Chapter 43: Chapter 43

Aziel followed the flow of the game and tilted his head to the side, a silent, deliberate gesture of denial.

The man’s eyes lit up in expectation as he scribbled another sentence on the page, which almost seemed to overflow from the previous questions.

Are you related to humans in any way?

The question Aziel had been expecting, the one the man had been trying to ask all along, finally surfaced on the page. That’s it, he thought.

This time, however, Aziel showed no gesture. Instead, he took the pen from the man, flipped the paper over, and wrote deliberately.

To be precise, I am a human, just like you, but I look due to some unfavorable conditions and circumstances.

The man’s face hardened for a moment, as if the very idea of Aziel being human was impossible not just because of his current body, but something deeper, something unspoken.

Aziel met his gaze with a knowing smirk, though he didn’t realize the effect it had, and continued to write.

I have a question first. Why are you not speaking? Why are we talking ?

The man read the question carefully, narrowing his eyes. He took the pen from Aziel and wrote thoughtfully, each stroke measured and precise.

Apparently, there is a guy who possesses a skill called "All Ears." With it, they can leave their hearing senses anywhere in the world, amplified thousands of times, and still catch every sound from the farthest corner of the dimension. That person is a higher-up too, so we cannot risk them overhearing something they shouldn’t know for our own good.

Aziel leaned back slightly, letting the gravity of the explanation settle between them.

’So that’s why everyone along with the captain went quiet. I spoke something unbelievable’

In that moment, the game of pen and paper was more than conversation.

"Let’s play a game... question and answers."

The man suddenly spoke in a nonchalant voice.

Aziel subtly nodded at the statement.

"Well... so I guess it’s my turn to ask a question first," he declared, grabbing the paper as if leaning his center of mass against the pen.

How did your body become ?

That was the first question. Aziel paused, thinking carefully.

He obviously couldn’t tell this man about the system or the quest it would only cause chaos if revealed prematurely.

I don’t exactly know. All of a sudden, my body transformed into this form, Aziel wrote.

The man narrowed his eyes in acknowledgment.

Aziel dragged the paper back toward him, along with the pen, and noticed the man had another pen tucked in his pocket.

What about you? How are you here?

The man read the question, a faint smirk tugging at his lips as he wrote.

That’s a long story, and it would take tens of pages to answer. Refrain from questioning vaguely. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs n0velfire.net

He let Aziel see the words, then crumpled the paper and tossed it randomly onto the floor. He picked up another sheet, half-empty.

Do you know about the lake? How did you not crystallize in it?

A nervous bulge formed at Aziel’s head as he realized the man had skillfully dodged his question, redirecting it back at him.

But it wasn’t like they were enemies they would have to answer anyway, sooner or later.

Yeah, I somewhat know about the lake. It’s terrifying, to say the least. As for why I didn’t freeze in it... my original body did not summon in the lake. I found myself in the Farlands.

Aziel wrote carefully, letting each word carry weight.

Aziel looked toward the man, whose face seemed momentarily wide open in surprise, before he continued to write.

How long have you been here for?

Almost approaching twenty-four months. Have no acquaintances.

He answered, setting his pen down on the table. Then he stood up, a faint tension in his shoulders.

Aziel could sense that the real questions were about to begin.

The man moved around the room with deliberate care, retrieving two white containers.

From a nearby tank, he poured a reddish-colored liquid, steam rising from it in gentle waves.

Then, picking up a nearby jar, he added something greenish, bringing the container closer to inhale its aroma, studying the mixture like a master at work.

The man brought the cup along carefully, holding it as if it were fragile, then slid one toward Aziel, offering it for him to try.

Aziel’s eyes flicked to the cup, curiosity tugging at him. He wondered if it was coffee, the rich aroma teasing his senses.

Tentatively, he lifted the cup and took a sip, letting the warmth roll over his tongue, but instead, Aziel spat the contents out immediately, the taste unbearably foul, and yelled.

"What the hell is even this thing? This isn’t a drink for sure... where did you find this?"

Then the man’s face stretched into a wide, triumphant smile, as if the stunt he had been planning for years had finally worked exactly as intended.

His eyes glimmered with a spark of mischief and satisfaction.

"Don’t worry... these are just some powdered stones from the Farlands," he said, bringing the container a little closer, letting the faint, otherworldly aroma drift between them.

"They won’t mess you up since they tend to flicker out of existence, and if you’re lucky, hey... they might just appear somewhere again. Yeah... totally safe."

Surprisingly, Aziel did not give in to the provocation. He picked up another cup, inhaled its faint, unusual aroma, and took a careful sip before speaking.

"As a reward... I am not answering one of your questions, alright?" he said, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

The man’s eyes lit up instantly, nodding in agreement. To Aziel, it was almost comical. This man seemed willing to sacrifice important intel just to pull some sort of prank.

’Such a strange specimen’ he thought, a mix of amusement and curiosity stirring in his chest.

With that brief commotion settled, Aziel leaned back slightly, observing the meticulous way the man returned to his paper.

Then he spoke, interrupting the writing.

"Wait, it’s already been quite a while, but we never asked for our name."

The man’s lips curved into a wry smile, eyes glinting with warmth and a hint of mischief.

"Yeah, I guess some things never change, like men becoming long-life friends and still not knowing each other’s names. By the way, I’m Alkroz."