The taste of seafood was a bit too light.
Phrolova didn't particularly care for such flavors.
This body now had long lost the tangible sensation of being human. If even taste couldn't bring some vivid fluctuation, what difference was there from slumbering in nothingness?
The restaurant was noisy, filled with constant chatter and laughter.
Only she sat quietly in the corner, like a forgotten shadow.
Phrolova didn't dislike lively places; one could even say,
There wasn't anything she particularly despised.
Because she had lived too long, she had gradually lost both anticipation and dissatisfaction with this world.
Whether it was clamor or dead silence made no difference to her.
"Phrolova?"
Alright.
Truthfully, she wasn't entirely indifferent to this world either.
Beneath those deeply buried memories and secrets, there was still someone... special to her.
And that "specialness" had silently fermented over the long passage of time, to the point where its original form was now indistinguishable.
Was it love?
Or hatred?
Perhaps even she herself couldn't provide an answer.
Hearing that familiar voice, Phrolova slowly raised her eyes to look at the young man who had somehow appeared beside her.
A moment later, she frowned.
'Why is he here?
Could it be... for the Dark Tide too?'
"What a coincidence, you're at the Riccioli Islands too." Ray looked at the girl before him with some surprise.
Amidst the noisy environment of the restaurant, he had spotted this red spider lily wandering outside the world almost at a glance.
Phoebe, holding her staff, leaned against him somewhat nervously.
It wasn't because of Phrolova, but because of the gazes from those around, a priest from the Order always seemed particularly out of place in this gathering of sea folk.
Fortunately, apart from some whispers and stares, no one actually came forward to cause trouble.
After all, Phoebe was the only priest here.
No matter what the local residents thought of the Order, they wouldn't go out of their way to target a girl like her.
Phrolova continued to look at him indifferently, not offering any response.
She was waiting.
This aloof attitude was something Ray was nearly accustomed to.
Perhaps wounded too deeply in the past, the current Phrolova wasn't easily trusting of others.
Or perhaps, aside from herself, she simply couldn't bring herself to trust anyone else.
"Then... how about sharing a table?" Ray suggested. "This meal's on me."
Phrolova picked up her water glass and took a light sip.
No agreement, no refusal just quietly watching him as before.
"I'll take that as a yes?"
Ray sat down accordingly. Phoebe, slightly taken aback, followed suit and sat beside him, offering a somewhat shy, soft greeting to Phrolova: "H-hello, my name is Phoebe, I'm an acolyte of the Order of the Deep..."
Hearing her, Phrolova turned toward her and gave a slight nod, then her gaze returned to Ray's face, never having left it the entire time.
Even Ray felt a bit uncomfortable under her stare.
"Um... Miss Phrolova, you keep staring at me. Is there something you want to say?"
This time, Phrolova didn't remain silent.
A light curve touched the corner of her lips. She folded her arms across her chest, her tone distant and meaningful.
"I was merely curious... why it is that you, who chose to start anew even at the cost of everything, still step into similar whirlpools time and again, willingly or otherwise."
"Has this kind of 'obsession' already been etched into your very soul?"
".....I really don't understand what the heck you're talking about."
Ray let out a helpless, long sigh.
He was just about getting used to Phrolova's roundabout, riddle-like way of speaking.
Though, he never really understood it anyway.
"I originally came to the Riccioli Islands for a proper vacation. But unexpectedly..." Ray said, his gaze shifting to the golden-haired girl beside him. "I ran into Phoebe. She's here to investigate the reason behind the Tidebreaker Whale's abnormal frenzy. Since I happened upon it, I couldn't just stand by, right? So I decided to help her."
"Oh? Such admirable heroic behavior." Phrolova lightly covered the corner of her mouth with her hand, her eyes swirling with an ambiguous, half-smiling light. "It truly fits your consistent style. Always forming bonds with one new acquaintance after another, giving them promises and hope... and then, at the most critical moment, quietly vanishing. Quite the heartless fellow, aren't you?"
"..."
Ray opened his mouth, but the words died on his lips.
'Great, Phrolova's symptoms have worsened again.
She's really thoroughly convinced I'm that person.'
"Alright, alright, have it your way. If you say so, then so be it."
Helplessly, he picked up the menu, trying to change the subject.
Ray knew in his heart that Phrolova was too deeply immersed in the past, so much so that every time they met, she was gazing at another person through him.
It wasn't that he hadn't thought about pulling her out of those painful memories.
It's just that he still didn't know exactly how to do it.
Perhaps the only thing he could do now... was to continue staying by her side, gradually deepening the connection between them.
"Alright, I've had enough to eat. Then, you two, until next time."
With that, Phrolova stood up, didn't linger, and walked straight out of the restaurant.
Phoebe watched her figure disappear through the doorway before softly asking Ray, "Mr. Ray, between you and Miss Phrolova... did something happen? The atmosphere between you two always feels a bit... delicate."
"It's a long story." Ray sighed, pushing the menu toward her. "She just... hasn't been able to move on from certain things in the past. Let's not dwell on that for now, Phoebe. See if there's anything you'd like to eat?"
"Hasn't been able to move on from the past...?" Phoebe took the menu, softly repeating the phrase, then suddenly widened her eyes as if struck by a thought. "Could it be... she's your ex-girlfriend?"
"What nonsense are you thinking?" Ray couldn't help but laugh. "Of course not. It's just that I resemble someone she knows, so she sometimes... projects her emotions onto me."
"Huh? Really?" Phoebe blinked in disbelief.
"Of course. Do I look like the kind of person who abandons others after playing with their feelings?" Ray spread his hands and shrugged, maintaining a relaxed demeanor. "Hurry up and order something. We still need to find a place to stay."
"Mm, okay!"
...
...
After dinner, Ray took Phoebe around the island looking for accommodation.
Whether it was because Riccioli Harbor had too many tourists lately or because the islanders held prejudices against those from the Order, after asking several inns in a row, they were all politely turned away with excuses like "fully booked."
Just as they were almost about to give up, finally, one inn said they had a room available, only...
"Terribly sorry, you two."
The innkeeper offered an apologetic smile.
"There's only one room left in the inn now. Are you... okay with that?"
.
.
.
.
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