[Silver Ash] - Become The Strongest In Another World
CHAPTER 327: The Promise

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"That's impossible."

Noelle clicked her tongue and unhesitatingly rejected Noir's offer. No need to think long, handing over control of his body to Noir was a very bad scenario.

『Why is that?』

"The last time I gave up control of my body, I had to set up a plan to fake my own death."

The sound of laughter sounded. As usual, it came from Noir.

『Didn't the plan to fake death exist even before I possessed you? Besides, you don't have to worry for this one.』

Indeed, what Noir said had a point. Since before the pursuit of the Swallow Life Order members was conducted, Noelle had indeed planned to leave the Lunatic Order, and to do that, she had to run several scenarios, including faking her own death.

Moreover, if Noir had not taken over her body back then, Noelle might have been dead by now. So Noelle had no right to protest about how Noir possessed her and took over her body. He just said that to vent a little of his emotions.

"Whatchu mean? "

『Khe-hehe– Do you think I have time to have fun in the real world? The cockroaches are quite annoying, so I have to take care of them. Therefore, Noelle, let's make a deal.』

" … What do you want? "

『Hehe, go ahead, once your troubles here are over, I want you to do something for me. If you can qualify it, then I'll split the reins. You can control your body as normal, but I will have control over the power you have. That way, you'll still realize when I do what you ask.』

Actually, it was a normal deal.

Dividing the controls was something Noir could do quite easily. He did it firsthand, and Noelle knew it wasn't a piece of writing.

Moreover, in that condition, Noelle could sever Noir's control over his body at any time, as Noelle's soul had complete control over his own body.

The problem was, what did Noir want? Noelle has to make sure of that.

"Just tell me what to do? Depending on 'your request', I'm free to refuse."

『What I want? Quite simple. I need you to find out what exactly the cockroaches are up to. I've sniffed a disgusting smell, so you have to hurry, or it'll all be late.』

Noelle narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"just that? Am I free to choose a method I can use? "

Mindfully, Noelle felt a sharp smile blossom on Noir's imaginative face that Noelle had always imagined as she spoke to him.

『Sure, you are free to use any method. But, I'll give you some advice; find a guy named Dwayne Lee Minster.』

Noelle remembered and knew the name.

Dwayne Lee Minster, Noelle had seen the name on the report paper on Dolf's desk. Noelle saw the name as she came to visit and 'said farewell' to her former captain.

Naturally, Noelle knew that Dwayne was related to the Swallow Life Order. But that's all he knows.

"What's wrong with her? Do you know anyone named Dwayne? "

『Hehe, you'll find out for yourself later. So, how? Are you going to accept this deal?』

Noelle thought about it for a moment.

Seeking information regarding the purpose of the Swallow Life Order is dangerous. He could have been tagged and become one of their targets. However, without any direct interference, Noelle was involved with them, through Noir of course.

Noir will definitely involve him, whether Noelle likes it or not.

Actually, this is not a bad offer.

Noelle did not need to intervene directly, as she could ask someone else to find out and contact Dwayne's name.

There were three options for who he should submit with the intention of contacting Dwayne, and they were Kino from Red Hood, Nantz, and Harold.

The three people would undoubtedly make a move if he were to order them all. But, Noelle must not be rash and can only give the task to one person in order to keep this mission a secret.

(I think he's fit for this job.)

Noelle nodded as she had already found a suitable person to be charged with this task.

"Alright, I accept the deal" Noelle said with a slight grin.

『Hehe, glad to hear it.』

Noelle did not hesitate in taking the mission, because she knew that she had the ability to carry it out.

If he didn't have the capability for the task, Noir wouldn't have asked him to do that. Because more than anything, Noir doesn't want Noelle to just die.

『Then I have to get back to my own business. I'll show up occasionally, so don't feel lonely, okay?』

"Ohh? You don't have to worry about me, and you better not be so mean to those guests."

Noelle smiled, and rose to a standing position. The gripping sounds and feelings that signified Noir's presence instantly disappeared.

In that room there was silence. Noelle stood there, on a wooden floor that was flooded with blood, and near a mattress that had been stained with a deep red color.

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After a long silence, Noelle finally sighed and turned to the door.

He got rid of all the blood that littered the room, and restored the state of the floor and mattress as before with the authority of domination. After that, he turned back to the door.

"Is visiting my room before bed a routine for you? "

The question was responded to by a rather strong impact sound on the door, perhaps the person standing there did not expect Noelle to say that, and ended up banging her own head against the door.

With a creaking sound, the door opened slightly, featuring half of Tania's profile peering into her room, hesitating to enter.

" … Come in."

Noelle sighed resignedly and said while giving a hand gesture as permission for Tania to enter her room.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, Noelle stared wordlessly at the smiling Tania and ran small towards her as if she was excited about something.

The distance between Noelle and Tania was immediately closed, when Tania finally chose to sit right next to Noelle.

No one is talking. From the beginning, Noelle did not have anything to talk about with Tania, so she kept waiting until Tania revealed herself the purpose she had come to.

While Tania herself ... she did not even look at Noelle, so Noelle was doubtful the conversation would be running any time soon.

(Troughed girl.)

Noelle could not help but smile, then snorted while chuckling.

"If you're too nervous or confused to talk, you should prepare yourself before you come."

Tania looked like she wanted to say something, but she kept quiet like she didn't know how to say it. Personally, Noelle found this amusing, as the Tania he knew usually had such blatant natures and attitudes.

" … That's not the problem …."

"Hmm? "

Tania's simple and slow answer made Noelle raise her voice in confusion. He turned his head and looked at Tania, who had been looking at him first.

His face as usual, no change. Merely, his gaze seemed to be filled with emotion, something that Noelle rarely saw from Tania.

"I. .. already know what to say, I also already know how I should behave in front of you. But ... My mind went blank when I looked at you directly."

"uh? "

That's a too honest answer. Noelle was not expecting it at all. He could only stare confusedly at Tania.

"I don't know what's going on, but being around you always leaves my mind blank for a moment, so I almost forgot what I was supposed to say."

" … really? "

Before Noelle realized it, Tania had already moved her face forward, looked at her up close, and made Noelle run out of room to move.

"That's right," Tania replied without the slightest hesitation.

Noelle tried to respond to him casually. He slightly turned his face, looked the other way, and tried to keep Tania away from himself.

" … So? What do you want to tell me? Do you remember it now? "

As soon as asked, Tania returned to her original position, and squeezed tightly onto her own fist. And finally, after a while, he managed to say it.

"Lusa ... The Dungeon in Alten will finally open."

Noelle blinked a few times, trying to make sense of the information she had just received.

A Dungeon? The alten? Now Noelle remembered, Tania's goal coming to Alten was to anticipate a dungeon that would soon open there. But this and that happened, making Tania end up spending time with him, the further away from her original purpose of coming to the capital.

Noelle knew that the time for that was coming soon, but she did not expect that the time was this close.

"Where do you know that? " ask Noelle.

"I can feel the waves," Tania replied briefly.

"Waves? "

Noelle still did not understand, and hoped that Tania would explain, but, Tania actually looked confused as she turned her face away.

After a while, he finally spoke in a very slow voice. " … When all our business here is done ..- do you want to come with me? "

"Hmm? "

Noelle had understood her request, but it seemed Tania had misunderstood her and thought that her way of taking Noelle was still incomprehensible.

That was why, he frantically tried to add, "I mean .. to conquer the dungeon! The Dungeon is an amazingly strange place, so I carved it into it could be an experience for you! "

Noelle knew that. After all he had already entered the dungeon before.

Was there a stark difference between the dungeon he had once entered and the dungeon Tania meant? Noelle was not sure.

Noelle tilted her head, slightly poking Tania's cheeks that looked flushed.

"Why do you look confused? Of course I'll come along, you've helped me here a lot anyway."

Although ... somewhat strange it feels when saying that Tania has helped him a lot, considering all that is already in the scenario of the Queen of Bengal, that the destined—Noelle and Tania will appear, because of the situation, working together to provide safety to Artof.

Can it be called a valuable service when they just move along a predetermined path? Noelle was unsure of the answer.

"Well, I'll accompany you and help you after all this is done. For now, I want to focus on what's in front of me."

Noelle stared out the window, right at the trio of giant celestial objects slightly shrouded in clouds.

Tania followed the direction of her gaze, and her expression became more relaxed.

" … We also have to solve Asterisk-related problems."

Tania's remark made Noelle involuntarily frown.

" … Though I tried to forget that one …."

No lie, Noelle really did not want to deal with the problems Asterisk was facing.

His task in recruiting subordinate members was done, so he should not have cared about the others. However, there was still one thing stuck in his mind.

"I wonder if Tristan is okay …."

Tania muttered, making Noelle glance at him.

He also remembered the figure of a man with an age that was not much different from himself. A man with gray hair and always carries a spear wherever he goes. Someone he only knew by his code name, and not his real name.

Tristani.

Thinking about it for a moment, Noelle finally sighed.

"Well, Tristan is not that weak. So he should be fine. Moreover, what to worry about was not him, but Pauper and Auger. They're the ones I think are in bad shape."

Tania nodded, agreeing to Noelle's words.

"I also hope they're okay."

They had already gotten a warning about that Lumine Church priest named Lanevus, but Noelle had not really paid him any heed as she most likely would not be involved with the figure.

Instead, the ones who were obliged to worry were Lucia and Collyn, because they were in the same place as the priest.

Looking back at the wall before her, Noelle again sighed.

"Well, we haven't gotten any reports from them yet, so we don't know for sure what the situation is. But, I guess it's better to be prepared for the worst."

In any case, the figure Lucia saw in Lanevus was an anomaly. At least Noelle thinks so.

Tania nodded, then calmly leaned her head against Noelle's shoulder.

This sudden action surprised Noelle a little, but she did not react much.

"We ... can only wait for the report from them."

Noelle nodded at something Tania muttered.

"The release of the Queen of Bengal, the conquest of the dungeon, collecting pieces of memory .. There are many things to which we aim, and it seems we have no time to relax."

" … really? "

Tania nodded, still leaning on Noelle's shoulder. "Nn. That's why .. I want to enjoy this quiet time as much as possible."

Tania closed her eyes while smiling.

Even he knew that he would not have much time off in the future. Every second of calmness he had was something precious, so he would always enjoy it.

"Noah ... What is Noah ... also afraid to remember everything? "

The question suddenly came out, making Noelle frown and her lips.

" … That's how. Personally, I want to remember everything. But ... My soul kind of rejects it all. Maybe ... From the bottom of my heart, I don't want to remember anything related to the past."

Slowly, one by one the memories rose. And every time there was a memory that rose, Noelle could feel herself slowly changing, becoming a figure that she herself did not even know.

Biting her own lips, Noelle finally confessed.

"Night .. I remember something."

"really? "

Tania looked uninspired, and still leaned her head on Noelle's shoulder. However, those opened eyes showed a light filled with curiosity.

Noelle nodded. "What I remember is not something useful, but .... thinking about it again, I became more and more convinced that I actually did not want to remember it all."

How not? He was really surprised by what he dreamed last night.

The memories come in many different ways, and the way Noelle most often experiences them is through dreams.

"I remember. As time went backwards very quickly, I saw my bloodied hand."

Tania did not speak at all. She let Noelle say everything she wanted to say.

"My sword in my hand. And when time finally moves backwards, I do. I'm the one who destroyed my own memories. I cut it, with the power of my sword, into many pieces."

"All of those parts then disappeared. But, I'm sure, it didn't disappear completely, but rather spread to various places around the world, crossing physical and logical boundaries, like finding a place to hide."

Noelle was convinced, that she should still remember everything even if time repeated.

The reason he forgot all that was because of his own desire. He cut it into many pieces, then threw it away. He did it with full awareness.

Noelle clenched her hand tightly, and when Tania saw that, she grabbed Noelle's hand, covering her with her own hands full of warmth.

"I'm not sure, Tania. I wanted to forget everything, but .. I realized that I was getting further and further away from my true self. I want to tell her, about what I really want? What exactly is my purpose? And to do that, I have to get all my memories back."

" …… I understand," replied Tania.

Tania smiled gently, then got up, and her hands immediately grabbed both sides of Noelle's cheeks.

"I will support that decision. Because .. I want to know that too. I wonder what exactly I am, and what feelings I have for you, for all of you."

The two stared at each other, saying nothing more, impliedly conveying the feelings and hopes they had for the unfamiliar memory.

Recovering memories that have been lost is not easy. The level of difficulty depends on themselves.

Although Noelle rejected those memories from the bottom of her heart, she still had a strong desire to remember everything. It's a contradictory feeling.

(There are too many things I don't know, so I have to get my memories. I have to get everything. If not ... I will probably continue to live with this strange feeling.)

Noelle's gaze turned softer, and she overtook Tania's hand with her own. Then, he looked at the girl.

"It's probably going to be a long and difficult journey. Even so ... do you want to come with me? "

Tania blinked a few times, as if not expecting the question to come out of Noelle's mouth. However, when he understood it, a smile naturally formed on his face.

"You don't have to ask. I knew it would be a long road. I know it won't be easy. But, I have made a decision; I will go with you, down a path that might lead me to that sorrow."

Both believe that regaining their lost memories is the same as recalling all the tragedies they have experienced.

About why they are no longer together under the names of Intaurus and Egoist, about what causes time to play back.

All those questions ... will be answered once they arrive at the end of the road.

Staring at each other for a moment, Noelle finally snorted and chuckled. Tania didn't understand why she did that, so she just stared confusedly at Noelle.

Although Tania asked for an explanation with her gaze, Noelle easily ignored that. He smiled faintly and looked at Tania fixedly.

"You sleep? "

Noelle's expression was strange. Tania had never seen that before. This left her confused, and it took quite a long time to digest Noelle's offer.

And when she understood it, all Tania could do was look around in a daze, then look back at Noelle before finally nodding small, with a red hue on her cheek.

Tania released her grip on Noelle's cheek and confusedly sat in the middle of the bed.

The mattress was soft, so when Tania dropped the body to sit down, she bounced a few times.

Tania again looked at Noelle in confusion, but Noelle's expression was still the same as before. This made Tania instinctively feel danger in a different sense, resulting in her immediately dropping the body, lying on the mattress staring at the ceiling.

He pulled the blanket and hugged the pillow that was nearby, then looked back at Noelle.

Noelle was still sitting down, letting Tania take over some of her bed. After all, even though Tania slept there, there was still enough room for her.

Noelle moved and touched Tania's forehead.

" … Why did you do that? "

Noelle did not reply, and only chuckled while tidying up Tania's hair bangs which became a little messy because of it.

Tania did not say anything, in confusion letting herself be treated gently by Noelle.

However, even Tania who was insensitive to the surroundings was aware, that she would not be strong to look into Noelle's eyes, which resulted in her instantly taking her eyes off the man.

That look is dangerous. Tania could feel her body temperature rising, and her heart was also beating very fast. It's bad for his own heart.

Therefore, Tania had no choice but to take her eyes off. I don't know what would happen if she kept staring at Noelle.

" … Good night."

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Still sitting on the edge of her bed, Noelle was still staring warmly at the sleeping Tania.

But then, Tania opened her eyes, then got up and looked at him with an extremely cold and heartless gaze.

Noelle who saw that smiled.

"It's good to see you, Navi."

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