Chapter 21: Gift Negotiation

I wanted to forget that embarrassing memory of me falling apart. The words that escaped me.

My face turned bright red…

"Ah~ You we're so rough…" Clarissa said in an unusually weak tone. Not like her normal self.

She buried her face into the fluffy bedsheets next to me. It looked like she couldn't get back up yet.

The memories of me pushing her down and digging deep inside arose. It made me feel a bit guilty.

Did I take her virginity?

Seeing the complicated expression on my face made her happy. Looking like she figured me out.

"You're such a liar." Clarissa accused me in this perplexing moment when I should a point finger.

"Is this about my identity?" I leaned over while feigning nonchalance. It was difficult to do.

"I mean about being 'empty'." (Clarissa)

"I never said I was." (Adam)

"But your attitude said otherwise. You were always acting like you're born to be apathetic." (Clarissa)

"Well, who knows…? Maybe I was." (Adam)

"'Forgive me'~ 'I am such an idiot'~!" She mimicked the kind of meltdown I had after my Gift turned off.

"…Screw you." (Adam)

"Didn't you already do that?" Clarissa seemed to have gotten way better at talking to mess me up.

Since when was she so good at this?

My eyes laid on the white bedsheet that was covering her body. Remembering the details of it.

Fuck… Have I fallen deep? 

Better run far from this rabbit hole before I make it my home. Whether it be emotionally or sensually.

She tugged me when I was about to leave.

"Don't be like that. Sorry, I wasn't trying to trick you earlier." Clarissa grabbed my wrist and begged.

A left hand independently made a 'sorry' gesture.

Her sincerity made me hold back my feelings, but I couldn't control these messy emotions I had now.

"Don't make fun of me." (Adam)

"There there~ Everything will be fine now." Clarissa ignored those words and brought my head closer.

She treated me like a pushover… 

I WASN'T A BETA!

I wasn't…

What was with this girl?

I knew that anything I said would be useless, so it was better to let her do whatever she pleased.

Seeing me calm down, she started talking again:

"Why are you in such a mess?" (Clarissa)

"…I'm not." I buried myself in her chest at this point.

"It's like you're always using self-suggestion on yourself. As if you're always telling yourself what to do. If you keep going on like this, maybe you will really become as 'empty' as you want." (Clarissa)

"That would be a good thing to me." (Adam)

"Would it…?" (Clarissa)

"Having no feelings means I'd never feel pain. If I let go of my hope, I won't ever despair." (Adam)

"Did something happen to you?" (Clarissa)

"No…" I couldn't tell her.

"Then I'll be with you." Clarissa held me close. The warmth of her body made me feel comfortable.

Letting me abandon my worries.

But suddenly, Clarissa let go of my head as if remembering something and quickly got dressed.

Barging into the room Abigail was resting.

"No…" She murmured in a serious tone of voice.

The resources we spent on forming these Magic Formations were starting to become dimmer.

"When will she 'Awaken'?" I'd guessed it was supposed to be a sort of incubation, but I was off.

"It takes at most a day to negotiate… usually." The initially unshakable girl seemed to become pale.

That lively face had become full of anxiety. Her words suggesting Abigail could fall into a coma. 

…We were already close now. There was no point in even asking her if she needed my help for this.

My hand reached towards the magical barrier.

"Stop!" Clarissa grabbed me and pulled me back from the zone. She seemed incredibly conflicted.

"Do you have a better idea for this?" I wasn't sure what she was protecting me from, but it was fine.

I'm strong.

"You don't know this, but only Imaginary Spirits can negotiate about Gifts. It's like an audition. Those who awaken call many Imaginary Spirits." She gave me the context of what was happening right now.

"Then why is she asleep?" It didn't make sense.

"…I've limited her options. Imaginary Spirits with ill-intent won't appear anymore." She explained.

"Meaning?" (Adam)

"One way to filter them is Magic Formations, but Abby closed off her heart at this point." (Clarissa)

"Damn…" This was even more my fault now. I was the one who traumatised her before awakening.

"Does it have to be an Imaginary Spirit?" (Adam)

"…No, but you'll die immediately." I got the gist.

For her to awaken properly, she needed to exchange her 'ingredients' for a ready-made meal.

If a human helped, then they would have to give up their Life Force. Likely deteriorating their health.

That arm on my shoulder was shrugged off.

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"I feel like I can get this done." My instincts were telling me that it would be fine even if I touched it.

She didn't stop me at that point. 

Although it didn't make sense for me to be confident, there wasn't any other choice.

Moreover, I was always the type to give surprises.

Maybe it was a unearned hope to have, but it was better than letting her little sister fall into a coma.

My hand reached out.

When the barrier came into contact with my skin, I felt the whole world twist and turn unnaturally.

Transporting my consciousness somewhere else.

…..

….

…

..

.

In the starry space similar to the one I'd seen when I'd used my Gift Privilege, another figure was there.

A person other than myself.

The tired face of Abigail was hidden behind her knees on the floor. She curled herself and wept.

"I… I gave him everything." The broken-hearted maiden wasn't able to control her voice properly.

It cracked in several places.

Making me wonder who she was talking to.

Even though this place was supposed to have been closed off, there was another in this fake reality.

A familiar figure stood in front of her in this imaginary zone, but I couldn't recognise 'him'.

Cyan wolf ears and tail, handsome features, an animalistic ferocity in his eyes, and a thin smile.

It was quite the scary look to have.

But before I could call out to them, the wolf man put his hand between his lips and shushed…

Gesturing me 'kindly' not to interrupt them.

I sharpened my ears to hear what he said next.

"I understand. You're not in a state to negotiate with anyone, so I'll send you to a friend of mine. Be safe. Hopefully, you will find the Gift you're looking for." The wolf man spoke while patting her head.

My body instinctively reacted to try and grab onto Abigail, but she vanished before I'd taken a step.

Leaving me reaching out to an empty space.

In front of me stood the cyan furred wolf man from earlier. Only the two of us were left in this area.

"You're early." Rather than asking me who I was, it looked like the man was already familiar with me.

"Am I…? For what?" I took a step back, but didn't know what to do next or how to leave this place.

Everything was too scary…

"Would you like me to awaken your Gift for you?" A hand stretched out from the smiling, sly wolf.

"Fuck off." I didn't take his hand.

Things were too suspicious. It made my brain work on overload. I knew exactly what state I was in.

It looked like the chance to 'Awaken' my personal Gift had come, so I wasn't going to waste this.

Did he think I'd fall for such a ploy?

"You're the same as ever." The wolf man laughed.

A few snickers and giggles left his mouth, and his tail wagged. Looking pleased for a moment.

But his smile vanished when I asked my question:

"…How do you know me?" It was an ordinary thing to ask when someone approached so familiarly.

Rather than answering immediately, the cyan furred wolf man inwardly thought for a long moment.

A period of silence that seemed to last forever.

Only then did he respond:

"In truth… I don't." Membranes I should've expected that this bastard would talk in riddles.

"Right. I'll be leaving now." (Adam)

"You can't do that." (???)

"Who are you to keep me here?" (Adam)

"It's not like that. You can't leave easily." (???)

"Fuck off right now." I had just about enough of this conman. It was better to find Abigail immediately.

Who knew what situation she was in…

"Sorry if I came off too untrustworthy earlier. Let me make it up to you. My name is 'Hungry Wolf', I have the modifier of 'The One Who Eats The Little Liars'." 'Hungry Wolf' made an animalistic grin.

His canines sticking out to intimidate me a little.

I didn't know who he was or what he wanted, but it was certain that he was here trying to help me.

In his own twisted way, at least.

Was this the so-called 'Gift Negotiation'? Was I supposed to find an individual to contract with?

And why was one of the people offering to awaken my Gift the hungry predator from 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'? From what I knew, there was no similarity in colour and form from that character.

Was this wolf man lying?

It didn't seem like it, but it also didn't seem like he was telling me the entire truth of the matter clearly.

A sense of dread suddenly chilled my heart.

"He's mine!" A screech could be heard from far away, and an icy hand grasped at me from the void.

At such a speed that I couldn't avoid it.

The frosty arm's threat was followed by me making eye-contact with the serpent from the dark abyss.

Yup, I was totally screwed…

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