I calmed down a bit.
Seeing that I didn't speak, he picked up the notebook again, with three words written on it: Are you hungry?
I looked at him, "Can you talk to me directly?" I was startled; my voice had returned. It was a girl's voice, no longer the hoarse voice that sounded like a chemically burnt old duck. This made me feel much better. I wanted to face Edmund Myers like this so that I could see his eyes when he spoke.
He hesitated slightly, but then started calculating again. Afterward, he lifted the notebook to show me: I'm sorry.
Huh? I was stunned again; he seemed quite shy.
He took back the notebook again, flipped a page with a "whoosh," wrote swiftly without looking at the notebook, then lifted it to show me once more: I get nervous talking to girls, but Princess and Captain Celeste Hughes insisted I come. They said I look more delicate, perhaps making you less scared. Do I... look delicate?
I looked at his profile; he had a small face, and his silver hair slightly obscured his side profile. I could see his not-so-prominent nose, but his eyelashes were long, fluttering frequently as he blinked. He appeared somewhat androgynous. In my dad's words, he must be neither distinctly male nor female.
He also had a somewhat slender body, giving the initial impression of fragility. When a creature sees something weaker than itself, it feels safe, and humans are the same. When we see a muscular and robust person, we tend to be on guard, while seeing a cute child doesn't invoke the same wariness.
However, the world taught me a lesson yesterday: children are not necessarily weak.
I still didn't say anything, and he took back the notebook again, continued writing, appearing somewhat annoyed. Then, lifting the notebook, it read: I'm not weak at all! I'm a strong guy!
"Pfft!" I couldn't help but laugh. It felt like a child getting mad when someone called them small.
He didn't ramble on anymore and sneakily glanced at me with a slightly turned face. I immediately put away my smile to look at him. He quickly turned his face back and stared ahead, calculating again, with the pen in his hand not stopping.
[May I ask what your name is?]
"Yvette Washington."
[Can we talk? After all, you're from Silvermoon City, and we want to understand the situation.]
I fell silent, but I could understand. From Edmond's actions toward me last night, people in this world are very cautious about strangers. And because I was found in the escape pod from Silvermoon City, they might think I'm associated with it. This identity was better than being a stranger or a suspicious person.[If you don't want to talk about it, it's okay.] He quickly raised the notebook again.
I looked at him, "I was picked up by people from Silvermoon City, but they threw me out again."
"Why?!" He added an exclamation mark.
"Because... I'm neither an ability holder nor a girl. By the way, they didn't realize I was a girl at that time."
Edmund Myers put away the notebook without writing anything else, as if the half of his brain that was conversing with me had fallen into silence.
"Where is this? I have amnesia; I don't remember where I came from or my home." I had to bring up the amnesia excuse again.
Suddenly, he paused and turned to look at me. I also saw a face that was truly androgynous, like a perfect mix of Eastern and Western features.
He had a pair of beautiful double eyelids, large eyes with silver and gray-blue irises, a color I had never seen before except in colored contacts. Deep-set eye sockets made his eyes appear exceptionally profound, shining with a wisdom like the vast universe. A rare, well-shaped nose that would suit a girl, now belonged to him, and he had cherry-like lips with vibrant colors, even carrying a pearl-like sheen.
His princess and Captain Celeste were right; he looked delicate, a face that would make anyone not feel defensive, and perhaps even evoke a desire to protect him.
A boy who looked like he needed protection, whether it was a pity for him or a blessing for us girls, remained unknown.
He glanced at me, panicked, and turned his face back, looking a bit at a loss. Even the ears peeking out from under his gray-blue hair had turned red. What he said was true; he got shy talking to girls. Some expressions couldn't be disguised because they were immediate reactions.
He hastily picked up the notebook and wrote on it in a hurry, looking flustered: This is Noah City; you're safe here, and we will protect you.
As I read the last three words, my emotions started to become complicated. I felt moved, but there were too many questions in my mind. What happened to this world? What are ability holders? What about radiators? However, I dared not ask. I was afraid that asking too much would reveal that I came from another world. I didn't know how they would perceive this, and if it could put me in danger.
I hugged myself, looked to the side, and found a question I could ask, "What kind of monster is this?"
He picked up the notebook: This is the Flying Corpse Monster, evolved from human mutations, and has strong offensive abilities! She should be the third generation."What? They used to be humans!" I exclaimed, reaching out to touch the claw that protected me. Their ancestors were once humans, humans! What terrifying force changed their appearance, even... enhanced their bestial nature, stripping away their humanity. She couldn't speak anymore. Perhaps because her ancestors were human, she could understand what I wanted to say. Perhaps she could understand a bit.
I touched her warm claw that could penetrate the escape pod, but at this moment, she didn't attack or harm me. Instead, she continued to stare at Edmund Myers.She was protecting me.
Doesn't this prove that they were once humans? In their hearts, there still exists a bit of humanity, and that's why she is protecting me.
My heart ached. I thought I was already miserable enough, mysteriously dropped into another world, unable to return home. But at least I was still a human. They... were no longer human. She, the Flying Corpse Monsters, had it worse than me.
Even she, putting in so much effort to survive, what reason did I have to pity myself and complain about sorrow? I should strive to survive stronger than her in this unfamiliar world.
Edmund Myers glanced at me sneakily, his gray-blue eyes full of wonder. He quickly wrote on the notebook again.
"Can you communicate with her?" Surprisingly, he spoke, his voice delicate like sand.
He didn't seem nervous anymore, as if something had caught his intense attention. I saw him writing complex equations on the notebook, apparently focusing on the communication between me and the Flying Corpse, while the other half of his brain continued the previous intricate calculations.
I looked at him, then raised my face to look at the Flying Corpse Monster protecting me. "I think... it's probably because we have some resonance." I stood up in her embrace, turned around, and she still didn't look at me, as if blind. I hugged her, whispered in her soft chest, "Thank you, I'm safe now. I'll let you go; I'll let you go home. At least you have a home to return to."
She still stared in the direction of Edmund Myers but moved her claw that protected me away. I stepped out from between her legs and walked to her back, where I saw the chain that held her locked. I went to unlock it.
"What are you doing?!" Immediately came Edmund Myers' nervous exclamation. Suddenly, the Flying Corpse Monster stood up abruptly, bringing the "clang" sound of the chain, as if Edmund Myers' shout made her nervous, putting her on high alert. Her long arms propped on the ground, sharp claws began to open, and she snarled menacingly at Edmund Myers, revealing particularly sharp teeth.
I crouched behind her, using my hands to undo the buckle on the chain. "I'm letting her go!"