"Anyways, the professors said that tomorrow we can go visit our families if possible," said Sofia. "Thankfully my family moved here a while ago, so that won't be an issue... But I guess that won't be so easy for you two."
"Yeah, my family is in Brooklyn, ain't no way I'm getting there for a single day, sucks but that's how it is," shrugged Emily.
"My grandma is in Switzerland..." Alma sighed. "So not for either... Hah..."
"I guess only our prestigious families could move so easily to the safest city of the world," Sofia smiled proudly, waving her long hair. "Isn't that right, Maria?"
Wait, what? Does this Maria have a family here?
Wait right, Arthur... if he's part of it then maybe there's more of them. I have to investigate that.
"Right! I had just completely... forgotten," I said. "But I guess I could go see my family with Arthur. Kind of boring though, I want to hunt more Nightmares and get stronger."
"Boring?! But don't you love your family?" wondered Alma.
"Yeah, you usually always are talking about your big sister..." said Emily. "Alia was her na?"
"How's Alia doing by the way?" wondered Alma. "You haven't talked about for a few days!"
"Alia, my big sister?" I wondered, feeling a bit puzzled. "Uh, good! She's... fine! Yeah!" "But wasn't she having difficulties eating recently? You said that the other day," said Emily. "Is she better? Maybe it was just a cold?" wondered Alma.
Ah, this is hard.
"I an yeah, it was just a cold, she's doing better," I nodded. "Um, but rember what I told you the other day?"
"Hm? What?" wondered Emily.
"Oh yeah, you said Alia's Dream Heart Cancer was recovering a little? But then she got sick again..." said Alma.
Dream Heart Cancer? What's that? Like, literal cancer inside a Dream Heart?
So to resu, I have a big sister that is nad Alia.
She's sick and has Dream Heart Cancer.
And uh, she was feeling a bit sick right after getting a bit better, I believe. Okay, noted.
Can I extract more info from them sohow?
Hm.
"Yeah, she improved," I nodded. "But... um, well, don't you rember how she was back then?"
I went for a special question that might bring more info.
It was a bit risky but...
I think it worked.
"Yeah, when she was in the academy a while back..." Alma sighed. "She was a very calm girl, very respectful too."
"Has she worsened since that ti the cancer appeared?" wondered Emily. "I rember that it happened when we were testing abilities in a sparring match..."
"It's a bit sad she didn't even get to explore a Nightmare Realm with us..." Sofia muttered. Huh, so that's her personality, alright.
"Yeah she has beco quite gloomy, I'm worried," I nodded. "Anyways! I think that's it for tonight's talk girls, I really want to sleep..."
"R-Right, I'm so sorry, you must be tired, Maria," Alma apologized. "I'll get going... Before, um, can I hug you?"
"Huh? Sure... But why?" I wondered.
"Um... I just, was very worried... for a mont back then, I really thought that I would lose
you, and everyone else... It was very scary," Alma sighed, looking down.
This only made think more than I thought.
After hearing from the Nightmare Demon that there were loops before this one.
And that they inevitably failed one way or another...
Has this world been on a constant repeat, for hundreds of tries?
The save 7 days... over and over again.
Yet these people don't know.
Alma here, an insecure, yet strong willed girl, soone that has a strong and big heart, which is also very frail.
She probably doesn't know how many tis this week has been repeated, how many tis her life has perished and revived as the ti went back.
That's...
I had not thought about that.
Yet she's unaware, and smiles, asking if I could hug her.
This world... the people in them.
Is there a way to free them from this endless loop?
Not even the trial itself asks to save the world, its only to complete those things.
If I leave by doing the bare minimum, will this world's agony continue forever?
When will it end?
When will it...
"Maria?" Alma wondered. "Ah, sorry, was it awkward? I'll go now..."
"No, wait!" I gently grabbed her little chubby arm, and then hugged Alma tightly. "If you
want a hug, there's nothing to ask for, just co and hug directly, Alma!"
Maybe this might be just a trial, but I really have a soft heart, to be honest.
These people... I want to help them.
These girls, whose lives are on constant repeat.
I want to save them too.
Fine, I'll be the "Maria" of this world if that's necessary.
And the friendship that this character forged with them...
I will not waste it.
Maybe at the end, I'll be able to finally tell them the truth.
But for now, I don't want them to be sad.
"M-Maria..." Alma blushed a bit, smiling fluffily. "T-Thanks... I'm so happy that you're my friend, sniff... Thank you for being my friend Maria... Sniff..."
Alma started crying after I hugged her!
What am I going to do with this girl?
She's too pure, seriously.
"There, there, it's alright, no need to cry," I giggled, patting her head.
"Y-Yeah, co on Alma, don't be a crybaby," Emily sighed. "Let's go to bed, co, I'll hug
you all you want!"
"Emily! Thanks..." Alma then accepted Emily's hugs as well, as the two girls went to their respective rooms after that.
Sofia also started going, but before leaving, she stopped and then glanced at while I was
sitting over the bed.
"Actually... Um, I wanted to ask you sothing, Maria," she said, looking a bit shy.
"Yes?" I wondered.
"What's... your relationship with Jonathan?" she wondered, looking very serious.
"Huh?"
"Do you like him too?" she asked. "Are you two in a relationship, or are those... baseless
rumors?"
She placed her hand in her chest, looking worried.
It was as if her whole life depended on my answer.
"Sofia..."
The man you love is not the sa person that is here...
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