"Varian, I thought you were weak and went easy on you. But from now, hmph!"
"…."
"Before you grow stronger than me, I'll beat you up."
As soon was Varian reached the terrace, he heard Sarah muttering.
"Who?" Sarah sensed a presence and hurriedly turned around.
She didn't speak out the secrets but she did speak the words about beating him up.
"The one you want to beat up." Varian replied with a piercing gaze.
Sarah's expression stiffened before she quickly smiled. "I was just joking. I sensed your presence long ago."
"…unless the doors to terrace are opened, not even a level 7 can sense the presence. You should try better next time." Varian rolled his eyes and walked up to her.
"…I will." Her response nearly caused him to trip.
Varian regretted looking for her.
Her heart was still in a turmoil, but Sarah flashed him a beautiful smile. A smile that showed she was feeling happy.
…It was a lie.
Even though he wasn't using his telepath powers, Varian could tell.
She was down.
Was it only sadness? Or frustration?
"Sarah, I don't know what you've been through, but…" Varian smiled wryly as he saw her keeping on that bright smile.
"You don't have to keep up the smile. Nobody else is watching."
Sarah's smile collapsed in an instant and she closed her eyes. "I…am trying to cheer myself up."
"…thinking of beating me does seem to cheer you up." As the cold winds blew in the night, Varian said.
"…for a moment, it worked. But I'm still feeling terrible." Sarah admitted honestly.
She turned to Varian and muttered begrudgingly. "I envy you…"
Varian's eyes widened and he almost laughed. "Pfft."
Sarah's eyes narrowed and her voice turned sharper. "Why are you…?" She sounded hurt.
Varian used his telepath powers and forcibly stopped his laughter. Rubbing the back of his head, he looked into the distant sky and his voice slowly dropped. "You know, there's nothing to be envious about me."
His voice almost turned into a whisper. "If…if I really had a choice, I'd rather not be special. Some things…come with a price."
Such as losing your normal childhood. Such as losing your mother forever. Such as forgetting the one person you grew up and come to care.
Varian didn't know about others, but he really wished no one else had to face this. It was cruel. and deeply painful.
Sarah's body trembled as she bit her lip.
He had personal secrets he didn't reveal.
But he revealed two of his most important secrets. He also awakened in Space Path.
He was the Dreamer and possessed an extremely advanced spaceship.
...that meant these personal secrets were even more precious to him. Even more than an advance AI that could potentially make him a target of Humans and Abyssals alike.
With a small smile, she said. "If you want someone talk to, I'm always here."
Varian smiled back. "Thanks. You can count on me as well."
Then his expression turned curious as he raised a brow. "So, why do you envy me?"
Sarah clenched her fist and was about to make up an excuse when Varian chuckled. "You're easy to read. You envy? that your father pays more attention to me."
"You!" Sarah grabbed his collar and pulled him closer to her face. "Yes! I envy you! Even when he first met you, he talked to you for 30 minutes. 30 Minutes! Half an hour! In the last year, he never talked to me for so long."
Her hot breath was mixed with the smell of a sweet wine was blown on his face.
'Crap! She's half-drunk!'
If not, she'd never say that out loud.
Thankfully, she still had her reasoning. She was just more impulsive now.
"Um, Sarah, you can let go of me and I'll repeat the good new I told you already." Varian said lightly.
Their faces were too close and even though she didn't mean anything else, if someone misunderstood it, he could kiss his peaceful life a goodbye.
Especially Anna…
As he was about to force himself out, a deep voice sounded. "I'm not disturbing you guys, am I?"
Sarah hurriedly left his collar and backed off. She clenched the hem of her dress and lowered her head.
…Why are you acting like you did something wrong? Nothing happened, okay?
Varian rolled his eyes and leisurely set his collar before turning to the source of the voice.
Who is this idiot?
As he was about to curse, Varian saw the familiar red hair and his body stiffened.
"…good evening." He said after taking a deep breath.
"Boy, why do you look at me like I am about to devour you?" Bali asked him with a smile, but his eyes were not smiling.
'Because I almost cursed you.' Varian muttered inwardly while he maintained a polite smile outside.
"No, no. I'm just surprised to see you here." This was the terrace exclusive to juniors.
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Why did this old guy pop up here?
Does he still think he's 18?
'Or was he here the whole time?' Varian palms sweated.
'We made a point to not talk about important matters in public. So, no secrets are leaked.
Besides, Boo didn't alert me. So, he's either far away or he just came in.'
Boo's detection of awakeners wasn't as good as its detection of space waves.
Since the person in question was a peak level 9, Varian wasn't sure if Boo could detect him if he was hiding.
"The terrace section of us old people is…corrupted by stupid couples. Jokes on them, they're still trying to date. So, I came to this side." Bali laughed out loud.
'You gave up on dating or dating gave up on you?'
"Haha." Varian laughed for another joke.
Slowly, Bali's laughter died down.
He glared at Varian and said. "Then I saw you guys."
"…"
It isn't my problem, okay?
Ignoring Varian's dumbfounded expression, Bali turned to Sarah and smiled. "I've watched your duel. You've grown stronger. Your dad is an idiot, but you're really a genius. Even better than your brother."
Sarah's expression stiffened as a wry smile appeared on her face. "Thank you…it's just, my road to being a Sovereign is cut off the moment I awakened."
Varian patted her lightly on the back. 'I told you I can find a way to let Dual Awakeners advance to Sovereign a while back, didn't I? So you totally didn't believe it?'
The temperature suddenly fell and in confusion, Varian looked at Bali's expressionless face.
The chill washed over Sarah as she suddenly blinked her eyes. "I..I'm sorry, I'm tipsy."
Bali squinted his eyes as he gazed deep into the stars. No. He was gazing at a small planet far away.
Mercury.
"No. You're right." Bali's plain, yet deeply sorrowful voice reverberated in the cold night.
Varian raised his brow and looked at Sarah's crestfallen expression. She was already blaming herself.
'Why do you blame yourself for everything, Sarah?' He patted her gently, and sighed.
"Want to hear the story of an old man?" Bali asked and the two slowly nodded.
"All my life, I believed I can achieve whatever I want with enough effort and planning.
My Level 7 parents wanted a genius. But I was a dual awakener.
They believed that with two paths, I'd never be strong enough. I promised them I'd keep up with my peers.
I focused only on my fire path, but slowly a part of my aura was devoured by space path.
It was a part of me, I couldn't ignore it. Even when I tried to…it sucked the aura I poured for Fire Path.
Before I knew it, I was behind everybody." Bali's red hair ruffled in the wind as a nostalgic smile appeared on his face.
It soon collapsed into a mocking one.
"Then…they abandoned me.
I don't remember how exactly I survived. But I stole, beat, and did all kind of crap.
Then by some stroke of luck, I found a treasure and advanced.
The luck didn't end there, and I joined military." Bali puffed his chest out and said.
It seemed like joining Military was his proudest decision. To many, it really was.
Varian observed the raging fire in his eyes as Bali continued. "I've been in the army for decades. I lost count of how much I fought.
But you know what?
I was always trying my best. And sometimes, luck knocked on my door.
Finally, here I am today. Just under Sovereign." Bali's eyes glowed with splendor as he said the lines with conviction.
Usually, the story ended there.
Just…his didn't.
The glow in his eyes was replaced by regret and grief as he said. "I can't make it to Sovereign after all.
But over the years, many who could make it died.
So, sometimes I wonder…what if it was me who died? What if they lived?
Would Humanity have another Sovereign?
Would the War end? Would peace finally ensue?" The conviction he had was all gone, replaced by deep self-doubt.
Varian felt Sarah violently tremble as her shoulders shook. He hugged her lightly and patted her back.
Bali stared at the sky after he finished. It was as if they didn't exist.
Perhaps he just wanted to let it out.
Varian felt a wetness on his chest and closed his eyes. He never realized things were so serious.
Feeling her trembling in his arms, he looked at Bali and recalled his information.
Peak Level 9 Dual Awakener in Space and Fire Paths.
Varian's eyes flashed.
'You're the one!'
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