❀══✧══❀
The final day of the time Raythem had given them.
Evelynn, more excited than ever, wanted to discover the worlds of the others.
Their cultures, their monuments—everything that defined their respective planets.
Sitting on the couch, Ryota, Yuta, and Evelynn shared the exact same thought.
— Alright… it's time to get her out of her room, Ryota said firmly.
— Totally agree! Let's go get her! Evelynn added with determination.
Yuta watched them stand up without saying a word.
The two of them headed toward Scarlet's room.
Ryota knocked several times.
No answer.
After a few seconds, the door slightly opened, revealing half of Scarlet's face.
As cold as ever.
— …What do you want?
— Don't you want to come out and spend some time with us? Ryota and Evelynn asked.
— …I'm sleeping.
— Uh… it's two in the afternoon…
Without warning, Evelynn kicked the door wide open.
Barely awake, Scarlet took the door straight to the face.
— Oops… sorry! Evelynn apologized, hoping not to trigger an explosion.
Next to her, Ryota couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight of Scarlet, her hair completely messy.
— …Give me two seconds. I'll wash up and come, Scarlet said coldly.
Evelynn and Ryota exchanged a glance.
Impossible to tell whether she was annoyed… or perfectly fine.
They went back to sit with Yuta.
Time passed.
Minutes.
Then dozens of minutes.
Still no sign of Scarlet.
Determined, Evelynn stood up and went back to the room.
She entered… and saw that Scarlet had fallen asleep again.
Without hesitation, she grabbed the blanket and pillow… and threw them onto her face.
— WAKE UP! COME SPEND TIME WITH US!
— …Stop yelling, you're killing my ears this early in the morning…
Eventually, Scarlet and Evelynn joined Ryota and Yuta in the living room.
— Sleep well, Scarlet? Yuta asked.
— …No. A dragon and a hyena pissed me off.
The three burst out laughing.
Scarlet, however, remained standing, her expression gloomy.
Even so, the conversation began.
Forced… but it began.
***
Ryota spoke first, introducing the five wonders of Andora.
Monuments dedicated to hybrid species that disappeared during the Great War.
— In my world, several species vanished.
To honor them, statues were built.
The first represents a centaur.
The second, a half-phoenix.
The third, a half-leviathan.
The fourth, a half-dragon.
And the last… a half-kitsune.
Evelynn and Yuta listened attentively.
Scarlet, meanwhile, was still trying to fully wake up.
Then Yuta took over.
— In mine, there are seven very important monuments.
They're called the Seven Wonders of the World.
Petra, the Great Wall of China, Christ the Redeemer, the Colosseum, Chichén Itzá, the Taj Mahal, and Machu Picchu.
And there are also plenty of other famous monuments: the Eiffel Tower, the Imperial Palace of Tokyo, the Statue of Liberty…
Ryota was left speechless.
Yuta's world suddenly felt incredibly worth visiting.
Just as fascinated, Evelynn turned to Scarlet, who was still half out of it.
— And you? What's special about your world?
— …Me?
Ah… uh… nothing.
Ryota and Evelynn froze, completely confused.
Scarlet sighed, trying to come up with something.
— …Actually, yeah.
There's the Atlas Government Building.
And the Universal Government Palace.
But they're ugly.
It's just garbage in big jars used as buildings.
— …Alright… thanks, Scarlet, I guess? Evelynn replied, unconvinced.
— You're really bad at selling Atlas. Doesn't make it sound appealing, Yuta noted.
— …Makes sense. Everything related to Atlas is garbage.
A silence settled in.
The conversation quickly shifted to something else… something heavier.
— …Instead of talking about useless stuff, don't you want to talk about something interesting? Scarlet said.
— Like what? Ryota and Evelynn asked, intrigued.
— …Your prophecies. You looked pretty shaken last time.
The four of them exchanged glances.
They realized then that all these visits, these simple moments, these laughs…
were just a way to delay this conversation.
The one about their future.
Their destiny.
Their upcoming training with Raythem.
But the discussion went no further.
Each of them returned to their own activities.
***
The next morning, Scarlet was brutally awakened.
Raythem practically dragged her into the living room.
— Alright. Are you ready now?
We're starting your training.
END OF INTERLUDE – The Glow of Simple Days
→ Coming next: Act 2 – First Battle, First Conflict