R. A. T. H

Twenty-Five vol.2

In the background, the sound of showering rang. Elsa had immediately hopped into it, but Rose chose instead to sit down, seeing as she did not break a sweat. She would wait until tonight to clean herself. After all, all 24 hours to her were active time.

"So." Lilias spoke. "You two went on a date?"

Rose blinked her eyes as she tilted her head. "Hmm? Was that what it was?"

The two girls sat side by side upon the green couch of the living room. Save for the sound of showering, it was momentarily silent.

Rose understood what a date was. Well, at least she understood its definition. Though its meaning or significance was lost to her, she knew, pragmatically, that it was something done between lovers. An outing both individuals could enjoy.

'Date? Me and Elsa?' She thought. It hadn't once crossed her mind. Certainly, if someone was to ask her whether she loved the girl, she would say yes. Who wouldn't love a friend that had always been there for them? Yet, if someone were to ask her if she romantically loved Elsa, Rose didn't think she would be able to answer.

Though she knew what it was, she didn't understand the concept of romance.

Lilias glanced at her. "For someone able to match me in combat, you are far too unaware of emotions."

'What is she on about?' Rose tilted her head as she narrowed her eyes. "I don't want to hear that from you."

Lilias shrugged and turned back forward. She was dressed lightly. A short over shorts that exemplified her thighs. Rose thought it was strange whenever she saw the expressionless girl without her weapons.

"Before you two returned," The girl said, "A group of people calling themselves 'Vanguard' came in person to invite me to join their guild. More precisely, they came to invite me and you, yet only bumped into me."

"Oh?" Rose raised a brow.

As far as she understood it, a guild was a large collection of dungeoneers working together to enter, and clear, Alos's dungeon through sharing whatever amount of information they could each remember, and enjoying the rewards their adventures bring them as one. In some ways, it was essentially a large party. In others, the mana web had described it as a corporation of dungeoneers in which the largest of which could sway the market.

"How did they find out about us? And where we live?" Rose asked, however, brows furrowed.

Lilias smiled. "Registration and Assessment Tests are open and visible to anyone willing to take a look. And, our identification numbers with our pads can—with the right connections in high places—be easily traced to any payments we make. Which includes rent."

Rose frowned.

"That's. . ." She paused as she remembered the hologram that could tell she was new even before she entered the association's building. She remembered how simple the registration process had been.

'Yes. Naturally. This city is advanced enough that programs can decipher between people at a glance,' She thought, 'And. . .'

She stared at the pad attached to her left wrist and suddenly wished to take it off. Yet, she calmed herself. Though whatever she chose to do with it was, it itself was not collecting data on her. Intrinsically, she figured it was all linked to the legal citizen identification number in this city.

It made things convenient, but it also seemed like a trade-off. A piece of freedom lost.

"I don't like this city," She said, "But. . .they came for only us two? What about Elsa?"