A hazy night sky with the smell of earth invaded Reysha’s senses. On her back is that sandy sensation of the cold ground rouses. She tried lifting her body but immediately gave up as a pang of pain coursed throughout her body, especially from her shoulder with torn ligaments and her twisted foot.

From her lips, she can taste a metallic liquid and ascertain herself that it was blood. She is aware that her internal organs should have been ruptured from the inside but oddly enough, it was fine.

“Miss Reysha, have you come to?” Ivy’s voice rang out.

“More or less, I guess. Although I should be somewhere around the stage where I should be seeing the purgatory, I am glad that I came to see this beautiful night sky.” Reysha said with a faint smile. “So, what happened?” she added.

“The idiot, Victoria, used something that caused a huge cloud of mushroom to appear. It must something similar to a nuclear bomb. When I said something similar, it has the same amount of power but the dangerous effect such as the radiation was skillfully filtered out.” Ivy told Reysha with a flat voice.

“So that decided it, huh, about Exodus. Let’s ask Victoria later for details. In the meantime, how did I survive?” Reysha asked as she forces herself to lean on the rubble of rock near her.

However, Ivy didn’t answer immediately. She was looking at the spectacle of destruction brought forth by their battle earlier. She readily sat on one of the rocks near Reysha and stares at her with blank eyes.

“I had you drink my blood. It has some regenerative properties so rest assured that there will be only minimal damage in your internal organs.” Ivy said while looking a little astray from Reysha’s face.

“I see, thank for that. Can’t you do the same for my shoulder and foot? They are really in a bad state.” Reysha casually said.

“I left it at that purposely. Miss Reysha…” Upon her fleeting words, Ivy immediately stood up from her seat and went towards Reysha with a raised hand.

SLAP

The sound of her palm hitting on Reysha’s cheek momentarily sounded in the place.

As if a mirror that has fallen on the ground, Ivy’s countenance changes from a default state to a more emotional array of frustration and anger.

“I know…I know what’s to come next…” Reysha already knew what’s in Ivy’s mind and she can only look down.

“You tricked us! I…I already had a hunched back then I brushed it off because I respect you, Miss Reysha!” Ivy’s outburst comes with her eyes tearing up. Her hands and shoulders are trembling in what? Anger? Disappointment? Or possibly, a more complicated emotion.

“You…you are reincarnator like me and Sir Falikh all along, right?! You, even knowing that we honestly laid down those facts, didn’t even try to say anything!” The question immediately came out from Ivy’s lips together with more words of accusation.

“I bared my origin, I bared what kind of life I had back then before I died, I even bared my life in this world! It’s the same as Sir Falikh! He wasn’t ashamed to share his life talks with me and yet, you are there, just listening to us speak when you are clearly among us! Isn’t that like tricking us?!” ivy’s yet another barrage of words of her feelings.

However, Reysha didn’t reply favorably as she let out a sigh…

“There was no need for me to tell anything about myself. You guys did that on your own. It’s a secret that I only want to keep for myself, that is the case here. You and Falikh are the only happy ones that spoke of your past selves. I’m not fond of that.” Reysha honestly told Ivy with an unfaltering countenance.

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“No way…but…” Ivy, like stuck by a lightning, stares at Reysha stunned. “Aren’t we friends, Miss Reysha?” Ivy asked with her teeth gritting and eyelids trembling as she tried to hold in her tears.

“What are you saying? Are you some kind of a bloke?” Reysha jeered at her with a mocking smile.

“Bloke?! I’m…I’m serious here, Miss Reysha! We’re friends, right?! Please say we are! I don’t have much back in my previous life and even here!” Ivy’s reaction changes to a more comedic one as Reysha called her a bloke in a lighthearted manner.

“See? Who wants to be friends with a bloke like you? If you actually think we are friends, stop addressing me with Miss, you bloke. Although I’m not fond of making friends out of brats, this time, it can’t be help.” Reysha sighs in exasperation.

“Ah, yeah…I’ve been addressing you with such formality, up until now?! Wait, you are actually confirming that we are friends?!” Ivy’s mood brightens up.

“Are you really that hungry for companionship? I get that’s what all you get when you haven’t aged past fifty.” Reysha sighs.

“Fifty?! Wait, you called me brat earlier!? I thought you won’t speak of your past, Miss Reysha?! Also, where’s my apology for tricking all of us!?” Ivy started giving demands on her own.

“You think I feel like talking with a busted shoulder and leg? Not to mention, you purposely left me in this pain just so you can interrogate me. No, it’s more like you vented at me.” Reysha told Ivy with half-closed eyes.

“Ah…” Ivy scratches the back of her head. “If you ingest more of my blood, you might turn into a vampire. You wouldn’t want that, right?” Ivy honestly said as she started drawing away from Reysha as she immediately felt apologetic.

“What are you doing? I’m not going to hit you, you bloke. I’ve got a lot on my plate to be starting a chase. I understand what you are trying to say and I’m not that unreasonable.” Reysha said to assure Ivy.

“Is that certain?” Ivy asked as she felt guilty.

“Ah, I’m a little frustrated losing too. I know that was a bad matchup but it still annoys me.” Reysha said with a morbid frown.

“You are angry after all! I’m sorry for lying to you but you lied to us far longer!” Ivy said in a panic as she bowed down head first in front of Reysha.

“Adults are dirty wherever or whatever world you go. Keep in mind that we are guaranteed liars on impulse. Also, dealing with kids like you is annoying.” Reysha said so with a sigh while looking at a distance.

“You are that old, Mis—err…Reysha? Is that the reason why you act more mature than anyone else?!” Ivy jumps into another question.

“I’d be honest with you. Yes, I am quite old mentally. My mental age should be around ninety now. You could say that I have grandkids.” Reysha came out with words unexpected by Ivy.

“I…I thought you’d be someone who is deranged and edgy that holed yourself in your room until death!” Ivy started to leer closer to Reysha with a really tensed smile.

“You’re quite aware that one of my arms is still functioning, no?” Reysha queried Ivy with a glare.

“I’m sorry! I’ve become too cheeky! Well, I didn’t expect you to be that…old. It’s like you are the same age as Sir Falikh…” Ivy mentioned while pondering something.

“About that, huh? Ivy, I’m not exactly hiding about my true identity but I am not that talkative when it comes to it. You see, for the first time in this world, I think I’m a little motivated to speak of it.” Reysha said as she sent Ivy a friendly smile.

“Are you serious?! A journey of a ninety years old something, I’m excited to hear about it!” Ivy pumped herself up.

“Are you a bloke? I’m just going to summarize it. Also, it’s up to you whether you will spread it or not, I don’t mind.” Reysha told Ivy with a strained tone.

“…Even so, I’ll try not to be loose about it. Depending on what I will hear, I might actually need to keep it a secret.” Ivy said to reassure Reysha.

“I don’t expect much from you anyway.” Reysha bluntly replied.

“Ouch…that hurts! My feelings are hurt!” Ivy cried while protesting to Reysha by swinging her hands around.

“Listen to me now before I change my mind.” Reysha said with another bountiful sigh.

Upon hearing her words, Ivy fixes herself and sat in front of Reysha who has gotten comfortable leaning on the rubble. After confirming that Ivy is now fully fixated on her, Reysha starts her story.

“My previous name is Depp, the husband of a woman called Camille, who now goes by the name Falikh in this world. That goes without saying. Victoria is one of my grandkids.” Reysha confessed with a default countenance, however, the reaction she got from Ivy made her burst into laughter.

“……” Ivy was there staring at Reysha with a petrified countenance as the white of her eyes shows.

“You’re reacting very well to this.” Reysha smirks.