"Calm down. It's not a matter to be shocked about."
Charles said, while poking fun at Sanix after seeing his poker face.
While Sanix, on the contrary, made a perplexed face while looking at his grandfather,
He feels like he's been duped into this relationship. And the certain query is, when did they even plan this all?
"Hold on a minute, when did you plan all this?"
Sanix asked, still feeling like a scapegoat.
"Ah...well..."
Charles hesitated for a minute while rubbing his cheek with his right index finger, then replied with a hesitating smile,
"Nearly about 3 months ago."
"Grandpa!!"
He yells in anger after hearing this. His face shaped a grave expression as he raised a question while folding his arms:
"Did you even ask for my consent?"
He's right. Why did Charles arrange this proposal for him? Especially in such an important matter as marriage.
"Oh dear, don't be like this."
Charles calls out in a dejected voice while sighing as he continues while showing his right palm at Alice.
"Do you have any problems with her? Look at her. She had a good figure; she is good-natured, caring, and honest. She will be an excellent wife. Then why are you whining now? I didn't do anything wrong."
Well, Charles was right in his perspective. However, Sanix's situation was different. Sanix lowered his gaze and confessed in a slightly uneasy voice.
"But...I didn't even know her."
He was right. How could he tie the knot with someone whom he didn't even know at all?
After hearing his testimony, both Charles and Alice lower their gazes. They look like they are in a state of soreness after hearing this statement.
In particular, Alice's expression, which was ecstatic a moment ago, turned gloomy.
It seems that they got dreary not because Sanix didn't accept this proposal, but due to him not recognising Alice.
"Ahahahah. Well..."
Trying to change the gloomy atmosphere, Charles called out as he raised his staff and said,
"Let's begin your training."
Then, abruptly, two dark, bleak loops appeared around Alice and Sanix on the floor, and they began radiating blue light.
"What?! But I had classes to attend. Grandpa!!"
Sanix exclaimed, but unfortunately, they vanished from the current locale. Surely, they get teleported somewhere else.
As they went away, the gentle smile on Charles's face shaped into a sorrowful smile as he mumbled,
"It is terrible to realise that you had already forgotten about that girl..."
Then he lowers his gaze and continues murmuring,
"...who has done so much for you in your past."
*Swish*
"Ah!"
Sanix responded as he found himself in a place full of the twilight sky with abandoned land as far as the eyes could see.
"W-Where are we?"
Sanix pleaded in an uncertain voice while gaping around with a perplexed look on his face.
"We're inside of an inter-dimensional void."
Alice remarked and glanced around while standing in an alerted stance.
"Inter-dimensional void?!"
Sanix repeated in an aghast voice.
He wasn't prepared to start training now.
He places his right palm over his face and thinks,
'Damn it. I wasn't prepared for this. Did Grandpa think of me as some sort of combatant or what? I'm just a high schooler.'
Yet suddenly,
*VROOM* *Sizzle* *Sizzle*
Like thunder, three unknown silhouettes are seen around them.
"Huh?!"
Sanix reacted with caution as he looked around to recognise them.
"Wait a second. Are they..."
He calls out.
"Time beasts."
Alice interrupted as he claimed that the silhouettes around them are time beasts.
There are four silhouettes around them. They had raven skin with blue flames around their bodies.
They are standing like earthly mammals with both their hands and toes on the ground. Their eyes radiate blue light.
"GRRRAAAAAHHH!!!!"
One of the time beasts howled as he jumped at Alice, preparing to attack her.
"Watch out!"
Sanix screams in a desperate voice.
However,
*SLASH* *BOOM*
Unexpectedly, the time beast's body gets sliced in half and it explodes while creating smoke around Alice.
"W-What?"
Sanix responded, as he didn't understand what had just happened.
And as the cloud of dusk disappeared, a fierce blade covered with blue blood is seen in Alice's hand.
".....?!"
Sanix is left mystified after seeing the sudden appearance of a blade in her arms.
Soon enough, the school uniform that Alice is wearing starts vanishing and a Stellar frock appears. Her Stellar frock is soft pink in colour with crystal coloured strains around the waist. The area around her back is open, revealing most of her snow-like skin, and the area above her breasts is open. Her frock has long twirly sleeves, and her long hair gets tied in a long twin tail with a raven-coloured ribbon. She has a pair of red sandals with black edges.
While staring at her appearance, Sanix mumbled, "She's...so endearing."
"Grrr!!"
Another time beast groaned and soon enough, with a roar, it jumps on her.
"Hmph."
Alice responded and was about to blast off an attack on that beast.
Regardless,
*BANG*
"AAAOOOO!!"
The beast growled in pain, and shortly, it vanished.
"Hmm?"
Alice responded as her gaze shifted to her left. She saw Sanix with her flintlock in his right hand.
"I believe that we're fighting together, right?"
He confessed in a friendly voice.
Although he wasn't ready for training earlier, However, after seeing Alice fighting, He made up his mind to fight them also.
After hearing that acknowledgment, a delightful smile formed on Alice's face as she replied, "You're aware of it."
Then she turns to another time beast and darts at it.
"GRAAAAAH!!!"
This time, both time beasts jumped at her after seeing her coming.
But the power of teamwork works.
*BANG* *BANG*
Sanix shoots two bullets at each of the beasts.
And in the next moment,
"HIYAAA!"
*SLASH* *BOOOOOM*
Alice seized the chance and killed both of the time beasts by slicing them in half with her blade.
"Hmmm. It seems that we did it."
Alice let out a breath.
"Hmm? That's it?"
Sanix raised a question while lifting his right eyebrow.
"Yeah. It's just the beginning for you. So, it's normal that it would be easy."
Alice replied, while glancing at Sanix.
"I... see..."
Sanix conceded while putting his right finger on his chin.
But suddenly, he remembers something.
He grinned at Alice and said,
"So, it looks like it is my work as a Time Paradox, isn't it?"
"Hmm? Hihihi. Yeah, it is."
Alice replied while chuckling.
Nonetheless, the recent plea struck Sanix's mind. "By the way, Alice..."
he inquired, his cheerful mood changing into a serious expression. "Hmm?"
Alice responded.
Sanix lowers his gaze a little and continues asking,
"Are you agreeing with our relationship?"
"...?!"
Alice understands what he's trying to say. However, she didn't say a word about it and stayed solemn.
Sanix sighed as he let out while looking at Alice.
"Hah...I mean, we didn't know each other that well. And now, out of nowhere, we've gotten into this type of relationship. Don't you think it's unfair?"
After hearing those words, a sorrowful smile formed on Alice's face as she called out,
"Literally..."
"Hmm?"
Her eyes shifted to Sanix as she claimed,
"...you may have forgotten me. But I have known you for a long time."
"Huh?!"
Now, Sanix is left flabbergasted after hearing this unexpected statement. She knew him for a long time. How can this be? And what does she even mean by saying he has forgotten about her?
"W-Wait. What do you-"
Sanix asked, but his words were interrupted by the sudden trembling on the ground.
"VRAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!!"
A demonic roar is heard from the south direction.
"What is this?"
Alice responded as she stood on alert.
"Huh?! Ah?!"
Sanix is left stunned as his eyes fell to the southern area.
They saw a tremendous turtle-like time beast moving toward them.
"W-What is this?!"
Sanix said, in a terrified voice, after seeing that huge beast.
While Alice, on the contrary, stares at that beast and lets out,
"It is a...Time hunter?!"