove twisted this meaning.

Also, this whole Color thing was a misunderstanding on their part to begin with. They believed her to be the Black Incandescent Color, which she obviously was not. Well… was.

Because that’s exactly who she is now.

From her knowledge, the Black Incandescent Color did not exist. This meant she was assuming a new identity this time and not someone else’s. An identity that stood at the pinnacle of normality in this world.

Incandescent Colors were the strongest beings outside of the Nexus and were among the highest achievable ranks in the Guild. From what Cara and the others explained; assuming the identity of the Black Dove would grant her access to special mission of the Guild, and more interestingly, ties with the Ateliers.

The Colors were even allowed minimal access within the cities themselves.

However, this did not mean she automatically gained these privileges. Frost was only recognized as a Color here. And with the entire Guild and Hyperlink infrastructure down, it became rather difficult to prove her strength, efforts and the miracle that occurred on this fateful night.

That’s why her name was no more than a rumor for now.

She patrolled the Guild’s corridors, always greeting the night receptionist and on-duty guards, alongside the Scarlet Logic personnel.

These grandeur walls were well lit with rows of magical lanterns and casted a beautiful golden reflection of light along every surface. On occasion she’d come across one of the rescued women either looking for something to snack on in the middle of the night or scouring this maze-like place for the bathroom.

If it was a snack they wanted, then Frost asked them to remain in their rooms and recite what they wished to eat. In minutes she’d return with something freshly whipped up from the kitchen. It resulted in a few gained levels in her Home Cook Skill, and their grateful smiles were always a sight to behold.

“Thank you miss.” One whispered, taking a plate of lightly seared fish from her.

“Tashy ash awaysh!” The cat-woman said, instantly chowing down on her food.

“For me? Can I really… eat this?” Another uttered, making a guilt face as their puppy-ears fell. When Frost assured them that it was ok, their fluffy tail happy wagged.

Frost adored every single one of them. But tomorrow she would find many of them parting ways and begin a new chapter in their life. Perhaps an entirely new book for some.

They had but two choices. To remain in this town, or to join the Golden Index.

And as rumor has it; Beholder Carpalis was also present in the City of Diamonds.

If she was lucky, then she’d finally meet face to face with a Beholder. The outcome of their fated encounter was no more than a coin flip. Either all hell breaks loose, or they’re on good terms. There could be no in between. Frost vowed to take no compromises if it meant endangering these people’s lives.

Lost in thought, her legs eventually took her to a certain room housing her closest companions… and her most cherished person. With a slow twist she pushed the oak door open and found a heartwarming scene unfold before her very eyes.

Jury cozily slept at the edge of the bed, tucked away with the little Frost cuddled in her arms. The Innocent was still wide awake, flashing a flushed icon above its head whilst making a blissful face.

Frost was… kind of envious of it.

But she digressed and quietly sighed, silently slipping into the room. The fluffy Snap curled itself into a giant ball of fuzz in one corner like a golden cloud with a sealed camera lens.

And then there was Ignis.

She hadn’t changed just yet and was still the same little blob with the cat ears and tail. But Frost could see that she’s put on a little bit of size. Ignis was expected to change entirely by daybreak.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Seeing her caused her heart to wrench a little.

“… I hope you won’t come to hate me, Ignis.” Frost whispered, glancing down at the photograph of Calfasio, which rested right beside her. “Goodnight. No matter who or what you become, I promise I won’t come to ever hate you myself. Even if you hate me.” She vowed before promptly leaving the cozy world behind a single locked door.

But then there was a thump, followed by a small number of shifting footsteps. The door silently twisted open, revealing a pair of golden eyes and a casually dressed Jury. She was draped in a huge pale shirt that reached all the way down to her knees.

Kind of like… a hospital gown in a way? Either way, it was kind of suggestive.

And stimulating? Frost didn’t know how to describe it.

“Frost~” Jury yawned, a little groggy having only just awoken. “Hmm. Day time already?”

“Almost dawn. You had a good sleep?” Frost quietly spoke as the Innocent then tucked herself right beside Ignis.

“Mhm. Thanks to you… Hmhm. I meant the little you.” She smiled longingly, lifting her shirt to scratch her belly, revealing her toned abs.

Frost imagined a xylophone for some reason, perhaps to distract her as she lowered her guard for a split second, awed by her muscle tone.

And thankfully Jury also wore a set of loose shorts underneath. She felt like Jury didn’t like tight clothes now that she realized it, most likely due to her giant tail, which methodically swayed in her presence as if pleased.

“Little me, huh. How can you say that when the real thing’s right in front of you.” Frost grinned, wanting to tease her. It made Jury’s dark cheeks flush a little, completely sobering her up. “C’mon. I’ll make something for you to eat while we wait for the others to get up. It’s almost time to get moving again.”

“To the Golden Index. Or the City of Diamonds, was it? The Archivist told me of the amazing things there.” Jury hummed as she undressed her nightly wear, causing Frost to disappear behind the wall out of respect. “Lots of gold. Coins everywhere. Merchants from different lands, and places of games called casinos.”

“A gambler’s paradise by the sounds of it.” She said, gripping her chest as if to tame her throbbing heart.

“Gambling coins to play games sounds like a small price to pay.” Jury said. “Like that saying… the price of paradise?”

“It is until you get hooked on it. I wonder if they have the same games from Earth. I’d love to have a game of poker~”

“Hm? Your world also had casinos?”

Frost’s eyes mellowed before she answered.

“Huge, neon-lit casinos. With so many lights that people of this world would think our nights were their days.” She spoke fondly of her world even if she did only remember a small fraction of it.

It was her home, after all.

A small moment of silence ensnared them suddenly. Only the sounds of fabric and rustling feathers could be heard as Frost looked down at her apparel. She had black boots and pants to match since the old ones were too burnt for wear.

It was a miracle that they managed to hold up until now. But these thoughts were no more than just a way to distract her again.

And then, Jury asked something that caused her entire train of thought to derail.

“Hey Frost, do you miss your old world?”

“That’s… well, I guess I do.”

It wasn’t an easy question to answer.

Because of course she missed it. And yet there was so little she knew of it, like it was all a distant, faded memory. Her old body, and even her own name was seemingly erased from existence.

It bothered her knowing that there were probably people she loved on Earth that she no longer knew the names or faces of. But she never let it get to her. She was in the present now; with people she wished to cherish and protect in this foreign world…

No. This was her world whether she liked it or not. Her determination to persevere was adamant as ever. And like her derailed train of thoughts, she could only keep moving forward as she always has, no matter how ugly or rough the trail became.

As long as she had these people by her side, then she was more than happy for a little derailing.

“But I’m here now. With you, Nav, and the rest of our new friends. This is our world, Jury. We both see the same night sky, don’t we?”

“… mhm.” Jury murmured, sounding rather happy to hear this.

“Were you scared that I would have answered differently?”

“I was. Because there’s still so much I don’t know about you. I also don’t know a lot about myself either. The emotions that made me. Who I represented in that tale…” Jury whispered.

“Then you’re like me. I know very little of who I am aside from what I did in the past. But I think that rather than trying to figure it out, let’s allow the present to shape us. I was never a violent person. Look at me now. I regretfully speak fluently in it.” Frost had to laugh at herself as she felt Jury rest her back against the wall behind her. “You’re Jury. I’m Frost. Nav is Nav.”

“Also known as the living GPS or the electronic guidebook. A compass more like it.” Nav joked, wanting to brighten up the mood.

Jury also ended up laughing.

“That’s why let’s aspire to become who we want to be. I believe that process matters the most. And maybe along the way we’ll end up figuring out who we were and look back fondly at it. You’re still the kind person I know. You really are my everything Jury. If it weren’t for you and Nav… well, let’s not think about it.” Frost admitted, moving her hand around the corner of the door to clutch onto Jury’s clawed hand.

The woman slowly emerged into the light, wearing her grey-feathered coat and a face that spoke a thousand lovable words.

“… and in the end, I still like skewers. I guess some things can’t change~” Jury’s voice carried renewed enthusiasm as she wrapped Frost’s waist with her tail, keeping her close as they ventured down the warm, golden halls.

“It can’t be helped when it comes to food. And by the way, did your tail get a little thicker?” Frost knocked against its soft, fuzzy exterior.

“The Eternal Library has books of power. So I’m always changing. The Archivist’s helping me discover myself. That way I can find a technology!”

“And become a Beholder. Jury the Beholder. Beholder Jury. I like it! I wonder what you’ll find~”

“I like to wonder as well! But nothing’s more precious than my time with you.”

* * *

After breakfast, they offered a hand in the kitchen to prepare a morning meal for the others. Between chopping and sizzling meat over a magical stove, Frost had Pinna write down every instruction she gave regarding CPR.

Although, she decided to call it CAS, short for: compressions, air, and shock. It still required someone with an affinity for electrical magic for this to work at all, but these people were far more common than healers.

Additionally, certain weapons could produce electricity.

It was entirely possible for defibrillators or AEDs to become mass produced. ImpulseWorks seemed to be the Atelier responsible for creating such items. They were the ones who created the Moon triplet’s weapons after all, so it wouldn’t a far-fetched idea.

The issue was if they’d be willing to give this a shot.

In the end, this truth was still no more than a rumor. And with how things were, they’d still likely require healers just in case of potential accidents. Like for example, a victim being shocked to death.

But still, what mattered the most was that they knew Healer’s Dilemma was curable with a good shock.

Afterwards, everyone grouped up at the common room to eat as Cara began separating the rescued women into two distinct groups. One would remain here and live their anew, and the others would follow them into the City of Diamonds.

Nearly all the women wished to remain here to Frost’s surprise. She didn’t expect them to be so fond of a place that found itself at the mercy of monsters every single night, but at the same time… she’d rather they stayed here than join an Atelier.

However, the ones that did wish to come along for the ride were the same people Frost knew from that Anid forest. The bunny, cat, fox, bee, wolf and the 6 others including the cat-girl were eager to tag along to the very end.

“I thought about it earlier, but maybe I do want to be a bunny girl dealer in that casino, or whatever it’s called.” The bunny-eared girl said.

“I’m interested in the money. I wanna live a life of it! Make my bed out of coins~ That’s what happens in the Golden Index, right? I’m right, yeah?” The cat-woman proclaimed proudly.

“I think I’m good with numbers, so maybe I can be of use that way. Does the ticket let us live normally, or do we have to work? I’d love to work so I can meet new wonderful people.” The fox-woman gleefully spoke.

“Golden Index? I’ve heard of them. I can be part of the Golden Middle. One of their fighters. I have a lot of pent-up stress to let loose on this world!” The wolfwoman rallied.

“… I want to help people like me…” The cat-eared girl timidly spoke. Out of every one of the people here, she held the highest potential of strength as a Serum S survivor. Plus, she was destined to become a Moon of the Nexus. “And thank you Frost. For showing me that picture of my family. Or was it – it was the spider. Thank you.” She thanked the ball-version of Snap which was just small enough to roll around in this vast room.

It saw countless children swarm over to it to play, many of which sank into its irresistibly soft body. Some even disappeared entirely into the fluff, somehow appearing on the other side.

She had to wonder where its actual body was. No, where the hell were the legs!?

That aside, Frost’s heart melted when she heard how highly they thought of her. Not as the Amalgam or some deity of the Nexus, but as a friend. A party broke out as a bubbly air pleasantly engulfed the room, leaving them all happily sated as they bid each other farewell.

The children ran around to Alice and embraced her one by one, all the while a few of the women made their moves on an irate Furio who could not handle Anna’s teasing. Hellen simply watched on all the while Frost found a heartwarming smile permanently affixed to her face.

After everything they’ve been through, it was almost surreal to see something so… happy. Not that she was complaining. She savored this moment like it was her last.

Because she knew that the transpired events hardly scratched the surface of this world’s horrors. They had only accomplished but two chapters in the tale of the Price of Paradise.

And she would be a naive fool to believe that this was the only unfinished tale in the grand, eternal anthology that was Elysia.

When all goodbyes were said and done, Frost suddenly heard the front doors open. She expected Pinna or the Justica Arms members to appear, but instead –

– She was greeted with the one person who she wished to see the most this morning.

A long, red-haired girl about Pinna’s height stood cemented by the Innocent’s side. The little her waved her towards Frost and then merrily pointed at the girl, bubbling a fire icon above her head.

This girl’s eyes were sharp. Perhaps even sharper than hers. They were of a blood-red, and her flesh, while white, had a certain scarlet undertone. She appeared like an entirely normal feline Demi-Human.

Except Frost knew well that beneath those layers of flesh was something entirely abnormal, much like her own.

The girl didn’t speak. She merely glared over at Frost and tried to smile, as if to say she’s also here. To a normal onlooker it would appear as if she was staring Frost down with daggers, preparing for a bloody brawl.

Nav then clarified.

“Ignis says ‘good morning. She’s happy to see she didn’t hurt you back then’.”

Indeed. This wrathful-looking girl was the little Ignis!