Chapter 12: Abilities Come in Different Forms (6)

The restaurant was bustling with annoying noise and a skit being performed by actors, portraying a foolish guard, a cunning servant, a greedy rich man (or whoever the well-tipsy humorist was impersonating), and his young wife.

As I landed in my chair, I half-closed my eyes and leaned back. Natal, catching a whiff of blood, gave me a questioning look but, seeing my "calm down" gesture, refrained from pestering me with questions. The rest of the group, much to my relief, was engrossed in the performance. Eris, noticing my less-than-approachable mood, whispered anxiously into Natal's ear from her spot behind him, occasionally throwing concerned glances in my direction.

"I said everything is fine!" I thought, annoyed by the doubt in my abilities. I couldn't stand it when people questioned my strength.

Especially when those doubts were well-founded.

After bragging about her talent in martial arts, the girl began to question my friend about our training. Poor guy tried to give a general description, emphasizing that it wouldn't suit Eris, but she was insistent and promised to show everyone how amazing she was. Given that we had trained quite intensely, by the standards of our previous world, it was hard to believe she would succeed.

Pain, like fear, is an excellent teacher. Training on the edge of what's possible, the kind that could maim or kill an ordinary person, forced us to become better at using our abilities. But this system wasn't suitable for a homey girl. Moreover, this kind of training required the supervision of qualified instructors and medics; otherwise, the risk of injuring oneself or suffering psychological damage was too great. Remembering that during the first two years, five people dropped out anyway... No, it was better to keep this technique away from a girl like her.

Gradually, I felt better, and the surroundings became less irritating. After my friend and I emptied another glass, my headache had almost subsided, proving the effectiveness of the age-old Russian remedy even in another world.

"Alright, now it's my turn!" Eris declared, smoothing her clothes and fixing her hair. She nervously smiled. "Wish me luck!"

"Good luck."

"Good luck, Eris."

"And she really does have abilities, Kurome?" my friend asked as Eris made her way halfway to the stage.

"You think I would lie? I'll tell you more: she has already partially awakened her spiritual power, even if it's just a tiny bit. If you think about it, I didn't save Eris; I saved those two outcasts. If they attacked her, she could very well initiate her power and kill those assholes." I mused, scratching my cheek thoughtfully. "Oh well," I smirked. "What's the point of saving a beautiful girl from scoundrels, only to save the scoundrels from the girl?"

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

My friend chuckled.

"But you can't know for sure. What if she hadn't succeeded? You don't need to stipulate yourself," he said after some hesitation, nodding to himself as if agreeing with some internal thoughts. "You were feeling bad, Kurome. Can you tell me what happened to you?"

"Nothing to worry about. I just strained my new ability. I told you about it. If you want, we can talk later when Eris's performance is over," I waved to the blonde, earning a smile in response. Standing beside the girl were a pair of acrobats, each holding musical instruments. The acrobat held a flute, and her brother had something resembling a small drum.

Soon, the room filled with the sounds of the flute and the strumming of guitar strings.

***

"I thought I did relatively well in my past life playing the strings to the sounds of my own voice," I thought with admiration. "But compared to Eris, I'm insignificant."

It's not about the difference between an amateur and a talent with a musical education. After all, in my past life, having access to the internet, I had heard hundreds of different compositions, but none of them had such an enchanting effect. It was as if I experienced the pain of separation with the song's heroine, bidding farewell to her beloved as he went off to war. And with her, when hope was almost gone, I rejoiced in the return of the man who had been held captive.

Shaking my head, I dismissed the reverie, just to be on the safe side, letting a bit of spiritual power flow through my body. Eris's voice remained as beautiful as ever, but the song turned into a mere song, and not of my favorite theme. However, I felt that if I surrendered to the music and the enchanting voice, the magic would return.

"A real Siren!"

So, the girl's ability was confirmed. However, in terms of combat, she was almost useless. Even with all its beauty, her singing didn't quite reach the level of hypnosis. People listened in awe, but no one fell into a trance. Look at that, some fatso didn't even bother to stop eating. Our man!

Although Eris was a singer, not a killer, why would she need a combat ability?

Regarding its uselessness, that was debatable. I remembered one of General Esdeath's three minions, who possessed a Teigu-flute. With the help of the artifact's music, he could influence the emotions of a large number of people and even induce sleep if desired. Of course, Teigu was Teigu, but there were prospects for this skill.

I also found it intriguing: could I replicate something similar myself? No, I didn't plan to make a career as a pop star. What intrigued me was the hypothetical ability to influence people with my voice.

In essence, I had done something remotely similar when I sang a spooky little song using a bit of KI in the previous city. It seemed that the effect was more potent than if I had simply used a weak "bloodlust" on those around me. Curiously, did Eris use something similar, or was this a separate ability? The KI of a weaker user of spiritual power is almost not felt, it would hardly be able to influence me, and Eris's singing allowed one to immerse themselves in emotions, whether you were the Master in my humble person or a well-fed food lover from two tables away... that meant it was an ability.

And if she's born with it, replicating it is unlikely. It's sad.

In general, it would be good to examine the singing girl in a spiritual sense, but attempting to use sensory powers right now, when I have not fully recovered from a blow to the brain, was more like not masochism but suicide.

As a result, I decided to postpone a more detailed exploration of the issue for later and, for now, relax and enjoy the singing. After all, the girl was making an effort for me as well. Eris and her talent deserved for me to temporarily set aside my thoughts and immerse myself in the world of music. Closing my eyes, I leaned back in my chair and allowed the beautiful voice to carry me away from this world filled with problems and troubles.

For the first time since I discovered my memories of my previous life... no, for the first time since my sister ran away, I felt complete tranquility. Even the faint but annoying feeling of inner conflict was completely silenced.

No, truly, it would be blasphemous to corrupt such a kind, benevolent ability like Eris's, turning it into a tool for brainwashing!

For both sides of me.