Aria

A few years pass by without much going on. Just with me heading to the Grand Ocean every day Monday through Saturday while taking Sundays off to just read or play one of the video games Little Blue started getting into when she turned ten years old.

And I have to admit, she’s growing quickly.

Very quickly.

She’s only about thirteen years old now after almost five years have passed since the two of us met, and she’s already about five foot two inches tall. Just a few inches shorter than me now.

Meanwhile Sel has grown into an adult of twenty years old.

But both Little Blue and Sel still spend a lot of time with me. Particularly on Sundays, since Little Blue always wants to play those video games. And Sel always wants to spar.

Although I prefer regular board games myself. Maybe some arcade games too. Like Azura, who often snags my time to drag me into playing some with him.

Not that I mind.

Over the years I’ve grown rather comfortable in Atlantis. Even if things have gotten relatively boring again.

What’s most shocking though is that I haven’t ended up in a mana creature’s stomach even once throughout my entire time here.

I grin at that, reaching my hand up towards the ceiling as I lie on my bed, feeling more than a little accomplished by that fact.

Because who wants to be stuck in a fish’s stomach? It’s not pleasant. I know that from my time on Eternus.

Or, at least, I know how it feels to be in an eel’s stomach. Eel snake? Eel snake serpent thingy.

And poisoned too.

Speaking of Rory, she’s actually come by to visit a few times over the years. Which was pleasantly surprising when she first showed up.

Even more surprising when I learned she was the daughter of the Archduke of the Grand Silvanian Empire. A fact that explains perfectly well why the Empire decided to change its stance towards me.

Apparently she went and spoke with their emperor convincing him that I’m not a threat to his people.

“Riri! Are you coming?” I hear Little Blue shouting from downstairs, so I roll over off the bed before landing on my feet and beginning to walk out of my room in the café and then down the stairs to find her sitting on a stool talking with Shirogane and Azura. Both of whom are currently making cocktails, since Azura started teaching Shirogane how over the years.

Little Blue turns her head to frown at me as she says, “Took you long enough Riri.”

Ah, I miss the younger Little Blue. Before she became a teenager.

“Leave that,” Little Blue says while pointing at Azura and Shirogane. “Now’s not the time to be making drinks! We’re gonna be late if you keep wasting time!”

“Neri, the party isn’t for another two hours,” Azura says rather calmly and without putting down the drink mixer in his hands. “And I highly doubt Father cares about us arriving hours early for his birthday party.”

“Damnit-” Little Blue begins, only for Azura to say, “Language, young lady,” before she ignores him and continues, “-we have to go now! Sel’s waiting for us! And so is Rona!”Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

I notice Shirogane’s eyes flicker over to her for a second before returning to his drink mixer at the heir to the throne’s name. Probably because they’ve been having a relationship akin to detached lovers for a while now.

From what I understand, both of them are using the other as stress relief. And it works, and they’re being careful, so neither the king nor the queen say anything about it.

I do wonder if anything’s ever gonna develop romantically between them though.

Anyways, I walk over towards the door as the two guys finish up behind the bar, quickly down their drinks, and begin walking around it so that we can all leave.

As we walk out of the building and the door locks behind us, I open up my status.

Name: Aria Crimson

Class: Harbinger of Death

Ability: True Immortality

Level: 23