Return of the Fallen Volume 5 Chapter 28
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Author: Blue_Rat
ch28
Sitting down to breakfast, several golems served a simple yet scrumptious meal. A thick cut of meat similar to bacon lined everyone’s plate. Three different kinds of omelets mixed with cheeses and a few vegetables. Some had peppers and onions while others were stuffed with rich-tasting meat. Bread with steam still coming off of it, sliced and buttered. A few different jams on the side and a few platters of freshly picked fruit. All farmed directly from Glacious’s vast valley.
Kazuki had just had a plate of food set in front of him and he was prepared to eat when he felt eyes on him. Looking down the table, Asuna and Nunully quickly avoided his gaze and the two already had a few empty glasses in front of them. The two had restarted their competition from last night and were putting away the drinks left and right. Neither refused to give in.
*UGH*
*Whack*
*Uhhh*
A soft groan came from under the table followed by a loud bang and another groan. Shin came out from under the table rubbing his messy head painfully. He sat down lazily next to Kazuki and belched out a few words.
“Some…urp…thing…smells…urp…great.”
Kazuki pinched his nose and fanned at the foul air floating by.
“Damn Shin, it most definitely isn’t you. How much did you drink anyway to smell like shit?”
Shin’s eyes barely opened and he couldn’t remember clearly. He simply smiled.
“Hehe, a lot.”
As soon as Shin said that, Tilly slowly opened her eyes and sat up in the middle of the table.
She said nothing to no one and crawled over to her seat from last night. Sitting down, the very first thing she did was pour a cup of alcohol before throwing it back and draining it.
Smacking her lips in delight she poured another one.
“What a good morning, eh foods already been made. The mornings have already gotten even better.”
*Bam!*
A wild blur raced past everyone and jumped over the table, landing on the other side. Before anyone could tell what was happening Etora laughed out loud.
“Haha, little girl it seems I win.”
He acknowledged Kazuki before he looked over Lamia and snorted.
“Little sis do you have to be so loud so early in the morning. I thought my ears would fall off.”
Lamia cut off a piece of her omelet and took a small bite.
“Big bro if I’m loud then what are you? You just burst through the doors and yelled out about winning. I’ll quiet down the day you do, deal?”
Etora rubbed the back of his head and laughed.
“Fair enough little sis, fair enough. I guess neither of us will ever learn what peace and quiet really mean. I just feel sorry for big bro. Ever since we came here, his place has only gotten noisier and noisier.”
Lamia nodded and went back to her omelet.
Etora as well looked at all of the food in front of him and began to stack his plate as though it were his last meal. As he did so a small bundle of wild energy raced in and proceeded to jump over the table and land beside him.
“Wolfman no fair! I was only a few seconds behind. If you didn’t cheat and use all of your strength I would have gotten here first.”
Mei complained with her childish voice but it only made her sound cute. Etora didn’t even look up at her as he continued to pile food onto his plate.
“What are you saying little bird? How can me, using my own strength be considered cheating? You make no sense.”
Mei pouted slightly and crossed her arms.
“Wolfman you said you would give Mei a handicap. If you don’t hold back any, how can it be considered giving me a headstart?”
Etora finally looked up at her in confusion.
“Eh, but I did hold back. I only used about 2% of my speed. It’s not my fault your little body can only move so fast and can’t keep pace.”
Mei pouted even more and stomped her feet.
“Wolfman you meanie. Mei isn’t slow, you’re just too tall. Wait until Mei grows up and her legs are longer. You will only be able to eat my dust by then.”
Etora could see he made Mei upset but he didn’t know how to respond to her little pouty face. Then he thought of it. Picking up a large piece of meat from his plate he placed it on an empty plate and passed it to Mei. Mei though only turned her head away.
“Such a little amount, this won’t even come close to bribing me.”
(This little girl.)
“Hehe, fine I get it. You can never say Big bro is stingy after this.”
Etora then passed the plate he had piled up food for himself and pushed it in front of Mei.
Mei’s eyes shined and a line of drool hung from her chin.
“Ok, I’ll forgive you this time but next time you better let me win the race and give me food. You do that and I might just let you be my big bro.”
Etora rubbed Mei’s head and laughed at her.
“Hahaha, I won’t let you win but I might consider reducing my speed a bit more if you can beat me in an eating competition.”
Mei gulped hard.
“You mean people can actually eat in a competition? Is there such an amazing thing in the world?”
Etora nodded.
“There is and as of this moment…”
He then proceeded to take a large bite of some meat before swallowing it down in one go.
“It’s already begun!”
Etora then started stuffing food in his mouth one hand full after another. Mei was shocked by this but she was not one to falter when it came to stuffing her face.
“No fair!”
Mei grabbed the plate in front of her and tilted it upside down. Food began pouring in and she started to gobble everything up as quick as a piggy.
Tsura walked in casually after and when she saw Mei she face palmed herself and walked over to Mei. She knew once Mei was eating it was almost impossible to stop her and didn’t even bother to try even though her little face was quickly becoming a mess. Tsura simply sighed before greeting everyone and fixing herself a plate. She was just about to eat but noticed a few missing faces and asked.
“Are we not waiting for the others before we eat?”
Kazuki looked around and Sam, Kimi, and Glacious were all missing.
Just as he was about to say something Sam and Kimi walked into the dining room, hand in hand.
Etora and Mei didn’t even raise their heads to look but everyone else’s gazes landed on the pair. Sam, like always was quiet and expressed basically no emotions. Kimi, on the other hand, had dark bags under her eyes and her eyes were red as though she had been crying the entire night. Her skin was a bit pale but she held a bright smile. The two looked at one another before Kimi let go of Sam’s hand and stepped forward. Before any morning greetings were exchanged, Kimi bowed in front of everyone and shouted.
“TO EVERYONE I’M SORRY!”
Etora and Mei finally looked up and the room went quiet.
Kimi kept her bowing posture and added.
“I was selfish and blamed others when I shouldn’t have. I kept pushing things on people and none of you deserved any of it. I was scared and I felt helpless. I always felt helpless. Especially near the end when Garn said he was going to kill us. I only…I only wanted to go home I even thought maybe Garn might fulfill his promise and send us home and then I didn’t care about anyone else except for myself and Sam and I even tried to harm Asuna. I can’t apologize enough for it all but I’ll apologize again anyway. I’m so sorry! I know my words might not mean much but right now, I hope that they will suffice. Later I…I’ll try my hardest to not be a burden. To not blame, to not cause trouble.”
By this point, tears were already running down Kimi’s face and Sam wrapped an arm around her and hugged her waist. The two locked eyes and he nodded at her.
“That was good. That’s all you can do for now. Come, let’s eat.”
Sam and Kimi sat down beside Asuna and Sam prepared Kimi a plate. Kimi looked around the room and everyone was staring at her. She felt embarrassed and awkward but Shin quickly jumped in.
“Oh, Kimi’s apologizing, did hell freeze over or something?”
Kimi glared at him and Shin laughed.
“Now that’s the Kimi I know. I get it, I accept your apology but please be more natural around me. Otherwise, I’ll get creeped out by this sudden reversal, hehehe.”
Shin started laughing and the weird tension broke just like that. Tsura as well added.
“I agree with Shin, just be natural around us. No one here is mad at you. Being scared when death is upon you, it’s something everyone feels.”
Asuna put down her cup.
“I already said yesterday, we’re friends and everything’s good.”
Everyone said something similar and Kazuki as well was no exception.
“Between us, it’s fine, and I said it before, I’m not entirely blameless. That’s why your apology, I more than accept, as long as you can accept mine. Kimi, I really did put not just you but everyone in danger.”
Kazuki stood up and gave Kimi as well as everyone else a bow.
“I’m sorry.”
Kimi nodded and softly whispered.
“I accept.”
Shin who sat next to Kazuki rolled his eyes before he stabbed his fork into Kazuki’s eggs and toast and dragged it to his plate and chuckled.
“This should make up for it. You don’t mind do you, hehehe.”
Kazuki made a small flame and threw it at the food that just got dragged away.
*Pooof*
The food went up in flame and was burned to a crisp.
Kazuki smiled back with a playful grin.
“Yep, that should make up for it.”
The two shared a smile before they both broke out into laughter, followed by everyone else.
Soon the doors were pushed open and Glacious took a seat. He didn’t fix himself a plate and looked at Kimi.
“You mentioned something about Garn’s promise in sending you home. Tell me, how can Garn do the impossible?”
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