"Oh, it looks like we're being treated to a regular meal," Sandra remarked, glancing at the plates I was carrying.
"We didn't receive the contribution from the village," I mentioned as I carefully set the plates down on the table.
"Don't worry, big brother," Sam reassured, scooping up a spoonful of egg-fried rice.
The five of us gathered around a large table. Sandra occupied the seat across from me, with Sam to her left, followed by Hannah. On my right was Venidith, who insisted on sitting next to me.
Our meal consisted of 10 pieces of chicken and 5 sausages, accompanied by 3 cups of egg-fried rice per person, which was quite satisfying.
Glancing around, I observed everyone at the table. Sam appeared composed, yet her eyes hinted at her concern for Russ and Abigail. Hannah ate quietly, her expression reflecting a sense of seriousness.
Sandra showed no hesitation as she indulged in her meal, expertly handling a drumstick in her left hand and a spoon in her right. Juliette was absent, having already eaten and likely busy in the control room.
Among us, only Venidith remained mischievous by my side. "Aren't you going to eat?" I asked, glancing at her while she indulged in a lollipop and perused a book titled "How to Seduce a Modern Man."
"I'm already full," Venidith replied, closing her book and placing it on the table. She leaned in, a playful smirk on her lips. "Besides, you have something that could satisfy my appetite even more, in more ways than one," she purred, giving me a seductive gaze.
"You never miss a beat, do you?" I sighed, spooning up a mixture of rice and chicken.
"Come on, we're a perfect match," Venidith cooed, tugging at my sleeve. "Want to hear a secret?"
She leaned closer, whispering into my ear, "I'm a virgin, untouched in this body. Only clones have experienced it with others."
I shrugged, nonchalantly continuing my meal. "Doesn't matter to me. Just keep it toned down around Sam, okay?"
"Don't worry, the kids will hear something else," Venidith assured confidently. "I cast a spell that turns sexual topics into innocent ones."
"Why are you two discussing desserts?" Sandra interjected, clearly bewildered.
It appeared that Venidith's spell worked even on minors like Sandra.
"Not much," I replied, scooping up a forkful of rice.
"Indeed, nothing," Venidith concurred, returning to her book and diving back into its pages.
The remainder of the dinner passed in relative silence, punctuated only by the clinking of utensils. Hannah, Juliette, and Venidith shared the room on the right side of mine. Venidith, in her usual dramatic fashion, had managed to persuade Gustav to give in to her requests with fake tears.
Checking the time, it was still around 7 p.m. I decided to head to the armory to retrieve a sword. This time, it was a modified katana—stronger and sharper than Damascus swords. Its sleek black blade was complemented by a silver handle, although it lacked any markings, remaining a sword of scientific origin.
I intended to practice on the mothership's deck. Sam was likely engrossed in movies, while the rest of the group occupied themselves with various tasks.
Climbing up the steps, I pushed open the door, the sound announcing my arrival. To my surprise, I found Hannah standing at the edge of the deck, a gun in her hand—an M4A1, to be exact. She seemed to be targeting a cryptid in the distance, the silenced shots ensuring minimal noise.
Hannah turned her head to look at me, noticing the sword in my hands. "Oh, I got permission from Gustav to practice," she explained.
She observed the sword in my hands, her curiosity evident. "Swordsmanship? Close combat specialist?"
I nodded, closing the distance between us. "Not exactly, more like preparing for worst-case scenarios."
"Gotcha," Hannah replied, her attention shifting as she aimed the gun at a target. With a muffled sound, a bullet was fired, the silencer ensuring minimal noise, and an ejected shell landed on the ground. "I was going to be in the Marines."
I positioned myself beside her, focusing on the target she had been engaging with. It was a ghoul, positioned approximately 650 yards away. Her accuracy was impressive, taking down the creature with a single shot.
"But my boyfriend convinced me to take it easy," Hannah continued, her voice tinged with a hint of regret. She let out a sigh and swallowed, her gaze fixated on the distance. "So, I agreed and ended up as a reservist."
Curious to hear more, I probed, "And what happened next?"
She shifted her gaze towards me, a somber expression on her face. "Came here to practice one last time, thinking that I'd settle down afterward," she recounted, her attention returning to the task at hand. Another shot was fired, another round ejected.
"You know the rest," Hannah said, her voice growing softer, tinged with sadness. "I never saw him again. I'm just glad I brought Sandra with me."
I unsheathed the katana, its blade gleaming in the dim light. Raising it above my head, I executed a practiced swing. "Is there something that's been troubling you?"
Hannah squeezed the trigger again, the sound of the shot punctuating her words as the shell clinked against the ground. "We ended up joining a makeshift group of former Moro Islamic Liberation Front members."
"I got assigned to a daycare, responsible for looking after the children," Hannah continued, her voice carrying a mix of determination and frustration. She paused, her expression thoughtful. "But those Muslim rules... they wouldn't let women fight. I couldn't agree with that."
I continued my sword practice, the moonlight glinting off the sword's dark blade as I swung it from left to right.
Sitting down at the edge of the deck, Hannah set the rifle beside her. Her gaze was distant, lost in memories. "I pushed to be allowed a gun at the very least, and they eventually relented."
Her legs swung freely, her confidence evident as she continued, "Then there's Ismael, a boy from back then and a friend of Sandra."
Hannah chuckled softly, her eyes reflecting a mix of amusement and exasperation. "He used to tell me that girls shouldn't be wielding guns, that they shouldn't fight."
She shifted her gaze towards the horizon, her voice taking on a more reflective tone. "His mother, though, she saw me as brave for being a protector and a teacher. Ismael would always chime in, saying, 'I'll protect both of you.'"
Hannah's voice trembled slightly, the memories taking on a darker shade. "Then that night came – a guard fell victim to a succubus' seduction. He opened the gate, and it turned into a massacre."
Her voice grew even more fragile as she continued, "I fought to protect the children at the daycare, but there were just too many of them. A ghoul lunged at me..."
Hannah's recounting of her past was both haunting and captivating, a glimpse into the trials she had faced.
"I-I didn't have time to react; its claws were ready to tear me apart," Hannah's voice quavered, her words punctuated by the haunting memories. "Then suddenly, someone pushed me."
"I stumbled, turned around..." Hannah's voice wavered, recounting the intense moment. "It was Ismael... Before I could even process it."
Tears formed in her eyes as she continued, her voice breaking, "The ghoul struck him with its claws, blood staining everything. A guard managed to pull me away."
"I tried to help, but he told me there was nothing we could do," Hannah sobbed, her tears falling freely. "I watched as ghouls overwhelmed him."
"The sounds... bones crunching, flesh tearing..." Hannah's voice broke, her sobs intensifying. "He didn't even scream as they tore him apart."
I continued my sword practice, the rhythmic motion somehow grounding in the face of such a heart-wrenching tale.
"He's a strong boy, you know," I interjected, my voice steady. "He wouldn't want to see you crying like this."
Sniffling, Hannah nodded, determination shining through her tears. "You're right. Tomorrow, we'll get them back," she declared, pushing herself to her feet amidst the waves of emotion. "This time, I won't fail, even if it means costing me an arm and a leg."