Chapter 83: 84. Before the Departure from Carpal tower

The City of Diamonds slept when day broke. The once bustling streets of the city were now quiet, filled with only floating brooms that swept the city clean, alongside the sharply dressed Sweepers.

They now had the entirety of Carpal Tower to themselves, and now that Frost realized it, she wondered where Beholder Carpalis slept in this place she called home. The irony of this was that Frost asked this as the woman in question had her eyes sealed shut as a shallow snore left her half-parted lips.

In short, Carpalis sleepwalked alongside her and Magus. It turned out that Carpalis didn’t have a designated bedroom or other worldly needs that most normal people required.

She still required sustenance, expelled waste, and indeed needed sleep. But she imagined it would be considerably less than any normal being. Asking her outright would also be a little strange. She couldn’t just ask another person that wasn’t her patient if they could pass urine or excrete waste.

The Faustian Bargain that clutched tightly onto her waist also brought about the mystery of how her organs weren’t crushed by that thing, let alone how she was even able to breathe so freely in the first place.

Though these thoughts were wasted on a Beholder to begin with. These beings were far from normal, and Frost was the last person who should ever act surprised by this. After all, she could not expel waste and neither did she require sleep herself.

She was far more of an enigma than this Beholder.

That being said –

The three of them found themselves wandering through this magnificent casino, descending through floor after floor at a leisurely pace. The carpeted floors muffled the sound of their steps as Magus walked with exaggerated swagger, his diamond cane leading him like a walking stick.

“Everyone likes to dress like it’s their last day, huh?” Frost said aloud. “Form and function have somehow found that perfect balance here.”

“Dress to the best! The occasion must always be a party! Except for a funeral. But unless it’s for a lifelong nemesis, then by all means, drape yourself in gold!” Magus exclaimed.

“That’s too much respect. I’d rather a funeral couldn’t be held for them at all.” Frost, although she said this jokingly, was entirely serious when her mind went to Iscario.

A funeral meant that she had half-assed killing him.

She yearned to obliterate that Star until there was no fiber of his existence left.

“A lot of those apparels are made from Act X’s strings. Makes you wonder just what kind of medium is required to make them in the first place.” Frost added as they descended into the lobby, spotting the apparels of their friends which were crafted with exquisite perfection.

She gently pulled a metallic strand from her fingertips, showcasing a racial skill belonging only to the Anids, surprising Magus.

“Oh! An Amalgam indeed! But it does bring great intrigue. The technologies of the Beholders are a mystery in of themselves. Not that I understand it’s numerous intricacies to begin with, but it is interesting that they are derived from a library and that great Librarian!”

“The Archivist states that calling her a Librarian is derogatory.”

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“The same one that people call the Pages?” Frost wondered, watching a whole festival of waves and cheered explode from the group as they approached.

“The Archivist has refrained from speaking.” Nav spoke right before Frost was hit with a barrage of cries.

“FROOOOOOOST! Check it out! Not bad, right!?” The cat-woman exclaimed, striking a suggestive pose in a beautifully made black suit.

It was matte, made in an unreflective material that absorbed all light and accentuated every part of her feline body. She stretched herself alongside a poker desk, holding onto the edges with a pair of golden, fabric gloves.

And she was not the only one dressed in this suit. Nearly everyone was apart from the bunny-girl who obviously wore the harrowing bunny-suit; the wolf-woman who wore a splendid golden suit similar to those of the City Defenders of the Golden Middle, and the cat-girl who, to Frost’s surprise, wore highly feminine dress with frills and bared a pale cat-faced symbol onto her back.

Although this was not all, because strapped to all their waists was a belt armed with various decks of cards. Frost’s mind went to a utility belt of sorts, and she could only imagine what the purpose of those cards were.

“Emergency cards. People can get unruly sometimes in my home of all places. Dealers need all the cards at hand… or hands, hehe.” Carpalis yawn-sighed again, adoring the newest members to her Atelier. “Aha… it fits them well. The Suit of Hearts has good eyes.”

“They even put Ignis inside of a suit!” Frost exclaimed, seeing Ignis tuck herself close to Jury’s side as she wore a red-tinted suit. “Wait… no. isn’t that her skin?”

It was exactly as she thought. It was a layer of skin that mimicked a suit. Ignis had the unique ability to shapeshift parts of her body at will, limited only to weaponry and apparel.

“Is that a question for me or a gesture of surprise?” Magus wondered. “Esteemed guests! Do know that your appearance has brightened your legal guardian’s day right here!” He proclaimed, throwing a bunch of aces of spades into the air which pointed towards Frost like miniature arrows.

Frost didn’t protest and rolled along with Magus’ antics, throwing a wide wave over towards Jury, Ignis and Snap before extending her welcome to the others with a vivid smile.

Snap instantly saluted and made various recording sounds as they all exploded with their greetings once more.

“Not bad isn’t it Frost!? I’m all fired up! Seeing these wolves here’s gotten me all inspired to get stronger and take the reins of my life!” The wolf-woman howled, baring both her teeth and a pair of gauntlets that carried the insignia of the Golden Middle.

It was beyond fitting, and Frost was glad that this woman found comfort in being a part of the Golden Index. Granted, they were only considered associates as depicted on their status screens.

 

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