It was a beautiful morning. I couldn't hear any proper wildlife outside, but that was fine. Nobody expected animals in this day and age, anyways.
We were still stuck inside of a dark boxing gym, so we couldn't really appreciate the morning...but that wouldn't be for too much longer.
"This is more than enough time spent training. We have to get moving to the North, starting today. So let's pack up and get moving."
I stood in front of Alyssa and Jay, now having officially passed a full week of training together in the mysterious art of meditation.
Alyssa's eyes had heavy bags under them. I could see exhaustion and irritation there, in equal numbers.
She had been doing even more meditation training to try and make up for her deficiency, but it just wasn't going right for her.
Jay, meanwhile, looked just a little more lively than usual. Their eyes were still like those of a dead person, but their moonlight pale skin showed some life for once.
"Very well." Jay clasped their hands together eagerly. They were as ready to move as I was - likely due to the fact that learning to channel the Inner Energy efficiently while moving was the next step of our training.
"Who died and made you the boss?"
Alyssa growled, but there wasn't any real kick behind it. She, on the other hand, was dissatisfied with everything.
"Well, I am called 'Manager' for a reason, you know?"
I played it off with a coy smile. Alyssa just huffed and turned her head to the side.
"Whatever, I'm going to go and grab my stuff. Jay, come help me."
Alyssa walked off without much fanfare. I looked at her back, then towards Jay, who just shook their head in silent confusion.
"Yes, Saintess!" They spoke happily as they dashed to keep up with her brusque pace.
Watching the two go, I couldn't help but note Alyssa's unusual demeanor.
To be fair, it wasn't entirely out of the ordinary. She had been acting like this over the past few days of our meditation. Especially after Jay and I took our first steps into the domain of Inner Energy usage.
'It must be that...'
The 'idea of God'. It was the only thing that affected Alyssa so negatively.
...
'Man, I need this regression to go well. I don't plan on going back for a long time...'
-----
[Jay]
"Damn it, damn it, damn it..."
I watched from behind as Alyssa stuffed things into her bag. The frustration in her every movement was palpable. She was never a gentle person, but the roughness she had was unnecessary.
Of course, I stood diligently behind her, continually handing her things to violently stuff in, but that was just my natural duty.
'Still, I can't help but be concerned.'
Both the Manager and I had considered the 'idea of God'...but that alone should have already been handled. Thanks to her having early access to cigarettes, the Material-infused cigarettes weren't even needed, yet.
Of course, I did wonder how the Manager knew this information ahead of me, but that man was naturally mysterious...when it comes to Her Holiness's well being, however, I know that I can trust him.
'The fact that he didn't kill me immediately was enough to understand that. Despite that look in his eyes, a look that immediately saw through my true self, even deeper than the Saintess...'
I shuddered just remembering how I felt when I first met him. While he was completely casual about it...I saw in that man something monstrous. And it was only growing...
That someone like that cared enough about the Saintess to permit my existence was proof enough of their intentions.
But that was not important right now. What was, was helping her Holiness sort whatever was going through her mind.
Alyssa paused in place while waiting for me to hand her her next items. Then she realized that she hadn't received them, and turned around to glare at me.
"What's the big deal? Why are you slowing down suddenly? You know we gotta get our asses moving while it's still early in the morning, right?"
I nodded, but still held the rest of her luggage close to my chest.
"Of course, I'm well aware, Saintess, but..." I stared at her. For the first time, I felt a true sadness while observing Her Holiness. "I believe there's something more important than mindlessly packing right now."
There was silence. the Saintess's eyes widened, as she took in my out-of-character words.
"Mindlessly packing...?" She slowly stood up like a snake, her crimson eyes holding that beautiful sense of danger that I usually loved to see directed elsewhere - now focused entirely on me.
"Yes, that's right." I didn't back down despite it all. Naturally, even with the discovery of 'Inner Energy', either her or the Manager could easily crush me. And I would not resist. But this had to be said. "You can't continue this behaviour, your Holiness. You're self-destructing. You're going to hurt yourself before you can even achieve anything-"
"SHUT THE HELL UP!!!"
The Saintess, no, Alyssa, didn't hold back when she spat out her venom. Somehow, it didn't sound like she was just talking to me, but to someone - or more specifically, something else.
I had a good idea of what.
But I didn't interrupt, as undoubtedly, years of held back rage came from her lips.
"You don't know anything about me, you piece of shit. You pretend to follow me around like a worm, attend to me without even saying anything, and now you act like you know what I'm feeling?! You don't even use my real name!!!" She spat, her eyes glinting with something close to madness.
"I knew your eyes looked rotten from the first time I saw you. But I trust the Manager. His eyes are weird...but I know I can." She grit her teeth, reaching for her guns. "But now you're here, trying to talk high and mighty to me, while you still BARELY know me!!!"
The silence that filled the room was even deeper than before. Alyssa's hands twitched, still hovering close by her guns. I simply stared back at her, watching her regain her breathing after the outburst.
"...shall I tell you the story of why you're so important to me...Alyssa?"
Alyssa was taken off-guard by my sudden change in address. Enough that her hands faltered, and so did her intense gaze.
There was no more of a reason for me to hide it. Not if it meant that the person who had granted me so much strength would fall apart like this.
"I'm sure you remember them. The 'group' that you were raised with as a child. The religion that you were forced into by the simple mistake of birth."
As if her previous expression wasn't enough, I could see a nervous sweat on her body beginning to form. She shook her head, disbelief clear in her crimson eyes.
"H-How the hell do you know about all of that?"
I smiled.
"I know. You haven't told anyone. Not even the Manager, I suppose...but that's fine. I didn't need you to tell me. Because I knew. I was, like you...a victim of that same religion."