- Wonder -

Altaira massaged his temple.

The man ended up with Raisin and Estrella who will always argue and debate with each other whenever they meet and no matter where they were or what circumstances they were in. And right now, they were still arguing like a pair of old married couple.

Why they were bickering? They were bickering because they can't accept the truth that the two of them ending up in the same team. Raisin who was always cool would always lose his temper because of Estrella's words and the same thing goes with Estrella.

'Maybe I should have leave these two alone. It's not like anyone could kill them anyway' Altaira silently thought as he walked first, followed by the pair of red heads walking behind him. 'I wonder who Charlotte and Celeste get as teammates. Well, considering Charlotte's luck, she will get someone worse than mine right?'

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

Rak was very irritated for two reasons. First, it was because he ended up with a regular in pink who was floating on shinsu with the help of her pink colored pillow. She was sleeping on her pillow while following them. Second, it was because they had low amount of Dallars. He, Celeste and the regular who was probably dead since she didn't respond to them got only one Dallar each. If you counted all of it, they got only three Dallars.

Celeste did not complain. Even if she was going to complain, she was lost in words. She just sighed and then walked away, followed by Rak who was trying to unlock all the locked doors when their Dallars weren't enough.

"Damn it, which stupid turtle locks all the doors?" Rak asked in irritation. "I'm going to kill him!"

'These doors that were locked seemed to be leading us to a path' Celeste silently thought as she made a gesture of thinking. 'But who could be leading us? Enemies? Or allies?'

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

"This pipe is cleaner than what I thought" Noah said as he walked next to Charlotte.

Unlike the teammates whom Altaira and Celeste got, Charlotte's teammate was a quiet person. He didn't complain, didn't bicker, didn't yell or shout. When the two of them thought that she will probably get the worst team because of her luck, she probably got one of the bests.

"Those FUG won't let you meet with Khun or Bam easily" Noah said to Charlotte. "They probably teleport us far from them."

"I know" Charlotte responded. "But I'm still thinking about looking for them."

"They will be fine" Noah assured her. "And besides, do you even know the route?"

Charlotte did not respond when she heard that question.

"Let me change the question" Noah said again after a few moments Charlotte didn't answer. "Do you even know where we are heading to?"

"Well.....that's......"

"For your information, we have been walking around in circles for three times" Noah said to Charlotte.

"Really? We've walked in circles?" Charlotte was really surprised. "Then why don't you tell me earlier?"

Noah shrugged off, "I just thought that you know the route."

"You know how bad I am with directions right?" Charlotte asked him.

"Well, it's not like I know the way either" Noah said. "Let's just sit here and wait for the game ends. Save our time thinking how to escape from this maze."

"Nope" Charlotte disagreed. "I can't just stay here and let Rachel chase Khun or Hoaqin chasing brother. We're in a disadvantageous situation because of we should be protecting the Sweet Fish and that we're split into small groups. We should be looking for them as soon as possible."

"Didn't you say it by yourself, that your brother and Khun will be safe and sound?" Noah asked her. "You actually don't have to be worried of anything, right?"

"Even though that I know the outcome of this silly, time-wasting selection, I still can't help but to be worried of their safeties. You know me, I disliked seeing my friends get hurt" Charlotte said to Noah.

"Bam isn't even your biological brother."

"He is now my brother...even though he will chop me into pieces after he knows my real identity."

Noah, "..........."

Noah who used to be a ghost haunting the companion knew some things that Charlotte probably didn't know. If there was one thing that he knew about Bam, then Noah knew that Bam had long knew that his younger sister turned out to be someone else, except that he didn't know who her name really was.

The stingy Altaira purposely did not tell them Charlotte's real name for his own amusement. And if they wanted to know who her name really was, then they would have expose her first. But both of the sides were afraid to expose each other and pretended that they had no clue about what was going on. Noah who watched that felt kind of frustrated before he found it tiring and decided to ignore it.

"You are kind of different from your brother" Noah added again. "He's aware that he's just an extra....and doesn't do anything to change the story line that has been set. He knows that even if he does not help, things will still go smooth.

Charlotte, you aren't a fool. You are aware that you could have just sit down and watch like what Altaira does, being a freeloader and no one will blame you for it. But you just have to risk your life and meddle with things, with these....dangerous stuffs for nothing.

And at the end, you are the one who has been suffering, pondering and thinking whether your decisions are right or wrong, wondering whether you should be rational and spare your enemies based on the knowledge you had.....or be emotional and changed everything. The knowledge that you had, the so-called ability to read the future that you possess, perhaps the others don't notice it but I notice it clearly more than anyone.

. A key and in the same time, chain that restrained you from doing what you desired for.

Tell me, why do you have to suffer this far? Why do you have to do this much when you know that things will be alright and fine?

Charlotte looked surprised at first when she heard Noah saying those words and asked her those questions.

"What is the reason behind your selflessness? Why would you suffer for someone who doesn't need your help, someone who will be safe and sound regardless of any danger? Why do you have to go this far, Charlotte?"

Charlotte, "..............."

He had wanted to ask her these questions for quite some time, but he had never once asked it to her. Right now, he had gathered the courage to ask her these questions. He wanted to know and understand her reasons before helping her further, for he not understand the reason behind her actions.

He wished for a real answer, a honest one.

"You know....I'm quite surprised that you will ask me these questions....telling me this kind of speech...." Charlotte earnestly said towards Noah. "You've never curious about these before "

"......Believe it or not, there are some people wondering the same thing. Your brother is also curious right? But you have never give him the proper answer."

"If you want an answer from me, then I might as well ask you something first" Charlotte said to Noah with a confident smile.

"Both of the same right?"

Charlotte shook her head, "If you want the honest one, then I will give you a honest answer. But if you want the answer, I will give the answer that you want to hear."

"Honest one then" Noah quickly responded without hesitation. "Both of them seem to be the same for me actually."

"Well, it's up to you how you interpret it" Charlotte said. "But since you seek for the honest answer, might as well answer it to you. But after this, you have to fulfill one of my request. Is that fair?"

Noah thought that whatever request Charlotte possibly had, it won't be something serious. Without thinking further, he agreed without any hesitation. This made Charlotte smile even wider.

"Men always keep his words" she said. "You can't eat your words back after you promised to me!"

"I won't. In fact, if you don't give me the answer for my questions, then I find it hard working together with you in the future" said Noah. "Because I understand your actions."

"We've been together for so long. How could you possibly not know about the answer?" Charlotte asked while sighing.

"Well...first thing first, of course I'm different from my brother. Brother Altaira rarely does something that he finds unnecessary, while I...I'm different. You said that I'm not actually a fool, but actually I am a fool, for I know that he will be fine without my help yet I still insisted to help him no matter what.

To be honest....I.....am surprised that you could see it through. How do you know that this ability....this knowledge is both blessing and curse for me? Like a two-eyed blade?"

"You said it by yourself, that I have accompanied you for some time" Noah replied. "Even though I'm not as sharp as some of your friends, I'm not dumb."

"I admit that you aren't dumb" Charlotte sincerely said. She paused for several moments, recalling about Noah's questions before she added again, ".....You asked me why I wanted to save someone who will be safe and sound regardless any danger....actually, it is a good question.

Perhaps it's because I'm also one of the people blinded by his light. We all know that he is like a sun right? He blinds everyone with his light and warmness. I want to do at least something to make him happy, to make him smile a little. You need to know, Noah, that this isn't just a story for me any longer. , and he is now . I'm to be with him regardless all happy or sad moments and ......leave him alone out of my personal greed.

I personally don't think that I'm that selfless actually. You really flattered me. There are lots of nicer people who are even more selfless than me and there are also the times where I could be more selfish than anyone. I just think that I should do something for him, even when my life is on the line. I guess."

She was unsure whether she had the right to call herself as a friend since she believed that Bam didn't really know who she really was.

"You asked me why I have always behaved childish, playful and ignorant right? Well, that's because I don't want to be an adult yet" Charlotte responded. "Being an adult is extremely boring and I don't think I could be one of them. I know that there is no way I won't stop growing mentally and physically....but I still want to be the childish and adorable child who doesn't know that she is actually betting her own life by going this far.

Do my answer satisfy you, Noah?"

Noah did not answer.

'I should have known it better than anyone' Noah silently thought while looking at Charlotte who appeared to be confused since Noah said nothing. 'That this girl isn't really loved.'

He remembered that this young girl, Charlotte, she wasn't that loved. Her parents who gave birth to her behaved as if they were strangers and after everything she went through in her first life and her second life, it was not surprising that she could care for someone who could be giving her what she actually desired.

"Noah" Charlotte waved her hand in front of him. "What's wrong with you? Could it be that you are touched with my words....and decided to swear your loyalty to me?"

Noah slapped her hand away lightly, "You read too much novels. Don't speak nonsense and let's go and hurry up."

"Eh, you can't go yet!" Charlotte stopped him. "Do you remember what you promised me? You said that you'll grant whatever I want. You aren't going to take back your words right?"

"Of course not" he answered. "What do you want?"

Charlotte's smile grew wider.

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

"What a beautiful pipe" Khun Aguero Agnes said while walking with his teammates, Hwaryun and Hong Danhwa. "It almost make me forget that we're in the middle of a battle...."

Hong Danhwa was a swordsman, used to be one of Yura's teammates in the Train City tournament. Back then in the Train City, he fought with Boro in order to let Yura Ha to escape from them. He was lost and ended up with Khun and the others which was why they were now teammates.

Khun didn't like his current teammates. One of them was the guide from FUG who played the part in turning the Twenty Fifth Bam and Charlotte into slayer candidates while the other one didn't have a single loyalty to their team. He didn't even know who on earth was the Hong Danhwa and he wasn't the type to trust others easily.

If the three of them wanted to ensure their sides' victory, then they would have to run first. They were in charge of protecting the Sweet Fish and if something happened to the Sweet Fish, they are done for. Right now, the amount of Dallars that they had were one hundred and twenty five Dallars.

But so far, there were no enemies yet. But Khun knew that if Hoaqin had became one with his siblings, then tables will surely turn. He might get even more Dallars than them.

The three of them continued walked, unaware that there were Rachel and Yura Ha waiting for Casano to come and to assist them.

She seriously can't wait to get back on Khun for the humiliation that she received.