"...I see that you’re not doing so bad yourself. And here I was all worried about you."
Kyle said as he gripped the metal armrest, leaning back against the leather cushioning and letting out a satisfied sigh. He muttered under his breath, "Lucky bastard. Not even my chair at the Guild is this good. And this is just a guest chair?"
I ignored his useless grumbling and took a good look at him.
’He seems to be doing fine.’
I was honestly quite worried. I had been for quite some time.
Thinking about what I had done to him, a part of me felt extremely guilty.
The Kyle that stood before me...
He was no longer human.
"So? Have you suddenly become mute after meeting me?"
"Not quite."
The words finally left my lips as I took a deep breath and took a good look at him. His complexion was a little pale, but in general, he looked fine. There was nothing about his appearance that gave away his status as an anomaly. In fact, it was pretty much impossible to even tell he was an anomaly.
’I’m glad that’s the case.’
"I’m thinking of updating my latest game."
"What?"
"What, what?"
"What do you mean, what?"
Kyle looked at me with a baffled expression, his hand rising to cover his face as he muttered, "Can you believe this guy?"
I pursed my lips.
"I’m a game developer. I’m obviously going to focus on my games. I wasn’t quite satisfied with my latest game, so I decided to update it. I’m thinking of addressing many of its major flaws. It’ll do well."
"....."
Listening to me, Kyle’s face appeared to be a mix of both amusement and frustration.
"Are you still going to run with that game developer thing?"
"But... I am one?"
"Are you now?"
Kyle tossed his phone over. A single glance was enough for me to understand, and I quickly shut up and caught it.
There were countless headlines, many of them ones I had seen before.
[Seth Thorne. Severed Stars Guild’s secret weapon. Who is he? Will he manage to rank in the upcoming rankings?]
[The man who cleared the Malovia Gate. What will become of him? Next super rookie?]
I put the phone back down.
"They’re speaking nonsense. It was all luck."
"....."
Kyle remained quiet, reaching for his phone.
"Sure."
"No, really."
"Okay."
"I’m telling the truth."
"And I said okay."
"....."
Should I have beaten him harder back then?
"Fine."
In the end, I gave up.
"How are you doing?"
I ended up asking him the thing I was most curious about.
Even though my mind wasn’t completely lucid, I still remembered everything that had happened. I also remembered how I had forcefully shattered his node to convert him into an anomaly.
I had been fully aware when I had done it.
It had to be done.
...That was the only way to defeat the demon.
There was no other way. In the end, using my abilities, I turned him into an anomaly and ’captured’ him, saving him and capturing the ’demon’ as well.
Everything worked out in the end, but only on the outside.
I didn’t truly know how Kyle was doing.
"Me?"
Kyle shrugged his shoulders while massaging the back of his neck.
"I’m doing quite well, if I have to say."
He lifted both arms and moved them freely. As if trying to show me that he was completely fine. And he did look fine, but the more normal he looked, the more my heart clenched.
"I’m generally doing fine. At least, in most places. I did break quite a lot of bones, but if I have to say so myself, I think most of them have healed by now. There’s nothing that is really stopping me from going back into action. Oh, yeah."
He looked at me with a smile.
"Even my nodes are fine. In the end, I didn’t really suffer much. I guess you can say that I got lucky, haha."
Leaning back once more, Kyle laughed.
Seeing his smile, I forced one myself.
"I’m glad that’s the case."
But soon, Kyle leaned forward.
"But hey, there’s really not much to worry about. I’ve been cleared medically for everything. I’ll soon start my training for the Congress. You should start too. Your team is waiting for you. At this point, I’m shocked that they’ve yet to forget about you. Crazy bastard. How long has it been since you’ve last been with them?"
"...Too long."
"You..."
I opened my mouth to answer, but was stopped by Kyle.
"Ah, nevermind."
Kyle shook his head, placing his hands on the table and standing up.
"You’re a game developer, right?"
That...
"That’s what you were going to tell me, wasn’t it?"
How did he know?
"It’s because you always say the same thing."
Shaking his head, Kyle turned around and headed for the door.
"In any case, I’ll take my leave. I’m glad that you’re doing fine. There are still a few things that I need to do, but I should be done soon. Will you be here for the Guild dinner later?"
"Likely."
"That’s good. I’ll see you there."
Nodding slightly, Kyle proceeded to leave the room.
In the end, I could only stare at his retreating figure in silence, basking in the silence he left behind.
’He looks fine...’
I bit my lips.
"...But is he really fine?"
***
Clank!
"Crazy lucky bastard."
Stepping out of Seth’s office, Kyle paused and glanced back at the door. The longer he looked at it, the more jealousy crept in. How long had he been working in the Guild? What sort of rank had he reached?
...And yet.
"I’ve yet to receive my own office."
Clicking his tongue, Kyle walked away. His mental health demanded it.
But he didn’t even get to move a couple of steps when a voice suddenly called for him.
"Kyle."
A head peeked out from behind one of the corridor’s white pillars.
Her emerald eyes narrowed like those of a cat as she looked around, seemingly looking to see if there was someone else with him.
"Don’t worry. He’s not here."
"Huh? What...? Who is not here?"
Stepping out of the pillar, her long lashes fluttered.
"I’m not looking for anyone."
"I know."
Kyle merely smiled.
Zoey’s lips twitched, her gaze flickering towards a certain office for a brief moment before she coughed and turned serious.
"How are you doing?"
"Not you too..."
"What? I’m just checking up. You’ve seemed a little bit out of it lately."
"That’s because I’m mentally drained."
"Hmm, well..."
Scratching the side of her neck, allowing her soft blonde hair to gracefully fall over her shoulders, Zoey eventually nodded.
"...I can’t say I don’t understand you. We’ve been put through a lot. Especially with the last incident. And with the upcoming World Congress, I’m struggling to keep my mind sane."
"Right?"
"I guess."
Zoey shrugged, her expression easing a little.
Turning her wrist and checking the time, she looked at Kyle.
"In that case, I’ll head out and get myself ready for dinner. Rest a bit."
"I will."
Kyle smiled as he watched Zoey turn around and leave.
He stared at her parting back for a couple of seconds before he suddenly called out for her.
"Zoey."
"...Yes?"
Still walking, Zoey turned her head.
Kyle’s smile grew as he spoke.
"He’s also doing fin—"
Cla—K!
Tripping over her legs, Zoey stumbled forward.