Parallel (A Virtual Gamer's Story) [Vol.1 - Vol.4 Complete]

Chapter 94: Alliance

6th Muriel, 1093.

Syèl watched Lunette's complexion ashen when her brother revealed he had told Syèl everything about themselves. He was sure he would never again witness so much fear from the proud songstress. But now, it took all she had to lessen the shaking in her hands.

Even the usually stoic Shadow's voice shook with fear and shame. He had exposed the one thing he was never supposed to. His weakness had once again put his sister in jeopardy, and he knew it. Even if Lunette never reprimanded him, he knew deep in his heart that he had failed her.

Lunette noticed the way her brother's voice trembled. The way he averted his gaze at any opportunity. This from one of the most confident people she had ever known. She pushed aside her distress and pulled her brother in. Her warm smile comforted Shadow's shaking frame as his grip tightened around her. "It's alright, brother. You had no choice. You didn't do anything wrong."

Standing off to the side, Syèl was more than shocked to see the coldest member of their little party freely shedding tears like a newborn. But even more than that, the tightness of these siblings' familial bonds made him slightly uncomfortable. It had always crept him out how close these two were, but now he understood the reason for their closeness. It would not be an exaggeration to say the siblings could only rely on themselves in this world.

Syèl sighed. Understanding something and getting used to it were mutually exclusive. Hence why though he understood them, he still felt uncomfortable around their overbearing displays of affection.

Though Syèl's face was wrapped with bandages, Lunette could sense the shifting muscles when he twitched. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

Syèl rose a brow (well, he tried. Sadly, corpses sometimes lacked brows.) "Oi oi, if you go apologizing now, then I look like an asshole." Syèl chuckled.

Lunette nodded with understanding. "Then, at least allow me to express my gratitude. My brother might never have found me without your help." Her lips slightly trembled as she added, "And you do not seem to have revealed our secret." Her eyes searched Syèl's beseechingly. "May I ask why?"

"Cuz, it's none of my business," Syèl shrugged. His eyes flashed as he added heartily, "Plus, I want to see Kashi's reaction when he does find out. That's something I'd pay for."

Lunette's eyes clouded over. "I do not want him to find out." Syèl's expression made her bite her lip. "But he will eventually, won't he?"

"If I found out, he definitely will. It's only a matter of time."

Lunette's grip tightened slightly around her brother. "Will you tell him?"

"Nope," replied the halben with a nonchalant shrug. "Like I said, it's not my business."

Overcome with relief, a lone tear streaked down Lunette's face. "Thank you. Then can I ask that you do not treat us any differently in the future?"

This brought a decayed smirk to the corpse's lips. "How have I been treating you?"

Lunette stared blankly at a loss for words. Now that she thought about it, this brief dialogue was probably more than they had said to each other since they met. "I... I'm not entirely sure."

"Heh, don't worry. Nothing'll change," Syèl reassured her. "I might not look it, but I'm a treasure trove of secrets." That was right. Where he grew up, if one didn't know how to keep relationships stable just because they found out something they shouldn't have, most likely, their body would be found in a ditch somewhere.

Shadow suddenly pulled away from Lunette's embrace. Surprisingly, his eyes had regained their cold luster. "Someone's coming." His eyes apologetically warmed as he got to his feet. He then turned to Syèl and wordlessly nodded.