Chapter 227: Above the Cloud 2
“We are back.” Naomi greeted as she entered the house with Mischa.
She was looking around the room and noticed Anna and Dan-Bi sleeping on the couch with happy faces. Dan-Bi was below Anna, but she didn’t seem to mind. They looked like they were hugging passionately, and their mouths were about to touch each other.
‘Alright, what happened? Is this their plan? If that’s so, then I am indeed jealous of them sleeping together like that.’ Naomi thought to herself.
She was expecting Anna or Dan-Bi to greet her while shouting loudly about their plan, but what happened baffled her more than anything.
“They are sleeping?” Mischa asked as she approached the couch where Dan-Bi and Anna were sleeping and looked at them curiously. “They have peaceful expressions as if their burdens are lifted.”
“Maybe.” Naomi answered. She sat on the couch across from the couch where the two were sleeping. “Anyway, Mischa.”
“Hmm?” Mischa turned to Naomi, approached her, and sat beside her. “What is it?” She asked.
“I need to go back to Germany after this. Do you want to stay here, or will you come to Germany with me?” Naomi asked seriously as she leaned her back against the couch’s backrest. “To be honest, I need someone to stay in this base in case something unusual happens. And I can only trust you in this one.”
‘Though Hyun-Woo’s barrier surrounds the base, I don’t think it can stop Avos from entering. Besides, with Mischa staying here, I can concentrate on the war without worrying about her safety. Not like there is anyone who can beat her, though. But I am still worried about her. To think I have become this overprotective…’
“Protecting this base?” Mischa muttered and looked at Anna and Ban-Bi. When she looked at them, Anna suddenly moved a little, placing her hand on top of Dan-Bi’s chest, and muttered in her sleep.
“Mnnyaa~ Dan-Bi~ That’s not fair…”
“Well, look at them. They are the definition of non-fighters in the Moon of Akasha. Also, we must protect them at all costs. The Esper Association had once experimented on them, and the power-up pills that the Executives used were the result of those experiments.” Naomi explained as her expression softened, looking at Anna and Dan-Bi.
“Really?!” Mischa raised her voice but quickly blocked her mouth because she didn’t want to wake the girls. “And there is no fighter in this base?”
“Julia is a kind of fighter. Her ability allowed her to control gravity, so she could bring the island to the sky in case it was attacked.”
“However, there is no one who can actively defend the base from the intruder, no? So that’s why you asked me to stay here.”
“That’s correct.” Naomi nodded. “Will you protect them for me, Mischa? I promise I will ask for your help when I need it.”
“…” Mischa stayed silent before she glanced between Naomi and the sleeping girls repeatedly.
She finally stopped after a little and looked at Naomi before nodding. “Alright. But… Do contact me if you need help.”
“Yeah.” Satisfied with Mischa’s answer, Naomi stood up and put her hands on her waist. “Well then, I will take a coffee from the kitchen and then leave for Germany.”
“Sure… Also…” Mischa hesitated a bit before smiling and speaking. “Be careful.”
Naomi flashed Mischa her brightest smile and said. “Yeah. I’m gonna go back without being injured.”
She then walked to the kitchen to find Julia and asked her for coffee.
***
A few minutes after Naomi entered the kitchen, she left while holding a coffee inside a paper cup after taking off her disguise. Mischa saw her left in front of the house with Julia.
“She left, huh,” Julia muttered as she looked at the sky. Naomi’s figure had become a small dot as she flew at her fastest speed.
“Yes, she was,” Mischa answered. “But she will come back to this place, for sure.”
“She has always been. This place is technically the start of her journey.” Julia explained with a smile. “Also, are you sure you are going to stay in this base, Mischa? If you said you want to go with her, I think she will allow you to tag along.” She asked curiously.
“No, I can’t do that to her.” Mischa shook her head. “This is actually the first time she’s so adamant about asking me to stay here. I know that she’s worried about me.” Her lips curled into a smile.
“Furthermore, she trusts me to protect this place, you know? The place where she came back to when she’s tired. Isn’t this base basically her home?” Mischa tried to wink, but because she was not used to it, she only managed to do it awkwardly. “Oh no…” She muttered, embarrassed of her attempt.
“Could it be… you?” Julia looked at Mischa in shock. Her eyes widened as she saw the embarrassed figure of Mischa, who tried to compose herself.
A short while later, Mischa finally composed herself and had a bitter smile. “Although I was not used to the freedom yet, I have been brainwashed for a long time. It’s not only her who’s sensitive to other people’s emotions.”
‘Though I only noticed it when Naomi tried to keep me out of danger. I bet she would try to get involved in the explosion incident earlier.’ She thought to herself.
“Well, at least I know that she’s truly worried about me. Besides, we have Hotaru, who can teleport around freely, so I can always help Naomi if the situation needs it.” Mischa turned around and entered the house, leaving the surprised Julia behind.
Left alone in front of the house, Julia looked at the sky while wondering, ‘Princess, have you already thought of this too? If so, then you are really terrifying.’
She quickly shook her head in wonder. Were the plays between two high-ranked Espers deceived the people in the Moon of Akasha all this time? They looked like naïve girls, but they knew each other’s feelings well.
‘I don’t know. High-rank Espers are strange.’ Julia brushed her thoughts away and entered the house. ‘Anyway, time to clean the house. Maid is busy.’