Fotia caught him off guard.
Noir wasn't sure if she noticed his little reaction, but he had his expression under control immediately. He hoped she wasn't that keen.
But her knowing-look face betrayed it all.
How did she know about his disguise?
Could it be because of her Resonance?
No. Fotia utilized a fire arrow without an item or Curio, which meant that her Resonance was related to controlling magic or a specific element like Noir's [Stormbringer].
If not that, then what? Another divination or time travel like Astor's presumably Resonance?
It was unlikely.
According to the Sovereign, abilities like turning back time, seeing into the future, or knowing everything was one-of-a-kind, meaning it'd be impossible for two individuals to possess the same powers and their variations.
For example, If Astor was the possessor of either divination or time manipulation ability that allowed him to glimpse into the future or turn back time, then Fotia couldn't have the same Resonance and its variations as him.
What does it mean by variation?
Let's say there is someone with the ability to manipulate time regardless of whether they can reverse time, like time travel or regression. Then, no one else will have the same ability--for example, time stop.
Simply, being a one-of-a-kind means that no one can have what you have until you stop being the owner. In other words, died.
It doesn't also mean that an overpowered Resonance is a one-of-a-kind. In this case, it's the ability that can be passed down to the next generation, like most of the children of a clan.
Argent Silverstar and her clan would be the best example.
The Silverstar clan founder's Resonance isn't a one-of-a-kind despite its superior and overpowered arts. That's why the pure-blooded Silverstar like Argent can receive a variation of her great grandfather's Resonance.
'My best guess is that she has either fire manipulation or something that allows her see through a disguise or anything similar to the hidden feature of my mask.'
Regardless of what Resonance Fotia possessed, Noir remained dauntless.
"I didn't know you have hearing problems. I'm sorry," Noir said, maintaining his face. Clearing his throat, Noir raised his voice in the following sentence, "Let me reintroduce. I'm Xue Yu. And your guess is correct. My name means Snowy Rain because I was born in winter when the snow began to fall."
Shaking Fotia's hand, Noir smiled as if he was triumphant.
"Nice to meet you too, Fotia Ustrina."
Fotia blinked a few times, looking back and forth at the hand that firmly held hers and the masked person's face.
After a moment, she chuckled. But it gradually turned to a hearty laugh.
She seemed like someone who finally laughed again after a long time. Tears, out of joy and humorous moments, streamed from her eyes.
Noir could only raise an eyebrow at her strange demeanor.
His initial impression of his senior, who was a serious person, was immediately questioned when witnessing the person in front of him.
Wiping the tears with her left finger, Fotia said:
"That's right! It's so like you..."
She broke the handshake, pulling her hand back and shoving it into her jacket pocket.
Letting out a breath, Fotia smiled.
"Alright, Noir. Let's put aside the useless thing."
Noir sighed.
'She called me Noir again...'
Turning around, Fotia picked up the bag that had been behind her.
Seeing Fotia wanted to pass the bag to him, Noir looked at it suspiciously. Various thoughts and simulations ran inside his head.
What's in the bag? Does she want me to have it? What's her purpose? What will happen if I accept it? Will something happen to me when I see what's in it?
"Take it. There are over 300 green orbs inside."
No matter how hard he thought, Noir couldn't understand Fotia's intention of giving him a bag filled with green orbs, which probably was everything she collected from the mushroom hunting.
"Why are you giving me this?"
Fotia's eyebrow arched as if telling him why he would ask an obvious question.
"Don't you wish to get stronger early?"
Noir giggled insidely in glee.
'Of course! That's why I'm here, opting to break the quota rule even!'
But his facial expression said otherwise.
Noir judged Fotia's expression. Her smile right now seemed genuine, but her demeanor earlier made him think twice.
After a while, Noir came up with a counter-argument.
"Don't we all?"
Fotia smirked. A moment later, she pouted and pulled the bag back to her embrace.
"If you don't want it, then don't."
Although a wrinkle formed on Noir's forehead, he couldn't help but let the chance go. It was not his in the first place.
"Then..."
Just as he opened his mouth, Fotia threw a solid essence accurately into the opening, making Noir choke and forcing him to swallow whatever was flying into his throat.
"Cough! Cough! What the--?!"
Fotia lunged at him with a wide grin on her face. She held as many orbs as she could in her hand.
"Don't be a donkey. Just eat what I'm gonna feed you!"
"You're crazy!!"
Noir tried to run away from Fotia. Although he looked like he was about to slip from her grasp, in the end, Fotia caught him.
She sat on top of Noir, pressing him with her weight.
Despite her frail and delicate physique, her strength was actually equal to an elephant or maybe two.
With wide, obsessive-psycho eyes, Fotia held several orbs--both soft and solid essences--in her hands.
"You'll be stronger in no time after eating these."
The common method to absorb an essence was to crush it by strength.
But what if a person didn't have strength or was too sick to be able to crush the orb? Or what if someone wanted to give the essence to their unconscious friends?
It's simple.
Just eat or feed them the essences.
"Stop, you psycho-- burgh?!"
Fotia gagged Noir's mouth with the essences.
Noir, who didn't want to die a foolish death, had no choice but to keep swallowing the 'food' the crazy girl fed him.
He was suffering from success.
As Fotia fed Noir the essences, she did it while throwing a barrage of words... and confessions.
"Do you know how tired I was to collect these for you to eat?!"
'I didn't even ask for it!'
"Do you know how long I wanted to do this for you?!"
'It's not even that long since we met!'
Her voice gradually intensified as she kept saying something Noir didn't understand.
"Do you know how worried I was every time you did reckless things?!"
'Why would you?!'
Then, she finally exploded as she gave Noir the last batch of essences.
"Do you even know how I felt when you died for me?! You fvcking fox!!!"
'Huh?'
Something wet splashed against Noir's cheek. It was a tear.
Fotia went quiet for a while. Then, she began sobbing. Slowly, she bent her body, curling up as her tears dripped on Noir's neck.
"So... please don't die... at least not right before my eyes... get stronger, Noir..."