“I wonder if Han Soo is still with Jared.” Aloe Vida’s thoughts leaked out of her lips as she walked in the hallway, navigating her way to the suite assigned to the latter.

She had just concluded a mission, and since she had some free time, she thought she’d check in on the group.

‘Should I first check the training room? Well, it’s on my way there, so I’ll just check in.’

With this rationale, Aloe made her way to the suite. She didn’t even need to knock before hearing a voice telling her to come in.

Opening the door and walking in, Vida found Kuzon floating in the air as his body lay down flat.

“Sup. How’d it go with the mission, Aloe?” He casually said, his gaze trailing to her for a moment before returning to the ceiling.

‘It’s just Kuzon, huh?’ Aloe didn’t have a particular problem with the young Midas, though it would have been nice if she met Jared too.

‘I could have just sensed their presence, yet…’ She fought back a sigh and moved closer.

“It was fine. After this break, Chairman Sung and I are going to attack the other S Class Gate that formed recently. That should get rid of all the major Dungeon threats.” She smiled as she sat on the sofa in the room.

Kuzon, upon seeing that, sat upright, though he still remained in midair.

“What about you, Kuzon? How did it go with you?” She asked with genuinely curious expression.

“I encountered a Star of the Shadows of Light.” He shrugged nonchalantly.

“Really? How did it go?”

“Meh. It was pretty easy. Even the S Rank Dungeon was too easy.”

Aloe Vida understood how he felt. She felt the same anytime she was in a Dungeon. It was just unfortunate that she had to follow protocol in order to avoid the worst scenario occuring.

“I should even submit the loot I collected. Maybe I’ll just use Magic to transport them…”

“Haha. You’ve really gotten lazy, huh?”

“More like bored. I just want to return home, yet Jared keeps making me wait with these elaborate plans of his.” Kuzon sounded like a whiny child, but even this was understandable.

Even though the boy was usually playful and carefree, it was easy to tell that he was worried as well.

“You miss Ana, don’t you?” As Aloe said this, Kuzon glanced at her, and she returned his gaze with a smile.

After a moment of silence, he finally responded.

“I do.” A smile formed on his face “I really do.”

“Are you worried about her? Maybe her safety, or—”

“Not really. As you already know, my Familiar is connected to our original world, so I already asked him to check how things are. He won’t tell me the details, but he assured me that she’s safe. Everyone is safe.”

“But that doesn’t completely eliminate your concerns, does it?”

A wry smile formed on Kuzon’s face and he nodded.

“No. It doesn’t.” Once again, he stared at Aloe. “How about you? Got anyone you’re concerned about?”

A fuzzy feeling coursed through her heart as her thoughts went to many people she cared for.

They were too many to count.

Her family. Her students. Her colleagues. Her friends. Maro Smith…

“Yeah. I’ve got lots.” She finally settled for those choice of words.

“I see…”

For yet another awkward moment, no one said a thing.

They remained still in the room, either looking at the furniture or ceiling. Perhaps it was because neither of them had really talked to the other much—or even at all—when they were still in their original world.

Now that they were stuck in the same situation, it was a bit… weird.

“Can I ask you something?” Kuzon finally broke the silence with a rather serious tone.

It made Aloe nearly tighten her hand on her chest as she heard it. His voice sounded like a mix of caution and silent rage.

“What do you think about ‘our’ Neron?”

Once Aloe heard the question, her thoughts became plunged into a sea of rather confusing, conflicting, and contrasting ideas.

Kuzon and Jared had briefed her on their tour of the world, and they also revealed how suspicious Neron’s actions—or rather, inactions—were

The main question raised by all the discussions they had was;

“What is Neron up to?”𝒐𝗏𝑳xt.𝗇𝓔t

Aloe was yet to give her own opinion or thoughts on the matter since, at the time she was told, she still had to gather her thoughts.

She thought she would be able to reach a definite conclusion if given some time, however, even now that Kuzon was raising the question before her, Aloe still found herself unable to answer properly.

“I… am still unsure.” The image of Neron appeared in her mind, and for a second, her heart leaped.

Neron’s jet black hair and crystal blue eyes reflected in her thoughts. His handsome face occupied her mind, and his gentle tone echoes on and on within her.

Even letting go of all the biases, she couldn’t reach a clear answer.

If Aloe was to give any, then it would be;

“Maybe he has his reasons for doing what he did. We can’t be completely sure until we ask him.”

“What?” Kuzon raised his brow slightly, and a hint of annoyance slithered in his tone.

“I mean… we can’t jump to conclusions, right? He must have had a really good reason for what he did.”

“You mean manipulating us, lying to us, and allowing something disastrous of this scale to occur?”

“Yes.”

“He’s literally playing us like puppets. We don’t know what he’s thinking, but we’re moving according to his bidding, and all for a goal we have no idea about.”

“I’m sure it’s something that’ll benefit all of us, and—”

“How can you be so sure?”

“H-huh?”

“You seem to have so much faith in Neron. How can you be so sure?” Kuzon’s golden gaze felt piercing, enough to make Aloe stop dead in her tracks.

She found herself unable to formulate a speech that would properly address his Inquisition.

“It’s not strange for allies to turn to foe. It’s not unheard of for friends to have secret motives and intentions that cause harm to others. How are you so certain that Neron’s actions are geared towards a greater good.”

“S-so far, he hasn’t failed us yet, so—”

“BULLSHIT!” Kuzon stopped floating in midair, his feet touching the rug.

His eyes were wide with rage and frustration.

“He’s using us! Yet we’re expected to trust him when he doesn’t even trust us?”

“Kuzon, calm yourself and—”

“I’m absolutely calm! Right now it feels like I’m the only one that’s calm. Jared is so busy playing his games that he doesn’t realize how much he’s beginning to resemble Neron. And you… you’re actually making excuses for him?”

“I’m not making excuses. I’m just—”

“You’re blinded by sentiment. I can see it clearly. Your view is biased.”

Aloe felt her chest tighten. She wanted to speak against Kuzon for what he said, but found herself unable to.

Perhaps it was because he was right.

*

*

*

A

/N

What do you all think about Kuzon, Neron, Jared, and Aloe? Let me know in the comments.

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