This time I didn't think it was worth answering.
Instead, I chose to kiss him again.
I can't say how long that kiss lasted, but those few moments were my favourite in a long time.
However, a strange feeling could not help but appear, as if to signal a bad omen. For no reason, I've always been good at knowing when a situation is going to go wrong. And it's that same feeling that has just appeared.
Unfortunately, I am unable to say when this bad omen will happen, or in what context. But considering the atmosphere that reigns at the moment, I have every reason to believe that it will have something to do with Alia in the more or less near future.
But anyway, enough of superstition and love. We had to start looking again, as the end of the afternoon was fast approaching.
Fortunately, it was not yet 5pm, but considering the number of people walking around and the number of streets that are connected to this square, it would take us well over 2 hours to walk around it. And if we also have to look at every person we meet, the search time can easily exceed 12 hours. Unfortunately, we don't have 12 hours to spare. Because the day after tomorrow we should have found them both.
It may sound strange, but the whole monologue appeared in my head in less than two seconds and what pulled me out of my thoughts was Alia's smile looking at me.
"Well?" She asked me while tucking a strand of hair behind her ears.
"It was magical. It's the first time I've ever kissed someone but I think I love it.
"It's a first for me too and I have to say I really enjoyed it too."
"I'm glad you liked it a lot. But unfortunately, we have to hurry to find them before it's too late.
"Oh yes, of course, that's why I followed you, so it's quite normal.
"Phew, it makes me feel better that you're not taking it the wrong way."
"I agree to follow you, but there is one condition."
Strangely, I think I already know what to expect.
"Yes, go ahead, I'm listening."
"I only agree to follow you if, once we find your sister and your mother, you agree to kiss me again."
Bingo, not only was I expecting this answer, but I must say that I wanted her to answer this.
A dilemma where I am 100% winning.
Because even if, unfortunately, we don't manage to find my mother and sister until the day after tomorrow, I could use it as an apology to Alia, who would comfort me, and what follows afterwards seems obvious.
It was while I was saying this thought in my head that I realised how inappropriate and strange it was. No normal person would have had this kind of thought. At least, that's what I think.
"Okay, I accept your condition.
With those words, we went back to looking for Nomiko and my mother.
[ 06/07/499 19 h 30 ]
Three hours have passed and we have heard nothing from the other groups and we ourselves have found nothing.
After going round all the streets at least twice.
We were starting to feel the fatigue setting in.
So we decided to go and buy some drinks in a bar.
Fortunately, this bar was absolutely normal.
No one spoke to us and no fights appeared.
It felt good to be able to have a drink, without being afraid of being hit at the slightest wrong word.
[ 06/07/499 20 h 30 ]
The sun was starting to come out, so Alia and I decided to go back to the hotel to see if any other group had heard anything or not.
Frankly, I'd be surprised if any other group was more successful than us, knowing that there are still two days to go before the deadline, it's highly unlikely that they've arrived in Dorta yet.
Even tomorrow they are unlikely to be there.
My guess is that they will arrive on the 08th, in the morning or early afternoon.
[ 06/07/499 20 h 50 ]
It took us another twenty minutes to get to the hotel where my father was waiting for us, leaning against a pole.
"So, nothing new? He asked us without much conviction.
"I think you already know the answer, don't you?
"Yes, well, it doesn't shock me that much. I knew we had little chance of finding them today. Normally they should arrive tomorrow afternoon or the day after.
Apparently I wasn't the only one who had this kind of reasoning.
"Yes, that's what we thought too.
"Yes, don't worry, we'll find them before the 08 at 5pm." Said Alia while looking at my father with a big smile.
"Eheheh, yes I'm not worried about that, we'll find them both without any problem. He replied with a laugh, and then left for the room where we were all to meet.
"Apparently we were supposed to be the last ones. I announced to Alia.
"Yes, considering the time, I'm not surprised. She replied, following in my father's footsteps.
"Wait two seconds please."
I had barely finished my sentence when she had already turned around.
"Yes?"
"Can we pretend nothing happened when we're in front of the others? I wish they would stay out of our lives and concentrate on the research.
"No problem, don't worry about it. I wasn't going to say anything from the start, since I knew you were going to tell me to keep it a secret."
"Do I really have such a simplistic way of thinking?"
"No, not really. Only, given the context, I was sure you were going to say that."
"I'm not sure how I should take it. Anyway, thank you."
"Hihi, that's normal, but try to take it well, it was a compliment."
And she left without saying another word, leaving me alone in that hotel lobby.
It was only when I looked at how small I was compared to this luxurious room that I realised that on the scale of Tarria I represented absolutely nothing. If my little person were to disappear, the course of this war would not be changed at all.
Just like Haku and Sayori, the guy from the bar or Doz. Their deaths had absolutely no impact on the course of the war.
I'm not sure why I thought of this, but this thought made me think that my current power was far too weak to hope to survive more than two weeks during this war.
That's why, the training I would go through after finding my mother and Nomiko would be of such intensity, that, if I survive this hell I would impose on myself, I would have to fight alone without using these rules that have helped me since my first fight.
Well, I may say that now, but I'm not yet totally sure of the content of my training, so I might as well avoid imagining what I could do if I want to keep a maximum of willpower to get there.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn't realise that it had been several minutes since Alia had returned to the room.
I decided to join them and went to the room to find out if they had heard from my mother and Nomiko or not.