Melting Point (2)

Erica clutched her abdomen and exhaled.

The roars of magical beasts that seemed to tear the world apart just a few dozen minutes ago were no longer heard.

Even the highest-tier monster that appeared as an irregular, not from a gate, had been annihilated.

Looking at the blood soaking the ground, Erica wore an empty expression.

Was that her blood, or the blood of magical beasts?

There was no one around.

No one to support her, no one to approach her.

This was the seventh battle today alone.

She leaned against the wall as if collapsing and coughed up blood.

It was red.

And it hurt.

Her uniform was torn and disheveled. Her hair was dirtied, wet with some unknown fluid and blood.

Thinking the pain would become unbearable if she didn’t get treatment soon, she tried to stand up by placing her hand on the ground, but even that seemed beyond her depleted strength.

She lowered her head.

This is just such a life.

It’s not that she had convictions or grand ambitions.

She was just a mere human who had been moving mechanically day by day, under the punishment of the original sin of not being able to protect her younger sister.

She had held a cold sword more times than she had held someone’s hand.

The battlefield had long been her home.

Erica closed her eyes.

“Honey, doesn’t that look pretty?”

“Really? Should I try it on?”

She recalled the memory of blankly watching a couple on the street as twilight fell.

Love, huh.

What would it feel like?

A hollow sigh mixed with the air.

How could she think of love when she had never even craved affection?

With the thought of how many ribs might be broken, Erica stood up, frowning from the pain.

Today is the day to visit Ere. She hadn’t been able to contact him for a while because she was too busy.

Erica looked at the dim buildings in the distance.

It was a gray city.

A cool office. Piled up reports. A coffee.

The flickering black letters hurt her eyes. Her mind, crushed by fatigue, had been screaming since last night.

“How about taking a break?”

“Don’t worry about me and just go away somewhere.”

“Where to?”

“It would be nice if you left the Association building altogether.”

After a few seconds of silence, sudden sobbing sounds were heard.

Why does she keep pretending to cry when she can’t even act?

“I brought coffee too…”

“I don’t like Americano.”

“I brought cafe mocha!”

The owner of the seat next to her brightened up.

Her neighbor’s seat was clearly meant for another hunter, but it had become Aureli’s seat a few days ago.

“I don’t like sweet things.”

“You drank sweet things every time we went out together.”

That was true.

Actually, she liked sweet things.

Sweetness is the basis of taste and the epitome of health. Glucose, the source of sweetness, is love and life itself.

She couldn’t understand those who drink Americano at all.

Why would they like bitter tastes?

“…What else did you bring besides cafe mocha?”

“Americano!”

Of course.

“Forget it.”

“I brought something else too! Caramel… caramel… what was it?”

“Macchiato?”

“Yeah! Caramel macchiato!”

Aureli tilted her head.

“That’s an interesting name. Is it Italian?”

A few seconds of silence.

Erica felt her brain turning without her realizing it.

Her mouth started to move.

She barely held back from speaking and turned her eyes to the report.

“What’s the caramel in front for? What kind of coffee is this in the first place…”

“It’s coffee with caramel sauce added to latte macchiato.”

Her mouth moved on its own.

Aureli blinked.

“Macchiato means ‘stained’ or ‘spotted’ in Italian. If you spell it closer to the original word, it’s ‘macchiato’, but if you follow the foreign word spelling rules, it’s ‘makiato’. Of course, caramel macchiato is a drink that doesn’t exist in Italy…”

Her brain suddenly turned and then quickly stopped. Her hands trembled and her mouth closed. Her gaze unknowingly turned to the side.

Aureli smiled.

Ah.

How annoying.

“You know a lot! You’re smart! As expected of someone who likes sweet things…”

“Shut up.”

Her cheeks felt hot. Her heart trembled slightly.

Calm down. She just told you about the origin of coffee. It just happened to be the coffee I liked.

In the first place, Aureli should be happy that she even answered. Aureli is a villain, and she’s just humoring her to control the villain who entered the Association.

Even though she mixes in a lot of abuse and curses when speaking, that’s how it is anyway.

“Then that… caramel maki, macchi…”

“Macchiato.”

“Right! Macchiato, I heard this is delicious too!”

“How would someone who always drinks Americano know that…”

Erica felt her thoughts stopping. How does Aureli know that she always drinks Americano?

Just a few days ago, she was someone whose chest was slashed by this woman’s weapon. And then she received treatment.

And then she was praised for getting stronger, and somehow received something like medicinal herbs that were supposedly good for her body.

Sometimes they go out together, roaming the city.

What is this?

“Hm? The cafe employee told me.”

Erica dried her face with one hand.

“You obviously threatened them with a knife, saying you’d kill them if they didn’t tell you.”

Aureli glared as if offended.

“What.”

“That’s not true. I just wore a hat and pretended not to be myself.”

She tightened the coat she was wearing. And pressed down her hat.

With her clothes pulled up to her nose, only her eyes were visible.

Is this a penguin?

“You still look obviously like Aureli.”

“That’s because you know me! To strangers, I look like just a passerby.”

Silence fell for a moment. Seeing only her eyes visible, Erica felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.

She did always look like this at cafes.

When going out, she always hid herself like this, saying it was to avoid causing a commotion.

Does she pretend to be an innocent person then, while swinging her knife in hostage situations normally?

Aureli seemed uncomfortable and exhaled with a “phew”, then took off her hat. Then, as if checking if her hair was messy, she created a mirror in the air and fixed her hair.

How does she manage that long hair?

Erica blinked.

Why am I wondering how she manages it, it’s none of my business. Her thoughts had been flowing strangely for a while now, she must be very tired.

She craved coffee. She needed something sweet.

“So this and…”

Aureli started placing bottles of coffee on her desk one by one.

“Drink these and cheer up.”

How did she end up being cheered on by someone like this?

Erica turned her eyes to the report without responding.

The coffee looked delicious.

After concentrating for a while, it was quiet beside her. The office seats were separated by partitions, so unless someone pulled their chair over to the next seat like during their earlier conversation, she couldn’t see the person next to her.

Erica unknowingly glanced over the partition at Aureli. She was sleeping.

“Of course.”

A few days ago, the director had brought up Aureli and hinted that she should treat her well.

Erica understood the implication and nodded.

Currently, there was no way to stop Aureli from causing trouble.

Besides the manpower issue, there was also the strange increase in gates and the irregular phenomenon of monsters appearing.

The eradication of criminal organizations was completed a week ago with the joint operation with Aureli, targeting several large groups, but exchanges with awakened groups that could cause incidents at any time still remained.

The Association had to periodically send hunters, including herself, to show that they were friendly to these groups, and receive the same response in return.

This included holding formal exchange meetings where they traded magic stones and information.

In terms of seriousness, relationships with top-ranked hunters were far more important. Most of them were widely known, had large networks, and owned many things, so if they caused trouble once, it could destroy a city.

There were still some of them wanted by the authorities, but fortunately, most seemed to be cooperative with the Association and Union Department. Her position as a ranker with some connections probably helped.

However, even in this apocalypse, the person the Association and Union Department were most concerned about was the owner of the seat next to her.

Erica knew.

Aureli probably had the whole current situation figured out.

The value held by the rank 1 is vast. Her power and connections must be immense even after her disappearance a year ago.

Although she seemed satisfied with clinging to the Association in her daily life now, given that she had carried out a massacre in the past, it was uncertain when she might lead the world to its end.

The Association had to give Aureli the title of “wanted” because of their public image, but in reality, since it was revealed that the silver-haired girl was Aureli, the Association couldn’t have been more relieved that she was cooperating with them in this situation.

Erica decided to face reality.

It’s true that she can’t handle Aureli.

All she could do now was go along with Aureli’s strange actions.

Although she had faced death several times, she could worry a little less knowing that Aureli would save her anyway.

Until the order to kill Aureli comes down from the Association, she just needs to endure a bit more.

Yes.

Erica realized once again.

She was shouldering more burdens than she thought.

Since joining the Association and holding her head in her hands, even if it wasn’t for Aureli, she would have taken on many more tasks.

Nothing had changed from the past situation. It’s the same now, and it will be in the future.

Erica suddenly felt her body getting tired.

Then she muttered softly.

It was something she had never uttered since admitting her younger sister to the Association hospital.

“It’s hard.”

She buried her head on the desk and closed her eyes.

But what can she do if it’s hard?

She had never felt happiness.

The only comfort to her heart was her younger sister’s smile.

She had lived repeating to herself that grown-ups don’t whine.

Suddenly, a question arose.

A grown-up, huh.

What is a grown-up?

If shouldering so many burdens is the inevitable future.

She didn’t want to become a grown-up.

What is joy, and what is freedom?

When she opened her eyes, she saw the bottled coffee. Looking at it now, it seemed somewhat fancy.

“Cafe mocha… Caramel macchi…”

It’s coffee with caramel sauce added to latte macchiato.

“…”

Macchiato means ‘stained’ or ‘spotted’ in Italian –

You know a lot! You’re smart!

“No way.”

Why did she do that? Suddenly, embarrassment came over her. She wouldn’t have wanted to know that much, but did she listen?

Anyway, she’s a strange person.

If she’s going to kill, just kill. If she’s going to treat me well, just do it.

Helping me so I can kill her?

Crazy bitch.

She lifted her disheveled hair from the desk and sat up.

She opened the bottle labeled cafe mocha and poured it into her mouth.

It was sweet.

Wondering if she was still sleeping, she peeked over to the next seat.

The crazy bitch was leaning slightly on the chair with her eyes closed.

There were various documents and charts on the desk.

Vampire’s love. Vampire’s affection.

Is she studying about her own race?

That’s interesting too.

She turned her eyes to look at Aureli.

Certainly, looking at her like this, she was pretty.

Her skin was pale but pure white, and her hair looked like it was brewed from moonlight itself.

As her gaze moved to her eyelashes, Aureli’s eyes opened.

Her clear blue eyes shone elegantly.

Ah, this is trouble.

“Slept well?”

“…”

“I didn’t expect your face to be the first thing I’d see when I woke up.”

Embarrassment washed over her again. Erica decided to keep her mouth shut.

“Are you interested in my face?”

“No.”

“You can be honest. I am certainly pretty.”

“No.”

Looking closely, she wasn’t just a crazy bitch, but a narcissistic crazy bitch.

Aureli stared intently at her face. After a moment of silence, Erica was about to turn her head away.

“Erica.”

“…What is it?”

“Let’s go somewhere with me.”

What? What crazy thing is it this time?

Of course, her answer was the same as always.

“I don’t want to.”

“You don’t have the right to refuse.”

Aureli put a knife in her mouth.

Is she saying she’ll take this whole building hostage?

“Ha.”

Erica held her head as she followed Aureli out.

She was already exhausted to death, might as well just kill her.

Yeah, just stab her with the sword the moment she tries to do something.

Even if she begs for her life, just kill her.

Erica got on the elevator, determined to pierce her heart even if offered 100 bottles of cafe mocha.

Aureli pressed the 27th floor.

It was the top floor.

Just as she was wondering what on earth she was planning to do, the doors opened and the rooftop was revealed.

The rooftop was spacious. The dim night air had settled, making it feel slightly cool. A few small streetlamps with lights created a dreamy atmosphere.

“Erica.”

Aureli walked ahead, then turned around to face her. The air currents shook and her dark blue eyes wavered like waves.

“From now on, don’t think about anything.”

The wind blew and her body floated.

“Huh, what?”

By the time she felt her body losing control, her field of view changed drastically. Before she could think of anything else, she saw the open black sky. The stars scattered across it faced her.

And then they receded. Her body rapidly cooled and her heart skipped a beat. Air currents flowed around her body as the surrounding buildings quickly rose up.

“Eek?!”

I’m falling. I’m falling. This is dangerous. This is really dangerous. I’ll die. I’m going to die. Ah, ah.

A gentle voice rang in her ear.

“You won’t die.”

Her rapidly changing view stopped. The air currents subsided and her body warmed up. A soft wind sound lingered in her ears.

Her body stopped.

Erica faced the mirror in front of her eyes.

She was floating in the air.

“Th-this is dangerous.”

“It’s not dangerous.”

An answer came to the words she had uttered without realizing.

She turned her head to see Aureli floating in the air as if lying down.

Ah, this is fixed. I can’t move at all.

Aureli smiled slightly and looked down. Erica unknowingly followed her gaze.

It was the night sky.

Countless colors of city lights faced her. The lights emanating from the buildings intertwined and tangled, creating long white streams.

Even the dim rivers were no exception, as fragments of light reflected on the waves, conquering the surface of the rivers.

The massive neon signs visible in the distance and the small lights following them filled the streets. The huge vermilion bridge, soaked in moonlight, decorated one corner of the scenery.

Erica blankly stared at the night view of the city. It was a scene she could never see when she was inside those buildings. Her current position, which she could never be in, the air currents, and this spectacle.

Her heart pounded.

The stars that had settled on the city welcomed her. The silence and faint coolness seemed to wrap around her body, embracing her.

Erica unknowingly turned her head to Aureli. Her elegant eyes were directed at her.

Aureli smiled.

“How is it? Pretty, right?”

“Crazy bitch.”

Erica let out a hollow laugh.